ness

You couldn't take your daughter fishing, so you busted up your computer? Your handle is the name of a popular fly fishing rag? You split time between Long Beach, CA and Springfield? You make lures for a living? You ask God to bless the Midwest, but your sig file is some West Coast something or other?? Your mantra is Live by the worm, die by the worm? Hobbies include trails and mudding? Is there someone else there we can talk to?

Yeah, when fly fishing became THE thing to do, it was always funny to see the lame casting, humongous flies, hats and vests on the models. They still trot that concept out in commercials about retiring well, travel, whatever.

I was talking to one of my sons today, and the conversation drifted to books and history and things. I was talking about David McCullough, and found this video that I thought was pretty good and relatres to some of the things touched on in this conversation. It's often pretty enlightening to look at things with the perspective of history.

I agree the body length and head shape look like a lion, but the tail looks like a bobcat. I can say, conclusively, that we just don't freakin' know.

So, I've spent about 20 minutes reading about beekeeping. It really looks like a great hobby. Not sure how it would go over here in the 'burbs though.

That's pretty cool stuff. Looks like some pretty good craftsmanship on that hive too. Do you know the story on it?

That kind of treatment seems to be a general trend, and I just don't understand that. With so many of the mom-and-pop stores (of all kinds) replaced by big box megamarts, I would think the remaining small ones would recognize their strengths and leverage them. Good service and personal attention to customers will always have a place, and trumps selection and price a lot of the time. We've got a local fly shop that lost my business a long time ago because they just couldn't figure that out. They have a mail order/internet business but I don't know the mix of business. Regardless -- if you've got a store front, you ought to run it right.

I thought that too, Brian. 600 people on board -- that had to be packed.

JD -- who knows what this guy is all about? You keep saying he's looking for attention, and you're pist that he's accomplished that. Why care? And, you also talk like he's coming out ahead on this deal, what with his newfound fame and cushy life in prison with TV, AC, no bills, healthcare and all those other luxuries. You almost sound like you're jealous! Execute him so he doesn't live the good life, huh? C'mon.

Me too. May have to Netflix that one.

Gol darnit -- we've all gone soft! 101 outside, and 74 inside with 35% humidity. Dehumidifier hummin' along, the dial on the meter outside is spinnin', and I'm still not comfy. Gonna have to head down to the Bat cave.

Yeah, I'm not an Al Gore fan by any means -- but geez. That is one tired, old, argument that never held water. If you can't find issues with him for legitimate reasons, then just 'hesh up', as my junior high (that's middle school to you young pups) gym teacher used to say.

...says the putz

Hmmm. Had to Google that one. Kinda surprised I hadn't heard of it.Is that a pretty good movie?

-1 Hah!

As long as I'm taking unpopular positions, I'll weigh in on that one too. I actually read a large part of the Freeh report, specifically the part about Paterno, and all the e-mail exhibits that were used to support their findings. Ain't nothing there. It's gonna be interesting to see how it plays out after the media circus leaves town.

I was just eye-balling the cost thing. Let me get back to you on that.

I'd agree this is a media circus, but everything is a media circus these days. Turn off the TV, or change it over to TV Land and watch some reruns. I couldn't say if the motivation for this guy is glory, but maybe you're privy to some information the rest of us don't have. As to the effectiveness of capital punishment -- you've got some statistics of crimes not committed to back that up?

Oh yeah, JD -- executions are a real deterrent. Whoops -- not this time. This PhD candidate probably hadn't thought of that, right? You wanna blame this guy's acts on his seeing others do it? Or, blame future acts on this guy? And, somehow, justify his execution as a preventative measure? Good luck. He's nuts. When you've got 300-plus million folks, there's gonna be some nuts. Not to diminish the fact -- it's truly a tragedy. But don't for a minute think executing him fixes things. Holster your gun, cowboy. And, I didn't say anything about reform -- that's your cop out. Reform isn't the only acceptable outcome. Rewind back to what was said -- simply take this guy out of society. Turns out it's cheaper to do that than execute him anyway.

Read up on the Amish response to the Nickle Mines massacre. It's really interesting how they got past it -- when just about anyone would think a different approach was warranted. I thin there's a real lesson in that.

By the way Mitch -- I'm with you on most of the rest of your post. Be responsible for what you do. No excuses.

Hey Mitch, I guess where I get hung up is on the fact that we can't be perfect in all this. We should know that death is not a deterrent, so what is it really? It's tit for tat. (Sorry Phil, not that kinda tit). It's revenge. If we get even ONE wrong, we're just as bad as the bad guy. Any question in your mind that we haven't executed somebody in error along the way? This guy is nuts. He doesn't fit. I'm not saying we fight tooth-and-nail to prove he's not responsible -- he is. It doesn't matter if mamma spanked him or Uncle Jerry touched his privates. I'm saying what's the point in killing him? Lock him up and move on. He's got nothing good to offer today, so put him away. If he comes around, let him minister to the other prisoners and convince a parole board. And then -- there's the whole concept of forgiveness. What a powerful, powerful thing that is. But I know that conversation won't fly in this crowd. But guess what? That's where the comfort lies for the victim's families. That,and only that. Anything else just eats you up.

Al, you should listen to your wife more. One of the fundamental problems with our justice system is that we've adopted the death penalty, but our justice system isn't perfect enough for that -- and it never can be. I don't think one wrongful execution can be justified because we got the other bozillion right -- one is one too many. And, at some fundamental level, we should all know that revenge isn't really any solution -- it just makes us feel good, temporarily, but it doesn't fix a thing. Who's to say the teenagers who shot up Columbine HS are somehow not quite mature enough to have understood, but the 20-something kid who shot up the theater is? That shows your uncertainty with the process. Even if you go all the way and conclude he was fully aware of his actions, and wanted to kill as many people as he could -- is there any question this guy was simply whacko? Lock him up, figure him out, whatever. But killing him doesn't fix a thing. Surely you're just spouting off in the heat of the moment. Overcrowded jails, endless appeals, money spent, whatever -- they're the symptoms of a (mostly) fair and civilized system. We're lucky we've got it.

Oh, and get yourself a Runza and a Maid-Rite.