sdoconnell's recent activity
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Comment on Have you ever served on a jury, or faced a jury trial? in ~talk
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Comment on Have you ever served on a jury, or faced a jury trial? in ~talk
sdoconnell LinkI've been called for jury duty twice, dismissed twice in juror selection. I've been involved in a couple of lawsuits as a plaintiff when I served on the Board of a non-profit. Both cases went...I've been called for jury duty twice, dismissed twice in juror selection. I've been involved in a couple of lawsuits as a plaintiff when I served on the Board of a non-profit. Both cases went before a court but settled before trial. Based on my experience with the courts if I'm ever being tried for a crime I would waive my right to trial by jury and request a bench trial instead. From what I've seen (and been told directly by a trial attorney) jurors are selected for their lack of critical thinking skills and their ability to be swayed by the arguments of attorneys - arguments which often appeal not to reason, but emotion. If you give the slightest indication that you might weigh the facts of the case based on your own reason, experience, or better judgement - rather than on the courtroom theatrics of the prosecution or defense - you will not be selected. Jury selection is a game of cherry-picking the people each attorney thinks will give them the verdict they want.
In one of the selections, the prosecuting attorney read my juror questionnaire and asked, "your occupation is listed as 'IT consultant' - what exactly does your job entail?" I responded, "Generally speaking, I troubleshoot and resolve complex technical problems involving computer systems." Dismissed, thank you. I think my jaw visibly dropped on that one.
In the other selection, I saw a guy get bounced because when asked if there was any reason he might not be able to return a fair verdict in the [concealed weapon] case, he responded "well, I don't think so, but honestly I'm not very familiar with the laws regarding carrying concealed weapons." POW goes the gavel! The judge snaps at him, "It's not your job to know the law! I will tell you what the law says!" The attorney immediately dismissed the guy, and I'm sitting there thinking "fuck you 'your honor', if I've got to pass judgement on this man then show me the goddam law and I'll read it myself." I got dismissed a couple minutes later without even a question, so maybe the expression on my face told them what they needed to know.
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Comment on If you could choose to live out your entire life in any time and place in history, what would you choose and why? in ~talk
sdoconnell LinkI'm generally happy with the last five decades I've lived through. But if I had to pick another time, and if I could take my current knowledge and experience with me (and be guaranteed to be born...I'm generally happy with the last five decades I've lived through. But if I had to pick another time, and if I could take my current knowledge and experience with me (and be guaranteed to be born both male and caucasian), I'd probably choose to be born in the early 1800s in the United States. The first half of the 1800s in the U.S. was an unprecedented period of economic and personal opportunity for a man with initiative (and a little foreknowledge of events to come). In the span of 50 years, the U.S. expanded its territory from the Mississippi to the Pacific. If you could evade the disease and war, there was fortune to be had.
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Comment on If you could choose to live out your entire life in any time and place in history, what would you choose and why? in ~talk
sdoconnell Link Parent...the AIDS scare, realistic concern about war with the USSR, and economic recession from '81 to '82 with lasting effects into Reagan's second term. So you could either catch a fatal disease from...I think the 80s would be interesting for growing up: the arcades, the first personal computers, the first gaming consoles
...the AIDS scare, realistic concern about war with the USSR, and economic recession from '81 to '82 with lasting effects into Reagan's second term. So you could either catch a fatal disease from a blood transfusion, get burnt to a crisp in a nuclear blast, or your dad could lose his job three times in 10 years.
At least the music was good (generally, Wham! happened). And honestly I think race relations in the US were better in the 80s than they are today.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~misc
sdoconnell LinkGood article, it really explains a lot about why I dislike going to restaurants these days. Seems like 20 years ago I didn't mind so much. I've wondered lately if it's the restaurants that have...Good article, it really explains a lot about why I dislike going to restaurants these days. Seems like 20 years ago I didn't mind so much. I've wondered lately if it's the restaurants that have changed or if I'd just gotten older and less tolerant of it. I figured it was the latter, but maybe actually a mix of both.
I recall going to Disney World in Orlando a few years ago (2015, I think) and eating lunch in the Plaza restaurant there on Mainstreet USA. Really nice aesthetics with the high ceilings, woodwork, bright pastels, and big windows with no drapes. It looked great!
But the noise was ear-splitting! Within five minutes I started to develop a headache, and by the time our food got to the table I just wanted to eat as quickly as possible and get out of there. You had a single room (maybe 2500 sq ft, dunno didn't measure) packed with 150+(?) people, and all the noise was reverberating off the walls, tables, and ceilings. I could barely hear the waiter speak and had to ask him to lean in, repeat himself, and speak up (I felt like such an old man at the time, too). My wife and I gave up on having conversation after about five minutes and just sat there. Seemingly everyone else in the restaurant just kept talking louder and louder to be heard over the din.
Stepping outside into the bustle and noise of the Disney crowds was actually a relief after spending an hour in that restaurant.
Ever.