Dumpling in a Hanky

It doesn't matter whether you're black, white or even just kinda patchy colours all over...in Boston, you're able to serve as a juror. Yes, species is no barrier to being involved in turning those big, heavy wheels of justice! It makes the Scottish Government's recent act of removing the age barrier for jury duty look positively old-fashioned: bring on the time when animals are serving! I can't wait to see what "reasonable adaptations" would be needed to allow large farm animals in the jurors box. Although I suppose at least some animals, like horses, would already be used to being in a box... Ta to Greville Tombs for sending me this story. Image source

*Warning, this post uses vicious sarcasm* You know, apparently, after the age of 65, your brain turns to mush and all your mental faculties just drain away into your toes, leaving you only fit to watch daytime TV, and consider if Cash in the Attic would find anything worthwhile in your house, while thinking longingly of the days when you could eat foods that didn't get under the plate of your dentures. Although it is rumoured that occasionally, a faint waft of intellect can remain, enough to make such decrepit wrecks of humanity fit to hold a normal conversation...and sometimes they can even crank the handle enough to wind their brains up to lukewarm. And now Scotland will yank them out of their nice, sensible high-backed chairs with sturdy arms , and throw them into a jury box. It's almost like the Scottish Government understands that life and intelligence doesn't end with retirement. Who knew?

So, I work in a law firm, I deal with law-type stuff…but it’s all commercial law. I’ve never dealt with criminal law, and have no real clue about how that all works. So, when I got my third call for jury duty in three years (the first two years they exempted me as my current and previous workplaces mean I know various legal types, and may have opinions that would render me biased, but this time I thought I’d go along anyway and they could dismiss me if they felt I was unlikely to be able to serve ), I turned up to the Sheriff Court like a good girl. And my, what a long, long, boring day that turned out to be! The juror citation letter said come in at 10, but call the helpline after 5pm the day before for more information. The phoneline says come in at 10.30. I arrived at 10.30, joined the queue of other people clutching letters, while we waited outside the designated court for 10 mins. We all filed in and sat down, all 60 plus of us, and the Clerk of court gave a 5 min brie...

… do it with style!! I’d like to know what type of MP3 player it was: Apple, Creative, Microsoft et al could have a great marketing opportunity in this: “quiet enough to get past a judge in court” Link from Boing Boing And there's more jury-room gold here!