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A New Contest

As with many bloggers, Kathy and I are not afraid to admit that we crave the shallow validation and witty banter of our readers (all seven of them). For that reason, we are sponsoring a new ‘Participation’ contest.

The winner of the contest will be the person who submits the largest number of comments, and will be awarded a valuable music CD, worth thousands of Turkish Lira.

The rules are as follows:

  • Your comment must be at least one full sentence long, and may not include any links to online stores that sell pharmaceutical products of a dubious nature (we get a lot of spam comments, which are automatically deleted).
  • Your comment may not be created by an automated program, but rather must be typed in by hand. Don’t ask me how we’ll tell the difference, programmers aren’t allowed to reveal their secrets.
  • Your comment must have something to do with the post to which it is attached.
  • If there is a tie, we reserve the right to either provide a prize to each person or to have a drawing to determine the final winner. Remember, Sarah is turning five, so 4 may not be her favorite number anymore.
  • Those who have commented already in July will have a slight advantage over those who have not, since we’ll be counting comments from July 1 to 31.
  • We reserve the right to reveal (or not reveal) how many comments each person makes over the course of the month to provoke (or suppress) the competitive spirit.
  • To qualify for this contest, a comment must be submitted during the month of July, but it can be associated with any blog entry since the inception of this blog. We’ll find it, don’t worry. :)

Here is a gratuitous picture of my oldest son, who is one of our most faithful readers, but does not comment much. Maybe this will be the turning point for him?

Joshua on his favorite porch swing
I doubt this boy will win the contest, but I’m not much of a prophet.

Project 365, Day 187

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Victims of Anti-Crime

Some people go away on vacation and come home to find their home has been vandalized, robbed, or even destroyed. Those people have it easy.

We returned home from the airport and piled the suitcases by the front door, children staggering sleepily up the stairs or sitting dazed on the bottom step, until a passing Daddy can carry them off to bed. We started the standard triage process on the accumulated mail, and then discovered we were the victims of a heinous anti-crime. Bail bonding is likely the most misunderstood profession in our legal system. Lawyers, clerks, even magistrates within the criminal justice system who are exposed to bail bonds on a daily basis can often on give the most basic explanation of the process. Compound this with the fact that most citizens who find themselves in the position of needing a bail bondsman (or at least thinking they do) will often be in a confused state due to the stress of having a loved on incarcerated. Needless to say bail bondsman tend to enjoy more than a competitive edge when it comes to negotiating the terms of their service, if any negotiating is done at all.

So how does an individual without any knowledge about what is really involved with this mysterious profession make sure they are not paying more than what is reasonable? Let me start by clearly stating that the intent of this article is to explain only enough about bail bonding itself to give the reader enough knowledge to get the best price. I do not intend to outline the entire bail bonding process because, in reality, it is not necessary to understand the details to get the best price. In addition we are talking about LARGE bail bonds. No bail bondsman is going to be interested in getting into a heated negotiation over a $1,000 bail bond. You either pay the fee or your bailee will likely just stay incarcerated. There is one mandatory subject that must be covered so that you limit your negotiations to bail bonding companies that are in a position to actually help you and that is the difference in Surety and Property bail bondsman. That will be covered shortly, first lets look at the typical bail bond. You can find more info here about the Connecticut Bail Bonds Group.

A criminal defense attorney can provide clients with much-needed assistance with a potential case and advice on what occurs in the courtroom. They can guide defendants through the pros and cons of handling a criminal case and it can protect them from drastic consequences entailing a criminal offense.

Some may feel that heading to a law firm to get hold of any lawyer can be an easy solution to their problem, but that may not be enough to help prospective clients in these cases. A defense attorney is one who will be able to help defend someone in times of prosecution and specializes in criminal cases. The most important reason for it being the criminal defense attorney will be better acquainted with the different aspects related to criminal laws. Having dealt with cases in this field, the attorney should have some solid experience, which will help them handle the case as well. In some cases, there happen to be certain rules and regulations which need to be abided by. An attorney who particularly practices criminal law will know these rules and regulations better than any general lawyer. If you want to know more about the criminal defense attorney, see it here.

When going to employ a criminal defense attorney, there are certain things to keep in mind. The first and foremost thing for clients is to look into the work history of the attorney. A good criminal attorney ought to have a good reputation and an overall successful career, provided that he practices with sincerity and dedication. Work history plays an important role in furnishing an idea about the experience of the attorney, whether they are capable enough of handling the case. It is best if a client choose a lawyer who handles cases of their kind specifically, thus making the lawyer aware of the positive and negative sides of a case. An experienced criminal defense lawyer knows exactly how to proceed with a particular variety of criminal case and hence, they will be able to provide the client with a clear idea of their role in helping the attorney. It is critical that the views of the lawyer and the client are identical about a particular case. This enables them to communicate with ease and helps the attorney to present it before the judge.

Aptly speaking, a criminal defense attorney can be a useful asset for clients when the case is involving criminal law. A client needs to be precise in what they want their lawyer to act upon, and keep track of the lawyer’s progress and needs. As a responsible client, it is their duty to look over what their attorney has to do to secure their freedom.

Luggage for seven
Thirteen checked pieces plus eight carry-on bags makes quite a pile for tomorrow!

Anti-crime has never really caught on. I first read about it in a Terry Pratchett book, or perhaps it was Douglas Adams — whoever it was, he gave a few examples:

  • Breaking and decorating — the victim’s home is violated with new furniture, wallpaper, artwork, or whatever.
  • Whitemailing — the victim (usually a mob boss or other unsavory character) is extorted under threat that his good deeds will be revealed to his fellow criminals

Finding the right attorney should not be undertaken by drawing a name out of a hat. The attorney should be one who specializes in criminal law rather than other types of legal practice. Only an attorney who has experience in trying criminal cases will be up to date on all the laws and nuances that may help to prepare and present your legal defense. Obviously, the first requirement of an attorney is that they are licensed to practice law in the state where they are needed. Attorneys must sit for and pass a comprehensive bar exam in order to be accepted as an accredited and practicing attorney in the state. Most attorneys must have some experience in criminal law before they are ready to defend clients in criminal cases. A quality criminal defense lawyer should be skilled at gathering and assimilating information regarding the case. They should be familiar with all witnesses, law enforcement, case reports and autopsy reports (if applicable). They should be familiar with the style and history of the prosecuting team in order to formulate a plan of how to best defend against the charges. You will be get more about the Great Neck criminal defense lawyer.

Apparently the point of anti-crime is not just that a good deed be done, but rather that it be done in a way to produce maximum outrage or humiliation in the heart of the victim. When you are accused of a crime, getting arrested and spending time in jail can be an unfamiliar and frightening experience. Fortunately, since you are legally innocent until proven guilty, in many cases a judge may allow you to be released until your hearing or trial. However, the judge may order that you provide some form of guarantee that you will return to face the charges against you before you can be released from custody. This security is called a Bail Bond, and it must usually be turned over to the court in the form of cash, property, a signature bond, a secured bond through a surety company, or a combination of forms. Walking down the street in a normal town, one won’t find very many people with any knowledge whatsoever of the bail bonds industry. As a Ventura Bail Agency, we’ve been in this business for over 40 years and know the industry inside and out. So we thought we would put together a short list of four common questions and answer them for you. All answers are with regards to the laws of the state of California.Most Nevada residents can go through their entire lifetime and never have the need of a Las Vegas criminal attorney. However, incidents can happen where you should be consulting an attorney in order to make certain that your rights are protected and that you have the best possible representation. Even if you are guilty of a criminal act, the laws of the United States and the State of Nevada provide for the assumption of innocence unless you are proven guilty.

In any case, the ‘criminals’ used a variant of ‘breaking and decorating’ on us, and replaced our old, unattractive and barely-operable sinks with new, shiny sinks and faucets, leaving their jeering placards behind as evidence. As soon as we find out who it was, we’ll retaliate in kind, perhaps whitemailing them mercilessly … :)

New sink and cool faucet
Kathy has long wanted a better faucet, especially since our old one had been making ominous screeching noises when we turned it on and off.

In any case, it is good to be home.

They even hit the bathroom!
Even the little red bathroom was not deemed sacrosanct. You can imagine our outrage!

Tim (Kathy was too tired to write, and is, even now, nearly asleep in Cream Puff)

Project 365, Day 184

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Just One More Day

Tomorrow is the last day of the epic Michigan Vacation of ’07, which is very sad. Kathy showed me a few photos of today’s excursion to the pool … as you can see, they are holding up well in the midst of their sorrow.

Grandad the Sea Monster
David loses a game of ‘Sharks and Minnows’

It will be good to have everyone safely home, assuming that the snafu with seating assignments on the flight home is resolved. If not, some members of the family may become more intimate with the Cincinnati airport than they prefer.

Sarah and Grace
Sarah finds a kindred spirit

It is always nice to be reminded of the many friends we have left scattered around the country as we have moved from place to place. Over the course of this vacation, Kathy and the kids had the opportunity to visit with four families: Russ and Nancy (three boys, two girls), Amy and Bill (two boys, two girls), Bruce and Laura (three girls) and Dave and Jen (two boys and a girl). It has been fun to stay in touch with each of them, off and on, over the years.

Daniel plays Settlers of Catan with a worthy opponent
Daniel plays Settlers of Catan with a worthy opponent

What a delightful treat to fellowship with old friends and their growing families! Even so, several old friends were out of town or otherwise busy; it is often hard to make time for friends without neglecting family.

Dave and Jen
Dave and Jen haven’t aged a bit in the seven years since we saw them last!

David the Marshmallow
David was a little too wiggly for precision roasting, anyway.

David apparently convinced the older boys that he was a marshmallow in urgent need of roasting, but this innocent misunderstanding was eventually cleared up. It reminds me of the two main schools of marshmallow-roasting thought, which are as follows:

  • The ‘golden-brown’ school:

    This philosophical position requires the patience of Job, as the marshmallow is gently toasted, evenly on all sides, rotated high above the coals. Some maintain that this is the only proper way to eat a marshmallow, and that it results in a uniformly warm interior, melting the chocolate in a s’more with great efficiency. Golden-brown roasters view disciples of the opposing school of thought as barbarians, and will snootily discard a marshmallow with even the slightest evidence of charring.

  • David really loves marshmallows

  • The ‘flaming blob of goo’ school:

    A system of thought firmly held by many young boys, this roasting method involves plunging the marshmallow into the hottest part of the fire as quickly as possible, and then waving it about wildly to extinguish the flames. Adherents of this school hold that a marshmallow without a thick carbonized shell is no marshmallow at all, and that golden-brown toasting is for sissies.

Grandad steals a hug
Sarah enjoys her Grandad

A little-known advantage of being a pastor’s kid is found in some rather surprising perquisites. One hot day after they returned from upstate Michigan, Kathy’s Dad made a phone call:

Kathy’s Dad: “Hello, Del? How are you doing? Good, glad to hear it. Say, I was thinking of making a pastoral call on your pool today, and I wondered if that would be convenient?”


Rachel and Sarah recover from the water-park

As the son of an Army Chaplain, I thought I’d heard all the ecclesiastic angles, but this was a new one for me. Apparently Kathy’s Dad felt that calling it ‘baptism research’ was a little too deceptive, but it worked like a charm, and the whole family was invited over for a pool party. I guess being a pastor isn’t all late night hospital visits and last-resort marital counseling.


David takes the plunge

Tomorrow my family will say their goodbyes and head for home, glad to have enjoyed such a fun vacation and sorry to leave. Hopefully we can persuade Mamie and Grandad to come and visit us soon.

Thank you, Mamie and Grandad, for your kindness to our family!

Project 365, Day 183

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Hubcaps To Go

On the way up to her brother’s wedding in upstate Michigan, Kathy snapped this picture, and showed it to me. Apparently it was designed to attract drive-by customers to an enterprising junk yard on some rural highway. For some reason I thought it was very funny … I imagined a drive-thru window with a gum-chewing attendant:

“Welcome-to-Hubcaps-to-Go-how-may-I-help-you?” asks the attendant in a bored monotone.

“Yeah, I’d like … three hubcaps for a 2003 Subaru Outback and a side order of hubcap protectors, please.”

Roadside entrepreneurial spirit
The Entrepreneurial Spirit, alive and well in the MidWest.

“Do you want chrome with that? Super Size?”

“No, thank you.”

“That’ll be $79.84, including tax. Please drive forward to the second window.”

What other kind of hubcaps are there? Are there a kind that you can consume on the premises? Or perhaps there is a program where people can sponsor hubcaps for needy children overseas? Burning questions, all.

Switching subjects, now. There is something very fun about other people’s weddings – or at least there is if you enjoy being married yourself. Kathy and I were talking about our own wedding some 15 years ago, and she mentioned how glad she was that we didn’t have to start over (and ‘all that’ to deal with again.) “Fifteen years of fighting,” she mused.

“Fifteen years of fighting?” I wondered to whom she had been married, all those years, and why he was such a jerk? I don’t remember more than two or three fights a year, which hardly translates to fifteen years of fighting. Mostly we have disagreed about four things: finances, parenting, why Tim doesn’t clean the garage on Saturdays, and whose turn it is to get up and change that late-night diaper. Figure an average of about six hours per argument, conservatively figuring four fights a year, that only adds up to a little over two weeks of conflict over fifteen years. Mind you, that’s a lot by some standards, but … I guess we see things a little differently. I asked her about it, and she wailed, mockingly: “That’s because you weren’t THERE all those years!” She’s a hoot, really.

Kathy read this draft (one of the nice things about WordPress is that she can see what I’m writing, even when we are separated by thousands of miles) and insisted I clarify, so I will. What she probably meant is that she was glad we didn’t have to start all over again, going through some of those difficult issues and learning some of those lessons we all have to learn. But I think my take on it is more amusing.

In all seriousness, one of the delights of our marriage is that we don’t fight much at all, and when we do, we fight fairly. We avoid the use of words like ‘always’ and ‘never’ and we don’t raise our voices or throw things or stomp out, slamming doors. Kathy’s Nana and the scripture agree: “Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath.” Many times we have wrangled late into the night following that principle — it is interesting to see how unimportant some conflicts become when your night’s sleep is at stake and you have to get up for work in a few hours.

We recently had occasion to think about how much we had been apart over the years – I’ve been blessed with a job that doesn’t require me to travel much at all. We figure we’ve not been apart for more than two weeks, and only once or twice at that, when Kathy has gone to visit one or the other of our parents and I didn’t have enough vacation time to go with her. We just plain like to be together – we didn’t get married so that we could lead separate lives, after all. Of course, Kathy would probably say that we just like being together to fight, all those fifteen years. But I’m not bitter. Really. :)

Oh, since this was a picture taken on Thursday, it counts for Project 365.

Project 365, Day 172

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Off the grid

I understand that Kathy and the kids are a bit off the beaten track at the ‘cabin’ where they are staying in upstate Michigan. Nestled in the forest on the coast of Lake Michigan, they are comfortably ensconced in a glorious cedar log home that sleeps 23 people (as long as they’re reasonably friendly). Kathy says she’ll get some pictures uploaded, but until then, you’ll have to do with my feeble attempts to describe what they are experiencing.

Apparently it is quite the family gathering, with aunts and uncles assembling from near and far to honor Phil and his new bride, Emily, as they marry tomorrow.

For me, work rages on, as the quarter comes to an end — happily, my boss lets me work from home much of the time, especially when we are in ‘crunch time’. I have one major project I’d really like to finish before the end of the quarter, so that I can get a good quarterly rating (and a good bonus).

More details will follow as they become available. Kathy apologizes to her faithful readers for the recent lapse in blogging reliability. :)

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