The crime labs are bad, with no oversight, no standards, and error rates that run as high as 67%. They also lie on the witness stand by making statements that are not the scientific truth. The book has also become an exposition of the things that lawyers do wrong. It describes cases where DNA test results were ignored because the lawyer “didn’t understand” them. The book delves into the poor pay for appointed lawyers saying “a kid would make more money selling sodas on the beach”.
What is most disturbing is the lack of discipline for anything the prosecutors do wrong, even if it is criminally wrong, such as knowingly withholding exculpatory evidence. And why do so few of the accused bring up the subject of maltreatment, that they only “confessed” after 14 hours of threats, thirst, and intimidation at the police “interview”? This book is becoming a must-read.
I repainted all the seams on the wagon with rubberized paint. It is a slightly different shade of black. Most noticeable surprise? When underway, the wagon reflects the sound of the tailpipes, making for a somewhat noisier ride. Then I proceed to cut off the tip of a new tube of caulk without noticing this brand has a cap. I had accidentally cut a hole through the cap, meaning the caulk will dry out if I don’t use it up fast. Stupid me. If only I had some clever way of sealing that hole in the cap . . . .
Next, statistics that I like. A study in 2005, which you can look up on your own, shows that if you are intelligent and have a heart attack, there is a 65% chance the causes are non-common with other intelligent people. I shouldn’t have to explain that, but putting it nicely, when dumb people have a heart attack, it will be for the same reasons as other dumb people. If you are smart, your causes will tend to be unique. My original doctor said 85% of the people who have my heart attack don’t make it to the door. He still does not believe I walked two miles to the hospital.
In related news, the New York Times (which I rarely read because it is soft on social issues like immigration) reports an emerging trend that I relate to. The story tells how seniors are being bled dry by doctors who perform expensive procedures and telling the patient they can pay it off with a line of credit. This “credit” is then discounted to a hard-nosed agency who like nothing better than when the oldster misses a payment. I picked up on the scam the first time I entered a hospital.
I definitely instructed the doctor not to perform any tests (surgery okay, but not tests) that were not covered by insurance. I read the policy previously and it covered all the necessary tests, so I also informed the doctor I would not pay for any extras. Well, when they handed me the hospital forms, I noticed instantly they were a credit application. I filled in totally false information—knowing I could later claim truthfully that I was under duress. And what do you know—they tried to bill be extra for unauthorized procedures and wound up with nothing. (This was a separate incident from the third heart attack, where I had no insurance left.)
What else happened today? I’m thinking. For openers, the camper was a big hit at the regular haunts. Make this the first time it’s been towed out of the yard except for testing. It was an instant hit, drawing a crowd. This also means I am going to have to increase security. One thing being changed immediately is moving the external panel wiring inside the tubing and through the roof rather than the sidewall.
