Jury service, lost books, flattery and balls

27April 2012

Now there's a surprise folks.  It seems that in 2004 there was a change in the law regarding who can sit on a jury.  It seems that a MP can now sit on a jury. Today's News carries our Muppet Person's weekly mumblings in which he expresses his disappointment in not being able to do his duty.  His plan was to do his duty on jury service and then go on to Muppet House and do his normal job there.  Well, it seems that on the first day the case he was due to here was postponed so they were released until the Wednesday of that same week.  When he returned he and his fellow jurors were discharge because the second case was going ahead either.  All well and good I suppose but he goes on to say that he also missed out on the chance to sit on a committee to oversee something to do with the budget.  So the poor old dear missed his chance to do his duty twice in one week - oh dear, how sad, what a pit, never mind.

Actually though, I have done jury service and found it very interesting.  Jurors are not allowed to speak of the case they sat on, even 20 years later so I can't say much at all about it.  I think I am safe in saying that I sat on two shop lifting cases, one of which I could give information contrary to what the defendant gave.  So it does pay to have local people on jury service.  It was the start of my interest in seeing the law being applied in the courts.  After just service I began to go and sit in the public gallery of a number of the local courts - including the Old Bailey one time.  I haven't been to any of them in a long time now though.  Perhaps it's time I began to go again.  Warwick Crown Court however is a nightmare for anyone with any sort of mobility problems.  That was why when Jan had her summons come through she was discharged from it because of her spina-bifida.

This morning I had an email form Google telling me I need to update my blogs to something to do with Google accounts.  Appartantly I was suppose to have received an email about this 12 months ago.  Strange that seeing as i didn't write any blogs 12 months ago.  Anyway, I have until the end of next month to do the job, whatever it is.  I'll look at it properly when I log on in a wee while.  I have my email addresses linked to my Blackberry so I get them all through on that.  Any from friends I reply to on there too but things like this one this morning I leave until I am on me 'puter.

My work station is a real mess.  I've been looking for my camera instruction manual for ages and couldn't find it.  Last night I did find it - under all the mess and magazine and papers on the shelf on me 'puter table.  I suppose at some time I shall have to get it all sorted.  I even found a paperback book I had been looking for under there too.  Ah well ... ... ...

The fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square has had a number of different art projects put on there.  Here is one of them that I liked ...   

It was difficult to get a decent shot of it seeing as it was so high though. 

Now there's a thought ... no, sorry, not to do with the picture but one time when I was standing close to there taking photos of the people round about, I became aware of a really nice good looking young girl come to stand close by me, I do mean close by me.  Now, come on, I was 60 when this happened and you've all seen photos of liddle ol me ... so what would such a good looking young girl see in coming to stand so close to me!  Well, as I said, I was 60 at the time and even then I was a bit long in the tooth to get caught out like that!  I had a rucksack on my back; so once I had seen her I turned to the left and there was young man of about the same age.  "OK, right," I thought.  so I took a few steps backwards and stood looking from one to t'ther.  They walked off, minus whatever they thought they would get from the old man taking photo's and too busy or flattered to take any notice of what was going on behind him.  Not that it would have done them any good anyway.  All I had was a bottle of water, my note book and a load of pens in there.  I had the taken the rucksack because I had intentions of buying some large arty-farty books from the National Gallery, and I hadn't done that yet.

So then, today's funny ... well, sort of funny ...

Ronaldo, Luis Figo and David Beckham are standing in heaven before the throne of God. God looks at them and says "And so here you face your Lord and maker. I shall ask each of you a question."  Addressing Ronaldo first he asks "Ronaldo, one of the world's greatest soccer players, what is it that you believe brought you here before me?"
Ronaldo looks God in the eye and says passionately, "I believe soccer to be the food of life. Nothing else brings such unbridled joy to so many people, from the slums of Rio to the bright lights of Madrid. I have devoted my life to bring such joy to people, with little else, who stood on the terraces supporting their team."
God smiles and offers Ronaldo a seat to his left.
He then turns to Luis Figo. "And similarly you, Luis, a hero to so many, what do you think it was brought you to my throne?" Figo stands tall and proud, "I believe courage, honour and passion are the fundamentals to life and I've spent my whole playing career providing a living embodiment of these commitments."
God, moved by the passion of his speech, offers Figo a seat to his right.
He then turns to Beckham: "And you, David. Presumably you want your ball back?".