Grumble, grumble, grumble

Had to update more settings on the latest Kiki. Win 2000 has some distinct peculiarities.

And had very little time to work on anything today because jury duty reared back and smacked me in the eyes. After being on 'call in' duty one day, I had to go in -mid-day- mind you and put up with vast boredom.

Jury duty (today) = called in at 1pm, told to wait. Waited an hour and a half, was called in to panel [along with about 60 others]. Heard the basic orientation lecture. [-again-! Aside: Was just on jury duty before Xmas; put in hot box/rejected. Called AGAIN for jury duty in January. Said I'd just served. Was told to supply proof. Sent in my December notice. So I didn't have proof THIS time. Arrggh!]

Judge was GREAT though. Very engaging, nice. Female. [as were both attorneys, the clerk & stenographer. Only guy there was a bailiff.] _She_ was pleasant to listen to. She asks about hardships & half the room raises their hands. The rest of us are chucked out of the room, told to wait & that it should take only20-30 minutes.

_Another_ hour ana half passes before we are called back. Got stuck in the hot box again [juror 18] and judge goes thru the question process with all 21 of us; replaces only -1- based on a complete bias basis. And by then it's 4:45pm, so she says 'everyone come back tomorrow at 9am'.

No one has yet been dismissed either with or without cause by either attorney yet. So I may go in to serve on a 2-3 day trial - OR - I may get there, spend an hour there and get chucked off the jury; after having had to get up at 6, so as to drive Trey to work & thus have the car.

Sure wish I could do the jury stuff online. [sighs] _OR_ was allowed to read in courtroom!

Grumbling, part 2

Okay, so back in at 9am for jury duty. Sit around a half hour, then called in. Roll is called, the judge enters and NOW the attorneys get to start dumping jurors. 2 go for 'cause' [the guy who 'always is right and knows truth in his heart' - and the little old lady who couldn't say she would be able to be unbiased].

The attorneys each get up and the defense gal explains that the issue is about child porn and can we be impartial. Follows up that question with some who are uncomfy with porn & think it sinful. Then the prosecuting attorney gets up and -her- questions are about computer use: can we use computers & know anything about them. About 6 of the 16 of us remaining admit to some facility, since the evidence is apparently in computer format.

Then it's time for preemtory challenges. No reason given, just go. Defense is merciful - gets rid of the 19 year old full-time student who was -real- unhappy to be missing school - and then the porn-as-sin folks start to go.

OTOH the prosecuting attorney starts going down the list, getting rid of -everyone- who knows about computers.

Which is why I'm posting now and no longer a juror. Cut again. Woot!