Random thoughts

Imagine being 27 years old (most of us can, since we're well past that age, but still young at heart). You've got your whole life ahead of you, filled with most likely many good times, as well as bad. Around this age is when a lot of people start to begin their freedom. College has wrapped up for some, many are settling into their jobs, or just moving on to something else, something new, etc. So many possibilities for what you can do. Marriage? Meeting new friends, experiencing new things, traveling to new places. Adventure. The options seem limitless. Fast forward 22 years later. You're now 49 years old. Looking back at all of these things you've been able to do. But wait, what if you never got the chance to experience any of these things. What if...you were Paul House.

Mr. House was recently taken off Death Row in Tennessee...after 22 years. He's now 49 years old. New DNA evidence came to light, suggesting it was someone else. Initially, when the evidence came to light, Mr. House was put on house arrest, where someone needed to be at home with him at every moment. He was scheduled to be re-tried. However, the Prosecutor dropped all charges against Mr. House. I'm not speaking for the Prosecutor, but it seems that the Prosecutor still felt that he could get a conviction at the re-trial, but with light of the new evidence, that it could creat a reasonable doubt. Again, I'm not speaking for the Prosecutor, but in my opinion, if there was still a chance, why not try? Maybe he's just trying to cover the State for a possible civil suit. Again, I have no idea.

Obviously, I couldn't imagine what it's like to have years 27-49 taken away from you, spent in death row. What if Mr. House would have been put to death? One of the basic arguments of the death penalty issue, would something like this, even one case (it happens more than once...DNA evidence free's those in death row) be enough to not have the death penalty? I'm not trying to start a death penalty discussion per se, but it's got to make you think. I've visited the Anamosa State Pen...not due to any act of my own, other than signing up for a class at the U of I, but we started to take a tour down the hallway where the worst of the worst were kept. I say "started" because the guards quickly realized this wasn't a good idea. Verbal insults as well as objects could get tossed at us. Ok, no other way around it, but by objects, I mean the amount of time it would take last night's meal to go through the system. Not a pretty picture, but this area is worse than you'd likely imagine. If memory serves me correct, they and by they I mean the prisoners in this area, would get a half hour...maybe an hour, of "exercise time." Exercise was in a short cage outside where they could walk around. I'd imagine death row isn't countryclubesque.

Another hot topic, especially in Des Moines, is the whole cyclist vs. car discussion. Obviously, I'm all for cyclist rights, etc., since I'm out on the roads with my bike. That being said, I'll readily acknowledge that for the most part, the cars and cyclists are respectful of each other. However, last night was a different example. I was leaving my Thursday night basketball game near downtown Des Moines. The crosswalk is located towards the bottom of a hill. There were four of us walking to our cars. We had the walk single and there were four cars to our left, two in each lane waiting at the red light. It was round 8:30, so fairly dark. All of a sudden, some dumbass cyclist whizzed right by us running the red light going over 30 mph. I'd also like to note he went right in between the four cars. I highly doubt he even saw us but even if he did, he had exactly no reason to a) run the red light; b) go in between the cars. It's stupid stuff like this that gets a lot of vehicle drivers pissed at cyclists, just as much as cyclists get pissed at drivers.

Final hot topic, as this is getting fairly wordy. My prediction for the I-Cubs first pitch is that our star flame thrower will come with a little chin music. High and tight to the imaginary right handed hitter. I also predict I will have had at least two beers pre-game at the stadium. No word yet on the beers pre, pre-game. I'm guessing that weekend will be a crappy training one. Oh well, gotta roll with it.