Well, when one has a cantaloupe for a brain, what kinds of ding-dong statements could you expect

from that sort of individual? I would ordinarily feel bad for his constituents, but then again, his constituents are responsible for keeping him in Congress.

And "Crazy Mama."

LUVVVV this song! Still one of the coolest!

Point taken - from you both.

But that was never my understanding of SYG. I thought the castle part meant your own castle as in your own home and/or private property. If indeed it means any-old-where you feel like it, then all the more reason to see it done away with! Because that would mean that ANYBODY ANYWHERE could be perceived for any reason to be some sort of threat, and somebody could just shoot you arbitrarily because they "felt" like they were being threatened. On somebody's whim - as long as they claimed they felt threatened. That's just simple "License to Kill," and therefore it seems even more stupid and reckless and short-sighted to me than I already thought it was. GRANTED, not claiming to be an authority here.

I can in a small way understand a SYG policy if it involves home invasion or something that in some way violates or endangers your personal space in your own residence.

Not sure about that. But then I haven't been following that one closely.

Was it restored? If so, I wouldn't be surprised to see the bad guys try to take it away from President Obama.

I just appreciated the irony.

Kinda like when darrell issa dug deep into his own pockets to make sure Gray Davis was recalled from the governorship here in CA. And he got the recall, alright. But then he also got bigfooted by the then-popular Ahnold, and he cried like a spoiled two-year-old about the awfulness of the missed opportunity and having to concede this one that he felt was "rightfully" his - 'cause after all, he bought and paid for the recall, assuming the way would be clear.

As much as I hated what happened, it was utterly sweet to savor his big fat pathetic crocodile tears. Almost worth it just to see Mr. Entitled Crybaby sniveling about another one that got away, to which he was, of course, entitled somehow.

Y'know... they called US "Sore Losermen"...

Takes one to know one, I guess. NEVER have I witnessed ongoing poor sportsmanship of the magnitude we see playing out every day in the republi-CON party, local, state, and national.

Don't forget "Crazy Mama"!

No need. He'd probably be smashed already.

Next year, if memory serves, will bring an end to dubya's Secret Service protection. Or perhaps it'll be January 2015, which is six years after he left office. From him onward, Secret Service protection for former presidents lasts only for another six years after their term's up. Congress made that move late in the Clinton presidency - I believe just out of spite, because they weren't able to get rid of him through impeachment and conviction. I don't have proof but I personally suspect as much. They were a vindictive lot against Clinton ever since he denied the lavishly-entitled ghwb the second term they felt was his due. Unfortunately for them, it didn't take effect until dubya's "presidency." Bill Clinton is the last former President to have lifetime Secret Service protection. And MAN do I LOVE that irony!!!

OMG! "Gundamentalists"! That's EXCELLENT!!!

Did you come up with that, Nanjing to Seoul? That is a GREAT one!!!

Should be said, read, and spread!!!

"The speed limits on those roads will probably be reduced to 30 mph."

Just watch some teabaggers and libertarians start whining and yowling about that somehow crimps their "freedom" to speed.

Oh their "freedom-freedoms."

The "Stand Your Ground" business.

And before anyone starts in with - "oh that didn't come up in the trial" blah-blah-blah, just remember this: the whole public zeitgeist in Florida was and is steeped in the understanding of "Stand Your Ground." It was unspoken. It came up in jury instructions, conveniently unlike a decent explanation for manslaughter, even while it wasn't presented, per se, during the trial. Just about anyone in the state of Florida was - and is - clearly aware of the presence of the Stand Your Ground mentality. It's a high-profile law that's gotten plenty of publicity ever since it first came about. This isn't the first case of it ever to come to the public's attention. Zimbo had had training and took classes in which he was given full exposure to the Stand Your Ground law, and it's widely recognized that he lied about it when questioned - telling authorities he hadn't heard of it (when his instructor was on record saying he had a clear understanding of it from his class work). There was plenty of talk of it surrounding the original crime and the fallout from it, long before ANY jury was chosen. And if Juror B37 was married to an attorney (one who, we've since learned, knew Mark O'Mara), and was able to spend time with her husband even during the period when the jurors were sequestered, you better believe it was in the back of everyone's mind. And unfortunately, for those who automatically assume blacks are nogoodniks, it sits holstered in the back of their minds like an extra gun.

Anyone who thinks Stand Your Ground didn't impact this trial is kidding themselves. I'd bet anyone with racist tendencies, or those already predisposed toward mistrusting young African Americans (and they don't even have to be young), has it in the backs of their minds - as a law that will back you up if you see someone you don't like who makes you feel somehow fearful. It's been allowed to seep down into public awareness and become part of the proverbial "water table" of the overall public mindset.

I wonder how many more shooting victims we'll have before something's finally done about this?

Welcome to DU, branford!

Glad you're here. Unfortunately, you're probably correct about this.

Guess we'll have to hope for karma to have the last word. Certainly seems to have worked out that way for O.J.

And I hope the reaction to the verdict only builds and builds - to the point where those ridiculous Stand Your Ground laws are dismantled one by one. They're a menace to society! They authorize the "shoot first, ask questions later (or never)" mentality, and give it nice comfy cover. An absolute DISGRACE.