Thought of the Day

There is no question that in our age there is a good deal of turmoil about the manner in which society is run. Probably at no point in the history of man has there been so much discussion about the rights and wrongs of the policy makers…[Citizens have] begun to suspect that the people who make the major decisions that affect our lives don't know what they are doing… They don't know what they are doing simply because they have no adequate basis to judge the effects of their decisions. To many it must seem that we live in an age of moronic decision making.

C. West Churchman

Thought of the Day

“By three methods we may learn wisdom:

First, by reflection, which is noblest;

Second, by imitation, which is easiest;

and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”

― Confucious

Liquid paper President

If the Newsday is correct in reporting [Newsday 28/02/2019] that President Weekes “is proposing to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) to revoke the appointment of Appeal Court judge Charmaine Pemberton” and “re-appointed under the correct provision: section 110(3) (a)”, one can only wonder whether the President thinks that this is sufficient to correct the constitutional chaos caused by the appointment.

It seems that the President is glossing over the fact that Justice Pemberton was illegally appointed, and took part in decision-making during this time, decisions which in themselves would be illegal if she formed part of the quorum as required by law. The shambles which the country and the judiciary find itself is not so easily solved. What of the appointments made to the judicial bench by the JLSC? And the flowing from those, what of all those convictions and sentences passed by those appointees?

It is perhaps the Trinidadian way to think that simply “firing” and “rehiring” Justice Pemberton would solve the problem. All that is doing is putting a coat of paint on a sadly battered fence, to use a Mark Twain analogy. Or, more aptly in this case, a dab of ‘Liquid Paper’ over a ‘b’ to change it to an ‘a’. That merely resolves the problem of the appointment from this point onward, while the rot that started in 2017 with the original ‘appointment’ remains.

The liquid paper President ironically writes to propose a solution to the very body that is illegal! Does she need the approval of the JLSC to make the changes? Imagine a judge asking a convicted felon, “I’m suggesting I sentence you to the death penalty, do you approve?”

The situation is not merely farcical, it’s a downright upright middle finger to the entire country! And, don’t forget the proposal to reappoint Justice Pemberton again points that middle finger at the more senior judges who also qualified for the post.

What I understand further is that in Trinidad, power – perceived power – is held on to at all costs. It is why Justice Pemberton, like so many others, does not have the shame to resign, but is waiting for the ignominy of being ‘fired’. It would have been simple for her to resign following the Privy Council (PC) judgment, but that is not the Trini way, is it?

Or, maybe she sees that a resignation letter is too much to liquid paper over.

Thought for the day

Justice and truth are the common ties of society; and therefore even outlaws and robbers, who break with all the world besides, must keep faith and rules of equity amongst themselves; or else they cannot hold together.

(Locke 1690, I.ii.2.)

Crime rising

Crime is on the rise (Stephen Williams Ag CoP, Express 12 Jan 2017). It has been rising steadily for the past 10 years despite the ‘reassurances’ of police and politicians who provide statistics to show that there are occasional decreases in numbers, in various categories. These decreases are temporary ‘blips’ in the overall picture, which, if charted by an unbiased observer, clearly shows the rising crime numbers as well as the rising crime rate.

I suppose that many persons have given up on the lesser impact crimes, such as the numbers of speeding and parking tickets – and fines- issued. What is foremost on peoples’ minds are the more serious crimes, involving violence and loss of life with, sadly, often gruesome acts perpetrated on the victims. One can only wonder whether the perpetrators have reverted to baser animal instincts, rather than higher human cognitive capabilities. When you think of it, even animals aren’t as depraved as some of these perps.

Perhaps the hardest fact to digest is the utter incapacity of the law enforcement services to get a grip on crime fighting… whether that grip is to be crime prevention or crime investigation, failure is an abysmal fact staring us in the face. Add to this failure, the inability of the judicial system, itself under a tsunami of criticisms of its own making, to cope with the rare arrest and one can see why hope of change is but as likely as a former President repaying an illicit housing allowance.

Extending this idea further… With a detection and arrest record in serious crimes at less than 10%, but a trial timeframe in the judicial system (mess?) taking between 5 to 15 years currently, what would happen if that detection rate was to increase to – let’s speculate here – 80%? If you think the Pratt & Morgan 5 years’ time-limit is impossible now…

A recipe for anarchy, I imagine. Faeces might be the least offensive item thrown at judicial officers (Newsday 22 Nov, 2007). As to the regular baying for blood, everyone forgets that before there is a hanging or public execution, one must first catch and verify the guilt of the perpetrator… sadly, this is near impossible with the current police membership, especially considering the inept standards of thinking and performance.

Some detractors might question my loyalty to the country… this is a red herring. Criticism does not mean disloyalty. Only a fool will ignore the obvious. Other detractors will want to know why I am not suggesting improvements. A short-sighted view without the benefit of research, as I have done exactly that on many occasions.

Thought of the Day

“[T]he poorest he that is in England hath a life to live as the greatest he; and therefore truly, sir, I think it’s clear that every man that is to live under a government ought first by his own consent to put himself under that government.”

Thomas Rainborough

Thought of the Day

‘There are, in fact, two things, science and opinion;
  the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.’

Hippocrates

Thought of the Day

“Ignorance can be fixed; stupidity can’t.”

Jumbie 16/07/2016

Thought of the Day

“Beware of the little expenses,

a small leak will sink a great ship.”

~Benjamin Franklin

Thought for Tomorrow

“Be very, very careful what you put into that head, because you will never, ever get it out.”

- Thomas Wolsey, 1471 – 1530.

Comment: And by extension be very very careful what others, ‘systems’, or ‘institutions’ may put in to that head – unknown to you!! For idiots who read this, the man is not talking about obvious exceptions such as dementia. He’s talking about how people latch on to ideas, beliefs and knowledge etc.. and refuse to give them up even in the face of incontrovertible evidence. And by extension scientists and the religious elite are guilty of the same ‘crime’  of stuffing things in people’s heads. And people are guilty of a crime against their own selves for being so stupidly unaware.

Thought for Tomorrow

“Adversity and hardships early in life can be a vaccination for failure.”

- Colin Cowherd (here).

Thought for Tomorrow

"The conscious mind determines the actions, the unconscious mind determines the reactions; and the reactions are just as important as the actions."

~E. Stanley Jones

Possible optional reading: From the unconscious to the conscious.

Thought for tomorrow

“No risk no gain.. no pain no gain.. no risk no pain – therefore do nothing!!”

- Captain Walker (Oct 2014).

Thought for tomorrow

 

“Skeptics often pontificate about the future and change nothing. Entrepreneurs often seize the future and change the world.” 

- Captain Walker (Sept 2014).

Thought for tomorrow

“Evidence may stimulate logic to change minds but fear may freeze minds. Logic is a slave of the emotions. The human race is doomed!”

-  Captain Walker (Sept 2014).

How to choose a strong password

In light of all the ‘celebrities’ whose nude photos are being hacked from their online accounts, I’m posting a simple tip.

But I have to ask… why take nude photos in the first place? If it doesn’t exist, it can’t be hacked”"!!

Thought for tomorrow

“A victory for the ignorant does not cure them of their ignorance - it confirms their state of being.”

- Captain Walker (August 2014).

Thought for tomorrow

“If I can, you cannot!”

- Captain Walker – August 2014

Thought of the Day

Persecution is the first law of society because it is always easier to suppress criticism than to meet it.

Howard Mumford Jones,
Primer of Intellectual Freedom, 1949

Thought of the Day

English people are clever. They are clever enough to put signs on the road to say “Look left, look right” before crossing. They have bins for needles [sharps’ bins], kettle swings [kettle tipper].

But they are not so clever to know to put single tap over sink to mix hot and cold water to usable temperature.

Dr Marina Mazneva Ph.D.,

Lecturer in Economics