musing minds

Lately, it seems that some of what I’ve been watching on TV has to do with private investigators. Watching a Science channel special on the science of Star Trek, the show featured the HoloDeck of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Captain Jean Luc Picard enjoyed using the HoloDeck in his off hours to immerse himself in the world of Dixon Hill, Private Detective, and this use of the HoloDeck was featured in the special more than any other use of the HoloDeck in the series.

In the series Without A Trace one of the main characters is Samantha (Sam) Spade. There’s a reference to private investigators in every episode. I was watching an episode from the week before last called 4-D. 4-D was the apartment number of the missing person – a private investigator. The private investigator was hired by a defense lawyer to check on the plaintiff. You see, the plaintiff had stepped in front of a delivery van for a chain of stores and suffered minor injuries. But he was trying to win the litigation lottery claiming nerve damage and inability to work.

Turns out that the plaintiff didn’t have anything to do with the missing private investigator, but the private investigator had found out that the plaintiff and the driver of the company delivery van had met. The private investigator had not had time to impart this important information to the defense attorney before he went missing. The FBI team from Without A Trace did find the photos on the missing private investigator’s laptop and the FBI questioned the van driver. They found out that the plaintiff and the van driver were in cohoots to defraud the company and share in the proceeds. This is what the private detective had uncovered, but these two didn’t have anything to do with his disappearance.

Two of my favorite shows, Psych and Monk have started up again too. They both feature private detectives working with the police. The last episode of Psych I saw also had another private investigation looking for Gus as his e-wife was looking for him.

Then I get a spam email that says:

Summer is here, and love is in the air!

and I look out the window at the falling snow and look at the temperature as recorded by my remote thermometer 14°F and almost, kind of, wish that I had enough disposable income to launch a private investigation to find these spammers and find a way to put them out of business…

There were seven in the bed and the little one said “roll over, roll over” so they all rolled over and one fell out…

That’s what this picture reminds me of.

h/t: Cats 

I went to county clerk’s website and downloaded my specimen ballot for the February 5 ÜberTuesday primary election. The following were on the ballot for the nomination for President. Who would you vote for?

Even though this is an Illinois ballot, we will be accepting only one vote per person. Thank you.

¹James Creighton Mitchell, Jr.

Linked by Marathon Pundit. Thanks.

*It’s 3 down, 45 to go for the Democrats (Michigan and Florida are being punished for moving their primaries up so no delegates for them {and half the GOP delegates})

And yet, after Iowa, two Democrat candidates quit (Biden and Dodd) and after New Hampshire another one quit (Richardson).

After four primaries/caucuses no Republican has quit. Not even Duncan Hunter (hang in there!)

Update: After I wrote this I remembered that Tom Tancredo withdrew. But he is still on my ballot in Illinois. 

And no one should be quitting this early.

Yeah, I know it seems late, but that’s because they started a year ago and the general election is still more than 10 months away.

Also, the media are very interested in getting the primaries over with – right now. They keep asking if this state or that state is “it” for any particular candidate. It’s not. Even had Romney lost in Michigan last night, no problem. It wouldn’t be the end for him. There have only been four contests!

I wish the media would just let the process happen as it happens. Used to be that nominees were actually chosen at the convention. The convention used to mean something. It was something other than a big party.

Seems this country would do well to have that again.

On last night’s Idol from Paul:

I just had to transcribe it:

Paul: This is a love song that I wrote for Paula Abdul.

Randy: Wow.

Paula: Oh my God. Serenade.

Simon: Have you ever had really…

Paul {sings}

There is this girl I know

I follow her around

She hasn’t noticed me

It really gets me down

I broke into her house

When she wasn’t there

Took off all my clothes

And tried on her underwear

I’m always thinking of her

I really think that I love her

I’m not much of a talker

So I guess that I’ll just stalk her

And I’ll stalk her

If she were a doggie I would walk her

If she were a blackboard I would chalk her

If I were Columbo I’d Peter Falk her

But I’m not so I’ll just stalk her

If she were a fat {cross talk from Randy}

If I were a guy from Good Times I’d be Jimmy Walker

If she were a bathtub, I would caulk her

Randy: Have you been drinking?

Simon: Paul, Paul. I think you should leave.

Paul: You do?

Simon: Yeah. That was really creepy.

Randy: That was creepy man.

Simon: There’s something really disturbing about you.

Randy: Stalking, chalking,

Simon: Now seriously. I really want you to leave.

Paul: There’s a piano right out that door.

Simon {to security guards} Guys, can we ask this guy to leave?

Paula: {as security is escorting Paul out} Paul, nice meeting you. Thank you so much.

Paul: It was very nice meeting all of you thank you very much. It was a pleasure.

Simon {rolling eyes} Yeah, likewise.

Randy: That guy’s crazy.

video after the jump:

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This is pretty amazing. If the embed doesn’t work try this link.

after the jump

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South Carolina Ad after the jump:

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The Anchoress finds shovels full of disingenuosity* in the Clinton Camp.

I recall reading that Hillary Rodham Clinton was a graduate of Yale School of Law and a partner in the prestigious Rose Law Firm, in Arkansas.

So, it was a little surprising to see her say this while pandering at a job-training center in California:

Clinton…said she understood borrowers who didn’t read their mortgages. “I’ve got to tell you, I skim my mortgage papers. I didn’t read them. I didn’t know there was all that fine print and those pages and pages of legalese,” she said.

[emphasis mine – admin]

So, after – by her count – 35 years of public life, Hillary has “found her voice,” and her voice is full of shit.

Go read the rest…

*I claim coinage!

Those ADT and Brinks alarm commericals have stupid homeowners and stupid criminals in them.

Stupid homeowners who have an alarm system but don’t put in good locks – it looks as though they don’t use deadbolts at all!

Stupid criminals too. There’s the guy who pretends to be a jogger and pretends to tie his shoe and even nods and smiles at the husband as the husband leaves. Then, before Hubby’s even out of sight, stupid criminal puts his hood up (that’s a good disguise) and runs up on the porch and kicks the door in (bad locks). Runs when the alarm goes off. Front porch, broad daylight! He knows she’s awake, she sees Hubby off out on the path. She’s fully dressed, not wearing a robe and slippers. In other words, she’s awake and alert and wearing pointy heeled shoes. He’s dumb.

Then there’s the one where Dad’s away on a trip or something and Mom and the girls are in the brightly lit living room with no curtains or blinds on the window and the girls are dressed in ballerina costumes, and Mom’s taking photos. She sees a face in the window for an instant, then the door breaks in (bad locks)! The alarm goes off! Alarm Company Representative Calls! “We’ll send help right away, Ma’am!” Hey Mr. Criminal Guy – It may be a Mom and two little girls in ballerina costumes, but they are awake! You are apparently at the front of the house in a neighborhood with at least one Mrs. Kravitz… The light helps Mrs. Kravitz spy on her neighbors.

Another one is the beautiful Craftsman that was just sold. The new homeowners are upstairs with all their boxes. It’s raining. Wifey hears a noise. Hubby tries to allay her fears – new house, new noises. He asks if she wants him to help. She does. He goes to the bedroom door at the top of the stairs with a wonderful view directly down the stairs to the front door (that dormer above the front door must be for decorative purposes only). The criminal kicks in the front door (bad locks again) and runs when the alarm goes off. Hubby runs back in the bedroom and slams the door, leaving the front door wide open in the rain.

Wifey turns on the light (no shade on the lamp) and hubby’s up on his tip toes looking out the window for the would be burglar.

There’s a prominent sign in the yard, both that the house has been sold, and that it’s covered by an alarm system.

Now would you try to rob a house where people had just moved in? Everything’s in boxes for crying out loud! Probably even the new homeowners’ don’t know where their valuables are!

For the homeowners in these little stories: Go ahead and get an alarm system. There’s no problem with them, but purchase and install good locks! Also, hope you don’t live where these stupid criminals are.

It’s Professor Althouse’s birthday today (57 – and she’s the one who let that slip!)

Go wish her a happy birthday!