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What would you get someone who has nothing?

Started by smoggrocks, July 20, 2006, 11:06 AM

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smoggrocks

a practical gift, or a more indulgent, 'impractical' gift? what's your reasoning for either?

and... i've been chosen to be a juror. at first, i was bumming. but it's an important function, and i've been very intrigued with the whole process.

maybe i should become a lawyer. then i could get paid for having a big mouth. ;D

Dave Heim

Congratulations on being a juror!  Its an interesting process.  I've been a juror on a homicide trial and also a lawsuit. [cue patriotic music] Being a juror can be boring at times, no doubt about that.  And it can be very inconvenient.  But its important!  :)

As for the gift. . .  books and magazine subscriptions are always good, as is music!  Something they can keep going back to.

If you want to go funny, there's a place that makes custom bobble-head dolls (I can dig up the address if you like). Get one made of yourself and give it as a gift!  If the person is a nerd, places like thinkgeek.com offer cool stuff. 

Or just make up a "good for dinner and a movie with me" coupons, slip them in a card and have a nice evening!

Oh, and if you're shopping for me, I take a large.  :)

DRWM

The dinner and movie coupons are a cool idea.  A friend of mine gave me 2 of them on my last birthday and we had a great time both nights.  I like things like that because it's time with friends and/or loved ones instead of something material.

[rant]
As far as Jury duty, I see the civic need for it, however, what burns me about it is this.  A person has to be really selfish and screwed up to have been busted and need a jury trial.  Why should the rest of us have to "do time" with him/her while they are on trial?  It's a total selfish act on the part of the defendant to force 13 or 14 (including alternate jurors) of his/her peers to rearrange their lives to accomodate this person's stupidity.  For $5 a day (in California), it's not worth it to me, nor do I care about a defendant enough to sit for weeks at a time to decide his/her fate.

That being said, I do my civic duty when called, I just don't like it.
[/rant]

Joe

Books and magazine subscriptionsâ€"perfect.  The gift that keeps on giving, especially when there's a question of whether to be "practical" or "impractical".

Quote from: DRWM on July 20, 2006, 11:47 AM
[rant]
Why should the rest of us have to "do time" with him/her while they are on trial?
[/rant]

Because him/her is a human being, and deserves a fair trial.  The most efficient way as current to guarantee a fair trial is to require 13 or 14 of him/her's unbiased peers to weigh the evidence and come to a decisionâ€"or not.

paul

When I'm gift shopping I try to figure out what's going to happen to a prospective gift after the event.  Best ones are gifts that will be used regularly, whether as entertainment or for some more prosaic purpose.  I try to stay away from tools and appliances, however, unless they're unusual in some way.  I also try to find something that the recipient wouldn't get him/herself.  I like the coupon idea.  Haven't used that one myself, but will keep it in mind next time I need a gift.

Best ones I've done the last couple of years:  a bottle opener that says "Oh, yeah!  Time for a beer!" when you use it; automatic jar opener (gf loved it, and was totally surprised); a cd of my own drum solos, some with bands and some recorded by myself at home, all different tempos, time sigs, and styles, with custom artwork for my then-girlfriend (she loves the way I play, and I was a hero for this one.  made my day, too).

DWRM, given your attitude about juries, I pity any defendant that gets you on his jury.  My guess is that a good defense attorney would get you excluded for cause though.  Shame on the defendant for daring to exercise his rights.

DRWM

Exercising one's rights should not infringe on my exercising of my rights, and vice versa.  What about the person/people who's rights this defendant 'allegedly' took away to get where he/she is? 

I understand innocent until proven guilty.  But, if I'm on the jury, chances are, I wasn't there, nor did I have anything to do with the incident.  I shouldn't be punished for someone else's crime, what I'm talking about here is the time and hassle of being on a jury.

I have never not answered the call for jury duty, but I don't have to like it.

Anyway Paul, I like your gift ideas especially the cd idea. 

David Crigger

Quote from: DRWM on July 20, 2006, 11:47 AM

A person has to be really selfish and screwed up to have been busted and need a jury trial. 

Or they might be innocent... ;)

smoggrocks

paul, i'm liking that beer opener idea. do you recall where you got it?

as for the juror thing, i take the whole process EXTREMELY seriously. this is someone's life we are talking about... and remember: innocent till proven guilty.

i am actually amazed and impressed at the treatment an accused person gets (in this case, an obviously $$ disadvantaged person). and while those around me jabbered on about what an inconvenience serving was, i spent my time honestly assessing my ability to fairly judge the case.

one day, it could be me up in the defendant's seat. i'm sure i'd want someone who exhibited integrity and fairness. (actually, that's another thing i never knew: the defendant has a say in who sits on the jury. has this always been the case?)

paul

Smogg, I got the opener at a store in the local mall called (I kid you not) "As Seen On TV."  It was open during the holiday season a couple of years ago.  I've seen them online, though, and even got myself a couple later on, including a 3 Stooges model.  Do a Google and you'll find them.

Being a juror occasionally is just part of being a citizen.  Yes, it's a pain, and a disruption of one's life, but is an essential part of an equitable justice system.

Want a real disruption?  Join the Army for a few years.

smoggrocks

Quote from: DRWM on July 20, 2006, 03:16 PM
Exercising one's rights should not infringe on my exercising of my rights, and vice versa. 

oh, come now -- of course it should. freedom with responsibility and all that.

i'm not sure what exactly you consider your 'right' in this case. but the good news is, you do have the right to say you are biased, which in your sitch is probably best for all concerned.

'course, we could just save money, end trials and throw people in the slammer for 25 years.  that's what they did to my uncle in 1960 -- in CUBA.


Dave Heim

Quote from: smoggrocks on July 20, 2006, 03:34 PM
. . .
as for the juror thing, i take the whole process EXTREMELY seriously. this is someone's life we are talking about... and remember: innocent till proven guilty.

i am actually amazed and impressed at the treatment an accused person gets (in this case, an obviously $$ disadvantaged person). and while those around me jabbered on about what an inconvenience serving was, i spent my time honestly assessing my ability to fairly judge the case.

one day, it could be me up in the defendant's seat. i'm sure i'd want someone who exhibited integrity and fairness. (actually, that's another thing i never knew: the defendant has a say in who sits on the jury. has this always been the case?)

Cool.  I think that's the way to look at it.  Its a fascinating experience - but it's not fast-paced with charming and witty lawyers like it is on TV.  Still - I think you'll enjoy it.  Especially the deliberation process.

Joe

Quote from: DRWM on July 20, 2006, 03:16 PM
But, if I'm on the jury, chances are, I wasn't there, nor did I have anything to do with the incident. 

That's the idea, in order to maintain an equitable justice system as paul mentioned.

James Walker

Quote from: Dave From Chicago on July 20, 2006, 03:51 PMIts a fascinating experience - but it's not fast-paced with charming and witty lawyers like it is on TV. 

Forget it.

I'm not going if they're not going to bring in Denny Crane.


Dave Heim

Quote from: James Walker on July 20, 2006, 04:14 PM
Forget it.

I'm not going if they're not going to bring in Denny Crane.
I said 'charming'.  :)

James Walker

Quote from: Dave From Chicago on July 20, 2006, 04:29 PM
I said 'charming'.  :)

Charm, much like justice, is in the eye of the beholder.  ;)

DRWM

Quote from: paul on July 20, 2006, 03:46 PM
Want a real disruption?  Join the Army for a few years.

I did, I served 3 years and 17 weeks in the Army 1992-1995.  Cco 2/502nd INF. Ft Campbell KY.

I'm all for fair trial and innocent until proven guilty, like I said.  I just don't want to be there to watch and or decide if someone goes free (if innocent of course) or gets locked up.

Smoggy, I'm truly sorry for your Uncle's situation.

smoggrocks

Quote from: DRWM on July 20, 2006, 05:07 PM
Smoggy, I'm truly sorry for your Uncle's situation.

why thank you. but don't sweat it. the good news is he was released, along with many others mr. c. didn't like, in 1980-something during the mariel flotilla. quite something, that reunion btwn him and my dad.

William Leslie

My wife has been waiting to be called for Jury Duty for several years and each time she gets close, the Hospital she works at notifies the court that she can not be released from work because she works the ER.Then last year while on duty she was hit in the face while giving treatment. Glasses were broken, several cuts to the nose and face. After all was in order she had the police that brought the gal in fill charges and my wife has now been waiting about eight months for this gal to go on trail for her actions. We just learned that the trail starts next week. There are several other charges against at this time. One by the PA. AG for illegalley selling cigarettes she purchased on the internet. These were sold to a under cover police office.To bad your not on that Jury. It should be a pistol. Good luck with your Jury Duty.

chillman4130

If you like a beer opener gift, check this out:

http://www.bottle-popper.com/

A friend got me one of these and it's the most amazing bottle opener ever. I call it the ka-chunk. But it's not really a gift for someone who has 'nothing.' Because does that kind of person drink imported beer?

But still, check it out.

James Walker

Quote from: smoggrocks on July 20, 2006, 11:06 AM
a practical gift, or a more indulgent, 'impractical' gift? what's your reasoning for either?

I must be misunderstanding the question.  If someone truly has nothing, I'd get them something frivolous like food, clothing, shelter...

If, however, we're looking for gifts for someone who has everything, or at least needs nothing in particular, then look no further:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7554382400276447535]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7554382400276447535

I don't know if they make them any more, however - I cleared out the last two I could find back in 1998, keeping one, and giving the other to a friend of mine from college.