Morganna said:

mjc said:

A shot across the bow maybe? she says hopefully.

Finally heard tape of one of Defendant's comments this morning, imo couldn't be clearer tampering with witness(es).  Seems likely any random street thug would be locked up if it could be proved he said anything like that.

eta: otoh, does this mean the judge totally dismissed the other dozen or so instances??

eta again: NYT says $9,000, so apparently judge recognized most instances?  Still peanuts, but at least a warning

Apparently $1,000 per violation is the maximum allowed in New York State. Of course, jail could be the next option. We can only dream.

$9,000 ain't a lot, but on top of that, he'll have to attend his son's graduation which he had no intention of doing, so there's some justice.

Paul Auster, grew up in SOMA and graduated from Columbia High School. Famous as a Brooklyn author, but his sweeping novel "4 3 2 1" has a protagonist who grows up (in multiple ways) in Maplewood and vicinity.

Paul Auster, the Patron Saint of Literary Brooklyn, Dies at 77 - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

[Edited to add] Found the video of the talk he gave on Zoom, hosted by the South Orange Library, on 4/3/21 about that novel and talking about his memories of growing up. 

Morganna says (in her valuable description of civil disobedience):  "I'm mistrustful of people covering their faces."

mtierney gives a reason why masking may be prudent: "...students may well be spotted by identity technology available to employers to screen prospective job applicants."

Not to mention current employers, school administrators, police, and any opponent or random internet surfer who'd like to dox them.  Seems sensible to me, though maybe not at the level of integrity and civic-mindedness Morganna described.

@mtierney, You have posted a cartoon about protestors saying "first pay off my student debt." but whatever your feelings about loan forgiveness, and as I think this is becoming a talking point for Biden detractors, I am sharing an explanation of those who are eligible. This was copied for CBS news in January. 

Biden forgives $5 billion more in student loan debt. Here's who qualifies and how to apply.

By Kate Gibson

Edited By Alain Sherter

January 19, 2024 / 12:18 PM EST / CBS News

• The Biden administration a week ago said that, starting in February, people with less than $12,000 in student loans and who have been making payments for at least 10 years would get their remaining loan balance erased. Borrowers also have to be enrolled in the White House's new Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan.
  

Nearly 44,000 of the borrowers approved for debt relief are teachers, nurses, firefighters, social workers and public servants with at least 10 years of service. The remaining close to 30,000 borrowers have been making payments on their loans at least 20 years, but who did not get relief through income-driven repayment plans.

Got the QB yesterday with a little hint from the Buddy. Had no idea "churchy" is a word. 

The Fox and Falcon has a weekly trivia night on Wednesdays from 7-10, and I'm running a fundraiser Trivia night for the Clinton School PTA on May 10th. More info on that here: https://clintonpta.membershiptoolkit.com/trivia2024

Congrats, jim and alha. QB -1... working on it.

ETA: Next time I looked at it, I got the last word. I'm in the QB club today.  :bz

mtierney said:

No, you missed one, sorry. But it just might be a word that you use frequently and/or see in print routinely, so there is that….

Meanwhile, the violence in our newsfeed makes is too depressing for playing games ….

Got it too :-)

Quick QB. Good day, I think.