Now I know this is usually Taranis’ domain, but I thought since it was Friday, that he really wouldn’t mind. Have a VeryLowSodium weekend!

Jorge Cruz Jr. was a 9-year-old who, until recently, lived in Los Angeles, California. Today his bed lies empty and his little toys gather dust because a distracted movie star was in a hurry.

Rebecca Gayheart, apparently while talking on the phone, used a left turn lane to pass traffic that had slowed to let young Jorge cross the street. According to witnesses, the “Urban Legend” star plowed through the intersection at approximately 40 miles per hour.

In an instant, Jorge was dead. His life snuffed out before he had a chance to live. His parents left without their son. And Ms. Gayheart, who was late to her important appointment, was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

Her sentence after pleading no contest: three years probation, a suspended license, and required to make a safe driving video.

Let’s briefly examine this sad situation. A person who drives a vehicle and unintentionally but unlawfully kills another human being is apparently guilty of Vehicular Manslaughter. However, it seems that unless the person acted with criminal negligence, he or she pretty much gets to have a picnic while the victim’s family gets to dig a tiny grave. What then is criminal negligence? Depends. Based on various definitions, it’s when a person engages in conduct that creates a substantial and unjustifiable risk that another person’s death will occur. That person, in this case Ms. Gayheart, would need to fail to perceive the risk, which would also have to be a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would observe in the situation.

But that’s a lot of fancy talk. Let’s just say that if she’d been drunk when she killed little Jorge, she would have gotten 10, maybe 15 years. Now, if being drunk is being filled with alcoholic liquor to the point of impairment, isn’t it very similar to talking on a cell phone? Aren’t a person’s faculties impaired by the inability to focus full attention on driving? Isn’t talking on a cell phone a voluntary act? Isn’t a person aware that talking on a cell phone while driving can be dangerous and create a substantial risk to pedestrians and other drivers? Or am I envisioning a mythical unicorn-type person who actually thinks?

Maybe I’m being to hard on her. I mean her lawyer told CNN that she was all broken up about it.

“She’s taking it very hard. Obviously, it’s the worst thing that could happen to somebody.” Sure it is, you ignorant fop. It’s much worse than having your child run down by a speeding Jeep driven by an unconcerned actress. And it’s definitely worse than being nine and being run down by some moron who wants to save a couple minutes.

Please forgive us, Ms. Gayheart. We should’ve recognized your sorrow. You’re an attractive, wealthy actress who has to make a safe driving video because you crushed a child. We should all pause and have a moment of reflection on the pain you’re feeling. Certainly it’s greater than that felt by young Jorge when your vehicle smashed into his growing body.

Maybe after we’re done feeling your pain, we can hold hands and cry for all the unfortunate Taliban guys who no longer have a place to live. Or, you could tell your lawyer to shut his piehole, write Jorge’s family a big ass check, and beg forgiveness for the rest of your sorry life.

But that’s just a thought.

No, I mean, dummies use ICQ. You may remember the last time I posted a log file from ICQ when someone from Brazil wanted to chat. Well, now a Turkish gal falls to the whitty banter of the Jett man.

Certain edits made for obvious reasons. And yes, it’s 100% legit.

Bergialp

hello i am woman

Jetteva

good for you.

Bergialp

thanks whereare you now

Jetteva

is this a new development, or have you been a woman your whole life?

I’m in Uganda on a Job training seminar. Bergialp

my name ’s *edit*

i am turkish

i am student you

Jetteva

Turkish? You probably hearing alot about the afghanistan stuff there, yes?

Uganda is cool. Shitty weather but the food is awesome.

Bergialp

yes

Jetteva

I’m at a Job training seminar here in Uganda. I’m updating my skills. I’m a taxi driver. why they sent me to Uganda, I don’t know.

What kind of things you hearing about the war there?

Bergialp

you are very fast

Jetteva

fast? have you ever ridden with me? or you mean my typing?

Bergialp

see you

Jetteva

you can see me?!!?! damn this new ICQ

Bergialp

i don`t understand

Jetteva

you said, “see you.”

I wasn’t sure what you meant.

Bergialp

you are very fast please slowly

i learn english new

Jetteva

how long have you been learning english?

Bergialp

i speak turkish very well

i want see there

you phone number

Jetteva

how long you speak english? 2 months?

I don’t have a phone. I just scream loudly out

my window.

Jetteva

hello? you hear me screaming now?

Bergialp

yes

Jetteva

are you going to answer me back?

what time is it in turkey now?

Bergialp

do you know turkish

Jetteva

No I don’t know any turkish.

Bergialp

19.00

why

Jetteva

just curious. It’s just after 11:00 here. I was wondering what the time difference was. 19:00. friends is about to come on. can you tell me what happens in tonights episode?

Bergialp

see you

because i dont understand

Jetteva

you can see me?!!?… this new ICQ is wild.

Bergialp

ok

Jetteva

how long you been learning english?

Bergialp

my phone number *edit*

Jetteva

i don’t have a phone. I’m deaf. I could call but I wouldn’t be able to hear you. Damn these ears.

Bergialp

*edit number out* call please

Jetteva

ok.. let me dial.

Bergialp

ok

are you married

Jetteva

someone just answered. is that you?

I’m married to my job. I rope steer.

you married?

Bergialp

i am not marr’ed

early

Jetteva

who am I talking to on the phone. is that you? I can’t understand if it is you. the lady is screaming at me.

Bergialp

scream’ng what mean

Jetteva

i called the number and someone answered. the person is yelling at me on the phone.

Bergialp

why i dont call

Jetteva

did you answer the phone. someone is yelling at me. She’s clicking and fidgety.

Bergialp

it is true phone number

Jetteva

clicking! I can’t take the clicking!

Bergialp

*edit number out* i waiting

Jetteva

I called. someone is yelling at me! did you answer?

Jettave

you’re not going to try to trick me into marrying you so you can move to the US then run off with my brother or something, right? I’m not falling for that trick again.

Bergialp

oo my god

Jetteva

yeah, my brother.

can you believe he did that?

Jetteva

i have to go now. the steer are coming in my house. I have to do what it is that people who rope steer do. I have to turn them into rope now.

With all the attention being paid to the war in Afghanistan, I thought I would bring you a bit of news from another stricken part of the world. I’m sure that many of you have heard bits and pieces about the AIDS epidemic in Africa. You may have even heard that in South Africa, specifically, one out of three adults is stricken with the virus that causes AIDS. That number in itself is absolutely terrifying.

The cause can be attributed to many things: the male populace’s nearly wholesale rejection of the use of condoms, the lack of widespread medical care and health education, the lack of true women’s rights, and now finally political infighting about AIDS drugs.

This article asserts that the South African government’s health care arm is limiting the public’s access to a drug called nevirapine. This drug is often used with newborns who are born of AIDS-infected mothers. A half-spoonful of the medicine can be given to the child and a pill given to the mother within 72 hours of birth for about $1. The proponents of the drug say that the 70,000 children born with AIDS in South Africa every year could be reduced to 10-20,000.

The opponents of the drug are concerned that there needs to be more education about the benefits and risks of the drug, such as the fact that it does not stop babies from getting AIDS from their mother’s breastmilk. They also claim that delivering the drug in a widespread manner is impossible because of operational and infrastructure problems. Surely, they can’t be worried about continued health care costs. Curing these children for $1 certainly has to be more cost effective than having an HIV-infected child using the public health system for 10 years.

It’s amazing that in a country where 23% of pregnant women are infected with HIV, a drug, that could save the lives of 50,000 children a year and is considered safe not only in South Africa but in many other countries, is relegated to the status of being on trial. The sheer cost benefits of saving a child’s life for about $1 demand that the drug be given widespread distribution status. Claims of “operational” problems hold no water to the plight of certain death for a child born with HIV. The country of South Africa could fall to its knees in 10 years if the death rates and infection rates from AIDS increase at their current levels. Imagine a country where a 1/5 of the population dies every year. Eventually, it becomes an empty barren wasteland.

Not to be Jesse Jackson, but one wonders if some of the old guard attitudes toward race aren’t playing a part in all this. All of the clinical “trials” are being held at private clinics. 85% of the population rely on the public clinics for their health care. I am willing to bet that of that 85%, probably 95% of those are black South Africans.

With all the out-pouring of emotion and money after the World Trade Center attack, let this thought snap you back to reality: 20,000 children die every year from AIDS in South Africa alone. That’s 4 times the number of people who died at the WTC attack.

Studies of Peruvian mummies have found the native peoples appeared to have suffered from tuberculosis even before the arrival of Spanish conquerors who were thought to have introduced the disease to South America, researchers said on Wednesday.

“It was thought the Spanish conquerors brought TB to South America and these mummies predate them,” said Gerald Conlogue of Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.

“Though they did have a habit of wearing those stupid metal helmets with the pointy things on the front,” research assistant Tom Richards said. “If nothing else they brought poor fashion sense. Not to mention they couldn’t have been comfortable.”

“And don’t get me started on their leggings.” Richards added.

I never thought that my behavior could have a serious effect on my appearance. I thought getting a beer gut was a sure sign of my ill health, but that was as serious as it could get. That’s why I joined our local gym today.

Little did I know that drugs and prostitution can have a serious effect on your appearance. It’s amazing the changes that this woman goes through. What’s even worse is that deep down inside she probably recognizes how much her life has gone down the shitter.

Charcoal grill users aren’t exempt from grilling dangers. According to the CPSC, approximately 30 people die and 100are injured annually as a result of carbon monoxide fumes from charcoal grills and hibachis used inside.

I have to say it. If someone is dumb enough to use a Charcoal grill inside, they deserve the fate that befalls them.

This festive holiday weekend as I was driving about mooching food of my family, I saw one of those honor roll bumper stickers. I know you’ve seen them and generally I find them pretty annoying. But one caught my attention. It said, “Proud Parent of an Honor Roll Student at St. James the Less.”

Then I wondered, how hard is it to be an honor roll student at St. James the Less? I mean, he’s not St. James the More, or St. James the One Smart Cookie, or even St. James the Reader. He’s the Less.

I’m not Catholic so I’m not sure what St. James’ story is. Can someone enlighten me on his accomplishments and why he’s a Saint? Was he the slacker of the 12 Apostles?

The glutton holiday is frantic and finally over. Now, on to the shopping!

Is it a strange coincidence that O.J. Simpson’s bodyguard, Tom Gleason, has penned a new novel about a former football star accused of killing his wife and her friend? Is it also a coincidence that the title of the book is “Closer to the Truth“?

Why is Laura Bush now trying to educate U.S. citizens about the plight of Afghan women? Where was she at the beginning of the Bush term (or years ago) when these downtrodden women were being treated like animals and executed in the streets? Are their sufferings only relevant when the U.S. wants to help establish a new Afghan government?

What makes a person think he should practice medicine when he has neither training nor license? Does he just wake up one morning and think, “After watching ER, I think I can be a doctor today”? Is Chris Columbus now going to be considered a great director? Or is he just the guy who directed “Bicentennial Man” (sucked) and lucked into a sure thing (at least that’s what Spielberg called it)?

Do you think the Taliban is soiling their shorts now that the Marines and CIA paramilitary units are coming to town? Or are Osama and his cronies too wrapped up in trying to discover a good way to barbecue camel ass?

Just wondering.