This is the first time I’ve been able to record two episodes in one week since early April—time for more updates! First, a new law requiring that immigration consultants be licensed has caused problems for some migrants. The Auckland “super city” legislation is now before Parliament. What are the most boring things that people can talk about? I apply it to podcasts. Do I have any listeners in the UK? Phone messages let me expand on topics.
Link for this episode
Migrants suffer big losses as law changes.
7 topics to avoid if you don’t want to be a bore
Pride48 the GLBT podcaster live-streaming weekend next month.
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In NYS, they’ve tightened the regs on jury duty in the last few years; fewer exceptions for professions- even lawyers can serve. But if you show up, whether serving on the jury or not, you’re off the hook for 6 years. There’s some coordination with local and federal court service. http://www.nyjuror.gov/users/wwwucs/juryQandA.shtml
It seems at a glance that Illinois may not have worked on its system as well as NYS has.
I get called for Jury Service in DC every 2 years, which is the cycle. I think it’s because there is a shortage of people who are not convicted felons in DC since they can’t serve on a jury (hehehe). I actually served on a Jury in May of 2008 and it was interesting, but it was difficult to get a unanimous decision in the jury room. The initial vote was 9 not-guilty and 3 guilty. And we talked, and talked, and talked, and talked, and talked, and talked, and talked about it for 2 and 1/2 days until the 3 hold outs were over it and finally caved.
I did my civic duty and I’m sure I will again soon.
I have a small suggestion: why don’t you also have a clock for what day and time it is in Chicago, IL USA? That way your listeners in New Zealand will have an idea about the differences as well.
Illinois used to exempt clergy from jury duty until the mid to late 1990s. Can’t deccide if they thought they’d be too ‘forgiving’ or too ‘judgmental.’ Some health conditions exempt you. I had prostate cancer and couldn’t stay away from the plumbing for long periods of time so the doc wrote the clerk a note to that effect.
Addendum to first message: if you show up – AND DON’T GET YOURSELF EXCUSED, which you can generally do only once – and don’t get called, but sit waiting and you COULD have been selected – THEN you’re good for six years.
Great show until I made it to the 11 minute part where you talked about 7 boring topics to discuss and turned very sleepy! Just kidding! 🙂
Regarding Jury duty – I have be called many times and even did Federal Grand Jury Duty and if you get selected for that – the time frame is 18 MONTHS and they would contact you if you are lucky a week before and let you know how many days it would take – very annoying and finally my supervisor at my job requested I be excused.
My favorite jury duty story was a local case and six of us were called up to be reviewed for being a jury member. This woman complained that she was self employed and asked be to excused and the judge told her no. Next the lawyers began to ask the questions and everyone of the other five were excused and she had to stay. She groaned as we all left.