Cindy, yes, "Help":

Willow: Look, all I'm saying is that this is normal teen stuff. You join chat rooms, you write poetry, you post Doogie Howser fan-fic. It's all normal, right? Let's see what other sites there are.

Thanks, Nilly. I didn't realize AH had a pilot. It's possible she, DB, and NB will be gracing our screens in the new TV season.

I haven't kept up with the upfront announcements. Joan of Arcadia, which I just adore, struggled through its sophomore season and lost audience. It's on the bubble and wearing spike heels. I think CBS announces tomorrow, and I've just decided to wait until then, to catch up on the TV news.

Can someone explain to me who the guy who shot the judge and others in the Altanta courthouse can plead not guilty?

You can plead not guilty even if everybody knows it was you. Even if you know you're guilty, you can plead not guilty. It is just that, in situations like that, you're gonna have to expect the jury to call you a liar and find you guilty, and possibly line up to kick you in the butt on your way to prison.

The LIRR killer, who was as obviously guilty as they come, didn't just plead not guilty, he represented himself (despite being crazier than a stack of cats). All the witnesses on the stand, he would say, "And the alleged killer shot so-and-so?" and the witnesses would look at him, hard, and growl, "I saw YOU shoot so-and-so."

He tried to call Bill Clinton as a witness in his defense, IIRC. Cray-zee.

Another thing that makes me want to bang my head on furniture:

Rice during her Iraq visit: "This war came to us, not the other way around."

Aside from the fact that he has a right to a trial by jury tried to proof beyond a reasonable doubt regardless of what he did, he could also be intending to use an insanity defense.

I think he has every right to plead not-guilty, I just think, man, that's gotta be a tough case.

Happy Birtday Vortex!

Congrats on the teaching gig, ita!

What I don't understand is how someone would be allowed any freedom of movement in a courtroom after shooting a previous judge and jury. Can you represent yourself effectively while shackled up in one of those Hannibal Lecter cages?

I'm happy for AH, but sad for the Echolls family.

Happy birthday, Vortex!

I can't believe I missed the therapy chicken talk.

I just got some really sad news about a couple I know -- they've both had cancer over the past couple of years (breast for her, some obscure blood thing for him), and he is apparently dying. It's just so sad. Would you all keep a good thought for Aileen and Brian? Thx.

Can you represent yourself effectively while shackled up in one of those Hannibal Lecter cages?

I don't think the Atlanta guy is representing himself. But they could put him in a glass room, like they did to Eichmann at his trial. I think in that case it was to protect Eichmann from the audience, rather than the other way around, but it's not unprecedented.

(The LIRR guy, who did rep himself, wore a suit and no handcuffs, and did not especially seem insane, until he opened his mouth.)