What I don't remember is if that conviction was just a higher degree of manslaughter or, murder 2, or if it was Murder 1? Anyone know offhand what it would be in most states?

I'm not a lawyer but doesn't Murder 1 need to prove intent and premeditation?

Which they aren't required to practice in the simulators, which just makes it all the more incredible that this pilot and first mate got the plane down in one piece.

NPR profiled the pilot last night and mentioned that in between flights he works as a safety consultant for the airline, and a noted flight safety expert said something to the effect of, "Obviously, you never ever want to have any kind of flight emergency at all, ever, but if it has to happen this is the one pilot you'd want, out of, like, all of them."

that's horrifying and sad.

It really is. Chris was such a terrific person, too.

The whole Hudson landing saga's pretty amazing. I'm glad it had a happy ending.

was, however, sort of horrified to see someone quoted in the NYT just now criticizing the pilot for choosing the Hudson and not trying to make it to a runway

I have to believe things would have been much worse if he tried for a runway. I was wondering how many people fought to get their laptops off the plane.

How awful and sad for your friend Chris and his loved ones, Calli.

The NYT reports that the pilot was glider certified: [link]

Oh, Calli, that's horrifying. I can't even imagine how you would cope with the grief from something both completely malicious and completely random. And Chris sounds like he was such a very good man. I'm just so sorry.

I'm not a lawyer but doesn't Murder 1 need to prove intent and premeditation?

It's been almost 25 years (that long? how?) since I took Criminal Law, but my memory is

Murder 1 = premeditation
Murder 2 = recklessness, depraved indifference to life (e.g., shaking a baby)
Manslaughter = negligence

Did anyone listen to Bush's last address?

As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11. But I never did. Every morning, I received a briefing on the threats to our nation.

First, you didn't before? Second, you've already said except Sunday, but I suppose Sundays don't count. Third, apparently natural disasters don't count as a threat.

Afghanistan has gone from a nation where the Taliban harbored al Qaeda and stoned women in the streets to a young democracy that is fighting terror and encouraging girls to go to school.

Sure it has, things are going just peachy there.

Iraq has gone from a brutal dictatorship and a sworn enemy of America to an Arab democracy at the heart of the Middle East and a friend of the United States.

Yeah, democracy at gunpoint. Never mind the huge loss of life. We've also created a new friend of Iran as well. I'm also pretty skeptical about how democratic Iraq will actually be.

America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil. This is a tribute to those who toil day and night to keep us safe -- law enforcement officers, intelligence analysts, homeland security and diplomatic personnel, and the men and women of the United States armed forces.

True. Clinton could of said the same thing, and worldwide terrorism has increased, but it is true. Bush gets points for that. OTOH, one can point out that the dots were there to connect and prevent 9/11, but perhaps that is only in hindsight. Dunno.

So around the world, America is promoting human liberty, human rights and human dignity.

With some very notable exceptions.

providing AIDS medicine to bring dying patients back to life, and sparing mothers and babies from malaria.

His best achievement. I'll give him credit there.

For eight years, we have also strived to expand opportunity and hope here at home.

And achieved the worst economic situation since the great depression.

You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made, but I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.

What a stupid line. Seriously.

I wonder if any TVs were taken out by shoes during the address.

Cali, I'm so sorry. And I'm that what I thought was a general question pinged a personal experience like that.

You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made, but I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.

Yeah, that was the quote I kept hearing this morning. Yes, I can acknowledge that you held the office of president. Seriously, WTF, dude.