Sadly, the prisoners today tend not to be Gentlemen like Mr. Pickwick In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread. -- Anatole France The War on the Poor continues apace in Arkansas, where one city's district court has found an excellent source of revenue that doesn't require tax increases: pile up huge fines against people for minor bounced-check offenses, and then when they can't pay,
A) Privatized prison, with extra special kickback action!B) run by the county, rather than the city, so ha, ha, bill's on them.and/orC) the prisons are largely subsidized by the feds/state, so, back to B.
The eastern horizon started to glow. Queen Zenobia finally slept. Her nurses now napped upon the couches and cushions of the Queen’s bedchamber after the latest night of fever and convulsion. The Corinthian Doctor, Barr-Geld, sat at Zenobia’s side checking her pulse and listening to her breathing.
The only other person in the room was the gray maned King of Aquilonia, shrouded in a thick plain-wool horse blanket, who had crammed his bulky frame into a side chair designed for ladies-in-waiting. This man had not left this room for a week. He had not slept in that time and had only eaten and drunk of the leftovers that the Doctor and nurses had provided. He rarely spoke and he hardly ever took his eyes away from the Queen. He moved so little that he could have been mistaken for a statue cast in bronze.The only sign that this man was a king was the massive gold circlet that rested upon his head. A pair of matched diamonds, each as large as a quail egg, were mounted in the center of this crown above his burning blue eyes.
The doctor arose and crossed the room to stand in front of King Conan. He stood mute for a long time trying to say that which was unspeakable.
The King broke the silence with a whisper: “Tell me Bar-Geld, shall she be here when the sun sets today?”
The Doctor shook his head.
The King reached his hands from under his blanket and removed the crown from his head. Conan then twisted and broke the gold circlet into two halves, each with a diamond attached at the end. He handed the two halves to Doctor Bar-Geld.
“You have done all you could. One half of that crown is to pay you, the other half is for the nurses. I pay you now because, in a very short time, I will not be able to think of the matter in any civilized way and I would not have you and the nurses get short changed in the confusion.”
Suddenly the King arose from his chair and softly walked to the door. He opened it carefully and eased himself out into the hallway where 36 of his Black Dragon Guardsmen stood at attention. The Squad Leader of the guardsmen instantly presented himself to the King.
“What orders have you my King?”
“Tell Publius to have my court assembled by midmorning! I want the debt collectors and the judge who dunned the Queen last month for ‘unpaid medical services’ to be brought to me. And have all the rugs in the audience hall rolled up and stored. By Crom! I would not see those rugs fouled with the blood of vermin!”
Your comment is both stupid and wrong. The best restaurant dollar for dollar in a town renowned for restaurants (Nawlins) is called 'Mom's'. What a horrible thing to deride such a fine establishment!
Hi Betsy. Things are good now but they weren't a few years ago, still haven't forgotten. In retrospect it made me a better person.Not all us us make it out, we're lucky. (Knocks on wood) :) ps I use that slug photo for one of my fake email addresses. I have an email address I use just for dating and porn. KIDDING! I'm not dating.
I was wondering this as well. My guess is that:
A) Privatized prison, with extra special kickback action!B) run by the county, rather than the city, so ha, ha, bill's on them.and/orC) the prisons are largely subsidized by the feds/state, so, back to B.
As long as it ain't costing the city, woo-hoo!
Chapter 276- The Vigil
The eastern horizon started to glow. Queen Zenobia finally slept. Her nurses now napped upon the couches and cushions of the Queen’s bedchamber after the latest night of fever and convulsion. The Corinthian Doctor, Barr-Geld, sat at Zenobia’s side checking her pulse and listening to her breathing.
The only other person in the room was the gray maned King of Aquilonia, shrouded in a thick plain-wool horse blanket, who had crammed his bulky frame into a side chair designed for ladies-in-waiting. This man had not left this room for a week. He had not slept in that time and had only eaten and drunk of the leftovers that the Doctor and nurses had provided. He rarely spoke and he hardly ever took his eyes away from the Queen. He moved so little that he could have been mistaken for a statue cast in bronze.The only sign that this man was a king was the massive gold circlet that rested upon his head. A pair of matched diamonds, each as large as a quail egg, were mounted in the center of this crown above his burning blue eyes.
The doctor arose and crossed the room to stand in front of King Conan. He stood mute for a long time trying to say that which was unspeakable.
The King broke the silence with a whisper: “Tell me Bar-Geld, shall she be here when the sun sets today?”
The Doctor shook his head.
The King reached his hands from under his blanket and removed the crown from his head. Conan then twisted and broke the gold circlet into two halves, each with a diamond attached at the end. He handed the two halves to Doctor Bar-Geld.
“You have done all you could. One half of that crown is to pay you, the other half is for the nurses. I pay you now because, in a very short time, I will not be able to think of the matter in any civilized way and I would not have you and the nurses get short changed in the confusion.”
Suddenly the King arose from his chair and softly walked to the door. He opened it carefully and eased himself out into the hallway where 36 of his Black Dragon Guardsmen stood at attention. The Squad Leader of the guardsmen instantly presented himself to the King.
“What orders have you my King?”
“Tell Publius to have my court assembled by midmorning! I want the debt collectors and the judge who dunned the Queen last month for ‘unpaid medical services’ to be brought to me. And have all the rugs in the audience hall rolled up and stored. By Crom! I would not see those rugs fouled with the blood of vermin!”
Next- The Settlement
Your comment is both stupid and wrong. The best restaurant dollar for dollar in a town renowned for restaurants (Nawlins) is called 'Mom's'. What a horrible thing to deride such a fine establishment!
Have a great day!
Now what if those police forces could bill them for services rendered.....
https://s-media-cache-ak0.p...
You weren't looking, but Mom's now a multi-planetary-system corporation!
Oddly, I've got more cake than bread in my fridge atm
If you ask me, Sherwood needs a Robin Hood.
That's some catch, that catch-22
Sounds like that entire court is out of order, doesn't it?
Your comments are obnoxious, insulting, rude and contribute nothing to the discussion.
I'm not surprised you have such a strong opinion about a restaurant.
Do they take you there with a forklift or do you have it delivered?
I can feel their pain....
It's the best there is.
Guilty! BANG.... For being poor.Guilty!! BANG..... For being sickGuilty!!! BANG. Sentenced to a never ending vicious cycle.....
The courts are handling it because they can make money on it.
Hey, if you bounce another check, there's always the other kidney.
Hi Betsy. Things are good now but they weren't a few years ago, still haven't forgotten. In retrospect it made me a better person.Not all us us make it out, we're lucky. (Knocks on wood) :) ps I use that slug photo for one of my fake email addresses. I have an email address I use just for dating and porn. KIDDING! I'm not dating.