Posted on 02/05/2005 10:24:01 AM PST by Pikamax
Really, court reporter, I don't think the debate here now is about the court system, but the facts of the incident itself.
You mean like when you said the girls hid?
That must be it, Sweetcakes.
That's your interpretation of a reporter's remarks.
>>>Ah, the women was asking for punitive damages, a security system, probably more.
This has been going on since last July; they apologized; she said they weren't sincere; they offered to pay her expenses, that wasn't enough. And her husband is now making harassing calls to the girls' families.
Sometimes it AIN'T the attorneys.<<<
all we have to go on is the tiny amount of info in the article(s). we have no idea who's bright idea it was to sue for a porch light etc.. true, it is the plaintiff who is responsible for whatever is included in the lawsuit, but i smell a lawyer rat concocting the list of silly items.
i also am guessing (only guessing) that these people who sued are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. for all we know, the plaintiff's lawyer was hanging out in the emergency room ..
and she was only awarded 1 (one) dollar punitive damages which is funnier than 0. and i bet the lawyer got it... i believe the 930 was for medical?
no stinking excuse for the phone calls .. at all.
i have known a few couple that filed for diviorce... remaining civil to each other... had things pretty well "worked out" between themselves.... and then - all hell breaks loose when they hire the lawyers. their is no money to make unless the lawyers can keep a fight going..
funny.... my first reaction when i read the story was that there was much more to this then we know.... like maybe these families had had a run in before.
Police reports are that the girls parked their car 500 yards from the home behind a grove of trees.
I report, and you interpet as you will.
Howlin.... i just had a theory. - there was a 19 year girl in the house too. maybe there was some bad blood already? ya never know.... this could have been one of those "payback" things for some percieved wrong in the past.
just a thought..
Wanita the Cookie Monster, the macaroon, the cookie batterer. ROTFLOL
The more I read this story the more I like how it's turned out.
10:30 PM isn't the middle of the night. The neighbor is a bitch. These girls did nothing wrong.
In my neck of the woods in Orange County, California, I feel the same way. How does one say "rude"?
According to whom? I have no intention of getting into a debate with you over semantics. My point was--and still is--that most decent, well-mannered people consider 9:00 PM (9:30 PM, at the very latest) the socially-accepted cut-off time for uninvited strangers to come knocking at your door.
I am a night-owl by nature, and am often "up-and-about" well past midnight. But unless you are a close friend or relative, it had better be an emergency if you come knocking at my door at 10:30 PM! And yes, I will very likely be armed on the other side of the door at that hour.
The neighbor is a bitch.
That may be so. And as I stated in the post to which you responded, I do not believe she should have been awarded any monetary judgment on her absurd lawsuit. But just because a person is a "bitch" does not give other people the right or excuse to violate the social standards of common courtesy.
These girls did nothing wrong.
They absolutely did do something wrong, and hopefully they now know it. (Although, with support from people such as yourself, they are probably losing sight of their wrongdoing.) Pranks and hijinks with a "happy face" attached are still pranks and hijinks.
Btw, if these girls did nothing wrong, why did they apologize? Why not stand up tall and proclaim, "We did nothing wrong!"? Or do you think their apology was a bald-faced lie designed to deflect repercussions? If so, then they have compounded their wrong-doing with even more wrong-doing.
What these girls did was not a capital offense, and it's too bad the nasty neighbor tried to elevate it to that level. (In doing so, she has only diminished her case, and generated sympathy for the girls.) But the girls should have been reprimanded and punished (e.g., grounded) for their poor-judgment and impolite behavior.
Adults who excuse and enable the irresponsible behavior of children like these two girls (such as yourself, "SALChamps03") are the ones directly contributing to the demise of our once courteous and responsible society. It is the reason many children today are irreverent and undisciplined, foul-mouthed brats (who later grow up to be irresponsible and undignified, pea-brained adults).
Not all young people reasoning powers are fully developed that is why it use to be one could not vote or drink until they are 21!
I can't get over some of these replies......many seem to forget what it was like when they were young and full of living for the moment...you spend all day doing something nice you get the stuff ready....you don't think about time you just want to see how some folks react to your thoughtfulness.
Like that HallMark commercial where the lady across the steet has someone set her gift of a "Santa clause sing Jingle Bells"...on her neighbors porch...the door bell rings....the kid runs and hides...the Elderly neighbor looks down, and a smile comes on his face!
Now why would you park in front of a house if it was to be a surprise....you woudl want to hide to see your neighbor smile.......in many cases good feelings are contagious....
And when you are a teenage time means nothing when you are caught up in the moment!
The apology should have been enough......
Btw, if these girls did nothing wrong, why did they apologize? Why not stand up tall and proclaim, "We did nothing wrong!"? Or do you think their apology was a bald-faced lie designed to deflect repercussions? If so, then they have compounded their wrong-doing with even more wrong-doing.
The girls may still feel in their hearts they did nothing wrong....but they apologized because this person feels offended....in the future they know enough to stay out of the way of that person!
It use to be where many of the people would meet one another half way.....The offend lady unless she is stupid knows it was not the girls intention to offend.....and their apology to have resolved it!
Wars are started over Pride, Enmity, and being contenious...apologies are not recognized!
SYNONYMS enmity, hostility, antagonism, animosity, rancor, antipathy, animus. These nouns refer to the feeling or expression of deep-seated ill will. Enmity is hatred such as might be felt for an enemy: the wartime enmity of the two nations. Hostility implies the clear expression of enmity: “If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find . . . enough to disarm all hostility” (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow). Antagonism is hostility that quickly results in active resistance, opposition, or contentiousness: “the early struggles of famous authors, the notorious antagonism of publishers and editors to any new writer of exceptional promise” (Edith Wharton). Animosity often triggers bitter resentment or punitive action: overcame her animosity toward her parents. Rancor suggests vengeful hatred and resentment: filled with rancor after losing his job. Antipathy is deep-seated aversion or repugnance: an antipathy to social pretension. Animus is distinctively personal, often based on one's prejudices or temperament: an inexplicable animus against intellectuals.
Yes, I am absolutely serious.
The girls may still feel in their hearts they did nothing wrong
Sadly, I suspect that's the case. Particularly since everyone's now making them out to be folk heroes.
but they apologized because this person feels offended
At times, it is appropriate--and gracious--to apologize for offending someone, even if you don't feel you did something wrong. But if they disingenuously apologized for their actions, when they believe their actions were correct, then that is wrong (despite the preachings of Liberal hand-wringers).
It use to be where many of the people would meet one another half way
It used to be that parents taught their children to respect adults. It used to be that parents taught their children to be mindful of the hour at which they called upon others. It used to be that when children pulled a prank like this, even if good natured, they would have been spanked (instead of getting invited onto national talk shows).
Of course, it also used to be that people wouldn't have an "anxiety attack" (and resulting hospital stay) over a knock on their door at 10:30 PM. And it used to be that no one would sue--or be sued--over something as stupid as this.
Wars are started over Pride, Enmity, and being contenious [sic]
Familial and tribal wars perhaps. But it's mostly a (Liberal) myth that national and revolutionary wars are fought over such things as pride and hatred: almost always the impetus of such wars are territory, natural resources, political power, and religion.
The girls may still feel in their hearts they did nothing wrong
Sadly, I suspect that's the case. Particularly since everyone's now making them out to be folk heroes.
No not folks heros just youth still learning how to control impulses!
They apologized because this person feels offended
At times, it is appropriate--and gracious--to apologize for offending someone, even if you don't feel you did something wrong. But if they disingenuously apologized for their actions, when they believe their actions were correct,n that is wrong (despite the preachings of Liberal hand-wringers).
You are twisting words here I said that "in their heart they believed that was not their intention" as a [prank] a word which you added to support your case!
It use to be where many of the people would meet one another half way
used to be that parents taught their children to respect adults. It used to be that parents taught their children to be mindful of the hour at which they called upon others. It used to be that when children pulled a prank like this, even if good natured, they would have been spanked (instead of getting invited onto national talk shows).
Of course, it also used to be that people wouldn't have an "anxiety attack" (and resulting hospital stay) over a knock on their door at 10:30 PM. And it used to be that no one would sue--or be sued--over something as stupid as this.
Wars are started over Pride, Enmity, and being contenious [sic] Familial and tribal wars perhaps. But it's mostly a (Liberal) myth that national and revolutionary wars are fought over such things as pride and hatred: almost always the impetus of such wars are territory, natural resources, political power, and religion.
This my point all day these girls are making the stuff and chatting away and dreaming how others will receive their gift the thought never occurs that they would run into a sour apple!
this is all about learning.....it was the sour apple sueing that made the youth look like heros...if the sour apple was not so bitter about life...this would of have a different ending....these young people who wanted to do a good deed might of made friends with this lady and ran errands for her which could have eased her burden!
look like a pair of future desperate housewives :)
almost wish i was still single...
This wasn't irresponsible behavior. This was ill-advised behavior. The most that should have happened to these girls should have been a mild reprimand. These girls were trying to do a good deed. The neighbor was trying to get some money-period. Any time before midnight is late, but not the middle of the night. This has been blown way out of proportion. The only reason it's a national story is because the idiot neighbor sued instead of politely calling the parents and asking that it not be done again.
I can't get over some of these replies, either. Reading such crap like "many seem to forget what it was like when they were young" into simple posts discussing a news story.
No, I haven't forgotten what it was like to be young. And I do nice things every day for my family and several times a week for my neighbors.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.