The Alcohol Breath Test, a review

WARNING: SCIENCE CONTENT

In most states, police enforcement agencies utilize the Intoxilyzer 8000 or a similar machine to estimate blood alcohol content based on the amount of ethyl alcohol molecules expired in a single breath. Evidence from these machines is presented during trials as being reliable and accurate. If one suspect blows .079, he will likely be acquitted or charges won't even be filed; but if the same subject blows .080, prosecution will ensue. We are talking about a difference one one-thousandths of a percentage point that separate that guilty from the innocent when these machines are used. With so much on the line, lets discuss some of the science behind the machine:

1) The affect of body temperature: The machine assumes that all DUI suspects have a body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius and exhale their breath at 34 degrees Celsius. This assumption is based on research from 1950 involving 6 test subjects. These assumption have been studied by pulmonoligists and biologists since 1950. Several treatises in peer-reviewed articles conclusively show that the average person actually exhales at 35 degrees. This conclusion was reached in 1996 after observing 700 test subjects. So why does it matter? Research that compares BAC (measured by blood draws) and BrAC (breath alcohol content measured by a similar device) shows that for every degree of body temperature above the assumed 37 degrees results in an overestimation of BAC by 8.6%, with a maximum of a 23% overestimation (Fox & Hayward, both PhD's; Schoknect). By example: let's assume that I have a .079% BAC in my system at the time that I blow into the machine. Because I am very nervous, my heart rate increases as well as my body temperature, though only slightly by 1 degree. When I blow into the machine, the BrAC will register at .085%. Even though my BAC is in fact below the limit, it is likely that I will be convicted at trial merely because my body temperature is slightly elevated when I blew into the machine.

Now consider the role this plays when somebody during an Arizona summer leaves a barbeque at the lake after being in the hot sun all day.

2) Partition Ratio: Partition ratio derives from Henry's Law, which, in a nutshell, stands for the proposition that, in a closed container, a portion of the gas dissolved in a liquid will leave that liquid into the air above and reach equilibrium at a particular proportion. Let's think about it this way: ethyl alcohol is a gas when present in the blood stream. When the blood reaches the lungs, which operate enough like a closed container, the EtOH gas tranfers into the air above the liquid blood until a certain proportion is reached. The Intox. 8000 assumes that all people have a 2100:1 ratio, which means that for every 2100 EtOH particles in the blood, 1 such particle will be in the air above the blood in the lungs. It measures, by means of an electromagnetic wave, how many particles of EtOH are in a measured amount of air breathed into the machine, multiply it by a factor of 2100, to reach an estimation of BAC.

Here's the problem: depending on individual physiological differences from suspect to suspect (i.e. male/female, genetics, dehydration, health of the lungs, etc.) a person's partition ratio can vary 1600:1 to 2900:1. So why is this a problem? A DUI suspect with a 1600:1 partition ratio will have a breath test result 20% higher than his actual BAC--so if he is at a .07 actual BAC, his breath result will be well above the limit, and he will be unjustly convicted. A DUI suspect that has a 2600:1 ratio will have a result that is 20% lower than his actual BAC, resulting in a strong likelihood of sliding past prosecution with an actual BAC of .09%. Most people have a partition ratio between 1800:1 and 2400:1, but even the smaller variation has serious ramification on who is unjustly convicted and who get away with one.

3) The rest: Breathing patterns, lung capacity, whether the suspect is in the aborption/elimination phase of alcohol consumption, dispersion rate, hematocrit, and other factors play into the accuracy/reliability of the machine. These effects are usually not as significant, but play a role. I won't bore you with any more science.

I realize that many people are of the opinion that a person should be convicted of DUI after even one drink. Believe me--I completely understand those feelings; I have seen the effect of drunken driving. But that's not the point--the law is .08%, and that law needs to be applied uniformly to all people in such a way that the guilty are convicted and the innocent are exonerated. Yet, the states rely on a device clearly susceptible to variation, up to + or - 40%. This creates a strong public policy concern: How can law be applied uniformly where the primary investigative technique is inherently flawed? The solution is simple: draw blood, then these concerns fall.

Here is an article by a Professor of Pharmocology with a review of these issues:

http://forensic-evidence.com/site/Biol_Evid/Breath_Tests.html

We've been elfed!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1135634580

4th and 18

I hung my head in disbelief after watching Utah take the lead with their only touchdown of the day with 1:30 remaining in the game. When Max Hall recovered his own fumble for an 8 yard loss, I felt somewhat hopeful that the first down could come. But then, after two straight incompletions, I became despondent--inconsolable. Then came the play.

4th and 18 from the BYU 12. Max Hall drops back, gets flushed from the pocket, runs to his right. "Okay," I thought, "buying a little time." Then he hurled this sort of jump pass down the sideline. "It's over," I thought, "we should have just kicked the field goal." When Austin Collie came into view on the right side of the screen, "Just keep it in bounds," I thought. What a beautiful sight: a 49 yard pass play on 4th and 18.

"We're going to win," I thought, "Go Cougars!"

Moccasin Justice Court

Here is a picture taken in front of the Colorado City/Moccasin Consolidated Court. It serves, as you can guess, Colorado City and Mohave County north of the Grand Canyon. It is a double wide trailer converted into a courthouse. To its credit, it is presided over by a very fair and genuinely concerned judge--and it has a very friendly cat that welcomes you. To get there, you have to drive north through Las Vegas, east to St. George, north to Hurricane, then South east to Mocassin, which is 20 miles south of Colorado City. The drive itself is beautiful. If I didn't know the Fundamentalist LDS church chose the location because it is secluded from "the world," I would think it was merely a decision involving how pretty the landscape is.

I represented a client in a domestic violence case. Ahhh, domestic violence--pretty much the bane of my existence. No category of cases gets to me quite the same way. It has cured me of any desire to practice family law. The problem with domestic violence is that everybody is a victim, especially the children. Also, while I don't have any real statistics to back it up, I would venture to say that at least 3/4 of the d.v. cases that run across my desk involve alcohol. The combination of strong emotion and stronger drink creates volatile situations. I don't envy the officers sent into those situations who hear completely different stories from those involved then have to make a determination about who is telling the truth and how to diffuse the problem. I, at least, don't get involved until things have calmed down substantially.

I often find it hard not to confuse my role of legal counselor with family counselor. I try not to cross the line very often by giving personal advice; I don't know if I ever should cross that line. It is essention to just sit and listen, though. Sometimes the public defender is the only one sitting a person's corner. Often, there isn't a whole lot I can do for the person other then help him or her feel understood. At the same time, I fight the temptation to chastise the man who beats his wife, or the woman who hurts her children. There is just no excuse for such behavior.

One year ago, I the work of a public defender was all about writing stinging motions to supress or "fighting the good fight" for the wrongfully accused. How could I have known that so much time would be spent wading through years strangers' family problems? Is it all worth it? Yeah, it is, 'cause every so often real change occurs for all involved. It's nice to be a part of that side.

And the winner is . . .

I know you've been waiting at the edge of your mouse pads for the results. Picture #1, which most of you got right, is the picture from Arizona. I plan to go back in the spring to spend a little more time down there. Staying just overnight didn't do justice, so I'm gnawing at the bit to go back.

On a more sad note, BYU is playing again today--in Las Vegas. I can't go in person. And the stupid mtn. has the broadcasting rights. The mtn. is the bane of my existence.

Supai, part II

I went to Supai, this time by foot, with some friends this past weekend. The hike is 10 miles, each way, which we did in 24 hours. The scenery at the end did not dissapoint. You tell me, which picture is from Hawaii, and which picture is from Arizona?

#1

#2

Which picture is from the falls in Arizona?
	# 1
	# 2
pollcode.com free polls

Here's to The Mtn.

If BYU dominates a previously undeafeted Air Force team, winning 31-6, and nobody see's it, did it really happen?

Let me throw my hat into the ring of those disgruntled fans that believe the MWC's new deal with CSTV/Comcast/The Mtn. was the worst thing that ever happened to BYU football. Even worse than the trying years under Gary Crowton and the unending suspensions after criminal charges! The fans can't see the games. I can't even get the games on pay-per-view for crying out loud. At least with SportsWest, which, admittedly, had very poor production and distribution in its own right, I could pick up a game on pay-per-view or Game Plan. Now I get nothing for half the season. Cheers to the Comcast lawyers--they wrote a contract so air tight that the MWC and BYU can't even come close to terminating the contract where there is no meaningful distribution of the games. Jeers to the MWC lawyers and Craig Thompson--suckers, blinded by illusory promises.

So here's to 7 years of looking forward to September and Cougar football, then hanging my head in sorrow each Saturday as the Coug's dominate opponents in the dark.

The new DUI law has come into effect in Arizona.

The Arizona legislature passed some get tough on DUI legislation that went into effect on September 19th. Here are some of the highlights:

1) Whereas the previous law only required the installation of an interlock device if the person blew .15 or above or has more than one DUI, now all people, no matter how low the blow, have to have an interlock device installed after any DUI. The instrument must be installed for 12 months after the person (who will have a suspended license for 90 days to 3 years) has his license reinstated. I'm not sure what effect, if any, this new law will have on deterring future DUI cases. For example, almost every DUI case that I've handled is not preceded by a DUI in the previous 12 months. Off the top of my head, I remember 2--and that's out of at least 100. I am sure, however, the companies that manufacture and install the instruments will be dancing all the way to the bank.

2) The sentencing structure has changed, also. It used to be this: impaired to the slightest degree and .08 (per se) DUI was 10 days with 9 suspended with alcohol counseling; extreme dui (anything above .15) resulted in 30 days with 20 suspended. These were minimums. Now the minimum for impaired to the slightest degree and .08 10/9 suspended, .15-.199 is 30/20 suspended, and anything above .20 is 30 consecutive days--period.

Here is the problem: Let's say that 2 young women have the same amount to drink and have the same BAC at the time they are pulled over. One young woman is given a breath test at the 45 minute mark and blows a .205; but the second is given a test at the 1 hour, 45 minute mark because of a delay with a tow truck and blows a .190 (assuming that she eliminates alcohol at the .015% per hour average rate). The first woman will serve a mandatory 30 consecutive days in the pokie, while the second will serve 1/3 of that time (possible on the weekends), even though they were equally intoxicated at the time they drove. I understand the Legislature's desire to crack down on DUI (I want to drive on safe streets just the same as everybody else), but certainly there is a better sentencing scheme available, other than bright line rules, to deal with inherent variability from person to person in these kinds of cases. If only, if only. Oh, wait, there is: it's called prosecutorial discretion in plea bargaining and court sentencing that can call consider individual factors in individual cases.

Colin has colic

Pobrecito.

Another example of dishonest marketing . . .

Apparently, not all that happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. It's just a shame that Cochran's not around to defend him this time.

100,000 miles

I traveled to Tuscon for a seminar over the weekend. On the trip back to Kingman, the odometer hit the 100,000 mile mark. It made me think about all the places it has taken me. Here's a picture showing, approximately, the paths we have taken together.

Whoa! Six weeks!

I can't belive that our baby is going to be six weeks tomorrow! Time definately has gone faster since he was born than while I was pregnant. We are loving our little Colin! He is a sweet baby who loves to cuddle his mommy. The little baby who was barely six pounds when he was born was a chunky 9 pounds 4 ounces at his 1 month appointment.
Colin was very busy last weekend. He really enjoyed his first BYU game and didn't even cry when he watched it with his daddy. (If you haven't ever watched a BYU football game with Dave, you are missing out on an interesting experience. I'm pretty sure the players can hear him cheer through the TV!)
We blessed him last Sunday, and the little turkey cried through the whole thing. But Colin doesn't have just any cry- He has a "goat" cry. It's quite impossible to describe, but if a goat were to laugh, it would sound something like Colin's cry.

Colin is very facinated by ceiling fans. He also loves the mobile in his crib. He studies it quite intensely and fusses when it quits moving and is not content until you wind it for him again. Colin just knows what he wants and isn't afraid to let you know!

Calling all Cougar fans. Ra . . Ra . . Ra-Ra-Ra

BYU will be playing UNLV on October 13 in Las Vegas. Since so many of us are spread out between AZ, CA, CO, and UT these days , I am calling for all former Baylor Law School Cougar fans to meet in Las Vegas to catch a game. Your attendance will only be excused for broken bones or heart attacks--yours or a family member within the first degree of consanguity. Any unexcused absence will go on your permanent record. Otherwise, you had better be at the game wearing blue. Anyone who wishes is welcome to stay at our house before/after the game.

By the way--Unga is a stud. All hail Unga!

What is worse....?

To be unjust or unmerciful?

This question was asked of the applicants to the Public Defender's Office this past spring. We received a wide range of answers. There was no right or wrong answer, at least in my opinion, but I was looking for some real thought in the answers. I've been thinking about this a lot, especially when I consider my role as a defense attorney in the criminal justice system. To be honest, I often struggle when pursuing acquitals procedurally or during trial when I feel that somebody has committed a crime that needs to be addressed by the justice system. As a person who drives on these streets, I worry about the dangers of DUI and feel it should be punished; as a defense lawyer, I am dedicated to the principle that all need a fair trial and that accused persons need advocacy on their behalf equal to the advocacy the state receives. In other words I force myself to separate my duties as a lawyer for the indigent from my personal feelings about a particular set of facts. This struggles defines the way I view the question.

It comes into play each time I make an argument at sentencing or negotiate a plea offer. Sometimes the argument is simply asking for what is just--essentially equal in relation to others charged with the same sort of offense, and sometimes asking for mercy--special consideration because an individual's circumstances even though the crime itself would generally call for a harsher result. Here is what my answer would be . . .

It was worse to be unmerciful. To be unjust, in my opinion, is to act abritrarily--to act without regard for actual guilt or innocence, with no justification in law or fact for the decision made. True, some people will receive a fair result and others an unfair result without rhyme or reason. To act unjustly, as I consider it, is to act without regard for equity. To act unmercifully, on the other hand, means that the decision maker actually knows of specific mitigating circumstances that justify special treatment but chooses to ignore them. In other words, the decision maker disregards her knowledge why one defendant, who committed the same crime as another, shouldn't simply be lumped in with the other offender. Often these mitigators are emotional distress or desperate circumstances that don't rise to the level of legal justifications, but which clearly explain why somebody acted illegally. Unmerciful behavior surpasses arbitrariness and enters the realm of indifference. Maybe a better synonym is "heartless," with every connotation that it carries. I would rather be known as unjust than heartless.

On a side note, I think I understand now why Prof. Osler and his colleagues have been fighting so hard against the sentencing guidelines as they were/are written. Booker was hugely significant--it put the person back into sentencing; it allowed a federal judge to be both just and merciful, though perhaps only to a certain extent.

What do you think? Is it worse to be unjust or unmerciful?

Colin is already 2 weeks old!

More pictures of our "Pink and Squishy"

and extra text.

Colin Tate Corbett

6 pounds, .3 ounces; 17 1/2 inches long. All ten fingers and toes, and, unfortunately, a Corbett nose. Here are some pics:

This rainbow appeared the day Colin was born.

38 Weeks

Yesterday marked 38 weeks for our little one. The last few weeks have gone by so fast! I've been surprised at how much energy it takes to grow a baby. Things are going well, although it seems like the really good things don't come easily. After spending about 4 weeks head down and ready to go, the baby decided that this was no longer the position for him. So he did a sommersault and has stayed top side up! My doctor discovered this at my appointment last week and he decided to play the "wait and see" game, hoping that the baby would sort himself back out. No such luck. I had another appointment today, and the doctor decided the best thing is for this baby to come out, one way or another. I'm only dilated to a 2 or 3 and about half-way effaced, but the baby is just getting bigger (which means more uncomfortable for me and for him because he's not the right way) and the doctor does not want labor to start on its own since the baby's breech. So Saturday is the big day! They'll admit me Saturday and give me an epidural to keep my uterus relaxed, and then the doctor will try to flip the baby by pushing and proding him along. If it works, then the doctor will enduce labor and we'll be on our way. If the baby is engaged too much and won't move, then they'll do a c-section. The doctor thinks that Option 2 is probably what will happen. Either way, Dave and I are so excited to think that we'll be holding our little baby the day after tomorrow! We'll keep y'all posted!

Messy Bessy

Here's the painting story that Dave didn't tell you. David was a very focused and dedicated painter- He only took a break to eat some dinner. But he did have a hard time keeping the paint on the walls. I lost count of the number of times I heard my friend Barb shout, "Corbett, you're fired!" because he dripped more paint on the carpet- or rolled it on the door.
Apparently they don't teach proper painting techniques at Baylor. But even Barb had to hand it to Dave when it came to choosing the cute colors for our baby's new room. Now we just need to get the rest of it together before the little one decides to come!

Thank goodness for great people!

To help us get ready for the baby, many friends came over today to help us paint the house and prepare the nursery. The work we finished today would have taken us days on our own. Here is a picture and Clay and Celeste Stephens. Clay is standing on a step-ladder, and, as you can see, Celeste is sitting on Clay's shoulders in order to reach the top corner of the kitchen wall.

Perhaps only days now!

Since y'all have been asking about the pregnancy . . .

Cambrea was dilated to a 2 at her appointment on Monday, was starting to become "effaced" (whatever that means), and began losing her plug today. Oh, and we decided on a first name: Colin, after my dad. No middle name yet--still working on that one.

By the way--I won my first jury trial on Wednesday, bringing my overall record to 7-1. It was nice to do something other than a bench trial.

Now that's some police work worth applauding.

The temperature in Kingman is about 105 degrees today. Without any humidity to stop you from drying out, the heat can really wear you down throughout the day. But that is where several Kingman policemen have been standing on our street today to help a family . . .

A new family is moving down the block from our house. People have many fears when moving, including the fear that the movers will play quote a reasonable price then arrive at the destination with a much higher price; when the family can't pay the new, exorbitant fee, the movers then point to something in the contract that they don't have to take their things off the truck until payment is made.

Well, that apparently happened to the new family around the block. I only know one side of the story, but the movers threatened to drive away with their stuff after asking an enormous fee. So the family called the police. They arrived at about 8:30 this morning to stop the trucker from leaving and are still out there now at 5:00. 7.5 hours and counting in the dry heat. The movers weren't willing to share their logs or any information--surprise. So the officers recently returned with a warrant to go over the logs then to go to the scales for a weight measurement.

Great job, guys.

What do y'all think?

Here is a hypothetical for those legally minded readers (though I think there are only 2 readers left since we haven't posted much lately):

Sammy is a bus-boy at a local restaurant. The restaurant has a standing policy that any tips given to bus-boys are not to be kept by the individual bus-boy, but are to be placed in a jar. The money in the jar will be counted at the end of each week, then divided among all bus-boys according to hours worked during that week.

Sammy receives a five dollar tip from a customer who was particularly happy with the cleanliness of her table. Instead of leaving the tip on the table, the delighted customer hands the tip directly to Sammy and says, "This is for you."

Sammy, feeling that he truly earned this tip and shouldn't have to share it, places the five dollar bill in his pocket. A manager watches Sammy place the five dollar bill in his pocket instead of placing it in the tip jar. The manager calls the police to report a theft.

The state law defines theft as follows:

A. A person commits theft if, without lawful authority, the person knowingly:
1. Controls property of another with the intent to deprive the other person of such property; or
2. Converts for an unauthorized term or use services or property of another entrusted to the defendant or placed in the defendant's possession for a limited, authorized term or use; or
3. Obtains services or property of another by means of any material misrepresentation with intent to deprive the other person of such property or services; or
4. Controls property of another knowing or having reason to know that the property was stolen.

Is Sammy guilty of theft or merely violating a company policy?

A choice experience . . .

At the bottom of the Grand Canyon, halfway between Kingman and Flagstaff, lies the tiny Native American village of Supai. There are only two ways of entering, both involve leaving your car at the top of the canyon. You can either hike about 8 miles through the canyon or take a ride in a helicopter.



We flew into Supai on this helicopter. This was our view:





There is a small congregation of the Church in this village. Members of the Church are flown in 3 times a month to speak during Sacrament Meeting. Cambrea and I were chosen to speak this weekend. We chose to speak on putting on the whole armor of God. After we landed, we walked about 1/2 mile to the little chapel in the middle of the woods.



As I reached the pulpit, I took just a moment to look out of the window. The view from the window showed nothing but green grass, beautiful trees, and gliding birds against a red and black rock backdrop. Here are some pictures I took from the porch:





It was a little room with standing room only for the 70+ congregation numbers. With a view from the window free of the marks of civilization and a room not aided by a microphone, the message, really the whole experience, felt purer, cleaner. For a brief moment, I felt how Brother Joseph must have felt as he preached in small chapels throughout Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois.

To top it off, after I gave me talk, a young man walked up to me with his wife and said, "Hermano Corbett, how are you?" He was one of the young missionaries that I had taught about 4 years ago in the MTC. What are the odds? As we talked about the MTC, there was only one thing that he specifically remembered. No, it wasn't my teaching, but one of my wife's delicious apple pies. I guess one was more forgetable than the other.

Things I Love About Dave

So I was reading everyone else's blogs today and I couldn't get over how big everybody's kids are and how grown up they all look. (Dave was especially wowed by Rebekah Wansgaard's hair because last time he saw her she was "rockin' the baby mullet." That's him, Jen, not me!) It sure made me anxious to have my baby so I have something interesting to post, but then I realized Corbett provides me with plenty of entertainment around here. So here is my "Things I love about Dave/Poke gentle fun at him while I'm at it" post.

One of the things I love the most about Dave is how much he needs me. We're not sure how he ever left the house before we got married because he always needs me to tell him where his keys are or where he left his cell phone. He just walks around with stuff and sets it down without thinking. Well, the other day, we were sitting down to watch American Idol, and we could not find the remote ANYWHERE. We knew Corbett used it that morning, so we started looking in all the random places we could think of. We finally gave up and went to watch TV in our bedroom. A while later, I got up to let the dogs in, and here's what I saw:

Apparently it sat outside all day.

Another thing that I love about Dave is the way he eats crunchy stuff. I'm sitting here listening to him right now. He's eating chips, and he crunches it twice with an open mouth before he closes his mouth and devours the rest. I laughed at him, and even though he knows he does it, he can't help but do it.

Everyone posted their list of obsessions- well, here's mine:
#1-5 How much weight I've gained since becoming pregnant and how much more I have to go.
So one of the things that I love the most about Dave is how he can look at my big, fat belly and not make me feel guilty because I had TWO pieces of cake last night. In fact, here's my big, fat belly at 26 weeks:

Seriously, though, I am really enjoying pregnancy. When we found out we were having a boy, I asked the ultrasound tech if she could see a soccer ball in there because I knew Dave was mentally reserving every weekend to go to our baby's sporting events. She laughed, but I seriously think the baby is kicking something around in there. It's kind of fun right now because now we can see him kick through my stomach and feel actual body parts moving. He really likes chocolate milk and Spicy Nacho Doritoes- just like his momma and daddy!

Houdini deserves her own show!

Bailey, my precocious mut, seriously deserves her own tv show as an escape artist. She escapes, yes, but that's only half the story. She is a true magician. Science cannot explain how she does it. I'm thinking she is tapped into the dark arts. Here's my evidence so far:

STATE'S EXHIBIT #1


As you can see by this picture, the distance between the metal bars in the gate is exactly 4 inches. (Notice the chicken wire. Houdini's first escape attempt involved just the simple gate. For her encore, she stepped up the magic--the chicken wire was once tied to the side and bottom of the gate by stiff metal wire and was inexplicably peeled back from the corner.)

STATE'S EXHIBIT #2


This picture, which fairly and accurately represents Houdini's head, shows that her head is at least 5 inches wide. Though not pictured, the bulk of that width is a hard skull that is neither flexible nor collapsable. When one subtracts the space between the metal bars from the width of the magician's head, there is at least 1 inch of overlap remaining, or 20% of Houdini's head. Somehow 100% of her head is passing through an area only big enough for 80% of her head.

STATE'S EXHIBIT #3


The final picture taken as part of my investigation shows the girth of the illusionist's chest. As you can clearly see, her chest is just over 8 inches. If my calculations are correct, her chest is twice as wide as the gap between the metal bars in the gate. It is impossible to determine, without the aid of x-rays (or possibly an autopsy), exactly how far the rigid skeletal structure stretches across the 8 inches and how much the pliable muscle, fat, and skin extends past the bones. Based on a generous estimate that the skeletal structure extends across 90% of the width and the remaining 10% is the bendable sinew, then 7.2 inches of the breadth is not flexible or collapsible. If my calculations are correct, 56.6% of her ribs and shoulders should be able to squeeze through the 4 inch gap, while 44.4%, a length of 3.2 inches, overlaps the space available for free movement.


In candor, I must divulge that I am merely an English major and have superficial training in the science of biology and physics. But the numbers don't lie. There is no reasonable, scientific explanation for Houdini's ability to escape. My conclusion: she has sold her soul to the devil, who in turn gave her mystical powers, in exchange for the ability to explore the wide world beyond her backyard. Unfortunately for her, the devil didn't keep his promise that she could run free; for she now spends her days locked in the garage from which there has can be no escape. Or perhaps she is merely developing her next great illusion.

He looked upon his creation, and saw that it was good.

The grass is in and doing well, though the sprinklers are still giving me a headache. It is nice too look at, though I think the dogs appreciate it more than I do. I would have loved to fill the backyard with grass, but one can't be too gung-ho about grass when living in the desert. One of these days I'm going to hike out into the desert, dig up a cactus or two, and plant them in the corners. I'm sure Cambrea will plant a few flowers, or tomatoes, when my back is turned.

The sprinkler conundrum

URRGGGH! The wind never stops blowing in Kingman, and it's causing all sorts of problems for my lawn. One kind of sprinkler sprays the water the correct distance, but the wind pushes it around unevenly. The other kind of sprinkler is impervious to the wind, but it sprays to far and unevenly. As a result, some of the lawn is a beautiful green, and some is starting to dry out. Any suggestions?

A Beautiful Hike

My biggest, and really my only, complaint about Kingman is that we are surrounded by nothing but brown dirt, brown plants, and brown mountains. I came to Kingman because of the job, not the location. I new friend of mine, Shem (pictured below), is a resident at the hospital in town and chose to come to Kingman because of the location, not the job. He has opened my eyes to the perks of living in northwest Arizona. Enjoy some of the pictures I took on a hike last weekend near Hoover Dam.