virtual handshakes and salutes from me. Being a coastal cop (esp. in a major urban center) takes great fortitude and dedication. Or, else you have to be as dumb as a brick; but judging from their Old Man, that seems unlikely.

The civil and criminal justice system works better in the Heartland (its major urban centers excepted). I expect there is much greater direct accountability for judges, lawyers and police in smaller communities with lesser case loads.

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"Lord of the Flies" is an interesting book, which frustrated the hell out of me when I first read it in the late 1950s while in high school. My problems were with Ralphie Boy vice Jack. Ralph should have taken on Jack upfront, and if needed killed him. Ralph tried to protect the Piggies of his New World by playing nice all the way. That doesn't work in an environment ruled by the Laws of War.

And no, I wasn't a Piggy back then:

10thGrade.jpg

more like something of a cross between Ralph and Jack, I suppose. Both had good and bad features - and to some extent can stand as metaphors for the Rule of Law (Ralph) and the Laws of War (Jack).

Regards

Mike