I’m taking my car bright and early (as in, 8:40am) in to Ed’s Garage in Hereford, where hopefully my emissions-related problems can be repaired so I can avoid a suspended registration. I’ve arranged for a ride to the Indy with Zap, but he won’t be passing through Hereford until a quarter of eleven, so for about two hours I’m going to be stuck in Hereford with nothing to do.

Well, I’ll have a book (Treason’s Harbour, #10 in the Aubrey/Maturin series), and there’s a coffee shop called “The Funky Monkey” nearby, so I’ll probably hole up there and wait for Zap.

But I doubt I’ll have time to weigh myself before heading out the door, and since I don’t know when I’ll be getting home tomorrow (a lot of that will depend on if Ed’s going to be finished with my car), if I don’t post a weigh-in Tuesday, I’ll do one on Wednesday. I stuffed my face today. I wiped out a week’s worth of dieting in a fit of weakness. I’m not looking forward to weighing myself.

Well, as an exercise for a class, anyway.

President Bush is being tried for “crimes against civilian populations” and “inhumane treatment of prisoners” at Parsippany High School, with students arguing both sides before a five-teacher “international court of justice.” The panel’s verdict could come as soon as Friday.

Ex-sheriff John Fox, parroting pro-Bush talking points, was quoted as saying, “Those are young, impressionable minds those people have control over. We don’t need those liberal academics doing what they’re doing. I find that offensive.”

I find Sheriff Fox offensive, but the Daily Record won’t quote me on it.

Morris County Freeholder Jack Schrier, a Republican, said he was “truly outraged” by the war crimes hearing.

“It’s not un-American. We do have freedom of thought and freedom of speech. But we’re a nation at war. Not only this teacher, but so many others in the nation, have lost sight of that,” Schrier said.

Let me just say that whenever someone says “we’re a free country … but …” it’s a big signal that they may have just forgotten what it means to be a “free country.” Particularly ironic coming from someone with the title of “freeholder.” I don’t know what a “freeholder” is, and I’m pretty sure Jack Schrier doesn’t either.

Hey, Jack — yes, we’re at war. With terrorism. A war that probably won’t be over before you, me, and all of our grandkids are dead. What, we’re not supposed to protest or criticize either our government or our leaders for the next hundred years? That’s malarky.

I really don’t get what all the fuss is about. This is a mock-trial (or, “hearing”), but to listen to the talking heads on radio or television, and you get the impression the students here are marching on the school campus with rifles chanting “Bring Bush Before The Firing Squad!” while their teachers cheer them on. Which, y’know, isn’t happening.

There is both a prosecution and a defense, which have to make their respective cases before the “verdict” is reached. And considering that most mock-trials I’m familiar with are usually fictitious in origin, I think an approach involving students in an ongoing public affair can only serve to pique their interest and make them more interested in current events, regardless of their political opinions. I mean, think about it, if Joe A. is gung-ho about bringing Bush to “justice”, and Jacie A. is really gung-ho about defending Bush from what she considers “trumped up charges”, won’t both put forward excellent effort in proving their respective cases as opposed to just name calling?

Too bad Sheriff John Fox can’t get past the name-calling.

Oh, and it isn’t like the teacher is just picking on Bush — “Starting on Tuesday, his sophomore class will put former President Andrew Jackson on trial for alleged abuses against Native Americans.”

Apparently I’m going to do a few more of these “Top Ten Episode” lists. Today’s Top Ten — Highlander: The Series, a low-budget syndicated series aired in the ’90′s following Duncan MacLeod, the titular Highlander, as he battles other immortals in the battle for the Prize.

Band of Brothers

The only decent first season episode. The writer pulled his head out of his ass, had a good story to tell, and told it decently. MacLeod’s mentor, the ancient Darius, a warrior turned peace-monk living on holy ground in Paris, is challenged by his old comrade: the equally ancient Grayson, who has been hunting down Darius’ students, and who has now set his eyes on MacLeod. This was also, I think, the first swordfight where both Adrian Paul and the guest-star (James Horan) made it believable — no speeding up the camera for the illusion of skill. That, and plus, for once, it seemed MacLeod might’ve actually lost his head.

Legacy

Amanda’s teacher, Rebecca, is tricked and murdered by guest k’immie Luther, who is seeking the pieces of the Methuselah Crystal, believing it will make him invincible. Rebecca saved Amanda’s life, and she’s determined to hunt Luther down — but as we know, Amanda isn’t exactly great with a sword, and MacLeod’s got enough trouble keeping her safe as he does finding Luther. One of my favorite scenes in the series is when Luther is about to take Amanda’s head, and both Immortals realize MacLeod pulled a switcheroo with the crystal — “Looking for this?” MacLeod asks a few meters away, holding the crystal, with his katana across his arm.

Prodigal Son

So there’s this Immortal who likes killing other Immortals. Martin Hyde’s “method” is that he hunts the new and inexperienced student Immortals, forcing them to retreat to their mentor for protection, at which point Hyde kills the mentor, who has been his target the whole time. Centuries ago, Hyde hunted Duncan in an attempt to locate Connor. Now Hyde has decided Duncan’s time has come, and he’s hounding Richie. The final scene between MacLeod and Richie drinking a bottle of cognac on the bank of the Seine was a flub — both actors cracked up laughing — but the director kept the footage anyway.

They Also Serve

A young Immortal (he’s fifty) racks up an incredible kill list, taking the heads of several ancient and powerful swordfighters. MacLeod’s curious — it’s almost like the kid has insider knowledge … which, of course, it turns out he does. Dilemma for both Joe Dawson and MacLeod.

Blind Faith

For people who live centuries, is redemption possible? Can a person change who they were, and if they can, do they deserve forgiveness? Kirin betrayed MacLeod during the Spanish Civil War, then let dozens of children under MacLeod’s protection fall prey to the Khmer Rouge. Now he claims to be a different man — but is he being truthful, or just trying to avoid MacLeod’s katana?

Homeland

For the first time in two hundred years, MacLeod returns to the Highlands of Scotland after a bracelet he left in his first love’s grave turns up in Paris. Turns out it’s a Viking (Carsten Norgaard as Kanwulf) with a grudge — a freshly Immortal MacLeod took his axe after avenging his village’s destruction, and Kanwulf’s willing to dig up half of Scotland to get it back. MacLeod knows where the axe is — he buried it with his father. Great moment – learning why MacLeod refuses to hide behind false identities, “It is your sword, take it! Ye’ are Duncan MacLeod — of the clan MacLeod!”

Till Death

Highlander does good comedy. The episode opens with two Immortals we’ve never seen before dueling it out throughout a huge Paris chateau, shouting insults and dodging sword thrusts. Turns out they’re married, and they celebrate their anniversaries by first recreating their first duel, then jumping in the sack. Flash forward to the modern day, and the marriage is on the rocks, so MacLeod enlists Methos’ help in re-kindling their feelings for each other.

The End of Innocence

The previous season, MacLeod took one quickening too many, went a little evil, and damn near took Richie’s head. MacLeod’s back in town and looking to patch things up, but Richie’s learned his lesson well — he’s been taking every Immortal who crosses his path, until he brushes up against a particularly nasty and vengeful fellow by the name of Haresh Clay.

Dramatic License

Spurned by her Immortal lover, a romance novelist (Sandra Bernhard) cashes in on the many stories she’s been told about another Immortal — Duncan MacLeod. Great cheesiness, but also much fun. Amanda’s not too happy, nor is Sandra’s spurned lover! The fight scene at the end is great, but really … a drumstick?

Forgive Us Our Trespasses

The previous season, MacLeod took one quickening too many, went a little evil, and beheaded a friend of his named Sean Burns. Unfortunatly, it was Sean Burns who’d convinced an Immortal named Stephen Keane (who MacLeod had wronged following the supression of the Jacobite rebellion centuries earlier) to stop his vendetta against MacLeod. When Keane learns Burns is dead, and who it was that did the killing, his vendetta is back on — Amanda and Methos know that if MacLeod goes into a duel believing he acted wrongfully (and he does) he will most likely lose his head. It’s really a story of MacLeod coming to terms with the nasty stuff he’s done in his past, and also coming to terms with his recent treatment of Methos (who as we learn earlier in the season was one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse).