The "Domino Room Alibi"

[Thomas Graves]

My original analysis of Lance's post on the EF as referenced by David. You will note there is no reference to his profession. I am happy to debate my rebuttal with anyone who wishes to.

"He might walk in ..." [emphasis added], suggesting that he didn't do it often.

[Colin Crow]

Colin,

Regarding your opening statement, do you feel you prevericate more than Oswald did?

About the same amount?

Less?

How much less?

--  MWT 

I said lies, prevarications can also be evasive/misleading responses. Hard to give you an answer without knowing how many he told per day. Is it the absolute number of lies or percentage of statements that are untrue? If you can tell me his numbers I could give you an answer. Then again I might not be truthful, how would you know?

Do you dispute my claim that everyone lies? Lance's claim that Oswald was a liar was central to his opening argument.

[Colin Crow]

"He might walk in ..." [emphasis added], suggesting that he didn't do it often.

Lance"s statement.....

"The domino room was in fact, regularly used by both Jarman and Norman.  Almost every day, in fact.  But very seldom by Oswald."

The evidence to back this up is?

[Thomas Graves]

My original analysis of Lance's post on the EF as referenced by David. You will note there is no reference to his profession. I am happy to debate my rebuttal with anyone who wishes to.

Mr. BALL - Did you ever see him when he was eating his lunch?
Mr. JARMAN - Yes.
Mr. BALL - Where?
Mr. JARMAN - Sometimes in the, as we called it, domino room, and again over [at the] coffee table where they make coffee. (emphasis added)

It's interesting that Jarman put the word again in that sentence.

Had he already mentioned in his testimony something to the effect that ... gasp ... Oswald liked to eat [in solitide?] at the coffee table?

(IDK -- I haven't read his testimony recently.  Should I?)

--  MWT 

[Colin Crow]

Mr. BALL - Did you ever see him when he was eating his lunch?
Mr. JARMAN - Yes.
Mr. BALL - Where?
Mr. JARMAN - Sometimes in the, as we called it, domino room, and again over [at the] coffee table where they make coffee. (emphasis added)

It's interesting that Jarman puts the word "again" in there. Had he already mentioned in his testimony something to the effect that Oswald liked to eat [in solitide?] at the coffee table?

(IDK -- I haven't read his testimony recently.  Should I?)
 
--  MWT 

Why make up another factoid about coffee table solitude? He would not be in solitude there.

Why did you exclude Givens testimony?

Show me something that warrants "But very seldom by Oswald"

[Thomas Graves]

Lance"s statement.....

"The domino room was in fact, regularly used by both Jarman and Norman.  Almost every day, in fact.  But very seldom by Oswald."

The evidence to back this up is?

Isn't my "not very often," above, analogous to David's "very seldom"?

Do you contend that Jarman's use of the phrase "might walk in" doesn't signify "occasionally"/"not very often"/"very seldom," in spite of the fact that Jarman doesn't continue with, "... and eat with us," but says, "... and lay around for awhile, and then walk out" (or words that effect), instead?

--  MWT 

[Colin Crow]

Isn't my "not very often," above, analogous to David's "very seldom"?

Do you contend that Jarman's use of the phrase "might walk in" doesn't signify "occasionally"/"not very often"/"very seldom," in spite of the fact that Jarman doesn't continue with, "... and eat with us," but says, "... and lay around for awhile, and then walk out" (or words that effect), instead?

--  MWT 

It was Lance's quote not David's.....

Here are the posted testimonies, Arce, Jarman and Givens.....you are the linguist, make a case from these for the use of very seldom.

"rarely, infrequently, on rare occasions, hardly ever, scarcely ever, hardly, scarcely, almost never, (every) once in a while, only now and then, not often, only occasionally, sporadically; informalonce in a blue moon"

Mr. BALL. Did you ever eat lunch with him?
Mr. ARCE. We all eat lunch together in this little domino room. We play dominoes and eat our lunch. He might walk in and lay around with us and he would walk out. He didn't stay in there too long. I guess he didn't like crowds.

Mr. BALL - Did you ever see him when he was eating his lunch?
Mr. JARMAN - Yes.
Mr. BALL - Where?
Mr. JARMAN - Sometimes in the, as we called it, domino room, and again over coffee table where they make coffee.

Mr. GIVENS. Not before lunch. It would be right at lunch time.
Mr. BELIN. Right at lunch time?
Mr. GIVENS. Yes, sir. We always ate in there.
Mr. BELIN. Would Oswald always eat in there?
Mr. GIVENS. Yes, sir

I contend that the use of "might" in Arce's testimony relates to describing his behaviour of only staying in the domino room for short periods.

[Thomas Graves]

Why make up another factoid about coffee table solitude? He would not be in solitude there.

Why did you exclude Givens testimony?

Show me something that warrants "But very seldom by Oswald"

Why should I include anything from anyone else's testimony while I'm attempting to parse Jarman's testimony?

Question: Why do you think Jarman used the word "again" in that sentence?

To suggest that Oswald would eat two lunches, or that he'd occasionally eat part of his lunch while watching the fast and furious action in the domino room, and then, in order to bring his blood pressure back down, go over to the less-hectic (perhaps even vacant) coffee  table to finish 'er off?

Any other possibilities, like maybe Jarman's using (the gerund takes the possessive) the word "again" was analogous to kids these days sayin' "you know," again and again?

--  MWT 

PS  How many other people would regularly eat their lunch at the coffee table?

PPS  Maybe Oswald preferred eating alone, and whever there was someone else chowin' down at the coffee table, he'd go into the domino room until they were finished pigging out?