1. Chances of dying in a terrorist attack in the United States? I'd say quite possibly rather minimal.
2. Chances of being shot here? Fairly high, based on evidence from this past week alone. From the BBC*:
Sat 4 April: Father is suspected of shooting dead his five children, then himself, near Seattle
Sat 4 April: Gunman kills three policemen in Pittsburgh before being wounded and captured
Fri 3 April: Gunman kills 13 people at an immigration centre in Binghamton, New York state, then apparently shoots himself
Sun 29 March: Gunman kills seven elderly residents and a nurse at a nursing home in Carthage, North Carolina, then is shot and wounded himself
Sun 29 March: Man kills five relatives and himself in Santa Clara, California
What the state can do about no. 1? Well, nothing more than it is already doing, seeing the amount of money that's being shunted over to combat terrorism.
What the state can do about no. 2? A lot. Regulate guns better. Make it clear it is not a case of guns vs no guns but stronger rules and reglations for gun owners.
Likelihood of this occurring? Not in our lifetimes, I'd say. Note how, after each shooting here in the US, the discussion is about how the community has banded together and how wonderful/diverse/kind the victims were and so on. Contrast this to discussions after the shooting in Germany last month, where there were calls for prosecuting the chap who owned the gun (his son was the killer) and for stronger regulation for gun clubs (which one apparently has to join in order to be a gun owner).
Also, if it is terrorism to set fires, free animals from laboratories, then why is it not terrorism to shoot a large number of people? Would the New York chap having left a note saying, "I'm doing this for the Socialists/Capitalists" have made it a terrorist act, even though the actions themselves (him shooting people) did not change?
* There was also the Alabama shooting from last month and some police officers killed in Oakland, CA recently.
6.4.09
4.4.09
raised hands (and some undignified jumping)
At Yossi Benayoun's 92nd minute goal!
Apparently Liam Neeson* had the same idea (except, probably without the jumping). Photo via ONTD Football. Full ONTD article here.
What I should have been doing today? Going to the Cherry Blossom Street Festival in downtown DC (since this is most likely my last year here in the city). What I did do? Watch Fulham-Liverpool. Swear at the crossbar (4 Liverpool shots hit it) and gave up on the match before being ecstatic when Yossi scored.
Also, did yous know there's a Naval Observatory in town (walking distance from Dupont Circle) and that they have Open Houses (or had one today?) where you can wander about and look through massive telescopes? Well, there is. And they do.
What I should have been doing? Going to a mate's birthday party. But, it was in Adams Morgan (add it's Saturday night) so I piked out. At 11pm, I was sat at home, in my PJ's, drinking a glass of port and watching QI.
* This has to be said: Mr. Neeson = a Liverpool fan! How utterly fantastic!
Apparently Liam Neeson* had the same idea (except, probably without the jumping). Photo via ONTD Football. Full ONTD article here.
What I should have been doing today? Going to the Cherry Blossom Street Festival in downtown DC (since this is most likely my last year here in the city). What I did do? Watch Fulham-Liverpool. Swear at the crossbar (4 Liverpool shots hit it) and gave up on the match before being ecstatic when Yossi scored.
Also, did yous know there's a Naval Observatory in town (walking distance from Dupont Circle) and that they have Open Houses (or had one today?) where you can wander about and look through massive telescopes? Well, there is. And they do.
What I should have been doing? Going to a mate's birthday party. But, it was in Adams Morgan (add it's Saturday night) so I piked out. At 11pm, I was sat at home, in my PJ's, drinking a glass of port and watching QI.
* This has to be said: Mr. Neeson = a Liverpool fan! How utterly fantastic!
The art of (the) greeting
Recently, I had occasion to greet a friend whom I had not seen for over a year. He, being one of those expansive, Latin American sorts of whom one hears a lot but (thankfully?) doesn't often encounter, prefers the hands-on, plenty of touching approach to greeting, one that involves multiple kisses. I, being of the "don't even wander into my personal space, mate" sort, prefer the hands-off versions of the greeting. I grew up with this, have been socialised therein and plan to continue the rest of my life in this fashion. It's served me well so far and avoids my having to think about whether I go first/kiss left (or is it right?)/twice (or thrice?). Slap those hands together + bow a bit or "grasp each other's right or left hand and move them up or down" (Thanks, Wiki! ) and voila, you're done! That's my style. Nice and easy. Not much thinking required. After all, you don't have to think about which hand to grasp or how long the shaking should go for or, even easier, how high to raise your joined hands, do you? It's not like you'll commit a massive faux pas if your namaste is 2 inches higher than it should be. If you don't start your kisses from the right cheek (and this differs if it's a bloke or a woman), then you're shot. Not literally but people obviously know you're just not up to the proper greeting ritual.
So what happened in my case? Something very similar to the Mr. Obama-Ms. Bruni interaction*. My friend exuberantly leaned in. After a moment of confusion about which cheek he was going for, I awkwardly turned my cheek aside and stuck out a hand. He then had to move his hands from my shoulders and limply shake mine. We sheepishly grinned at each other, thankful to have gotten over this hurdle once again. This always happens when we meet since I think my friend hasn't given up hoping that I'll soon be converted into what he reckons is the civilised way of greeting people. I, of course, am equally convinced my ways--a firm handshake, if meeting a non-Thai/Nepali person or a Namaste otherwise--are best.
* Picture and story both from the Sun.
So what happened in my case? Something very similar to the Mr. Obama-Ms. Bruni interaction*. My friend exuberantly leaned in. After a moment of confusion about which cheek he was going for, I awkwardly turned my cheek aside and stuck out a hand. He then had to move his hands from my shoulders and limply shake mine. We sheepishly grinned at each other, thankful to have gotten over this hurdle once again. This always happens when we meet since I think my friend hasn't given up hoping that I'll soon be converted into what he reckons is the civilised way of greeting people. I, of course, am equally convinced my ways--a firm handshake, if meeting a non-Thai/Nepali person or a Namaste otherwise--are best.
* Picture and story both from the Sun.
3.4.09
A conversation about snakes
The real, "on a plane" kind, not the metaphorical kind .
Yesterday, I had a phone call from a friend who lives on a farm about an hour away from Washington, DC. We were talking when I suddenly heard a loud gasp, some swearing and then the news: "there's a 5-foot long snake in my house". This, unlike for those living in civilised neighbourhoods in DC, is a fairly common experience for the farm-living people. The only issue here was the length and size of the snake (most tended to be smaller so she would just pick them and throw them out) and her distaste of snakes. In a list of animals that she would least like to encounter, snakes would probably top the list (for me, it'd be cockroaches. And quite possibly a ravenous hippo but my chances of encountering the latter are fairly remote). She quickly hung up and rang the county's animal control department.
The conversation that ensued apparently went thus (and I paraphrase):
Friend: there's a snake in my house!
Animal control department: snakes should be outside the house
Friend: well, it's inside. It's very big and I'd like some help getting rid of it.
ACD: how big?
F: about 5 feet.
ACD: Can you see it now?
F: It's hidden underneath the atrium*, I can see the hole where it's gone into.
ACD: We're sorry, ma'am. We only deal with snakes which are exposed.
F: ..... but it's a snake! Of course, it hides.
ACD: Ma'am, we're sorry. This is not our responsibility. We need to see the snake if we are to come around to remove it.
Friend reiterates this is a 5-foot long snake, that if it were smaller, she'd deal with it herself but really needs help.
ACD: You can use Snake away. This usually works to flush out the snake. You can get it in any hardware store.
F: Good, great. I'll go get it right away. If I use Snake away and the snake emerges, will you guys come remove it?
ACD: No, ma'am. It takes hours for Snake away to work. We only deal with snakes we can see.
Who doesn't love bureaucracy? Last I heard, Friend was waiting for a private wildlife management company to come around and help her.
* I should probably explain Friend's house comes with an "atrium" indoors, where there are flowers and trees and such. About 5X5 feet. Pretty enough but also a fantastic place for snakes and such to bunker down within.
Yesterday, I had a phone call from a friend who lives on a farm about an hour away from Washington, DC. We were talking when I suddenly heard a loud gasp, some swearing and then the news: "there's a 5-foot long snake in my house". This, unlike for those living in civilised neighbourhoods in DC, is a fairly common experience for the farm-living people. The only issue here was the length and size of the snake (most tended to be smaller so she would just pick them and throw them out) and her distaste of snakes. In a list of animals that she would least like to encounter, snakes would probably top the list (for me, it'd be cockroaches. And quite possibly a ravenous hippo but my chances of encountering the latter are fairly remote). She quickly hung up and rang the county's animal control department.
The conversation that ensued apparently went thus (and I paraphrase):
Friend: there's a snake in my house!
Animal control department: snakes should be outside the house
Friend: well, it's inside. It's very big and I'd like some help getting rid of it.
ACD: how big?
F: about 5 feet.
ACD: Can you see it now?
F: It's hidden underneath the atrium*, I can see the hole where it's gone into.
ACD: We're sorry, ma'am. We only deal with snakes which are exposed.
F: ..... but it's a snake! Of course, it hides.
ACD: Ma'am, we're sorry. This is not our responsibility. We need to see the snake if we are to come around to remove it.
Friend reiterates this is a 5-foot long snake, that if it were smaller, she'd deal with it herself but really needs help.
ACD: You can use Snake away. This usually works to flush out the snake. You can get it in any hardware store.
F: Good, great. I'll go get it right away. If I use Snake away and the snake emerges, will you guys come remove it?
ACD: No, ma'am. It takes hours for Snake away to work. We only deal with snakes we can see.
Who doesn't love bureaucracy? Last I heard, Friend was waiting for a private wildlife management company to come around and help her.
* I should probably explain Friend's house comes with an "atrium" indoors, where there are flowers and trees and such. About 5X5 feet. Pretty enough but also a fantastic place for snakes and such to bunker down within.
1.4.09
Probably not an April Fools joke (unfortunately)
From Fox News: "Flirting with Fascism". The video is about how America is not only heading in a (dangerous) Socialist direction but is actively embracing Fascism and has done so for quite a while. It just happened that Fox felt the intense need to publicise this now, during a Democrat-controlled government.
It's surprising no one has stopped to ask: What exactly does flirting with fascism entail? How do you flirt with an ideology? Obviously, coy glances from behind ministerial portfolios are not an option when the target in question is invisible. After all, one can't sent IM's or texts to Fascism since, being an ideology Fascism has not yet managed to acquire the necessary skills of managing and operating technology.
Let's leave that aside for now. After all, we have managed to fight wars on drugs, crime, terror, HIV/Aids, and so on so a bit of flirting with Fascism should be possible for our intrepid politicians. But, when does flirting become an all-encompassing embrace? It is "flirting" with Fascism if, for example, America decides to euthanise all its cats but an active relationship if that starts to include chimps? Does it turn into a long-term relationship if humans are added to the mix? When does flirting become serious, is what I want to know.
Apparently though, "we (America) have been on this road since Teddy Roosevelt". It's taken America over 100 years to do what the Germans managed to do within a decade or so. America obviously has serious commitment issues.
I'd encourage watching the video for at least the first minute. Just to check out the "Roman symbol of Fascism's" close resemblance to something much more familiar (I'd link but this remains a fairly PG-rated blog)
It's surprising no one has stopped to ask: What exactly does flirting with fascism entail? How do you flirt with an ideology? Obviously, coy glances from behind ministerial portfolios are not an option when the target in question is invisible. After all, one can't sent IM's or texts to Fascism since, being an ideology Fascism has not yet managed to acquire the necessary skills of managing and operating technology.
Let's leave that aside for now. After all, we have managed to fight wars on drugs, crime, terror, HIV/Aids, and so on so a bit of flirting with Fascism should be possible for our intrepid politicians. But, when does flirting become an all-encompassing embrace? It is "flirting" with Fascism if, for example, America decides to euthanise all its cats but an active relationship if that starts to include chimps? Does it turn into a long-term relationship if humans are added to the mix? When does flirting become serious, is what I want to know.
Apparently though, "we (America) have been on this road since Teddy Roosevelt". It's taken America over 100 years to do what the Germans managed to do within a decade or so. America obviously has serious commitment issues.
I'd encourage watching the video for at least the first minute. Just to check out the "Roman symbol of Fascism's" close resemblance to something much more familiar (I'd link but this remains a fairly PG-rated blog)
Not an April Fools joke
No worries, it's not a rant this time
Apparently, Washington DC has a "Washington, DC Metro Area R2-D2 Builders Club". Yes, this is the same R2-D2 as the one who starred in Star Wars.
More than one of these will be "trundling" around at the Yuri's Night party at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center at Greenbelt on Saturday.
I'm tempted to go just for the chance to hang out with the R2-D2 Club. Perhaps, they can be persuaded to build me a Cyberman.
Apparently, Washington DC has a "Washington, DC Metro Area R2-D2 Builders Club". Yes, this is the same R2-D2 as the one who starred in Star Wars.
More than one of these will be "trundling" around at the Yuri's Night party at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center at Greenbelt on Saturday.
I'm tempted to go just for the chance to hang out with the R2-D2 Club. Perhaps, they can be persuaded to build me a Cyberman.
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