Qui Custodes

Here's another Rant for you

I swear it seems like we're breeding for stupidity. Or at least culturally training people to be stupid. Worse, Darwin will punish us for our total and complete stupidity.  What am I talking about?  Simple really.  In the past 3 weeks I've met several people (all women for some reason but this level of total and complete stupidity is not sex-related) who say "I hate war."  (Who doesn't.  Not the people who have to fight them. You will never find someone who hates war more than someone who has fought one.)  or "There's no reason for violence."    or "Violence never settled anything." 

God in Heaven.  Do these people ever study history?  Or even remember their history from High School?  It's too much to ask that they remember anything from college even though they were all college graduates and some even had graduate degrees.  Does anyone ever remember the Carthaginians?  Did they do anything?  Nope. Why?  Because Rome DESTROYED them.  Who says violence never settled anything?  Or how about WWII?  Violence never settled that one?  Don't worry about whether it should have been fought (I say it should) but don't tell me it never settled anything.

No reason for violence?  Not even self-defense?  Really?  Not in any circumstances?  Don't tempt me to tell real-life stories and then ask if violence was unnecessary)

Or then I get the people who say we should all live like Ghandi and Dr. King.  Now, I admire both men. And their accomplishments and bravery beggar *my* imagination.  But both were opposed by people who had a conscience.  There were some things the British Raj would not do or could not bring their troops to do or which the British public would not tolerate.  So Ghandi won because the only way to defeat him would be to do things that the Raj would not do. Same with Dr. King.  Bull Connor might have been ruthless but the American People would not permit it.  To destroy Dr. King's movement would have meant publicly destroying American values. That we were unwilling to do.  Try a thought experiment:  Would Ghandi or King have survived (let alone won) against the Russians?  If you say "yes", check out what the Russians have been doing in Chechnya for the past 10 years.

So get a grip people.  Stop this.  It's a damn big, mean world out there and, while *you* may not want to fight for your right to be snotty and disdainful and comfortable, be grateful to the others of us who are.  By fighting for our own rights, we inadvertently protect yours.  Economists call you "free riders".  Well, you "free riders" have the right to be snotty and disdainful, but we have the right to hold you in contempt for acting that way.

drop & roll

I've been reading a lot recently about gunshots suddenly breaking out. It could be a Club, on the street, at the Mall, or even, Bless us all, at an Apple Store in the suburbs.  Violence is all around us. So you should be aware of just 1 or 2 key things to do when the bullets start flying.  Get DOWN.  Yep, that's right, get down on the ground. Don't worry about mussing up your nice clothers, don't worry about looking like a fool.  Just GET DOWN.

Once you are down on the ground, here's another tip for you:  roll or belly crawl up to a wall or shelter that conceals you.  That way you are hidden.  But just because you are hidden does not mean that you are protected.  Modern handguns can punch through furniture, drywall, even car doors.  Stay down!

Last, once you are down and hidden, call 911 for help.  Don't worry that someone else might do it.  Just do it. 

Brawls in Court

CNN has an interesting video clip on its website.  At a hearing arraigning an accused murderer, he apparently smiled in a way that some in the audience didn't like. So a brawl erupted.  Now the film is revealing for many things but let me mention a few: 

1) There appeared to be no functioning gate or barrier separating the well of the court from the audience:  a wide, open, space, not gated, in the Bar and the Bar itself very low.  If the Bar had been higher and a gateway there the crowd couldn't have joined in so effectively or quickly.  The Bar only has to be raised about 6 inches so it's not very costly

2) Where were the courtroom baliffs?

3)  The defense lawyer hid under the table while the Judge shrieked.  But the prosecutor waded in and pulled people off the accused.  Watch how she did it too.  She's not in the middle of things--she's pulling people out from behind and pushing them away so she won't get hit.

Bottom line:  learn from this lawyers.  And maybe redesign the courtrooms for safety.

Abuse of Power

God knows I respect and value the good police.  They do an invaluable job.  But there are the occasional problems. And then the Blue Wall arrives.  For example, in Maryland a cop arrested a man and charged him with attacking a police officer.  But then, this video showed up.  So the local attorneys dismissed the case and started a review of the cop's actions.  OK.  No problem.  That's the way the system works.  But read this article about the review.  Instead of asking questions and cleaning their own house, the local union and police are making statements that are clearly wrong. 

Bottom line:  when a cop stops you and you assert your rights, they will punish you.  Ask what you are charged with and they will punish you. Ask if you are under arrest and they will punish you.  Not every cop, not even every department. But enough of them.  And the good ones will not stop the others.  Too bad. 

Nasty scams

I don't normally post twice in one day, but in researching my previous post I found This list of scams that Fox News has compiled.   You should check the list out but the list includes:  threats of home invasion, mystery shoppers, the Hit Man scam I just wrote about, the Million Dollar Winner, your Favorite Grand(son)(daughter), buy a car from a soldier, fake jury summonses, the "inheritance" and the fake FBI agent.  If you recognize any of these, you have been targeted.  Beware.

The Hitman Scam

I don't like to call attention to these things but there's a "new" scam out there that is causing people some grief.  What happens is they get an email or a note or something telling them that a contract to kill them has been placed but the hitman has a conscience.  So if they will just pay off the hitman, the contract will be canceled.  This is nonsense and absurd and illogical.  Think about it.  So the hit man refuses to act.  Is the person who put out the contract going to be dissuaded?  No.  Would the hitman take the chance that the person issuing the contract will want revenge on the hitman?  No. Is there such a thing as a professional hitman who has such a tender conscience?  No.

If someone pulls this stunt on you, call the police. It's extortion.  If you doubt me, the FBI knows about this and gives advice.   Bottom line--don't fall for it.

I still* hate earphones & other electrical distractions

I'm reading the Washington Post this a.m. and notice, in the Metro section, that crimes on our subway system are up.  No kidding?  Apparently the crimes are "crimes of opportunity".  In other words, it's all your fault.  Yep, you should put away those delightful Ipods, and Itouches and Iphones and other cute little (expensive) electronic devices.  Otherwise some yobbo will just be overcome by the temptation and walk up to you and grab it away from you. 

Now I don't know what or who upsets me the most.  First, you are supposed to be paying attention to your environment so this doesn't happen.  But I understand being distracted.  God knows it happens to me when I'm emailing or texting or whatever.  Still, try to "check your 6" more often.  But second, it's a "crime of opportunity"????  What?!!!  So just whose fault is it now?  One day some yobbo is gonna pick the wrong person to "opportunize" and pay for it.  Then what happens?  I bet we can all guess. 

design for security

There is a wonderful article in the Washington Post about how the Holocaust Museum was designed to be both welcoming and secure.  The system worked too, despite Mr. John's murder.  That's what security designs are for:  to channel an attacker into an area where they have to choose--either be detected and apprehended  or be stopped.  The system worked well too.  If only there had been vests for the guards. But that's a post I already wrote.

So, for those of you who are concerned about safety at the office, it can be done.  It just takes a little forethought.  Shameless plug here:  some of my ideas on how to do it are in the recent ABA book I touted a couple of days ago.  Go check it out.  Then do it NOW. 

Iphone I C E apps

I just got an IPhone.  Interesting tool. But even more interesting are the apps.  One family of apps in particular was very interesting:  they automate the ICE setting.  That way you can have an app anyone can identify with the key information about who to contact in an emergency, blood type, allergies etc.  Very interesting.  I'm going to get one or 2 and try them out.  But the idea is sound and everyone should get one that does it. Then put it on the front page of your apps.  Me?  I'm putting mine Top Left where anyone can see it.  Anybody got a better suggestion?  Anybody got an app that does this that they like?  Comments welcome. 

While I'm thinking about it, anybody found any good apps for us to use? 

Check your "6"

If you drew a clock around you, the "12" would be straight ahead, the "3" directly to your right, the "9" directly to your left and the "6" directly behind you.  Always check your "6".  That means look behind you.  We had a case recently near by where a couple were killed while walking on a park path.  No idea why--looked like a thrill kill.  What's significant is that they were hit from behind, knocked down and beaten to death.  Now, I don't know that seeing the attack coming would have done them a bit of good.  But it might have.  Additionally, if you are alert, attackers may choose to find some other victim. 

So always check your "6" and stay alert.