Shocking The Senses

Ready to not be ready

// December 5th, 2011 // No Comments » // Science, Self Defense, Thoughts, Violence

Is a state of awareness regarding how unprepared you are for a situation valid?  If I’m as ready as I can possibly be to accept and react to as many possible scenarios that may come about, is that considered prepared?

Let me clarify that rambling of mine.  If you are a possible victim, as we all are, wouldn’t it be prudent for you to plan your reactions regarding different situations and the choices they may present?  If you are aware of simple things like the following:

1. Hesitation isn’t always bad, especially in potentially controllable situations.  Don’t go into a quiet parking lot by yourself at night unless you’re staying acutely aware of what and who is around you.  Better yet, tag along with someone you know or trust (or even a security guard).  We have that little nagging voice in us for a reason.  There’s no reason to feel guilty or ashamed to ask for a walking buddy.  That voice is survival speaking up, listen to it.
2. Pay attention to people.  I know you like to be in your little bubble with your little world view, thinking that if something bad happens, it won’t happen to you.  That’s just not necessarily the case.  I’ve seen videos (during this seminar) that show victims of crimes and their behavior beforehand, in some cases, is supremely introverted.
3. Stay away from people and out of situations that breed these threats.  Teen/college age students are especially guilty of this one.  Steer clear of drugs, gangs, and even parties if they start to trigger #1.
4. Educate yourself.  In most of what I’ve outlined, I’m leaning toward conflict or violence.  However, like last year when I became a father, I didn’t know what I was getting into.  However, I educated myself and became as prepared as I could possibly become pre-fatherhood.  I know first hand that it helped a lot.
5. Know that you can’t avoid every situation.

Preparing for the opportunities where you do actually get to react will help nullify panic and adrenal dumps.  Even considering potential situations, whatever they may be, could give you the fraction of a moment that equals success.

I don’t enjoy hearing people say “but I don’t want to think of that, that’s not a happy thought”.  With understanding comes contentedness.  Rest assured:

“Consider the possibilities, because they’re always considering you.”

Lookout for Psychopaths – Watching for the unexpected

// October 24th, 2011 // No Comments » // Self Defense, Thoughts

Do you ever look around in a public place and wonder how you could get your loved ones away from an armed assailant?

This past weekend, I received news that a fairly prominent member of an organization I frequent had “resigned”.  As the information rolled in and I was forced to filter out the obvious gossip from the most likely true, I learned that in fact this member had been asked to resign as a formality, and it was likely not an option at all.

I don’t know why, or how, or exactly when all of this unfolded.  I only get the impression that it was rapid and unpleasant.  In fact, I’m convinced that the circumstances were negative especially considering that multiple times during yesterday’s events, this individual’s name was mentioned.

I’m being intentionally vague in the interest of keeping anonymity for all those involved who might read this blog/know each other.

So, here’s the point.  I was sitting, listening to someone speak.  While he was going through his dialogue, I found myself thinking about our absentee.  There were in the neighborhood of 100-120 people in the room, with three large entrances/exits and two small entrances/exits that I could identify.

Cue the morbidity.  “If soandso wanders in here, armed with a loaded weapon or four, what is the most likely successful course of departure?  If I am successful in ferrying out my family, how can I double back and try to dispatch him?”

I identified the above mentioned exits.  I also noted that if 120 people panic, while that’s a relatively small amount of people, it would be difficult at best to re-enter the room.

So, should I confront this person head on?  That would be suicide.  Should I ferry my family out and let the others fend for themselves?  I have a problem with some of the moral baggage that decision carries with it.  A third option could be skirting around the seating, trying to find a clear shot for a tackle, but that’s marginally less dangerous than the first option.

Each option would result in death, pain, blood and agony.  There is no decision I could make which would save everyone from an event like that.  The only option I could conceive of which may prevent all but one death was arming myself and patrolling the perimeter of the building.  Though, I’m not a law enforcement officer and that option was unreasonable as well as unlawful.  I have to trust that the decision makers of the facility would have called in the police if the threat was possible.

I was stuck in the reality of the world I live in, and I think better (in context) for it.  I told a close family member of these thoughts and how far I took them and she simply commented “it’s unfortunate that you feel it’s necessary to think about that”.  I agree, it is.  However, considering our always developing sordid future as a country, it would be irresponsible of me to not consider these things.

I find myself inclined to think long and hard about what type of effect these situations may have moving forward in my relationship with my wife and son.  I hope other people are able to reason through these difficult thoughts instead of the unfortunate typicality of :

“Nah, that won’t happen to me.”

PS : The above picture is security footage of the boys who slaughtered so many at Columbine High School back in April, ’99.  One of the first, large scale events of its type in the U.S. that catalyzed into so many others in the past decade.

Don’t forget those innocents we lost.

Netflix and their Price Hikes

// July 13th, 2011 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Technology, Thoughts

Netflix is upping their prices, presenting new plan options.

I understand the need for companies to increase revenue to stay effective and profitable.

However, I have one big beef with the recent Netflix price hikes.  The timing is rather suspect.  I know from chatter on the net, and from my own social circles that a lot of people have been high tailing it from their expensive cable providers for more cost effective services like Netflix.  I am one of them.

Plus, ironically, the past three days (at least in my neck of the woods) have revealed serious latency issues with Netflix’ service.  Screens loading slowly, movies taking three times longer to buffer, etc, etc.

I saved hundreds a year making the move to having my XBox be the primary source of video entertainment.  It helps with day care, my son’s illness, and living in general.

So, when I receive an email that states there is to be a 30% price hike to my subscription, I got a little perturbed.  Yes it’s only a few bucks, but then so is a shift from $3 for a gallon of milk to $7.

I may be making a mountain out of a mole hill but all the different events unfolding concurrently puts a sour taste in my mouth.  The reliance of people shifting to Netflix from cable being just one factor.  It comes across as profiteering.  That may be a bold claim, but the basic evidence gestures that way.  As it stands, I probably will drop the disc mailing service, but I really don’t want to.

Evil Dead 4

// July 12th, 2011 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Filmmaking, Thoughts

Excellent…

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2011/07/12/evil-dead-4-on-the-way-confirms-bruce-campbell/

Men Women and Decisions

// July 8th, 2011 // No Comments » // Thoughts

My day to day life has me interacting with people of all types. Introverts, extroverts, feelers, thinkers. Some of them come across as confident, regardless of their “type”. Some of them are overly shy. If I were to babble on about the different personality types, I would bore both my reader and myself.

One thing that everyone shares and is required to do every single day of the week: making decisions. Whether it’s what you’re eating for breakfast or laying off an employee, this is a necessary skill at least on some level, for everyone that breathes on this whole planet.

Why is it then that the trend I observe is a non-committal stance from certain individuals based on, oh I don’t even know, feelings?  I don’t “feel” like doing this or that.  I don’t want to hurt a person’s “feelings”.  When faced with a decision, especially simple ones, where is the wishy washy attitude stemming from?  With my wife for instance, I know it is the desire to please me.  I do the same thing with her at times.  However, why is it necessary for this type of attitude in the work place?  Folks will dance around a decision and never commit to one avenue or another because of some deep concern about other people’s feelings.

I guess in short, I’m becoming increasingly sick of political correctness.  That may be the core of the issue.  My advice would be to put on your business hat, look at your possibilities and choose one.  Plus, have reasoning ready as a response to questions about your decision!  Your subordinates would think more of you when they ask why and you have an answer instead of “because!” or “We can’t make soandso mad!”.

Two things businesses of all types need… communication and some level of transparency.

But, that’s another post.

Google Plus First Impressions

// July 8th, 2011 // No Comments » // Technology, Thoughts

I received an invite to Google’s new social networking site, Google Plus.

At first, the interface really resembles Facebook.  Your profile pic is on the top left, the “Stream” is in the center, where you receive updates from friends.  On the right are widgets which contain various items.  Friends list, recommendations, etc.

Of course right now the service is tremendously responsive, considering that it is not public yet.  Like with other social network sites, you can post pictures, links, status updates and such.  What really stood out at first was the “Circles” feature.  It is honestly a little bit like Facebook groups, with a key difference.

“Circles” are always there, in your face.  When you post a new update, when you’re adding friends and when you’re manipulating your friends list.  You start off with 4 circles.  Friends, family, acquaintances and following (which is a little Twitter-esque).  Moving a person from one circle to the next is as simple as drag/drop.

I’ll comment more as I dig through the site.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Launches

// July 8th, 2011 // No Comments » // Science, Technology, Thoughts

Successful launch, up and away in the final flight of the current space program.  Momentous.

Sorry, Losing Weight was Easy for Me.

// July 6th, 2011 // No Comments » // Science, Thoughts

It has been about three months now since my wife broke her toe.  Before then, we’d been on a diet/exercise program and loss well over 10% of our body weight in the matter of about 2(ish) months.

We used Live Strong.  Their dieting program, Daily Plate, is a free nutrition tracker and (like some other companies) has a gamut of foods in its database.  Their system would track calories of course, but also protein/carb/fat ratio, sodium intake vs. daily requirements. etc.  Most importantly, it’s free!

Just input your intake on a meal-time basis, and input whatever exercise you do and it will give you a calculation versus your allowed maximum caloric input per day.  It is simple, under the caloric intake meant you were burning more than you  consumed.  Over the intake meant you would be burning less than you consumed.  I must give props to them for simplicity of use.  They have an iPhone app too, both free and paid depending on your desire for ads or not.

And by the way. small meals in between large ones kept me from ever getting very hungry and I tell ya, an egg white or two, usually boiled, right before bed really did the trick for night hunger.

(They also had badges that were a fun stroke to my competitive ego.  Things like consecutive diet days, consecutive exercise days)

So, three months later now, I’ve gained most of the weight back.  I really was dieting to do it coinciding with her personal goals, so she had a buddy to go along with, but I was happy with the results too.  We’re talking about getting back into the diet again recently and I’m really struggling psychologically with it.  I know living life at a healthy weight is, well, healthy.  However, the ease at which I lost pounds by simply monitoring my caloric intake and caloric exercise burn and undercutting the total by ~400 calories a day makes me reluctant to commit to a specific time frame.  If I want to lose 8 pounds by November, I need about 4 weeks.  I’ll start in October!

So as many scoffs as I might get regarding weight management, it really is a matter of self discipline.  Pick a program and stick to it.  Don’t worry about carb only or protein only diets, or metabolic spike diets, or <insert fad> diets.  Just be vigilant.

Try it once like that and when you see that it can work (don’t cheat and try to lie to yourself too), you’ll realize that weight management is a matter of fried vs baked and pop vs. water.

Economic Argument pro Gay Marriage

// June 29th, 2011 // No Comments » // Finance, Politics, Thoughts

The thought’s structure is this:

1. Do I care about the well being of children (and is their well being necessary considering they are minors and dependents)?  Yes.
2. Can couples/individuals that adopt children receive assistance by the government (financial)?  Yes.
3. Can homosexual couples (unmarried) adopt children in the brackets of the current law?  Yes.
4. Can they receive the same government assistance as married couples for adopting?  Yes.
5. Can heterosexual marry and qualify for tax breaks in one form or another?  Yes.
6. Can children benefit from these tax breaks (increased income for the family)?  Yes. (Though not always, of course)
7. Can homosexual couples marry?  In a majority of states, no.
8. If they could, would they qualify for tax breaks akin to #5 above?  Yes.
9. Would children benefit from these tax breaks in the same manner as #6?  Yes.

So, if allowing homosexual couples to marry in the U.S. would grant them some of the same breaks that would benefit their children, whom are their dependents and legally “acquired” along with the financial aid of some adoption organizations, bringing them in line with married heterosexual couples from a family finance perspective and regarding monetary benefits gleaned primarily from tax breaks and the like, I can not readily argue against the point.

There isn’t a reason I can think of to counter the point when taking minors into consideration.  Also, other than eliminating the benefits for other married couples (for marrying) or removing the government from the institution entirely (which is an option in my mind)…  For the benefit of the children tied up in the situation, homosexual couples should at least be granted access to some of the same tax break programs.

Now, all that being said, this is entirely an economic observation of things and doesn’t necessarily bring into account any of the moral questions raised by religion or world view and such.

As a tangent, the whole situation also shines light on the 1996 clarification of the definition of marriage, and its seeming potential downfall.

I reread the post several times and I believe it’s clear.  Let me know if otherwise is the case.

As for my personal insensitive opinion regarding the morality of the situation, I’m going home to my loving wife and our naturally begotten child tonight!

Vancouver Canucks and their LOSS

// June 16th, 2011 // No Comments » // Entertainment, Thoughts

1994: Stanley Cup Riots, Vancouver Canucks.
2011: Repeat, Stanley Cup Riots, Vancouver Canucks.

So, is this an example of history repeating itself? In a small cycle of 15 years, it could be I suppose. More likely, it is simply an example of the propensity for humans to act upon stupid and dramatic notions when presented with an opportunity to.

In short, if the chance arises to cause mayhem, people will take it, it seems: especially in Canada!