(no subject)

Holy crap guys, it's Thursday. I've spent the whole morning to date thinking it was Wednesday. It's like someone just came up to me and gave me a caramel. (Someone just did that too, so my day is going well.)

FAIR WARNING: the following is a commercial recommendation. But it's a good one!

So, I belong to this website called Groupon. Every day they email you with a coupon you can "buy" that offers you food, services, and other fun stuff at a discount. For example, today's deal is that you buy the coupon for $14, but you get a $27 box of organic produce, and you can use it anytime for about a year. (There are actually a few groupons per day but you only ever get one email.) This sounds like a racket, but it's pretty interesting -- I've learned about a lot of new stuff in Chicago through Groupon even when I haven't bought the daily coupon, and the coupons are regional so whatever you get is in your area. They have about a billion US cities listed, though I don't think they're international yet.

Anyway, I wouldn't be telling you all about Groupon if a) I didn't believe it to be a great, legit service that I've been using for a year and b) I wasn't getting something out of it, to wit: if you register for Groupon by following this link, the first time you buy a groupon I get $10 in credit. So every once in a while I tell people about it, and in return I eventually get a few bucks to spend on stuff like Beard Papa cream puffs and sushi with my mum.

END OF COMMERCIAL RECOMMENDATION. Continue with your day. :D

(no subject)

One of my bosses this morning (I've given up tracking them for you, other than BossBoss) sent me an email about a mugging that occurred in the area recently. I guess it wigged him out; I also guess he hasn't looked at the crime stats for our area recently, which list three or four muggings/assaults a day, not counting theft from office buildings, stores, and cars.

Anyway, he asked me to write an email about "how not to get mugged" that we could send out. That is very much in the Culture Of Fear vein, but mine is not to reason why. Not that I know how not to get mugged, as I've never been mugged, and it's hard to tell if I've ever been almost-mugged. So I googled, which I knew was a mistake, but it gave me a starting point at least.

(Before anyone says anything, yes, I have read about the Epic Wrong of "How Not To Get Raped" posts, and the Epic Win of "How To Prevent Rape". While there is a significant difference between getting mugged and getting raped, I acknowledge that this email he's asking me to write is bordering on hinkey.)

Here are some gems I found about preventing mugging. These are from a number of different websites, because everyone has an opinion about this crap.

• Dress to discourage unwanted attention. Do not wear obvious, flashy jewelery. Large bags that might contain valuables makes you a potentially more lucrative target.


• Avoid dangerous parts of town. If possible, try not to walk through dangerous parts of town, especially at times of day when there are few others out. If you aren't sure, talk to locals to learn what places aren't safe.


• Walk near the curb, facing traffic. This gives you a better angle to see in doorways or alleys and a better path to escape if attacked.


• If you're walking through a dark or dodgy neighbourhood walk in the centre of the road - away from any possible ambush.


• Stick out your chest, push back your shoulders and hold your head high. Look like a physical winner rather than a loser. Don't shuffle along with your head down.


• Wave occasionally as though you've seen a friend, a shopkeeper you know or a relative you've noticed in an apartment window overlooking the street.


• If you can act crazy then do so. Muggers don't like crazies - they are too unpredictable. Try talking to yourself as you walk.


• Asking for the time is a classic trick used by muggers to distract victims. Looking down or putting a hand in a pocket leaves you vulnerable to attack.


• If you see someone who could be a mugger don't look at him. If you look at someone you're challenging him - and he'll probably respond.


• If you are approached by someone who looks like a mugger, run as fast as you can and make as much noise as you can.


• Consider making a "mugger's wallet". Muggers wallets are simply wallets with several fake credit cards and a few bills of real money. If you are attacked, handing this wallet over to the mugger may satisfy him and give you a better chance to escape.


• If you believe you are being followed, consider defending yourself if you have the skills or a weapon. Pepper spray can be a very effective deterrent and is easily carried on your person.


• If available where you live, you can get a CCL (Concealed Carry License) or a permit to carry a concealed firearm. When a Mugger is looking down the barrel of a pistol it normally deters them.

Do you feel sufficiently afraid yet?

These are, of course, moving towards the more ridiculous end of the spectrum. My email said three things: Know what's going on around you, stick to well-lit areas when possible, and walk in pairs or groups when you can.

I thought about throwing in "Consider getting a concealed firearm permit" just to see if they were actually reading, but I like my job and don't want to lose it.

(no subject)

This is what today's Origami of the Day was supposed to look like:

These are my three attempts.

I call them Sad Panda, Ordinary Panda, and BATPANDA.

I like Sad Panda the best. He has an oddly Picasso-esque air about him.