Don't Go There
Imagine you're planning a special vacation. There is a country you'd like to visit, but the news makes you wonder if that's a good choice.
In that country, there is a strange, militarized police force that seems to have no restrictions on its power. Its agents are anonymous and wear masks in public. Groups of them march along city streets in a show of force. They operate without warrants and without any apparent legal justification. They brutally attack people who question them or even look at them. They kidnap people from the street and take them to undisclosed locations. Some of the kidnapped people are held in overcrowded prisons where conditions are so bad they violate both international law for prisoners of war, and the country's own laws for prison operation. The prisoners are denied legal counsel or family visits. Some of them are sent to even worse prisons in other countries. Some of them simply "disappear". This police force has arrested tourists and business travelers, sometimes for minor visa issues, sometimes for what appear to be political motives.
You probably wouldn't take a vacation in the country where this is happening. Would you choose to live there?
Recent Thoughts
If you have a life insurance policy, make sure people know about it. Insurance companies don't just automatically pay when you die - someone has to file a claim. Otherwise, the company keeps your money. Give a copy of the policy to your executor or the beneficiary or someone. Keep another copy in a place your family will look when you're gone (kitchen drawer, file cabinet, jewelry box). If you have a lawyer or accountant, give them a copy to keep in your file.
So-called Non-lethal" weapons are NOT non-lethal. They are considered "less lethal". They can cause serious injuries and permanent disability as well as death.
For example, "rubber" bullets aren't what the name sounds like. They are not just bullets made from rubber. They are METAL with a thin rubber coating.
Tear gas can cause life-threatening conditions such as respiratory failure, chemical burns to the throat and lungs, asphyxia, and even death, especially when deployed in a confined space. Exposure can lead to permanent eye damage, including corneal scarring, cataracts, glaucoma, and traumatic optic neuropathy, with some individuals experiencing complete and permanent blindness. Injury and death have been caused by blunt force when victims were struck by a tear gas cannister.
Imagine a country whose leader posts fake videos to discredit people he dislikes, and isn't impeached for it.
It's a sci-fi horror movie scenario. A sadistic madman seizes control of a once-great nation. He is aided by stooges who have been promised great power and wealth. To lead the military, he chooses a bloodthirsty drunk with the critical thinking skills of a 3rd grade bully, who is eager to kill people and break things. They plan to "train" the army by attacking cities in their own country. How would a great screenwriter defeat the villains and restore hope and freedom to the people?
When to Jump
In the 1930's, there were a lot of people who didn't get out of Germany in time. Some of them simply didn't believe it would get nearly as bad as it did. Some of them were reluctant to leave their familiar lives - their homes, jobs, friends, the city where they were comfortable. Some felt they were too old to start over. Or they felt overwhelmed by the prospect of leaving their property and going to a strange place where they would have nothing and would need to find a way to make a living while learning a new language. Some were ready to go, but only if they could go to a place they chose. Maybe they wanted to go to the U.S. or England, but were stopped by immigration quotas, so they waited. Some had the chance to go to places they found unappealing, so they waited for something better. Some got out, but weren't able to go far enough. They fled to other European countries that were eventually taken over by the Nazis.
It is easy now to look back and think that the old folks should have left despite the difficulty. To say that the people who didn't want to go to South America or Africa should have gone anyway. That those who didn't want to leave their homes should have realized their lives were worth more than a house and furniture. That the people who thought it couldn't get worse and that they could just ride it out were deluding themselves. And, thinking all this, we have to ask, how much of this applies to us, now?
Making it Easier
Some people seem to think that if buildings are made "accessible" for disabled or mobility-impaired people, that the result will be inconvenient for the able-bodied. Nothing could be more wrong. Principles of Universal Design (UD) promote the creation of environments that are easily usable by the greatest number of people, both abled and disabled.
In many cases, a UD approach increases the attractiveness of a space and makes it more convenient for everyone, regardless of physical ability.
For example, think about "rocker" light switches, which were developed to make it easier for disabled people to control the lights in a room. These switches are now considered a design "upgrade" over the old-style flip (or toggle) switches, and most people see them as part of the decor without knowing that they represent accessibility. This is only one example of how intentional accessibility benefits everyone.
Turning a round doorknob can be difficult, painful, or even impossible for people with common conditions such as arthritis, people with neurological conditions that limit hand function, people recovering from injuries, and people who have their hands full of packages. A lever doorknob solves this problem. It can be opened simply by pressing - no need to grasp and twist. If your hand is occupied (or in pain), you can use your elbow. In addition to being convenient, Levers can add beautiful designs and artistic flourishes to home decor.
Some people are reluctant to build ramps to the entrances of buildings, even though ramps make buildings easier to enter. There is a common misconception that a ramp always looks unattractive and detracts from the appearance of the building. Why would a staircase be better looking than a ramp?
Stairways can be dangerous, awkward to use, a barrier for children or others with short legs, miserable for the elderly or anyone who is tired or ill, impossible for some disabled persons, a blockade for strollers, shopping carts, walkers, and wheelchairs, and often quite ugly.
Architects have spent hundreds of years inventing ways to make stairs look good, despite all the problems they present. Stairs have been accepted as the normal way to get from one level to another. We see them everywhere, and have become so accustomed to looking at them, that we don't even notice how inconvenient and unattractive they are.
Some designers even add unnecessary steps to a space to create different levels because of some fantasy that it looks good or that it is a method to organize the way a space will be used. In what world are deliberately-created trip hazards good organization?
Unlike stairs, ramps are accessible to nearly everyone. When intentionally designed as part of a building's architecture, they look natural and may even be beautiful.
In many cases, a UD approach increases the attractiveness of a space and makes it more convenient for everyone, regardless of physical ability.
For example, think about "rocker" light switches, which were developed to make it easier for disabled people to control the lights in a room. These switches are now considered a design "upgrade" over the old-style flip (or toggle) switches, and most people see them as part of the decor without knowing that they represent accessibility. This is only one example of how intentional accessibility benefits everyone.
Turning a round doorknob can be difficult, painful, or even impossible for people with common conditions such as arthritis, people with neurological conditions that limit hand function, people recovering from injuries, and people who have their hands full of packages. A lever doorknob solves this problem. It can be opened simply by pressing - no need to grasp and twist. If your hand is occupied (or in pain), you can use your elbow. In addition to being convenient, Levers can add beautiful designs and artistic flourishes to home decor.
Some people are reluctant to build ramps to the entrances of buildings, even though ramps make buildings easier to enter. There is a common misconception that a ramp always looks unattractive and detracts from the appearance of the building. Why would a staircase be better looking than a ramp?
Stairways can be dangerous, awkward to use, a barrier for children or others with short legs, miserable for the elderly or anyone who is tired or ill, impossible for some disabled persons, a blockade for strollers, shopping carts, walkers, and wheelchairs, and often quite ugly.
Architects have spent hundreds of years inventing ways to make stairs look good, despite all the problems they present. Stairs have been accepted as the normal way to get from one level to another. We see them everywhere, and have become so accustomed to looking at them, that we don't even notice how inconvenient and unattractive they are.
Some designers even add unnecessary steps to a space to create different levels because of some fantasy that it looks good or that it is a method to organize the way a space will be used. In what world are deliberately-created trip hazards good organization?
Unlike stairs, ramps are accessible to nearly everyone. When intentionally designed as part of a building's architecture, they look natural and may even be beautiful.
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