Walking Alone

Three people were walking along the trail: a child (a young girl of about 6 or 7), a woman (who seemed to be the child's mother), and a man (who seemed to be the woman's friend).

Let a represent the child.
Let B represent the woman.
Let C represent the man.

From a distance, I saw the three of them walking side by side:

aBC

As I drew nearer, I could hear them talking together:

(aBC)

And as I drew yet nearer, I could tell that the girl was telling an animated story:

(a!BC)

I passed by them as the man laughed:

(a!BC*)

One might conclude that his laughter was in reaction to what the young girl had said, that it was a reaction she was seeking to elicit, that she had told a funny story. But the sound of his laughter (and the silence of the woman) suggested otherwise. He was laughing at the girl. Something that she had said had clearly tickled him, but not her story, something instead about the girl. His laughter was really intended for (and only for) the woman, not really feedback to the girl and her story:

a!(BC*)

Now as a parent, I would not sit by and let such a thing happen. A child telling a story is no thing to take lightly, and I certainly wouldn't want laughter directed at the child. I would see to console her:

(aB)C

But that's not what it felt like as I ran by. Instead this I felt this:

a(BC)

The girl was walking alone.

11:03:44 AM   permalink: []   feedback:   comments: []  

In the Name of Security

This story has been circulating recently. It's scary, especially in view of the current push to roll back Miranda rights (you do not have a right to remain silent) [wash-post] and the wide latitude given authorities by the USA Patriot Act to define people as terrorists with little traceable accountablility.

Be aware that all references to the story I was able to find online seem to trace back to this single source. I have not found (but have not extensively searched for) independent reports of this story. [Update: See Wilde for some reasons to think this is a hoax.] [Update 2: 2600 has an updated discussion of the story, including an admission that it was not possible to independently confirm and also their reasons for proceeding with the story anyway.]

Also be aware that depending on who's doing the watching, surfing to the 2600 link could be interpreted as a questionable act.

[2600]: An amateur photographer named Mike Maginnis was arrested on Tuesday in his home city of Denver [...] The following is Maginnis's account of what transpired:

As he was putting his camera away, Maginnis found himself confronted by a Denver police officer who demanded that he hand over his film and camera. When he refused to give up his Nikon F2, the officer pushed him to the ground and arrested him.

After being brought to the District 1 police station on Decatur Street, Maginnis was made to wait alone in an interrogation room. Two hours later, a Secret Service agent arrived, who identified himself as Special Agent "Willse."

The agent told Maginnis that his "suspicious activities" made him a threat to national security, and that he would be charged as a terrorist under the USA-PATRIOT act. The Secret Service agent tried to make Maginnis admit that he was taking the photographs to analyze weaknesses in the Vice President's security entourage and "cause terror and mayhem."

When Maginnis refused to admit to being any sort of terrorist, the Secret Service agent called him a "raghead collaborator" and a "dirty pinko faggot."

...

Three hours later, Maginnis was finally released, but with no explanation. He received no copy of an arrest report, and no receipt for his confiscated possessions. He was told that he would probably not get his camera back, as it was being held as evidence.

Maginnis's lawyer contacted the Denver Police Department for an explanation of the day's events, but the police denied ever having Maginnis - or anyone matching his description - in custody. At press time, the Denver PD's Press Information Office did not return telephone messages left by 2600. [2600]

10:05:46 AM   permalink: []   feedback:   comments: []