DEATH OF THE DISTRACTED WALKERS

Oh the joy of those texting devices.

Not only has there been increased carnage among America's drivers but now death by distraction has come upon America's WALKERS.

Last year, in 2017, there were 6,000 pedestrians killed using their phones while walking across busy inter-sections.

Amazing video clips were seen on a recent documentary showing near misses from cars, buses and trucks as oblivious jay-walkers stepped off curbs and ignored "DONT WALK" signs with their texting machines.

Bodies have been recovered from under vehicles with head-phones still in place and  phones still in hands, but all other life departed.

What is the warning in all of this?

Peril and sudden death lurk everywhere: we don't want to increase the odds by giving the Grim Reaper a new toolset to do his job.

After all, what what could be more earth-changing than the famous last words of a texter saying:

"I'll see U in 10 mins in StrBks"      and then fail to arrive?

Jubilate.

Ian

AMERICA'S CAMPERS

Even in Ronald Reagan's day the problem was observable.

As Governor of California he called the homeless who flocked to his state: "America's Campers"

Of the 500,000 destitute in the USA a full 50% are in California colonizing the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Monica.

These are favoured places to set up camp since the winter temperature rarely drops below 20 C.

So much for the demographics of the homeless. 

Change is coming. This week Mayor Spitzer declared a halt to further colonization in Orange County. He called in the medics, the police, the social workers, the HazMat auxilliaries and the garbage men. They had orders to tear down the tent cities that had built up around the pricey homes by the Santa Ana river.

The operation has taken several days and involved loading 250 tons of tents and makeshift lean-tos, nearly a ton of human excrement,  drug syringes and needles innumerable. 

The liberal types who happily voted for the legalization of dope, and followed the hopeful message of Jesus to give shelter to the homeless, have now said "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH."

Charity only goes so far and has now reached its limits with thousands of vagrants commandeering their prestigious city and fouling their perfect So-Cal beaches. They are now calling for the hammer of the law, not the soft touch of welfare. Ah those hard hearted republicans who have held to the doctrine of St Paul who said that "if a man shall not work neither shall he eat."

Maybe they were not so uncharitable after all.

Now a new political wing is forming called the NIMBY's (NOT IN MY BACK YARD.)

Extreme situations sure make strange bed-fellows.

Jubilate.

Ian