Morning Coffee (12)

Good Morning All;

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Mine was relatively restful, but it sucked all in all. We needn't say any more about that. Unlike some people, I want to scream every single day, not just some days. I didn't want to get out of the couch today, but when do I? Actually, I sometimes wish I'd just go into a coma or something. I'll bet the dreams would be interesting - ask around, escaping reality can be fun.

I hit a bit o'black ice this morning. That was immeasurably fun. I know you are all concerned about my safety, some more than others, others less, but I'm fine. I successfully avoided slamming head on into the car on the opposite side of the road. It barely even raised my pulse, but that could be because I'm dead inside. I've been accused of that more than once, but this time, it came in handy.

What's in the news today? Well, not much of any pertinence to The Profession (and I’m not talking about prostitution). One interesting tid bit, however, is that in some cities in Europe, they are getting rid of traffic signs all together. They're removing all lines in the road and even blurring the lines between pedestrians and vehicles. The goal here is a psychological one: the many signs (648 valid traffic symbols in Germany) and rules creates rebellion in drivers and they then drive LESS safe. Not to mention the clutter of the millions of signs (20 million in Germany) all about, 70% of which are ignored by drivers. They thinking is that if the rules are ambiguous, drivers are more apt to be safer and more considerate. Those in charge of this grand project also feel that we humans are losing our consideration for others, and we will then be connected to our fellow man through the use of hand signs, eye contact, and other gestures in place of the missing road signs. And apparently, this whole scheme is working to some degree. In one city, traffic accidents and violations are down significantly. Officials from the US have visited some of these cities. Perhaps we'll see this sort of thing here. I sort of like the idea of traffic circles; they're somewhat pleasing to the eye. However, I doubt that US cities will be adorned with cobblestone as are the European cities conducting this experiment. So, what do you all think? Discuss amongst yourselves, or, the gods forbid, actually reply.

Other than that, it's good to see Russia doing what it does best: killing political opponents. All is right in the world when that happens. You know that the world isn't a screwed up as it seems, and it really makes you feel good about life. To know that the FSB, the successor organization to the KGB can, as the mob says, "whack" a political dissident, is to know that the universe is in harmony.

Well, not quite. It seems that the fellow isn't dead yet. The man, targeted at a London sushi restaurant, was in serious but stable condition. Thallium, the poison of choice for rat exterminators and those wishing to kill political opponents and defectors, was somehow slipped in the man's food or drink while dinning. In my opinion, it's not a good time to be a Russian political activist or someone viewed as a threat to the current powers; they're dropping like flies.

Word of the Day: Chthonic (adjective): Dwelling in or under the earth; also, pertaining to the underworld. This must be the coolest word of the day in it's short history. I will be hard pressed to top this one.

On This Day in History: Nuremburg Trials begin (1945).

"It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both." - Niccolo Machiavelli "The Prince." Wise words from a wise man.

That is all for today.