Had a very strange experience on Saturday afternoon on the New York Subway. In a fairly crowded car on the way back from the 9/11 Memorial; train just pulling into a station, shouts from the far end of the car about someone having a gun, everyone piled up out end and the doors opened. Everyone piling out onto the platform, kids & girls getting knocked over, up some steps and onto the street. No shots heard, no sirens and people milling about at street level not knowing WTF just happened.
Very strange experience and not great to see the way people can panic and just lose control, climbing over kids and women just to get out. There were probably about 80 people involved and I guess sensitivities were probably heightened given that most people had probably been to the memorial. They weren't all tourists though.
We walked a couple of blocks down to the next station and caught another train on the same line (definitely a different train to the one we'd got...different driver). I spoke to the station master and he hadn't even heard of the incident. Does make you wonder whether that sort of craziness just happens all the time over there.
The store manager apparently opened fire on his own staff. But it's mental really that someone is able to just stroll into work with a fucking firearm.
Anyone who's followed DNS' travails trying to sell his house - just think that instead of throwing a hole punch, in America that person could have had a gun. An actual fucking gun. That could have been a very different story then. It's so so stupid.
RIP to the victims. I only wish this would be the last time I will write that but somehow I doubt it.
I live in Napa, obviously. We are a destination area for vacationers. Homes go for about $1000/square foot and it's a Michelin-star culture. But even we had a mass shooting a few years ago that was horrific. I was just 500 meters away when it started.
Despite all we have here I am currently sitting in a popular coffee house in Napa writing this. I always... always position myself with a view of those coming to the door and also so I can see those coming through the back door. If I can't, I get coffee to go. It is now second nature for me to look up and see who is coming in BEFORE they actually come up the stairs in case I need to run. A few extra seconds count. I do this everywhere.
My good friend has two kids, age 7 and 10. They attend the same school. He says he does not go 2 hours any school day without thinking that is could happen to them and worrying.
There is no safe place from one of these shootings. Pre-schools, Veteran's homes (ours), it can be anywhere... any time. Having this brooding undercurrent of fear of the 1 in a million chance is part of life in the USA now. It's impossible to explain to most Europeans because fortunately they rarely have them.
I live in Napa, obviously. We are a destination area for vacationers. Homes go for about $1000/square foot and it's a Michelin-star culture. But even we had a mass shooting a few years ago that was horrific. I was just 500 meters away when it started.
Despite all we have here I am currently sitting in a popular coffee house in Napa writing this. I always... always position myself with a view of those coming to the door and also so I can see those coming through the back door. If I can't, I get coffee to go. It is now second nature for me to look up and see who is coming in BEFORE they actually come up the stairs in case I need to run. A few extra seconds count. I do this everywhere.
My good friend has two kids, age 7 and 10. They attend the same school. He says he does not go 2 hours any school day without thinking that is could happen to them and worrying.
There is no safe place from one of these shootings. Pre-schools, Veteran's homes (ours), it can be anywhere... any time. Having this brooding undercurrent of fear of the 1 in a million chance is part of life in the USA now. It's impossible to explain to most Europeans because fortunately they rarely have them.
Liking this seems inappropriate,and you are right that I have no comprehension of this. Thanks for sharing though, very thought provoking
I live in Napa, obviously. We are a destination area for vacationers. Homes go for about $1000/square foot and it's a Michelin-star culture. But even we had a mass shooting a few years ago that was horrific. I was just 500 meters away when it started.
Despite all we have here I am currently sitting in a popular coffee house in Napa writing this. I always... always position myself with a view of those coming to the door and also so I can see those coming through the back door. If I can't, I get coffee to go. It is now second nature for me to look up and see who is coming in BEFORE they actually come up the stairs in case I need to run. A few extra seconds count. I do this everywhere.
My good friend has two kids, age 7 and 10. They attend the same school. He says he does not go 2 hours any school day without thinking that is could happen to them and worrying.
There is no safe place from one of these shootings. Pre-schools, Veteran's homes (ours), it can be anywhere... any time. Having this brooding undercurrent of fear of the 1 in a million chance is part of life in the USA now. It's impossible to explain to most Europeans because fortunately they rarely have them.
No offence mate, but it seems like a fucking horrible place to live if you have to constantly think like that.
I live in Napa, obviously. We are a destination area for vacationers. Homes go for about $1000/square foot and it's a Michelin-star culture. But even we had a mass shooting a few years ago that was horrific. I was just 500 meters away when it started.
Despite all we have here I am currently sitting in a popular coffee house in Napa writing this. I always... always position myself with a view of those coming to the door and also so I can see those coming through the back door. If I can't, I get coffee to go. It is now second nature for me to look up and see who is coming in BEFORE they actually come up the stairs in case I need to run. A few extra seconds count. I do this everywhere.
My good friend has two kids, age 7 and 10. They attend the same school. He says he does not go 2 hours any school day without thinking that is could happen to them and worrying.
There is no safe place from one of these shootings. Pre-schools, Veteran's homes (ours), it can be anywhere... any time. Having this brooding undercurrent of fear of the 1 in a million chance is part of life in the USA now. It's impossible to explain to most Europeans because fortunately they rarely have them.
No offence mate, but it seems like a fucking horrible place to live if you have to constantly think like that.
It's amazing what human brains can process and tell themselves they are use to.
I was listening to this on the news at the same time as the ongoing House Speaker election. The people who hold the power over the new house speaker would presumably say that the teacher should have shot the 6 year old first. Frightening. Is it normal for 6 year olds to carry guns at school? I presume it's a lot earlier that you can buy a gun than drink a beer.
@NapaAddick - that's seriously scary stuff, but you're wrong that there is no safe space - there are loads but they are in countries where carrying guns is seen as weird not the norm.
I was listening to this on the news at the same time as the ongoing House Speaker election. The people who hold the power over the new house speaker would presumably say that the teacher should have shot the 6 year old first. Frightening. Is it normal for 6 year olds to carry guns at school? I presume it's a lot earlier that you can buy a gun than drink a beer.
@NapaAddick - that's seriously scary stuff, but you're wrong that there is no safe space - there are loads but they are in countries where carrying guns is seen as weird not the norm.
Do you really think it it normal and do you think it was that 6 year olds own gun that was used?
I live in Napa, obviously. We are a destination area for vacationers. Homes go for about $1000/square foot and it's a Michelin-star culture. But even we had a mass shooting a few years ago that was horrific. I was just 500 meters away when it started.
Despite all we have here I am currently sitting in a popular coffee house in Napa writing this. I always... always position myself with a view of those coming to the door and also so I can see those coming through the back door. If I can't, I get coffee to go. It is now second nature for me to look up and see who is coming in BEFORE they actually come up the stairs in case I need to run. A few extra seconds count. I do this everywhere.
My good friend has two kids, age 7 and 10. They attend the same school. He says he does not go 2 hours any school day without thinking that is could happen to them and worrying.
There is no safe place from one of these shootings. Pre-schools, Veteran's homes (ours), it can be anywhere... any time. Having this brooding undercurrent of fear of the 1 in a million chance is part of life in the USA now. It's impossible to explain to most Europeans because fortunately they rarely have them.
No offence mate, but it seems like a fucking horrible place to live if you have to constantly think like that.
On the flip side it’s a huge reason I’ve stayed in China for as long as I have.
it’s very common amongst the long term foreign crowd here, the idea of going back to having to worry about your surroundings, or avoid certain streets / areas etc is quite frightening after having spent so long literally not giving it a 2nd thought.
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Very strange experience and not great to see the way people can panic and just lose control, climbing over kids and women just to get out. There were probably about 80 people involved and I guess sensitivities were probably heightened given that most people had probably been to the memorial. They weren't all tourists though.
We walked a couple of blocks down to the next station and caught another train on the same line (definitely a different train to the one we'd got...different driver). I spoke to the station master and he hadn't even heard of the incident. Does make you wonder whether that sort of craziness just happens all the time over there.
Anyone who's followed DNS' travails trying to sell his house - just think that instead of throwing a hole punch, in America that person could have had a gun. An actual fucking gun. That could have been a very different story then. It's so so stupid.
RIP to the victims. I only wish this would be the last time I will write that but somehow I doubt it.
6 years of age carrying a gun and prepared to use it! Apparently it was not an accident too
sweet lord what is wrong with some people
@NapaAddick - that's seriously scary stuff, but you're wrong that there is no safe space - there are loads but they are in countries where carrying guns is seen as weird not the norm.
it’s very common amongst the long term foreign crowd here, the idea of going back to having to worry about your surroundings, or avoid certain streets / areas etc is quite frightening after having spent so long literally not giving it a 2nd thought.