Qui Custodes

Recent shooting at Virginia college proves the point

Recently a young man walked in to his classroom and opened fire on his teacher.  Fortunately the teacher ducked behind his desk and then the rifle jammed.  What's the point proven?  Be alert, drop to the ground, get behind something and be careful.  All good advice, all things the teacher did.  

You just can't be too careful

A friend of mine sent me this link to a California's lawyers killing  Several unbelievable things about this story but the one that will catch everyone is that the local cops have not ruled out suicide.  WTF?  Go out to your car to get your laptop, shot fired, people rush up, no gun and it could be suicide?  Somebody knows something. 

Key point for all of us:  be alert at all times.  Watch your back at all times.  You can't just go.  You have to be careful.

Dumb and dumber on an airplane

I was down in Florida on Thursday and Friday working. Took a couple of days and flew back yesterday.  Crowded plane. :(  But Dumb and dumber struck and I don't believe it.  What happened you say?  Simple:

The woman next to me was knitting!  Now TSA will not let you travel with metal knitting needles. Apparently TSA worries that the metal needles are weapons.  But they let this woman board the plane with 2 huge, 3/8" diameter or more wooden knitting needles.  Good God!  Weapons!!! does anybody have a brain?  Those things were like skewers.  So how dumb was that?  Really dumb!

Stay away from the Door!

Recently a DC family suffered a horrible tragedy. They were being chased by a mugger and ran into their apartment and slammed the door for safety.  Good.  Then the little 9 year old boy went to the door to see if the attacker had left.  Looked out the peephole.  O SHIT!  Frustrated thief fires shot into middle of door and kills the kid.  O SHIT again.

Look people, don't do that!  Don't put yourselves in harm's way like that.  Stay away from the damn door.  Call someone to check the hallway or something.  Wait, be patient.  You can outwait the thief.  Really.  But be careful! 

Security Alert--Even the US Secret Service Can't Ensure Your Security

By now you've probably heard about the gate-crashers at the White House dinner last week. It's been all over the press here in DC anyway.  Apparently these 2 people (I won't list their names as that's obviously what they want) talked their way past the security screen surrounding the President, into the party, took pictures and had a good time.  How nice.

What's the lesson for you and me?  Simple really:  don't assume that just because a person *looks* OK, *looks* like they belong, they *are* OK and *do* belong.  Security is something you have to keep in mind at all times.  Obviously the Secret Service were lulled by the gate-crashers' appearance.  Appearances can be deceiving.  Your office should keep that in mind too. 

Apology

I've been away from this for a while because I've had 2 major trials to prepare for and then conduct.  Posting is going to be a bit spotty for the next few weeks too as I've got 3 trials and an appeal to do by Valentine's day.  But, I'm going to catch up with a few things and then try and post a little bit every so often. Still, if you are out there and reading this, I hope you will find it of value.

Another RANT ON!

It's Veteran's Day, 2009.  A day precious to me. A day to remember lost friends and absent companions.  So I like to go to synagogue & say a prayer for the dead.  I'm Jewish.  It takes a minyan (10 adults over the age of 13).  Now my synagogue for some reason doesn't regularly schedule this on Veteran's Day.  But every year I ask them to.  You'd think they'd learn.  NOPE. 

I could call them in September & ask them to schedule it and they would be happy to accommodate me.  Note that this doesn't mean I could get 10 adults there.  Just that they'd schedule it.  But that's another rant for another day.

Anyway, sort of a consolation prize I was asked to talk to the Religious School kids for 2-3 minutes tonight.  I can't decide.  What can I possibly say in 2-3 minutes max that will explain to these kids, ages 10-13, why this is important, why they should be respectful and grateful.  Keep in mind that their parents care so little that there is no organized Veterans' Day activity.  I have absolutely no idea what I could possibly say that would mean something to them.  Worse, if I do go, doesn't that make me complicit in saying that the synagogue is doing enough?

Rant ON!

OK.  I'm just sick and tired of listening to various pundits, medicos and general apologists for Maj. Hasan Nidal and hs so-called PRE-traumatic stress disorder.  WTF?  Sorry about the language but to argue that this guy suffered before anything ever happened to him makes fools of the psychiatry profession, demeans our soldiers who actually have PTSD and gives hopes to every malingering SOB out there.  Would you people get a grip?

I don't know what motivated him to do what he did.  Rumors are flying.  But if he actually did cry out to God before pulling his pistols and firing, HE injected his religion into this issue.  Not me, not the Army, and not some weird wack-job bigot.  So for Pete's sake, use some common sense--not that you even have it.

First aid

Every permanent employee you have should be trained in basic first aid.  I recommend having them take a CPR course too.  You never know--the life they save might be your own.

Back to designing your office for safety

OK.  Now let's get back to business:  designing your office for safety.  In the reception area, consider having the receptionist's desk behind a 4 foot wall.  People can look over it easily and she can duck under her desk easily for concealment and safety. If you cannot bring yourself to build a wall, at least get the receptionist's desk a "privacy shield" so there's a small space under the desk where s/he can huddle in an emergency.  Don't forget to put a panic button there too.