"I just think we chose the wrong future."
Great line from Peter Hitchens (in the third section of that page, "Mrs. Cable").
I have read in several places that violent crime in general is actually several times higher in the UK than here, though our homicide rate is higher.
That is a great line.
AMDG
The last serious statistics I saw were about 20 years ago, comparing London and New York. At the time, crimes of all sorts were pretty much comparable with two exceptions: homicide (much higher in New York) and burglary (much higher in London). Things may be different now.
I think it is. New York is now said to be one of the safest big cities in the world, vs. 20-30 years ago when it seemed to be turning into a Mad Max movie. I saw something recently, I think in the Telegraph, from 2009 or so…well, let’s see if I can find it again…maybe this was it, if you can stand to look at the Daily Mail. But then there’s this, which says crime has been falling in recent years.
I think it’s not widely known outside the U.S., or even inside, that the crime rate here has fallen substantially over the past 20 years. It’s easy to overlook that, because in certain very specific areas where drug and gang violence is common, it’s still very high, and also because of the infrequent but very high-profile rampage shootings like the recent one in Connecticut.
And the most of the murders are by people who know the victim personally or gang related. I don’t think that your average person on the street has that big of a chance of being murdered.
AMDG
Very true. There was a shooting on the street in Manhattan recently that you may have read about. It was very shocking because apparently that sort of thing just doesn’t happen much anymore, and it was a case of one person just walking up behind another and shooting him in the back of the head. A week or so later it was reported that the victim was affiliated with a drug operation. I think if you could subtract the drug-and-gang-related crime from U.S. stats, our rate would be much more in line with that of Europe.
The side bar looks like a very repetitive conversation.
AMDG
I should do a post called “Neither do I.”
I have to admit that it’s not particularly true that I don’t want the past back. I’d very much like to have some people and places back, and some things too, like solid telephones with good receivers, and irons that get hot.
AMDG
I never feel as much like a cranky old man as when I attempt to have a conversation on my cell phone. It always involves a lot of “what?!” “Say that again?” “I lost you for a minute there” “Sorry, there was a bunch of noise” etc etc etc, and a lot of talking over each other because there seems to be something off in the timing. I don’t think it’s half-duplex (only one talker at a time) but it’s just…off. And generally it ends with the call being dropped unexpectedly. I was not aware of an iron issue, though.
Mac, maybe you were talking into your iron and not your cell phone? That could be the issue.
Hmm, that’s a possibility. I’ll check–thanks.
That would account for that red marks on the side of your face. It’s a good thing irons don’t get really hot anymore.
AMDG
I can see how it would happen, as I’m so strong that I wouldn’t really notice the difference in weight.
I did in reality once pick up the cordless phone and try to change channels on the tv with it. And grumbled aloud when it didn’t work. Unfortunately for me there was a witness.
Hahaha!
I tried to open my house door with my electronic car key a while back.
Light On Dark Water 
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