(In) Security

I finished reading A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier this week. It is the true story of Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier in Sierra Leone. In May 1997 a group of rebels and soldiers called the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council overthrew the democratically elected government and chaos ensued in the country once again. Men, women and children were shot in the street en mass and at random. Stores were looted and homes were torched.

"How unpleasant." I shook my head and turned the page as I rode the bus to the office to take on another Wednesday morning in the land of green and gold.

Recently, a particular building that I frequent installed a new security system that requires one to swipe in upon arriving inside. The new system is inconvenient and finicky. Sometimes it works, and sometimes the required green arrow refuses to light up and let one pass without causing alarm. It is most bothersome when one is trying to swipe out and leave for the day. When my humour is in good supply I am amused that I must plead with a blinking beeping box to allow me to rejoin the outside world.

On Wednesday the University of Winnipeg essentially shut down because someone had scrawled a threatening note in a stall of a men's washroom. Police were posted around the campus and circulated the area on bikes. Profs canceled classes and students were told they had the option to stay home for the day. Those who did show up were subject to bag searches. Nothing happened and ironically, it was probably the safest day to be at the institution.

On the same day a student at a north end high school was stabbed on school grounds by a former student. The news report says the two allegedly got into a fight over a girl. Bloodshed over a girl, really, what is the world coming to?

I fought again with Blinky Beepy today. I would get the beepy but not the blinky. One of these days I'm going to rebel. I'm going to come tearing down the escalators and continue my stride right on past Blinky Beepy and not look back. Yeah! Liberate the people! Down with Big Brother!

Myanmar Troops Kill 9 More Protesters
21 hours ago
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Soldiers with automatic rifles fired into crowds of anti-government demonstrators Thursday, killing at least nine people in the bloodiest day in more than a month of protests demanding an end to military rule.

How unpleasant.