Human flesh search engines: Chinese vigilantes that hunt victims on the web
Wow. Um, wow. Have I mentioned I love freedom of speech? Hooray for the first amendment!! Granted, I can’t stand most people and the idiocy they speak, but I’ll defend their right to say it. I just won’t agree. And I’ll call them dumb. I will NOT be joining the crazy kitten killers anytime soon.
I wonder if they’ll come after me now. Then again, I don’t have quite the same sense of “honor” that some Asian countries do. 
It’s official. My Rat Zapper works…even without bait. I say without bait because about 6 weeks ago I received the Rat Zapper and baited it for the first time. I baited it on a Friday morning and left to go to work. When I got to my front door that evening I nervously put my key in the lock. I was certain I’d see the little red light on top blinking, signaling that there was a kill inside. Eeek! I slowly turned the corner into the kitchen (I guess I thought sneaking up on it might help somehow) and, hm, no red light. No red light, but ANTS!! The bait attracted ANTS!! Awesome!* So I picked up my cell phone and ripped my landlord a new one. After hearing my tirade he sent over an exterminator.
The exterminator sprayed and baited. He also thought it would be fun to tell me horror stories about some of his other clients. He clearly had NO idea he was talking to someone who would likely benefit from anti-anxiety meds (as would those around her). And perhaps thought he was being casual – comforting even- when he said “at least it isn’t bed bugs.” Um, back up, WHAT? So, I said “why, are they really a problem around here?” Long story short, yes, in some places they are.
This short conversation led me to do a TON of paranoid research on these horrible little pests, which in turn, made me even more paranoid. It’s a vicious cycle with me. When the exterminator returned for the follow-up spray I told him of my paranoia and he responded by telling me of one of the worst cases of bed bugs he’d ever seen. Sweet, isn’t he? I immediately started scratching as he told me I didn’t have them. He even sat on my bed to show me where on my mattress to look for them if I ever suspected I had them. Then he told me he’d just come from that horrible apartment. OH MY GOD!! HE SAT ON MY BED!! HE SAT ON MY BED!!!! Panic, panic, panic. He leaves, I call my mom and cry (again!!). Both her and my boyfriend calmed me down by repeating the rationale that he’s the least likely person to spread any kind of bug, as he’s dripping with chemicals at all times. The exterminator even told me he sprayed his shoes till they were dripping. Later, my landlord told me the exterminator wears special suits for these cases (they’re friends and he’s told my landlord the stories too – but apparently with more detail). All of that, the lack of evidence, and knowing how they operate (research is fun) should convince me I’m safe. I continue to check my mattress daily.
Fast forward to this morning. I was leaving the zapper out and on, ya know, just in case. My heart literally stopped a moment when I walked into the kitchen and saw the light blinking. Oh my God. I have to dispose of a dead mouse. Oh my God! Oh my God!! Finally, my inner voice spoke up (it’s about time!) and told me to hike up my Big Girl Pants and get it over with. I picked up the zapper, closed my eyes and dumped it in the trash. I took a quick look back (mainly to be sure it came out) and felt a little bad. Half of me felt pity for the little fuzzy guy, while the other half said “I TOLD you! You fuck with my shit and you get ELECTROCUTED!!!” So I guess it really evens out in the end.
Either way, it is definitely time to flee. You’ve beaten me North Jersey! I will not be back!! Keep your various vermin and keep them away from my place in the suburbs!!
I’m not at all ashamed to say that the city and its pests beat me. In fact, I’m perfectly happy about it. And you know what? At least it isn’t bed bugs.
*And by awesome I mean the exact opposite.
I’ve only seen a mouse in my apartment once. It was at the beginning of December 2007 and I was getting ready for work. I sat on the floor in the dining room to put on my shoes and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something move in the living room. I looked up just in time to see a little furry brown ass scamper under the couch. I learned something that day. I’m AFRAID of mice when they’re in my living room!!
I had seen mice in the wild (read: the back yard). I’d even seen them at zoos and pet stores. I thought – hey, no big deal. They’re even kind of cute. That was before there was one roaming free in my living space and possibly walking ALL OVER EVERYTHING I OWN. At that exact second, mice became vile. *
I called my landlord as soon as I saw the furry beast and he came to my apartment that night to put down bait. I also got some advice from friends and plugged up some little holes in cabinets and the flooring with steel wool. Mice can’t chew through it and so it blocks their entry. Huzzah!
I was actually surprised to see it. I keep my place clean and while the landlord mentioned the tenants before me had seen one, I hadn’t in over 2 years. When I moved in the landlord said that when the previous tenants saw one, they put down bait and the problem was solved. No more mice. I now know that he stretched the truth a little. Apparently the basement apartment has seen them from time to time. My food had also never been touched…that is, until this week.
A few nights during the past few weeks I asked for a moment of silence while on the phone with my boyfriend. I thought I heard scratching. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from though. My landlord does NOT take care of the backyard and so it looks like a jungle. I thought perhaps a bobcat or Sasquatch was living back there and maybe IT was making the noise. That was wishful thinking.
I just spent a longish weekend at my boyfriend’s apartment. I was a bit under the weather, so I was working remotely from his place on Monday and Tuesday. When I got home on Wednesday, I went to unpack my things and that’s when I saw it. Mouse poop! In the kitchen! My BEDROOM is just off of the kitchen! PANIC!!! All I could think about was mice crawling all over my things for 4 DAYS! One was even on my slipper! I know this because there was poop on my slipper!!** EW EW EW EW! MORE PANIC! ACCOMPANIED BY TEARS!!!
I called the landlord to let him know this was UNACCEPTABLE! Keep in mind, my landlord is a lazy, greedy dunce. His helpful and intelligent response? “It’s an urban environment, it’s Spring, there’s nothing I can do. Put more bait down.” I said that he should mow the back yard. He said that didn’t have anything to do with it. LIES! I know that he doesn’t want to go back there because the last time he did (1.5 YEARS ago), he got poison ivy. Hey, that’s not my problem. He finally said I could get a cat. But sadly, I can’t. I travel on weekends.
Beside myself, I did what any normal 30 year old woman would do. I called my mom and cried. She reassured me that based on the information I relayed, it didn’t sound like a whole pack of mice – but normal mouse problem due to the Spring and living environment. She also said I could move back home for a few months until I find a new apartment (and I haven’t ruled that out yet).
That night after I cried to my boyfriend (he’s a wonderful man and VERY patient…he has to be, he’s with me), I tried to settle down to sleep. Again…RUSTLING! So, I quickly shined the flashlight in its general direction. Nothing. Lights out. Rustling! Flashlight. Nothing. Repeat one more time.
Thursday morning as I’m getting ready for work I was still wondering to myself why they were there. You see, they never got into my food. Then I saw the box of packs of snack crackers I bought from BJ’s. Three of the packs had been violated. This means one crafty and nimble mouse scaled a METAL baker’s rack to get to these crackers. That’s it! This is WAR!
The crackers went in the trash, along with ANY other food they may have touched. Needless to say I threw out a lot. I now have snapping plastic bins for any food I bring into the house that does not go into the refrigerator. I’m under the impression that cans are alright to leave out. However, the MOMENT I see teeth marks in the cans. I’m moving. I don’t want to fuck with those mice.
I also disinfected the entire apartment and stuffed more steel wool everywhere I possibly could. I bought and laid a new kind of bait, as well as two snappy traps. And the pièce de résistance is the rat zapper that’s currently being shipped to me. That’s right. You want to mess with me and my slippers? You get electrocuted!!
It turns out most everyone who has lived in or near a city has a mouse story for you. It happens to almost everyone. That still doesn’t make it OK, but I think my favorite story is from a friend who said he came home to find a mouse in his bathtub one day. It looked utterly defeated. Apparently it fell into the tub but couldn’t climb back out and just kept sliding back to the center. Without an appropriate trapping device, he scooped it up in a pillow case and ran it outside.
I learned about the rat zapper from my boss who also occasionally has mice. She said it’s the best thing ever and if I were going to order one, please get another one for her too. Really? It worked so well you want two? OK, I believe you. Sign me up.
I still want to move, but I also want to buy a house some day. Rent is insane around the city and moving is COSTLY. I’m REALLY trying to save for that down payment. So, I’d rather not move and destroy the mice if I can. And so Mouse Watch 2008 (my war on terror***) begins.
*But not as vile as any sort of bugs. ALL bugs are disgusting, unacceptable and one of my biggest fears. The second I see one in my apartment, I pack up and leave. For that, yes, I will move back in with mom and dad.
**Yes, of COURSE I threw those slippers away IMMEDIATELY!
***No offense to anyone intended. I’m just saying they scare the bejesus out of me.
I recently found out that due to the writer’s strike, Heroes will not air again until the Fall (yes, I live under a rock and it’s cozy – stop asking). This is one of the DUMBEST business decisions I’ve heard of in quite some time. I understand that they were having problems with their writing staff pre-strike, but here’s the thing you’ve FINALLY got a HIT show. Sort that shit out!! You haven’t been on top of the ratings since the “glory” of Must See TV. And now where are you? I’ll tell you. Number 4. That’s right, number 4 behind FOX, ABC and CBS. All I can do is snicker at your downfall because really, you brought this on yourself with your horrendous programming (and apparently staffing) decisions.
I’m not sure your network or Heroes will be able to recover. I hope the show does, as it’s one of my favorites. You introduced quite a few new characters and plot lines before the strike – some viewers cared about, some we just wanted off the screen. Then you take a year off?! Do you think we’ll care enough about the newcomers to return to the show in the Fall? I’m not so sure. All I can say is “good luck with that” and I hope you make better decisions in the future. Yet, somehow I doubt it. It’s sad to see a good show die and be replaced by the mindless likes of American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader.
What boggles my mind is that other networks managed to bring back their hit shows to keep their audiences interested and happy. Why not scramble to find good writers to continue Heroes? Take a break if need be but don’t make viewers wait almost a year to pick up on a story that was only starting to be told.
May Howie Mandel continue to save your sorry ass network with his bald head, ridiculous guessing and metal briefcases.
Often when objects or services are free and available for public use and there’s a level of anonymity involved, the go to the crapper far more quickly then when they are private, or offered for a fee. Case in point, the refrigerator in 99.9% of offices. If there is a spill or a mess, no one will own up to it. Additionally, if someone leaves food in there so long that it becomes a science project or no one goes in the kitchen due to the stench coming out of the cold box you’ll have to threaten termination to figure out who the owner is.
Today my lunch was ruined by one of these office cowards. Someone sloth of an employee left something brown and slightly sticky in the fridge for over a week. And guess what? It leaked. All over the bag that contained my lunch. The goo permeated the bag and seeped into my food. My tasty Trader Joe’s eggplant parmigiana and some snacks for later in the afternoon were destroyed. And now I’m angry.
I have a feeling the culprit was the same person who left two hard boiled eggs in the fridge to stink and rot…but I don’t KNOW for sure. Either way, it’s rude and disgusting. I’m not your mother. As an employee, please have some sense of responsibility and clean up after yourself! The same goes for the rest room!!
Well, I found the mess and called everyone’s attention to it. But you know what? I’m not going to clean it up. I refuse to. As I mentioned, I’m not your mother. I’m also not your maid. So, UNTIL it is cleaned, I’ll be bringing my food in one of those puffy insulated bags with ice packs. I refuse to play this disgusting game. Someone needs to pony up and fix their mistake. Until then, everyone ELSE’s food can wallow in filth.
U. of Nebraska targets assassin game
I understand that school shootings are on the rise and it is a difficult and stressful time we live in, however, I don’t think banning a game meant to actually build a resident life community is going to help. I was a resident advisor my senior year at Rutgers (back in the day). I helped organize a game of Assassins between my floor and two others in our dorm. A point that the article omits is that stealth is a virtue in this game and in order to “kill” or tag your victim, you have to know a little bit about them. It was viewed and used as a community building exercise…and a fun one at that. Students from my floor got to know people they wouldn’t have known on some of the other floors of our dorm. Everyone got involved, got to know one another, had fun and blew off some steam. Assassins had the highest student participation of any resident life program run that year.
And you know what? No one got hurt.
Assassins was also an excellent way to blow off steam. We ran the program right before mid-terms. Student schedules were less predictable and thus the assassin had to do more work. Safe zones were typically all of the study areas and dining halls and the game gave many a MUCH needed break during very stressful times.
And you know what? No one got hurt.
In the article the game participants were shooting one another with Nerf darts. Nerf. NERF! When I was in college, we weren’t as high tech…we threw balled up socks at each other (like some of the participants in the article). I don’t know anyone who was hurt or went ballistic from being hit by a sock OR a dart.
I’m not trying to downplay the atrocity of a school shooting. They are horrific and tragic, and my heart goes out to any and all affected by them. I do feel, however, that they are caused by imbalanced students and go deeper than games of adult tag. I’m guessing the next game they ban will be “Man hunt,” where no “weapons” are involved but it has an intimidating name.
How far will we go to promote a culture of fear, intolerance and paranoia? Instead of banning everything possible, how about letting us exercise the right to protect ourselves from real danger?
Scientologists* get special tax breaks? I linked to this NY Sun story from Fark.com (yes, both very reputable sources):
http://www.nysun.com/article/70957
So, the government goes after Scientology in the ’80s for being a big, giant FRAUD and somehow in the settlement the cult winds up getting special tax breaks? WTF?! Seems sketchy to me.
Note to self: must research creepy and stupid cult further and figure out WHY people give millions of their dollars away to join.
*I enjoy that spellcheck doesn’t pick this up as an actual word. Take that Scientology!