diario - journal

What you'll read on this page are either reflections on personal events or on stuff I read in the news. Any opinions reported herein are merely personal, and subject to change, since that's how my brain works.

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Road Rage
Incident No. 1: I am driving home from shopping at a local supermarket. With the corner of my eye, I see the reflection of a car behind mine approaching at high speed. I move to the side to let him go by, he has the same idea and moves there. So, I move back to the left, and he has that same idea too. At the light, he starts shouting obscenities. I roll down my window while he is screaming, and tell him I was trying to let him through and that he should calm down. He realizes he is overreacting and calms down, apologizes and moves on.

Incident No.2: I am preparing the gym at the kids' school for the basketball games, after no other parent showed up (so I am a little frantic and disappointed). My son walks after a sleepover and tells me he doesn't have his uniform for the first game of the day. I have to get change from the bank for the money boxes. I leave to get it and come back, and in the rush leave the car in the alley, while I run in (because I have to get in the car again to get my son's uniform).

While I am inside, a guy comes in all pissed off, mouthing off. I tell him I was sorry and I walk after him to remove the car. The guy starts making all kinds of patronizing remarks/veiled threats ("This is not the first time you do this.", "Watch out, I got one on you.", "You sure were f.ing taking your time." etc.). I stop and think how to react to his stupidity, then move on because I really don't even have the time to get into it. Later, I realized this is the same guy I noticed driving by in the alley behind the kids' school, mumbling foul language.

Road rage is such an interesting phenomenon. The minute a lot of people (including me in the past) get in the car, they get into their car persona and react to others as if intitled by their vehicle. But in a way it's similar to everyday "social driving", where you have to deal with other people's presence and attitude and figure out how to either go with them, dodge them or move along hoping they find help along the way.
Entered on: Tuesday, January 16th, 2007 at 15:58.
Scott's Hut
As I was looking for something over the Net, this picture popped up, and it brought back memories. It is a view of the interior of the Terra Nova hut, built for Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott.

I still remember the day my dad took me to the movies to see a documentary on Scott's expedition.

That story remained engraved in my mind until today.

Later, I learned about another expedition in school, which wasn't as publicized internationally: That of the Italian Umberto Nobile, who designed many airships used by both Americans and Norwegians on their expeditions.
Entered on: Wednesday, December 13th, 2006 at 18:50.
Scattered Thoughts
Today is the anniversary of the Monongah Mine disaster of Monongah, West Virginia, which took place on December 6, 1907 and has been described as "the worst mining disaster in American History". (I found this out through Garrison Keylor's Writer's Almanac.)

The explosion was thought to have been caused by the ignition of methane (also called "black damp"), which ignited the coal dust in mines number 6 and 8.

Rescue workers could only work in the mines for 15 minutes due to the lack of breathing equipment. Some of those workers also perished due to the poisonous gas.

In all, the lives of 362 boys and men were lost in the underground explosion, leaving 250 widows and over 1000 children without support, a large group of them (171) being Italians who had migrated from San Giovanni in Fiore, San Nicola dell’Alto, Falerna, Gizzeria, Civitella Roveto, Duronia, Civita d’Antino, Canistro, Torella del Santo and other villages in Calabria, Abruzzo and Molise.

On TV, I found out earlier this week that the largest donors in the United States are republicans, not democrats, though the largest one-time donation was made by Ted Turner.

I was watching Oprah last night and saw her interview with Al Gore. A few nights before there was a doctor on her show. Besides the merits of the respective shows, I am getting sick of people promoting their BOOKS! The biggest book promoter is Doctor Phil: I can't stand it! For some mechanic-type therapy book on how to fix your love-life...
Entered on: Wednesday, December 6th, 2006 at 12:47.

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