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The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
I'm glad we have rules. I just don't expect people to follow them
Rules are great. I think most of us over the age of five will agree that having them is preferable to not. Perhaps there are a few stragglers out there reading this who would love to cosplay a lesser sequel of The Purge, swinging baseball bats at strangers and urinating in the street, but I would imagine you are in the minority on that. Rules are the backbone of what we have left of society. I'm not happy about where we are, but I don't make the rules. At least not yet. I just need to host a popular reality show – then my political career can really take off. A recent interaction has me reflecting on this. I was wandering over to my local coffee shop one morning, off a wide boulevard where motorists scream through intersections like the car from Ghostbusters late for a particularly aggressive haunting. A crosswalk, with accompanying yellow yield light, was recently installed to combat the minor issue of pedestrians being flattened by drivers on their way to the hair salon or texting about being late to the hair salon. The light has been mostly successful in preventing the human waffle-ironing, but it requires walkers to actually press the button to activate it. This is a step that people often dismiss, hoping and praying that the drivers out there are lucid enough to acknowledge the existence of others. Without the yellow light, we're all operating on the honor system for not killing each other. That morning, someone confidently strolled into the intersection, and was mortified that the car screaming down the road didn't immediately stop for him. The pedestrian hollered and moaned as the vehicle screeched to a halt. Once he was done cursing and spitting on the street, the man crossed and the befuddled driver carried on. Besides my relief at not witnessing a homicide, I was left wondering why the man was so upset. Was he expecting the driver to follow the rules? How naive. Let's pray this guy never ends up involved in global foreign policy. I couldn't help but think of this beautifully trusting pedestrian during the last week of nail-biting brinkmanship between the United States and Iran. A few bombs here, a couple of missiles there. Some erratic social media posts later, and we have something akin to a ceasefire for the time being. Donald Trump claimed the Iranian nuclear capability had been 'obliterated', though experts say the country's program was only set back by a few months. It all comes back to the rules we make. We had an Obama-era deal to cap Iran's atomic ambitions – but Trump pulled the US out of it back in 2018, drastically curtailing the west's ability to hold the ayatollah to his promises. It's like if Los Angeles decided to take the crosswalk out of my neighborhood and instead ask people nicely not to run each other over with giant piles of metal going over 40mph – and if someone got hit, to blow up the area with a bunker buster. We need rules, even if we assume people will break them early and often. Because the vast majority of us won't. Most of us are too timid, too square or, in my case, too lazy. The alternative to rules is anarchy: a fistfight in the supermarket or a bachelor party in Atlantic City. Still, it's time to expect that the arc of the universe will not bend in our direction, that our fellows might not be considering whether or not to slow down through the intersection of life. I don't want to wade too deeply into the finer points of foreign policy, because, as I mentioned above, I have never hosted a reality television program. But I am highly qualified to complain about things, which I will continue doing in this space for the foreseeable future. Assume the worst, as I do, and your life will be much simpler. Expect those around you to fail and flout the rules that govern our world. Does this sound cynical? Of course it does. Does that mean it's wrong? Absolutely not. Look around. Not just at the inside of your living room, the bathroom stall or wherever it is you're reading this. I mean, look around metaphorically. Our institutions are wobbly, our trust in order is at an all-time low, and Vanderpump Rules might never come back for new episodes. Where is the justice? The Democratic primary victory of the New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has been the talk of the entire US, acting as a lighthouse of hope in the choppy pea-soup shit fog of 2025. But in order for Mamdani to win that primary, people had to show up. They had to vote for him and not assume someone else would. Better to assume everyone around you had a nasty fall on the head and can't stop saying 'Cuomo' over and over again. Expect the worst, then enjoy the surprise of being wrong. If I did host a reality show, and therefore became eligible for the presidency, this would be the primary tenet of my foreign policy. 'If we bomb Iran, people will be upset. And upset people do nasty things' – sure, that won't fit on a campaign button, but I'm sure I could hire someone to workshop it into something catchier. I'm obviously thrilled we all haven't been vaporized, but decisions made today do have this pesky way of leading to calamities of the future. You only need to think back to the 1953 CIA coup that led to the overthrow of the Iranian prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh. Cleverer people than me (with a higher word-count maximum) could explain the connection between that regime change and Iran's persistent conflict with the United States. What will be the long-term effects of the US-Israeli bombing campaign? Unfortunately, I'm stuck in the present and can't give you a definitive answer. That is one of the many drawbacks of corporeal existence, another of which is getting hit by a car. Whatever happens next, don't expect it to be fun. But if it is, and we're all drinking champagne in Tehran in a decade, you can come back here and tell me I'm stupid. What a lovely surprise that would be. Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humorist
Fox News
a day ago
- General
- Fox News
Man confronts woman with forbidden dog inside coffee shop, sparking heated debate
A coffee-shop patron who confronted another customer about having a dog inside the store said he was accused of acting improperly for questioning the woman about it. A Reddit user wrote about his recent coffee-shop experience on a popular subreddit page. "As soon as I open the door I'm hit with a dog looking at me at hip level sitting on a chair in this small shop," wrote the man, who said he was 33 years old. "The dog is indoors and the door had a clear 'no pets' sign. I watched for a second. This clearly wasn't a service animal, as she was letting it interact with several other guests." That's when the man said he decided to approach the woman about it. "I asked her why she ignored the 'no pets' sign? She ignores me," the man wrote. "I asked her, 'Did you miss the no pets sign?' She immediately says, 'I think you should stop harassing me' … This lady played the victim and called me an a--hole." The man said that another customer "stepped up for her" and then confronted him — asking him why it's an issue and telling him, "Don't be an a--hole and drop it." "I wave the guy off, tell him I care, and I don't like dogs," he said. "I say, 'It's not hard to not bring your dog to a coffee shop that doesn't allow dogs.'" The man writing on Reddit said he then complained to an employee at the stop, "who didn't seem interested in enforcing anything." Many commenters agreed with the man but felt he handled the situation poorly. "I love dogs. I love cafés. I hate people who bring their dogs to cafés." "The way you asked her why repeatedly was weird - she's not going to have an answer or respond well to that - but you weren't wrong for calling her out for having a dog in a restaurant that clearly doesn't allow them," one person wrote. "I'd personally have asked for the manager and pushed them to do something. I say this as a huge animal person: It's outrageous how many pet owners feel entitled to ignore rules because they think their pet is 'special.' I love dogs, but I don't want to find dog hair in my tea." Another person commented, "Annoying that the business would have 'no pets' policies posted and not enforce them, though." Someone else wrote, "I love dogs. I love cafés. I hate people who bring their dogs to cafés." Yet another person remarked that dogs "don't belong in coffee shops sitting on chairs meant for people, especially in shops that also serve food, as many coffee shops do." "You could have quietly brought it up to someone at the register or find the manager." Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, founder and owner of the Protocol School of Texas in San Antonio, suggested that this sort of issue is best left for management to handle. "Unless the dog is vicious and you have to immediately move a child or yourself out of the way, remarking that you are in potential danger, allow the owner or manager of the establishment to handle the situation," Gottsman told Fox News Digital. Other Redditors agreed that it wasn't necessary for the man to get involved. "See, it's not your 'civil duty' to protect a company or spout the rules," one commenter wrote. "You could have quietly brought it up to someone at the register or find the manager." "What possible positive outcome could transpire by confronting the person?" The commenter also said, "The lady also sucks because clearly she thinks the rules aren't meant for her." Another commenter felt the man was instigating things. "Go complain to an employee or manager. What possible positive outcome could transpire by confronting the person?" the individual wrote. "Confronting the other patron directly only serves to fulfill some desire for engaging in conflict where you're 'justified,'" the person added. "Not your job." Gottsman added, "If the dog is sitting under the table, causing no harm, and you are just irritated because the [animal's owner] is breaking the rule, consider your motive. How important is it to you and how is the dog impacting you personally or other patrons?" She said it's important to consider that the woman might not have seen the "no pets" sign. "It's not necessary for a guest to be the pet enforcer but to politely point out the issue to the manager and allow them to make the final call," Gottsman noted. If the woman was "blatantly disrespecting a rule, it comes across as arrogant because everyone will feel like they can break the rule and all of a sudden there are no boundaries," Gottsman told Fox News Digital. However, she said, "perhaps she may not have known there was a pet policy, or there may be a reason she brought her pet in with her … It's never a good idea for a fellow guest to be on pet patrol for no good reason except to call someone else out. Let the manager handle the situation." Fox News Digital reached out to the original Reddit poster for additional information.
CBS News
3 days ago
- CBS News
Santa Monica police share video of coffee shop burglary as search for two suspects continues
Santa Monica police are searching for two suspects who allegedly broke into a coffee shop early Monday morning. It happened at around 4:30 a.m. at Amai Coffee, which is located in the 1700 block of Pico Boulevard, according to the Santa Monica Police Department. The suspects gained entry into the shop by shattering the glass front door, which can be seen in video detectives shared on X. Police say that no items were reported stolen, but the damage dealt to the storefront is estimated to be around $1,000. "A similar burglary occurred at this location three months ago, and a neighboring business, Dr. T House, was also targeted around the same time," said SMPD. The first suspect is described as a male with an average build who was wearing a black sweater, black face mask, blue jeans and black shoes. The second suspect is also a male with an average build who was wearing a black FILA sweater with white lettering, a red face mask, black pants and black shoes. They were captured on surveillance footage fleeing from the area in a white or silver sedan. Anyone who recognizes the suspects or who knows more is asked to contact detectives at (310) 458-8932.
Gizmodo
5 days ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Amazon's Choice 15.6-Inch Portable Monitor Matches Its Black Friday Price Ahead of Prime Day
If you're someone who works remotely, it's good to get out of the house every once in awhile to go get some work done at your local coffee shop. But how do you stay productive with just the singular display of your laptop screen? The answer is to get yourself a portable monitor. Double the monitors means double the productivity after all. Amazon has the Anyuse 15.6-inch portable monitor on sale right now for 29% off. That brings the price down from $70 to just $50. That will save you a cool $20. This 15.6-inch display is the perfect companion for the traveling worker. Whether you're working in a coffee shop or in a hotel, it's helpful to recreate the desktop experience to see more of your work in front of your at once. You can have your email or Slack open on one monitor, while you have your actually work open on the other. Or you can have two different web pages open side by side without having to deal with the cumbersome back and forth of clicking between tabs. See at Amazon The portable monitor is easy to setup. Just plug in your laptop over either one of its two USB-C ports or over the Mini-HDMI port. You can even connect a smartphone, PC, PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch if your so wish. A portable monitor wouldn't be anything to write home about if it wasn't easy to travel with. The monitor has an ultra slim profile and comes with an adjustable kickstand so you can keep it upright. It can be set to multiple different viewing angles depending on what's best for you and where you're seated. You can use the monitor either in landscape or portrait for added versatility, able to use it in whichever way makes the most sense for you. Built-in, the monitor has two speakers so you can listen to your audio through the monitor directly with no need for any additional accessories. You can choose to plug in headphones or separate speakers via its 3.5 mm audio jack if you would prefer. So if you're someone who works off of their laptop a lot, or travels with their Nintendo Switch but would prefer gaming on a larger display while on the go, consider treating yourself to a portable monitor. This one from Anyuse is currently on sale for 29% off, bringing the price down from $70 to just $50 for a limited time. See at Amazon
Times of Oman
6 days ago
- General
- Times of Oman
Monday column: The adventures in our minds
You would say a person in his forties has a lot to do in life but if he is confined on a wheelchair many people would say he has limited options. I was in the same opinion until I sat down and talked to such person. This was only last week when I saw a friend after many years. He waved at me when I was walking the opposite direction. He was sitting in a coffee shop all alone. I interrupted my routine and joined him. It was then I noticed a wheelchair when I was sitting opposite him. He noticed what I was looking at and he smiled. He told me he is now confined on the wheelchair after a car accident that crippled him five years ago. 'Don't look sad,' he told me when he noticed the expression on my face,' I had a lot of time to adjust myself to this situation.' I struggled for words because last time I saw him he was on the beach walking. But I did not tell him that. He smiled again and then answered my question that I did not have the encourage to ask. He went on to tell me that it was hard for the first twelve months not to be able to do his exercises. At least I had the courage to ask 'what has changed after one year? ' His answer was puzzling when he said 'it was something in the air and the horizon' that took him out of his mental miseries. I thought he was either having me on or his mental faculties were crippled, too. I think he knew what I was thinking and quickly explained. His family took him for a day out in a village and while sitting out on a shade of a tree having lunch, he started taking an interest with the nature. He noticed birds swirling around on the trees. He also noticed the clouds touching the mountains peaks and the shapes of the shadows on the ground. 'It was then I realized that I did not need my feet to get out of my wheelchair,' he told me with a broad smile. He is now creating adventures in his mind on a daily basis. He did not need to use the road to get where he wants to be. As a matter of fact, he could parachute himself on the valleys, fly high over the treetops and sail on the oceans. So, he explained, the wheelchair is just a confinement for his body and not his mental prowess. In other words, he is not letting his disability pull him down. He is rising above the challenge and getting results. We sat there for another half an hour before he decided to call it a day and go home. And there was another surprise for me. I expected someone to come and wheel him home. He saw it on my face and said,' I drive myself around.' I watched him get himself into the lift on his way to his car. Using his arms, he can lift himself behind the wheel and fold his wheel chair and put it on the passenger's seat. He is doing all that without using his legs. So what have I learned from him? Very simple. The power of the mind is much stronger than our physical strength.
