Random, Random 2.0

[Jeff from TX]

I'm obviously not a good barometer on this, but I always say I'll take the earthquakes over what most areas have.

Logic doesn't really play into our fears, does it? I honestly don't think I could live in a place with 'gators, yet I'm statistically much much much more likely to be killed by a drunk driver, and I've never contemplated giving up driving. I think a lot of it goes back to our beginning as a species, and the fear of being dragged under water and drowning and then being eaten by an alligator triggers the primitive parts of our brains that driving just can't. I'd put earthquakes in there with cars. Even though we may have had to deal with them since we began as a species, they don't trigger that part of the brain, or at least not any more, or at least not for most people. And believe it or not, you get used to them, unless they are really big. But now in many places in this state, you have to add in forest fires, and they are horrific. But for the most part we don't have tornadoes, or hurricanes, or blizzards, or dust storms.

Kevin

p.s. For a great read about people being able to control geology and earthquakes, I highly recommend N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season, which is the first book in her Broken Earth Trilogy.

I live in a tornado-y area, but they don't loom large over life here. I've never actually been in one. I've seen a funnel cloud from a distance, watched clouds swirl ominously over my house, and have retreated to a basement for shelter, but never actually been in a tornado. So even if you live in places where natural disasters happen, it's not like they rule your life.

When people move to Indiana from a different region, they are most afraid of snowy and icy roads. Those suck, but they are remedied pretty fast, and most people can just stay home until the roads are clear. I am much more worried about bad roads than tornadoes.

I always think I wouldn't move to the Austin area because of the tarantulas. Sounds like they are common house pests there. But millions of people deal with it just fine.

I think experience tells us to fear things like a gator attack or an airplane crash more than statistically common dangers. Let's say I've been on the road 1 million times so far in my life. I'm 1 million for 1 million in success, pretty much. Never been hit by a drunk driver. Never been seriously injured, despite being in a couple crashes. That experience affects how I feel more than the statistic about the likelihood of being hit/hurt by a drunk driver..

I lived in the Austin area for over 30 years. Saw maybe 2 or 3 tarantulas. They aren't poisonous. Fascinating creatures.

[ti-amie]

https://youtu.be/42_oWaWsiYs

[ponchi101]

My house in Caracas was in a very wild area.
I once was arriving (I had to go downhill) and as I took a turn, I could see my garden. And there was a "cat" in there.
Except that then I realized it was not a "cat". It was some rather big thing, maybe a local species we call a "cunaguaro". Roughly, the size of a Rottweiler. It has left by the time I got home (probably heard the gate opening).
Still, give me wildlife over an earthquake. Then again, the earthquakes I have been through have been in Caracas, and I don't know if the building codes account for them.

[ti-amie]

Talk about over compensation...

[Fastbackss]

That's usually what I bring into the bathroom after eating at Subway...especially the..."tuna"...

[meganfernandez]

You guys always forget those giant spiders in Australia. I'd call this guy and his garbage can to come get it because there's no way I'd stay in a house with one of those.

Exhibit A

I would comment but the more I talk about this, the more I'm inviting the universe to bring a giant spider to me. I know, I brought it up. My fault.

[ponchi101]

Talk about over compensation...

Indeed. How small must your little friend be for you to need to carry a bazooka to make you feel safe?

[meganfernandez]

Talk about over compensation...

Indeed. How small must your little friend be for you to need to carry a bazooka to make you feel safe?

And no mask. The worker isn't wearing one, either.

[JazzNU]

A friend put this up on Facebook

[ti-amie]

A friend put this up on Facebook

Obviously not enough research was done but let's cut to the chase. How are his testicles?

[ponchi101]

[Deuce]

Everyone who knows me knows that I believe that 'social media' does considerably more harm than good - both socially to the masses as well as personally to each individual.
Facebook began on a foundation of getting people 'addicted' to it, and all other 'social media' platforms have followed that disgustingly selfish model (see here... Facebook's Foundation is the Exploitation of Vulnerabilities)

Sacha Baron Cohen here calls 'social media' "the greatest propaganda machine in history"...

[ti-amie]

WILD animals are not your friends. That only happens in Disney cartoons.

[JazzNU]

WILD animals are not your friends. That only happens in Disney cartoons.

Not even going to watch. No need to give my potential nightmares material. But even without looking, can I just say that people are idiots. Why do they keep messing with wild animals? In real life, when has that had a good result?

[skatingfan]

I love how the warthog approaches all friendly, wagging it's tail. Never approach a warthog, unless, of course, it sounds like Nathan Lane, and has a meerkat on it's back.

(Why doesn't the spell check here know meerkat?)