Hi Glenn, I'm really sorry to hear about this incident. It makes me sick that people can't just let others get on with their lives without feeling so insecure about their own that they have to attack others.
After the attacks on London earlier this week our mayor said "In the days that follow look at our airports, look at our sea ports and look at our railway stations and, even after your cowardly attack, you will see that people from the rest of Britain, people from around the world will arrive in London to become Londoners and to fulfil their dreams and achieve their potential. They choose to come to London, as so many have come before because they come to be free, they come to live the life they choose, they come to be able to be themselves. They flee you because you tell them how they should live. They don't want that and nothing you do, however many of us you kill, will stop that flight to our city where freedom is strong and where people can live in harmony with one another. Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail." I think this applies equally to your situation. I hope you won't allow these people to dictate how you live. On a more practical note, I had several attempted muggings against me on my first trip to Ethiopia. These attempts were by desperate, pathetic people who wanted to steal my cameras - 2 MXs at the time. I found that the ancient Japanese martial arts of Asahi-te and Mxendo were very effective. Swinging the cameras by their straps in the direction of the muggers was quite useful, especially when accompanied by loud shouting, and kicks to the soft parts. I hope you recover quickly and well, and continue to live the life you choose, and to be yourself. -- Cheers, Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: Shel Belinkoff [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 10 July 2005 16:28 > To: [email protected] > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: Major Tactical Error > > Hi, > > So sorry to hear about the attack. Your tale made me cringe. > Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery, both > physical and emotional. > > There's little I can do from across the country. However, I > have a flash that I'm not using - it's a Vivitar 2500 Super > Thyristor. If it'll work for you I'd be happy to send it on > its way. Don't ask me anything about it ... I've never used > it except to put it on the camera to see if it flashed, which > it does. If you want it, it's yours - just shoot me your address. > > Shel > > > > [Original Message] > > From: D. Glenn Arthur Jr. > > To: <[email protected]> > > Date: 7/10/2005 8:08:13 AM > > Subject: Major Tactical Error > > > > Note to self: if I'm ever jumped by a half dozen younger, > faster guys > > again (and I hope not -- once is too many), and I'm carrying the > > K1000, do not protect the camera; use it as a weapon instead. > > Probably would've cost me the FA28-80/3.5-4.7 that was on > it, but that > > body's as hard as their fists and harder than mine. > > > > Another note to self: for getting knocked on my ass on > pavement, the > > K1000 is probably the most rugged camrera I've got right now. > > > > Final note to self: on the other hand, something with automation > > might have stood a better chance at capturing a useful image of my > > assailants fleeing the scene as I, thoroughly dazed by > multiple blows > > to the head and a fall, tried to shoot without a flash. > > > > And a whine: the flash they first damaged knocking it off > the camera > > and then took with them, was my last still-properly-working flash. > > > > After nearly a quarter century of being out-and-visible > without being > > physically attacked, my streak has ended. I got bashed. > > > > The good news is that physically I shall heal (large swelling on my > > right cheek with no purpling, bruising under both eyes so small it > > looks like a mascara smudge (except that sp far it's blue, > and I wear > > black mascara), a scraped elbow, and the biggie is a bruise > inside my > > torso (no purpling on the skin) that makes it too painful to take a > > deep breath or stand up completely straight). Basically > nothing but > > mere pain. > > Admittedly rather a lot of pain, but the anger is still larger than > > the pain. And will probably last longer. > > > > (More details, if anyone wants more info than I've written > here, are > > available at: > > <http://www.livejournal.com/users/dglenn/593294.html> and > > <http://www.livejournal.com/users/dglenn/593914.html>.) > > > > -- Glenn > > > > >
