After some further reading it seems obvious that the two incidents are entirely unrelated, but it was a fun rabbit hole for a sec!

Edited to say “usually”, apologies, lol

My Rollerblades should be here Wednesday! Last I had a pair I was probably 17, but I started playing Bomb Rush Cyberpunk (spiritual successor to Jet Grind Radio) and was instantly hit with the urge to get back out there.

I see your point, but I’d be cautious of underestimating them.

Regardless of their own shortcomings, they have more resources than virtually anyone else on the planet to compensate for them. They certainly have teams of incredibly smart, and incredibly well paid people scheming for them.

What are the chances they are working together and creating a distraction?

Long, somewhat related story:

Many moons ago I was at a club and was dying for a smoke, but you had to leave the club and go through two sets of lines and ID checks to get to where I was hanging out on the second floor. Well, they had a giant outdoor balcony, but the area was walled off by a line of plastic chairs. My drunk, fiendin, ass said, “fuck it”, shuffled a chair out of the way, and snuck off to the corner to smoke. Well, what was one or two people who noticed me and did the same, soon turned into a packed balcony.

Regardless, my little act of rebellion seemed to get the attention of a “tallish” girl in heels who started chatting me up. About 3/4 through my smoke, the bouncers finally catch wind that there’s fifty people on the balcony, and start angrily shuffling people back into the club. At this point, I ask the chick if she wants to dance, and she accepts.

Kudos to her for lasting as long as she did, but thirty seconds into grinding her ass on my stomach, she gave up trying to dance with me and walked away without a word, never to be seen again.

I wouldn’t even consider myself short (1.78m, 5’10"), but it was a humbling moment at the time.

Birches be crazy…

Mine autoplays physics concept explanation videos, lol

I too have a no soliciting sign, though I don’t think anyone has ever walked up, read it, and turned around. Instead, when I open the door, I mention the company they represent should start doing literacy tests, point at the sign, and tell them to get the fuck off my porch. I know that ignoring them is an option, but so is throwing rocks, soooo…

Name an ideological concept that has led to more killing and death then religion…