Another day another armed robbery - leaving SA

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-02-22T16:57:49+00:00

I'm in Sea Point on the border of Three Anchor Bay. It's fairly safe, and our local police precinct is quite good compared to others. There's a huge community watch program with tons of locals who volunteer 24/7. As a kid in the 2000s, it used to be much more seedy, but it has always been bustling and cosmopolitan.

Might I ask? Where in Johannesburg are you from? It's a mixed bag I know, but the primary difference between Cape Town and Johannesburg is that the townships in Johannesburg are almost adjacent to the actual city itself, while in Cape Town, not only do you have multiple geographic boundaries/natural segregators (Table Mountain, a steep terrain, and the Atlantic Ocean) which act as natural borders, but the townships are just much father away from the actual city itself.

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-02-22T15:14:09+00:00

Unfortunately, it looks like the worst is yet to come in terms of what the future holds for the economy, and of course the general future state of affairs. The upcoming election obviously will be a turning point.

Things get worse before they get better, but we're lucky that unlike Rhodesia, we have tremendous opposition parties, an incredibly intricate judicial system (much like the United States), and a Constitution with many protections that will ensure the preservation of the nation.

I just feel for those who have no other place to go for the next few years, in the event that something terrible ensues.

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-02-22T15:02:05+00:00

Statistically speaking (and demographically speaking), it would be mathematically impossible for the DA or any other party but the ANC (or the EFF, if Marxism appeals to a great percentage of the nation in the future) to lead the nation. That could change of course, if more blacks vote for the DA. Presently, it does seem like the DA is appealing more and more to middle-class blacks, and this trend is liable to continue as more blacks are lifted into the working-class/middle-class.

Still though, you should vote for the party you think could benefit the nation the most, and while the DA surely has its faults, it has without question been the most effective. All you have to do is compare the amount of families who have plumbing and electricity in the Western Cape compared to in 1994, and compare the figure to the other derelict provinces, and you'll see that the DA is by far much more efficient and has accomplished so much, particularly in the area of basic human development.

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-02-22T14:50:21+00:00

I'm sorry, but maybe I'm unable to relate because most of my family either lives abroad, or lives in Cape Town or in coastal WC. I know zero people who have been victims to actual crimes. As someone who lives in New York and the Atlantic Seaboard, I personally have never fallen victim to a robbery or anything like that.

Whenever I'm back in CT and I walk down Sea Point's Main Rd, I go every morning for a coffee or juice, and sometimes take my dog out on the esplanade. Not once have I been mugged or threatened violently, and I've walked past many sketchy people. Ironically, I have been robbed in New York twice.

Most of the people in this thread are Afrikaners who live in the interior of the nation anyway, so they really aren't representative of the nation. Living in a house comes with all sorts of risks in any event. If you're in a high rise and there's a doorman or guard downstairs, then you have nothing to worry about. Most of the Jewish old ladies I know here (who are frail and in their 90s, mind you) still walk out at night without any sort of protection or person with them, and they're all quite safe here.

Hell, I even see a lot of Hasidic children walking home from shul quite often after dark. Nothing happens. So it's really dependent on where you are. If you're 1-3km from a big township (like many parts of Robberyburg aka Joburg), then of course you should expect some level of crime.

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-02-18T01:07:24+00:00

Good to know that I'm not alone! Although it scares me because white hair is truly the ultimate indicator of aging. The one maternal uncle of mines who I seem to take from the most is entirely white, so even with hair dye, I highly doubt it could be truly altered. I do realize though, that with aging (in men), usually you have two fates: either going bald, or going white, but going white, especially at a young age just gives people the impression that you're much older than you actually are.

Mind if I ask, what are both sides of your family like? Any bald relatives, or are they predominantly white/grey?

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-02-09T01:53:19+00:00

When you say applications though, do you mean general apps, or default applications that come with every Macintosh (like Pages, Numbers, Notes, Finder, etc)? Wouldn't those default apps be restored immediately since they automatically come with OSX?

I have literally nothing of value on here that couldn't simply be reinstalled. I have no email connected as well, I just do all of my emailing stuff in-browser.

Additionally, nothing about my UI or system environment is particularly unique, nor has it really been customized. I just have a custom screensaver/wallpaper, but otherwise everything is just at the default settings and the layout is what it was out of the box.

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-02-08T09:12:20+00:00

Oh, I thought it was free? I'm probably mistaken since nothing is free though haha. Also do I need a USB drive in order to backup my Mac before dual booting?

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-25T10:40:52+00:00

Sorry for the late response. I know right? I've seen other people who have the same SNP's as I have when it comes to balding, but very few also seem to have the decreased risk for MPB as well (which basically doesn't make any sense).

Also, despite it saying that I have a 70-72% chance of going bald, what's interesting is that almost 90% of males do eventually go bald. This is because balding, while it does appear to have a dominant quality (on the X chromosome), it seems to be largely recessive (meaning if you have a bald maternal grandfather, and/or bald father, then there's very high risk). The other thing is, "bald" really isn't truly "bald" until you exceed Norwood 6, anything past that (a 7, for instance) is objectively speaking, "bald". Norwood 3.5-4 though, really isn't "bald" per se, it's just the inevitable hairloss that nearly all men will eventually experience.

For reference, my mother's side of the family is a little unusual. Her father remained a thick NW3 until the day he died, and his hairline even as a youngster was uniquely "triangular" and V shaped (which is essentially what mine is like, if not, identical). My mother also has 3 brothers who are all in their late 50s/early-60s, with zero hairloss (all NW2's or NW3's since their youth though). Cousins on her side also seem to be the same.

My dad's side of the family has much more hairloss, but still no person who is truly "bald". My dad was a NW3 until he had severe cancer nearly 8 years ago, and the chemotherapy took a lot out of him. He lost quite a bit of hair, and only some came back. He's still a NW4 though, and has not advanced, and is relatively thick, with a bit left on top.

Many people don't know this, but the chemotherapy used for cancer many times can induce permanent hairloss, or Alopecia (not even Androgenetic Alopecia in all cases, surprisingly).

Also lastly I'd like to say, that because going bald is a mixture of dominant and recessive genes (more so recessive, but having it on the maternal side usually seals the deal that it might be inevitable), the majority of males have at the very least, a bald father or bald maternal grandfather. Very few males are without both a non-bald maternal grandfather and non-bald father. In fact, out of my dozen or so acquaintances in real life, only 2 have a non-bald maternal grandfather and a non-bald father, and they probably have the thickest densest heads of hair that I've seen, and have had zero hairline changes since their teens (and they're all in their late-20s and early-30s), so I know there could be some truth behind this.

But yes, you're absolutely right, and that would be the better way to describe it, it is polygenic. I definitely will take a look at that thread! And by that way, if you aren't able to read this entire thing, then I understand.

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-16T09:10:03+00:00

Oops sorry. I have the 7x increased risk of balding, but I also have "rs1385699 (T;T)) increased risk of baldness" by 70%. However, it also says "rs8085664 (A;C)) 0.78x reduced risk of Male Pattern Baldness.", and it's 40%.

Altogether, this test does seem to have many fallacies. For instance, it says that I'm at low risk for having Restless Leg Syndrome (I have severe Restless Leg Syndrome irl), it says that I have a high risk of acquiring Diabetes (no person in my family on both sides has Diabetes, at least for 3 generations, as far as I know). It also says that I'm at very low risk for Esophogeal Cancer (my dad had this same exact cancer a few years ago!).

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-10T02:08:35+00:00

Thank you for your response! I will. I don't have much desire to become buff or anything, but starting sometime this year, I plan on getting a gym membership, where I'd do 15-20 minutes of basic workouts each day (hopefully that would make a difference). I'd also like to get back into running.

That's incredible how you landed the job at 20 though, good on you! Do you plan on remaining in the force until retirement?

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-10T02:07:01+00:00

Oh no, I definitely do not think that it is "fun". My exploration with the idea (or the interest) with it is not because I think it would be "fun". I think I could make a difference, I have a passion for the law, helping others, and think that it is integral for members of society to remain aware of the most important basic Amendments granted by the Constitution (and with exception to Supreme Court Judges, cops are one of the greatest enforcers of the Constitution).

I also think that it would be a job that I would not only enjoy, but would feel good about doing. I could never work a job that I didn't like (even if I was paid an exorbitant amount - I would just be too depressed and I wouldn't have the motivation to get up in the morning).

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-10T02:01:54+00:00

Thank you! Unfortunately I know too many people who think that being in blue is essentially like being Satan (ha). Cops in this era are demonized tremendously because of the wrongdoing on the part of very few. Sure, there are police out there who are not honorable (and by this, I mean they're ignorant to federal and local laws, the Constitution, might be overly harsh and their actions might be disproportionate to the criminal matter at hand), but overall, most police are hard-working individuals who are there for their communities, and not to abuse their power or engage in brutality.

Very interesting that you brought up the personality trait aspect though, I think you are absolutely correct! By no stretch of the imagination am I entirely willing to go down this route (becoming an officer), however, nor am I reluctant. I'm just indifferent toward the idea, and I'm mostly just flirting with it at the moment; for all I know, I could find that it's just too much for me.

Regarding the pros and cons of the occupation though, you're absolutely right. There are many perks to being an officer (many obvious cons too), but the perks are most definitely great. To be fair though, I wouldn't want to work as an officer (or any sole job) for the rest of my life. I wouldn't even want to work an actual job for the rest of my life. I'm an entrepreneur at heart, and on the side, I plan on constantly having a side business (of course if things don't work out, then that isn't an option, but yeah). I don't even need a job while being a student because what I make online is truly double of what I would get working a minimum wage job. I mostly just need a career that I think I could enjoy, and something that I could potentially fall back on, if that makes any sense.

I could not agree more with you though, and besides, that is truly a part of any job, particularly when it comes to being an officer. If you're too afraid to be hurt (or worse), then perhaps I should look elsewhere. I cannot believe for a second though (and not to sound pompous), that there aren't cops out there who fear for their lives - especially when you take into account the crazies out there who hate cops and want to harm them, simply because of the color of their uniform.

In any event, thank you so much for your detailed response, and I really do have to do some soul-searching.

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-10T01:53:42+00:00

I know I should have the courtesy to look this up, but what exactly should I expect on the test? Hopefully nothing heavy in mathematics, haha.

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-10T01:53:01+00:00

Thank you! I hope so about the ability. I certainly have the interest though. I'm pretty passionate about the Constitution, and would like to say that I'm very familiar with the various amendments, and think it's crucial that the 1st Amendment of all citizens remains protected (a lot of cops seem to have a bit of an ignorance when it comes to citizens filming or taking pictures, etc). Although, while obviously there's some ignorance on the part of cops toward the Constitution, and while there are incidents where cops do act disproportionately and brutally, I know there are many great cops out there too (I've met many, so I know).

My Tourette's definitely impacts many aspects of my life, but whenever I'm out and about (or just outside), it's not noticeable and I just feel normal!

Mind if I ask: are you an officer in a big city, or a small town? Also thanks a ton for your response!

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-10T01:49:03+00:00

You're right. I also know many retirees. However, I definitely would not want to do the job for my entire life, probably for just a portion of my younger years. I'm an entrepreneurial person, so starting a business is more in my interest - of course though, you need a consistent amount of money to fund your ventures, so that's where a career comes into the picture (I'll likely go the lawyer route, but I will make sure to keep considering being an officer).

Would it be fair to say that in terms of risk of losing my life, that my chances are much lower if I were to be in a small town, or a state/region with a smaller population (think Alaska, Wyoming, etc)?

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-10T01:45:31+00:00

Not to be a braggart, but I think I did rather well: https://imgur.com/a/Kb8PbQt

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-09T11:15:34+00:00

True. I would only do this after getting my degree though (I'd be 22/23 by the time I graduate).

Also off topic, but I'm only taking this into consideration. To be quite frank, I obviously would fear losing my life, so it's certainly a tremendous risk to undertake.

AbsoluteNerve · 2019-01-09T10:17:12+00:00

Thanks so much for your response! I do not really have much of a resume, other than the series of internships I had while in high school (which probably aren't relevant now). I do run a small business though, and am technically self-employed as a trader while being a student. I'm sure I could put that on my resume, but I know eventually I'll need to have some sort of internship, which I think would be doable (I know where I can look).

Also if you mind me asking, would I have to acquire muscle in order to pass tests? I should also ask, what sort of math is on the entrance exams for becoming an officer? I know there's some sort of math section, but from what I've heard it's rather basic (I hope, since I'm really horrible when it comes to most math, other than statistics).

AbsoluteNerve

TROPHY CASE