Jason Ashley Wright: Reasoning with superstitions
11.10.11
Perhaps "practice" is an overstatement, as it's probably more of a glorified nervous tic. More specifically, I imagine it's a blend of obsessive-compulsive behavior and mild superstition. Actually, more like total OCD with an occasional sprinkling of superstition to season the craziness.
Not sure when I developed this, but it was worse when I was younger, especially from the last two grades of high school and halfway through college. Like checking door locks and burner knobs while counting one through five, then one through four, through three, then two and just one, and doing so while envisioning the numbers in a pyramid. Yeah, I'm fairly certain I'm just bat-shake crazy. Bat shake, by the way, is this year's Halloween flavor at Braum's (just kidding - but do let me know if you attempt to order it).
Anyway, I rarely do the number-pyramid thing anymore, but I do harbor a few superstitions, just in case there's something to it. Sit back a spell with me, let's compare
Source: Tulsa World
Kitchen fire at social housing on Halston deemed suspicious
28.09.11
Clothing, not food, was on the burner when a kitchen erupted in smoke and flames at a North Shore apartment building, prompting police to launch an investigation.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Grant Learned said the clothing was piled on top of the stove, the burners turned on and the control knobs removed.
The 55-year-old tenant, who has lived at the Victory Inn, a social housing facility run by the John Howard Society on Halston Avenue, for four years without incident, was not home when the fire started, he said Wednesday.
But Learned said police had dealt with the man twice in a 24-hour period leading up to the fire alarm going off at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday. Police described his behaviour has “emotionally displaced.”
At first the suspect’s neighbour, John Anderson, thought the alarm might be false, he said. But being so early in the morning, he thought he would investigate.
“The building’s alarm system bells were clanging and there was smoke in the hallway,” said Anderson.
Source: www.kamloopsnews.ca