conuly | I've been dealing with the immient collapse of civilization

by reading. I mean, I would go to a protest but I also don't want to get covid-19, so.... (This may be the coward's way out.)

Anyway, I've finished the most recent Rivers of London book, and I'm just going to say that since clearly both Peter and the author know about Faraday cages, it's astonishing that at no point in this series did anybody suggest "But will your phone still be bricked if you do magic after stashing it in a microwave or a bag lined with aluminium* foil?"

* British spelling intentional.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

redbird

I don't know whether that's cowardice or just good sense; I'm staying home, just in case, until at least tomorrow morning, so can dodge the question a little longer.

Maybe if I was somewhere with fewer COVID-19 cases, and deaths, than Massachusetts or New York, I'd come up with a different answer.

From:

wpadmirer

Peter does get better at remembering to stash his phone without its battery as the books go along. But he kills a lot of phones before that!

From:

conuly

Yes, my complaint is that, given his inquisitive and scientific outlook on the whole "magic" thing, it's surprising that he doesn't test this particular thing.

From:

readerjane

I remember Peter testing how far away he needed to be from his phone before Lux would brick the phone. He marked the distance off on the lab table.

That's one of the things I find so delightful about these stories. An apprentice magician who loves the scientific method!

From:

librarygeek

I tripped, badly, at home here yesterday and am taking that as the warning from the Universe that going to protest in Philly as street medic and clergy student wouldn't be helping if I'm just an additional casualty.

Dyspraxia I often explain as fatally clumsy, and cardiac problems leads to poor circulation and terrible bruising. I'm a mess at the moment. :-(

From:

lilysea

Staying home during the COVID pandemic - as bad as the COVID pandemic is in the US - is saving not only your own life, but the lives of everyone you might pass it on to, and the lives of everyone THEY might pass it on to...

From:

dewline

Seconding that.

From:

conuly

I know. It feels wishy-washy, though.

From:

dewline

Not wishy-washy. Really, it's not. Someone's got to be kept in reserve for the second wave protests.

And, probably, the third as well.

Edited Date: 2020-06-01 02:22 pm (UTC)

From:

affreca

Yeah. I'm also in a shame spiral about an overdue work project (that isn't that bad if I just did it), and have my standard Sunday stress headache. Also, I find crowds very uncomfortable. So I'm hoping my small college town has a peaceful protest tonight.

From:

lavendertook

No, it's sensible to stay home and I am so afraid for the protestors and hoping that if there is any fairness in the universe--which I doubt, but here's hoping--for it to wrap around them all and not compound the police violence with virus transmission.

From:

conuly

Maybe the cops will all get it instead.

From:

melannen

I think the problem with the question of Faraday cages is that it leads directly to "....so in that case, am I protected against magical brain damage if I always wear a tinfoil hat?" :P

From:

conuly

I mean... it's a valid question.

(deleted comment)

From:

conuly

We're one of the cities where someone tried to mow down protesters on one of our main drags in their truck.

Another thing we have in common, it seems :(

To add salt to wounds no one's allowed to know which officer shot the transgender male, which is a matter of public concern, to say the least. LE's saying the officer himself was a "crime victim" so is covered by Marsie's Law (how I hate that law).

Oh, fuck that shit.

From:

marahmarie

Yeah. While the intention of the law might be good (I question that, though, seriously) outcomes like the police twisting it to their own desires are why I wish it had never passed in FL (to be clear we're not the only Marsie's Law state in the union, though; there are quite a few others).

Edited Date: 2020-06-02 03:51 am (UTC)

From:

marahmarie

(deleted parent comment for TMI)

From:

marahmarie

aluminium* foil?"

* British spelling intentional.

Yes, so do you know how to pronounce it like they do? It's ALLA-minium

"I will take one roll of ALLA-minium if you can be arsed, thank you."

Edited (typo) Date: 2020-06-01 03:23 am (UTC)

From:

sallymn

It's easy for me, being where I am, so I can't even presume to think how conflicted you are... two crises tugging at you at the same time, in different directions.

{hugs}

From:

conuly

To be fair, I'd have to be really motivated to go to a protest even if there wasn't a risk of a. virus or b. violence. My idea of protesting usually involves sternly worded letters sent from the comfort and safety of my home.

From:

zesty_pinto

I have to admit I feel an insane amount of privilege to live in a liberal state that took COVID very seriously that doesn't have enough of a police force to really do the things that people are reporting.

I know that right now we're living in the scenes that are going to be written in history books that bored school children will be forced to remember. The most I've done is put money where my mouth is to local figures and orgs that have been helpful through this, though there's never enough money to do it everywhere...

From:

conuly

It'll be at least three decades before any schoolkids have to learn about it.

From:

zesty_pinto

I'm sure it'll be whitewashed as much as possible and the wrong figures will be given more credit than they deserve as well, too. The significance is def there though, and I don't even know how I can even explain most of it if someone ever comes by to ask me about it.

From:

greghousesgf

A lot of schoolkids never get past JFK's election....

From:

conuly

Assuming they even get that far.

From:

thewayne

Just finished Foxglove Summer, soon to start on the next.

Yeah, I've wondered that myself since they make pocket portable fabric bag ones.

From:

conuly

And Peter really ought to be familiar with the sort of improvised Faraday bags that shoplifters use.

From:

thewayne

Indeed! Then again, he was pretty fresh out of the academy and didn't have much time on the beat, as I recall.

From:

conuly

I don't think that's accurate, but I don't really want to re-open the first book right now to check. One of us will have to sooner or later.

From:

thewayne

According to Wikipedia, the character bio for the first book says:
- Police Constable Lesley May; an officer in the Metropolitan Police who, having completed her mandatory probationary period, is expected to go far. - Police Constable Peter Grant; an officer in the Metropolitan Police who, having completed his mandatory probationary period, is expected to do paperwork. So pretty fresh out of whatever they call they academy.