Over a decade ago, a Japanese university professor was found dead, sliced up by sword, left to bleed to death in the stairwell of the university building where his office was. It was not a mystery why, he had been working on translating Salmon Rushdie’s book into Japanese. No one talked / talks about it, the message was sent. The chicken was killed.

There’s a lot to be learned in billiard halls, and the Philippines produce world-class players in abundance. The balls don’t suffer any delusions, they can only be brutally honest.

One commenter at Yon’s blog offered some very valid reasons for his foreign friend to be intimidated so. For example, she fit the classic profile of someone being brought in for the sex trade. Holding a victim for an extended period might allow certain drugs or influence to become exposed. After reading that poster’s comments, I realized the intimidating treatment she had been subjected to might very well been her only chance for her protection (if she had actually been entrapped by the slave trade). It made me think twice about appearances. The Customs agent might be fighting for the one he seems to be abusing.

Wretchard, I also was moved by your testimony of humble faith:
‘There’s nobody here but us and the Creator. The something out there that we are trying to understand and be in harmony. Reality and our attempts to survive in it. The problem is as it has always been. Lord, help me think straight. And have mercy on this poor sinner.’

Lord, help me think straight. Amen. Do I step into a hostile community and speak what I see as the Truth (and burn bridges) or do I shake them off as unworthy of my attention, and move on my own path? Lord, help me think straight.

Best regards, Peter Warner.