Quote of the Week

In my work as a consultant to a UN agency, the International Telecommunication Union, I was recently required to take a couple of short online courses on “Security in the Field.” Among the topics covered were how to deal with child soldiers in the field (never, but never, ask if you can take their photo), how to find North using a wristwatch (an old Boy Scout trick), and what to do when people start shooting into the air (find some thick concrete and get under it). Less dramatic, but equally sound, was what to do with food from dubious sources (“Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it.”) All useful stuff, which I hope I’ll never need it. One of the most striking bits of information was that “Over 50% of hostage victims are taken from vehicles.” Good enough to be Quote of the Week. And a great reason to try and avoid getting in a car when you’re somewhere dodgy.