Murder by numbers

Latest bizarre developments:

Today, there was a fire at a relative's former home. They had lived in this house for over 30 years, and moved last year. The new owner was supposedly growing marijuana. News reports say the house was 'gutted.'

This relative was in the medical field. He and another relative, who's a lawyer by training, were the only two people not present at my Uncle Joseph's funeral. Both of them couldn't make it, at the last minute. What's odd here is that one relative is already retired, and the other was only employed part-time. My Uncle Joseph died on November 9th, 2003 (that is, 9/11); I had predicted his possible demise.

Yesterday, I wrote that Big Brother 'has the chemical and biological means of harming me and others - without it being detected.'

Funny that my neighbour beneath me was playing Talking Heads' 'Burning Down the House' twice, today, and frequently blasts this tune at specific times (it's an eerie song when heard through the floorboards). Also see my many posts about fire alarms (type 'fire alarm' in search bar above).

There are other interesting coincidences and symbolism about this fire incident. Below are just a few.

My mother called me at 10:07pm to share this news. Two minutes after we hung up, a former acquaintance, whom I already suspected has been converted into a mole, calls and raucously asks, 'So, how are you doing?' Still stunned by the news, I barely respond, yet her hyper laughter and comment about how she's 'one-upped' me, says everything. (more info to come)

(By the way, folks, all BPD types have power issues and tend to 'one-up' or escalate power dynamics (see February 1 post). She and I are no exceptions.)

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Postscript:

February 5 (next day): I go to my mother's place, she says my step-grandmother had a huge argument with her live-in tenant, yesterday (same night as the house fire was reported). Then, the old woman couldn't locate her hearing aid, and finally, found it in an unusual spot. She's now asked this tenant to leave.

Relevant points:

1) From day one, I had suggested this middle-aged woman, who has a son in New York city, was a possible plant.

2) Twice, I urged my mother to get this woman's full name and some ID information.

3) In 2003, I had posted an email about how shared living arrangements are a prime opportunity for sending in moles, as some activists, particularly university students, live communally.

3) Lately, my step-grandmother has had increasing concerns about her safety; now, she'll be living by herself.

There are other anomalies, too trivial to mention.

I'm not saying this woman is definitely a plant, but the timing of this sudden clash is strange. My step-grandmother has never had an argument with any of us in all the years I've known her. She can be stubborn, but she doesn't fight with people.[1]

When I arrived at my mother's, today, we got a wrong number call. I answered and said, hello, repeatedly. Finally, this Chinese woman asks for [guy's name]. Why wasn't I surprised that it happens to be the same name as a close relative of mine?

All this happens within a day and a half, after my writing a post about personal threats and survival. How funny.

The irony is, my extended family are such regular people. All working stiffs (no pun intended, er,er), decent, educated, mostly professionals, etc. We have the distinction of having a couple of biographers, who have captured the personal histories of some family members, since their history in Canada is noteworthy. But there's absolutely no reason why any of my relatives would be harassed - criminally, governmentally, or otherwise. It's me who's dragged all of them into my surveillance, rather than anything particular about them.[2]

If anything, my relatives are a good example of 'cultural assimilation' (more later). But I suspect this is precisely where the problem lies. I recall discussing the 'colorization of North America' a couple of years ago. Sir John A. Macdonald was extremely farsighted when he said [this quote] (to come).

Don't Believe the Hype

I have been noting media contrivances for awhile. Yet, ever since Cecilia Zhang's apparent murder, I have been suggesting that news events and media trends will negatively position Asian-Canadians (eg, by fostering resentment or contempt), whether by design or happenstance.

Try this out: Do a Google.com search and type in 'Holly murder,' then search 'Cecilia murder.' The contrast in news reporting on Holly Jones's and Cecilia Zhang's respective cases is very strange. The sparse news coverage on Holly Jones' murderer is even stranger. What's his name, again?

Why wasn't I surprised that the spectacular attention paid to Cecilia Zhang's murder case, and how much it overshadowed Holly Jones' apparently brutal killing, became part of Stephen Harper and the New Conservatives' pitch during the federal election campaign for June 2004? Despite Michael Biere, Holly Jones' convicted killer, being found guilty and sentenced during this same month, so little is known about this seemingly sick, twisted man.

(Just Googled 'Michael Biere' - not one article came up.)

Cecilia Zhang's abduction was reportedly about money, yet regardless of economics, few people or families hold so much sway over the media. More astonishing is how thoroughly posters about Cecilia were distributed throughout the entire TTC. Has this ever happened before? Relatively new immigrants to Canada are not usually so media savvy or influential, so who initiated this outreach? Also, The Toronto Sun's cover photo of the grieving parents was - I'm sorry - almost laughable.

Also, see 'Questions about U.S. election' (last section) - November 19, 2004.

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[Edited February 13, 2005.]

[1] Just so you get a fuller sense of my step-grandmother: I believe she's lived in Canada for about 30 years; she and my late grandfather shared a small apartment together; she still lives there. Not only is she able to speak English, despite arriving here in her 50s, but she actually reads novels. I was kind of surprised.

[2] My extended family are mostly typical, middle-class Canadians, though some are more outstanding, talented, and successful. We're a fairly interesting, diverse, and well-rounded bunch. Also, in terms of cultural integration, none of my cousins know any Chinese. In some cases, not even their grandparents are able to speak Chinese, having been born in Canada. (I made an effort to learn some, while I was living in Asia.) Several of my relatives are inter-racially married. As conservative elites watched me and my experiences, my anger and frustrations, my isolation from my family, and listened to all my social commentary...an idea was born. Many ideas, actually.

Note: I'm extremely adaptable to people's negative perceptions about me. When I'm feeling very disempowered, I notice that my already compromised speech and writing skills get even worse. People *still* don't believe me, but I do have ADD tendencies, bumped my head a few times, have a receding jaw, etc.