In a disaster of any scale or severity, it is of utmost importance that everyone remotely involved with coordinating response be fluent in morse code- as this unavoidably will be the only method of communication available.

This is Mola Ram. You may remember him from such films as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. He touched all of our hearts in a special and unique way. It is certain that he is the most famous Thuggee in American Cinema.

Pictured at left is a Mighty Mugg crafted to resemble Mola Ram in all his  heart wrenching glory. I saw him at the K-Mart in Fall River, MA. He was discounted to 4 dollars 50. Obviously, I purchased him. A cohort of mine had obtained a Lando Calrissian. Suddenly I have found myself collecting these things. It seems few people see the appeal, as I have obtained all of mine, including my own Lando, and a Cairo Swordsman, from the clearance rack.

I believe this discount hunting is part of the thrill for me. They are usually in the 10-15 dollar range, 2-7 on clearance, and there are many types on the market. The fact that they were made in England originally, then distributed by local toymaker Hasbro, adds to the appeal. The final draw is that they are made from recycled materials. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a tree-hugger. I just hate waste and like to see it put to good use, or in Mola’s case, ancient horrific evil use.

They even make blank ones where you can make your own custom Muggs! So there you have it. I like Mighty Muggs. I like reusing materials. I like getting deep discounts. And, apparently, I like George Lucas movies.

I leave work to eat lunch. I realize this may be considered by some to be a luxury. When I compare it to the costs of professional psychological care needed to endure eight straight hours of NUWC, I consider it a great bargain. Today, I did not have such an option. I had taken the bus to work, and could not walk to and from a dining establishment within my allotted time. In my haste to catch the bus, I had neglected to prepare a midday meal- leaving only the coffee truck we affectionately call “The Roach Coach” and Coffee Plus as dining options.

Continue Reading »