My more worldly dad, on the other hand, understands that it is often the littler and far less dramatic things that one should worry more about. "I am much more worried about the Chinese mosquitoes than I am about their politicians and police," he once, wrote me before I ventured off for a backpacking trip through south and southwest China.
"You are too smart to run afoul of the law, but dumb enough not to take that medication. Malaria and hepatitis are no fun - so be careful and swallow the pills."
I rather enjoyed 404 Titan's quoted quote from
Tom Mitchell, South China Morning Post, Tuesday, April 22, 2003!
You can tell people, but they won't listen to what they don't want to hear.