I'm not that angry about it now. I feel like I grieved for nothing, though. That felt like a manipulation and is harder to forgive. Part of the motivation for the pseud is to indulge that fantasy of imagining people crying at our funeral, but being able to witness it. I resent having somebody else jerking my tears for their emotional satisfaction.

Also, I think it's a bad idea to start saying "the truth doesn't matter." It should matter. It undermines the trust. We support each other in the physical world with aid fairly often. That could easily be exploited if we didn't care about the truth.

I can live with the ambiguity. I can live with somebody existing here as a pseud with a made-up life, as long as they respect the community.

It's not respectful to the community to fake your own death.

There never was a Guy Straley teaching at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, as he claimed.

I am worried not for me but for JZ having a sorrwoful and sleepless night, or the many Buffistas who have lost people this year and already carrying a heavy load of grief.

Yes, this.

With all the incredible things I've learned simply by virtual contact with all of you, I'd have been shocked if no one asked any questions about someone so cared for. Seriously. I can't imagine people NOT linking to anything that could have been found about Gus.

Just like the numbers of memorials I've attended where everyone brings photos or samples of the life being honored.

The smart, funny and curious that Gus exhibited? It would, by definition be reflected in the community he enjoyed.

This oh so necessary thorough vetting of the facts could absolutely be dealt with in email and live journals and everywhere else we gossip about each other.

I prefer to see things discussed here in this thread. I don't want to gossip elsewhere. We are not gossiping, we are discussing an event that has happened on our board. I do not see where we have dishonored the memory of a beloved fellow here.

I'll just be repeating what I and many others have said to say anything more.

Trudy, it feels like you are being just as disrespectful to quite a few members of this board.

Concur with ND.

If you cared to be respectful [...] If you cared about the feelings of his family [...] The hubris in this crowd is STAGGERING.

This was really rude, Trudy, and I'd like you to consider your words carefully before you post again. I'm excerpting above to show you that it has nothing to do with the argument you're making (I know we disagree) and everything to do with the way you're making it. Everybody here, everybody, is being polite, monkey-grooming, even funny (that's my job). What are you contributing to the discussion by being insulting?

Gus could end up being our own Adena Watson, a question mark of a case that will always be in black on the big board.

OMG TEH AWESOME. If death is a performance art, this might be the kind that Gus would hope for.

I lied; I'll say one more thing. If dear Gus has in fact died, I think he would enjoy this thread discussion. That is my personal view.

Everyone here is far more concerned with their needs than anyone elses. They're more concerned with past upsets on posting boards than actual upsets of actual family members.

This here is like family to me. These *are* actual upsets of my family compared to imagined ones on posting boards. I feel no shame about weighing the upsets of people here above those of others I don't know. If you have a different calculus, that's certainly your perogative, but I don't feel selfish or shameful in the comparison.

two points/questions from various non-finding of information - 1) would he be on thesis sites if he got his PhD overseas? 2) would he be on the professor lists if he were an adjunct.

I think this is the place for the discussion. I think it has been a very respectful discussion. And I think it is an important discussion for the board to have.

. If dear Gus has in fact died, I think he would enjoy this thread discussion. That is my personal view.

This is what I'm saying. I can see him here, knee deep in the thoughtful.