Gee, ya think? What the fuck else do they think it's going to do? Cow people into submission, I'm guessing, huh?

Because that worked so well in cowing us back in 2001. I think America's "blow up anyone that vaguely resembles whoever did this to us!" reaction isn't that far from typical upon being bombed, actually.

Last night I felt very organized about today. I had a to do list, and menus and a grocery list all planned out, and all sorts of good stuff.

Unfortunately I forgot about that motivation/needing to leave the house stuff.

Oh well.

Because that worked so well in cowing us back in 2001.

Well...

Illegal wiretapping, including the thing about AT&T now, just listening to well, everyone, free speech zones, NYT not running the mohammed cartoons out of fear, the new theocracy governing by some twisted form of WWJD?, a president who says he was chosen by god to lead America...I mean, I think we got cowed.

Or maybe punk'd.

Okay, anyone got any theories about why my very nice but completely unintelligible Chinese next-door neighbor just tried to give me a box of instant oatmeal?

I'm vastly amused by the way she speaks to me so earnestly, and yet clearly has to know that I don't get a word she's saying. This must be what it is like to have American tourists in a non-English-speaking nation.

She took one look at you and thought here's a woman in dire need of instant oatmeal.

There was a two-fer sale Consuela, or she bought it by mistake, and thought you might like it.

It was just so baffling. "Here, have some oatmeal!"

WTF?

Maybe she's trying to lower your cholesterol? Maybe someone gave her oatmeal and she's paying it forward?

Maybe it has some deeper cultural meaning. Such as, if you accept a gift of oatmeal you have to marry her eldest child or you are obligated to save her and her family if there's an earthquake or flood. Or possibly she just bought too much oatmeal.

Edited because I no spell good.

Is there ever too much oatmeal?