I'm somewhat skimming.

First, {{Laura}}. Your boy is 18. There's a reason why they're enlisting in that age. They're in their "all hormones, all actions" state of existence.

The good news is that most of them come out of it, eventually. But he won't learn if he won't live. Good luck, anyway, and don't blame yourself. You're a terrific mom. And also: I'm only 6 years older than your son! Can I act stupid too?

IOmomN: I believe the scariest thing ever is to get a call 20 minutes after you barely dragged yourself out of the bed, from a mom who's usually shouting at the other end (that's how she's talking, normally, over the phone - as if she didn't understood that technology makes is possible to speak to the person at the other end, not her voice alone), before you had your coffee. I rushed out from the bathroom to answer that call, and in the end, she just called to thank me for handling the laundry last night. She has strange ways to do that.

I was wearing silver Ralph Lauren sandals, thank you very much!

We saw Killers and finished up with dinner at The Libertine. Today wa bliss even with the oppressive heat.

Now snuggled with hubs and pup and off to sleep.

More from my yesterday:

First, everyone here are still talking about the flotilla. I'm not sure what was about this specific event that wasn't in the past 43 years, but speaking about something that happened a week ago? It's a feat. Pixies' cancellation also helped quite a bit, and brought to a point where I'm torn up about cultural boycott, because it really brought political debate to places I never saw it in before.

Second, this isn't what I really wanted to talk about. Yesterday, I filled another academic survey. It was a cross-national research about how people see their country. I had to rate my country's moral actions vs. the immoral actions on a scale. For good 2 minutes, I stared at the question, not sure which number to circle.

Because as much as I'm in favor of stop the siege over Gaza, I'm very, very concerned about more terror attacks. Though I know logically that my daily use in bus transportation in Jerusalem isn't a reason to keep million people under siege, it is an alarming thought.

Again - don't think keeping chocolate and wheelchairs and water filters out of Gaza has anything to do with stopping rocket attacks. Your government is doing two things: maybe slowing down weapons acquisition (and maybe not) and engaging in economic warfare. As some of the quotes from that Giza.org site said the policy is "no economic activity, no humanitarian crisis". also that people won't "starve" but will be put "on a diet". It is your nation and your safety so I won't tell you how to rate your government on this. But I doubt keeping out chocolate and preventing economic activity has anything to do with making you safer. Your government is doing a lot of things at once in Gaza, and only a small minority of them has anything to with preventing rocket attacks.

I will note that if I had to rate my government I'd give it a very low rating indeed. Even with Obama in charge we are five wars, assassinating people in 25 nations, still kidnapping people and holding them without trial. Although we've banned certain types of torture we still allow others. It sometimes looks to me like the worst people in the Israeli and US governments teach each other how to conduct an ever worse foreign policy.

I'm not sure my country is keeping me safe either way too, Typo Boy, and I never said it was justified. We entered a dead end with that siege to being with. But I didn't say anything about rocket attacks. They're happening as is with or without siege. I'm talking suicide bombings. It's something you can't protect yourself against with knowing where the nearest shelter is and get to it ASAP. I'm fine with shelters: I spent months, collectively, in them (and it's so much nicer once you get a VCR in there, too). But suicide bombings is just something you can't personally protect against (unless you have extra high confidence in praying).

As I said, it seems like we're in a dead end. Bibi is an expert in making people feel terrified, and hence, re-electing him "to bring safety back".

Thinking of who, exactly, is in my government is even more depressing than thinking of suicide bombing, or the war which everyone are expecting to happen this summer. I did not vote for these so called leaders.

Sure, you were talking about being unsure what number rating to give your government. I know you don't justify what it does.

Whee! Earthquake.

Earthquake? Is everyone OK?

Typo Boy, I gave it 3 out of 7, eventually.

It was a 3.5 off the coast of Santa Monica. I doubt there were any injuries.

So you're all shook up? t /Elvis