Thanks to Fox News, there are SO many people out there who sincerely believe that trolling is an acceptable form of discourse.

My In-Laws have now reached the point where Fox News is now the only trustworthy news source. It's great at turning people's minds into gated communities.

Why do I have four iPod USB cords?

Apology to Jess: My last response to you was trollish and I'm sorry. Because you quoted my post from last night, right before your comment about pretending New York only exists in the movies, I took it much more personally than I should have and lashed out. I'm leaving my assholishness on the board only to remind me to be better.

Now I am sore afraid.

That sums it up for me.

You see, Israeli academia is now under attack by a rightist group, calling for laying off leftist professors "or else" they'll tell the academia sponsors they're aren't "true Zionists" and tell them to stop give them money. [link]

They are the only ones who get to call, btw, what a true Zionist is. Because apparently some people may think they are Zionists/love Israel, but they really aren't. [link]

They've also asked to check the syllabus of sociology classes to see if there isn't any "post Zionist" deviation in them. [link]

And yes, the word "McCarthyism" has been heard regarding to everyone in this discussion. I'm writing an angry post with my 2 cents about it as I type. All I can share with you at the moment is that I have a Buffy t-shirt with "Slayers. Every one of us" on the front and Buffy's speech on the back, and I'm trying to see how long will it take to their cell in my university to declare me as anti Zionist for wearing that t-shirt.

Poor TCG, not a fun thing even without injuries.

ILauraN, DH is flying up Thursday (my mom's b'day), then Friday we have the funeral for our family friend, then immediately after the funeral we drive to Florida. I hope I can convince him to stop half way to get a bit of unwind time. I'd really like to be home Saturday because Bobby's birthday is Sunday and school starts Monday. My life = busy.

If NYC has to check in with Real America before we can develop our communities, it should damn well go the other way too.

You're just jealous that you don't live in The Real America, the states where the flag flies over the land with more pride and patriotism than anywhere else. They aren't called fly-over states for nothing you know.

Because you quoted my post from last night, right before your comment about pretending New York only exists in the movies, I took it much more personally than I should have and lashed out.

I apologize for being glib. The point I was trying to make is that this community center has nothing to do with 9/11. It's a construction project happening in the same neighborhood.

When she first came to Australia, Wallybee stayed for a while with an elderly couple whom she met when they did volunteer work helping overseas students with their English. She became very close, and regarded them almost as a second set of parents. Her parents trusted them to check me out and determine I was on the up when we started dating. The guy, Matt, died last year; his wife (we call her Ryan's Japanese grandmother) called today to let us know, Matt's niece just committed suicide today. She left behind a little boy about Ryan's age.

Wallybee's pretty devastated. She's been looking for a way to try to help. If you could spare some good thoughts for the family, I'm sure she'd appreciate it.

Oh God, bt. Such horrible news. Peace and comfort~ma to all of the families involved.

So sorry, billytea. My thoughts are with you all.

My low productivity streak continues today. I'm struggling to get out one massive email. If I can do that, the rest of the day will be no big deal. JUST THIS ONE MASSIVE EMAIL, with attached spreadsheet. And instructions that go with it. And all the details I have to fill in.

Um. And the phone calls I need to make to fill in the gaps.

On a normal day, this is a piece of cake.