Around 15:00 (Israeli time), two suicide bombers triggered their bombs within seconds of each other on two separate buses in Be'er Sheva, Israel. 16 people were killed, and over 80 people were injured.

I'll say that again: 16 people were killed, and over 80 people were injured.

The bombers, sent by Hamas, entered Israeli territory through a region where Israel's much-criticized security fence was incomplete.


While it's true that internal political conflicts over the fence's location were largely responsible for the delay in constructing it, and that one could say the attack was Israel's fault in that sense, the real question is - Why should we need a fence at all? You don't like the fence? Fine, we don't like it either - Make them stop and watch it vanish.

The way this world works continues to amaze me, but not as much as how the heck it has kept itself in one piece thus far.

Node your life in the insanity of the Middle East

From: System Administrator
To: All users
Date: 8/31/2004
Subject: Fwd: Urgent Warning: Virus Hoax
---

** Urgent Virus Hoax Warning **

There has been an urgent virus hoax warning issued. You should be aware of this as it can affect Windows, Macintosh and even Linux operating systems. Please pass on this information to everyone you know. This virus hoax has been documented to be able to breach C2 certified firewalls. It has the potential to do significant damage in a short period of time. One user had to re-format their hard drive because of a failed attempt to remove the virus hoax. In another case, it had retro-actively infected backup files.

Characteristics:

The Virus Hoax Warning arrives in an E-mail entitled "Fwd: Urgent Warning: Virus Hoax". It may have an HTML attachment or a TXT attachment or none at all.

Transmission Method:

The Virus Hoax Warning is inadvertently passed on by the user to most of the people in the address book of their E-mail program because they think they are doing the right thing. The virus hoax is aided by technophobia and poor critical thinking skills.

Removal/Repair method:

Repair/removal is not recommended unless the user understands the virus hoax. Training on how computers work is recommended prior to removing the virus hoax. Deleting the correct data will resolve newly infected computers. The longer the computer has been infected, the more difficult it may be to effect repair and/or removal especially if the user's attempts have failed and other malware is present.

Authorities are still working on a permanent fix for this Virus Hoax but expect that because of the complexity of computers, the naivite of users and the time pressures of modernity, it may take some time before it is issued.

It is absolutely impossible. I do not, cannot, categorically will not  F’ing believe it. We are still cleaning up after Hurricane Charley and now “they” say that Frances will make landfall right here.

It is Tuesday and I have just checked the National Hurricane Center website. The 11:00 a.m. report stated that between then and 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning we have a 5% chance of the eye of the hurricane being within 65 nautical miles of our area.

Five percent is not very much. Hurricanes move around and change direction. Look what happened with Charley   :   it was predicted for the lower west coast of Florida and it ended up in Orlando in the center of the state. So who knows where Hurricane Frances is going to hit.

The problem is, we have too much warning. We had barely 12 hours to prepare for Charley (see August 15, 2004 Day Log). Just enough time to rush out and buy extra batteries and drag the chaise lounge in from the patio. Now we have several days before us and people are making very elaborate plans.

Florida is a long, thin peninsula. The only safe direction is north. I hear people talking about driving to Atlanta to stay in a hotel, to southern Illinois to visit relatives, to spending an extended weekend in New Orleans.

Not me. I’ve thought about it a bit. I have a very elderly mother who lives along the river. If things get bad, she’ll be evacuated. An ambulance will come along and take her to a shelter. It’s happened to her before, when I was living elsewhere. She will be in much better hands than if I tried to take care of her myself.

What I do have to worry about is one very nervous fox terrier. Not too many of the shelters will accept pets. I’m not about to try to monitor Mr. Bronco for 36 or 72 hours in a crowded shelter filled with other animals.

I am going to stay at home. With my dog. I’ll do the necessary stuff – fill water buckets, put candles and flashlights where I can get to them, maybe take down the computers and put everything somewhere safer than where it is now. Make sure I have money and food and a can opener. Then me and my dog are going to go into the garage and get into the Honda and sit there and wait for the storm to be over.

I've verified the location of the big trees around my house. The garage is the least likely to receive a tree trunk or heavy branch on the roof. And if that does happen, I’ll still have the roof of the car for protection.

That is what I plan on doing. Right now, though, I’m going to take it one day at a time. “Planning but not projection” is the calmest way to go.

Well, here I am.

I arrived in London on the 26th, but this is the first time that I've been able to just sit down and breathe and think enough to type out the things running around my head.

Also, I'm not ridiculously jet-lagged anymore.

A very very good thing.

First off: London is amazing. So amazing that if George Bush wins this election I'm asking for asylum and spending the rest of my life here. I'll miss Colorado terribly, but I'll be all right. I rode to my internship interview on the tube this morning and every single person was occupied with reading something-- newspaper or book or magazine. This is my kind of country just for that.

Continuing my love affair with all things public transportation, the tube and the bus system are incredible here, if really expensive. In fact, that's my only problem right now: the exchange rate is KILLING ME.

Suggestions of cool places to go are very welcome! Especially if they are cheap! Also, cheap ways to get to places like Oxford and Wales for a few days! Thanks!

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