h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Here's what my heart picked out of this article:

"An estimated 8,000 of the 25,000 Americans in Lebanon want to leave."

Thinking of you and yours, Wilma.

Thank you Solnushka.

OK it finally hit me today. I can't stop crying, Need ot pull myself together. My daughter will be waking up soon. I'll go do stuff - food shopping, the fridge is empty. I just want the bombing to stop now. I want to go home, I want to see my dad... This is crazy.
S

Oh Wilma You're bearing up amazingly well but it must be hard for you to be strong for your family. The madness, and the bombing, has to stop, and I'm willing it to stop soon

I also am willing it to stop soon. I wonder how many millions of people are willing it to stop? Why aren't the governments involved heeding this?

It is madness, insanity.

Wilma, lay your head on my shoulder, let me put my arms around you, I will hold you and we will cry together. Then I shall make us a lovely cup of chamomile/peppermint tea.

I just got an email from my cousin in Beirut. His wife is in Ohio for the summer with their two daughters, he is communicating by 'round robin' email to all of us, he was meant to join them in August and they would all return together:

(His wife), you and the girls are missing so much. (Our niece, US citizen) is being evacuated tomorrow. They will take her by helicopter from the port of Dbayeh to a navy ship, then to Cyprus. Talk about excitement! Concerning my plans, I will probably be staying behind. If (my brother and myself) do come, I’ll meet you at the airport with my brand new donkey - ehh, ma the roads are gone!





I got the Independent today, which is what set me off this morning. I am back in control again though I did lose the plot a tad in the Forum this morning

Kelli and hmh, I read your posts this morning but could not think how to respond... Thank you.

I'm confessing up to lurking these threads, this one and the forum ones. Just wanted to say I wish you and yours and your country all the best, Wilma, for all that that's worth . Humans, huh? When are we going to learn .

Also for what it's worth, I understand much more from your thread here than the forum one.
Waz

What and where is the Forum? Please enlighten me. Thanks

Go here. A1146917

It is a place where serious topics are discussed. This will take you to the main page where the conversations are listed. You can click on the place to be notified of new conversations and that way you'll know when a topic you're interested in comes up.

Thank you Hypatia. I shall go there post haste.

Hello, Waz. Thank you for your kind words

*reads the rest of the posts..*

Emm, excuse me, now I'd better run after that into the Forum and give her my Teflon pot to wear on her head. She'll be needing it.

Good for you, Wilma. Share that teflon pot with those who need it.....

Yeah, I saw. Sorry about the toilet paper.

I have donned the teflon pot and stuck my neck way out on the Forum. I shall be interested to see what, if any response I get from my opening statement.

http://news.aol.co.uk/article.adp?id=20060720115809990010

former Foreign Office minister Chris Mullin told her: "Is it not just a tiny bit shameful that, although we rightly condemn Hezbollah for what they have done, we can find nothing stronger than the word regret to describe the slaughter and misery and mayhem that Israel has unleashed on a fragile country like Lebanon?''


Hmm, more of that, please.

To be a cynic - note that the people involved in the article were 'former' ministers, i.e have no influence now.

how you coping today?

Oh, I know... but it just felt good. I don't think anyone is going to be able or desiring (depends who we're talking about apply the one that is relevant ) to even try to stop Israel. They are going to stamp HezbAllah out whatever the cost...

We're ok. There is not much we can do. We call home everyday - thank God we can get through - we are demonstrating to try to shift policy, we are trying to get information around for people wanting to donate aid for the half million displaced and waiting to see if we can get clothes and especially food in before we start collecting. Trying to keep busy, keep Trog talking and the kids distracted. So far, it is working. It is weird, sort of like being in limbo. You can keep surviving with this feeling of panic all the time. I remember from when I was a kid. Half the time we could not even call and had to rely on letters being sent with travellers for any news of family. That went on for many many years. You learn to switch it off.

Being able to switch things off is a very useful tool indeed.