Just check out the headlines at Google News WORLD and weep with me.

Kashmir, Israel/Palestine, Cuba, Congo, Aceh, Uganda

AND Iraq

AND ebola

AND sars

sigh. Also, I just had to get off the puter for a bit (in the middle of typing this) to make an emergency "may I please borrow your car for an extended trip through mexico" phone call (and I think we all know how difficult such calls can be: the wording has to be *just* right). See, Birgit's folks and sister will be arriving soon and we were going to use a Chevy Blazer 4 door belonging to friends for the trip around Mexico (our bug being charming, but small). Turns out the Blazer is a total piece of shit (we knew that, but it has chosen this moment to remind us). So I have inquired about a largish Ford Taurus belonging to my boss. He is optimistic, and says that even if the Taurus is out (he must speak with his wife, the co-owner of the car), he's sure that his VW Fox (he's the guy who bought one) would be available. The Fox, in tandem with the Bug, would do the trick, although it would be slighly more of a pain in the ass.

And, of course, Shelley's father is ill.

BUT Steve and Stephanie had a baby. The tot is one month early, so a bit of a surprise, but healthy. The best part is that Ellie (the child) will be able to kill MacBeth, should need arise, because not only is she not a man, but she was "from [her] mother's womb untimely ripp'd."

And when I die, and when I'm gone, there'll be one child born in this world to carry on.