inseptiv

12pm - The latest threat by Al-Quaida, as reported by CNN, that very soon they are going to try to kill 3 to 4 million Americans (1 million children) this summer, has me stunned. I really am frightened and overwhelmed this morning. What an incredibly potent psychological attack.

http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/06/24/binladen.video/index.html

The spokesman for Al-Quaida laughed at anti-terrorism efforts and hinted that they would use biological and chemical weapons.

For me, this follows a wonderful article in National Geographic last month about an American journalist in Afghanistan who befriends her translator: he hates america and only slowly comes to learn the meaning of "cultural relativity" and "flexibility".

I feel very provoked today, but without anything tangible to do about it. My concern could flood a desert.

12:45pm - Claudia's mother is reacting how I think my mother would react. Sometimes this site feels so upfront and honest it's easy to forget that it's still socially taboo. For most people, nudity and open sexuality will always represent transgressions into moral inferiority, the spread of disease, dangers of pregnancy, female submission, and exploitation. To a mother who holds all these fears, this site could threaten the ability of her daughter to create her own happy family in the future. Even though we all hope we know better, I wonder whether anyone really knows what this site means. I don't.

2:30pm - I have just been reminded about Zmag by a patron saint... it's been too long.