Whether you are a star in the California entertainment industry or for any other reason you have become famous even for fifteen minutes of fame, you may have need of a publicity rights and privacy rights attorney when others try to make money using your image.

If you’ve been the victim of a privacy invasion or if your publicity rights have been infringed, visit our law firm website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com for more information and call us at any of the numbers easily found on our website.

As any celebrity or personality knows, the right of publicity in California is the right of anyone to control the commercial use of their identity. It is your personal right. Others may attempt to misappropriate it for commercial gain and if they do, you can seek damages. If you are dead and your image is misappropriated, your estate can seek damages.

All that needs to be proven are the use of your identity, that is, the use of your name or likeness, the defendant’s advantage in using it, your lack of consent and injury. (Note, this is different from identity theft where a person uses your identity in a criminal manner to obtain credit in your name or empty your bank accounts and the like).

The basis for this right of publicity is the idea that every person should have the right to control how their identity or likeness or personality, or voice, name or image is commercialized by others.

Because the right is a property right, the right may be passed on to one’s heirs after death. The Celebrities Rights Act passed in California in 1985 extended the personality rights for a celebrity to 70 years after their death.

Note, however, that in 2007, a New York judge who ruled that Marilyn Monroe was a resident of New York and not California, also ruled that Marilyn Monroe’s rights of publicity ended upon her death.

The right of privacy is often pitted against competing First Amendment claims or claims of copyright. Each case is different and it is often necessary for an attorney to weigh these competing rights based on case law just and to attempt to predict how a judge would rule in that jurisdiction.

Examples of competing rights occur when a person’s image is contained in the copyrighted work of another. The results can differ depending on the type of copyrighted work, and a determination must be made as to whether the individual’s right has been preempted.

In First Amendment cases, the courts in California have favored First Amendment Claims over Publicity Rights Claims where the court has been able to find transformative elements, that is where the defendant is not merely trading on the value of the identity or image.

Publicity rights are often used interchangeably as privacy rights. However privacy rights often involve torts such as defamation or violations of state statutes involving the unauthorized use of data.

Today, it’s no longer just celebrities who are having their privacy rights invaded. Individuals in the workplace are finding more and more instances when their expectations of privacy have been invaded by employers using surveillance cameras, searches of their work spaces, and software to monitor their keystrokes, the web sites they’ve visited and even to intercept their e-mails and telephone calls.

If someone tries to make use of your image or likeness for their gain without your consent, visit our law firm website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com and call the law firm of R. Sebastian Gibson to speak with a publicity and privacy rights lawyer immediately.

New image in the white texture photoshop contest

An artistic manipulation of the source image.

I only used the source image.
I didn’t used other source images. …
The Invaded Planet photoshop picture

Constituency offices throughout the TCI were left bare… empty and void of all office furniture and equipment today.

• A d v e r t i s e m e n t
• 

Just before Memorial Day this year, Marines invaded Staten Island’s Clove Lakes Park in what was billed as a “simulated raid as part of Fleet Week festivities.” The demo had absolutely no military training objective other than to get New Yorkers accustomed to armed soldiers landing in public parks.

Now folks in California will get a similar demonstration.

“Four Super Cobra AH-1W attack helicopters are set to perform a July 4 flyover for people gathered to watch evening fireworks at Orange County beaches,” reports the Orange County Register.

The helicopters are from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, Camp Pendleton, and were in Iraq a mere 3 weeks ago, according to Wayne Eggleston, a San Clemente City Council member.

In May, Infowars reported on armed soldiers arresting an over-zealous fan at the Kentucky Derby, an incident completely ignored by the corporate media with the exception of a Reuters photograph showing the arrest.

In April, we reported on the presence of National Guard soldiers at the Boston Marathon.

URL to article: http://www.infowars.com/attack-helicopter-flyover-on-fourth-of-july/

Just from this reading this week’s first reader on signs & meaning, it was clear that we had well and truly entered – no, not the twilight zone – the ‘everyday life’ segment of the course, not merely as this article was based upon something that constantly occurs to everyone (more than any previous article), but additionally, because at no point did the reader make mention of technology – though it did discuss in detail media and its use of signs and meaning.

I feel compelled to mention this progress in the course as this reader has subsequently come out in an entirely different way in comparison to those previously, that is, it has stuck to one medium – written text – and with great depth, analysed it using the systems and concepts which are introduced to the audience at the beginning.
Schirato and Yell make clear just how great a part the semiotic system plays in an audience’s interpretation of the medium because, as is illustrated by their analysis of Saussure’s concepts, “meanings [are] not arbitrary” but rather, are part of an ideological process which means that at least part of the information is “embedded” within the sign allowing only so much room for there to be a difference in understanding by different audience members.
This can be further emphasised through an author’s use of emotive language, such as that which can be found in the provided article by P.P. McGuiness: while the article presents itself as a “sensible discussion” that attempts to clarify many things about the “invasion” of Australia by Europeans, it can be seen to be quite bias even early in the piece where it attempts to refute that Australia was ever “invaded” by expressing conservative views likening supporters of this view the “worst of trade unions” and Marxists.

McGuiness’ view of this historical event and whether Australia was “invaded” or “colonised” can quite quickly be overviewed with Saussure’s concept of “binaries” where a signifier derives its value through the degrees of separation between itself, and other such signifiers.

Having earlier made the point that this article does not make much mention of technology, I must add that this reader can in many ways be seen as a ‘prequel’ to earlier ones, particularly week five’s reading on “Semapedia” – what is essentially a digital version of these ‘semiotic systems’ discussed in the reader as it allows a barcode (the signifier) to easily convey a great deal of information (the signified) to the express audience.

z3290961

References

Schirato, T and Yell, S. “Signs and Meaning” in Communication and Cultural Literacy: An Introduction. Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 2000, 18-33

Why do some women have to be tapping or nudging me as they speak? Get off!! Do NOT tap, prod, poke, nudge, grab, elbow or touch any part of me. I do NOT like it. How many times do you need to be told?! Why do you deny doing this? DON’T then argue the toss or give some piss-poor excuse, like, you’re a touchy-feely type. Touchy-feely bullshit. It feels like assault to me.

It’s bad enough having to see and hear you. My endurance is even more severely tested whenever you extend one of your nail polish-bedecked pincers in my direction.

Judges 6:33-40

And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on the ground. Judges 6:40

The Midianites and their allies invaded Israel again and were encamped in the valley of Jezreel to steal Israel’s harvest. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and energized him to mobilize troops from tribes endangered by the encamped enemy. The response was gratifying.

Gideon knew God had called him. The Spirit of the Lord was upon him. His call to arms had been well received. But Gideon still wanted assurance that God was with him. The fleece tests were not a search for God’s will but a struggle to deal with his own vacillating faith. The patience of the Lord is clear as He accommodated Himself to Gideon’s frailty.

Does your confidence in God sometimes ebb and flow from moments of uncertainty to  heights of assurance as you seek to serve Him? You are in good company with fellow travelers like Gideon. God will extend His grace to you, too, as He responds tenderly to your quest for assurance.

Father, thank You for the challenge of serving You and for the constancy of Your assurance.

My purse was raped today…

Yes, you did not hear wrong. My purse was raped today by a colleague who works in the HR.

How it happened? Well…

I was in a tele-conference with UK office. Apparently, as claimed by that person, my phone was ringing loudly – from what I know it is usually NOT that loud, so she HAD to open my purse. Wait, let me re-phrase what she said – I had to open your purse earlier because your phone was ringing very loud.

So that’s the story…

At first, when she told me, it didn’t occur to me what she just did. So I was just nodding my head. And then I realised – hey, wait a minute… You opened my purse????

In the first place, it’s a ridiculous excuse to say you opened my purse to get my phone, cos you did not answer the phone and you could have just put my purse in my drawer or kept it with you in the drawer without opening my purse!

Whatever the explanation is, I don’t want to make excuses for you.

Bottomline – YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO OPEN MY PURSE, EVEN IF MY PHONE WAS RINGING LOUDLY. YOU JUST INVADED MY PRIVACY!!!

(And that is definitely going into my list of HR misconducts, including – going out for long breakfasts during working hours, failure to practice privacy policy because you told another person what I told you in confidence, you amended my email and told me to send your version of email to all staff – oh, wait… I have to make sure that I’m still keeping that email as proof!!!!)

OK, boys and girls. These are examples of what is known as “giving aid and comfort to our enemies.” Can we say “treason?” I knew you could.
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The Apologists
by Patrick J. Buchanan (more by this author)
Posted 04/21/2009 ET

Mr. Buchanan is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of Churchill, Hitler, and “The Unnecessary War”: How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World, “The Death of the West,”, “The Great Betrayal,” “A Republic, Not an Empire” and “Where the Right Went Wrong.”

Well, here’s proof that I HAVE been going to school! Just finished this paper…wasn’t too proud of it, but Mona did me a big favor in proof-reading it and telling me to make it more formal…Now I dig it! Hope you enjoy it, and please leave your opinions!!!!

 

GEO262-Tutorial Paper

In choosing a research question that at its core has no finite answer, and one that cannot be exhausted or successfully responded to in any length of paper, one must explore both sides of the issue. In the following essay the argument for the British invading Australia will be outlined, followed by a rebuttal from the school of thought that Australia was merely settled, and not invaded, by the British.

The concept of terra nullius is essential to this discussion. Terra nullius is Latin for “land belonging to no one.” In the day of the colonial powers, a country was required to determine a territory as terra nullius before it was annex or colonized.

In 1785 the British Government declared that Australia was a terra nullius (Attwood 1996, p viii). The government determined that it was not previously occupied and that it was open for colonization. However, it is a possibility that the Brit’s actions were in fact illegal under their own law, as settlement or annexation of a land found not to be of the terra nullius distinction was illegal. It would be somewhat understandable if Captain James Cook, one of the discoverers of Australia, had made brief contact with Australia, seen what many Europeans of the time felt was inhabitable land, and declared terra nullius. As history shows, this was not the case.

 Cook actually made his first contact with Australia in April of 1770. A diary entry written by Cook, dated 22 April 1970, reads “(we) were so near the Shore as to distinguish several people upon the Sea beach. They appear’d to be of a very dark or black colour but whether this was the real colour of their skins or the C[l]othes they might have on I know not” (Cook n.d.). This entry proves the notion that Cook as well as the British Crown knew of previous humans inhabiting Australia. The seizure of land inhabited by other peoples is, by all accounts, an invasion.

In 1791 the British began their colonization of Australia. At first, relations between the Aborigines and the English were relatively peaceful. This all changed when the Aborigines came to realize that the English weren’t just visiting. According to the Australian Government’s website, Aborigines began to fight back, with “clans people of the Eora group in the Sydney area (undertaking) a campaign of resistance against the English colonisers in a series of attacks” which lasted from 1790-1810 (Australian Government n.d.).

This resistance led the English settlers to become violent towards Aboriginals, treating them like animals and shooting at them without thought. According to a report by Lyndall Ryan, author of the essay “Abduction and Multiple Killings of Aborigines in Tasmania: 1804-1835”, Aborigines were shot at for reasons such as motioning for a settlement party to leave, appearing on a hill behind an English outpost, and just simply existing. A visiting missionary is quoted as asking “’Why are there no natives seen in the town?’ the answer given was – ‘We shoot them whenever we find them’” (Ryan n.d.).

To their credit, the government did outlaw “the habit of maliciously and wantonly firing at, and destroying, the defenseless Natives or Aborigines” (Ryan n.d.). Nevertheless, the killing continued but went unreported.

Diseases brought by the English were devastating for the Aborigines. This is not a characteristic of an invasion per se, but more of an unofficial invasion. In his book review of Keith Windschuttle’s The Fabrication of Aboriginal History, Steven Churches writes that in some instances Aboriginal “death rates from disease, presumably influenza, (rose to) 50 per cent in as little as 11 days” (Churches 2003, p. 117).

There were a few shining moments in Aboriginal-English relations as not all of the newly-arrived colonizers treated the Aborigines poorly. In 1835, a farmer named John Batman “signed two ‘treaties’ with Kulin people to ‘purchase’ 600,000 acres of land between what is now Melbourne and the Bellarine Peninsula”  (Australian Government n.d.). He felt that the Aborigines owned the land, and attempted to purchase it by trading goods for the land. However, his good deed was expunged when the governor of New South Wales Sir Richard Bourke was alerted to this news. He legally “established the notion that the land belonged to no-one prior to the British crown taking possession” (Australian Government n.d.). After this act, all Australian land not occupied by settlers was seized by the British government, relegating all Aborigines to squatters on land that they had occupied for thousands of years. The invasion was in full force.

With all of these terrible facts and realities it is quite easy to let emotions dictate this discussion. Yet one must remember that there are always two sides to every argument. At the time of colonization, many Brits felt that the Aborigines were “‘inhabitants’ but not the ‘proprietors’ of the land” (Attwood 1996, p x). Because many of the Aborigines were nomads, they did not use the land in what western thinkers viewed as ‘”a progressive manner”’ (Attwood 1996, p x). They ‘roamed homeless’ and therefore, in the western point of view, had no claim to the land. From this perspective Australia was terra nullius, legal and available for the British to colonize.

In the book titled “In the Age of Mabo” written on Australian land rights, the author quotes Tasmanian historian John West, who spoke of the Aborigines as “wandering hordes (who) engross vast regions…which would feed millions where hundreds are scattered” (Attwood 1996, p xi). For many this may not seem to be a valid point, but one must frame the idea with the current global economical situation; a shortage of land as well as a shortage of food. The question now becomes whether it would have been responsible for the British to NOT have settled Australia due to the fact that it was previously inhabited. Australia is an incredibly fruitful land and is essential in global food production. Imagine what the global situation would be like without it.

On whether it is a ‘black armband’ or ‘guilt-promoting’ version of Australian history to learn about white-black conflicts, the answer is no. Whenever the facts of history are accurately represented and conveyed, it is never guilt-promoting; it’s called proper education. However, when people enhance certain aspects of history in order to further their own agenda, it is very possible that the history turns into ‘black-armband’ and ‘guilt-promoting’ propaganda. And if the history in all of its reality is a ‘black-armband’ affair, there is nothing wrong with that; the act of remembering and commemorating the dead and the traditions of the past should be honorable.

As with most hotly-contested arguments, the answer lies somewhere between both sides. Australia was settled by the English using methods of invasion. Instead of meeting with the Aborigines and respecting them, the British seized their land, yielding them homeless, and killed them for no valid reason. The British did settle the country of Australia in the eyes of westerners, as they began to utilize precious resources that prior to their arrival had barely been tapped. They installed an infrastructure to aid in the civilization of a new land and brought new knowledge of undiscovered nature to the western world. However, in the eyes of the Aborigines, their culture and way of life was ruined, they were brutally murdered, and their land was stolen and destroyed. The only universal resolution to this conundrum-riddled question is that the answer wholly depends upon the perspective of the individual.

 

 

 

References

Attwood, B 1996, In the age of mabo: history, aborigines, and australia, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.

Australian Government n.d., European discovery and the colonization of australia, viewed 16 March 2009, http://cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/australianhistory/.

Churches, S 2003, ‘The fabrication of aboriginal history; vol 1, van diemen’s land 1803-1847’,  Adelaide Law Review, The, Volume 24, Issue 1; viewed 18 March 2009,  http://www.heinonline.org.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/adelrev24&id=1&size=2&collection=journals&index=journals/adelrev

Cook, J n.d., Cook’s journal: daily entries, viewed 16 March 2009, http://southseas.nla.gov.au/journals/cook/17700422.html.

Ryan, Lyndall n.d., Abduction and multiple killings of aborigines in tasmania:

1804-1835, viewed 16 March 2009, http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache:G6Tkfx2r-eEJ:www.yale.edu/gsp/colonial/downloads/Aborigines_in_Tasmania.doc+’Why+are+there+no+natives+seen+in+the+town%3F’+the+answer+given+was+–+‘We+shoot+them+whenever+we+find+them…&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au

               

Tashi Delek and remember to click on the Title and go directly to the blog page for photos and more.

Today marks the fifty year anniversary since the Tibetan uprising against Communist Chinese. In 1959 the communist Chinese invaded the peaceful country of Tibet and since then has oppressed Tibetans not allowing their full human rights for freedom of religion and expression. A majority of Tibetans support the Dalai Lama’s efforts to bring Democracy and Freedoms to the people of Tibet.

Today will hold many peaceful protests around the world as once again the continued struggle for the world to hear their plight is requested.

I am currently in Dharamasala, India working at a social work organization called Lha Charitable Trust. Lha provides empowerment for Tibetans in exile and offers them educational opportunities and economic development opportunities to better their quality of life as refugees.

There are a few things you can do today to show your support for the people of Tibet and those in exile. First I ask that you send your prayers and support for their cause. Secondly if you can take a moment and and send an e-mail or letter to your political leaders asking for support for human rights in China for Tibetans and others throughout the country as well forward this link to all your contacts in your email address book. If you use the Twitter website, post a tweet today with the tag word #Tweet4Tibet and mark it as a reply to me @indiasocialwork on Twitter.

Finally I ask that you join the campaign to make a difference in the lives of Tibetans and ask others to do the same.

In conjunction with the Pennies for Partnership idea I have started a campaign for the Lha Charitable Trust called “Make your Mark Campaign”.

This fund raiser seeks to create an influx of dry erase markers and funds to be sent to Lha Charitable Trust in India for their educational needs; the idea was taken from the movie “Paperclips”. There are two ways you can participate and remember it only takes about $1.00 to $2.00 to make a difference in the lives of Tibetan refugees.

1) You can mail a marker to: (this can be mailed the least expensive way and you can print an a shipping label online from USPS
Lha Chaaritable Trust
Lha Office
Temple Road
McLeod Ganj 176219
Dharamsala, Distt. Kangra
H.P. INDIA

2) You can donate directly through their paypal account (remember even just $1.00 helps because it purchases 2 markers)
http://www.lhasocialwork.org

Please I realize there are difficulties every where but most of us we cannot imagine what it would be like to live displaced from our families in another country unable to travel back to our homes. Many of us also do not know what it is like to have grown up without educational opportunities or freedoms.

I ask that you take a moment to contemplate how you can make a difference in someone’s life as a global community joining together to make a difference.

Make You Mark…………….

Thanks and for more information visit my blog
www.indiasocialwork.wordpress.com
and check the many links on the left side bar for news from Tibet and around the world.

Regards,

Leann

I chose this format today because my blog post does not notify you for 24 hours and TODAY is a very important day in Tibetans lives.

The Glosta Times

March 8, 2009

The Times Awakes

Kundaria

Today The Glosta Times has been founded. This has been set up to distribute the happenings and knowledge of Glosta and the world of Nationstates.

Kundaria has been put in charge as being editor of The Glosta Times and has said he will do his best to make sure everyone in the region gets a copy of this wonderful newspaper. The Glosta Times is the first of its kind in Glosta and will revolutionize the way the region works.

Glosta

Kundaria

The region of Glosta is a new raider region that currently holds 24 member nations. They have currently successfully invaded one region, Intelligentsia Islands, with help from New Folsom. The puppet of Possessed play doh gained delegacy 11 days ago from four endorsements received.

The government of Glosta is currently made up of the President, Brineir, Vice President, JYnori, High Lord of Recruiting, Communist Dursey, High Lord of Inter-Regional Relations, Fusina and High Lord of Battle, Brineir.

If you would like to see where all the this is happening, please register on our forums, whether you are a member of the region or a foreigner, http://s8.invisionfree.com/Glosta

Article Submission

If you would like to submit and article or report on anything about Glosta or Nationstates, please PM Kundaria on the forums.

A Comet falls into the San Juan River – Colorado
“evil blood comet – part 1 “

The first man that sees the comet is Jeff Vaughan
truck driver that is coming back to Durango ( Colorado )
after a hard work week.

It’s 11 pm when he sees the Blood Comet.

Fortunately it’s a small comet but Jeff is very scared because
the comet really looks as red as blood.
The comet goes into the San Juan River!

Jeff stops the truck and he goes to see but he can’t see anything
because the comet is under the water,so he waits,
he is very upset.

He sees some gas that comes out from the water and he is scared,
the gas is very powerfull so Jeff escapes!

He turns on the truck and goes at home.
He still doens’t know what is happening,
He gets home but he doesn’t feel fine.

He starts to vomit and his vomit is red.

The day after the Colorado Police discovers his body
burnt,carbonized

what is happening????

It seems he is not the only victim.
The whole city of Durango is dead.

The Universe model. It is with doubt i write these selected words. I am one of the most private individuals in the world, without a true friend or even family any more. I do not like humanity and thus have no reason to contribute to it. But my mind have been invaded by my enemy, and these have looted what i am about to reveal for humanity and history. I have decided to provide my enemy’s enemies with the same information as they have robbed from me. I do this to damage them as much as possible. Do not thank me, even if this is the start of the revelation of the most important knowledge in the history of humanity. The Universe model. It can describe everything in the Universe, if understood. I know that is not easy, no matter how simple it may look. I have only scratched the surface, but will continue try understanding it. And with time reveal it to the world. It WILL change the world. Spread the word! droword.wordpress.com,  and remember my brain body is for hire, i want to evolve it and need money to do it. Contact me! I also think my blog may come under hacker attacks, if someone out there think my blog is important consider helping me protecting it, make a friend site or something. I do not want to tell my name yet, but to avoid other people claiming the model as theirs, i will provide some “code” that later can identify me as the creator of this model: ” The two fishes swim in the fjord of prawn and the one that spins made a knot of his family “. This is a preliminary and simplified 2 dimensional version of the Universe, with the ” magic spot “. Much more is coming soon…

Forget the cold war this is the new hot war!I am one of very few people that understand what is about to happen to the human race and thus the world as a whole. Not even the scientists and researchers i am in ” contact ” with seems to understand. They are dealing with technology 1000 times more powerful than the internet or even nuclear weapons, and evolutionary stuff that will change us into non-humans. It is the most important evolutionary step since we started walking on two feet. It is the step that will make us walk on two feet when it comes to communicating with each other and information. Second best will become extinct or useful cattle. We are on the brink of ALIENATION, becoming what we imagine aliens are, what their societies are. Your country and leaders may wish i am joking or they can start acting now, and not have to beg your enemy to buy expensive the old stuff nobody else wants! I am a freedom lover and not a fan of any government, so why do i WARN governments to start NOW develop this mind technology without thinking about cost at all. First: this technology is not one, it will soon become the largest industry besides energy. Food and fuel is the same! And will be the second biggest industry until this technology is mature and making humans choose to live in artificial realities without need for food or much energy! Then this industry will be the biggest on earth!!! Did you get this, within decades or a century this technology will be the biggest industry on earth! bigger than oil, food, military, medicine…I don’t like your government, but i hate the fuckheads that invaded my head and in return i try to damage them as much as possible by giving their enemies the warning and knowledge they need. Remember that my enemies indicates that they still do not get this technology, start as fast as you can and if you pay me, the most professional understander of this emerging technology what i deserve and SHALL have, i will cooperate with ANY nation on earth. The keyword is give me freedom and i will give your country a more advanced technology than what your enemy has! I consider my enemy mediocre, i am not!!! If you doubt my seriousness i will prove myself through a model that can explain the universe, but only after a hefty up front ” fee “, since it has great value to any nation or science. Think millions! My pay for helping your people developing the technology comes in addition and should suit the best expert, in the coming most lucrative industry. Freedom enhancement in any shape or form can reduce this pay to almost peanuts. Example: I hate papers and want you to take care of anything and everything. Freedom = simplicity, and it has great value to me. Think millions! And to the ones who today suffer due to this technology and considers it torture and me now a traitor i say: our enemy has too long operated in hiding and with monopoly. This technology is way to strong to stop, it is a tsunami. Instead of trying to stop it, let us help our enemy’s enemies and make a better model that is friendly and fuck our mind invaders money and peace.  I believe we can develop something that make their model, knowledge and investment obsolete,. They would really hate that! I think the developing world needs to wake up, they obviously enjoyed the last 500 years slavery and can’t wait to spend the next 500 as cattle. We should consider helping them. Spread the word: droword.wordpress.com

My family lived in Prague, Czech Republic at the time. It was mid-afternoon, and I was in my high school History class, second to last period of the day, when the air raid siren went off. My classmates and I looked around at each other, confused, then shrugged and went back to studying. After school let out, I went downtown to just walk around and enjoy the city.

I ran into a friend of mine on the main square. I went up to talk to her, and she held up a finger and asked me to wait since she was on the phone. She finished her conversation and hung up. “Sorry,” she said. “That was my dad.”

“Your dad’s in the States right now. Isn’t that a $2/min phone call?” I asked.

She replied, “Yeah, didn’t you hear? New York is getting bombed or something.” Not believing her, I rushed into a sports bar nearby that was showing footage of the smoking towers. I sensed that now was not the time to be wandering aimlessly downtown and rushed home immediately.

One of the Czech news stations carried some coverage, but it wasn’t round-the-clock like most Americans enjoyed. My family and I found ourselves on CNN.com hitting the refresh button every 5 minutes.

The next few weeks were interesting as the expats began cautiously emerging from their homes to rejoin society. The International School had guards with gigantic automatic weapons patrolling the campus. People were about as sympathetic and hospitable towards Americans as Czechs know how to be. Then we invaded Afghanistan, and the “we hate America, you bully” attitude returned with vigor.