> Was it insensitive, or was it constructive, to dally with games and bad jokes so soon afterward? Did doing so convey a fickleness of heart, or did it convey, in some small way, an encouragement to recover and heal? I have no doubts about my response on RinkWorks to 9/11, and I never once got a complaint, either. I ask these questions not from self-doubt but to explore the more general governing rule, which must surely apply to higher profile things, too, like the Academy Awards, currently drawing much heat from many quarters and would, I'm sure, regardless of what actions were taken.

On 9-11, I went to work, came home, fooled around on the INTARWEB, and went to bed, exactly as on any other day. pd.com was still six months away from existing at that point, so I can't reflect on that, but it seemed to me that the best thing to do in light of such a situation was simply continue. If pd.com *had* been around, I know the sort of thing I would do: I would acknowledge that something terrible had happened, but I would not suspend ordinary operations. I would continue making my snide remarks and lunatic jokes just as usual.

If war breaks out, I will do the same. pd.com will continue on its normal course, and will acknowledge the war in its own silly fashion. Is that disrespectful? I would say no. I think one thing that's important when serious things are looming is to make fun of them - you mention something above about how senseless it would be to fight for freedoms and then disregard them. I agree completely. But here's something else - America was founded with three principles in mind: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That's what we're fighting for - for our lives, for our liberty, and for our happiness. And sitting around being all miserable instead of pursuing happiness for no better reason than because you're afraid of being "disrespectful" seems to make about as much sense as refusing to enjoy freedoms you've fought for.

I hope that made more sense than I feel like it did.