No goblins for me, fortunately! I'm in Toronto so not really near New England, but lots of people coming and going from all corners, so it could certainly have made its way up here. I'm also susceptible to the flu and bronchitis for some reason.

If your high school had really prepared you for university, you would not have experienced such big grade drop. It's a myth that the grade drop is normal, designed to cover the grade inflation, which has been going on since the 1980s.

Oh Christ. Although the people I work with are actually stupid enough to doubt a death certificate. As in: OK they died but probably not of what they said and anyway they probably did something to deserve that disease. But I work with idiots.

This Jezzie and quite a few others live in Toronto, so we can hook you up!

So here's something I hate: jackasses, particular co-worker jackasses, who think they have medical licenses and therefore know all about your illness, what you must have done to get it, and how long it should take for you to recover. Also, what snarky remarks you need to hear to snap out if it.

There is a LOT of grade inflation in high school these days, so many high school students are being misled about what kind of work is required to succeed at university. Plus a whole bunch of other issues with the Canadian system.

I don't see any claim that they abducted her and have kept her forcibly confined. She freely entered into it and is free to go. So I don't think the family is lying about her having agreed. That just doesn't make sense.

"Rare is the person who hasn't had a speeding ticket or purchased property or married/divorced or had SOME dealing with courts in the the area they claim to reside or have resided."

I think people who don't like chopping have never done it with a good quality, super-sharp knife. Because it is the BOMB.

Yes, I know he was laying low before this, but the interview blows it away. He might as well not have bothered if he was going to do this.

Being interviewed by BW is not laying low, and it's a terrible strategy for avoiding judgement by the public.

Not turning grief into entertainment - that ship sailed a long, long time ago.

It's not like anyone forced him to do an interview with Barbara Walters though. If he wants to be left alone, not judged, etc he could just lay low.

But the family was trying to scam her too, by not having a proper employment contract and not paying her as the law requires. So they don't get much sympathy from me.

But this woman agreed to the arrangement, because she had an entirely different agenda. She's a grifter. It's not at all like the Filipina nanny in the UAE situation.

That the thing - the arrangement did not fully comply with employment OR tenancy laws, so terminating the arrangement is not a straightforward process.

She was on the Vexatious Litigants list, but it may have been reporters who dug that up, not a standard background check. I expect that there are various levels for background checks and you pay more depending on how thorough of a check you want.

Oh shit.

Uh oh. What is the issue with Scottish folds?

When I drop my cat off at the boarding place the night before I leave for a trip, the apartment feels sooooo empty and lonely. It's not even a question whether I'll get a new cat when my current one goes to kitty heaven.