Welcome back from me too. I still browse by your Facebook page now and again and wonder how you are doing. We are pretty much up to the same stuff, discussing space and whatever pops into someones head while waiting on hoax believers to drop by. From the low turn out these days, apparently most of them have taken your route and moved on.
I don't hear as much about the difficulties in your home country as I used to, so I hope your life has been surrounded by more peace than it was a few years ago.
Dear Echnaton, I too browse your fb from time to time to check about you. I must admit that I became a fb addict..
about the forum, yes it appears there is less activity, but I think this is, from a side, unchallenging becasue it is debate between two opposing parties that brings in new knowledge..
on the country' level: yes, I think it is much peaceful, but Syria won the game and it became now the saviour from Islamic terrorism who turned the Syrian revolution from a rightful cause to something that everyone wants to get rid of. Skirmishes take place in the North here every now and then, and in the Bekaa after the battle we have soldiers captured and we are trying to free them..this has been devastating for their families.
there has been some time without any assassinations. the tribunal named people from the hizbolla block but can't get them to the court. the son of Hariri is outside for his own safety. and now the parties are concerned about getting a president. I hope it doesn't turn out like 2008 when the same situation lead to a mini civil war.
on another note, I travelled in 2012 to SriLanka for 10 days and I really loved it and advise you to go there if you seek tourism. The nature is fascinating and the old temples and different culture is so amazing.
have a nice day
