I must be an oddball...I never use the "new posts" thing. As for forums, the winner by far is The Hammond Zone. Even discography gets a click from me every two or three years, usually a Chewy thread.
I have no doubt that once you've gained a little distance from this, you'll realize you did the right thing by making sure your father was safe when the inevitable happened. Good luck to the three of you!
To be totally honest, some have disappeared that well, don't disappoint me completely. For example, I'm so glad we have a "What are you reading" thread rather than a "What is your latest tome" thread...
AfricaBrass? Hmmm...sounds kind of familiar...wasn't he the guy who made all those silly avatars?
Welcome back, Jeff; it's damned nice to see you here again!
I assume you mean why Wells rather than Verne?
Nope. I meant Wells. Verne should get the credit.
As for Shelley, I fall into the 'anti-science fiction' doesn't count camp. Yeah, I know it's a cop out...