a couple nearly as revolting as are presented here. Is this an early April Fools Day joke?

I'm no fan of utter romanticism, but really, marking up comparisons of boyfriends like this-makex me grateful I'm gay (and happily patnered).

Perhaps, Joan, next time you might. Donahue is nothing more than the sort of moronically bigoted Irish Catholic whom I barely survived growing up with.

He is by turn a venomous homophobe, a complete anti-Semite, and a racist prick (not even to bring up his deep-seated misogony).

Why would you even agree to appear with him on a TV show? You only serve to lend him the credibility he so desperately seeks-

would you appear with the Baptist Fred Phelps? Or a Klansman?

I think you should, perhaps, resist dealing with this slimeball. Unless, of course, what you really couldn't resist was the call to appear on cable tv yourself? How about putting that off a bit, and showing some judgement. You keep writing like you have-the media appearances will appear. And you won't have to soil yourself by appearing with this loathome turd.

Yes, I think we can all agree that it would be better if the DOD and the DOS had more than the handful of competent Arabic speakers they now possess.

But, I can't help but notice that all the commenters here seem to be acting on the assumption that the real problem from this is that most Iraqis were unaware of the wildly benevolent intentions of the Empire, and if only the USA had had more Arabic speakers, then the Iraqis would have been soothed into accepting the invasion of their country.

Nobody has mentioned the idea that if the various American departments had more Arabic speakers, they might have in fact listened to the about to be overwhelmed subject people, and reported back that, in any language, Iraqis are saying "Hey, we don't want to be invaded, yet again, by Western powers eager to seize our government in order to facilitate the theft of our resources!"

Pity that, although Salon readers like to think that they are better informed by reading here (and they are!), that Salon has not yet managed to find a way to have Iraqis comment here, or even write two page articles on what they think.

but wasn't there a sunday comic of Bloom County where Opus got out of trouble by claiming that he wasn't actually a penguin, but was instead some sort of Great Auk?

I've had this image in my mind for almost a couple of decades now-am I in fact totally insane?

I can honestly say that this is perhaps the first time I've ever agreed wtih Cary's advice- totally and 100%. With no qualms or questions whatsoever.

Please don't contact the poor wife-she has enough guilt and worry about if she could have done something differently to deal with already, without having to factor in your stories. Cary is so correct in the duality of responses to suicide (I speak from experience, alas, and would give anything if I didn't have to).

Please just walk away from this situation, count yourself utterly fortunate that you have such a wonderful and understanding husband, and let him be the listener for all your woe. From the sound of it, he'll cope.

I had so hoped that B.B. would have sharp and intelligent things to add.

It seems not.

At least Gleen G. contributes this of import, and that's why I signed up.

The idiot Camille, and now B.B., yeh! not so much.

How about the claim that "each year the disease infects 350 to 500 million people ".

Wouldn't that mean that the entire population of the world should have been infected several times over in the last, say 15 years?

Meanwhile, can we have the most basic journalistic standards applied before we quote people like Richard Tren, from the self created "Africa Fighting Malaria"? The fact that he admits to a link with another right-wing libertarian think-tank comes as no surprise, indeed. I checked the site and while there is a claim (sans proof) that they are far too ethical to accept funding from any sort of chemical company, there is a list of heretofore unknown foundations. Perhaps before this breezy claim of no chemical or insecticidal company funding is accepted at face value, these supposed foundations should be investigated?"

Because, frankly, it's difficult to imagine who would have funded such organizations if not those who stood to profit from such inane claims that all of the science that has been widely peer-reviewed, and accepted, is somehow now bogus.

Geez, I signed up to pay within a couple of days of the announcement that Glenn Greenwald would be blogging. Happy I am to read every word he writes.

But, oy-then I was told two days later that you were dragging out that old fag hag Camille. At least we were promised only once a month would space be wasted.

But now this errent nonsense? I mean-this is what Salon wants to be known by? A trite piece of crap that revolves around a moronic dichotomy from a stupid self-help book more than a decade old?

Of course we are to be totally impressed at whatever trivial cable show Joan Walsh might be invited to. Can't imagine I'm the only one who cares not at all.

BTW-using the old Timestyle of "Backwards ran the sentences until reeled the mind" just for fun.

On the other hand, if you want a renewal of the subscription, you better have lots and lots of space for Glenn G. And pony up some money for research assistance too.

I mean, seriously, Mars and Venus--and you want to be taken seriously?

so this may not be the first time, but really, I think Mark Hemmingway has serenipitously given you your title:

Sissy Marys:Republican Leaders and the Republican Men Who Love Them

How about: Just My Infatuation: The Crisis of Masculinty in the Republican Party Today