"Our low opinion of [your]selves" was refleced by the author.... With all respect that more Britons take a serious interest in the world around, mostly by dint of necessity, British television is full of the most obscene and low-brow tripe known to man. For that matter, british media is completely and utterly under the thumb of tabloidism in a way that would baffle most americans. Think: if you got on the train of subway in the morning and 3 out of 4 readers on the train were getting their news from People Magazine or Glamour... you would be appalled, but that is exactly the equivilent of what an underground ride to work in the morning, in London, is like.

Beyond that, I would have to say: no meal is worth 100 dollars or more a head, no matter what, and half of these bourgeios restaurants derive too much of their "delectablism" from greasing everything with about 10 blocks of high grade butter. (Not saying ramsay does )But as I was saying, 100... 200.. dollars a head? please! Talk about pecuniary emulation!

ON a personal note, I really don't like people who blather on about how wonderful food is. It is irritating a very raw way to sit across the table from someone who has to 'mmmmm' everytime they put a spoonful of onion soup in their mouths.

Also irritating?: Rangers fans, a foul rancid boiling stew from which ramsay himself emits his gaseous and toxic presence

Rangers supporters? The plaguish huns!... no, just joking. I'm no sectarian extremist. Really, more recently, it was about time the Ranger's got their groove back. The league was looking a bit one sided the past decade or so.

Although the real problem is that it is even two sided. but I can't hate rangers that much... I am not much of a Celtic supporter (more hibs for the scotland if I was forced to pick sides) but not being of there, I am quite enjoying Mr Hutton's contributions to a far more lovable team far to the south.

Through no shortage of experience, I am aware of the pitfalls and benefits of American vs British Media, but my general point is that the self-loathing American is a pretty silly fellow. To be debating the merits of one awful Ramsay show versus another on cultural grounds, one must be looking for differences. While the BBC is much better no doubt to most broadcasts in the USA, the general intellectualism on British television versus American is minimal at best, and the same goes for the populace.

And there is nothing the matter with the sun. How else are we supposed to know what bulgarian model Berba has been making screaming orgasms with?

If we plan to fail, and we do fail... then surely we have succeeded...?

"Miles Davis, Paul Robeson, James Brown, Parliament, even Jimi Hendrix or Louis Armstong"

Parliament... you mean the same band who used to drop acid daily and had several memebrs go insane as a result? I love Parliament (Clones of Dr Funkenstein was fantastic musically, as well as was a pretty snide stab at Nation of Islam ideology), but I don;t recall them as VERY politically active.

And Jimi Hendrix was constantly ridiculed by more political brothas about his lack of involvement... he was about exactly as dismissive.

"The fact that we have not experienced another 9/11 is not a by-chance occurrence"... Well, you'll never get a job in lab I don't suppose. Seriously, irrespective of your political stripe you short essay was chock full of ad hoc assertions not grounded by any sort of logic (Amnesty is anathema to border security) or are utter fallacies of logic (noted above). Not to mention, statements that contravert fact.. for example, by even the state department's analysis, the Iraq war has been a great recruiting tool for extremist organizations. That particular supposition is no surprise, given what we know about wars of occupation. The IRA struck with the knowledge that the British would strike back thereby increasing their ranks when the victims became enraged. This has happen again and again the world over.

While those women may not have burned bras, it is notable (perhaps) that many years later, I, and a pair of my giggly friends, snuck and secreted off one of my mother's bras. We ran off to the woods and did indeed set fire to it with a lighter someone had found in a parking lot while riding bikes.

Not exactly: a PAC can give no more than 5000 dollars per candidate in any given election, so the difference is moot. Most such donation come from employees and even especially spouses of executives. In the spouse case, it doesn't matter, as it is clear what 'household' the donatio is coming from.

As was pointed out by the factcheck posting, two of Obama biggest fund-raisers are Oil compnay executives.

Moreover, Obama has never presented himself as an opponent of big business in the way Edwards did. This was a poorly contrived commercial all around to exploit econimic worried in a so-called working class (and auto-heavy) state like PA.

Look, I am an Obama supporter, but lets not start (continue) being utter rhetoricians. You surely don't beleive Obama is SO much more un-corruptable than anyone else.... I hope...

Music critique? Ick!

"Was it "acting"? Its politics."

Oh god... I'm afraid I have to take you aside and inform you that you are reaching Cult of Personality level fixation, which I do know, some Obama supporters get to. The stipulation that he threw a bunch of gutterballs as a political ploy (but is arguably a solid bowler) is insane, my friend.

excuse me... the last facking thing Yardley is is'blue collar'... thing McMansions and pharmaceutical companies.