No one calls anyone a sex object except those who are pointing out that someone else is being viewed as a sex object. So, who is the offender? And, it seems that those who object to certain women being viewed as sex objects are, in fact, objecting to certain women being viewed as sexual beings. Could this be jealousy? If men did not view some women as sexual beings, the human race would have died out a long time ago. And, of course, the attraction of male models used in adverting is based on women's appreciation of their intellects.

How does one, indeed, have sex with someone who is NOT a sex object---that is, an object of sex?

Blah, blah, blah, blah WOMEN. Blah, blah, blah, blah SEXISM. Blah, blah, blah, blah, MISOGENY. Blah, blah, blah, blah....

I'm surprised that no one picked up on the hilarity of Sarah Palin, mother of five, using the term "laying pipe" in her acceptance speach.

As usual, Bill Maher cuts to the chase. Having him on SALON is very cool.

You're missing the point. Heart isn't claiming ownership of the word, they are asserting publishing rights to their song. They turned down lots of potential royalties in favor of not lending their music to support a loathsome political agenda.

Was it my imagination or was Sarah The Barracuda READING the same speach she gave at the converntion duing a campaign stop today? Meanwhile, Barack had his sleeves rolled up and was speaking from the gut at a glass factory. Ms. Palin has gotten this far largely because of her looks. It appears that she can't think on her feet (no double entrende' intended). The novelty of a female VP candidate is already starting to wear off. I can't wait to hear her take questions from reporters without a script.

"Alone in South Africa's" comment that drunks are boring really struck a chord with me. Oddly enough, they (the drunks) seem to think that they are witty, charming and brilliant. One thing they do not know how to do, however, is listen. As long as you are spellbound by their rambling monologues, everything is fine. Try disagreeing with their endless stream of gibberish and you risk throwing their whole world out of its orbit. It is insulting to finally realize that someone you love has chosen alcohol over a relationship with you, but, in fact, that is exactly what they have done. As long as they have alcohol, your are invisible.

Why can't someone in the Democratic party summon the courage to itemize the crimes, lies, incompetence and calousness of the last eight years? How far do the Republicans have to go before they will really fight back. Do the Republicans have to come out and say what they and many of their constituents have been thinking all along: we don't want no N----R in the Whitehouse?!

Sarah Palin is so cute--especially when she wrinkles up her nose, but man is she mean! And, in spite of all the talk about no special treatment for women, I'm sure the gentlemen on the Democratic side will have to be pushed pretty far not to show defference to a "lady." She's the perfect enforcer. She can make the most viscious attacks and never be hit back as hard as she hits.

Sarah Palin is the Vanna White of the Republican party.

One question I haven't heard asked about Governor Palin is: why did she accept McCain's offer? Surely, she is smart enough to know that she is being used? A beauty queen mom can "soften" some of the most archaic political ideas in existence. When any of the old white guys of the Republican party express these ideas, they just come off as mean and superior. (We have a tendency to assign positive qualities to beautiful people.) Coming from Ms. Palin, the vilest thoughts appear to be cute and harmless.

The choice of the gun-loving, hunting, fishing, sports fan, anit-gay, anti-choice, pro-war Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate reminds me of an old Brett Butler joke: "Feminisim has allowed women to become what we wanted to be all along, MEN!"

Has it occured to anyone besides me that growing up black in America might be as tough psychologically as spending five years in a North Vietnamese POW camp? Why all this miplaced pity for the rich old white guy? Just a thought.....

I have never understood the existence of women Republicans. It seems like the classic oxymoron to me. Yes, Sarah Palin is attractive, female, personable, but she is still a FREAKIN' REPUBLCIAN! She is still anti-choice, anti-gay and, if she is a true Republican, probably pretty much anti-everything that that entails having any kind of human compassion. McCain's choice of her as his VP candidate is a cyncical calculation gone wrong. If there are any women out there stupid enough to fall for this, they deserve what they get. She's obviously window dressing to offset the "dawn of the dead" presence of Cindy McCain---who is obviously not of this world.

I think in the case of a female reporter bashing another woman, as with Michelle Obama, it is more a matter of good old-fashioned racism rather than sexism. Yes, as shocking as it may seem, women are capable of racsim. (They may even be capable of male-bashing.) But, in general, this column is becoming very tiresome in it's constant assertions of sexism in the most trivial instances.

There was a wasted, gun-totin' redneck conspiracy threatening our country's security long before it even occured to the Muslim fundamentalist fringe to attack us. Why haven't we bombed the Midwest? If these idiots had been people of color, they'd be in Guantonamo being waterboarded by now.

The song used to introduce Mrs. Obama was not "Isn't She Lovely." It was "I Was Made To Love Her"---both written by Stevie Wonder.