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?!

"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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the assumption made by some of the letter writers that poor rural folks are necessarily stupid. It's a cliche' and another form of bigotry. I live in an area loaded with wealthy, retired, northern suburbanites and many of them are, shall we say, not the sharpest tools in the shed. We all need to remember, too, that Bill Maher is a COMEDIAN. His observations are not to be taken literally. They are true enough, however, to be very, very funny.

So, it is men who are thin-skinned? I believe it was a "femininst" who started this whole discussion. I don't watch "Desperate Houswives," but, I'm sure that if a TV show started with even a cartoon version of a woman being beaten up, there would be a shit storm of protest.

Even the horribly repressed Republicans realize that. Thus: Sarah Palin. And, by the way, MIIIZZZZ Linney, proclaiming the superiority of women is one of main things that has corrupted the Women's Movement. Talk about ELITISTS!

If Barack is an empty suit, what does that make George Bush/John McCain? Oh, I forgot they have Cheney and Rove's hands up their asses. Fills them out nicely.

Ok, bearing all of this in mind, how do we explain the women who "doll themselves up" for no particular reason--makeup, pushup-bra, perfume, high heels, tight skirt--the whole package--and then are upset when they catch a man looking at their breasts or their ass? What exactly are they selling? Well, we know what they are selling, but they are not delivering the product advertised. Seems kind of like bait-and-swith to me--voyeurism for it's own sake. Is this what turns women on--knowing that they are turning men on with no intention of following through? Kind of pathalogical, don't you think?

Again,what about the women in the real world who CHOOSE to exploit their own sexuality for their own narcisistic/autoerotic/voyeuristic purposes? Many young women apparently see this as either a form self expression or some kind of protest against an overly rigid upbringing. In any case, they don't seem to be willing to take responsibility for the consequences.