I don't know if someone has already posted on this, but the reason she is suing for "at least" $75,000 is probably to get the matter into federal court. A matter based on diversity jurisdiction (that is to say, a civil action in federal court between parties from different states) must have an amount in controversy over $75,000.00.

I have not read the complaint, however, so this is merely my best guess.

Vicksburg, Richmond, etc. had ceded from the real America so they shouldn't count.

I think it was General Sherman who said it best: "South Carolina must be destroyed."

You take yourself way too seriously

That debate topic will captivate literally a handful of people.

Here's how I imagine it:

Tom: It really peeves me when you call your readers 'chickens.'

Heather: Okay.

Tom: No, I really mean it. It makes me mad.

Heather: Um, okay.

Tom: So you concede that you are the embodiment of everything that is wrong with American popular culture?

Heather: No.

Tom: Why do you hate the Real America?

Heather: What's the Real America?

Tom: All of America except New York and Los Angeles.

Heather: Is San Francisco part of the Real America?

Tom: Definitely not.

Heather: San Jose?

Tom: Toss up.

Heather: Oakland?

Tom: I suppose so.

Heather: You know, I am from North Carolina.

Tom: Research Triangle is NOT part of the Real America.

Scintillating!

Garten, garter ... that's funny.

I know you think I am a fool and, apparently, lingerie, but that was pretty nice what you wrote. I just wish you could write like that all the time and quit your creepy, trollish ways!

I disagree that introducing a waiver for the timetable is an example of Democratic cowardice. Rather, it was pretty smart. First, the concession shows that the Democratic Congress is willing to negotiate with Bush. Quite reasonably, they don't want to fall into the same trap that Gingrich did after the '94 midterm elections.

Second, a waiver tells the American people that the Congress is not rigidly "tying our troops hands." If the situation changes, then the President could keep the troops there longer as needed.

Third, if/when Bush vetoes the legislation, it shows the public that it is Bush who is not willing to negotiate with Congress and Bush who is standing in the way of the war funding. Especially bad when the majority of American voters want the US out of Iraq before the next general election.

Finally, if the bill is enacted, then Bush would have to decide whether to waive the timetable -- a decision which would be made in the future and close to the '08 election. If he waived the timetable then, it is more likely that Republicans in the Senate and House, fearful of losing their seats, would revolt.

Simply put, the timetable waiver concession is a smart ploy that is likely to marginalize even further the Administration.

If these guys hadn't spent the 6+ years screwing us over, I'd feel kind of sorry for them.

"One catch: The committee still doesn't have all the documents Goodling has, and Goodling's lawyer says she won't hand them over until the Justice Department says she can."

My prediction for tomorrow's lead:

A spokesperson for the Justice Department stated earlier today that they will not authorize Goodling to release the documents sought by the House Judiciary Committee while there is an ongoing investigation.

Here is my number one:

Being able to walk into any bar in the world and have the possibility of having a great time talking to a stranger who loves the same sport you do.

Why must people like Ken Ham take the most historically important and powerful document the Western world has produced and reduce it to ridicule by demanding a literal interpretation of allegorical fables found in its first few pages? Would it kill them to just leave it alone for once?

What is lacking (in Mr. Ham's mind) cannot be counted. Sigh.

Heather, you state that the show treated the departure of Chase, Cameron and Foreman as "mundane." Your basis for this seems to be that House got a new guitar, which he played just before closing credits.

I firmly believe that you missed the entire point of the ending. First, to remind the casual viewer that House hates change, we have the conversation between House and Watson, er, Wilson, about House's old acoustic guitar, which he has had since junior high. Then we are treated to House's feeble attempts to please Foreman and his lashing out and firing Chase. Finally, House is left with no one, his team gone. Is he upset? He knows he should be (the conversation with the patient's husband), but he isn't. Then he goes home and finds a guitar-sized package at his door. It's a new guitar! He takes it out of the case and starts to play.

For those unfamiliar with such things, I can tell you that playing a new guitar after playing your old one for a long time feels strange: the neck feels different, as do the frets and the body. The new guitar sounds different, too. But instead of what we as supposed to expect (House barely trying to hide his displease at the new guitar and not giving it an honest try), he plays it and seems to be okay with it.

While it should have been upsetting, it wasn't. So the event was mundane, I suppose, but that is what was surprising.

Now, about the helicopter rescue: yes, it didn't really seem necessary. Made me wonder if the ep ran too long and they decided to cut some of the husband out to have room for the departures of House's team.

Also, I think House, MD was set in New Jersey, not Seattle, at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.