That I mind, when I see GWB make a fool of himself consistently and never blink an eye, never show the slightest bit of embarrassment. Just the opposite he seems proud to bursting of every little moronic utterance.

About spelling, it's also something that's become unimportant. I read misspellings in magazines and webzines all the time. I don't mind it in the letters sections, but the actual publications? It's awful. My 16-year-old daughter and I were in an antique store weeks ago and found a spelling book for 8th graders from the 1930s. It was definitely no frills, no pictures, just page after page of lists of words and questions about the phonetic sounds and their letter equivalents, and the meaning of the words, the words used in sentences. My daughter said it looked very strict, (I know) but looking at it you could see they meant business and you would learn to spell from that gray little book. Most of the old people I know are very good spellers, maybe that's why. And yes I've heard people say tough road to hoe, irksome. They must have been brought up in barns.

achillesiscrying and noizangel, you're so right. Willidigital, you advocate poor spelling, so we know where your priorities lay. Good enough is totally good enough for you.

that individual citizens and those who need to should tighten their belts and live within their means, I cannot agree with those who say we have no right to blame the government or hold them responsible in any meaningful way. Would we be fighting with the Mexicans over jobs if most manufacturing jobs had not been sent to China, India or other 3rd world countries? The same companies who export jobs get federal subsidies. This doesn't bother conservatives? Would small towns be dying out and devastated the way they are ir this hadn't taken place? Have you read about how gas station owners are struggling while gas companies post record profits? It's the same with the pharmaceutical companies. Drugs cost a fortune while they are not necessarily reliable.

I don't have a car. I make about 35,000 annually. I have all used furniture. I shop at Goodwill and take the bus to the library downtown just to get out. I live in an inexpensive apartment complex, and yes I see a lot of my poorer neighbors have flat screen TVs, and this weirds me out because the TV I have was given to me, and it's color and it's 17 inches, but compared to the sets we had as kids, it's great. My kids and I are not suffering or starving, but things could be better. I am not asking that anyone GIVE me anything, just that they stop stealing from the rest of us. A lot of the gainfully employed who work for the government have way better safety net programs than the rest of us (legislating for pharmaceutical companies then going to work for them, better health care and similar) and they don't do their goddamn jobs. I could point to a bunch of scandals within the past year to prove it, but what's the point.

Since I have to know how to stretch my money and how to be self-sufficient, I have been. How bout the folks in power do the same.

Oh brother where art thou wasn't a great movie either, but I enjoyed it. And BTW, there is no more Cary Grant, you only get one and ours is gone.

I sent this to all of my daughters and my sister. It's good to know that the feeling of missing out or being passed over is almost universal and not limited to a few unfortunates. Like knowing that times is tough financially for lots of people instead of loser-me. Thanks again.

has a much more succinct opinion piece on this over at huffpo. Obama is absolutely right. Visit the NE and take a look at the conditions of the small towns. It's probably the same all over for small towns, but NE is the only place I've witnessed first hand. Obama's statement comes closest to echoing Ralph Nader's statement about small towns being a big part of the American heritage and how they've been decimated. Hilary Clinton and McCain suck up to small towns for their resilience and values while ignoring their enormous difficulties, damning them with faint praise.

thank you HH, made my morning. Thanks for the confirmation of lifestyle. I only briefly watch this show and can't keep the people quite straight, but they seem surprisingly human to me. Why surprisingly? I don't know. I guess people seem more alive or natural when they have had some sort of struggle in their lives. So thanks for the clever remark.

If I hated television and refused to own one or watch it, I would not be reading television reviews. Because, woodwhatever, you don't enjoy the TV, doesn't mean the rest of us can't.

to have someone around like AP and put him in this crap. Everytime I watch Reds, I'm likewise irritated to see Diane Keaton in the crap she's been in lately. Al Pacino has done some fairly recent work that was great like Devil's Advocate. I know people get old but shit.

is that you are both insane, not to call names or be judgmental you understand, just trying to enlighten