could be a problem also. For years perfect strangers would come up to me and tell me to smile. Or ask me why I was angry or unhappy. I was always surprised by their reaction to my facial expression. I wasn't ever angry or worried or unhappy at the time they were encouraging me to smile. I was totally perplexed by these--what I thought bizarre and out of the blue comments. So I started to think about how my face looked as I went about my day. I realized that I naturally kind of wrinkled up my forehead and pursed my lips, set my jaw and otherwise assumed a look of anger, or concern or worry, most of the time exactly opposite of what I was feeling.

I went about trying to change that. I consciously relaxed my forehead--I did it just now!--relaxed my jaw and kind of "opened" my face. Looking in the mirror, the result was astounding. I looked like a different person. I noticed immediate results. People finally stopped telling me to smile. I became more approachable.

Now, I'm 45, living in France and while my face is more open, I'm still kind of in the same boat as the LW. I too, need to get out of my little circle and meet more people. Be more assertive and take risks in social situations. I really appreciated all the posters' comments and they gave me lots of ideas. Thanks LW for writing in , I think many people are like the LW and me (even if we had a similar letter a while ago), and we can use all the suggestions we can get! Being single is tough but the world is out there and all we have to do is jump in. And maybe smile ;)

I add my little voice to those who are thanking Sentator Kennedy. Thank you for not letting this dirty little secret hide in the dark. For further illumination, I urge you to watch this film just released at the New York Tribeca Film Festival, (from the program notes):

"Taxi to the Dark Side"

In English, Pashtu with English subtitles.

Directed By: Alex Gibney

Interests: Mystery, War, Social Issues, Islam, Asian, History, Politics, Middle Eastern, Documentary, Violence

Program Notes

This documentary murder mystery examines the death of an Afghan taxi driver at Bagram Air Base from injuries inflicted by U.S. soldiers. In an unflinching look at the Bush administration's policy on torture, the filmmaker behind Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room takes us from a village in Afghanistan to Guantanamo and straight to the White House. In English and Pashtu.

This film was the winner of the 2007 Best Documentary Award.

I was surprised this film was released in the US. We just watched it here in France on our public television channel, Arte (produced in conjunction with Germany). I cringed and cried at what my country has done "in the name of Freedom." You can bet Europeans are appalled at the shocking revelations exposed in this documentary. People DIED under torture in our hands. Innocent people died and no relative information was obtained. We know torture doesn't work, but this film reveals the day to day lives of prisoners under US control.

Thank you for standing up in America, Mr Kennedy, and trying to remind our country that we can stop this madness. The bottom line is, we can't do to others what we don't want done to ourselves. We have the Geneva Convention for a reason.

Thank you Mr O'Hehir for continuing to keep this film, and the issue of torture, in the eyes of the American public.

We saw "Taxi to the Dark Side" here in France on the public TV channel, Arte, this last fall. I remember coming in to the living room after it had started and not being able to take my eyes away until the credits rolled. I was/am embarrassed and ashamed to be an American.

At the time, I thought it was a European production and didn't realize it was American until I saw Sidney Blumenthal's piece on it later. The images were so raw and the evidence so compelling that I was sure the States were too censured to produce such a damning film. Thank you Mr Gibney for daring to speak out against the administration.

The image that stays in my mind is when they made several men make a pyramid with their naked bodies in the hallway in front of their cells. A woman soldier is forcing these men to climb on top of each other simply for her own (and others') amusement. And someone filmed that!

Please continue to report and comment on this film. And Salon readers, if you haven't seen this film, go. See it, talk about it. Be outraged. Keep it alive. It may be our only hope.