He's younger than I am, but he's got high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma. Sounds like an old man, doesn't he? He was diagnosed with high blood pressure at 34.

His father was a doctor and my boyfriend sees a doctor every three months (as opposed to every 2-3 years for me).

I don't believe its bad doctor care, at least not in his case. It's genetics, and it's racism. Being black in this country -- and especially being a well educated black who deals with mainly white people -- takes a huge toll on your health. Being stopped by the police for "driving while black," being constantly stared at because you're the only black person in the room, being pushed out of a company you've given your heart and guts to because you're smarter than your white boss, being snubbed in all manners -- well, that does something to the human body.

Being black in this country is bad for your health.

"Half of the Yale community sees art of similar quality when taking care of their monthly hygiene."

My sentiments exactly.

(1) “But the secret plan backfired, resulting in a further setback for American foreign policy under Bush.”

Can these clowns do anything right?

(2) “a covert initiative. . . to provoke a Palestinian civil war.”

Has this administration done anything, I mean anything, good and honorable?

Although I made a cheap joke further up about "clowns not getting anything right," I believe you're absolutely correct.

They look like they're getting everthing wrong, but they're getting it exactly the way they want it.

"I deplore all of those civilian killings as well, but 9/11 was indefensible"

Joan, Joan, Joan: You're saying it's "oops" if the U.S. kills foreign civilians, but "indefensible" if American civilians are killed.

Sorry, but the world doesn't work that way! Guess what, people in other countries feel pain, love, hatred just like Americans do. What on earth do you think 9/11 WAS about? It certainly was the chickens coming home to roost. You can't be the world's bully for years and years and think nothing will ever happen to you.

9/11 was the Columbine of the world. The U.S. bullied and pushed and screwed around and oops, accidentally killed a bunch of civilians. Al Qaeda -- mostly Saudis -- retaliated on 9/11. Was it pleasant? Hell no! Was Columbine pleasant?

I taped the Bill Moyers show and watched it this morning. As a person who hasn't set foot in a church in years, I thought to myself, "This is a pastor I could like."

Rev. Wright is absolutely RIGHT.

Hey everybody --

You've been bitching for some time now that there are more important things going on in the world than Hillary's memory and Barack's pastor.

You've been moaning about the fact that you really want to read about stuff other than the above.

Hmm. Only two posts here (well, now three).

Come on, start the debate. Guantanamo is a blight on the U.S.' reputation and should be weighing on everybody's conscience.

So where are the posts?

. . .and I'll probably say it again, numerous times, before January 2009:

Hasn't this administration done anything that's good and honorable? ANYTHING? Throw me a crumb.

All the Democrats need to say is this:

What was your life like in 2000?

What's your life like now?

Anybody still want to vote for Republicans?

[Of course, at least 30% of Murcans still will vote Repug, but this might get some of the rest to actually stop for a minute and THINK.]

I think the notion of a "gas tax holiday" is ridiculous. Just as the notion of giving the rich a tax break and all that money will "trickle down" to us middle class/poor folks is ridiculous. [And who thought of the "trickle down" phrase? It's always made me think of peeing.]

Anyway, let's say this gas tax hol passes. With the price of gas going up, 18 cents a gallon is no savings. So the theory being passed around --with cheaper gas comes more consumption -- is faulty as well. Can you imagine? "Hey, Imogene, we can take that family vacation across the U.S. cause we'll be saving 18 whole cents for every gallon we buy." I don't see it happening.

What I do see happening is: with the price of gas so high, people will be driving LESS this summer, so demand for gas will remain at winter levels. Well, the oil corporations can't have that. . .hence the proposed gas tax holiday. They truly think people are stupid and can't do the math.

They're probably not too wrong there.

. . .wising up?

I would think any state affected by Katrina would think twice about voting Republican, but then again, that may be too much to hope for.

I'm being cautious, and seven years of Dubya have made me cynical. But who knows? Could the people of the U.S. be wising up?

When I heard on the news that the DC Madame had committed suicide, I was outraged. Suicide, my ass! And by hanging, to boot!

This country is still as Puritan as it was 400 years ago. I'm from Germany, where prostitution is legal. Sure, people there look down on prostitutes. And prostitution is a dangerous profession. However:

(1) Prostitutes pay income taxes

(2) Prostitutes have full health benefits - and this is crucial for their profession.

When, oh when, will the U.S. wise up? And when will the world wise up to illegal drugs and the "War on Drugs"? If something's broke, keep on doing it?

True crimes should be illegal. Deciding to take money for sex, or getting high, should NOT be a crime. America, of all places, should have learned the lesson of Prohibition.