SOme things you have to do--survey your relatives--were any of them like this? Some of mine were, and it was a predictor for their kids.

--understand that it's not about you, it's about feelings that he has--sensitivity, fear, aggression--that are brain chemicals and patterns, so don't be offended, it's not personal

--he needs structure and firmness, but not anger on your part. He is probably overwhelmed by his own feelings.

--There is a spectrum of oppositional behaviors and all toddlers are on it somewhere, so you need to get some info about that spectrum and help in deciding where he is.

--Think of it as a management problem rather than a relationship problem.

Is incredibly powerful, especially when you see the wolf limping and struggling through the snow after it has been wounded. Send it to every animal lover you know, especially dog lovers. The video is way more moving than any description. This way of wolf killing is a nightmare and a tragedy.

the way you draw.

if Michelle Obama were a member of a secessionist party? Good lord!

I'm with you. Pop those hairtriggers before the election, not after. This is the purpose of journalism in our day--drive the crazy ones crazy for all to see.

Though the attack on Iran did not happen--I thought that was going to be the way they would suspend the election. I guess the attack is going to be on San Francisco, or some liberal spot like that.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-smiley/that-look-on-her-face_b_129638.html

California, Iowa, Oregon, and Washington state. How can he not win? That's more than a hundred in addtion to the 200 he has now.

I would like to see the state get entirely out of the marriage business, and not recognize marriage at all. No illegitimacy for children. No tax breaks for religious beliefs. No legal marriage or divorce. In the eyes of the state, everyone equal. Registered domestic partnerships okay for legal rights of hospital visitation and questions of responsibility, but that's all.

Hi, Heather--

Thanks for your kind words. But what really formed us was not JFK and MLK, it was their context--mutually assured destruction,air raid drills, better dead than Red, A-bomb tests, H-bomb tests, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Berlin Wall. There was always a big big war just over the horizon. It would come up suddenly and it would kill us and everyone else. And the rationale behind it wasn't very clear. You think we're ideological? We were raised to die for Capitalism, no questions asked. And then we started to ask questions.

was to be outraged by the Rahm choice. I think that's good!

Everyone IS going to get used to gay marriage, and those who don't are old and will die soon enough. I'm sorry about prop 8--I voted against it and donated to the cause. But, in fact, my preference would be NO governmental support of marriage of any kind. Only civil unions and all children declared "legitimate" at birth. AND every parent DNA tested and required by law to support their children. How would you like that? That's the only fair system. But until we get that, good luck.

If she gets to the Senate, and to Washington, she will be a laughing stock and an outrage for SIX YEARS! She humiliated herself in the campaign, and it only took two months. Six years of rope and she ought to hang herself in a very entertaining way.

If I don't WANT to eat GM corn? The deal is, there is GM corn in a lot of foods, and the labels are mum about it. Can I make a choice? Why must it be forced upon me? I will tell you--because no one really wants to eat it, so coercion is Monsanto's only hope, and coerce they certainly do. So it doesn't really matter whether GM corn makes you infertile, or gives you two heads, or tastes bad. You gotta eat it anyway.

In my field, I am very successful. I attribute my success to an interest in what I do (fascination, really), which results in my being willing to do it over and over--because I like it and it arouses my curiosity. The second factor is that when I was young, I was too naive and even dumb to know how hard it was to become a success in my field, and so I was never intimidated or afraid. It wasn't until I was middle-aged and looking back that my old ambitions made me nervous, and by that time they had been realized. The third factor was luck. You have to stick to it. You have to not be afraid. And you have to get lucky.

My bet is this idea is an elaborate game, that she will decline, and that someone else will get the post. Bill does pose a problem. Vetting her exposes the problem, and then they are done. Obama has overtly made ethics a priority. He can't back down at this point. If Hillary wants it, the Clintons will have to clean up their act. Can they? Would they? I bet not. But everyone can smile and bow and go about their business. Health and Human services? That's a better idea. And just as important, these days.

The way you draw. Your insights are great, your jokes are funny. But I mostly love the way you draw.

about the existence of God is about whether "I" feel the existence of God or not. There can be no argument about the existence of God that is objective. All arguments are interpretive, and soooo, who cares? There are three positions in the God debate, and only three. They are "I think God exists," "I don't think God exists", and rare but valuable, "I don't care whether God exists or not." This last is my position.