Without even reading any of the other responses so far, I'd just like to say that this was one of your best responses (and introductions) yet.

An Anonymous above writes:

That was clearly a very badly edited portion of an interview....

If you tuned in to your news broadcast tonight and your signal was distorted, disabling a vast section of the text, would you comment/act on what little you had left? Or would you ask to see the complete transcript? As this stands it makes no sense, in ANY religion or context.

The video shows enough to prove that Tom Cruise is a seriously sick puppy. Nine minutes is quite rope for him to hang himself. There is no context in which this material would be anything but utterly creepy, save perhaps that of a movie in which Cruise plays a deranged high-level operative of a secretive, greedy, manipulative and evil cult.

Someone wrote: "Also, sorry I doubted you about TWBB. I didn't see it, but upon reflection I don't think I'd like it."

What?!

Poll workers not knowing about important details of the process? Machinery not being auditable? It is past high time for America to replace its creaking voting system with something better -- not only the physical machinery but the entire system. No need to go far for an example: go see how Elections Canada does it.

So original, too. Ze French zpeek zo funny!

Just like the names of all other currencies, "euro" is written in lowercase.

I don't appreciate cold winters. I moved.

Nice essay, though.

I support this decision.

"A Billion Angry Bees" writes:

@ $110/bbl those poor sources are economically viable for the first time

So in other words all those expensive sites are now practical. Similarly, tar sands are now economically viable for the first time. In fact a whole host of oil sources once thought useless are now economically viable when crude is that expensive. Which means there are new untapped sources.

Absolutely correct, but beside the point. No one is arguing that the world is running out of oil. Indeed, at the point where oil production peaks, perhaps half of all extractable oil is still left in the ground. However, the world is running out of cheap oil.

"DrEast" writes: "The essential liberty is the freedom to perish. Take that away, and you've lost all liberties."

Wow, man. That's deep.

I don't live in the US, and know next to nothing about this Matthews person, but having read this extract of what he said, it's difficult to believe he's a journalist at a major news organisation. He exhibits behaviour that is totally unprofessional. Even if he were not a journalist, but an interviewee, his take on the Clintons would be over the top.

This was one of your best columns yet. (Yes, I've read them all, or almost.)

I loved "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" when I saw it, must be 20 years ago now. Good to know it's out on DVD.

I've read a fair amount on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, but I'm still confused about which side is in the right and which are the evil bastards. Could somebody please set me straight?

Yes, but you mean "water pressure". The atmosphere ends at the water's surface.

I thought some of Allen's early films were hilarious, but he became a parody of himself a long time ago. "Manhattan Murder Mystery" was OK, "Zelig" before that was fine, but having been disappointed too many times since, I no longer care to waste my time and money on his films. (Oh, and I'm European, in case that makes any difference.)