I agree the smaller typeface is not easy on the eyes.

When I clicked on this site, I saw 105 responses to your new Letters rules. 13 were from david sugarman. That's about 8% of the responses, all by one person. That's not much of an improvement, when one person still has the ability to hijack the board...even if he had anything of substance to add.

I'd urge you to limit the numer of times one can post to Salon in general or to one column in particular...or guide frequent posters to Table Talk, which is designed to be a discussion, not a "letters to the editor." "to the editor"...not to each and every post as a thought flits across one's mind.

I don't think it's too much to ask people to respond to the author/editor in this section and to choose Table Talk for chatty banter.

Oh, I'm also against the "anonymous" button. Say what you have to say and name it. It's no 1st Amendment issue; this is a private website and you can choose to speak up or not. If you're ever worried about your words coming back to haunt you...well, that's life. We're all accountable.

Whatever the LW does is fine by me.

I would add that I have a house that will never make the pages of any respectable home decor magazine. But...ever piece, knick-knack, painting and stick of furniture has a story, a history, a place in my heart. It makes me feel good...and it's my home. I suppose I could just go buy what's on sale at IKEA...or if I had money hire someone with actual taste to redo it all in Early Modern French Industrial Provincial. Whatever.

I guess I'm urging the LW to do what she feels, and to only worry about what she thinks, not anyone else.

And the fact that even on a web forum, few can help but dredge up the past as an excuse for their continued misbehavior shows me the situation in the Middle East will never be solved--not by any 'peace accords,' not by the next cease-fire, not by another summit meeting.

Shame on anyone who won't choose to look forward instead of backward; who chooses to avenge violence with more violence; who continues to turn away from their own group's murderous ways.

Imagine no possessions.....

from "Life of Brian"

BRIAN: Are you the Judean People's Front?

REG: Fuck off!

BRIAN: What?

REG: Judean People's Front. We're the People's Front of Judea! Judean People's Front. Cawk.

FRANCIS: Wankers.

BRIAN: Can I... join your group?

REG: No. Piss off.

BRIAN: I didn't want to sell this stuff. It's only a job. I hate the Romans as much as anybody.

PEOPLE'S FRONT OF JUDEA: Shhhh. Shhhh. Shhh. Shh. Shhhh.

REG: Schtum.

JUDITH: Are you sure?

BRIAN: Oh, dead sure. I hate the Romans already.

REG: Listen. If you really wanted to join the P.F.J., you'd have to really hate the Romans.

BRIAN: I do!

REG: Oh, yeah? How much?

BRIAN: A lot!

REG: Right. You're in. Listen. The only people we hate more than the Romans are the fucking Judean People's Front.

P.F.J.: Yeah...

JUDITH: Splitters.

P.F.J.: Splitters...

FRANCIS: And the Judean Popular People's Front.

P.F.J.: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Splitters. Splitters...

LORETTA: And the People's Front of Judea.

P.F.J.: Yeah. Splitters. Splitters...

REG: What?

LORETTA: The People's Front of Judea. Splitters.

REG: We're the People's Front of Judea!

LORETTA: Oh. I thought we were the Popular Front.

REG: People's Front! C-huh.

FRANCIS: Whatever happened to the Popular Front, Reg?

REG: He's over there.

P.F.J.: Splitter!

You may now continue your debate over Hamas, IRA, Jewish, Islam, Republican/Democrat, or whatever other silly distinctions you wish to make between all those who are the problem instead of the solution.

that naming them whatever they choose it hardly worth worrying about.

I'm reminded of the Saturday Night Live sketch with Nicholas Cage and how easy it is to make fun of just about anyone's name. (You'll recall his was pronounced Ozz-Weep-Ay but spelled Asswipe.)

"Do you find the photographs of David Hamilton or Jock Sturges offensive? In other parts of the world these would be considered art - and they do feature some girls 11 years-old or younger." --anonymous

They're kiddie porn for those who wish to pretend to be artistic. Stop kidding yourself. Sick is as sick does. The pedophile will justify his or her behavior under the slimmest of pretenses.

If you're so certain about the distinctions between fine art and kiddie porn (and boy, you sure are 'well-read' on this particular subject, aren't you?), why the need to so staunchly defend what you 'know' to be fine art? Funny, but I don't see such passionate responses by people attempting to defend the fine art of say, Picasso. And if you're so darned right about this and I'm such the know-nothing...why does one of us sign his name and the other deliberately choose to remain anonymous?

Hmmm?

Look, dude, I don't believe your old bile about the nubiles. Just do us all a favor--especially the children--and keep it to yourself, OK?