Someone mentioned that he doubted that cross-dressing occurred in ancient cultures. Yes, it did - enough so that St. Paul, in one of his Epistles, admonished the new Christians to avoid dressing in the manner of the other gender.

And why wouldn't a cross-dresser want the right to wear a wedding gown on his wedding day, should it ever become legal? After all, it looked great on Dennis Rodman!

I think "bun in the oven" is kinda cute. I've never been a big fan of the "p" word myself - why can't the English language come up with something with the sublime quality of, say, "enciente?"

But the again why is Broadsheet so concerned about a non-existent presidential baby when we should be talking about the California octuplets instead?

I'm not too crazy about "baby bump" either, but let's face it, for as long as the English (or any other) language has been in existence, slang terms have co-existed with "real" words when it comes to certain aspects of human anatomy/psychology/behavior. We make up less clinical, less "threatening" terms for all manner of phenomena that for whatever reason we feel uncomfortable talking about in "real" terminology.

Of course, sometimes the slang words are more, rather than less, "acceptable" than the actual words, but let's not go there right now.

Slang, argot, colloquialisms, etc., are part of our culture and no amount of PC-ism will wish them away!

Sometimes there's God so quickly.

Please, media people, stop it. Stop it right now.

Those of us with long enough memories to remember the old Lifebuoy Soap commercials are not fond of referring to our President as...body odor. UGH!

Please, Joan et al. Follow the fine tradition of FDR, JFK et al!

A 40+ woman with a bit of "middle age spread" around the "middle" is a perfectly common sight everywhere outside Hollywood and other post-adolescent playgrounds. The O-baby watch actually was covered a couple months ago in the National Enqirer and surfaced again in a checkout-counter gossip magazine last week.

Good grief...can't we let the First Family go through their "period of adjustment" in peace? Let them get through the puppy thing first!

And if they decide to add to the family...great, and ultimately not our business.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get the FATHERS of these babies to step up to the plate so that the MOTHERS would not have to bear the entire burden? Get the dads and their families involved with either taking custody of the babies entirely, or at least encouraging the moms to get into rehab before the kid's born.

Dreaming, am I? Isn't this something that our new President would want us to get behind?

"...and the sieve will never be the same."

I wish I had made up that quote myself, to describe the momentous events of mid-2008 thru January 2009. But I must properly attribute it to Gloria Steinem.

She was asked back in the 70's about the importance of the women's movement, especially with regard to politics, and she gave a variation of this quote. I have carried it with me for over 30 years and it's never been more relevant. Bartlett's take note!

My sister and I collected "storybook" dolls as children, and I've been in plenty of (straight) households where the girls' bedrooms are loaded with "collector Barbies" and such, untouched, on shelves. OK, now maybe their dads are all "closet cases" and they're buying the dolls for the kids when they really want them for themselves, but frankly I'd rather not go there.

"Tina Fey and I were twins, separated at birth!"

Just don't have the Prez give his name, or use a "dummy" name like Al E. Gator.

After all, as anyone who's ever been in a wedding will attest, the bride traditionally does not participate in the rehearsal. She sits on the sidelines and makes notes as a bridesmaid subs for her role in the "ceremony.". Nobody seriously believes that because the MOH stood at the altar with the groom, that the ritual on the next day makes the groom a "bigamist."

94 yes, 2 no, Clinton not voting, one Minn. Seat still open. That makes 98. What about the remaining two?

Oh dear, please don't bend over, dear Second Lady, or you'll be all over You Tube!

And why do so many women refuse to wear a necklace with a strapless or thin-strap gown? That great expanse of flesh isn't all that lovely to look at (except perhaps for the VP).

And here's a map of the Rose Garden, with Barney's favorite "spot" indicated. Might come in handy when training that new puppy.

One of them, which shall remain nameless, is doing a "Separated At Birth" comparison between the First Lady's ball gown and Wilma Flintstone's garb!

The song Ms. Franklin sang was not the "National Anthem" - at least not for the USA. "My Country Tis Of Thee" is our version of the BRITISH National Anthem, "God Save Our Gracious Queen (King)."

Our own "Star Spangled Banner" actually WAS sung by Aretha at the (in)famous 1968 Dem convention in Chicago. I think her performance may have been the first "unconventional" interpretation of the song, which led to lots of criticism, as well as setting the stage for classic renditions ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Roseanne (and in that order!).

BTW - for those who were there - can anyone tell me just when the National Anthem WAS played? I don't recall hearing it during the ceremonies at all, except as "bumper" music for the TV break-to-commercials.