Between the 18th and the 27th of November, 1978, the final nail was driven into the coffin of what should have been the progressive coalition to carry on the social democratic dream of what this nation could become. I don't believe that Dan White was involved in some sort of conspiracy (though the weirdness of his acts after the assassinations makes me wonder sometimes), but he nevertheless snuffed out the last vestiges of what Andrew rightly pointed out were the then-ascendant new urban politics.

I'm always annoyed when George Moscone is described as a "footnote." If he became that it was only because White did his work too well. Moscone and Milk - who, I think, could have easily reached high national office - were perfectly situated to become a new progressive vanguard nationally. And what did we end up with instead? Dianne Feinstein, God help us.

No, between the horror show of Jonestown and the assassinations in San Francisco the entire progressive edifice in this country, so severely weakened by Johnson's folly and RFK's assassination, finally crumbled to dust. I don't find it at all ironic that Proposition 13 passed the same year, and that Reagan ascended to the White House almost exactly two years later.

So were Cooper and Smith at one time. What's your point?

And by the way, whenever I see and hear a film being slammed like this, my first thought is "I can't wait to see it." It's like the original cuts of "Heaven's Gate" and "Once Upon a Time In America" - hideous incisions were made in the name of keeping the films below two hours running time. When the director's cuts were released, both films were rightly acclaimed as magnificent works of cinematic art. I'm betting there's a similar story here.

Wow...just....

Wow.

And I'm always amused by people who are amazed that Statham can act. He was terrific in "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch", and I was shocked that this versatile comic actor could also be utterly believable as a suave criminal operative who could seriously kick ass every bit as good as Jet Li or Jackie Chan. But I guess it's derigeur that every critic has to dismiss Mr. Madonna's two best movies, and everyone in them.

They are both spot-on about Obama, and Lamott's absurd religiosity. And I write that as a Christian believer.

And then the "proper authorities" - and those of you agreeing with their treatment of him - will become no better than he. I'm not saying let the man go, but let him serve out his time decently and with dignity. We gain nothing by taking on the sins of our moral enemies.

I don't know how old Ms. Zacharek is, but I'm old enough to remember the run-up and reaction to the Nixon-Frost interviews. Harry Reasoner did a segment on the CBS Evening News wherein he demanded to know if the BBC had lost their minds. EVERYONE knew this was Nixon's ticket back at the time, and the outrage across the media was palpable. Prior to the Frost interviews Nixon had been a pathetic figure desperately trying to eek out a living giving half-assed "lectures" to like-minded corporate hacks. After the Frost interviews his book queries were suddenly being answered. His ascendancy as a "senior statesman" was insured. That Ms. Zacharek is unaware of these facts renders her review frankly ludicrous, because what Ron Howard (who voted for Nixon in '72!) has done is, in effect, spun the interviews as something they weren't. Bravo.

Oh man, you have no fucking taste whatsoever. While not as great a performance as it was hyped up to be, Ledger nevertheless gave a tremendous performance that made me forget all about Jack Nicholson. THAT is great acting.

Moron.

The only "air of illegitimacy" is the rancid gas leaking from your dessicated brain. If you actually believe any of this horseshit you are little more than a braying jackass.

This could be an elaborate fantasy on the part of "Ms. Beech." But after having explored SeekingArrangement.com, it strikes me that the site is basically AdultFriendFinders.com for coquettes and wealthy sleeze-balls. No big deal, really.