I would say that we have the perfect touchstone of the zeitgest, here. Unfocused anger, a feeling of being used and abused, violence, repressed sexuality, sanctimonious moralizing, sleazeball profiteering, obsession with hothouse media topics, a vague feeling of disgust, a jaded folding of the hands. People wonder what American culture is. Well, you're looking at it.

We get the President, government, culture and discourse that we deserve. Sit and eat what you've ordered. You might as well sit back and enjoy it.

The casting of Hugh Laurie as the title character should have clued some people in.

I won't go so far as to say it's a full-blown comedy, but I laugh during "House" more than some recent sitcoms.

It's a weird amalgamation of soap, freshman philosophy class and gallows humor. Why do I like it? I think it comes down to the cast and the writing. The focus is on six main characters and their interactions, it rarely wavers, and from my couch it looks like the actors are having a great time. Happy actors are enjoyable to watch.

I'd never thought about the connection to Sherlock Holmes before but I'd say it's pretty close.

Peter Jennings is dead. As is the era of news reporting he represented.

I think even most Republicans would think this is a Bad Idea, though.

I agree with the letter writer above that said that after "Reservoir Dogs" and "True Romance", "Pulp Fiction" was a letdown. It wasn't nearly as tight, and there were too many times I could see Quentin peeking through to see if everyone was impressed at his precociousness--literally and figuratively.

The soundtrack was good, though.

And have Slayer on "American Idol"?

That's the kind of rhetoric I like to hear from my Speaker of the House.

I'd much rather read about something more relevant to today's world than the overripe and mostly dead Kennedy family. Did they write exposes about the McKinley family in 1963 that had all the Boomers rolling their eyes at the time? I only take a cheap shot at your cohort because someone already took a cheap shot at mine. You want substance over style? Go investigate the Bush Administration some more. There's something worth digging up.

You old folks and your farking ideals and morals. Sanctimonious prigs with their heads deep in your own nostalgia. This is the world you wanted, idiots, the world you made in your own image. Welcome to it.

These Republicans could work out a plan similar to Nixon and Ford where Bush gets ushered out of the White House and someone more palatable to both sides can take the reins. Impeachment--it's not just for "moonbats" any more!

I may not agree with everything he says, but he was steadfast against the war from the beginning, and I had a couple of talks with some of his staffers by phone that made me feel he was the real deal. I'd say a Kucinich/Paul ticket would be the perfect storm for iconoclastic voters everwhere.

The way the comment about "Drive" was written makes me think that Fox decided to slowly, carefully step away from the corpse. I caught five minutes on my way to something else and was impressed with how awful it was. Can't someone give Nathan Fillion something worthwhile to do, if they're not gonna bring back "Firefly"?

to "Troll".

Remember, fifty years ago this the just about the same advice you'd get in this country.

At least Princess Di's corpse isn't quite as moldy as JFK's. I'm waiting for the new exposé on Hoffa. Don't disappoint, folks.

When he tries to make a thread all about him.

Keep fighting the good fight, man. It must be so hard to be a full-time Salon gadfly.

It's part of a fun and fulfilling lifestyle to troll in Salon political threads. See also: Elephantman.

The guy who lamented that the office wasn't worth a bucket of warm spit obviously wasn't trying hard enough.

This is the guy American wanted to have a beer with, right? Kick back in the Presidential Jet, open a col' brewski, and shoot the shiat about America's game. It's all good, right?

Across:

1. Terror

2. Iraq

3. Nineeleven

6. Patriot

10. Freedom

Down:

3: Islamofascism

4: Surge

7: America

8: Flag

10: Osama

It's too bad that Rove didn't follow Lee Atwater in the pantheon of Bush handlers and die of a brain cancer after securing a dirty victory for his charge.

There was an article in Scientific American last month talking about the research into breeding perennial versions of the main cereal crops. This would also have benefits similar to using nut trees.

The name and the tactics are the same. Hey, buddy, if you are the same one, don't you have anything better to do than to troll various sites looking for political flamewars? Nice work if you can get it.

"If there is a Democrat whose policy positions include support for the Defense of Marriage Act, opposition to full gay marriage rights in her home state, and wavering support for the military's policy of "Don't Ask/Don't Tell", does that Democrat deserve to be outed if she is a closeted lesbian?"

Well, if she engages in activity that results in breaking public indecency laws, I guess there's no question about it. Rule of law and all that?

She doesn't "deserve" to be outed for the sake of being outed, but if there is such a Democrat, and something like this comes to light, she "deserves" to be ridiculed for her hypocrisy.