I am puzzled and hope you will answer a question for me. You say that your daughter is suicidal and drug and alcohol addicted. It is clear that you have been through many difficult years trying to help her. However, toward the end of your letter you focus on her smoking. I don't get it. Why is the smoking of particular concern to you?

You post something worth chatting about! And of course you are permitted to head toward the personal. You always do. The personal is the political.

You mention the book “The Game.” As it happens, my daughter read that book and told me something about it. I am not sure her motive for reading it, except maybe it is just part of her continuing interest in things like hypnosis and NLP. She seems riveted by the ways in which people manipulate one another to achieve power. (However, her reading still has not helped her to spot the really subtle players.)

Your interesting post has claims that young women are vulnerable to young men who would want to manipulate them for sex. In order to examine if your points are true we must first determine that the young women are giving up something (sex) that they would not ordinarily offer without the manipulation.

To do this scientifically, you would first have to separate out other motives:

1. The guy was good looking.

2. The guy was intelligent.

3. They had much in common with the guy as revealed by conversation.

4. They thought he might be Mr. Right.

If the guy qualified as none of the above and closed the deal by means of manipulation, then she (the woman) has been had, but only if she didn’t have a serious yen to have sex in the first place.

Back to your not-so-scientific roommate study. Were you able to determine any of the above? Did the guys declare themselves players and discuss their actual tactics? Did any of them were skirts or makeup? Do elaborate.

that your letter astounds me. Places like that still exist?

there is a link between smoking and certain mental illnesses. People with schizophrenic disorders and Bipolar Disorder smoke much more than the average population.

Apparently nicotine confers certain benefit to the memory and orderly thinking of schizophrenics in particular. Here is a link:

http://www.schizophrenia.com/smokereport.htm

I noticed the heavy smoking among mentally ill people years ago. I am just as opposed to smoking as you are because I am allergic to cigarettes. However, I remembered the father of a Bipolar daughter at a NAMI meeting alerted me to the connection between smoking and mental illness. Indeed, there turns out to be lots of information about it.

You said that you were sure your daughter was mentally ill. I wonder if you know her specific diagnosis?

Have you considered joining the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill? They have a wonderful program to assist families in understanding what they may be dealing with.

Yes, Hillary has more experience than Obama by virtue of being Bill Clinton's wife. Whether she blows him or not, she has been by his side and involved in the political process for many more years than Obama. She was nothing like Laura Bush when she was First Lady and that is why she upset so many people. If she were like Laura Stepford Bush, I would agree with you. Instead, she has been deeply involved in politics since her antiwar days.

That said, this does not mean that she should be the nominee based upon her greater experience. However, if the Democrats are to win, (Hello? I said WIN!), they must nominate a candidate who can win.

Now proceed to the discussion of Senator Clinton's baggage. We all know her baggage is just a guy named Bill. It is weird isn't it that her worst baggage could also be her best asset?

That's what's crucial to me. I want someone who is going to actually pledge to undo what BushCo has done to our Constitution. That, and medical care and prochoice are going to be the deal breakers for me. I won't vote for any candidate who cannot stand scrutiny on those issues.

I want a President who supports medical parity between patients with mental health issues and patients with physical health issues. I want to see people stop being punished as well for have so-called pre-existing conditions.

I don't go to bed at night and pray: "Jesus please let me have a pre-existing condition." Most people with pre-existing conditions are no more responsible for their illnesses than people who are suddenly hit by lightening.

I want to see some of that compassionate stuff we were promised in 2000, when the current liar in the White House said anything necessary to get elected, including that he wouldn't be doing any "nation building."

Do you think that we could just make all the candidates take a polygraph exam?

Oh, I forgot. Practiced liars can pass such exams.