The LW should go to the wedding-if only to support her daughter's role as a bridesmaid-but she should tell her daugher very firmly that she does not approve of this marriage, has no way to stop it, and that she has higher hopes for her daughter than her niece, who she believes is making a mistake.

However, she should keep a civil tongue in her head at the wedding and keep her opinions to herself; it isn't her problem to deal with. She's only shocked that it is happening at all. She should try to act as though it doesn't matter to her-because it won't affect her, anyway.

If her daughter has a brain in her head, she'll get over the idea of getting married at 16 when it becomes obvious that it might not be a good idea, especially when the happy couple start to have problems, which they will-it is inevitable. All couples do; many don't make it through them. Age is the key, and 16 doesn't make for many mature people.

I know of only one couple who married that young-they "had to" (this was a long time ago), but they did make the marriage work-they've been together for 30 years or more; I was shocked myself when it happened, but relieved that it did turn out well for my friend. She was a lucky person to have found someone to grow up with..and possibly one of the few that did not make a mistake.

First, Cary's advice is so bad, I advise the LW to ignore it totally except that he should get a lawyer, tell the landlord what is going on, and get those bums out of his house.

His name is on the lease. He didn't say he was subletting to them, just letting them stay. They aren't paying the rent, nor are they legally liable for any damages.

Therefore, they're uninvited guests, who have long over-stayed their welcome, baby or not.

He doesn't have to move. He shouldn't have to move, and those "friends" of his should have been thrown out long ago. Worthless people abound!

There are some instances where you have to fight for your own personal space, and this is one of them.

Don't back down from the fight, LW.

I won't vote for Thompson mainly because he's a re-tread of the same old Republican BS-all hypocrite, all the time.

I want a President that not only knows the problems, but is willing to do something about them. He's just more of the same crap we've had for 8 years-all talk and no substance.

No wonder he became an actor-a good gig without having to think for a living. He's too damned old to change, and change is definitely what we need after Bush.

This is what he said-

"I'm not here today because I have had a lifelong ambition to hold this office," he said in Cedar Rapids. "And I am not here because I have all the answers to all the problems in this country."

What, pray tell, was his ambition before this? Why does he bother, if he isn't willing to do something as a President-just collect the paycheck and let the country slide some more into a morass of stupidity?

I hope nobody is stupid enough to buy this shit, because he's the bottom of the barrel, as far as I'm concerned.

The LW wants a relationship with his father. The father does not.

The truth is, there isn't much the LW can do to change it, nor should he try-because all of his efforts will meet with a brick wall.

I know this to be a fact-having had the same kind of situation in my family. It was never rectified. My brother undoubtedly loved my father, but at some point you have to just cut your losses and accept what is the sad and inevitable truth-love does not overcome all problems.

Accepting reality sucks, and there is nothing worse than to realize that the parent you idolized in your youth is a jerk in adulthood. He isn't going to change, so the LW should move on with his life and become the father to his child that he never had in his own life.

Is Bush so blind to not see beyond his own inner circle of cronies and loyal yes men for a nomination?

It is sickening to watch the same people run the government that 20 or 30 years ago that were under investigation for criminal charges, and then return for an encore.

Why can't we get some fresh blood into this damned mess called the government?

I just hope Harry Reid lives up to the promise and stops this nomination; better yet, the entire Senate rejects all of the nominations offered and puts forth their own people.

But that would be redundant-the Republicans are actually running the show, no matter what the Democrats think.

It must be that the level of competence is much lower than we deserve.

I do appreciate the fact that Bush has finally decided it was time to go outside the crony circle to find someone who can lead the DOJ-although some of his rulings do raise a troubling specter of being too much on the side of "they're terrorists and they don't deserve shit".

It is a step in the right direction, and perhaps he will surprise us all if he is confirmed, by being an independent AG who tells the administration that he's going to actually enforce the Constitution.

BTW, Glenn, your name is in spotlights today-the editorial endorsing Mukasey noted that you had also endorsed him-fame at last!

Good to know the NY Times does read Salon, and takes note of the letters section. Perhaps they're smarter than we thought they were!