Your description of the Daily Telegraph article is misleading. They appear to be loosely defining "make up" the way we Americans might define "toiletries." They are most definitely including the use of shampoo in that 5 lb. number along with things like soap and probably toothpaste.

I'll bet if you took all of the actual cosmetics (lipstick, mascara, eyeliner, etc.) that an average make up wearer uses in a year and weighed it it wouldn't collectively come to five pounds - even with its packaging.

My 15 year old daughter has gone through various phases of experimentation with make up, most of which upset me on some level... All of which she grew out of quickly on her own.

As a man I didn't have any personal experience with wearing make up. I attempted a few bans and restrictions on make up use several times, all of which were resisted. My mother, who is a jewelry designer, tells me that in her opinion this experimentation phase was something that many/most(?) girls MUST go through. She says that she feels like it is "in our DNA."

I think also as a male that I worried that my daughter's interest in make up with intrinsically linked with feeling a need to "please boys." As she's gotten older I no longer think that that's the case (not that it isn't for plenty of women). I think she beautifies to please herself and her friends.

But that's just me. I love her no matter what.

I happen to be a lucky insider to whom Digby's sex was revealed perhaps a year ago and I don't think I was surprised.

I was aware, however, that there is an illustration of a man on her blog - really the only bit of branding there. Does the fact that some people were surprised that a blog written by someone named "Digby" who has carefully excised any gender information from his or her prodigious written output - and arguably represents themselves on their website with an illustration of a man - reveal the latent sexism inherent in the liberal reading public?

I'm not denying that the sexism isn't there - and I am always pleased to see more womens' voices in whatever forum - your excellent blog here, included, Joan - but I don't think that "OMG DIGBY IS A LADY!" makes it so.

Why are you linking to the hardcover version of the book at Amazon? There is a paperback version that is 33% cheaper at Amazon. I would imagine that most Salon readers prefer paperbacks anyway, no?

JMiller! I want to read your story about "the scam artists of Berlin's Gypsy flea markets." How can I get in touch with you?

I must say that I was shocked at your refusal to agree to turn over the $50 SIM card upon your leaving Ethiopia. Having been in similar situations around the world over the past two decades, I don't think it would have occurred to me to say "No" - and I'm no angel, either.

As Westerners traveling in poor and war-torn nations, we should be happy for any opportunity to make a token gesture that will genuinely help a local at little or no personal cost to ourselves.

How long did you keep the SIM card in your wallet before you eventually threw it out?

Is the television-thrower wearing a hat that resembles two breasts behind a halter-top?

That's even classier than a foam finger!

Great episode!

Hates immigrants and hates evolution. A poster boy for the crazy wing of the new GOP!

Cheech Marin with a cleft lip as Hurley's dad? Who knew?!

I saw an AP article about the study first thing this morning and it generally emphasized the positive aspects of the report. It didn't shy away from some of the troubling numbers, but it certainly presented the study's findings as good news. I concur.

Then I visited Malkin's site and saw her noise about it. It occurred to me that for Malkin and her followers (Malkinites?) the glass is always half empty. There is literally NOTHING that report could have said that they wouldn't have been able to twist into the latest Muslim outrage of the day.

Spoxwyfe:

See: "Histoire d'Un Poisson Rouge," 1959

http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=229236

Clearly LifeWin/Get Motivated is a bureau through which he is being hired to speak at different locations. Can we get a list of Giuliani's speaking engagements booked through/paid by LifeWin/Get Motivated?

Andrew:

If you're on an India kick, check out Suketu Mehta's excellent non-fiction Maximum City which is about modern day Bombay. It is one of the best books I've read over the past 12 months.

It also prompted me to read Shantaram, autobiographical fiction about India - highly recommended - as well as Sacred Games, straightforward fiction about Bombay that was reviewed here at Salon.

Brain candy!

We love you and love your blog! Keep fighting!

I'm looking forward to the inevitable rhetorical acrobatics from Bush and his core of supporters explaining why, ultimately, the troops should blame the Democrats in Congress for these extensions. I'm sure that there's a special team at the Heritage Foundation working late tonight mapping out a strategy for assigning responsibility elsewhere.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,262387,00.html

How do those who support this position square that with blind obeisance to [their interpretation of] 2nd Amendment gun ownership guarantees?

We must be allowed to keep guns at home in order to protect ourselves from a tyrannical government that might act against us in violation of constitutional powers?

Well, I live in what is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I've got lots of bridges interfering with the "view".

South Bend, Indiana must be lovely this time of year.

I'm setting sarcasm aside for the sake of this letter only:

If you haven't seen it, check out this beautiful collection of photos about off-shore wind farms.

http://thrillingwonder.blogspot.com/2007/01/wind-power-in-stormy-waters.html