The "apocalypse" or whatever we'd like to call it has always been just over the horizon - real or imagined - for all mankind forever. Remember, too, that we live in a world now where we understand that a solar eclipse isn't an omen of impending doom just as an earthquake isn't a punishment from an unhappy god.

In spite of this human beings have always looked forward, building civilizations and having children. This is the way it has always been and this is the way it is likely to always be. Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we [may] die.

Reading science fiction might help pass the time, too.

What do you make of ?

My daughter is in the 8th grade. During elementary school, there were times when as an adult I perceived her homework burden to be excessive. Like Ayelet I spoke to her teacher - the solution was the same here as well - when a given assignment is too much, draw a line and move on.

I'm glad that we went through this heavy homework period. At 13 my child is far better organized and a far more diligent worker than I ever was in school. Homework is her job. She comes home, she has a snack, she does her homework and when the work is done she joins the rest of the family for whatever family activities are on the agenda.

I couldn't be more pleased with my daughter's overall discipline with regards to school, and I can't help but think that the homework in elementary school was an important contributing factor. I'd much rather have the school pushing a heavy work agenda with the option of "drawing a line through it" than a non-existent home-school relationship characterized by neglect.

It's about time that the folks in power realize that there are repurcussions for their arrogant overreaching these past 5 years. I dare say that if the repurcussions hadn't started now, Bush's second term could have evolved into an overreach free-for-all.

Fitzgerald is the Bush Administration's anti-hubris.

Unfortunately for us lefties, conservatives will still vote for Republicans in 2006 and 2008. In spite of the implosion of the neocon adventures both at home and abroad, conservatives are still worried about swarthy Middle Easterners attacking us and they still believe that the only people capable of protecting them from the boogeymen are Republicans.