It becomes more and more amazing to me, that the lackeys of the Bush administration make outrageous comments, commit outrageous acts, and are never, ever held to account for them. Mukasey is obviously more of a lapdog than we imagined, but even worse than that, the guy is just as stupid as George W. Bush (I didn't think it was possible).

I just returned from a nonstop flight from Cairo to New York. I would have given almost anything for the following little improvements: A seat cushion (my rear end was firmly entrenched in hell for most of the trip); bottled water and other beverages that were actually cold, not merely lukewarm; and I hate to sound crabby, but for long flights, it would be so nice if people with little kids could have a separate section of the plane. I listened literally for hours to whining, crying, screaming, and the kid in the seat in front of me (alas, economy class) not only cried but bounced and jiggled in his seat, making it impossible for me to eat, sleep or read in peace. It was the worst flight I ever experienced.

Overall, I haven't had a lot of problems with flying, just minor stuff except for flight cancellations in strange cities (which is why it is always good to make sure you have plenty of credit and/or cash with you whenever you travel), but I know it helps to be flexible and have a sense of adventure.

Airports can be miserable experiences, but it does help a lot to show a little kindness to the people who work in them. Chances are, they've been bitched at more times than they can count, and hey, it gets to all of us eventually. Sometimes a smile and a joke can go a long way towards getting some service from "customer service." Another suggestion: Have more people who don't have undecipherable accents working in customer service. And airports could have more arrival/departure boards so that you don't have to walk halfway around the airport to check the status of your flight. And on a related note, if you cancel a flight, please announce it over the PA system!

On the plane, please, get rid of those heavily perfumed wet wipes that come with the meals. The odor is so unappetizing to people who are still eating, and too strong for comfort for people with allergies.

And yes, flight attendants could be more friendly and helpful. The employees of foreign airlines seem to be a little more friendly (and the male flight attendants are gentlemen who help the ladies stow their bags in the overhead compartments). I just wish they would offer drinks more often as I get parched in airplanes, and if they would offer ice with the beverages, that would be so great.

Seats a person can actually sleep in would be good. And with some cushioning for those long flights! I wish I could tear out the seats from Jet Blue and install them in every overseas flight. They are the best seats, cushy and comfy, why don't other airlines have them? I've actually sat in seats that felt as hard as a park bench, and even with my pillow and my coat, I suffered horribly. Airlines should improve their seat design or have an on-board chiropractor. Maybe they could dispense Dilaudid for the pain.

If the aisles were a little wider, a person wouldn't have to wait for the beverage or food cart to finish if they needed to use the bathroom. And instead of a hot towel, I would like an ice pack or a cool washcloth.

I stand behind what I said earlier about putting passengers with kids in a separate part of the plane. It would be a mercy. On my last trip I was on an 11 hour flight with about 15 kids and babies; the crying and screaming was almost nonstop.

My 52 year old sister has been a bulimic since the age of 16. We both grew up pummeled by a culture that glorifies physical beauty over intelligence and other human virtues. Until women are no longer manipulated and exploited by western culture, which judges a woman's worth first and foremost on her beauty, there will be more anorexics and bulimics. Every day, I see magazines on the newsstands telling women how to look more beautiful, be thinner, etc. How to dress if your hips are too big (too big for what? and by whose judgment?), your breasts are too small, your legs are too short, etc. How to put on makeup to make your eyes look bigger, and let's not even get into the realm of cosmetic surgery. My point is, who is behind this campaign to keep women in doubt of their worth? Is it the male-dominated marketing industry? And why don't women recognize that they're being duped?

Why, oh why are women so unwilling to accept themselves? Because there is a message they're getting from our society every day of their lives- that they won't be loved and valued if they aren't pretty enough. Thin enough. But there is no clear message, of course, defining what is "enough" - and so begins the obsession with thinness, with physical perfection, of striving towards a nebulous and therefore unobtainable goal.

Why can't all women be appreciated as beautiful, in their own unique way?