Glenn, your observation that the Bush White House likely feels it can get away with anything because the press is focusing on bullshit is one that I've felt has been taking place at all levels of government due to deep cuts in TV and newspaper newsrooms nationwide. It's frightening how the financial challenges of the news industry are eroding the essential coverage we need in a healthy, functioning democracy. Here's how easily your graf can be paraphrased to reflect that:

Every day, it becomes more difficult to blame [your state, county and local officials, usually the "government is the enemy" Republicans] for their many years (and counting) of crimes, corruption and destruction of our political values. Think about it this way: if you were an official and watched as your local newspaper and TV cut back on reporting staff and devoted less newshole and airtime to serious news, so that your local press basically wasn't paying attention to much of your legislature's, council's or board's budget process and other critical decisions, wouldn't you also conclude that you could do anything you want, without limits, and know there will be no consequences? What would be the incentive to stop doing all of that?

... means being 33 and living alone in New York City while trying to build a career. You called your mom to get some relief. Does she still live in the house you grew up in? And how far away from NYC is that?

The bigger problem for many people these days is not the decade-age you are and its associated angst, but what striving for "success" means. For career-oriented professionals, both women and men, that often means having to uproot yourself and move some distance away from family and friends, so you can't see them as easily or as frequently as you once did. You might find "success" in your career, but at what cost?

Kuhnigget, is it really 100 percent the buyer's fault for not having his or her guard up when some shyster you'd like to trust sweet-talks or even lies to get you to sign some deal and you can't see the repercussions of it? And you mean to tell me in your arrogance that you've never signed such a bad deal in your lifetime?

Remember, only about 28 percent of the American public has a college education, and assuming that having a degree means you can understand all that legalese fine print, even then only a fraction of that 28 percent will pay attention to all that gray type. So it is incumbent upon our federal government to regulate the financial industry so it doesn't figure out ways to screw us in all that agate type. And unfortunately the government has been more interested in helping the financial industry than the general public that can't follow it all.

Also, the main point of this week's comic was that we were told by "experts" during the boom that there wasn't a chance that housing prices would fall. In that climate, is it still 100 percent the buyer's fault that he or she believed the so-called "experts" when he or she signed for the ARM?

And, Howard Dean, let Murtha do it as many times as he likes between now and the election. Please don't say McCain's age is off the table. That's why Democrats lose, by trying to be better than their Republican foes. That's all very noble and good, but if the tables were turned, the GOP would be overtly or covertly going after a 72-year-old Democrat over his age and fitness to serve. We don't have the time to play nice when we know from experience that they won't. Also, please keep Bob Shrum away from our nominee's campaign -- his "don't fight back" attitude has been the kiss of death too many times to count (the most recent being his approach to have Kerry not fight back against the swift-boat ads.)

Yes, Murtha is not perfect and I think I'd vote for a decent rival in a Dem primary if I lived in his district, but for everyone who wants to cry "Abscam" (attention Elephantman), I'll cry "Keating Five." Thank you.

If that German official knew his "Star Trek" (or "Raumschiff Enterprise,") he'd know that Bush and Cheney aren't Neanderthal, they're Klingons. Selfish, scheming warmongers who couldn't care less about social contracts like keeping their home planet livable for future generations after they and we are gone, or doing anything about the bottom third of society who can only hope to achieve a middle-class standard of living. They've got theirs, and tough shit to the rest of you. They can afford to move to higher ground when the sea levels rise.

Any polling is pointless until the Democratic nominee is decided. I don't see Clinton supporters or Obama supporters sulking and not voting for the other Democrat this fall, they'll coalesce around either one.

Once we have our nominee, then all the focus can be on pointing up that it's better to have a Democrat that is willing to "do something" about the war and the economy, instead of the "do nothing" McSame as Bush. When times are as tough as they are now, the public wants a government that will take action to help, not the typical Republican "government is the enemy" bullshit that allows them to raid the Treasury for their wealthy cronies.

Oskar Schindler, who wore a Nazi lapel pin even as he worked to spare some of the German Jews who worked for him from being taken to the camps. Almost all Nazi officials and party loyalists wore lapel pins, from Goebbels and Speer all the way up to Hitler.

What's next, ABC and Charlie Gibson? "Senator Obama, now why won't you take the new Patriot Act II loyalty oath? For the good of the country, why won't you agree to the forearm tattoo ID or the embedded tracking chip? Don't you love America?"