I agree with lynx. I thought the "shocking" part was that the gym owner was too stupid to know that it would offend people.

I realize anecdotal evidence is worthless when talking about sociological studies. Maybe the reason so few of these broadsheet articles about romantic interactions between men and women apply to people I know is because my friends and I are a unique bunch. But this one, in particular, is the exact opposite of what I have observed. My fiancee, who I've been with for four years, earns half of what I do. He is a high school educated blue collar guy while I am a white collar professional earning twice his income. Whenever we talk about our mutual attraction he says my sense of humor is what he loves best about me. Sometimes, when I say something he finds funny he will give me a spontaneous hug and says how much he loves it that I make him laugh. And I love that I make more money than him because I'm able to make his life easier.

The more I read these broadsheet articles about men and women, the more I wonder if we actually qualify as men and women. And the same things goes for many couples in my circle of friends. Are we really that different than the average Americans in the 30s and 40s?

This is interesting but talking about this issue is really just an intellectual exercise. I'm not a lawyer and I don't know the legal issues involved, but I can't imagine the courts or legislature wanting to make it possible for a man to opt out of parenthood. It has the potential to cost the government more money and it has the potential to increase abortions. In the current legal and judicial climate anything with this effect doesn't seem likely.

It seems to me that the laws right now are as fair as they can be given the biological limitation of men and women. Women carry the fetus in their bodies so they have an option, abortion, that men don't have. But other than that, the law says a man can block an adoption and can request custody and support if they want. The laws may not be applied fairly. I don't know if men are treated unfairly in issues of custody and support. If they are, that may be a place for activists to do some work. I just don't think this current law suit has any chance.

Does anyone know if Comedy Central will re-air this episode?

Movies made about ongoing events, made for propoganda, profit and/or because someone thought it made a good story are nothing new.

On TMC, during their 31 days of Oscar, I saw a movie called "So Proudly We Hail". The movie takes place in the Philippines during WWII. It tells the story of some military nurses who managed to leave before the American forces in the Philippines surrendered to the Japanese. Most of the nurses did not get away and ended up being captured by the Japanese. The movie was made in 1943. From what I've read, at the time the movie was made it was not known what had happened to the nurses who were left behind. Their families didn't know if they were alive or dead.

I'm sure that was no more or less upsetting than "Flight 93". This sort of thing has been going on for a long time. I'm not sure why the events of 9/11 are seen as so much more traumatic. Maybe having TV and being surrounded by media has changed our impression of things.

I don't understand how they are violating the rule against three unrelated people living together. The three kids are all related to each other and both parents. That means there are two unrelated people living there.

I graduated from high school in the early '80s. A female classmate of mine had a fling with a male teacher the summer after graduation. They got involved when she ran into him in a bar (the drinking age was 18 way back then). The teacher was only a few years out of college, probably 22 or 23. They ended things when she went away to college. They stayed friends for a few years after the fling. She considered the fling a great memory and considered the former teacher a friend until their lives diverged and they lost touch.

It is amazing how much things have changed in the 25 years since high school. There is so much sexual hysteria. Back then, I doubt it ever crossed anyone's mind that he could be fired for the relationship. It wasn't a clandestine thing, they went to restaurants and parties together and her parents met him. While I'm glad real pedophilia is getting serious attention, this accompanying hysteria doesn't do anyone any good.

Years before 9/11, I used to work developing configuration management software. One project I worked on involved creating a Bill Of Materials (BOM) report. In that line of work you get used so used to jargon and acronyms you don't notice them. A co-worker once told me a funny story about a flight she took with a bunch of fellow CM people. They needed a sample BOM report to show the customer. While they were waiting to go through security she asked a co-worker if they had remembered to bring the BOM. The security screener heard her and sternly told them it was not a subject to joke about. The CM programmers explained about the BOM report and they had a laugh with the screener. I suppose if that happened today the whole airport would be shut down and the programmers would be hauled off to jail.

And as if I didn't have enough reason to dread flying these days, I suffer from agonzing bouts of irritable bowel syndrome. The last time I was on a plane I spent about half the flight in the bathroom. I suppose I'll now have to explain my bowel troubles to security.