I've really enjoyed Debra Dickerson's articles for Salon. Her perspective is unique, her writing fun and unlike a lot of authors, I can't necessarily predict where she's going to go with any given topic. Thanks!

I try to explain that it's a very funny satire on fascist militarism, and hardly anyone believes me.

- that brings out the haters, Kim. It's the whole notion of "Broadsheet." There seems to be a small subset of readers who find any discussion of women's issues and female empowerment threatening.

Even though this article isn't really about obesity, that's what the discussion has turned into. My two cents, from personal experience. Over a period of about three years, I put on around 20 lbs of weight that I definitely didn't need. It was easy to do. All it took was slightly more food, slightly less exercise and the metabolic changes that come from being in your forties.

It's taken me a little over a year to lose the weight. That's a year and a half of (mostly) better food choices and portion control and a lot more exercise.

Here's the thing: I have the financial means to work with a personal trainer (it's a stretch, but I can do it). I live in a place where I have access to more healthy food choices and can afford to buy them.

If I didn't have as much money, if I didn't have a coach who was helping me meet my fitness goals, if I didn't live somewhere I could easily buy fresh vegetables and high-quality proteins, if I was juggling a family and a job - and most importantly if my goal hadn't been relatively modest - this whole thing would have been infinitely harder. I started from being in basically good shape and good health and not being that overweight. If for whatever reason you have health problems and more weight to lose and don't have the resources that someone like me does, it's a much longer and harder road.

You can still do it. The important thing, I find, is to make incremental changes and stick with them. But it's not easy. And a little compassion and support goes a lot farther than hatred and disdain.

Yes. I'm a pretty good shot too, or was the times I went to a gun range.

I remember when I first held a pistol and prepared to shoot it, I was reluctant. I felt like, once I pulled the trigger, I would cross some sort of Rubicon, as if I were personally responsible for unleashing this weapon's destructive power. Then I went ahead and fired and thought, "this is kind of fun." I appreciated the gun for its design. It does what it does rather elegantly.

I agree that banning guns is impossible in this country. But when I looked at Virginia's gun laws, I just shook my head. No cooling off period. No tracking at gun shows.

I'll admit that nothing probably would have stopped this kid from getting a gun and using it to kill. But I don't understand the position of gun rights absolutists. Buying a gun should not be easier to do than getting a driver's license. It's absurd that a tool this destructive isn't better regulated. Isn't that part of the language of the Second Amendment - "a well-regulated militia"?

So let's regulate guns already. I don't know what the best way to do this is, but there have to be better ways than what we've got now.

The shooter was "disturbed," on anti-depressants and referred to counseling.

People with certain seizure disorders aren't allowed to obtain driver's licenses. Tell me why this kid should have been allowed to buy a gun.

I'm reposting a comment I made on the Blog Report item:

This NYT article (link below) details what happened in the German class. There was initial panic as Cho opened the door and immediately started firing; then he left, they rallied and held him off when he returned. Two were injured when Cho shot through the door.

Male and female students alike acted heroically.

So all you Rambo wannabes out there, STFU.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/18/us/18german.html?hp

Because saying that we're better than terrorists who behead innocent hostages sets the moral bar really high, right?

/snark

The wrongs our government commit are our responsibility! Is this so difficult to grasp?

Have you studied Mandarin? It's hard. The written language isn't phonetic. Plus it's really easy to forget the characters, at least it is for me. If Andrew's 10 years of Mandarin study took place a decade or so ago, it wouldn't surprise me that he'd have difficulty reading it now.

The most widely used today is Pinyin, and it's very useful for learning Chinese. In fact a number of Chinese people have advocated dropping characters and switching to a romanization system because learning characters is hard, period, and it takes up a lot of educational time that some feel could be put to better use. But Chinese characters are such an intrinsic part of the culture it's hard for me to imagine this happening.

That was the first time I can recall the word "Mafia" being said on the show. It was a really significant moment.

Excellent episode all around.

Real Name sez: See this is what I love about Salon. It's almost entirely populated by people who are so dull and so hidebound that they automatically hear their own hatred for everyone else bouncing around in their own heads as if those are the actually words other people are speaking.

So, you're here, why?

On what basis do you think it's "stupid"?

And why do you bother to comment?