All I can say is, this is the speech I was waiting for Obama to make. Outstanding in every respect, in my humble opinion.

I look forward to hearing more from Obama - I just hope he isn't casting pearls before swine, such as the authors of some of the negative responses posted here.

I guess that is the danger of living in a society that seems to think rational, intelligent thought is 'elitist'.

Sonofloud, I don't know if you are illiterate or just stubborn, but your ship has sailed, your train has left the station, your perspective is mired in ignorance and you have missed the boat, and the entire point of Obama's speech.

Our local "storm alert weather" scares the bejeezus out of my mom every time a 'supercell' is approaching her area.

The murder stories, consumer 'safety' warnings, accident footage and related mayhem are designed to raise anxiety levels so viewers will buy something to calm down.

Of course, it doesn't work, and the cycle begins anew. Don't even get me started on network and cable news.

I was talking to an associate who was amazed that my wife and I don't own a TV.

"I wish I could give it up - I'm hooked" he said, wistfully...

I can't understand how an intelligent person can even sit through a half-hour of local news. Hmmm, maybe we're on to something here...

nothing to see, move along...

not yet, anyway

coming after some of the most banal writing to appear in Salon.com in recent weeks (the story of 'poo', Farhad's flamebait trolling, etc), this post is a breath of fresh air...

All of you uber-critics (those of you who've been published oh-so-many times already) need to shut up and get a life.

It was funny and more intelligent than a lot of what is published these days.

Seriously, what is up with the people posting on salon.com lately? - I feel like I'm reading little green footballs every time I see the comments on this site . . .

(1) install one of those intestine-sucking drains

(2) toss in a color TV or toaster, then plug it in

(3) unwrap and toss in a Baby Ruth bar, leave it floating in the pool (see Caddyshack)

(4) drain the pool for a week and tell her there's a leak, and that you don't know when it will be fixed

(5) install a water chiller and keep the temperature at about 50F

GoodCelery is annoying

it's a soap opera, that's why it goes nowhere and makes no sense.

of course we're all doomed now, but at least we've been warned!

PS - jclarkdumfuk, just piss off, ok?

rock on, Patrick

govt bails out banks and (maybe) the rest of the realty suckers...

How is someone supposed to effect change when people involved in her campaign at the highest level are working for those entrenched parties who will be negatively affected by the very changes being espoused?

Combine this with Bill's income from consulting with Middle Eastern oil producing nations who are screwing us at the gas pump, and the double dealing appearance of a conflict of interest is quite obvious.

This is classic Clinton - "listen to what we say but ignore what we do."

I suspect that a lot of people in Pennsylvania are rethinking their support of someone who talks about change on the one hand, and enriches themselves from the status quo on the other.

Please ease up on your book's hard sell. In my humble opinion, it diminishes your integrity and credibility when you keep referring to it in your articles and linking to book reviews elsewhere on the web.

It's gonna do just fine without being advertised from within your column. Leave aggressive self promotion to Rush Limberger and Bill O' Rarely.

Next time that guy leaves the house, throw his shit out on the lawn and call the cops when he comes back - he's trespassing.

Don't tell him 'you have to be out by tomorrow at xxx' - he'll rip off your stuff or break it. As soon as he leaves, change the locks and buy a Taser...

It's because she's a Clinton. I have nothing against a capable woman or man being president, it's just that she's got more baggage than a cruise ship, and we really need to move on from her era and her type.

Playing the 'they pick on her because she's a girl' game is more sexist than just admitting that a lot of folks have very good reasons for not liking the Clintons.

Obama was spot-on. They don't call it the "rust belt" because it's appealing. Previous administrations from both parties have ignored vast areas of the USA except on election day.

In between elections, those politicians aid and abet corporate exploitation by helping to send factories and jobs overseas, bust unions and employ illegal aliens.

Rather than focusing on this important aspect of his observation, opponents are harping on psuedo-political correctness violations.

If some of his wording was blunt or injudicious, so be it. The truth hurts. Obama has one thing going for him which is lacking in his opponents: he assumes intelligence on the part of the electorate. He speaks with common sense, rather than using hot button talking points to talk down to people.

Everytime opponents try to take a psuedo-issue and turn it on Obama, he defuses it. The truth is like a kitchen light coming on at 3am - the cockroaches tend to scatter and hide.

So, if a majority of the American people are sheep, we'll get Clinton or McCain in November. If they are intelligent, we'll get Obama. Either way, we'll get what we deserve as a nation.

Sounds like win-win to me. Viva democracy!

Tom speaks to truth. I hope we don't go to war with Iran...

start a Mac vs. PC flame war...

there's something for everyone!