One poster suggested that certainly Jakarta would not have had bowling back in the 60s and therefore discounted Obama's claim to have bowled when he was 8. What the ___? Why would Jakarta, with a population of maybe 5 million at the time, not have bowling allies? Jakarta is not exactly a backwoods sort of place and one of the things we know about Obama's Indonesian stepfather is that he was "Americanized."

It's one thing to have a curiosity about bowling in Jakarta in the 1960s. It's quite another thing to lack curiosity while dismissing the posibility out of hand. One of the great problems in America is our utter lack of knowledge of the rest of the world. Moreover, our default assumption is that other places do not have the things we do: everything from bowling to free speech.

To be sure I suspect that bowling in Jakarta was, and perhaps still is, rather a niche market. But there is a difference between being a bit exotic and not-existing.

This is precisely why we need Obama. Someone with an open and thoughtful mind and experience beyond the local mall and multiplex.

Moreoever, why would Obama pick someone who doesn't seem to have much confidence in him, when there are so many more qualified candidates who do.

My favorite two are Brian Schweitzer and Bob Casey. Either would be fine. Each has upsides and downsides. Schweitzer's downside is that he hasn't endorsed and he's not well known--but I think it would be quick upward trajectory as he became known. Casey's downside is that I don't want to take a Democrat out of the Senate, and the whole abortion thing. But he and Obama really seemed to have hit it off. Casey's endorsement was very enthusiastic and I'd like two people who really hit it off running together. It might even help to have two people who disagree on abortion and who represent different demographics demonstrating that they can work together. Moreover, Casey is young. He could very well run in eight years.

And one vote against Jim Webb. He's my senator, but I find him a bit odd and awkward. Whatever his strengths, he did not win in Virginia so much as Allen lost. We need a natural campaigner and not just a resume. Leave Webb in the Senate, we need him there.

And Hillary is not an option. You heard it from Polosi first.

Everyone knows that there is only one place that has to give you life saving medical care if you can't pay: the emergency room. So, there is a big difference--a legally significant difference--between reporting that a hospital denied care, and that a clinic denied care. If the clinic is not paid and cannot pay its own bills, it will not be able to provide care to anyone. We have no idea how much care the clinic had already provided this woman or others without payment.

We do know a young woman who couldn't afford $100 clinic bill, thought she could afford a baby.

Don't blame the clinic. I've got a free Planned Parenthood condom that could have saved her life.

There is a lot of information missing here. Has anybody--your brother, your parents, etc.--ever demonstrated any remorse over this? How old was your brother when this took place? When it ended? Did he go on to live a productive life? Were you his only victim? Was he ever a victim? To me these things matter. You talked about forgiving, but did anyone ever seek forgiveness?

There does seem a lot to be said for viewing your brother as pathetic and, now, harmless, rather than as the same fellow he was. If that is in fact the case. (If not--don't go near him.)

If you can do it without inflicting harm on yourself or your family, I'd say organize a small get together with your immediate family and a few people you will enjoy seeing--preferably midday so you have the evening to look forward to. Keep it small, keep it short, then have plans for immediately after. (I find that having a fancy, expensive get together can compensate for cutting the duration.) Have a reason why you absolutely have to depart timely and be gone for any additional time your brother may be in town. In arranging this, shoot for something your kids will enjoy. You're being dutiful, and your mother was willing to forego any celebration, so if she whines--so what. If somebody else wants to arrange it, let them.

And if this seems like too much, tell your mom you gave it a lot of consideration and that, for better or for worse, that relationship is over and that its in your own family's best interest not to revive it. Give your parents flowers and a gift certificate for dinner to use when they want.

I think option one is probably the better decision, but I don't know your family. Pick and let it go. If your mother wants you to feel bad about this, refuse.

These are the words from my dad that got me into law school. And I think pretty much words to live by--freeing because they give permission to fail. So listen to Obama's recent graduation address on YouTube (http://youtube.com/watch?v=XX5WEgqw6pM) and do something --for long enough to give it a fair shot--say five years. If it was the wrong thing--pick again. Life is long.

And speaking of which, I trust one of you is brilliant with money, because else $3 million may not last a lifetime.