Elephantman, do you really feel that Wolfowitz's actions were not scandalous? You don't think the bleeding of his personal life into his professional life was a problem? Or that it just wasn't a big enough problem to merit his ouster/resignation?

I mean, I understand you're upset by a "cabal" trying to get rid of him, but in this case, it isn't a manufactured or falsified scandal. These things actually happened. He's admitted it.

The question is, do you think he didn't even do these things, or just that they don't merit much attention?

My first thought was how wonderful the airport in Iceland is (I dare not attempt to spell the name of its capital at this late hour). It's modelled like a modern version of a wooden viking ship - medium-toned scandanavian wood in swooping arcs, intermixed with lots of glass and light. I was only there on a couple-hour layover, but shopping for pickled fish and canned fruits was fun. A real joy to be in.

We rushed to the Jaipur airport to catch a flight to Udaipur, urging our cabdriver to go faster every minute. We were greeted at the check-in line with a big huge scary guy in a turban and the biggest mustache you've ever seen, the kind that curled at each end (right out of Aladdin). He took his sweet time, we were the only ones in the terminal and were convinced we'd miss the flight, though we didn't rush him, for fear he'd turn into the airplane nazi (no flight for you!). Other than that, it was a regional kind of place, so not that shocking.

What's up with them still allowing smoking at the gates in Narita though? (or at least they were in '02).

I have been livid for several years at the way local governments use traffic and parking violations as government fundraising.

In Brookline, MA, they have a ridiculous ordinance that prohibits parking on the street for more than an hour between 2am-6am. The stated reason is because it's "ugly" to have cars parked on the streets. The unstated reason, besides keeping poorer people who can't afford an off-street parking space out, is that it brings in great revenue. Before I moved away, they had recently raised the overnight parking fine to $40. That's right, $40 for leaving your car out for 4 hours in the middle of the night.

If there's a real purpose for these rules that relates to public safety or public benefit, that's fine (like preventing people from running red lights here). But if it's just to fill the city coffers with extra cash that they're too afraid to collect from taxpayers outright, it's just outrageous.

'nough said.

not sure where you live or what the local ettiquette is for subletters there. but in neither of the coastal cities i've lived in would i ever even think of having my mother move in, and would be shocked if anyone else did. i'm even weird about having my parents stay (though they did once, when my roommate was a very good, very old, friend).

one thing is for sure: if there are two people staying where there was originally supposed to be just one, you are *definitely* entitled to collect extra rent. and extra person uses extra water, extra utilities, takes up the bathroom, uses the tv, etc. if you'd wanted a couple, you'd have looked for one (and charged more for it).

it might be time to ask for, and set, a deadline. and i agree with suggesting a hotel. if this girl is able to go out and leaves her mom alone, well, that's just crap.

ok, so i know i already wrote once before. but really, i think people are losing sight of the actual situation. it isn't like lw's friend/long-term roommate's mother wants to come stay and lw is being culturally insensitive or anything. this is a stranger who has entered into a temporary (summer = 3 month) living situation. on one hand she's paying rent, but on the other, she is temporary, presumably not bringing a lot of her stuff, and is really kind of renting a room in another person's home (lw's). if you are from a different country/culture, you know it when you're living in a different one, and you need to behave accordingly. which means, inquiring about and setting expectations, and being up-front about the situation. you tell your potential roommates: "hey, is it cool if i bring my mom/boyfriend/extra helper for a few days to help me settle in? she/he/it would be insulted/can't afford to stay somewhere else." or, "hey, i don't want to freak you out or anything but i have a bit of a chronic illness that means i need a little help, is that cool?"

what you don't do, whatever culture you're used to, is sign up to move into an existing roommate/apartment/communal living siutation as one person and then magically multiply into two on move-in day. if it's discussed beforehand, and then lw is snotty about living with poor guatamalan mothers (or whatever), then fine, pillory her. but to do this on the sly and refuse to be frank about what's going on is quite different and really not ok. lw's certainly not a bad person for objecting. i don't know how many of you have obtained random roommates (from craigslist.org, etc). but there *are* strange people out there, and she's smart to be careful. pc police - fold up your "jump to conclusions" mat until you have more information.

jeweled chalice of the amnesiacs indeed...brilliant...

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.

Especially in Glenn Greenwald. But also you (namely, this columns here - >360 letters, no stars).

In columns where there are over 50 letters, there MUST be some worthy of a star. PLEASE flag them so we don't have to comb through all the crap.