"I do not trust the run-of-the-mill English professor to make the proper distinctions. English professors are, perhaps, better suited to do so than anyone else, but I shudder at the thought of some recently degreed assistant professor at some mediocre school in the Midwest being given such power over students' creativity."

What's your problem with the Midwest? Are you sad because you couldn't get into the creative writing program at the University of Iowa? There are plenty of mediocre schools on the West Coast, and even more on the East Coast. "Come to our school! It's expensive and pretty and you will meet a rich spouse!"

I know that the Midwest will never produce a writer capable of so much complexity as your Bret Easton Ellis, but we have made a good ol' farmhand effort with Booth Tarkington, Willa Cather, Ray Bradbury, Mark Twain, Sinclair Lewis, Theodore Dreiser, Carl Sandburg and Thorton Wilder.

I hope you never have any power over anybody's creativity. Enjoy Ellis' descriptions of rats eating a woman's vagina, I'll be enjoying me some Gwendolyn Brooks.

Joan Walsh posted:

"I regret the error and will change it now."

I wish that Hillary Clinton was reading Ms. Walsh's post. Nine simple words, sincerely said.

"Tell me that you've never abused a service person and will nominate you for sainthood. (This includes the phone too, folks.)" I've never abused a service person. Nominate away.

I think that most people who say "He deserved it!" are using hyperbole - that if they were on a jury to decide what happened to him, they would not vote to incarcerate for five weeks.

But I understand the emotion. I've spent a life watching bullies get their way - in shops, on the road, in our government. The reason so many people are belligerent assholes is... it WORKS! Yell at the minimum wage earner enough, and his manager will come and give you your way.

So many people read about him, the asshole we've all seen on planes, on the return-line, in the bakery, and they read about him getting tossed in jail and raped in the butt... and there is this moment of... "about time."

And because this is the internet, you have time to write "He deserved it!" and hit SEND before that moment passes and you are rational again.

P.S. Yes, I had that moment. But I did not hit send.

I don't understand why his answer makes him "Crazy"? Wasn't it established in the Cracker Barrel case that employers are allowed to fire people because they are gay? I thought the current law of the land is that private employers are allowed to discriminate against gay people.

And I thought that this was one of Republican Party's core beliefs. So Thompson was asked, "do you think that the current law is good" and he gave the Republican party-line answer.

What am I missing? Why are people saying "stick a fork in him, he's done."? If a Democrat said that, I'd agree it would be a big deal, just as Guliani's weasely "nearly pro-choice" answer was a big deal. But it was a Republican. Why is this news?

He is amazing. I wish more people knew of him.

"What isn't true is that neighborhood libraries still exist. I live in Memphis, Tennessee, and our brilliant, insightful leaders (who are demanding money to build a new stadium) have just ordered the closing of several of our public libraries, including the White Station branch, which was to me growing up what Keillor's library was to him."

I don't get the "There isn't a nice library in MY neighborhood, therefore nice libraries do not exist" logic. Well, actually I do. It boils down to "What's true in my town must be true in all of America," an attitude that has caused much mischief.

If you are ever in Cedar Falls or Waterloo, Iowa, come and stop at the local library. (Each city has one, even though we border each other.) If you come on a Friday morning, you will see me and my daughter there watching the story-time puppet show. (The librarian reads the stories, and the puppets act them out, often bantering with her) Make sure to say "hi" to Sable, the library rabbit, whose sign says, "I love books and I love children, be gentle with me and I will be your friend."

While the book selection isn't like a big-city libraries, they'll order you anything you like via inter-library loan, and it's certainly large enough to satisfy a book-hungry browser.

And our librarians are just plain incredible.

"Ross Perot bought a half hour to totally explain his ideas and it worked! He failed in the debates, but the format of just talking straight to the camera with no commercial breaks works!"

This also was used by Ronald Reagan. It worked very well for him. I remember the broadcast - he looked at the camera and outlined a detailed case as to why Americans should support him.

I think he was an awful president, but at least I got to see him present an actual argument for his election.

Have your son or daughter call the folks at the Grand Canyon, and ask how old it is. They won't tell you. Why? They are not allowed to anymore. (Creationists. Can't offend the creationists)

Would this be happening if Kerry were president?

All these new laws to fight terrorism, none used to stop abortion clinic bombers and terroristic threats against doctors.

Same under Kerry? Ummm... no.

Look at the Supreme Court nominees. Look at the attorney firings. Would Kerry have appointed Alberto Gonzales? Seriously?

Time to take the blinders off. I'm not a Kerry fan, but how could you say there was no difference??