Thanks for the note. I appreciate your letters and point-of-view as well. I realize that my comment about the stereotype of women as irrational being reinforced by spite-votes for McCain is somewhat controversial, and I personally don't subscribe to the stereotype myseelf. However, the hysterics we've seen from some women over Hillary's loss (Harriet Christian?) will not go very far to convince others who hold the stereotype that it should be discarded. It's one of those unfortunate arguments, like the very serious doubts rasied by the Clinton campaign over Obama's "electability" in light of his race.

There's wise and not-so-wise ways to raise awareness and advocate for a cause. And spite-voting for McCain, I think many would agree, goes in the not-so-wise category. Like advocating for the legalization of marijuana by having a clambake outside of the police station, voting for McCain may be a bold move, but not the wisest one, especially in light of the myriad other ways to better fight for the cause.

I still tend to believe that Benson was shaken down by the Austin Boat Cops, but why in the freaking world would he be stupid enough to go anywhere near a car, IN AUSTIN, DRUNK, a week after he was arrested on the boat? That's the kind of stupidity that begs the question if Benson was hoping to get cut.

I'm a Bears fan and was a Benson fan - I thought that despite his first few lackluster years, he could be a productive NFL back if the Bears ever fielded an O-Line that had a prayer of opening a hole for him. Seriously - the Bears line has been ATROCIOUS for the past few years, especially with run blocking. But everyone in Chicago has been all over him because he's not a rah-rah kind of guy. And then the Bears take a running back with their second pick in the draft, signaling to Benson that his days are numbered.

So could he have been trying to get cut? Maybe not consciously trying, but subconsciously?

First we need to stop pretending that cable news is anything other than entertainment. They are in the business of making money, and they make money like any other television station. They are competing for viewers with the bottomless smorgasbord of entertainment options, and they play to demographics as any other specialty cable channel does in their ratings strata. Their marketing team is no different than Lifetime's or MTV's or the Disney's. They sell to their audience.

Fox knows its audience well, and because its audience is largely comprised of arrogant ignoramuses, subtlety doesn't necessarily play all that well. They can't hide the red meat they feed their audience because the audience would never find it. The good news is that such blatant racism and ignorance is on display for the rest of the literate world to see, and it can only serve to add some more flies to the rotting corpse that is the GOP.

There's few things more beautiful than watching republicans self-destruct. Let's just enjoy this.

... when we stop pretending that cable news channels are in the journalism business instead of the entertainment business.

How is anyone surprised that something like this was on Fox News? Is anyone surprised when they turn on MTV and find programming aimed at horny adolescent boys? Or when they turn on E! and find programming aimed at vacuous Trixies? So why is there such outrage when we turn on Fox and find programming aimed at racist misogynistic assholes?

Fox doesn't care about being objective or truthful. Their motto is nothing more than a sarcastic wink, like the way The Onion calls itself "America's Finest News Source." Yes, there are legions of dipshits who think what they see on Fox is real and objective, just as there are legions of dipshits who think The Real World is an accurate depiction of the organic events of seven strangers living together. But thankfully not nearly enough to carry an election.

Toward the end of Hillary's campaign, Lanny Davis was a constant source of that special brand of tortured logic and needlessly-polemic discourse which is Fox New's core competency. Lanny fits right in with Fox's buffet of gasbags and neanderthals it calls "journalists".

... this is just Turd Blossom being Turd Blossom.

Anyone who takes anything Turd Blossom says seriously is in serious need of a mental examination. His credibility index rating has to be hovering somewhere in the neighborhood of OJ Simpson's and Jose Canseco's.

... that this movie will make BOATLOADS of money. Sad as it may be, the lowest of low hanging fruit--toilet and midget humor--still has a very wide appeal in our great Land. Myers & Co. are keenly aware of this.

Meet the Spartans grossed $38 million at the domestic box office. Epic Movie grossed $39 million. These are easily two of the worst movies ever made. The Love Guru will eclipse them both.

USA! USA! USA!

Lots of people inadvertently falling into the kool-aid drinker stereotype. Remember how we deflected attacks that called us messiah-worshippers at the altar of St. Obama? We said we know he isn't perfect, and he won't be able to fundamentally change politics with a few swift slices and dices.

Now it seems people are furious that on a very complicated issue Obama couldn't swoop in like Kung Fu Panda and single handedly override Congress with his sweeping winds of change. There are pragmatic reasons for his actions. John Balkin's take

http://balkin.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-obama-kinda-likes-fisa-bill-but-he.html

seems a little more rational than many poster's here. Remember, being a leader involves compromise, not dictatorial wrath. This isn't nearly as simple as many are making it out to be, and let's just find out a little bit more before spazzing out about it.