As has been mentioned the sin of Susan wasn't likeing boys, it was rejection of the existance of Narnia.

This follows very much the theology explained in Narnia and exemplified by the dwarves who lost faith and must live in the Land of Aslan believeing they were trapped in a stable while the world outside them was destroyed.

The issue is solely ones own rejection of faith, not a punishment for sin.

As to Susan being told that she was not expected to use the bow and arrow, that is perhaps some level of paternalism, but could also hold a notion of greater nobility. She is given the bow and arrow, and one does not give such a gift without an understanding of its use, however one perhaps would admonish Susan to it's use to remind her that she has nothing to prove, and not to dwell upon the blood lust of battle.

Or perhaps it's sexist, it is a childrens book dealing with very strange sensibilities in general. But it is also a fun read, with some interesting philisophical questions for children to grapple with.

And perhaps, as with real religious philosophy, when one is horrified by a notion in the book, that should not be a call for simple rejection, but instead greater introspection.

A young girl can become petulant at the admonition of Susan or she can ask why she is given such an admonition. They can become upset at Susan's loss of the Kingdom, or they can ask what part she herself played in that loss.

Religion isn't supposed to just make you feel good, often it is ment to give us strength when we feel bad, and to comprehend the difficulties that befall us.

Also lions are cool.

To think that by this time next week, there will be nothing to wait for.

I mean it's possible that the super delegates will sit on their thumbs till august, but unlikely, So after Tuesday, we can count up and declare all the votes, and then one of these noble competitors will walk off the field.

So we've got what six more days of recrimination, and over analysis?

Saturday will be interesting, especially if Obama has been sand bagging delegates as has been suggested.

We'll be able to see how many he has based on how much of a fight his people put up with on Saturday.

If they come in and say, yeah, give her all the delegates, no we don't need any, you know he's got the numbers. If they drag their feet and say, well you know we need to discuss this more, you know they are still taking each number seriously.

It'll be quite the show either way.

While technically, yes you are correct, that the super delegate count isn't official until their is a vote at the convention, that really misses the larger point.

When the superdelegates declare publicly, it makes a very strong statement. When a large enough group declare, one candidate will be considered the winner. Now yes technically no one will be the official nominee until the convention, but that is no differnt than it's ever been.

Delegates aren't officially awarded until the convention, and as Senator Clinton has pointed out even pledged delegates are not obligated to vote any particular way.

There comes a time when there is a clear majority of opinion on the subject, and at that point further campaigning is useless. Senator Clinton has a right to campaign until she is publicly humilated on the floor of the convention, as even her pledged delegates desert her because they don't want to be on record going against the clear nominee.

Now sure, if after Tuesday, there is a silence from the superdelegates, but I don't think that silence is likely.

Either they will move enmasse to Senator Clinton, to prevent further erosion of her support as the media endorses Senator Obama, or they will move enmasse to Senator Obama to finalize his presumed victory.

Now perhaps there will be a 70% split on the super delegates or somethign similar that puts Senator Clinton within reach of the nomination, but it's hard to make the argument that this is in the wings since a strong movement hasn't gone to Senator Clinton after her big wins recently.

It is entirely possible that Senator Clinton will be the nominee, unlikely, but possible. It is far more likely that after tuesday the votes will come in and a final likely outcome will be determined.

Pelosi and Reid have declared that they shall press the supers to make their official statement by the end of next week.

Of course as I am sure Senator Clinton will say, Peolosi and Reid do not own the party...the question is whether or not the Supers will go along with it.

A point of order, they aren't endorsing anyone, they are just saying get off the fence.

Also note, that Reid is at least tangentially a Clinton Supporter.

We'll have to see if this comes to an end or not.

Not by half...

Certainly, there will always be the diehards who jump ship because they don't like the way the wind blows. The Democrats did lose the south when they ran Kennedy, and many thought that was the end of the Democrats.

This little affair is just another bump in the evolution of the party. Yes we may have lost some folks to the republicans but the poll numbers still play in Obama's favor and in truth, Obama is polling better among working class whites than Kerry or Gore ever did.

So, no, this isn't the end. It is a new begining.