You know, I never paid attention to the Mothers Who Think section. I wonder why? Did any other guys? Did it have such a backlash? Possibly the content was not so provocative?

By definition it didn't attempt to exclude readers by gender, did it? Sure, mothers are going to be women, but women with something specific in common. Broadsheet is divisive b/c it assumes mere gender is inclusive -- which necessitates traffic in broad stereotypes (forgive me) of men and women.

Actually, the fallout is highly predictable, just as if you divided the readers into red and blue, or any other two groups, and gave one positive attention, and continually poked fun at the other.

Anyway, to a man, Broadsheet looks like a feminist power-trip by a few female chauvinists. So divisive. So unnecessary. So un-Salon.

protected trade secrets guarded by thickets of patents

Patents exist to prevent trade secrets by providing incentive and protection for sharing technology. The technology is described in detail, published in the patent, and then may be licensed by others.

An actual trade secret, such as the formula for Coca-Cola, is not patented. It is protected by its secrecy alone.

This is an important part of how the world works.

A bad family situation doesn't improve with poetry. It improves with action. Doesn't matter how long it's been going on, either. It can change.

The writer can read up on this situation in some classic psychology books, consult with a family counselor, and make a plan of action.

Possible positive outcomes:

* Sibling gains enough confidence to move out and start their own life

* Father finds some refuge from abuse and finishes life in peace

* Mother takes some medication for moods and changes behavior

The writer should be brave and seize the day. There is no guarantee of success. But the benefit of taking action is the elimination of regret.

Besides, just imagine if the only treatment we had for all of our ailments were romantic treatises like Cary's. We'd still be in the middle ages. I'd like to see this family get fixed.

Consider that our army has protected us from absolutely nothing for the past fifty years. Not terrorism, not natural disaster, not foreign invaders (who reached our shores in WWII).

Realize that our army has travelled the globe torturing and killing, wasting American lives, polluting the earth with everything from depleted uranium to DDT, and burdening Americans under ever greater national debt and global dismay.

Recall that every successful war fought by our armed forces -- from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WWI and WWII -- was fought without benefit of a professional standing army. These were conscript armies assembled FOR A PURPOSE. They stood in sharp constrast to the meaningless war-mongering money-=hogging military beast of today.

Remember that every great war president from Lincoln to Eisenhower warned against a standing army and an overbearing military as the greatest threat to a democracy.

And don't forget the end of Democratic Rome -- Marius built up the first professional armies in response to the incompetence of the aristocratic generals and undermined the pillars of democracy. Caeser extended these armies from defense to conquest as Rome became a dictator's republic. And Octavius turned these armies on Marc Antony to seize the ashes of this Republic and make her into a military empire owned by him alone.

Do we want to answer to our next Augustus? Dismantle this nasty beast while we can.

I also watched my first episode. This show is built on stereotypes.

But the driving dramatic irony is the notion that it's the geeks who need help. They need haircuts. Meanwhile, the ladies need brains.

In the episode I watched one girl could not identify John Kerry. Meantime the geeks breezed through the pop culture questions. The geeks were far more personable, too, with self-deprecating humor, repartee, and interest inothers. The ladies were not so charming, wondering aloud how a geek could be useful and offering such bon mots as, "I'm, like, totally crazy, you know..."

What I can't help thinking is that these girls are at the apex of their lifestory arcs whilst the boys are just getting going. The girls will not get more pretty over time. The boys will learn to wear suits and ties. The girls have no sign of resourcefulness. The guys are competent in fields such as robotics, economics and neuroscience.

What these girls may not realize is that they are actually not good enough to date these nascent-men for much longer. Men who want bimbos will pay by the hour. They will spend their time with women who have something interesting to say or useful to do.

So in the end, I feel bad for the girls. No doubt they were packaged as bimbos from the day their mommy put them in thongs and taught them makeup and skincare instead of math and literature. These women were probably quite sincere when they revealed their fears about their figures; a few more pounds, a wrinkle or two, and their game is just about over.

Here's hoping the ladies catch a lucky break and get to date one of the geeks down the road.

What was the outcome of Korea and Vietnam?

These countries remain two of the last strongholds of communism. Indeed we would have been better off without any army after WWII and fighting no further wars. So would millions of foreign citizens trapped in the aftermath.

Yugoslavia, you say, by way of rejoinder?

But that was won from the air.

The cold war?

All about missiles and bombers.

So America's unique geographic position means we do not need a standing army any longer. Further, we have spread our influence through information and economics. These forces liberated east Europe without bloodshed and are invading and undermining communists in China today.

It is the large standing professional army -- and the inevitable wars that follow to feed it -- which isolate us from the world now.