The visual conjured up in this scenario is just too revolting.

I'll tell you why: not satisfied with having spent days and days on Michael Jackson's death, and days and days on other unimportant, meaningless drivel, while real young people are dying in Afganistan and Iraq, whose contributions to society will never be known, the other crazies (the political, non-celebrity crazies) find themselves not grabbing many headlines and decide it is time to reaquaint us with the fact that they cannot resign themselves to the fact that Mr. Obama is really the President. By the way, Frank McCord's death passed almost unnoticed by the MSM. Surely that lovely man did more for our culture and our language than Michael Jackson, for Godsake! If the State of Hawaii were to issue a special embossed birth certificate complete with sworn statements by everyone from the entire staff of the hospital, they still would resent being governed by a black man. Which leads me to Skip Gates being arrested in his own house by the Cambridge PD, whose IQs must be even lower than those of the birthers!

I used to love ER, and then I stopped. I think it was in the wrong time slot, or something, but the heartrending moments were few and far between, and the plot got beyond me. Thought the finale was, to put it bluntly, stupid. Compare it to the episode with Rosemary Clooney as the woman with Alsheimer's. No comparison, right?

I watch CSI: Miami is for Caleigh -- in whose previous incarnation in the West Wing delivered my favorite line in all of television: She was going back to Smith to talk about the ERA (which she was against) and someone said "They're going to hate you." She replied, "I am a straight, white, Episcopalian Republican. They hate me already."

that nobody's addressed: how much had anyone had to drink (esp. LW and Groom) at this wedding? Could it be that things were somewhat exaggerated by alcohol? I've been to a lot of weddings in the course of a long life, and also seen some mighty drunken misunderstandings, so I wonder.

Sometimes, when I think about celebate men dictating other people's sex lives, my head starts to explode. But this is just crazy. Almost as crazy as believing in the infallibility of the Pope, hey?

I'm with Juliebird (as so often). It just gets crazier and crazier.

I think your wedding sounds like a perfect hoot and I wish I had been there! How was the food? Never mind about your mother-in-law. I had one like that, and they never change and will always disapprove so get used to it. They go away eventually with their little mean-spirited selves so tell her to get over herself and enjoy your life, your way! What fun!

these people don't have enough to do! Why aren't they worrying about something real, like the economy. They just can't stand the fact that Mrs. Obama is (a) young; (b) beautiful; (c) successful and -- guess what, the First Lady! Being that her husband won the election, she is there, in the White House, and there's nothing to be done about it. Whatever she chooses to wear is appropriate for this particular First Lady. Probably the last time these people could actually wear a sleeveless dress was in 1960! They should just get a life!

Women -- generally -- have more to do than write books: They have babies, housework, husbands and these days, jobs. This is a silly discussion. Gone with the Wind is NOT a great novel. It is a sentimental soap opera that glorifies southern attitudes toward their traitorous secession from this country. To Kill a Mockingbird is, as someone here says, a great book for Jr. High! It's about important issues and it is well written and the characters hang around in your head for a long time, but it's nowhere near My Antonia or Death Comes for the Archbishop (both of which I re-read recently and absolutely adored). People have mentioned Sarah Orne Jewett and Ursula Le Guin, writers I love and appreciate, and Barbara Kingsolver, too, is a great writer. Here's a question: who cares if it is a "great american novel" if you love it and read and re-read it?

for the reality of Jesus. When you consider what Bishop Williamson ostensibly does believe, i.e., the virgin birth, the efficacy of the Mass, the existence of God, even, the Holocaust doesn't seem like such a stretch, especially since there is actual historical evidence (like moving pictures, eye witness testimony and things that rational human beings would consider proof) as to the reality of the Holocaust. I think he is an anti-Semite and a nutcase, and I don't understand why anyone is paying any attention to him.

Apparently, the anti-abortionists are incapable of figuring out that what birth control measures people use are none of their damn business! Oops indeed. I hope she gets sued for lots and lots of money and will keep her effing hands off other people's birth control. Why hasn't she been fired? Hmm?

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, like hitting your head against a brick wall again and again -- but this time it won't hurt! Mr. Dawson must be insane.

It's not only a place where one can watch talented people make remarkable clothes/food/haircuts and mess up royally, but also it has re-runs of the "West Wing"! So now everyone can see how a beautifully written, directed and acted TV show should look and sound. It's just so much better than anything else on TV these days. I'm quite disgusted with the History Channel, which used to have some good shows, but now seems to be only about the UFOs, Templars and religion. One bright star on my personal horizon is "Big Bang Theory." I fall on the floor laughing. Otherwise, it's a barren wilderness out there.