Ernest Becker's book The Denial of Death should be required reading in American universities, if not in American high schools. Perhaps someday our society can develop the more humane and honest assessment of our mortal condition advocated by his elegant work of philosophy. Our health insurance crisis is very real and I wonder if it in part stems from the tragic inability of our American culture to face the reality of sickness and death in a mature, direct way.

The letter writers who have made claims that as long as one watches weight, blood pressure, etc. one apparently stays healthy forever, have an extremely simple-minded, "it won't happen to me" view of the nature of illness. Sadly, I think this is propagated by endless news reports hyping statistics that imply that illness strikes only the old and the obese. *Millions* of people are diagnosed each year with cancer (and many other serious illnesses) and these people reflect many different ethnic backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles. To assume that by losing a few pounds one can live forever or avoid a disease like childhood leukemia is terribly naive and misguided. Someday, nearly all of us will become ill first and then die (as a friend says, you are healthy until you aren't). We need a health care system that is inspired by an appreciation of this fact and not tainted by avoidance and a greed for profit.

My fiancee and I have known a number of friends and colleagues who have been diagnosed with major illnesses and learned, to much dismay, that their health insurance coverage is ineffectual and incomplete. *All* of these people lived healthy lives and were shocked to learn that they suffered from a serious illness. A case in point: one woman lived the most healthy lifestyle imaginable throughout her life, the absolute epitomy of California health in terms of diet and exercise, and was diagnosed with a hard-to-find advanced form of ovarian cancer at a young age (she died as a result). Another man, again the epitomy of California health, learned following a routine colonoscopy that he had a baseball-sized malignant tumor in his colon. There are thin, well-exercised vegans and vegetarians being diagnosed with cancer every day. We are not immune from our own mortality.

The additional health care costs these people endured were unbelievable -- one couple we knew had to pay over $1,500 out of pocket every month while the wife underwent chemotherapy treatments (and their health care provider is considered one of the finest). Wake up!!! Four-five hour waits in ERs and sadly inadequate conditions in "top" U.S. hospitals have become routine, hardly the exception.

Stop condemning and scapegoating others who fall ill and recognize that we MUST overhaul our healthcare system. That is if we consider ourselves to be an ethical, just, and humane society.

But you should absolutely not -- under these circumstances -- give your sister this money. You will never see the money again, it will *not* go to pay off bills, and she will be back before you know it, asking for even more.

Your sister has made a long series of extremely poor, sometimes immoral, decisions and is not taking responsibility for herself or for her children. What is most disturbing about this scenario is that her children are being exposed to unstable and unethical situations. The cildren need to see their mother acting in a mature way and taking control of her life. They should not be taught that relatives will always be there to help out with money should they act in such a way.

It's one thing to be young and to make an error in judgement (such as having the child at fifteen). But it is quite another to willfully and recklessly place one's children in precarious situations again and again. She is a daughter of a recovering alcoholic as you mention, and may suffer from acute narcissism as she seems to have little regard for the feelings of others (the wife of "AB", your own feelings and the feelings of your husband, her own children).

It will be difficult, but I think you must refuse or both you and your husband will be entangled in an endless web of guilt-trips and increasing neediness.

Dear Salon Editors,

There is nothing worthwhile to be said about this subject. I can't imagine this subject generating any intelligent reflection on the nature of contemporary sensationalist media, etc., that hasn't been written already and in better circumstances and without pandering to the endless, voracious publicity machine this subject generates.

Please. No. More.

Dear LW,

You are in your mid-thirties, so it is time to start making serious decisions about the future and to take account of your actions and your behavior towards others.

You are not ever going to be satisfied or happy with the man you are with now. This feeling will only increase over time, and it is NOT fair to him to "settle" and secretly wish you were still "promiscuous" or living a "risky" life with someone more "exciting". End the relationship before you break this man's heart, which you will inevitably, and work on your painting and get involved with other artists so that your fantasies about yourself meet reality.

By the way, I am sure he will be fine. He is young and generous and mature. Chances are he dreams of someone else as well.

I am still wondering if Neville is going to be the hero of the hour. The prophecy, of course, could refer to either Neville or Harry, and perhaps Voldemort has been wrong all along by targeting Harry and (mostly) ignoring Neville.

Or maybe Neville and Harry were switched at birth...

This would perhaps be a brilliant move on Rowling's part as there would be no pressure for future Harry books if Neville becomes the hero of the series...and then dies in his climactic self-sacrificing battle against Voldemort.

Now where's my cloak and wand?