Yes, you do not have to try to be sexist in order to be sexist, nor do you have to be some kind of sexist monster to occasionally behave in a sexist manner.

Why do so many have such a hard time wrapping their mind around this point? It is not THAT complicated, and, as you point out, it has been in the public sphere at least as long as Tootsie.

And ladies, it is not "cool" to just suck up whatever shit is tossed in your direction---no matter how much peer pressure you are getting from the "cool" guys in your life.

Your article illustrates pretty neatly why professional ecologists are so annoyed by the "balance of nature" fantasy. That theory about Orca's eating the seals and causing a trophic cascade is a very lovely story and was a very clever hypothesis when it was proposed, but it has since been shown to be demonstrably false. Of course, the fact that it never actually happened has not prevented you, or many others, from repeating it as fact. In the history of Ecology, there have been a lot of theories that survived way past their expiration dates largely because they fit into the "balance of nature" worldview. As a scientist, I believe that it is far more useful to understand how nature actually works than to pretend that nature is a simple and moral.

I am just baffled by your assertion that serious music fans don't appreciate Michael Jackson. Anyone who cares about contemporary pop in any form knows that MJ changed the game. His influence is enormous.

There seems to be a generation gap on this issue. It seems to that anyone under 40 gets why this is a big dealio---whether you care about it or not. Also, I'd way rather see wall to wall MJ coverage than Sanford coverage. There have many stupider things to dominate the news cycle.

Okay, so Paula isn't what you'd call articulate. She communicates more in vague emotions than in actual thought---but this is pop music we are talking about, if you could explain it you wouldn't need the cheesy songs. If you weren't fast forwarding her comments, you might have noticed that she has a real nose for talent. She is often the first to pick out the best performers, while Simon is busy being clever.

I am a rather tired of journalists blaming our nation's credit crunch on fiscally irresponsible fashionistas and their like. People! Unnecessary Prada is not what put our country in this mess. Very few bankruptcies are driven by simple, extravagant over-consumption. Financial disaster is generally caused by over-extending yourself on your mortgage and/or a health crisis in the family. Quit blaming starbuck's and overpriced clothes.