Sorry, but Knocked Up isn't really about Allison keeping her baby or not--it's about Ben realizing he cannot be a slacker burnout anymore, and he has to grow up. Judd Apatow is a maker of comic movies first and foremost, and even if the subject of abortion could be made into a comedy I'm not sure American audiences would be ready for it. Apatow--or any other filmmaker--has only one responsibility: to make a movie they care about, that maybe other people will care about as well.

There was an excellent Romanian film that came out last year (whose name now escapes me), which deals with a woman trying to get an illegal abortion in Ceaucescu-era Romania.

He sees a new era coming and he's scared. He already hates to admit he's ever been a Republican.

On the relatively rare occasions I get to fly into a major international airport like JFK or O'Hare, I love seeing all the foreign airlines parked at the international terminal. It's the tail logos that draw my attention, rather than the fuselage, so I'll have to disagree mildly on EgyptAir--I think the stylized Horus on the tail is pretty cool and a great way to honor Egypt's long history. While AeroMexico has kept the Aztec warrior on the tail, the new color scheme makes it pop a lot less than it used to.

But George H.W. Bush was younger and a lot healthier than McCain is. I hope John McCain has many more birthdays in him (just not in the White House), but at 72, after having suffered a lot of physical punishment and 4 surgeries for malignant melanoma, the very real possibility of a President McCain not serving out his term has to be considered. Palin's fitness to take over the job will be an issue in a way Quayle's was not.

This won't change the dimensions of the race, any more than Mondale's selection of Ferraro did. For starters, McCain's people better hope that the investigation into Palin's alleged abuse of power in trying to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from his position as an Alaska state trooper doesn't have legs. Granted, it's not in the same league as the problems Ted Stevens or Don Young, but it's pretty egregious and over the line.

And I'm also waiting to see if the traditional values crowd is going to start sniping about Palin leaving a 4 month-old infant--and, IIRC, 4 other children--behind in Juneau while she embarks on a national campaign.

Matanuska Thunder, uh, "bang" is some fine product.

Just sayin.

If David Gregory thinks it's "cool", then I've just lost the modicum of respect I used have for the man.

It's reckless, cavalier...I really can't come up with words strong enough.

One of the first things I learned after moving to Texas 12 years ago is that on a state cultural level Texans have never quite forgiven Alaska for taking away "biggest state" status from them. Mostly, this rivalry is humorous, and I think that Sarah Palin made up what she thought was a cute story (and that she thought people like David Gregory who buy into the whole pioneer mythos would think was grand) and the whole thing is spiraling out of control.

But for the hardcore history buff, Triumph of the Will is available on Netflix.

I do have to wonder if Mr. Johnston would be paraded around the convention if he weren't a good looking, good ol' boy athlete. If he were, for instance, an Alaskan native, or Asian, or some other minority. I'm sure it wouldn't make any difference at all. Who's with me?

What I don't wonder is whether Levi Johnston will come away with offers for a few plum sinecures after hobnobbing with party bigwigs. It seems clear that the True Believers love the VP nominee, and I'm sure more than a few will be willing to suck up by gainfully employing her soon-to-be son-in-law.

by simple virtue of not being Frank Murkowski and then being a Republican in a state pre-disposed to elect same.

Say what you want about Hillary Clinton, she managed to get elected to the Senate in one of the country's most populous state, and wasn't exactly a lock in her first election (at least not till Rick Lazio showed what a dweeb he was).

Greenland isn't more important than Germany, the UK and France combined. But by GOP logic it makes Denmark more formidable than those places.

I have no problem with adapting a foreign t.v. show today, because it's been shown--with shows from All In the Family to The Office that when done well these shows can gain their own identity and they don't have to be derivative. And though I don't watch it, something about the original Colombian Ugly Betty must translate--it's been adapted all over the world, the U.S. version being only one of many.

But another commenter hit on the head. The problem isn't a lack of originality, it's risk aversion. That's why we get retreads of just about any remotely successful foreign series (take Coupling, please!) and at the movie series, one unnecessary remake after another.

Do we really need a remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, one that stars Keanu Reeves, no less?

Honestly, I could care less how much money Cindy McCain's dress cost. I have a question for Mayor Giuliani and Govs. Palin, Romney, and Huckabee...

If you hate the federal government so much, why did you accept federal funds for your city and states? Why (and I'm looking at you, Gov. Palin) did you so eagerly solicit federal funds for your pet projects? Why not just say to Washington "thanks, but no thanks, we're running a huge budget surplus anyway? (at least in the case of Alaska)"

I have a feeling I'll be waiting a long time for an answer to that question.