Need a reference to understand this? Look back at any of your favorite childhood cartoon today, as an adult. Felix the Cat, Speed Racer, Beanie and Cecil, the Flintstones, you name it -- all appear a bit flat, distant and cold today because these were made for kids, small kids.

Listen to the audio and voice work for the more specifically kid oriented cartoons (not the Warner Bros intermission shorts) and you'll hear very simple, plain language. In combo with the "flatness" or coldness, I believe this allows for the transition to another "space", kid space.

Too loud and/or violent and a kid can freak out instead of zone out and enjoy. The flatter and simpler the story -- the more it seems kids can connect. Miyazaki's gift is taking the simple small kid reality and bringing it up many levels in artistry. Miyazaki is of course very Japanese in this sense -- seemingly simple stuff made powerful by elegance and style.

(From a technical POV, I think the HD presentation and super refined images makes the film colder and harder, i.e., no softness or fuzzy edges - literally.)

Need an American context and counterpoint, lets use Pixar stuff, say Cars (or you pick). These are made by adults who want to be kids with very specific baby boomer context and sensibilities (wit, pop culture references, etc.) and that "warms up" the story.

Stephanie Zacharek is a good reviewer and her honesty is great. I think however she misses context or needs to watch how kids watch cartoons. They seem to enter another reality that adults can't necessarily enter and isn't that the whole point?

Betzee got to part of it but I'll just continue the thought.

Those aren't hippies in GG Park and the Haight today. Those are homeless kids, people with psychiatric needs, drug addicts, misfits and fringe dwellers...all in hippie bling.

There's absolutely nothing wrong about this and SF (and hippies) have always accepted these people but they aren't hippie. That spirit is gone. It left a long time ago. Now there's just a lot of sadness.

Yes the dirt and scruffy part can be confusing but there really aren't any hippies left in SF. There is the "boho bourgeois", the merchants of hippiedom but they aren't hippies but they will sell you all the paraphernalia and lifestyle.

SF will continue to accept just about everyone but lets not fool anyone that these people are hippies and it's 1966 all over again.

Really there aren't any hippies in SF. You can fine one or two in Berkeley and a bunch in Santa Cruz but sadly none in SF. It's a sad place.

Okay maybe it was a adolescent pole but there was no dancing, licking, sliding or humping. Geez nothing like over reacting.

Maybe it's a sister or twin thing but man, 55 and you're still acting like kids? Gee whiz, you're wasting your time, move on and enjoy the rest of the time you have.

I'm in 40s and I figured out just after 40 all that family stuff just isn't worth it. If you have a weird sibling you have to distance yourself. I have a weird sibling which I'm bound to in a real financial manner and this sibling by others accounts is a little slow and self-centered...and I don't get along with the sibling.

The only thing I could do is distance myself yet stay engaged and decide how I'm going to deal with this sibling -- I'm not wasting time, emotion or energy, I'm going to be polite, act like a grown up and all business is 50/50. I believe I'm going to live longer this way.

So the premise sounds off, sorta like if Judd Apatow did a series with a Penthouse letters twist without irony. Any way, glad I don't have HBO.

And about the big dick thing, it's like a nice car, it can play cool the first couple times but after that few care, some complain and it becomes a reason just like a headache. Also if that's the only reason she's seeing you it's trouble...but that never happens.

I get the inference of over-analyzing things into sociological wonders that they're not. Still, at a certain point you have to act like a grown up and take things on face value.

Children or not, women are in all likelihood drinking more and thus drinking and driving more. The causes seem pretty apparent; better career opportunities and advancement but with that comes networking, the drink after work, work/life pressure, i.e., some of the things that push men to drink more.

I'm not saying this is conclusive by any means but a little honestly is a good thing.

For the amount of mail the USPS delivers it's an amazing operation and in fact a cornerstone to the development of the U.S. economy when it was started. It still is today.

Regarding the DMV -- I renew my auto registration in 2 minutes online and receive the tags a few days later. If I could get that kind of service from my very big and privately run HMO (Blue Cross) I'd be VERY, VERY happy.

The fact of the matter is billing and administration is arcane and terrible. They're constantly making mistakes and wasting my time having to fix the mistakes.

Furthermore my Dad goes to the VA and while it's not perfect, for regular health maintenance it's very good. Once you figure out the system it works and best, there's no billing errors.

On the side, all those special envoys were Democrats. Doesn't that tell you something? Instead of starting a war, you go talk to people. Like duh. Another nail in the coffin of the GOP, esp. given Lindsey Graham's BS.