...she's the one who gave her dead husband's boat to Desmond. Different hair style, same gal.

And who, perchance, was her dead husband, David? Ring any bells?

However, I agree with the consensus that the finale was too clever by half. Why would Desmond cooperate in not pushing the button when clearly he knew that there *were* consequences for doing so, et al.

Unfortunately for us viewers, and as any quick read of Season-1 interviews with the show's creators will reveal, "Lost" surprised everyone by its popularity, and there was never any long-term plot schematic. In fact, in answer to the question, "Will they ever be rescued," the answer was, "No, then the show would be over."

Finally, I strongly disagree that Season 1 was "too" slow. Overall, the story arcs and character development that we now appreciate so much were bloody conveyed in that season!

The same simmering discontent has been building in me for the last few years. Worst left-lane drivers in the US? Washington State. Rudest airline attendants in North America? Air Canada. Rudest sales help in Europe? Germans. Most arrogant professionals? MDs.

In short, Cary is sadly accurate. Make your own list--the conclusion is inevitably the same.

Are we to expect doctors, Germans, and the drivers of Washington to wake up tomorrow and realize they're assholes? That's like Bush supporters and homophobes suddenly coming to their senses. Miracles don't happen. We either adjust to it, flashing wry grimaces to other club members when possible, and live with it. Or don't, and head to the roof with the AK-47.

For the time being, I'd rather live with it than end up in prison. And that, my fellow club members, is about the only deterrent stopping me.

Cary's advice is excellent.

There MUST be a city or county health clinic or public hospital available to you. Go there. See an MD and request a prescription for an antidepressant. Zoloft has worked wonders for chronically depressed friends. Yes, it's $1 a day, but that's cheap for the relief it (or another SSRI) brings.

Once you are on more solid emotional ground, then you can proceed to understanding how you got where you are, and how not to be there from now on.

Video Dog:

What else might be the meaning of your subhead:

"A cabbie gets on the BBC to talk technology, proving what you already suspected about cable news"

...other than "here's an example of cable news"?

If this wasn't your intent, then "...proving what you already suspected about shag carpeting" would work just as well, as would, "...about diet sodas," "...comfy armchairs," and any other non-sequitur.

Either you were "proving" a shortcoming of cable news, or you weren't. The subhead says you were, and my response was that the channel in question was broadcast, not cable, in Britain.

In any event, didn't Norman Minnow and Marshall McLuhan pretty well sum-up the state of television generally, including news, sometime about 40 years ago? I realize that VD, as it were, is essentially a little fluff to go along with the theoretically more serious content here, but jeez, suggesting that television--broadcast or cable--appeals most often to the lowest common denominator isn't exactly taking you out on a limb.

BBC is a broadcast operation in Britain.

Just because it appears on cable in the US doesn't make it "cable news."

At least know what you're dissing before making your snarky comments.

1. Cary, please, no more Mark Morford-style run-on rants. It's tedious and precious and dull as can be.

2. Who says these were great parents? Obviously Mom has already decided that her offspring's problems are genetic. Convenient rationale. I'll bet the kids have a different take on their upbringing.

Anyone else catch this author's appearance Tuesday night on The Daily Show? He clearly bristled at Jon Stewart's (gentle) mockery of the entire notion that this "sport" is anything but a middle finger flipped at rationality.

Juan Cole's piece was far more informative. It should have been the lead story.

Folks, give Mr Lonelyhearts a break. Maybe it's "fake," maybe not. Besides, if the husband here were narrating a novel, he'd be known as "unreliable."

In short, just because he claimed to go down on one or more dykes in a lesbian bar doesn't mean he really did.

Still, perhaps Cary could give his readers some idea of what extent (if at all) he attempts to verify the legitimacy of requests for advice.

Hell, either way, this is a column I read for its entertainment value more than anything. It may as well be called, "Since You Asked for Schadenfreude..."

Given their rabid attempts to pin false obstruction of justice charges on Bill Clinton via Sidney Blumenthal in 1998-99, the GOP's silence on an *actual* case of leaking, smearing, and obstruction of justice is, what...thundering? Deafening? Earsplitting?

Wait! We just need Christopher Hitchens to pipe-up that he had lunch with Scooter, who leaked Plame's name (adding that she was a "stalker" for good measure,) and *that* will get the impeachment ball rolling!

Seems to me that a break-up or two tends to add to our stock of life experience, with increased wisdom a by-product. (On the other hand, someone who's working on number five or six is probably a slow-learner.)

In any case, if I weren't likely to go to prison for doing it, I'd whack every tassel-loafered, cellphone-yakking, sharp-elbowed ass I could, preferably with a large enough brick to put them out for a good long time. Garrison hints at who you are, Donald Trump-wanna-be's and your 12 million neighbors.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder" isn't news, but being reminded of it so delightfully is always welcome.

This kid was not victimized.

Nor have we read yet how he plans to distribute his gains to worthy charitable causes.

What's surprising is that the sex-phobic GOP wasn't all over this from the start. Maybe a senator or, say, a DHS official turned up on that credit card list, wot.

Oh, how terribly not witty!