I too was skeeved out by the Billy-Miley images, not because I have a "dirty mind" but because Annie Liebovitz's father-daughter photos were deliberately sexualized. And because Vanity Fair, Disney and Miley's parents chose to showcase them in that context.

Of course fathers hug and kiss their daughters in complete innocence, many such loving acts caught in family photos. But few fathers would willingly contribute to, much less allow publication of photos appearing to celebrate Daddy's Little Ho.

And by the way, did anybody bother to read the actual article? Even it's author is taken aback by Miley's creepy child-woman maturity. You have to wonder about her parent's judgement beyond the photos when you learn Miley's favorite TV show is Sex and the City. And that she tries to make many Hannah Montana episodes into a SATC teen homage. Not the sex, she assures us, just the friendships.

Yuck. Really. Yuck.

Our 24 year old son grew up in an open, loving home with plenty of hugs and kisses among all family members. But he was also taught the value of privacy, personal space and appropriate boundaries. Something the Cyrus family seems to have left behind in the trailer.

This is a minor feminist complaint at best. And, I suspect, has garnered more ink due to the "naughty" quotient than because it has any real traction as a major issue.

We should be more evolved by now, especially considering how many actual "coochies" and "ya-yas" we see and read about in the media. Still, there are many people on both sides of the gender divide who have trouble uttering the correct anatomical terms for their most private parts.

And there you have it -- a term both men and women can use without sounding like 5th graders. Any who find it difficult to say "penis" or "vagina," should be able to utter private parts or genitals, especially to a medical professional.

If not, they need another kind of medical professional altogether.

I think Salon is missing a point here. Of course beauty pageants aren't presidential elections. And yes, beauty pageants demean women. But Salon staffers who assert that a simple geography question was inappropriate devalue young Ms Caitlin and her fellow contestants even more.

It was a perfectly valid question for an 18-year-old honor student participating in a contest that supposedly stresses beauty And brains.

Her answer could have included obvious comments on American Education: We need more teachers and better schools. People should stay in school. American schools should stress more geography. People spend too much time online or watching TV and not enough time learning.

When the Today Show gave her a do-over, Caitlin did in fact touch on several of those themes. But even after a three-day prep she still sounded like a mindless Valley Girl who could not, I'm convinced, herself find the US on a map.

A friend's 16-year-old daughter spent the summer building schools in Africa as a result of what he calls "the Angelina Jolie effect." I'm guessing that's the only reason Miss South Carolina included Iraq in her ramblings -- Ms Jolie is currently visiting our soldiers there.

"I had to give my e-mail address to check out the Hillary Clinton "Sopranos" spoof..."

Actually, Joan, you didn't. There was a link 'Watch Without Signing Up'; now you can just click on the 'And the winner is...' link. I only mention this because I found it refreshing that the Clinton campaign didn't force us to pay for hot content with personal information.

In a recent column Maureen Dowd referenced an LA Times quote from a Boomer Democrat who said, "Who wants four or eight more years of the Clintons’ marital disputes, paid for by the United States, we the people? I certainly don't."

I'd ask that Boomer if she'd rather spend those years continuing to pay in lives and dollars for another iteration of George W. Bush?

Assuming the Clintons still have a dysfunctional marriage is a lame reason to reject Hillary Clinton's candidacy. Especially without acknowledging Bill's accomplishments and taking a close look at where Hillary stands on today's issues.

The War in Iraq packs a much bigger wallop than any marital skirmishes in Chappaquah.

Social Security is far more important than Bill's socializing.

Universal Health Care merits more attention than the former president's sexual history -- let's face it, after bypass surgery he certainly appears lean and clean.

Economic growth, a balanced budget and more jobs have a far higher priority than the Clinton's personal income or what Bill's 'job' would be.

Bill Clinton is an older, wiser man these days. Regardless of his prior bad judgement and the extraordinary lengths the Right Wing took to discredit him and Hillary, he's still the most popular--and arguably the most effective--ex-president ever.

There's a message in the Sopranos spoof, in case anybody missed it. Hillary's in charge now. Bill's minding his P's and Q's. And an extra dollop of irony when she tacitly agrees to "remember the good times" ... clear acknowledgement of Lessons Learned.

Bill Clinton stands behind his wife 100%. Which is exactly where I want him to be.