Sexual spanking is a consensual form of play that tons of people enjoy. Domestic violence (I always hated that term - sounds like my house is acting up) is the opposite of consensual. Surely surely the writer must know this.

And why would actually having/showing a woman's body need to affect a lawyer's career? Is it a crime to dance around a movie screen unadorned? OK, if she was trying to get a job with, say, John Ashcroft, it would probably be counter-productive.

But what I really want to ask is, since when has Salon become a cheerleader for those who would hide away women's breasts under threat, or conflate sexual play with brutality? This is the last attitude one would hope to find on Broadsheet. Remember the abc's of feminism in 1970? Would a male lawyer become unemployable if he showed his nipples on celluloid?

Within the black community, there is a continuous examination of rap - books, documentaries, etc - and how the intervention of major media conglomerates turned a movement of protest and politics into something they could better sell to young white kids, something all gangsta and pimp. Those same conglomerates are raking it in from the "work" of the schlock jocks - and I don't see the same level of debate within their audiences. Those feeling victorious because Imus is (probably temporarily) fired may be missing the point. Sponsors got nervous, that's all. There's now what? four media conglomerates left controlling book publishing and the visual/audio media? MSNBC didn't "see the light" - they saw the changing bottom line.

One fetish or another - like drinking breast milk - may not be your personal turn-on, but why be judgmental ("leaves bad taste")? Nobody's getting hurt, there's no lack of consent and it's a lot less distasteful than, say, spending an evening with Imus or having your assignment to Iraq extended.

Ahhh, I don't think so. Ever seen the figures for daughter abuse? Ever noticed how many misogynists sire off-springettes? Let's really really not attribute the success of a wiggling little sperm with transformative political powers. If fatherhood is all that was needed, there would never have been sexism in the first place.

I'm going to be 60 years old and I know that feeling of facing long years of poverty stretching out in front of me. I'm a writer (ie starving writer). I wish you the very best - but also warn you that as someone who spent 18 years running a business and then 13 years as a non-profit executive, I find it impossible because of age-discrimination to find a job now. It's a huge problem, so if you can pull together some teaching gigs that would be great. You might find out how to get yourself qualified to teach in the schools or try to teach at adult education programs (always negotiate for higher pay than they offer at first). You're so right that now is the time to try to augment your income. Good luck,

Why oh why are you featuring a slideshow of "perfect breasts" where the oldest set are 31? Damn that is rude. Rude of Jane and rude of Salon. I'm facing my 60th birthday this year and my breasts remain a favorite aesthetic and erogenous part of my body - so much so that I feature my cleavage on my blog. So very many kinds of breasts were left out of the "perfect" selection that I wonder if it's just another form of "girls gone wild" for the online reading set.

Bummed but scruptious,

Sue

I can certainly understand how heartening it is to read Bob Herbert's analysis of the role of misogyny in so many of these incidents of violence by men, but I hope you also swoon for the many women commentators who have been making these points all along, but who can't get the exposure Mr Herbert gets. Let's not make a fetish out of the fact that a man writes with clarity when so many women have been prevented from publishing such things among the big boys. And when women have had the rare chance to comment, they often become the target of violent backlash - like sickening, threatening emails or foul judgements of their appearance. I'm happy to "heart" Bob Herbert, but I wish some of the brilliant women I read on alternative sources were available to a wider public to "heart" also.

Did anyone else see the report from Iran about the "moral police" arresting women because their headscarves are tilted too far back, etc? Because, according to the show, they have also insisted that the breasts of the mannequins in the windows of clothes stores be sliced off! Freaked me out.

I've never been a big fan of Fonda's nor thought of her as a particular wit, but this clip is a hoot! I particularly liked when - after he asked her why she was constantly adjusting her jacket - she flashed him her naked torso. And I loved the whole added dynamic of the older woman totally taking control of the younger control-freak - heaping layers of possible deconstructions upon deconstructions of Colbert's character. Thanks. Great piece.

Sue

I liked "Grey's Anatomy" when it was all about the friends, their solidarity, their common slog up the medical ladder and their relationship to their betters/mentors. Yeah, some of the romance was riviting - but mostly as a vehicle for how the friends supported each other - or not. When everyone got all coupled up, the friends only seemed to unite to be mean to an outsider - what's been their problem with the loyal Callie? Why is everyone else allowed to have a main squeeze?

Come back gaggle. I don't have any problem with exiling Addison - the least interesting of the characters. Give me more Miranda (the most nuanced character). And convince me that the once riviting Cristina can really love the weak boring Preston.