Is Ms. Paglia insane? Did she really see those people, hear their screams, read their signs? They were whipped up by Fox "News," which listed on its web sites all the places you could go to confront your elected officials - but only listed the Democrats! They were given marching orders to drown out all opposing viewpoints, and they did a good job of it. They promulgated misrepresentations, near-libelous attacks, bad reasoning and cognitive mistakes, and outright lies. How reputable and concerned can you be?

The rest of the column was more of Ms. Paglia's repeating of right-wing talking points. The number of uninsured is greatly exaggerated (prove it, Camille!), so, really, why give a damn? That's the real conclusion of such a claim, no matter how couched.

As for "Pelosi's victory for women" - based on the idea that, look, a woman can push a bad bill through as well as any male bully - I've rarely read such damning with faint praise. What's the point?

A woman whose husband works a lot is not a single mother.

5) I hate feminism and feminists and will say anything to make them look bad, even if this involves creating a strawman (strawperson? Strawwoman?) argument, which will basically involve treating all feminists as if they all believe exactly the same things (so that every one of them is responsible for what all of them have ever said), oversimplifying what individual feminists say, and taking things out of context, historical and otherwise.

The first letter-writer, however, didn't miss this one at all.

> Fact: A human consciousness makes a person.

> Fact: Humans are not self-aware (conscious)

> until around 5 or 7 years old.

These two statements are not "facts." They are bald assertions without evidence.

You haven't even defined "human consciousness," which is sort of necessary to make your case.

Anybody can prove or disprove anything when they just make up sentences and call them "facts."

'The rabbi told the man, "Take a feather pillow, cut it open, and scatter the feathers to the winds." The man thought this was a strange request, but it was a simple enough task, and he did it gladly. When he returned to tell the rabbi that he had done it, the rabbi said, "Now, go and gather the feathers. Because you can no more make amends for the damage your words have done than you can recollect the feathers."'

(http://www.jewfaq.org/speech.htm for one of many versions)

Or they can note that the study doesn't show substantive differences in male and female happiness trends, and that female suicide rates are going down (while men's remain steady), so your whole premise is wrong.

You seem to think yourself an expert on "what women think" ("according to women"). Actually, they're all different. I don't know what all women think or what all men think. But, for someone who believes that "women dwell on this and men just get on with their life and don't care much about this, so men are happier," you, as an individual, seem quite bitter and unhappy. As indicated by the speed with which you posted a note about what's wrong with women, in response to an article that didn't call for it at all. Apparently you spend a lot of time dwelling on this subject.

Ms. Lay forgot to mention what SHE did to bring creativity to Burning Man this year. That is the point, isn't it?

Imagine how much easier their lives would be if they got over it!

(Not to mention mine.)

Is that what it is? You know, sometimes, for all the garbage I have to put up with as a gay man (cf. lack of equal rights under the law, lack of civil rights protection in most jurisdictions, and specific laws designed to make me a second-class citizen), I feel sorry for straight people, who seem to be incapable of conducting their ordinary lives when they become aware of the fact that gay people exist in amongst them.

Gay marriage will destroy straight marriages! Gay men in the locker room stop us from relaxing! Everyone ought to calm down. If a gay man leers at you or gropes you in the locker room, then please register a complaint. But if he's just changing his clothes or taking a shower, remember that he's always been there anyway. We all have the same equipment....

Also, if a gay man tries to force you to marry him, run! But this doesn't happen very often.

I watched it, and I thought it was great, although the ending had a slightly deus ex machina air to it. It was truly strange - wondrous, I might say - and, like the best fantasy, followed through on its own bizarre assumptions and rules. The characters were distinct and quirky, and you're right when you say that the contrasts between the setting and the metaphysics made it very impressive.

I've watched some of Warehouse 13, and often find myself thinking of this series instead. In comparison, Warehouse 13 is silly, juvenile, and superficial.

Maybe we could get a good series out of The Lost Room. But one good thing about it was that it ENDED. Most American series just go on and on, not on the basis of narrative drive but just on the basis of ratings. The Brits seem to understand that some stories are really better off with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Perhaps TLR should be left just as it is, and the writers and other creators - on the basis of their impressive work - be encouraged to come up with something new.