People who think that the health insurance crisis doesn't concern them is kidding themselves. People who don't have health insurance can have a communicable disease such as TB, and not having the money to treat it, can end up spreading it to anyone they have even casual contact with. That can lead to an epidemic that will affect everyone, even those that are insured. Also, if a person gets into an accident or gets a serious illness, he or she might not be able to work, thus losing health insurance when it's most needed. And although people must take preventative measures to keep themselves healthy, they can still come down with catastrophic diseases. Unless something is done to provide some sort of universal healthcare to every citizen, adult and child, I fear the consequences will be dire.

It's not that the subject matters that writers like Pollitt and Merkin write about is offensive. It's the narcissism these writers display, assuming that somehow every humiliation, spanking or sexual proclivity is a universal truth that everyone needs to know about. While some of that might be interesting, I can't help but wonder if some of what they say might be a way of proclaiming to other women, "You might have a more satifying emotional or sexual life, but I'm the one who gets paid to write about my own life." Feminism is about sisterhood. Somehow that doesn't seem very sisterly.

Yes, the Republican party really does love and respect our troops. That's why just this week they voted against insuring these troops adequate rest before re-deployment to Iraq. When they die over there, Bush makes sure that there flag-covered coffins come back to the States in the dead of night, out of site of photographers. That's really showing respect for our troops.

It's Ok for Republicans to call ex-senator, Max Cleland, a traitor or coward for early on questioning the war, nevermind that he lost three limbs actually fighting over there while Cheney said "he had better things to do." It's also Ok for Repulicans to continue to advocate tax cuts during war time, even if that means our troops may lack protective body armor as a result.

Republicans are the ones that show the greatest lack of respect for our troops. The Democrats, by their refusal to speak up, are a close second. The troops deserve our respect. The members of Congress of both parties who do nothing to stop the war which is killing so many of these men and women, along with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, deserve nothing but contempt.

Dear LW,

Since you're weren't trying to evict your "friends", but the other way around, I don't see how you could be charged with discrimination. If your name is still on the lease I also don't see how they can force you to move. The question is, how much do you want to stay there?

I can't imagine that living with two hostile roommates and a newborn infant would be fun, but if you consider this place your home, you shouldn't be in any rush to move out. Perhaps you can tell the couple that you're sorry that it will be difficult for them to find a new place. Since they can't imagine having you as part of their new family, however, and it is your home, then they'll have to move. Give them a couple of months. If they refuse to do so, you could consider listening to loud heavy metal music at all hours or have lots of long dinner parties. You sound like you're too nice to take such tactics, but if the only other option is to move out of a place that you really love, then you have no choice. It won't be pleasant or easy, but neither is moving.

If you don't really care that much about the place or think you can find a new place easily, then move. But make sure to take everything last thing that belongs to you. You have already given the couple enough.

As a New Yorker, I'm not surprised that Giuliani supports the war in Iraq. A compassionate person would see how the war is not only destroying the life of our own troops but the citizens of an entire country. As mayor of NYC he was a bully, who displayed a remarkable lack of either compassion or remorse. For instance, when the African immigrant Amadou Diallo was shot--47 times--all because the police thought he was reaching for a gun, Giuliani didn't even express condolences to the man's family. Giuliani also showed no remorse for another man, also shot erronously by overzealous policemen. Giuliani claimed the man was "no choirboy" although the victim had done nothing except to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ironically he had been a choirboy in his youth. And Giuliani has yet to publically express remorse that many of the firemen who died on 9/11 would not have been in the Tower when it collapsed if the radio communication had been better and central command hadn't been set up at the World Trade center to begin with. What can you really expect from a man who lets his wife know that he's divorcing her at the same time that he tells the press.

It amazes me and many New Yorkers that Giuliani is so popular elsewhere. I guess 9/11 still resonates strongly, and he plays this so called strength of his for all it's worth. Too bad more isn't being said about what Giuliani was like before this day and what he was really doing that day.