The antecedent to this article , besides men snickering at porn online and writing music that makes sure women are reduced to objects of their pleasure and contempt is historic. In fact Salon just became the the new purveyor of our First Lady Michelle Obama, a dignified and intelligent woman, not much different , really than the men who took Sara Baartman, also known as the Hottentot Venus, from the Khosian tribe in South Africa. During the early 1800s, Baartman was taken on tour throughout Europe and featured for her “unusually large” buttocks. The Baartman exhibit fascinated many Europeans who turned out in droves to veiw her for a price.

Nice one Salon . how much for an hour?

I mean as a nation I guess we should let Michelle know right off the bat ,what she's there for -

pretty much the same reason as any black women in the early 1800's.

S.F hates Bill . Can you imagine what it would be like living in O'Reillyville?. Screamed at everytime you opened your mouth, never able to finish a sentence and forced to sing Christmas songs all year.

Wonder how many people heard this show on O'Reilly , ran to their closet and started throwing shit in their suitcase so they could leave within the hour.?

...because you are the one doing the coming to his house , or putting up with (no orgasms, no cuddling, no fun, fill in your own blank) or you wish he would actually say tender things instead of passing you a joint or demonstrate more commitment. Maybe you need to smoke to obscure the lttle slights that happen , like how he didn't get up to kiss you goodbye or offer you a couple of joints for your own use when you're apart .

Then when you got home your better self kicked in and so of course you needed to smoke to

escape the battle between head and heart. I can't imagine not being able to tell a lover I took something I needed that he had enough of and was replaceable,as if our lives weren't already shared. Maybe that's what's missing.

The sensation that you've been replaced by another person wearing your clothes.

It happens all the time . Thanksgiving with the folks, job interveiws ,attractive people accept your invitations , something gets turned in BEFORE the deadline

You're basically saying you are a thing, even to yourself.

Now thats alienation.

If we asked Ms Dupree if she would "sleep" with these men even without money or to make her self available for men of all classes, including those on a payment plan and her answer is "yes", then truly she is an artist and healer- and this is her calling . If her answer is no I can't help but wonder at what price does she draw the line ?

Should we regard her as little more than a small entrepeuneur, should 'nt we ask her as a business person at what age she wants her daughter to start in the family business < like the kids that help out in restaurants.What answer would be acceptable?

If the answer is at 18 ,tell me what happened between 17 and 364 days and 18?

if she needed her daughter to help out a little early because she's hurt her back and she had to make the mortgage note? ( i mean it would keep a roof over her dgtrs head)

How do we feel when she says 70 men a night instead of 2 men a day? Notice any difference.?

How about a few bruises here and there , nothing serious - hey its up to the participants to negotiate.

How about if she stars in a snuff film so her dgtr can get a Harvard education.

Don't we all make these little compromises, I mean really?

this child needs the help of a professional, not a woman who will be placed in legal jeopardy from unfounded accusations of who knows what. When your husband is busted for child molestation , don't go down as an accessory. Your marriage is already compromised. Get your share of the property and get out now.And tip off CPS to an investigate- this girl needs a structured situation- by people who are experienced , not people she can push around.Hopefully therapy is in her future as well. Recognize your limitations and protect yourself... believe it or not you will be doing this child a favor.

I never kidded myself about what Obama was - neoliberal to the right of the Clintons. So all my chagrin was during the primaries when I saw how people were thinking this guy was going to offer a huge change I was upset. It almst seemed like McCain might win after Palin and I grew despondent , prepared for the worse. I was never a fan.

Only after Obama became president did I let myself feel joy. I cried and cried - I didn't realize how much sorrow the last 8 , or 50 years had marked me with - the hopelessness of being in a country that had never included my dreams. - he is still a thousand times over an improvement over Bush and I have grown to admire his temperament and cool, his intent to coalesce the party ( yes even tho' I despise liebeman) and to hold a tiny corner in my heart where I pray that these people recognize the opportunity they have to craft any real changes they'd ever wished they could make , because this time we have a majority.

I also realize the natives are skittish , so it wouldn't really behoove Obama to scare them with anything wild and crazy at this point in time, but to let them adjust slowly. We've all been through a traumatic time and we've been made to feel incidental to our own country But I

think he gets that.