I would have to think that in today's world, the last thing the Catholic church needs is a famous person to be excommunicated and then generally seen to be OK afterwards, due to the global mass media we have now.

Excommunication has been wielded like a club by the church throughout the ages, and just as surely the weight and heft of that club has been greatly, if not completely diminished. It would not be in the church's best interest to advertise that fact.

Not to mention with their declining numbers, they can't afford to be kicking people out. HA!

You have to wonder how she squares her desire to serve by behaving unethically and illegally.

I believe that since the U.S. Gov't technically provides the oversight necessary to keep U.S. companies from subjecting their employees to brutal treatment if not killing them, that unions in America have lost their principal raison d’être.

However since American companies are globalizing, (i.e. able to hire people in countries with no oversight) it is imperative that U.S. workers organize their foreign counterparts not only because it's a good cause but because as long as foreign (non-oversight) employees compete against American employees, the Americans are going to lose big.

For you free-market types, that means if its fair for American companies to outsource and paddle their wares in foreign markets, then its fair for unions.

The Military doesn't own you til you get to boot camp. Just call your recruiter and say you've changed your mind. At that point they will try to get you into the office or brow beat you over the phone. Just repeat: No thank you, I'm leaving for personal reasons" DO NOT get dragged into ANY kind of conversation, or agree to anything. Just repeat the above phrase until one of you hangs up.

They will keep bugging you, be prepared. Wait about a week, if they keep calling, change your number. If they come to your house (in all likelihood, they will) Either don't answer or simply state that if they keep harassing you, you will contact the police.

After that just have the patience to ignore their near life long attempts to get you back. I served from '88 to '93 and I still get letters asking me to come back. (we read them and laugh around the dinner table)

There was a time I would have encouraged you to go. Its not a bad experience and you learn more in 4 years than an undergrad does in 4 years. However now that the military has been so profoundly and sadly used by the Bush administration, I can't in good conscience recommend you participate.

Remember, if you ain't in boot camp, you can just walk away.

Seems to me like Libby's lawyers are blaming the legal system for Libby's suffering rather than Libby's actions.

Can't imagine that would sit well with a judge. I'm pretty sure there is a part about accepting responsibility when considering sentence.

I like the part about how the conviction itself is punishment enough. No, the conviction is just the part where it was determined he deserved punishment.

If the judge had any respect for our justice system he'd sentence the maximum jail time for Libby's lawyers attempt at making a mockery of the legal system.

From what I read, Sheffield's comments weren't about black or latino people at all. Seems like he was making a commentary on the exploitive and racist nature of how the business of baseball is run.

Why would you:

A. Have a kid you didn't want to raise yourself?

B. Hire a stranger to take care of your child?

This of course is excepting all those that DON'T have the financial freedom to make such choices.

(full disclosure: We had a kid, I quit my job, we moved to a crappy apartment and I raise my kid myself full time. Why? Because he's our child and it is our responsibility and joy to raise him. If we didn't feel this way, we wouldn't have had a kid.)

Personally I feel its hard enough to find TWO people capable of handling a mature emotional and physical relationship, much less three or more. Sounds like a lot of talking and a whole lot of furniture re-arranging.

That being said, ANY group of consenting adults should be allowed to declare themselves a valid family. I find the idea of the government which ostensibly exists to serve us, defining what constitutes a family to be the most egregious act of our govt. overstepping the boundaries of its authority (currently).

First of all, D'UH! Learning is the evaluation of accumulated data. Humans accumulate data as soon as their brains are capable of storing data which is AT LEAST from birth.

Secondly, what am I that I should be worried that my children are learning how to be by watching me? This goes towards that fallacy that all adults are screwed up and if we all just try harder and listen to scientists, maybe the next gen of kids will be alright. Bah!

If the idea that your children are learning by your behavior frightens you, maybe you shouldn't be raising kids.