Elizabeth, thank you so much for the link to womenagainstsarahpalin. It’s good to know there’s a place for like minds to speak freely.

Thanks, Alias. Love your chai pie. That chicken is my all-time favorite pet chicken.

Bonnie, I do agree with you that some of the frequent posters are mean. I’m pro-Obama and Biden, and down on McCain, partly because of his cynical choice of Palin. So you and I don’t agree politically, but yes, the posts here show lots of ill will. When I’m angry about something related or even unrelated, sometimes I come here to read the spew, and remind myself about letting it all roll off.

When I was a baby and young child, my mother made sure I got used to noise, same as your husband’s mother wanted to do for your baby. It was a service to me, for not panicking at noises, and for being able to sleep in the real world. In the same way, lots of people my mother trusted touched me and held me, so that I find touch a pleasant and unthreatening experience. I’m sorry you imposed your preferences for silence and isolation on your son, and I hope he hasn’t found the real world overwhelming. I know you didn’t know any better.

Maybe you’ll do better in France. Shame it didn’t work out for you here.

Once again, Sheila speaks truth to power.

I agree with many of the objections people here have raised to McCain’s choice of Palin, but for me the worst part about this team is that they might get elected. McCain’s insult to women might turn out to be justified by its result. The Hillaryites might actually vote for McCain because he’s got a token woman.

Maggie D, vinegar works fine as a natural deodorant. I live in AZ, land of the 120*+ days. Vinegar kills the bacteria that cause odors.

I read that he’s 65, Star. I could be wrong. I’m sure you’re far younger than I am (63). As I age, I become aware of ageist assumptions.

I agree with Maureen that it’s three too many, but I guess I can’t fault them for dropping bait into the water to see whether we’d bite. And we did, so here’s more. As long as we keep rising to bad bait, we’ll get more of it, and less that we can really sink our teeth into. Maybe if we all decide that we won’t respond to threads whose content we dislike, let alone chatter away on them so it looks like lots of actual responses, we’ll be offered posts and questions we like better. Online version of voting with our feet.

When I first saw that the staff had written this what-if piece, and several hours later no one had commented, I was surprised and pleased. Maybe for once we’d all have the decency to keep quiet about it, and maybe eventually the the staff here would too. An hour or so later, I came back to WOW. Oh well, looks like gossip trumps taste again.

Huh? Why would I want to know whether Lindsay Lohan is gay? Liz is welcome to earn her living speculating. I don’t think the WOW readers are as interested as the Fox viewers. Same as whether Edwards is or was sleeping with whomever. If it’s good for them, then leave them be. If it’s not good for them, they’ll move on.

I think my response to autism has been the biggest surprise in my life too, Blue. I had no idea I was capable of such extensive love. If you’d like to write to me privately, I’m at maelsana @ cox.net .

I don’t see why the mainstream media would be interested in John Edwards’ alleged love affair, especially now. Elizabeth may have encouraged it, and that could get complicated to cover. Elizabeth isn’t well. She may have lost interest in sex, or may not have the energy, or who knows? She may have wanted John to pursue sex like she wanted him to pursue the Presidency, or she may have wanted him to stop pestering her about it. Even if it wasn’t her idea, she may have been relieved or pleased. It simply isn’t worth anyone making a fuss about. If it’s true and ongoing, I guess it’s what works for them.

The New Yorker satire cover: everyone who complains about it think they’re the only one who gets it. Those other less intelligent people are going to think thus and so, and I know that because I’m more intelligent. Yeah, right. Thanks, Liza.