Sorry, I must add, what ethics does the Bush Administration have? I have noticed a great absence of ethics where Bush, Cheyney et al are concerned.

Please. Clinton screwed Hillary and Lewinsky (in different ways). Bush has screwed the American people and the constitution of the United States. There is quite a difference there. One does not equal the other. And, please, don’t tell me Clinton was worse.

I am so tired of hearing about women being raped and men not being held accountable for what they have done. What comes next, finish her off with friendly fire? I read that in the Israeli War of Independence, when women were on the front lines, the enemy fought like crazy to get to them. The Israelis wised up and moved them to other positions. I have also read, as I am sure many of you have, of the two (or is it 3) pregnant service women who have been murdered, here in the US. I wonder what is wrong. It scares me. Are women worth so little that we can be used in such a way? I recall my dad saying, many years ago, that any man who would rape a woman should be executed. It seemed a bit much to me at the time. Now, I wonder. You would think that the military would have some sort of control over their troops. I would, at least, hope so.

We all need to be polite and hold the door, etc. for one another. Gender doesn’t matter. I hold the door for whomever is behind me or if someone has his/her hands full or is with a child. It’s a good example for the kids, too. I always thank whomever holds a door for me. If we can’t be courteous to one another, how sad. It takes so little time and is so easy to do.

I spent last evening holding the new (4 week old) offspring of friends of my younger son and daughter-in-law. We were there for 2 hours and I held her for an hour and forty minutes. I was in heaven. My husband calls infants another kind of soft and I have to agree. There is nothing like a baby. So soft, so sweet, so warm, and precious. My daughter-in-law later said she had never seen me so contented. I did the good mother-in-law deal and did not ask, Where’s mine? I wanted to. Nothing like a baby. When we left, the new mother asked me, Is it hard to let go? I told her not to even think about it yet. When the time comes, I told her, you may be able to persuade her to find a nice house nearby. She looked relieved.

I’d like to comment on Immodesta Goddess’ comment about how she remembered Jesse Jackson’s remark about Himey town. Interesting to note that you are wondering how many Jews are on the staff of the New Yorker. Probably a few. Maybe more than a few. But I would bet they’re there as writers and editors. Also, you might as well know right now that among Jews, we always have said that we are aware that there would be a black president way before there would ever be a Jewish president (If that could ever happen). I remember my parents saying that back in the 50’s. If you recall the 50’s were not the best time for the black community. Personally, I thought that the cover was ridiculous. I think I am far from stupid, but I do not see how this is, in any way, humorous. I do believe that most of the American public is stupid, and will elect John McCain in November. I believe this because of the last election. I believe this because I have a college educated friend who calls me every day and tells me that she has more proof that Obama is a Muslim terrorist who will be elected and will have us living under an Islamic theocracy in no time. There are 6 voters in my immediate family. Five of us are voting for Obama. One of us likes McCain. He did not vote for Bush. Four of us hold dual citizenship, American and Israeli. So, kindly stop counting the Jews on the New Yorker’s staff. It’s offensive.

I agree with Andrea. I am a Jew and I will never spend another cent on a Mel Gibson film. I am repulsed because I, too, believe that this was far more than a rant. I am sick of seeing celebrities forgiven because they are attractive or talented or because they say they are sorry. They are actors and I believe that when they say they are sorry they are acting. Enough. If we stop these people when they say it once and do not give them a chance to do it again then maybe they will learn something. Has Don Imus learned? I think not. I also think that the gentleman who doesn’t want Mel Gibson shooting in his neighborhood is a fine example of how we should all behave. To hell with talent and pretty faces. How about hooray for character?

Now I REMEMBER! St Elsewhere and Soap! I remember watching Soap in Israel, with subtitles. That’s where I first saw Billy Crystal. Totally brilliant show. All us Americans would get together at my apartment.to watch. Our Israeli other halves never understood most of it. We were in heaven while it was on and we would rehash it all the rest of the week. Israeli TV was no thrill back in the 70s.

Northern Exposure, Cagney and Lacey, Murphy Brown, Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, Designing Women, Carol Burnett, MASH, Golden Girls, the Sopranos, there must be more. I can’t remember right now. One I could never understand was I Love Lucy. I hated that show. The character was a moron and made women seem like morons and I hated it even back when I was a kid. I never could understand why or how anyone was positively impressed by that show. The first three on my list were Monday night shows and after a long day at work and getting my kids into bed, it was a joy to sit down and watch a smart, entertaining show. Thanks to all.

More sex and orgasms over 70. Nice to look forward to. Why not start younger? How old are the men these 70ish women in Sweden are having sex with?

I am sick of both of them.

About 40 years ago my sister had a friend in NY who was looking into Scientology. My sister was always ripe for whatever new was coming down the pike and she began to look into it too. She brought home books and I read them when she finished them. It all seemed a little over the top to me then. Okay, it all seemed more than a little over the top. It seemed very much over the top. The thing is as the years passed and I heard more and more about Scientology, I felt that it was a very well packaged…I hesitate to call it a religion…I don’t know what it is. I like science fiction but not enough to worship the writers. What scares me is the way the members seem to be almost programmed. There is always some article about them demanding respect from those who scoff at Scientology. I heard Travolta on TV, don’t remember on whose show, say that there were Catholic Scientologists, Jewish Scientologists, etc. What’s up? Where’s the religion? So far as I know neither Judiasm nor Catholicism agree that there are two Gods and that one is a Scientologist . L. Ron found a great way to save on the tax bill. The “religion” he founded is indeed a snare and a crock. A delusion? Sure. Or a decision? Lots of good contacts in that group, especially in California. Sounds smarmy to me. If they turn into Tom Cruise and Jenna Elfman that is proof enough to stay away. Those two are very strange.

Almost forgot, I cannot walk out the door without my kids’ pictures. I am incapable of doing that.

Gotta take my meds, my art supplies and a camera. That means batteries too. There is never a limit. But I no longer take the big suitcases. Just something I can toss clothes that I can shake the wrinkles out of into. Flat shoes, No longer need a hair dryer because the hair’s short and easy. I have gotten lazy and I, too don’t give a damn and have no time for crap.

In the seventies I worked for the UN in Rome. I met women from all over the world, including a young Saudi woman. We could not be seen together outside of the office because I am a Jew, but we worked together quite well and got along well. I asked her, often, about her life in Saudi Arabia, and she talked about her family, how her father had only one wife and no sons, and how he had arranged a marriage for her but let her back out of it when they found out that she would not be the first wife. In SA she could not drive or live in any way the way she lived in Rome. She had to be covered at all times unless she was at home. She could not vote. She said that she loved to go out all dressed up under the robes (I can never remember the name) and would feel glamorous. She could not go to college classes with men or have a male teacher unless it was through a TV (not much in the way of computers in those days) lecture. She had no voice in a court of law and could be divorced by her husband at any time for any reason. He would get the kids. She might get visitation, or not. It would be perfectly legal for her father or any male relative to kill her to appease the honor of the family should she do anything morally wrong, like committing adultery or riding in a car with a man who was not a relative or being raped, or accused of any of these or many other acts falsely or truthfully. She could be executed for adultery or imprisioned if she accused a man of rape and did not have four witnesses to back up her claim. There’s a lot more, but I’ve forgotten a lot since the 70’s. What happens to Muslim women is not to be believed. It is a disgrace. They are forced into situations and then, if they protest, they are to blame. It is enough to make anyone sick. In Muslim countries the only ones who matter and whose word matters and, for that matter is accepted in a court of law, is an adult Muslim male. Jews and Christians cannot testify because their word is suspect since they are not Muslim, and as for women, well, they are worth half a man. This is the religion they want us to convert to. (Pardon my poor English) By the way, when these guys kill their daughters in any Arab country in the middle east, they go to jail for six months and come home to a parade and hugs and kisses from their families. (Most of them don’t have the guts to do it themselves, but send their teenaged sons to do the deed.) In Israel they go to jail for life. The Israelis are considered insensitive to Arab culture.