Burke Omalley - do you mean this piece in the Sun Times? http://www.suntimes.com/news/brown/922710,CST-NWS-brown30.article What he says is likely true in some cases. However, I have to disagree with the article as the foundation of it is flawed. The columnist has diluted the entirety of white Americans down to a twisted caricature claiming that one and all are prejudiced and guilty of racism. He further states and bases this view on the idea that he himself was raised by bigots : “I have tasted the poison that is racism, having been fed a steady diet of bigotry as a kid growing up, while also being raised not to have those prejudices. I know firsthand that when you get that prejudice in your system, it doesn’t just go away on its own. It’s stored away.” So he is white and a self-proclaimed bigot who was raised by bigots. His life experience does not prove his argument that all white folks are bigots, or racists, or harbor prejudice against against any ethnicity at all - although there are many people across this country that suffer from this misconception. What is true for one white man is not true for all white men or women. What happened in this man’s white family, Barack Obama’s white family or in countless other white families can not be held up as proof that damns all white people as guilty of bigotry or any other misdeeds. Although some people may be invested in the belief that “all whites” are prejudiced against blacks I tell you they simply are not.

Time aims to teach us to have faith in our own resiliency and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Was this the right thing for Obama to do? Yes, but perhaps a bit too little too late. It seems to be nothing more than emergency damage control at this point. How can anyone respect Barack Obama’s handling of this situation? Reverend Wright’s long-held extremist views are not anything that Americans of all colors haven’t heard before. That he preached racially and politically charged sermons of conspiracy and blame to an eager congregation is no surprise to anyone, anywhere of any ethnicity. White Americans, contrary to what many seem to think, have known all along that these views are alive and well in the USA. What is surprising and alarming to so very many Americans, especially working class whites, is that an intelligent and successful US Senator, who is also a serious and popular contender to become our next President, would not only be long-standing member of that very congregation but announce that he has a close father-son or uncle-nephew type of bond with the extremist preacher and that he has no intention of ever distancing himself from the preacher which, without ever having offered a signal of any sort to the contrary, implied that Barack Obama is/was in harmony with Wright’s ideology. If Barack Obama truly understood the challenges and minds of average American citizens he would have realized long ago that the extreme and passionate racially and politically charged sermons preached from Trinity’s pulpit by its dominant pastor would follow and dog him into his Presidential bid. He would therefore have quietly severed ties with Trinity, prior to running, in a way that would not have bruised Reverend Wright’s humongous ego or caused him to become envious of his parishioner’s rising power. In this way Barack Obama could have prevented this firestorm and perhaps even maintained a healthy bond with Wright. Should he be ignoring Rev. Wright altogether at this point? If it is possible he should somehow bring him closer and quell the fire. Ultimately, will the controversy derail Obama’s candidacy? It may well be that Barack Obama will win the nomination. However, I have serious doubts about his chances in November. Does this justify Sen. Clinton’s decision to remain in the race, despite her long odds and growing pressure from some Democrats? This mess is only one of several factors that serve to justify Senator Clinton remaining in the race. At this point, due to Barack Obama’s failure to properly handle this situation and prevent the insanity, I believe that Hillary Clinton has a much better chance than Barack Obma to win in November’s election.

Was this the right thing for Obama to do? Yes, but perhaps a bit too little too late. It seems to be nothing more than emergency damage control at this point. How can anyone respect Barack Obama’s handling of this situation? Reverend Wright’s long-held extremist views are not anything that Americans of all colors haven’t heard before. That he preached racially and politically charged sermons of conspiracy and blame to an eager congregation is no surprise to anyone, anywhere of any ethnicity. White Americans, contrary to what many seem to think, have known all along that these views are alive and well in the USA. What is surprising and alarming to so very many Americans, especially working class whites, is that an intelligent and successful US Senator, who is also a serious and popular contender to become our next President, would not only be long-standing member of that very congregation but announce that he has a close father-son or uncle-nephew type of bond with the extremist preacher and that he has no intention of ever distancing himself from the preacher which, without ever having offered a signal of any sort to the contrary, implied that Barack Obama is/was in harmony with Wright’s ideology. If Barack Obama truly understood the challenges and minds of average American citizens he would have realized long ago that the extreme and passionate racially and politically charged sermons preached from Trinity’s pulpit by its dominant pastor would follow and dog him into his Presidential bid. He would therefore have quietly severed ties with Trinity, prior to running, in a way that would not have bruised Reverend Wright’s humongous ego or caused him to become envious of his parishioner’s rising power. In this way Barack Obama could have prevented this firestorm and perhaps even maintained a healthy bond with Wright. Should he be ignoring Rev. Wright altogether at this point? If it is possible he should somehow bring him closer and quell the fire. Ultimately, will the controversy derail Obama’s candidacy? It may well be that Barack Obama will win the nomination. However, I have serious doubts about his chances in November. Does this justify Sen. Clinton’s decision to remain in the race, despite her long odds and growing pressure from some Democrats? This mess is only one of several factors that serve to justify Senator Clinton remaining in the race. At this point, due to Barack Obama’s failure to properly handle this situation and prevent the insanity, I believe that Hillary Clinton has a much better chance than Barack Obma to win in November’s election.

Frank Peterson: “Elizabeth; music is transcendental .. ” Thank you. You’re generous to take note.

Yes. The human voice can sometimes touch the very core of me so much so that I cry. Always unexpected and often embarrassing the stoic in me used to struggle to control it. It is difficult for me to tease out the how, why or what to describe or explain this phenomenon. There is something very transcendental about these rare experiences for me and I’ve learned to embrace each as a surprise visit by a lovely friend.

When I see comments start out as this one from Michael Salling does: “Darling Mugsy, the question is whether clitton or osama should throw in the towel …” It makes me feel as if I’d rather not be associated with a thread. How much more overtly misogynistic could a play on a woman’s name be? “clitton”. How much more ridiculously bigoted could a play on Barack Obama’s name be? “osama”. It is embarrassing and disappointing that there are adults that actually believe that it is acceptable to “speak” or worse yet present an argument in such a manner and that others respond without protesting the lowly effort which would imply acceptance and approval.

Can Clinton, Obama, or McCain get us out of this $-Hole? Here are a few ideas: Flat tax. Line item veto. hmmm …. Require piggish CEO’s (not the good guys) to either pony up with a substantially higher tax rate or their extra kidney for sale. It isn’t that hard to tell the pigs from the good guys.

Quiet stairwells in tall buildings are darkish and creepy - especially for a woman alone. I know, I know “be fit, take the stairs!” I’ll take a pass unless it is an open-air stairwell not enclosed/encased by doors.

The character “Dr. Mark Klein” is a troll (internet troll). Ignore it and it will eventually go away. Much like a pimple on one’s hiney, it is better left alone.

“Rupert Murdoch bid $580 million on Newsday in hopes of adding it to his collection of New York-based newspapers.” Isn’t that one of the signs of the apocalypse?

Cankles, cackling, pantsuits, she lies about “everything”, “I couldn’t stand to watch her out on the campaign trail anymore” … have there ever been more obtuse arguments against a candidate? It is downright disheartening to realize just how much women themselves invest in and further the cause of misogyny. We’re not voting for president of the sophomore class. You want someone to charm the pants off you? You want personality-plus and fun, Fun, FUN?! Go to a GW Bush backyard barbeque and see what you feel like in the morning.

I disagree. Unelectable? Certainly not - regardless of what many either fear or would like to believe. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have had voters flooding the polls. In the Pennsylvania primary last night turnout of registered Democrats was double that of PA primary in 2004. These two have ignited debates and stirred the passions of many citizens around the country and it is wonderful to watch history unfold before our eyes. Joan, you say that you “couldn’t stand to watch her out on the campaign trail anymore” and I’m not sure what you mean by that. Can you please explain this more fully?

Liz, thanks for a good read about Tina Fey. She’s fabulous and so funny. Tina, Hello from DelCo! Love 30 Rock and just about everything else you do. Keep up the good work and please give some thought to throwing some film work to the Delaware Valley - we’re making slow but steady progress in the industry. You make me smile and laugh out loud. Thank you so much! Peace, Love and Laughter, Liz

What do men not know about women? No time for a laundry list, here are a couple: That, much like you, she harbors a secret hope that you brag about her to your friends and a secret fear that you don’t (or worse, that you bitch about her). That she is hard-wired to remember the the minutia of details of past misdeeds, she probably does not enjoy this and she doesn’t do this because she is out to get you or anyone else but rather because something you are doing now makes her feel uneasy. If only you’d simply say that you understand where she is coming from (even when she’s way off base) you’d likely nip her rant in the bud.