This was a wonderful review, thank you.

In terms of 3 - I don't know that what was swamp-based weed eating. Morning and evening mist certainly happen in semi-arid plains.

*Adopts Marie Antionette Voice ala Cheryl/Carol/Cherlene*

I do like that we actually go to see more of the world in these books, but, man, I will never not miss the potential of that jump.

I'm not certain critical adoration is quite that clear a crystal ball.

From the deeper background they gave it seemed as though He went through good and bad periods. You could see that a lot in his family life where they had traditions that at least indicated he had been more engaged at some point (him showing up for sporting events, the Christmas parties, & the kids actually expecting…

Watching that it was very hard for me to avoid thinking he was clinically depressed. He may have lacked some of the explicitly self-destructive edge because he had a company to channel himself into, but all the moments in it where he says he can't enjoy anything anymore and where his relationships are just burdens to…

They were apparently explicitly telling their kids they wouldn't need to get into college - until their debt exploded.

I really loved the late period Office joke off of that - with Michael dropping jaws when showing off the engagement ring he bought, misinterpreting the reaction, and asking sheepishly comenting, "Oh, I thought I was supposed to spend 3 years salary on the ring, do you think she'll like it?"

From articles she's written about writing this book she was apparently very upfront about her objectives and her subjects were both willing and self-aware, "Oh good, someone should report on how weird this world is."

Yeah, but a few short stories or flashbacks could have taken care of those issues and still given us the advantage of the time skip.

Man, if you keep that quota I'd nominate you for internet sainthood.

That one at least had Groening's great, "Anyone already severely injured or who refused a guest appearance on the Simpsons."

See, that I would love. If, over time, this became a secret challenge for interviewers - how to deliberately draw out the evil from aggressively altruistic answers.

Ah, now I have this bizarre image in my head of Robin Leach doing Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and just stopping his patter for a full minute before muttering, "Jeez, that's a… lot of mirrors in this room Anne."

Long, long ago, an infamously evil person recommended to my poor brother that he take our sainted Grandmother to see a very well shot film called American Beauty.

Huh. Not what I would've expected.

Well, some forms of Protestantism and that's not entirely how it gets described in Catholicism or Orthodoxy (most sins will also be sins against the community, for example) but, in general, you are right on.

oooh, the dictator game is fascinating. I was wondering about the degree to which this was an 'I am ENTIRELY out of ideas' attempt to game show an economics game.

Well, if I was specifically asked to dance… that is something I do do for free, or, usually, until people pay me to stop.