So it appears the woman in the first story has a literacy difficulty, and was kind in asking for help, so we should mock her? I mean, if she were rude about, ok, I guess. But lots of people have difficulty reading and it's embarrassing for them. How's about we not make it worse for a cheap laugh?

Thank you, anti-spanking commenters. You give me hope.

Bucking social expectations has many consequences, some financial. A friend of mine was once told by her boss that she wasn't promotable because she wasn't put together professionally enough. When asked what she meant, the woman told her that she didn't wear enough make up. This was at a Williams-Sonoma. I'm sure if I…

I can't watch most sitcoms for that same reason. I get so squirmy watching other people's distress, even when fake.

I read "top grossing" as "top paid" for a sec and was psyched. Then I woke up. I haven't done the research, but I'll guess we're still quite away from a woman being top paid actor.

Congratulations on your loss. (Odd words to string together!)

That made me cry laughing. Thank you!

1) If you don't enjoy eggnog, you haven't put enough alcohol in it. That's your own fault.

Good point. It's more profitable to dump toxins in the ocean than to dispose of them correctly. But we don't let them do that, either. Until magazines start consistently featuring WoC, society has no frame of reference for beauty other than white beauty. Its the only thing we are currently being exposed to. So bite…

Omg, you were saying it wrong all the time??? It's "Hellooooooooooooo Nurse!"

God, I could watch Dean say anything. Forever.

While I agree that I said and did things as a teen that I cringe at now, it's no one's responsibility to give me a second chance. And a person I reconnect with has no way of knowing if I thought that behavior was OK, so they are entirely in their rights to bring it up. Otherwise I may not have figured it out. It…

"Wild: uncontrolled or unrestrained, especially in pursuit of pleasure."

You do as well! Thanks for the polite discussion. It seems all too rare online these days.

I, of course, would defer to a majority Japanese opinion, but sitting on the sidelines and saying "I'm not the maligned party, so I won't speak up " is not something I'm super comfortable with. My ex is Chinese, and have heard him complain a number of times about how his ancestors built the US railroads, got no…

What conversation are you joining? The article in question was about an American popstar appropriating Japanese culture. The commentor asked where the line was in cultural appropriation and I was trying to answer it. No reason to get your ire up, when I was trying to answer a perfectly relevant question in a…

I said their voices were largely eraased in America. Not their entire culture.

For me, I tend to ask myself "Have we, as a dominant culture, largely erased that culture's voice? And am I now picking and choosing "cool" aspects of that culture to adorn myself with or use as entertainment?" Yes? That's probably a big flag. I think that's why few would think it's cultural appropriation for me to…

I thought I was the only one in love with Owner of A Lonely Heart! Yay! Thanks for posting.

They're calling it a "service charge" - you know....because they're providing a service. The 15% is not tipping. Only the optional 5% is a tip. In essence, they are raising their prices 15%, but letting you know that the raised money is not going to the owner or business, but going directly to the workers.