Left: social conservatism
Right: fiscal conservatism

Pretty sure most private orphanages and schools are run by Catholics and Lutherans. What more should they do besides take then in, feed them, and give them an education?

This is what pains me so much about the pro-life movement. I am glad most of these threats are never carried out, but what complete idiocy. Threats and harassment are crimes and should be prosecuted as such.

The document also notes that women don't play an equal role in the Church—you don't say—noting, "If, as Pope Francis says, women have a central role in Christianity, this role must find a counterpart also in the ordinary life of the Church."

I understand where you are coming from, and I am glad you didn't have any difficult experiences with it. But there are a lot of women who do have issues with it, and they often end up seeking counseling through their church. Most women who have no issues or are openly proud of their abortions aren't the ones that…

You just friend-zoned the Vatican.

Maybe. I read it more as a criticism that excessive surgery removes your abilities to properly emote your own face, whether angry, sad, or happy. When you can't show emotion, it is harder for others to display empathy towards you.

What are their thoughts on makeup? Is that not also somewhat of a "refusal of the body" even if only temporarily?

No, I disagree here. I really think it does make many NOT want to take feminism seriously. There are a lot of serious, legitimate concerns about reproductive health, gender pay, sexual assault, maternity rights, and (conversely) child custody and spousal support. I think a great many Americans really want to figure…

hippie-dippy warm and fuzzy tolerant

First, I have to say it angers me greatly that this happened to you and so many others. I am glad you are ok and I hope you don't have to suffer anything further. More and more, I have come across stories like yours that have woken me up about the reality of the people out there.

I liked her so much the first week of hear VP selection. An outside-the-beltway, strong independent woman whose start in politics was getting fed up with the old boys club. Then she started speaking to a national audience and the GOP has yet to recover.

Why doesn't the FDA allow lower doses in the first place, which would stop the whole off-label problem from being a problem?

Given how many doctors over-prescribe narcotics and antibiotics, I genuinely agree with this statement. For me, at least, that is why we have the FDA. I long for the day when homeopathics and supplements get the same scrutiny.

I have good-ass friends. Most of them would not go to a strip club. I have a few good ass-friends. Good people generally, but at the core they really are asses. Most of them go to a strip club a lot.

Willpower and cognitive processing draw from the same pool of resources.

Agreed with this. During college in Fargo, ND 3 roommates and one small freezer never worked well. We would often create a small snow cave on our deck to store whatever wouldn't fit.

I have this model and it is really good at getting a lot of moisture into the air. One problem we have is hard water, so that filter wears out in a hurry, but that would be the case with any humidifier. The cost, however, is expensive to have to replace it so often.

I have this model and it is really good at getting a lot of moisture into the air. One problem we have is hard…

Melanie you are a national treasure. A very good read, and you offer many thinks to keep in mind as different topics/questions/events come up.

Urban = 1) code word for race-hating 2) relating to a dense population center