Good for you, Peter. If the phrase "the Lord’s work" means something, it must refer to such efforts as these. Nothing vain in telling us.

Ditto.

I always thought that a good way for the GOP to make inroads in the Black community is by initiating GENUINE prison reform. Most of our prison population is Black. But those prisoners have family members who still care for them, worry for them, fear for them. They haven’t abandoned them.

Remember when that prison in Louisiana gathered up some money amongst themselves for the victims of 9/11.

Remember that.

I suggested AT THAT TIME, that GW go there, visit them, thank them for their thoughtfulness, check out their conditions, receive suggestions for the improvement of those conditions.

It would have demonstrated that "compassionate conservatism" was real, not fraudulent.

But that’s just another one of those good ideas that I proposed to the unimaginative clods in the White House, that went a wasting.

And another thing I suggested was the President using the bully pulpit to stigmatize casual reference to prison rape. Hollywood, especially the late night shows, constantly use that theme of prison rape to get a laugh.

It’s not cause for humour. It’s a national disgrace. And it speaks volumes about what kind of society we have, and the type of people we are.

Think if he had done that, think how THAT would have been able to be used to OFFSET political criticism of his policies regarding Gitmo detainees.

Whatever. George Bush travelled the nation rounding up every Republican stiff he could find, and rewarded them with key positions in his administration. Then Republicans wonder why he has to demonstrate such "staunchness," such "courage," such "grit" in the implementation of his policies. Had he men and women capable of enacting them imaginatively, capable of explaining them persuasively, had he purged those hostile to their enactment, maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t be in the political valley of the shadow that he currently wanders in.

But that’s just too much common sense for them. Better to keep a Card, better to stick with a Karen Hughes, better to promote a Scott McClellan, better to appoint a sycophant like Meirs, then dump her when you know the Democrats are getting ready for a political lynching. What a collection of incompetents..........

Peter,

Good for you! I teach a correspondence course the "old way," via snail mail in addition to on-line specifically because it allows inmates to take the course. Some of my most interesting, and often most heart-rending interactions have come from students who apply psychological concepts to their surroundings, and vice versa.

One of the more recent and articulate observations: "They keep us here until we learn to be good prisoners. A good prisoner is the opposite of a good citizen. As soon as we have demonstrated that we have become model anti-citizens, they let us out."

As for the content of the article: Have you read the "feminist" sci-fi writer Nancy Kress? She writes very well about what happens when we use technology to muck about with our given characteristics.

F., thanks, what the best NK book?

I like "Beaker’s Dozen," which is a collection of short stories.