I think that this is what confuses me. Why are people expecting that the candidates will help their opponent? I mean, it is a contest after all.

Well, yeah, but it's a contest where the winner is going to go on to another, bigger contest the very next morning after winning, and is going to need the votes of the loser's supporters.

I did hear, at the beginning of the only debate I ever listened to, both Clinton and Obama in their opening speeches say, "I believe I'm the strongest candidate and the one who will make the best President, but my opponent is also great and if I don't make it to November I expect my supporters to throw all their strength behind him/her." That was spectacular, and made my heart flutter for both of them.

And about ten times more of that, and both of them more vocally having each other's backs even while competing with each other, would probably have gone a long way to dialing down the rhetoric from the fringes of their supporters and toward making the transition for the voters to one candidate, one party, let's all focus on November a little smoother than it's been so far.

I know the Kool-Aid phrase came from the Jonestown suicides, but as with most things, I do believe it's been softened over the intervening time. It now means something closer to having been swayed by an appealing idea or someone's personality, you'll follow their example. Time and the sarcastic use of the phrase has pulled its metaphorical teeth, I think. It doesn't provide the same frisson of horror as it did at the time.

Tommy, yikes! Glad you're all right.

Flowers don't make up for a killing schedule, Allyson, but at least they make you smile, meanwhile. And that's something.

Why are people expecting that the candidates will help their opponent? I mean, it is a contest after all.

In the end, though, aren't they both on the same side? The Democratic one?

Steph, without being able to click your clickity links, how long is the story going to be? That's cool and crazy.

Beavers said part of the overall increase in low-birthweight babies was due to a rise in multiple births as more older women use fertility treatments to conceive. But she said the birth-weight problem also has been worsening for single-baby deliveries.

Roughly half of the NICU babies were multiples. And multiple births are, of course, more likely with fertility treatment, but they are also more common in older women in general, even those who don't undergo fertility treatment.

One important factor, Beavers said, is the mother's overall health at the time of pregnancy and her access to good prenatal care.

@@ at this one. I know it must be true. But honestly, I had excellent prenatal care and I was in the best shape of my adulthood when I got pregnant.

sometimes it's all irritating.

And on a completely other topic: Teppy, that's not only amazingly cool, you've managed to make me seriously think--for a moment, anyway--about actually getting a tattoo. Still not doing it because of the needles and the phobia, but that is incredibly cool.

But what if you volunteer and find out that you're "is" or "of"?

But what if you volunteer and find out that you're "is" or "of"?

What if you're a comma, and you should have been a semicolon?

bonny, I got the email and we should be there! We're hoping for no thunderstorms so we can have dinner at one of the sidewalk cafes, too. Will you join us?

Sparky, I have an obligation after the workshop but I could sit with you guys for a drink first. It will be great to see you again.

I would totally get "is" tattooed on me.

Allyson, K is not feeling great (and frankly neither is Mr. Man) so she's gonna stay home with Noah tonight.

I'm reading the preview of the NYT Magazine for next week. The big article is on the division of labor in families, particularly looking at families that do a more equal division.

It's sort of freaking me out.

I know the Kool-Aid phrase came from the Jonestown suicides, but as with most things, I do believe it's been softened over the intervening time. It now means something closer to having been swayed by an appealing idea or someone's personality, you'll follow their example.

Yeah, I hated being told I drank the Kool-Aid not because of the original context, but because I resent any implication that I'm some kind of idiot who's been swayed by powerful oratory and who didn't use my brain in deciding to vote for Obama. My own mother thinks people supporting Obama are just too young and inexperienced to realize that a president really doesn't have the power to accomplish that much. Me: "Mom, I'm 37! What do you want to do, raise the voting age to 40?" Her: "I wasn't talking about YOU."