Live Q&As

Let us remember that the 2nd and 3rd words in that Amendment are: WELL-REGULATED. (A well-regulated militia being...). it must be WELL_REGULATED!!!!!!

You said "Stealing hurts, and is dishonest. Sleeping with another's spouse can be seen as hurting another person, jeopardizing a marriage, and whatnot. It also, arguably, is dishonest because, you know, sleeping with someone is pleasurable -- it's being done FOR YOU. Taking a hit of a pipe that's offered to you just isn't dishonest. It doesn't hurt anyone. You're not doing it for self-pleasure, you're doing it to facilitate a story. " But... what if you would NOT enjoy it? What if you were not attracted to the spouse and had to grit your teeth and think of England (or the byline, or whatever)? Does THAT make it wrong? Does the situation change with gender? Is it wrong only if it's a male journalist sleeping with the female spouse for information or a female journalist sleeping with the male spouse for the story?

The other day at the park I heard a mother talking to her daughter, whose name was evidently Madison. Then she spoke to her son who, it turned out, was named Lincoln. I got quite a kick out of it. Is that acceptable terms to name your girl Madison?

My spouse and I were discussing controversial opinions and we came up with a few. We don't share the same opinions, but are comfortable enough to explain them to one another. Without saying which of us has each opinion (even though we're all anonymous here), I will share. First, although willing to be flexible on this position, is that gays shouldn't raise children (although we are both very socially liberal and fully support gay marriage). Second, one of us believes that corporal punishment can improve autistic children (I didn't say "cure.") But some spanking at the right moments would train autistic children to behave more acceptably in social situations. The argument is that as spanking lost favor, autism rates have increased (all along the "spectrum"). Finally, one of us believes in euthanizing the elderly and infirm. Not just mercy killings in what are obviously the last days of their lives, but around the time that full-time nursing care is required. Basically, nursing homes shouldn't exist. No idea how this would be carried out, but the old and sick are a drain on their families and society. So, are we terrible people? And is one of these your secret opinion?

I assume I am at least the 800th person to bring this inaptonym (I hope) to your attention: VA official Kim Nazi established 'Blue Button' system to help veterans print or download their medical records

Gene, My long time paramour is challenging my decision not to have children. I can't tell her the real reason, and so she finds reasons (rightfully) disingenuous. The real reason is that I am terrified of having a male child who would share my (unacted upon, mind you) attraction to younger girls. What if it's genetic? How could I live with myself if I brought a predator into the world? Or simply breed another man who lives an unfulfilled life desiring things that society says are beyond evil? I have been honest from the beginning about not wanting children, but now she is asking me to revisit the issue. I need to tell her something honest - she sees through my deception too easily, but the truth would shatter our relationship. She, like you, would be repulsed. Any ideas on how I can say something without destroying the relationship?

I think I remember it. You don't care for large breasts. This came up in a chat once and you actually deleted the relevant question and answer from the chat archive so as not to offend.

Hey, Gene: As a noted local expert on antique clocks, I was wondering if I could hit you up for a little information. I have a very old Ansonia mantle clock that has been in my family for a few generations and would like to have it appraised. It works and keeps pretty good time, but I also might want them look into cleaning it and giving it a "tune up" or whatever. Can you recommend anyone in the DC area? I live in Rockville. I figure you probably have pretty good knowledge of those in the local community who handle old clocks. On another subject, I had reason to take my pet rabbit to the Veterinary Referral Associates clinic in G'burg on Sunday. Noticed that your daughter works there now, although she was not the vet who handled us. Although we ended up having to have the bunny put to sleep, we found the overall experience at that hospital very positive. The vet we dealt with was efficient, informative, and very caring and sympathetic. Nice place. nice to know that they have 24x7 emergency care. Hope Molly likes it there.

Do they go together? I have a friend from college (hey Bible Belt Missouri person--she lives there and we went to school there) who is a super nice person and I adored her in school. Well, we are friends on facebook, and she is very active in a pregnancy crisis center, which, as you know, is just a center that tries to prevent abortions. I think these centers are pretty nasty--they have two separate websites, one for "supporters" and one for "lives in crisis" that tout very different messages, so they lure these women in and then give them the hard sell on why abortion is so wrong, etc. I have some very fundamental problems with them and the work they do. so my friend is now posting all their links, including website updates, fundraisers, articles, etc. on her facebook page. I am tempted to defriend her, but I know she'd notice so I feel like I have to justify it. do I say, I admire your work in something you believe in, but don't want your propaganda all over my wall and I don't support this? ugh, I don't want to be preachy back, but these pregnancy crisis centers (all religiously funded) really piss me off.

This is a different poster but I've often thought that people bring up the idea of adoption without knowing a lot of the negatives. My parents adopted my younger brother and sister and they are a true blessing in our family but it's been eyeopening. The adoption process itself was long, expensive, and difficult, full of disappointments. My siblings have had separation anxiety, abandonment issues and the need to succeed/overachieve. They are tremendously conflicted about their birth families and the unknowns from medical history to "what if we weren't Americans". We as a family have faced unbelievable rude comments about adopting from overseas and the morality of "buying" children. Adoption comes up particularly during the abortion debate and people mention it as a panacea. It's not. I'm a huge supporter of adoption and I believe it has enriched my life immeasurably but it has positives and negatives. Sometimes the negatives need to be mentioned.

In explaining how he came to be convinced of MacDonald's guilt, he wrote: "Four stoned hippies can't organize a trip to the bathroom, much less a mass murder" (or something very close to that). I have come SO close to saying that in so many inappropriate settings!

Could you launch a campaign -- since you DO have a bully pulpit here! -- to persuade airlines to replace their reclining seats, at least in coach? Thanks!

I recently had an experience that I felt I should share for all of those who would disagree with Gene's aversion to seat reclining on an airplane. I am not terribly tall myself 5'8", but on a recent flight I actually became stuck because the person in front of me reclined his seat. I had put my head down on my tray table to nap. When he reclined the seat went back so far that I could not physically sit back up. There was not enough room for me to manouver my shoulders far enough back for me to lift my head and sit up. I tried to ask him to sit up, but he had headphones on and could not hear me. So I started banging on the sides of the seat. This got him agitated and he turned around to yell at me not realizing or caring that I was stuck. Luckily the nice woman sitting across the isle from me pointed out to him that I was stuck, to which the man replied "that's his own damn fault." Fortunately he put his seat up long enough for me to get free, although he returned it to the reclined position as soon as I sat up. I never got any type of apology from this guy either.

Gene, loved you interview with Rep. Chaffetz (RRRRRRRRRRRRRR-I Hate DC). How do we get you to come out and bring some humor to the DC rights movement? I'm bored of the same talking heads at every event!

Today, many acknowledge the Vietnam memorial as the best on the Mall. However, I seem to remember that the memorial was denounced by many when it was first revealed. I never hear anyone talk about the WWII memorial. I don't think about art much, but this makes me think that there is more value to art which provokes strong emotion (positive and negative) than there is to middling, calculated pieces which aim to please all.

The best license plate I've seen was a few years ago in the Commonwealth: "GR8 RL6." (Virginia is, after all, for lovers!)

(Subject line could be a good password, it sounds like.) In an infinite universe, wouldn't you have to take it as coincidence if an alien came to Earth already practicing Judaism? (Also, wouldn't it *have* to be a trick if he did? What kind of son travels all the way through the cold stretches of space, leaving his mother to worry in another galaxy?) Anyhow, yes. It'd be hard not to read a lot into an alien race practicing one of the religions we have here on Earth. But coincidences aren't proof of God, right?