I'm on your site because I'm a tennis fan, but I also work at adidas. We're debuting a new campaign on Wednesday, so you'll find out a lot more about it then. You can also get an idea with some 5 and 10 second commercials at http://www.youtube.com/adidas. (If this seems like spam or unwanted business comments, feel free to take it down. I just thought I'd mention it.)

I fear I bear some responsibility for this....

Sadly, I've missed your perfume posts. But this list reminds me of the love potions in Harry Potter, in which you smell the things you most love. (Hermione smells fresh-cut grass, for example.) Also, I love the category list at the bottom and think you should consider making it the title of your autobiography. I'd read 'Baseball, Perfume, Poetry' over 'Eat, Pray, Love' any day.

I think there's another side to the Superman problem. Because of the limitations of their circumstances, Bella is completely able to admit to sexual feeling and longing, without having to actually engage. This means that she gets to be seen as a desirable, sexual creature, while remaining in this perpetual state of being a 'good' girl. Bella remains in this 'safe' space for most of the series. It is just one more aspect of this sense of suspended animation Meyer imposes upon Bella's character (the lack of progression you note above). What's also alarming about the Twilight series is how parental Edward is. His arrival in her life turns her from a strong, independent young woman to a child who constantly needs to be protected. In the books, he must do this because her life is in danger, but this is clearly striking a chord with female readers. My guess is that women are responding to Edward's sense of chivalry and gentlemanliness, which made sense in the 19th century, when women were placed in their husband's care. But what explains its appeal now? I think it again comes back to the good girl/bad girl dichotomy, and the female inability to deal with sexuality. I'm disappointed that 100 years after Dracula, women are still attracted to men who protect them from their own pliable sexual nature.

It's amazing to me that the (not so) new Frank Rich has completely transcended the old Frank Rich. Remember when he was the most feared critic in theater? One bad review from him could close a show in days.

Okay, that was me, not Brian.

Is that why you favorited about 100 things today? Or were you just in a really good mood?

This isn't the most articulate comment I've ever made, but: what Skoolgirl said. I'm a huge animal lover, but I believe Michael Vick realizes he made a mistake; he endured jail time and a very public shaming and has paid an adequate price for it; and he inadvertently did something of a public service by educating others who might have had similar attitudes. LeBron, as Skoolgirl says, is just an ass. He can 'witness' me actually root for the Lakers over the Heat this year, and that's saying something.

I'm full-on rooting for the Suns. First, they were gracious winners when they beat us (Amare, Nash and Dudley all tweeted nice things about the Portland crowd). Second, they did the Los Suns things, which is gimmicky, but effective. And third, they have Channing Frye, a Portlandophile and all-around nice guy. Go Suns!