I've been involved for a few months now. I made one donation to a woman in Peru. It's exciting to donate to a needy area of the world and watch your money improve the lives a few. It's selfless. But you have to watch out for the Field Partners. Some have better track records than others. Some charge a more fair interest rate to the loan recipients than others. Like all forms of investing, you have to do your research! The money passes through several hands before it reaches your intended person.

I've already booked my tickets. I'm going to be there.

Speaking of allowing "our civil liberties to be set aside out of fear", my personal Idiot of the Week is David Petraeus. Earlier this week, Petraeus called Rev. Terry Jones (an extremist Christian) to call off his Koran burning event out of fear that it might bring greater harm for our troops and ignoring the fact that Rev. Jones' personal civil liberties include doing whatever he wants with his own property. The action of a government official telling a private citizen how to run his church is an infraction on our church-state separation.

Jefferson kicks ass.

She seems like a good kid with a general concern for people who disagree with her. Perhaps this is a good teaching moment for her: just because we disagree, it doesn't mean that either of us are bad people.

Hello PK! Welcome aboard! I hope you can post more often than I have.

As you are well aware, being in the closet is a lonely place. I wish you the best of luck as you gradually reveal yourself to your friends and family.

I love this blog and the small collection of contributors. I tell you what: Now that I have more time on my hands this semester, I promise to write once a month for this blog. Maybe it will help readership come back up.

This is still the best place to get information on religion in our state from the perspective of an atheist.

Perhaps my atheism is due in part to the fact that I have never experienced anything that I would consider paranormal.

If I was 12, I would have written you the exact same letter. I like your response.

I'm glad to see that the ACLU of Mississippi corrected this oversight. I am a proud supporter of the ACLU of Mississippi and I was ready to end my membership over this.