Premier pieces along those lines are the debate between DOUGLAS MC DANIEL, of Access Magazine and G21, and "Diamond D," of the Connecticut Green Party, about the significance of the protests held at the Presidential debates and the so-called "Nader Factor." You'll find them squaring off in our MEMOIRS OF THE INFORMATION AGE feature, along with loads of links to information you can use.

Meanwhile, the ever-thoughtful KEVIN CAREY suggests that we mistreat our political leaders in this week's essay over at DAY ONE. (As much as I bash politicians, I think he may be right.)

THOMAS HART does his valedictory as "Political Muckraker" in this week's TABLOID HART and has his own insights on the race. (When he's not celebratory going back to pure dish.)

As usual, that's just the tip of the iceberg. This is another jam-packed edition of your World's Magazine.

"And now for something Completely Different..."

It's kindah like we are siblings.

There was a point when we were younger, and friends commented about our having more fun with each other than most of our "bent coin" dates, that we entertained the idea of romance... But it just didn't take. We were already too close.

These days I realize that was fortunate. Especially when we call and confide in each other about career and other life stuff. I can count the weeks on one hand when we haven't telephoned each other. We celebrate our birthdays every year. We send "care packages" and gifts at random. Then we call each other and chatter and giggle about "The Surprise." (How surprising is it if someone who *always* remembers your birthday and always sends you presents throughout the year continues to do so?)

Barbara is that person in the world who continues to make me feel I am loved.

Considering that we've been friends for twenty years, that's quite an achievement.

But, as I've told her Significant Other, Rich, there are *some things* that I don't even share with her. Like this new heated distance-proposition. How could I explain that?

It's the week before a major, close US Presidential race, I was thinking, maybe this will pan out.

"In your dreams, Web Boy!" the evil little voice said. "Kiss your growing readership good-bye.

"You want my advice?" the little buggy voice went on, "Sex! We need more sex in this rag!"

I was willing to accomodate

"What about the one he said he loved you?
What about the one who said he cared?
Don't bother try to find him
way up in the icy air..." --- Boz Scraggs

Out of the blue, more or less, this woman appears on the radar screen suggesting that she's The Last Woman. Whoa!

The suddenness of it still has me reeling.

I'm not sure what to think. Yeah, yeah, I know that old saw about how "the women choose." It's true. Seems she's been "observing" me for about a year now to see if I was the genuine article. A year... But I passed the initial muster.

And I immediately went into back-pedal mode. "Yeah, but..."

It feels that way this week. Prospects, possibilities, entreaties, suggestions, advice... The wheel keeps turning. Wish a break in the clouds for me, a beacon through the fog...

THINGS THAT I LOVE THIS WEEK

Rod was a columnist for the Andover News Network, where he wrote over two hundred articles on web design and development issues. He was also principal writer and Editor for IT Manager's Journal, where he reviewed technology issues weekly. He became the Managing Editor for Electronic Mail/Newsletter Publications at Andover.net at the end of February, 2000. He is now a contributing writer for ACCESS magazine.

He lives in Baltimore, MD, at the moment (though it seems to most people he *actually* lives on the Web,) edits the writing of people from six continents for The World's Magazine, and wonders who The Last Woman will be in his "spare time." Rumor has it he is considering moving to Tahiti and writing about what the world was like before he left...

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