Updated

Here are some of your responses to Mike's last column:

David W. in L.A. writes: It's really sad how incapable you are of accepting criticism. Or sarcasm. You can't be bothered to print anything but the fawning praise of your sycophants. And it's really pathetic that you haven't acknowledged that Sheryl Crow was kidding.

Jim in Maine writes: Straka, you're the worst writer to ever hit the Internet. I can't believe you have a book deal? Everytime I go into the local Borders and Barnes and Noble I go directly to the shelf where your books are and I hide them in different sections. My favorite was when I stuck one in the children's book section, because obviously you can't write at more than a third-grade level.

Tyson C. writes: I work for a healthcare company and I review resumes daily. Have you ever noticed individuals who have eccentric, almost comical first names (Elzbieta, Shamicka, etc) but their last names are as original as they come (Smith, Thomas, Jones, etc.)? This is not my Grrr, however my Grr is when individuals will send me their resume and follow up with a phone call. They will say their name so quickly that a sane person cannot simply understand. When I ask them to repeat their name they say their first name (Elzbieta) with no hesitation and then simply spell out their last name (T-H-O-M-A-S) and then act like I am the only person that has never heard their name pronounced or said that way before. I understand that your name is common to you and most of your friends/family, but for heaven sakes, take a moment to slow down, spell your name out if it is a little different and be courteous!!! Common sense, people!! Anyway ... Mike, I love the column!! I read it every day and just finished your book!!! I hope there will be many more columns, articles, TV appearances and books from you!!! Have a great day!!!

Elizabeth in Charleston, S.C.: GRRR to Congress for spending time paid for by America's tax money to pass a bill through to the president that they know will be vetoed!!! It is a vain waste of time and money to get a political point across to us. When are any of our elected officials really going to start working for the people and not for themselves and their own pride?!? What may have started out as a selfless act to be a service to their country now seems to be corrupted by pompousness and lobbyist motives. I am disgusted every day by most of our elected officials.

Jennifer writes: Grrrr for giving Britney Spears free advertising for her book that isn't even written yet. Every time you write about a celebrity you give them the exposure they are craving.

Kevin writes: I just came across your column -- never read it before. It amazes me the way people jumped on Alec Baldwin. I agree he shouldn't have said those things to his daughter or about his daughter, but anyone who sits in judgment of him has obviously never been through a divorce or custody procedure. When I heard an interview with Baldwin after the incident, what I heard was a man who'd been pushed past the point of supreme frustration. Any non-custodial parent out there who gives a damn can tell you how large a role the custodial parent plays in the child's acceptance of the non-custodial parent. As a non-custodial parent who eventually got pushed past my limits (11 straight years of my precious daughter telling me what a piece of trash I am) I am here to tell you that there is only so much even the most loving parent will take before snapping. I eventually took the reins from my ex's hands and my daughter's hands and told my daughter that I was not going to beg her to love me anymore and that she was free to call me whenever she needed me but until that day I wished her well and goodbye. That's where Alec needs to get. Eventually, if Basinger is using the same tactics my ex used and trying at every turn to paint Baldwin as a monster, the daughter will see through it and be able to make her own decisions. I say we give Baldwin a pass here and just hope for a peaceful resolution between father and daughter. It was never any of our business anyway, and we are not to sit in judgment.

Savage in Georgia writes: I've been patiently waiting for about a week now on your GRRR for the "I'm sorry if I offended anybody" contrition from Mr. Baldwin. Regardless of the voicemail and the snide motivation of the leaker, I can't believe what a painstakingly nurtured and completely developed a-- that boy has shown!

Fred in Calif. writes: Throughout history, entertainers were and still are used to temporarily make us forget the burdens of everyday life. Cave dwellers had their artists and shamans, the rulers of the Middle Ages had their clowns and magicians, the Greeks and Romans had their plays and actors. Virtually every society has this facet as part of their culture. We pay for these people to entertain us. They are talented but mostly not very bright or knowledgeable about anything else. They are self-engrossed and soon become delusional about who they are. With increasing fame, they see themselves as leaders and experts and begin speaking out on issues they know nothing about. Today our homes have a built in conduit (TV) for these people to propagandize us. And slowly we eventually begin to believe that a bunch of not very bright, self-engrossed celebrities who pretend to be someone else for a living are now our mentors and leaders. Clearly it is we who are not very bright.

Patty C. in Cleveland: It sickened me to see the president on "American Idol" thanking the American public for once again contributing our pennies and dimes to save children in Africa and the United States. People applauded and rose in their seats. Are they crazy???!!! First of all, I am sooooo tired of celebrities having telethons for what are righteous causes but ... why didn’t the powers that be at "American Idol" donate what they make from the show and contribute that to a charity? Instead, we working class heroes who live paycheck to paycheck, cannot afford good medical benefits and pay our taxes are “hit” for donations. Oh, the celebrities donated their time. Wow, I for one am impressed ... NOT! Why in the world do these so called “celebrities” get air time to preach to us about “going green," giving to the victims of the tsunami, children dying in Africa etc., when we still have destruction in Louisiana? What happened to the millions donated for one of our OWN cities to be cleaned up and homes rebuilt? Instead of the continuous call for donations, let's expend our energies and find out what exactly is going on with the millions already contributed. The problems in Africa are not going to be cured by mosquito nets and warm meals. Where are the jobs, where is the clean-up of garbage pits? Who is running Africa and what are they doing for crying out loud to help their own people thrive and prosper?

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