Details of feed "All Salon":

It's tough not to greet certain bits of news with preemptive disappointment. When I learned that the CW would be remaking Luc Besson's "La Femme Nikita" for the small screen, I filed it right next to reports that Lady Gaga would rather "die young and a legend" than grow old and that David Hasselhoff will be appearing on "Dancing With the Stars" this fall. Hoping for a CW version of Nikita that doesn't feature lip-glossed teenagers in matchstick jeans karate-chopping each other ineffectually feels roughly as masochistic as daring to dream that Lady Gaga might one day keep her many, many thoughts about herself to herself, or that David Hasselhoff might finally disappear into the void, never to be seen or heard from again.

Some parents are gentle in their love. When I was at my friends' houses, one child or another would complain, "We're bored," and without thinking, a mother might suggest various board games, offer to rent a video, recommend we play house or go swimming. If anyone mistakenly piped up around my father, he'd say, "Aw, go play in the street," kick up his recliner, and dismiss us with a wave of his hand.

Craigslist has apparently closed the adult services section of its website, two weeks after 17 state attorneys general demanded it shut down the section.

Forecasters say Tropical Storm Earl has made landfall near Western Head, Nova Scotia.

Welcome to the first session of the Salon Reading Club, everyone! For those just joining us, we're going to be discussing Jonathan Franzen's new novel, "Freedom," for the next three Saturdays, beginning today with the first part of the book, "Good Neighbors," which takes us through the end of Patty's "autobiography" (Pages 1 through 187). Next Saturday, we'll consider half of the second part, "2004," reading through the end of the chapter titled "Enough Already" (Pages 191 to 382). On Sept. 18, we'll talk about the conclusion (See the sidebar to the right for more information on the Salon Reading Club.)

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer will not participate in a second debate with her Democratic opponents. Which is sad, because that first debate was wonderful television. When Brewer was actually able to form sentences, they were full of nonsense.

(updated below)

Have you ever stared blankly at the control panel of a hot tub, baffled by even the simplest of tasks -- such as how to turn on the jets, or adjust the temperature, or even just turn the damn thing off? Perhaps you blamed your inability to comprehend on your state of impairment -- a not uncommon malady unfortunately associated with hot tubs.

This originally appeared on Robert Reich's blog

A 13-year-old boy and his 12-year-old girlfriend will soon face capital murder charges in a Dallas-area double-shooting after the second victim died, authorities said Friday.