Two weeks ago some very frustrated conservative Christians thought that mid-term election results turned against them, says Martin E. Marty, one of the most important commentators on religion in the past half century.

Marty recommends watching the language when evaluating the situation. The Christian Right, he says, speaks for "a minority of evangelical, fundamentalist and Pentecostal Protestantism" which includes some Roman Catholics, and warns that this minority has grown since 1981, when the Encyclopedia Britannica published his article characterizing this religious sector.

With regard to the recent US election, Marty thinks it was neither a seismic or glacial change.

- 2-minute attack on black hecklers caught on film
- Comic apologises and says he lost his temper

The comic actor Michael Richards, better known as Cosmo Kramer in the long-running TV show Seinfeld, has apologised for a racist outburst that was captured on film and broadcast across the US.

Richards, 57, took exception when some black audience members talked during his act at a Los Angeles comedy club on Friday. In the recording, Richards says from the stage: "Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a fucking fork up your ass."

He then proceeds to insult one man with a succession of racial epithets. "Throw his ass out. He's a nigger! He's a nigger! He's a nigger! A nigger, look, there's a nigger!" Richards says.

In a television appearance on Monday night, after news of the tirade broke, Richards apologised, telling host David Letterman - who was interviewing Seinfeld star Jerry Seinfeld - that he was not a racist but had lost his temper.

"I was at a comedy club trying to do my act, and I got heckled and I took it badly and went into a rage," Richards said. "For me to be in a comedy club and flip out and say this crap, I'm deeply, deeply sorry. I'm not a racist. That's what's so insane about this."

Richards went on to say that his performance technique may be responsible for the comments.

"You know, I'm a performer," he said. "I push the envelope; I work in a very uncontrolled manner on stage. I do a lot of free association, it's spontaneous, I go into character."

Throughout the tirade, which lasted for two minutes, the audience became confused, uncertain whether the extreme language was part of Richards' act. Some laughed at the comments but as the attacks from the stage continued, there were gasps and some voices could be heard expressing disbelief.

The target of Richards' comments shouted back at Richards several times, telling him that the insults were uncalled for. "That's un-fucking called for," one man said. "It ain't necessary."

Another man said: "It's not funny. That's why you're a reject, never had no shows, never had no movies. Seinfeld, that's it."

The response seemed to drive Richards to further express his anger. Several members of the audience left their seats as Richards continued his rant before himself leaving the stage. The following night, he returned to the club to perform his act.

Following the publicity given to the incident, club owner Jamie Masada said that Richards would not perform again at the Hollywood club. "The Laugh Factory is a comedy club, not a forum for personal attacks," he said.

Just who were the band of merry men dressed in Lincoln green who nearly caused a riot in New York's Washington Square Park - posing as Robin Hood and his gang and handing out money to passers-by? The three men who appeared with handfuls of money said they were from Sheffield and were on a vital mission to educate the world about politeness.

"What you are about to see will amaze you. We are mad Englishmen," one of the trio yelled through a megaphone as people stopped to stare.