One way to look intelligent, timely and well-informed is to publish letters to the editor in the New York Times. But I thought only academic-type experts got lettes published in the Times! Well while you do need brains, you don't need a high profile seat at a university or in government to publish your thoughts. I know a fellow who at the tender age of 25 has already published ten letters in the Times. Jesse Lava, Special Assistant for former Democratic National Committee Chairman David Wilhelm, is helping David write a book on progressivism in rural America. Here are his thoughts on how to get in:

"Structurally, the gist of it is to do the following things: (1) Reference a very recent article or opinion -- like, one published within the last day or two -- and try to include a quotation. (2) State your thesis quickly. It sometimes helps to sound sophisticated by hedging ("Though I agree that XYZ, I question Friedman's assertion that..."). (3) "Prove" your thesis in about two sentences, maybe three. Don't use statistics unless you lead an organization that has credibility on the issue; instead, use conceptual logic and rhetorical questions. (4) End with a thought-provoking sentence that conveys the significance of the thesis. For instance, after asserting that "the impeachment committee shouldn't be investigating Clinton's policy choices," you might end with "We can only hope such digressions don't prolong this unfortunate process further." Before the final sentence, you may (depending on context) want to add a quick "to be sure": "To be sure, America is not to blame for all the world's problems. But..."

"This should all happen in about 140-160 words. The Times will sometimes allow you to go up to about 180. That's not much space, so don't be sloppy. Make sure every word serves a purpose and no points are redundant.

"As for what kind of thesis to choose, be contentious, but not too contentious. Generally speaking, the Times likes letters that challenge a prevailing viewpoint without undermining established elite opinion. Don't say capitalism is degrading; say we would do well to remember that an impressive GDP doesn't always make us happier. Don't say the U.S. has been the world's leading terrorist state for decades; say that even before the Bush administration, the U.S. wasn't a model of restraint. Don't say the media has unconscionably harped on the Israel-Palestinian conflict at the expense of covering far greater tragedies; say that even as the world focuses much of its attention on the Middle East peace process, let us not forget the peace accord just signed in Angola that, we can only hope, has stopped a war that has claimed one million lives and created four million refugees. Feel free to criticize the editorials, columns, or OP-EDs, but don't cry bias in news articles; your letter won't get published."