Python vs. Lisp -- please explain

[dlp at itasoftware.com]

> Paul Rubin wrote:
> I think both of you are missing the point of the question, which is
> that Lisp is dynamically typed exactly the way Python is and maps to
> Python almost directly; yet good Lisp implementations are much faster
> than CPython.

But Lisp isn't dynamically typed "exactly the way Python is".  Python
documents ways to manipulate the internals of objects at runtime.  It
is
possible to add, change or delete methods and slots by directly
changing
the hashtable they're stored in.  While CLOS does permit a certain
amount
of runtime redefinition, it is not as completely free wheeling and
unpredicatable.