| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"maff" |
| Date: |
19 Sep 2007 09:18:53 PM |
| Object: |
OT: China's Hot Stock: Orwell Inc. |
China's Hot Stock: Orwell Inc.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1571.html
By Harold Meyerson
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A23
The American economy may be teetering on the brink of a recession, but
there's an industry our hedge fund gurus believe has an almost
limitless future: the Chinese police state.
In a stunning report in the New York Times last week, correspondent
Keith Bradsher documented the rise of China's electronic surveillance
industry, whose leading companies have incorporated themselves in the
United States and obtained the lion's share of their capital from U.S.
hedge funds. Though ostensibly private, these companies are a for-
profit adjunct of the Chinese government.
Greenspan's Age of Tranquility
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1587.html
By Robert J. Samuelson
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A23
Alan Greenspan has called his memoir " The Age of Turbulence," but a
more accurate title might have been "The Age of Tranquility." During
his long tenure as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board (from August
1987 to January 2006), the U.S. economy suffered only two modest
recessions -- those of 1990-91 and 2001 -- totaling 16 months.
Otherwise, here's what happened:
Voices That Tehran Fears
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1570.html
By Jeffrey Gedmin
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A23
Our reporter Parnaz Azima finally made it out of Iran yesterday.
Iranian authorities, who had blocked her exit from the country since
January, returned her passport two weeks ago but then proceeded to
create a series of bureaucratic obstacles that prevented her from
returning to her family and colleagues. Azima, who has U.S. and
Iranian dual citizenship, works for Radio Farda, the Persian-language
broadcast service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the
congressionally funded broadcasters based in Prague.
Azima is one of Iran's best-known literary translators. She is famous
for her translations of Ernest Hemingway's works. In January she
traveled to Tehran to visit her ailing 94-year-old mother and
unwittingly became ensnared in a larger game being played by Iran's
regime. Its aim is simple: to intimidate dissidents at home while
pressuring the United States to refrain from supporting Iranian civil
society.
Division Problem
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1626.html
The GOP's Ruinous Immigration Stance
By Michael Gerson
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A23
Immigration used to be a debate among Republicans. Now the issue
survives mainly as a weapon.
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney-- who once commented on
illegal immigrants, "I don't believe in rounding up 11 million people
and forcing them at gunpoint from our country" -- attacks Rudy
Giuliani for not rounding up enough illegal immigrants when he was
mayor of New York. Giuliani -- who once said, "If you come here and
you work hard and you happen to be in an undocumented status, you're
one of the people who we want in this city" -- criticizes Romney for
tolerating "sanctuary cities" in Massachusetts.
A Voting Test for the High Court
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1572.html
By Richard L. Hasen
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A23
At a private conference next Monday, the Supreme Court will consider
whether to hear a challenge to Indiana's new law requiring voters to
show photographic identification at the polls. The court should take
the case, both to correct a troubling partisan divide among lower-
court judges over the constitutionality of such laws and to reject a
pernicious opinion by federal Judge Richard A. Posner that belittles
the right to vote.
It is no secret that a partisan divide over election administration
has emerged since the 2000 Florida debacle. Republican state
legislators push for laws that they say will prevent voter fraud, and
Democratic legislators push for laws they say will prevent voter
intimidation and remove barriers to voting. Every state legislature
that has passed a voter identification law since 2000 has done so
along party lines.
Reelection by Fiat
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1827.html
Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf tries to dictate the terms for keeping a
presidential office most Pakistanis want him out of.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A22
LAST MONTH Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf seemed ready to rescue
himself from a mounting political crisis by striking a deal with his
country's secular political parties -- a step he should have taken
long ago. Now, after unsuccessful negotiations with former prime
minister Benazir Bhutto, he has returned to the practice of political
fiat that has served his country so poorly over the past eight years.
Last week Mr. Musharraf refused to allow another former prime
minister, Nawaz Sharif, to return to the country from exile, in direct
violation of a ruling by Pakistan's Supreme Court. On Monday, the
electoral commission his government controls issued a legally
questionable ruling that would allow Mr. Musharraf to orchestrate his
reelection as president in the next few weeks without giving up his
position as army chief of staff.
A 'Palpable Injustice'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1745.html
The Republican Party blocks voting rights for the District of
Columbia.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A22
THE U.S. SENATE had a chance yesterday to make history. It chose
instead to add another unconscionable chapter to that well-worn volume
that could be titled "The Second-Class Status of the People of the
District of Columbia." A few Republicans showed enough gumption to
vote for principle and against party interest. Most Republicans, led
by their leaders and egged on by President Bush -- who talks about
democracy from Burma to Zimbabwe but not for his own neighbors -- did
the reverse.
Fed Cuts Key Rate More Than Expected
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
0251.html
Reduction Designed to Insulate Economy From Problems in Markets
By Neil Irwin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A01
The Federal Reserve cut a key interest rate yesterday in an aggressive
attempt to keep turmoil in financial markets from damaging the overall
U=2ES. economy.
The central bank's policymaking committee cut the federal funds rate,
which determines what banks pay to borrow money from each other
overnight, by half a percentage point, to 4.75 percent. The rate cut,
the first in four years, will eventually lead to lower borrowing costs
for consumers and businesses, making it cheaper to take out a car loan
or home mortgage or to invest in a business.
U=2ES. Working to Reshape Iraqi Detainees
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
2203.html
Moderate Muslims Enlisted to Steer Adults and Children Away From
Insurgency
By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A01
The U.S. military has introduced "religious enlightenment" and other
education programs for Iraqi detainees, some of whom are as young as
11, Marine Maj. Gen. Douglas M. Stone, the commander of U.S. detention
facilities in Iraq, said yesterday.
Stone said such efforts, aimed mainly at Iraqis who have been held for
more than a year, are intended to "bend them back to our will" and are
part of waging war in what he called "the battlefield of the mind."
Most of the younger detainees are held in a facility that the military
calls the "House of Wisdom."
Debate No-Shows Worry GOP Leaders
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1781.html
Candidates Are Urged to Attend Forums Sponsored by Minorities
By Perry Bacon Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A01
Key Republican leaders are encouraging the party's presidential
candidates to rethink their decision to skip presidential debates
focusing on issues important to minorities, fearing a backlash that
could further erode the party's standing with black and Latino voters.
The leading contenders for the Republican nomination have indicated
they will not attend the "All American Presidential Forum" organized
by black talk show host Tavis Smiley, scheduled for Sept. 27 at Morgan
State University in Baltimore and airing on PBS. Former New York mayor
Rudolph W. Giuliani, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, former
senator Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.) and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) all
cited scheduling conflicts in forgoing the debate. The top Democratic
contenders attended a similar event in June at Howard University.
Md. Ban On Gay Marriage Is Upheld
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
2177.html
Law Does Not Deny Basic Rights, Is Not Biased, Court Rules
By Lisa Rein and Mary Otto
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A01
Maryland's highest court yesterday upheld a 34-year-old state law
banning same-sex marriage, rejecting an attempt by 19 gay men and
lesbians to win the right to marry.
In reversing a lower court's decision, the divided Court of Appeals
ruled that limiting marriage to a man and a woman does not
discriminate against gay couples or deny them constitutional rights.
Although the judges acknowledged that gay men and lesbians have been
targets of discrimination, they said the prohibition on same-sex
marriage promotes the state's interest in heterosexual marriage as a
means of having and protecting children.
Guilty Plea to End Crusading Lawyer's Lucrative Run
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
2211.html
By Carrie Johnson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A01
In a three-decade career, California lawyer William S. Lerach won tens
of billions of dollars for his clients by suing executives embroiled
in corporate scandal. Casting himself as the voice of victimized
shareholders, he chalked up unprecedented awards in the Enron
accounting mess and the Exxon oil spill.
His victories spawned a nationwide legion of imitators, who adopted
his quick-draw tactics and bombastic rhetoric, transforming what was
once a backwater, class-action investor lawsuits, into one of the most
lucrative sectors of the legal business. That success, coupled with
his brash style, won him enemies throughout corporate America and
inspired Congress to pass a 1995 law imposing limits on shareholder
cases.
D=2EC. Police Trying to Explain Lack of Gun With Slain Teen
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
0697.html
By Allison Klein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A01
The D.C. police officer who fatally shot a 14-year-old boy in
Southeast Washington on Monday night was off duty, out of uniform and
acting on his own to find a minibike that he believed was stolen from
his home, authorities said yesterday.
New details emerged about the killing of DeOnt=E9 Rawlings, who was shot
in the head after he allegedly fired a gun at the officer and an off-
duty colleague. But authorities were unable to answer a question that
has raised a community outcry: If the youth had a gun, where is it?
Senators Block D.C. Vote Bill, Delivering Possibly Fatal Blow
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1158.html
By Mary Beth Sheridan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A01
Republican lawmakers yesterday blocked the Senate from taking up the
D=2EC. vote bill, a potentially fatal setback for the District's most
promising effort in years to get a full member of Congress.
The vote was on a motion to simply consider the bill. Fifty-seven
senators voted in favor, three short of the 60 needed to proceed.
Without enough support to vault the Senate's procedural hurdles, the
bill is expected to stall this year and possibly next year.
GOP Supporters Are Hard to Find on Craig's List
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1888.html
By Dana Milbank
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A02
When Larry Craig (R-Lindbergh Terminal) dropped in unexpectedly for
lunch with his Senate Republican colleagues yesterday, the caucus
developed a serious case of acid reflux.
"I never talk about these things," a sour Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) told
reporters as he left the room.
GOP Moderates Weigh Loyalty To Bush vs. Political Realities
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1998.html
By Jonathan Weisman and Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A03
With a difficult war debate looming and presidential vetoes for a host
of popular legislation threatened, moderate Republicans in Congress
are facing a tough choice: Stand by President Bush or run for their
political lives.
Votes are due soon on Iraq, an expansion of a children's health
insurance program and an array of spending bills. GOP leaders hope to
use them to regain credibility with their base voters as a party for
strong defense and fiscal discipline. But moderates, many of them
facing the possibility of difficult reelection bids next year, are
dreading the expected showdowns.
Democrats' Iraq Push on Hold
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1889.html
Reid Plans Spring Effort to Set June 2008 Pullout Deadline
By Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A03
Unable to garner enough Republican support, Senate Democratic leaders
said yesterday that they are abandoning a bipartisan effort to bring
U=2ES. troops home from Iraq by next spring.
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said that Democrats had
been willing to make the troop withdrawal a "goal" in order to attract
GOP support, but it never materialized. Instead, Reid will again push
for a firm deadline, this time June 2008, along with a stronger effort
at cutting off war funding.
VA Secretary Cites Backlog of Claims
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1773.html
By Hope Yen
Associated Press
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A04
Outgoing Secretary Jim Nicholson acknowledged yesterday that the
Department of Veterans Affairs is struggling to reduce backlogs in
disability claims from Iraq war veterans.
Delays in processing disability payments reach up to 177 days, and
Nicholson, in addressing Congress for a final time before stepping
down Oct. 1, said the department has hired 1,100 new processors to cut
that waiting time.
The Trail
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
2084.html
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A06
IT'S THE ECONOMY
Obama Outlines Tax Cuts
Sen. Barack Obama delivered a second economic speech in as many days
yesterday, proposing $80 billion in tax cuts for working people,
homeowners and seniors with the declaration that "the wealth of our
nation is rooted in the work of our people."
House Members Resist Testifying in Contractor Trial
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1790.html
By Paul Kane
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A07
The defense contractor charged with bribing convicted former
congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham has subpoenaed 13 House members,
including former speaker J. Dennis Hastert, to testify in his federal
trial.
But the 13 lawmakers are refusing the subpoena, and the House general
counsel sent lawyers for the contractor, Brent R. Wilkes, a letter
saying that it was overly broad and "did not elaborate as to what
testimony you seek from each member."
Democrats May Tie Confirmation to Gonzales Papers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1379.html
By Dan Eggen and Elizabeth Williamson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A10
The retired federal judge nominated as attorney general enjoyed a warm
reception on Capitol Hill yesterday, but Democrats continued sending
mixed signals about whether their dispute with the White House over
congressional access to sensitive administration documents will be an
impediment to his confirmation.
Michael B. Mukasey, 66, met with key members of both parties,
including Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-
Vt.). Both Leahy and Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who also met
with Mukasey, said they are hopeful and optimistic that the nomination
will be successful, as aides suggested that efforts to reach a deal on
the documents were intensifying.
Marine Corps Exonerates Captain in Iraq Killings
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1774.html
By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A10
A U.S. Marine company commander who led the unit that killed as many
as 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha, Iraq, has had all criminal charges
against him dismissed nearly two years after the shootings occurred.
Marine Corps officials announced yesterday that Capt. Lucas M.
McConnell no longer faces two counts of dereliction of duty in
allegedly not investigating the Nov. 19, 2005, shootings and not
reporting up his chain of command. Three senior officers above
McConnell received administrative punishments this month for their own
actions and inactions after the incident.
Lawyers for Islamic Charity Urge Jurors to Ignore Politics
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1114.html
Palestinian Conflict Looms Over Trial of Group's Leaders
By Peter Whoriskey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A12
DALLAS, Sept. 18 -- The leaders of what was once the nation's largest
Islamic charity did sometimes sympathize with the anger, and even the
actions, of extremists.
In one wiretapped call played at their trial here, one of the men
describes a suicide bombing near Tel Aviv as a "beautiful operation."
The group also invited guest speakers identified by prosecutors as
leaders of the militant Palestinian group Hamas to appear at
fundraisers.
Vanishing Languages Identified
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1751.html
Oklahoma Is Among Places Where Tongues Are Disappearing
By Rick Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A12
Oklahoma has earned the dubious distinction of being one of the five
worst "language-loss hotspots" in the world -- places where native
languages are going extinct the fastest -- according to an analysis
released yesterday.
The Sooner State's inclusion in the global top five is a reminder,
researchers said, that the United States has a long history of
linguistic diversity and that the problem of language extinctions is
not limited to distant lands.
Provinces Undermine Beijing's Goals on AIDS
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
2083.html
By Maureen Fan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A16
MIANCHI, China -- Twice a week, just after school lets out in this
small county in Henan province, a 13-year-old girl with a short bob
and wide smile holds her parents' hands and walks two blocks down the
street into the harsh fluorescent light of an emergency medical
station.
There, she pulls back the waistband of her pants while a nurse dabs
disinfectant, prepares a syringe and gives the girl's right buttock a
quick jab. "It doesn't hurt," the girl said after a recent visit. "I'm
used to it."
Embassy Restricts Diplomats' Iraq Travel
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
0406.html
U=2ES. Order Follows Shooting by Guards
By Joshua Partlow
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A16
BAGHDAD, Sept. 18 -- The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday suspended
all ground travel for its diplomats across Iraq following a deadly
shootout over the weekend involving its private security guards from
Blackwater USA.
The decision to ban U.S. government officials' movement in Iraq
outside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone came as the Iraqi government
vowed to challenge the immunity of private security contractors from
prosecution under Iraqi law and review the operations of all such
companies in Iraq.
China Rushes to Halt Bird Flu Among Ducks
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1445.html
By Maureen Fan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A17
BEIJING, Sept. 18 -- China scrambled to respond Tuesday to an outbreak
of bird flu among ducks in the southern city of Guangzhou. But as
officials sought to reassure the public, there were signs that China
was reluctant to release details about a possible health threat.
The outbreak in Guangzhou's Panyu district is the first of the H5N1
bird flu strain since May, but it has been brought under control, the
Agriculture Ministry said. The ministry's Web site said 36,130 ducks
had been culled; other news reports suggested more than double that
number had been killed.
Group Urges Amnesty For Zimbabwe Leaders
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1779.html
Goal Is Fair Elections, Economic Reform
By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A17
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 18 -- A leading international research group urged
southern African leaders Tuesday to offer Zimbabwean President Robert
Mugabe and his closest allies amnesty from prosecution in exchange for
political reforms that might end years of misrule.
The International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based organization that
studies conflicts worldwide, also said that negotiators should offer
to let Mugabe and key supporters keep fortunes amassed during
Zimbabwe's long decline. And the group said a government of national
unity, including the nation's opposition leaders, would be possible
only if they agree not to reverse controversial land seizures of white-
owned commercial farms since 2000.
Musharraf Pledges to Leave Army If Reelected
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
0860.html
Foes Want President To Leave Both Jobs
By Griff Witte
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A17
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 18 -- Gen. Pervez Musharraf's attorney told
the Pakistani Supreme Court on Tuesday that Musharraf would step down
as army chief if he is elected to another term as president this fall.
But the pledge failed to appease Pakistani opposition leaders, who
continued to press for him to leave both posts.
Top aides to Musharraf had been saying for weeks that if he is elected
to a new term as president, he intends to take off his uniform and
become a civilian before he is sworn in. Sharifuddin Pirzada,
Musharraf's attorney, made the plan official Tuesday. The new election
must be held by Oct. 15, and Musharraf's current term expires Nov. 15.
U=2ES., Britain Differ on Southern Iraq Mission, Official Says
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1777.html
By Thomas E. Ricks and Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A18
Differences have emerged between the U.S. and British views of how to
operate in southern Iraq, with U.S. officials encouraging the British
to be more aggressive for as long as they keep troops there, said an
American official closely familiar with Iraq policy.
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq,
met in London yesterday with top British officials and, in comments to
reporters later, only alluded to the controversy, saying that "what we
did discuss was the tasks" the British military should be performing
in the south.
Congo's Ebola Outbreak Could Be Worst in Years
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1047.html
By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A19
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 18 -- International medical personnel and supplies
are being airlifted to a remote region of central Congo to combat what
threatens to become the world's most serious outbreak of the deadly
Ebola virus in years.
Only nine cases of the disease have been confirmed by laboratory
tests. But medical authorities suspect the virus has killed 168 people
and sickened 375 others across a heavily forested region where
villages are linked only by deeply rutted dirt roads. Health officials
said it is possible that new cases will continue to emerge over the
coming months.
Mexico's Fox, in Book, Chides and Praises Bush
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1999.html
By Manuel Roig-Franzia
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A19
ANTIGUA, Guatemala, Sept. 18 -- President Bush and Vicente Fox once
portrayed themselves as diplomatic allies and close friends, but the
former Mexican president takes some jabs at Bush in a new
autobiography, calling him "the cockiest guy I have ever met in my
life" and a "windshield cowboy" afraid to ride a powerful horse.
Fox sprinkles anecdotes about Bush and other world leaders throughout
"Revolution of Hope," recounting disagreements with Bush over the Iraq
invasion and a shared hope for immigration reform that was undercut by
security concerns after Sept. 11, 2001. The former Mexican leader also
chides Bush's administration for unilateralism.
State IG Accused of Averting Probes
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
0799.html
By Glenn Kessler and Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A21
Howard J. Krongard, the State Department's inspector general, has
repeatedly thwarted investigations into contracting fraud in Iraq and
Afghanistan, including construction of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad,
and censored reports that might prove politically embarrassing to the
Bush administration, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform charged yesterday in a 13-page letter.
The letter, addressed to Krongard and signed by the committee
chairman, Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), who released it yesterday, said
the allegations were based on the testimony of seven current and
former officials on Krongard's staff, including two former senior
officials who allowed their names to be used, and private e-mail
exchanges obtained by the committee. The letter said the allegations
concerned all three major divisions of Krongard's office --
investigations, audits and inspections.
Of Course the President Remembers You!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR200709180=
1780.html
By Al Kamen
Wednesday, September 19, 2007; Page A21
Okay, so maybe we're a little slow sometimes picking up on real news.
But at least our memory is a tad better than President Bush's.
We just came across this interview he gave to Asian journalists in the
Roosevelt Room on Aug. 30 before heading to Australia for the Asia-
Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
The High Costs of Ethanol
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/opinion/19wed1.html?_r=3D1&ref=3Dopinion&=
oref=3Dslogin
The Unites States should let sound science and sound economics rather
than politics drive its energy consumption and policy.
No Way Out
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/opinion/19wed2.html?ref=3Dopinion
Welcoming Iraqis into the U.S. is not cost-free, but Washington has a
moral obligation to help those who have risked their lives on
America's behalf.
Vladimir Putin: Sure of His Power on the Verge of Leaving Office
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/opinion/19wed3.html?ref=3Dopinion
By SERGE SCHMEMANN
The Russian president is at the top of his game. He is powerful,
popular and the master of a country that he has led from bankruptcy to
wealth.
Alan (Not Atlas) Shrugged
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/opinion/19dowd.html?ref=3Dopinion
Even though he rubber-stamped W.'s tax cuts, Alan Greenspan is now
upbraiding the president and vice president for profligate spending.
Doha and Dalian
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/opinion/19friedman.html?ref=3Dopinion
Our planet cannot tolerate so many "Americans," unless we take the
lead and change what it means to be an American in energy terms.
The Education of Robert Gates
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/opinion/19brooks.html?ref=3Dopinion
Over the short term, Robert Gates is, to use a phrase he borrows from
the historian Joseph Ellis, "improvising on the edge of catastrophe."
Our Imaginary Friend
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/opinion/19wheatcroft.html?ref=3Dopinion
By GEOFFREY WHEATCROFT
One beneficial consequence of the terrible war in Iraq would be if the
pretense of the "special relationship" between the U.S. and Britain
were dropped for good.
Him, to Kick Around Again
http://cavett.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/him-to-kick-around-again/index.h=
tml?ref=3Dopinion
By ***** CAVETT
Has history ever known so prominent a figure to be at once so
frighteningly bizarre and so greatly gifted?
Partisan Parsing
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/partisan-parsing/index.html=
?ref=3Dopinion
By TOBIN HARSHAW
The Washington Post challenges a Fred Thompson stump speech.
Queen of the Scottish Fairies
http://modan.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/queen-of-the-scottish-fairies/ind=
ex.html?ref=3Dopinion
By RUTU MODAN
An illustrated tale of a boy with strong sartorial tastes. Part of the
Sightlines visual series.
A Ground-Eye View of the Chinese Economy
http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/a-ground-eye-view-of-the-chines=
e-economy/index.html?ref=3Dopinion
By ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER
A political scientist spending a year in Shanghai offers views of what
works and what doesn't in China's shifting economy.
Home Fires: Back to School
http://homefires.blogs.nytimes.com/
By MICHAEL JERNIGAN
Three years after being blinded by a bomb in Iraq, Marine Cpl. Michael
Jernigan goes back to school.
The Conscience of a Liberal: An Introduction
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/
By PAUL KRUGMAN
The politics and economics of inequality in America will be central to
many of my blog posts.
A Hole in the Earth, a Hole in a Pocket
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/europe/19swiss.html?ref=3Dworld
By JOHN TAGLIABUE
A new rail tunnel project through the Swiss Alps is part of an
ambitious program to protect the Alps, a Swiss national heritage, from
environmental damage.
Languages Die, but Not Their Last Words
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/science/19language.html?ref=3Dworld
By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD
Determined that dying languages not be lost forever, researchers are
traveling the world to interview the last speakers. One language is
lost about every two weeks, they say.
Iraqi Report Says Blackwater Guards Fired First
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/middleeast/19blackwater.html?ref=3D=
world&pagewanted=3Dall
By SABRINA TAVERNISE and JAMES GLANZ
A preliminary Iraqi report said that Blackwater security guards had
not been ambushed as they had claimed.
Future Look of Iraq Complicated by Internal Migration
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/middleeast/19displaced.html?ref=3Dw=
orld&pagewanted=3Dall
By JAMES GLANZ and ALISSA J. RUBIN
A vast ethnic and sectarian displacement, as revealed in new data,
could make a partition of the country more difficult.
New Fossils Offer Glimpse of Human Ancestors
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/science/19cnd-fossil.html?ref=3Dworld
By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD
The findings are considered a significant step toward understanding
who were some of the first ancestors to migrate out of Africa some 1.8
million years ago.
Zimbabwe: Official Inflation Rate Falls
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/africa/19briefs-zimbabwe.html?ref=
=3Dafrica
By REUTERS
Zimbabwe's inflation rate slowed to 6,592.8 percent in August from a
year earlier, from a record 7,634.8 percent in July, the government's
Central Statistical Office said.
Costa Rica: Minister Steps Aside
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/americas/19briefs-costa.html?ref=3D=
americas
By MARC LACEY
Costa Rica's planning minister, Kevin Casas Zamora, has temporarily
ceded his post to allow an inquiry into a private memo he wrote to
President Oscar Arias.
Monks March Against Myanmar Junta
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/asia/19myanmar.html?ref=3Dasia
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hundreds of defiant monks marched through Yangon Tuesday after being
barred from Myanmar's most important Buddhist temple.
Downgraded Storm Hits Southeast China
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Asia-Typhoon.html?ref=3Dasia
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Typhoon Wipha slammed into the coast south of Shanghai Wednesday as
authorities evacuated 2 million people.
Former Khmer Rouge Leader Detained
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Cambodia-Khmer-Rouge.html?ref=3Das=
ia
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Police detained the top surviving leader of the Khmer Rouge on
Wednesday over his role in the notorious former Cambodian regime that
caused the deaths of 1.7 million people in the late 1970s.
New Twist on Musharraf Plan Emerges
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/asia/19pakistan.html?ref=3Dasia
By SALMAN MASOOD
Gen. Pervez Musharraf plans to run for another term but resign his
military post if he is re-elected as president.
French and Russian Foreign Ministers Meet, in Iran's Shadow
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/europe/19iran.html?ref=3Deurope
By KATRIN BENNHOLD
Tense talks between the two countries were dominated by the West's
standoff with Iran, with Russia saying it would oppose tougher
sanctions for the time being.
U=2ES. Officials Seek to Ease Strain With Britain Over Iraq
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/europe/19london.html?ref=3Deurope
By JOHN F. BURNS
The top two American military and diplomatic officials in Iraq sought
to play down differences over Iraq policy as they met with senior
British officials on Tuesday.
U=2ES. Finds Putin Plan on Radar Inadequate
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/europe/19missile.html?ref=3Deurope
By THOM SHANKER
American technical experts spent Tuesday inspecting Russian radar
equipment in Azerbaijan, which they said was incapable of replacing a
tracking system the U.S. proposed basing in the Czech Republic.
Sarkozy Takes Aim at Retirement Perks
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/europe/19france.html?ref=3Deurope
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
President Nicolas Sarkozy took the first perilous steps to rein in
generous early retirement perks of powerful unionized workers Tuesday.
Turkey Keeps Military Options Open on Kurdish Separatists Across Iraq
Border
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/europe/19turkey.html?ref=3Deurope
By SEBNEM ARSU
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan refused to rule out the
possibility of military operations inside northern Iraq against armed
Kurdish separatist groups.
Isolation of Gaza Chokes Off Trade
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/world/middleeast/19gaza.html?ref=3Dmiddle=
east&pagewanted=3Dall
By STEVEN ERLANGER
With Gaza almost entirely shut off from normal trade, Palestinian
businesses are enduring a deep depression.
Alumna Gives $128 Million to High School
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/education/19gift.html?ref=3Dus
By SAM DILLON
Events originating in Warren E. Buffett's rejection from Harvard
Business School have led to a gift to a Quaker private school that
dwarfs some college endowments.
Warrantless Wiretaps Not Used, Official Says
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/washington/19nsa.html?ref=3Dus
By JAMES RISEN
The National Security Agency has not conducted wiretapping without
warrants on the telephones of any Americans since at least February,
the nation's top intelligence officer told Congress.
In Louisiana, a Tree, a Fight and a Question of Justice
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/19jena.html?ref=3Dus
By RICHARD G. JONES
In Jena, La., residents are girding for a demonstration over
accusations of racial bias in the criminal justice system.
Legal Immigrants Rally at Capitol to Protest Backlog
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/19immigration.html?ref=3Dus
By JULIA PRESTON
Highly skilled legal immigrants rallied Tuesday at the Capitol to
protest long delays and vast bureaucratic backlogs in the immigration
system.
Giuliani to Face the N.R.A.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/giuliani-to-face-the-nra/
Rudolph W. Giuliani faces a major test of his refined tone on gun
control at a National Rifle Association conference on Friday.
Giuliani's Day in London
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/giulianis-day-in-london/
The Republican candidate's overseas trip includes meeting with past
and present prime ministers.
Reaction to Ahmadinejad at Ground Zero
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/reaction-to-ahmadinejad-at-gr=
ound-zero/
Presidential candidates have issued statements denouncing Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad's request to visit the World Trade Center site.
Big Labor Endorsement Delayed
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/big-labor-endorsement-delayed/
After the Democratic candidates spent time wooing the powerful Service
Employees International Union, its board doesn't have a consensus yet
on its favored candidate.
No Penalty for Democrats Who Attend Michigan Conference
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/no-penalty-for-democrats-who-=
attend-michigan-conference/
The Democratic chairmen in four early-voting states have granted the
Democratic presidential candidates an exemption to attend the Arab
American Institute conference in Michigan.
Obama Targets Manhattan
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/obama-targets-manhattan/
Barack Obama's August fund-raiser at the Brooklyn Marriott drew so
many people that some supporters got shut out of the event. So the
campaign is planning a return visit to stir up grassroots support,
this time with a Sept. 27 rally in Washington Square Park.
New Ad: Obama Asks Iowans to Believe
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/new-ad-obama-asks-iowans-to-b=
elieve/
Senator Barack Obama is going on the air today with a new 60-second
television commercial in Iowa, talking directly to the camera as he
makes his case to voters about the kind of not-from-Washington
experience he brings to the race.
In Olympics Success, Romney Found New Edge
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/politics/19romney.html?pagewanted=3Dall
By KIRK JOHNSON
A pragmatism that allowed Mitt Romney to run the 2002 Winter Games now
haunts him on the campaign trail.
An Old Friend Joins Giuliani in a Spotlight
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/politics/19friends.html
By MICHAEL COOPER
The ties run deep between Rudolph W. Giuliani and the attorney general
nominee, Michael B. Mukasey.
Public Policy With a Personal Message
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/politics/19memo.html?ref=3Dpolitics
By PATRICK HEALY and ROBIN TONER
The rollout of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's health care plan this
week was intended to show that more than her policy ideas have changed
in the past 14 years. The deeper message was that she has changed,
too.
Clinton Rejects Rival's Attack on Luncheon
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/politics/19dems.html?ref=3Dpolitics
By LESLIE WAYNE
The campaigns of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards
traded pointed criticisms Tuesday over Mrs. Clinton's use of a
Washington luncheon for fund-raising.
Obama Proposes Tax Cuts for Middle Class and Elderly
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/politics/19obama.html?ref=3Dpolitics
By JEFF ZELENY
Senator Barack Obama of Illinois proposed a plan to provide at least
$80 billion a year in tax cuts to middle-class workers, homeowners and
the elderly.
Wavering Republican Casts Doubt on Democrat's Iraq Bill
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/washington/19cong.html?ref=3Dpolitics
By CARL HULSE and DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
Senator John W. Warner, a senior Republican who is influential on
military policy, told colleagues that he was reconsidering his earlier
support for the Democrats proposal.
Debate on Ending SAT Gains Ground
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/education/19sat.html?ref=3Deducation&page=
wanted=3Dall
By PATRICIA COHEN
The social scientist who argued that welfare perpetuated dependency
and should be eliminated is now proposing to abolish the SAT.
Fed's Move Helps Mood on the Street
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/business/19markets.html?ref=3Dbusiness&pa=
gewanted=3Dall
By VIKAS BAJAJ
Nonetheless, economists and market specialists cautioned that the cut
would take time to work through the system.
Suddenly, a Hesitation About Splurging
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/business/19hedge.html?ref=3Dbusiness&page=
wanted=3Dall
By LANDON THOMAS Jr.
Lavishness is being replaced by caution at hedge funds due to the
recent turmoil in the markets and calls from Capitol Hill to increase
taxes on the industry.
Health Plan Overhauled at Wal-Mart
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/business/19health.html?ref=3Dbusiness
By MICHAEL BARBARO
The retailer unveiled a plan intended to expand coverage and offer
workers cheap prescription drugs.
New Push Into China by N.B.A.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/business/worldbusiness/19hoops.html?ref=
=3Dbusiness
By KEITH BRADSHER
In a move certain to highlight the growing importance of China to both
the National Basketball Association and the sport, the N.B.A. plans to
announce Wednesday the formation of a Chinese subsidiary.
With Economy Volatile, Financial Firms Start to Stress Stability
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/business/media/19adco.html?ref=3Dbusiness
By STUART ELLIOTT
Weeks after problems with subprime mortgages began roiling the
industry, advertisers are offering reassurances about their stability
and ability to ride out the storm.
Intel Previews a New Family of Power-Saving Chips
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/technology/19chip.html?ref=3Dbusiness
By LAURIE J. FLYNN
The new architecture, code-named Nehalem, will use as many as eight
processing cores, and offer better graphics and memory control
processing.
Google Program Enlists Mini-Sites as Selling Tool for Advertisers
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/technology/19google.html?ref=3Dbusiness
By LOUISE STORY
The company is seizing on the popularity of widgets - small online
tools that function like mini-Web sites - for its latest push into
advertising.
More Retailers Found to Have Lead-Tainted Items
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/business/worldbusiness/19toys.html?ref=3D=
business
By ERIC LIPTON
Congressional investigators determined that major American retailers
have found more lead-contaminated children's products in their
inventories but have not yet notified the public.
Economists vs. Ecologists
http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/
By John Tierney
Last week's column about Bjorn Lomborg's ideas for combatting global
warming generated lots of angry comments, including the suggestion
that Dr. Lomborg and I be fed to polar bears. I was more interested in
what Seth Masia had to say about the Copenhagen Consensus, which is
Dr. Lomborg's project for bringing experts together to set priorities
in tackling global problems:
The root problem with Lomborg's consensus group is that it's composed
entirely of economists. Most of them have only a shaky understanding
of climate science, and they base decisions on the idea that it's
possible to place a cash value on a human life.
Lunch With Alice Waters, Food Revolutionary
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/dining/19wate.html?pagewanted=3Dall
By KIM SEVERSON
Alice Waters works at leveraging her role as the high priestess of the
local, sustainable food revolution, one household at a time.
Senate Passes Mental Health Parity Bill
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/us/19mental.html?ref=3Dhealth
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Senate unanimously approved legislation on Tuesday night that
would require equal health insurance coverage for mental and physical
illnesses when policies cover both.
F=2ED.A. Warns Procter on Hand Sanitizer Advertising
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/business/19hand.html?ref=3Dhealth
By BLOOMBERG NEWS
Procter & Gamble was ordered Tuesday to stop advertising that its
Vicks foaming sanitizer for hands prevents the spread of viruses that
cause colds.
CBS Screens 'Kid Nation' at Schools
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/arts/television/19kid.html?ref=3Darts
By EDWARD WYATT
At the same time that CBS has refused to share copies of the premiere
with critics and reporters in order to maintain secrecy over that
episode's results, it has been screening the program for
schoolchildren and potential advertisers.
SEIU: Request Clinton, Edwards and Obama in Chicago Next Week
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/19/19319/9392
by icebergslim
Wed Sep 19, 2007 at 04:18:57 PM PDT
Why?
They want to know specifically how each will win the White House.
OBAMA AND "THE GAME":
http://www.tnr.com/blog/the_plank?pid=3D144579
Having "rocked the house" at SEIU Monday, Barack Obama put on another
pumped-up performace at a rally in downtown Washington yesterday
evening. It included a strikingly pointed riff that I didn't hear in
Iowa last week, and which an aide tells me is a relatively new
addition to his stump speech.
http://www.tnr.com/blog/show_comments.mhtml?b=3Dthe_plank&pid=3D144579
Notes on a Weekend in New Hampshire
http://time-blog.com/swampland/2007/09/notes_on_a_weekend_in_new_hamp_1.html
Posted by Joe Klein | Comments (22) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) |
Email This
I spent Sunday with Hillary (and Bill) Clinton and Monday with Barack
Obama in New Hampshire, and there were some flagrant compare and
contrast moments...and some striking similarities:
Biggest Striking Similarity: Both candidates are emphasizing the exact
same issues and they are saying almost the exact same things about
those issues. The consultants and their focus groups have never seemed
more powerful. Health care for every single American (except that
neither has produced a plan to do that--Obama's lacks a mandate and
we'll see about Hillary's, when she launches in a couple of weeks).
Energy independence. End the war. Restore America's place in the
world. Raise up the middle class. End cronyism. Both candidates have
populist flickers, and name the Insurance companies, Big Oil, Big
Pharma as corporate evildoers.
Barack Obama Is Not Jesse Jackson. But He's Not Not-Jesse Jackson
Either.
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/09/barack_obama_is_not_je=
sse_jack.php
19 Sep 2007 12:19 pm
And that's why this quote from the Rev. Jackson, spoken in South
Carolina yesterday, is so interesting:
"If I were a candidate, I'd be all over Jena," Jackson said after an
hour-long speech at Columbia's historically black Benedict College.
He's referring to the Jena Six -- black teenagers who feel victim to
what appears to be the racial prejudice of authorities in a small
Louisiana town.
Obama Tax Plan
http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/09/obama_tax_plan.php
19 Sep 2007 09:33 am
The good news about yesterday's Barack Obama speech on tax policy is
that it's a good speech. The basic theme of the speech is that the tax
code should be made simpler, fairer, and more progressive. I agree!
Barack Obama: Experts Praise Barack Obama's Middle Class Tax Fairness
Plan
http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/48732628_barack_obama_barack_obama_exper=
ts_praise_barack_obamas_middle_class_tax_fairness_plan
Wed, 09/19/2007 - 14:04 - newsdesk
Washington, DC -- September 18, 2007 -- "This plan directs its
attention to the vast majority of taxpayers, who have seen little
benefit from the current administration's tax policy. Through its
income tax credit for payroll taxes and its simplification measures,
it should make work more rewarding and paying taxes less difficult."
[Alan Auerbach, Director, Burch Center for Tax Policy and Public
Finances; Robert D. Burch Professor of Economics and Law, University
of California-Berkeley; Member, Panel of Economic Advisors, U.S.
Congressional Budget Office (1998-2002)]
Obama's Loss May Have Aided White House Bid
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3D14502364
by Don Gonyea
Morning Edition, September 19, 2007 =B7 Barack Obama may be one of the
country's most instantly recognizable figures - and a politician with
what seems like a golden touch - but it hasn't always been that way.
In March of 2000, Obama, then an Illinois state General Assembly
member, made his first run for Congress - and lost.
Obama The only man in American who believes in hope.
http://www.thisisby.us/index.php/content/obama_the_only_man_in_american_who=
_believes_in_hope
Obama's fresh, new, not old rally in Washington,DC
To preface this message, I would like to say that my political views,
nor party affiliations have no relation to what I have to say, and
that I hope that this email will not be cast aside.
Yesterday Mr. Obama gave a speech in Washington, D.C. which I attended
with excitement. He ended up speaking with as much substance as open
space. I bet that one could find more substance in one of Bush's
speeches than at yesterday's rally. (Mind you not any speech, but over
the course of the past couple decades there is -probably- one speech
where Bush actually said something beyond rhetoric.) Barack took the
stage and immediately vomited past headlines, past/current
politicians' speeches, and 'power' words out of which he beat the
significance.
Let's make Obama the next president
http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2007/sep/19/lets-make-obama-next-pre=
sident/
Vince Ebbighausen, Fergus Falls
Published Wednesday, September 19, 2007
I would have to agree with Harold Duebbert in his endorsement of
Barack Obama. Since Duebbert is a combat veteran of the Korean War, he
has a good understanding of what killing and dying is like and that's
the reason why so many of us are opposed to this unjustified war.
Many of us veterans have opposed this war from the start and also it
is the case for Barack Obama to be our next president as he was
against this war from the beginning.
Barack Obama will focus on politics of hope, not fear
http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2007/sep/12/barack-obama-will-focus-=
politics-hope-not-fear/
Harold F. Duebbert, Fergus Falls
Published Wednesday, September 12, 2007
On Sept. 3, I watched and listened to Barack Obama during a campaign
rally in Manchester, N.H. I considered it to be a powerful speech in
which he spoke from his heart and with deep convictions. As usual he
spoke without notes and gave an articulate very intelligent message.
This is in quite a contrast to George W. Bush and most politicians who
read speeches written by others.
.
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