| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"maff" |
| Date: |
05 Sep 2007 07:58:50 PM |
| Object: |
OT: Shoring Up the Middle |
Shoring Up the Middle
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401621.html
By Harold Meyerson
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A21
LOS ANGELES -- In the spring of 1923, a sick and frustrated Lenin
penned an article for Pravda titled "Better Fewer, But Better." The
state he had willed into existence was mass-producing communists who
knew nothing of communism. Better that the state should take its time,
Lenin counseled, and turn out fewer but higher-quality commissars.
In fact, the genius of the Soviet system was precisely its capacity to
mass-produce thugs. One system that has taken Lenin's words to heart,
however, is American manufacturing. Each year, our factories employ a
smaller and smaller share of American workers, but each year the value
of their output continues to rise.
The Torment of Teresa
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401625.html
By Michael Gerson
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A21
What are we to make of Mother Teresa's letters, collected in a new
volume called " Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light," which reveal decades
of spiritual depression, loneliness and doubt? Should this console us
or disturb us?
The pious answer is that these sentiments humanize the distant saint,
showing that even the great have their struggles. But this
underestimates the rawness and intensity of the letters themselves,
which are in fact disturbing.
Importing Poverty
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401623.html
By Robert J. Samuelson
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A21
The government last week released its annual statistical report on
poverty and household income. As usual, we -- meaning the public, the
media and politicians -- missed a big part of the story. It is this:
The stubborn persistence of poverty, at least as measured by the
government, is increasingly a problem associated with immigration. As
more poor Hispanics enter the country, poverty goes up. This is not
complicated, but it is widely ignored.
The standard story is that poverty is stuck; superficially, the
statistics support that. The poverty rate measures the share of
Americans below the official poverty line, which in 2006 was $20,614
for a four-person household. Last year, the poverty rate was 12.3
percent, down slightly from 12.6 percent in 2005 but higher than the
recent low, 11.3 percent in 2000. It was also higher than the 11.8
percent average for the 1970s. So the conventional wisdom seems amply
corroborated.
The Empress's New Purse
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401622.html
By Ruth Marcus
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A21
Somewhere in the Washington area is a woman whose bad taste is
exceeded only by her big wallet -- and, I have to say, her skewed
values.
The Washington Bag Lady has plunked down $52,500 -- yes, you read that
right -- for the Louis Vuitton Tribute Patchwork pocketbook. She is,
The Post's Ylan Q. Mui reports, one of only five lucky women in North
America, and 24 in the world, who can call the bag their own.
How to Gain A Climate Consensus
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401759.html
By George P. Shultz
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A21
We in the United States -- and we as global citizens -- live in what
is, in many respects, a golden moment. Economic growth is globally
strong, and, if security threats can be contained, this expansion,
with some ups and downs, can be sustained.
Strong growth means increased use of energy at a pace that can strain
the capacity to supply what is needed at a reasonable price. This
highlights two urgent questions: how to use energy without producing
excess greenhouse gases that create disruptive conditions on a global
scale; and how to reduce the threat to national security from excess
dependence on oil.
Rogue Regulator
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401810.html
Mohamed ElBaradei pursues a separate peace with Iran.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A20
FOR SOME time Mohamed ElBaradei, the Egyptian diplomat who heads the
International Atomic Energy Agency, has made it clear he considers
himself above his position as a U.N. civil servant. Rather than carry
out the policy of the Security Council or the IAEA board, for which he
nominally works, Mr. ElBaradei behaves as if he were independent of
them, free to ignore their decisions and to use his agency to thwart
their leading members -- above all the United States.
The War on Poverty
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401809.html
Michael Bloomberg brings his ideas to the battle.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A20
NEW YORK Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he is not running for president.
Yet that didn't stop him from coming to Washington last week to
promote an expansion of the earned-income tax credit as the next phase
in the war on poverty. The EITC has been around since 1975 and is
widely considered the single most important and effective policy for
reducing poverty. According to a 2006 report from the Brookings
Institution, "In 2003, the EITC lifted 4.4 million people in low-
income, working families out of poverty, more than one-half of them
children." Mr. Bloomberg is right to focus on its expansion.
No Relief From Fear
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402275.html
Despite U.S. Buildup, Families Still Fleeing Baghdad Homes As
Violence, Rivalries Loom Over Paralyzed Iraqi Government
By Sudarsan Raghavan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A01
BAGHDAD -- Driven by fear and desperation, Um Abdullah's parents, who
are Sunnis, swapped homes with a Shiite family they have known for
years. Her parents moved to a section of Baghdad's Saidiya
neighborhood controlled by Sunni insurgents. And their friends moved
into her family home in the Risala area, controlled by Shiite
militias. Each family left behind their furniture, so they could move
swiftly and in secret.
It seemed a perfect solution in a capital whose polarization along
sectarian lines has deepened this year, despite the influx of 30,000
U.S. military reinforcements. But within days of the arrival of Um
Abdullah's parents two months ago, Shiite militias pushed deeper into
Saidiya, driving out hundreds of Sunni families. The parents' fear
returned.
Investment Pitches Prey On Elderly
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402281.html
Vulnerable Group Ensnared By Salesmen, Officials Say
By Carrie Johnson and John Solomon
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A01
Less than a year before he died, Arthur Moyer converted his $500,000
life savings into a complex investment he could not tap for a decade
without incurring steep fees.
The 79-year-old former machinist from Pennsylvania poured his money
into a deferred annuity at the urging of a salesman who presented
himself as a retirement expert and collected a hefty commission,
according to Moyer's son and a family adviser. They said Moyer, ailing
and confined to a wheelchair, spent the final weeks of his life
slumped with his head between his knees, fending off depression.
Military Officials in Iraq Fault GAO Report
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402338.html
By Karen DeYoung and Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A01
A bleak portrait of the political and security situation in Iraq
released yesterday by the Government Accountability Office sparked
sharp protests from the top U.S. military command in Baghdad, whose
officials described it as flawed and "factually incorrect."
The controversy followed last-minute changes made in the final draft
of the report after the Defense Department maintained that its
conclusions were too harsh and insisted that some of the information
it contained -- such as the extent of a fall in the number of Iraqi
army units capable of operating without U.S. assistance -- should not
appear in the final, unclassified version.
New Book Details Cheney Lawyer's Efforts to Expand Executive Power
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402292.html
By Dan Eggen and Peter Baker
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A01
Vice President Cheney's top lawyer pushed relentlessly to expand the
powers of the executive branch and repeatedly derailed efforts to
obtain congressional approval for aggressive anti-terrorism policies
for fear that even a Republican majority might say no, according to a
new book written by a former senior Justice Department official.
David S. Addington, who is now Cheney's chief of staff, viewed both
U.S. lawmakers and overseas allies with "hostility" and repeatedly
opposed efforts by other administration lawyers to soften
counterterrorism policies or seek outside support, according to Jack
L. Goldsmith, who frequently clashed with Addington while serving as
head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel in 2003 and
2004.
Asians Say Trade Complaints Bring Out the Bully in China
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402284.html
By Ariana Eunjung Cha
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A01
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- After hearing about dangerous Chinese products
elsewhere, Indonesia this summer began testing popular Chinese-made
items on its own store shelves. What it found has added to the list of
horrors: mercury-laced makeup that turns skin black, dried fruit
spiked with industrial chemicals, carcinogenic children's candy.
The Chinese government called up in August saying it had a possible
solution. Husniah Rubiana Thamrin Akib, head of Indonesia's top food
and drug safety agency, was pleased and welcomed her counterparts to
her office.
And Representing the Great State of Denial . . .
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401837.html
By Dana Milbank
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A02
"We didn't miss you," Mitch McConnell announced to reporters yesterday
upon returning from summer break.
The truth of this statement could not be disputed. It has been a cruel
season for the Senate Republican leader and his caucus.
Craig Considers Remaining In Senate During Legal Battle
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401416.html
By Paul Kane
washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A03
Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho) is reconsidering his announced intention
to resign, if he can clear his name of criminal and ethics charges
before the end of the month, a spokesman said last night.
Other Craig aides, however, sent mixed signals yesterday about the
strength of the senator's desire to remain in the chamber as he
pursues a legal challenge to his guilty plea stemming from an
undercover sex sting in an airport restroom, as well as an
investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee.
Army Exceeds Recruitment Goal For August by 528
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401976.html
By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A04
The Army surpassed its active-duty recruiting goal for August by more
than 5 percent, using higher enlistment bonuses and additional
recruiters to turn around an early summer slump that threatened the
service's fiscal year goal of 80,000 by the end of September.
Army data obtained by The Washington Post show that the Army recruited
10,128 new troops in August, 528 more than the monthly goal of 9,600.
Last month's recruiting total -- aided by a new $20,000 "quick ship"
bonus that spurs people to leave for basic training within 30 days --
was the largest monthly total this fiscal year. The Army will now need
to recruit about 8,000 people this month to meet its goal for the
year.
The Magic Touch?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402188.html
Winfrey Lends Her Brand and Her Empire in Support of Obama's
Presidential Bid
By Matthew Mosk
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A06
The Oprah-Obama '08 bumper sticker was meant to be only a lark, hawked
on the Internet for $3.99 under the catchphrase "Just when you thought
there was no hope for the Democratic Party . . ."
Turns out the sentiment, at least, may not be entirely fanciful.
FEMA to Let Katrina Victims Move From Trailers Into Hotels
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402130.html
By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A08
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced yesterday that it
will allow 60,000 families displaced by Hurricane Katrina and now
living in FEMA-provided trailers on the Gulf Coast to move into hotel
or motel rooms if they are concerned about formaldehyde gas in their
trailers.
The policy shift, made two weeks ago but not widely publicized until
now, follows a House committee finding in July that FEMA leaders had
suppressed warnings about the presence of high levels of potentially
cancer-causing formaldehyde, apparently to avoid legal liability.
New Chapter in Drug Trade
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402018.html
In Wake of Colombia's U.S.-Backed Disarmament Process, Ex-Paramilitary
Fighters Regroup Into Criminal Gangs
By Juan Forero
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A10
BOGOTA, Colombia -- Colombia's cocaine trade has never been controlled
by a single cast of characters.
In the 1980s, Pablo Escobar and other flamboyant cocaine cowboys,
wielding billions of dollars and armies of hit men, nearly brought the
state to its knees. Their deaths ushered in more discreet groups, so-
called baby cartels, that outsourced trafficking and murder to gangs.
Then came a paramilitary force that relied on cocaine to fund a war
against Marxist rebels, a bloody phase the government says ended with
the disarmament of militias last year.
Musharraf Faces Limited Options
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401067.html
State of Emergency Possible, Adviser Says
By Griff Witte
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A10
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 4 -- A top adviser to Pakistani President
Pervez Musharraf acknowledged Tuesday that the general's options for
staying in power are increasingly bleak and said that a declaration of
emergency is being considered as a way of keeping him in office.
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim
League, said that while a complete military takeover under martial law
had been ruled out, a state of emergency that would allow for the
postponement of elections for up to a year and the curtailment of
individual liberties was still on the table. "Martial law is a very
harsh word," Hussain said in an interview. "Emergency rule is not so
harsh."
Hurricane Felix Hits Nicaragua as Henriette Slams Baja Peninsula
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090400244.html
By Manuel Roig-Franzia
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A10
GUATEMALA CITY, Sept. 4 -- Hurricanes swept ashore in Nicaragua and
Mexico within hours of each other Tuesday, the first time Atlantic and
Pacific hurricanes have made landfall on the same day since 1998,
according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
Felix arrived first, punishing sparsely populated northern Nicaragua
with 160 mph winds before dawn, then plowing inland across Honduras
and threatening floods and mudslides in a region still recovering from
Hurricane Mitch, which killed nearly 11,000 people in 1998. More than
1,900 miles away, Henriette swelled to hurricane strength Tuesday
afternoon and roared onto the southern tip of Mexico's Baja peninsula,
an area thick with some of Latin America's swankiest hotels and
vacation homes.
Death Sentences Upheld in Iraq For 'Chemical Ali,' Two Others
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402113.html
By Bushra Juhi
Associated Press
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A11
BAGHDAD, Sept. 4 -- An Iraqi appeals court on Tuesday upheld death
sentences for Ali Hassan Majeed, or "Chemical Ali," and two other
lieutenants of Saddam Hussein who were convicted of crimes against
humanity for their roles in a massacre of Kurds, a judge said.
Majeed, Hussein's cousin and former defense minister, gained the
nickname Chemical Ali after poison gas attacks on Kurdish towns in the
1980s.
Missteps and Mistrust Mark the Push for Legislation
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402190.html
By Joshua Partlow
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A12
IRBIL, Iraq -- Two weeks after the United States launched an ambitious
security plan for Iraq, then-U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad issued
an enthusiastic announcement about progress toward an Iraqi oil law, a
key American goal.
"This is a significant political achievement," the Feb. 27 statement
began. "Under the approved law, oil will become a tool that will help
unify Iraq and give all Iraqis a shared stake in their country's
future."
U.S. Efforts May Work Against Iraqi Self-Sufficiency
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402285.html
By Sudarsan Raghavan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A13
JIFF JAFFA, Iraq -- After the feast, the tribal leaders of Jiff Jaffa
laid out their problem. They had five water pumps issued by the Iraqi
government, but none were working. Municipal officials either said
they were afraid to visit this dangerous region or demanded that the
leaders pay large sums to use certain contractors. Now, the sheiks
were asking for help from the United States.
It was a familiar request for the group of U.S. soldiers and aid
officials seated in a large trailer on a farm in this rural stretch of
southern Iraq.
Iran Rejects Search for Traces of Ex-FBI Agent, U.S. Says
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090400884.html
By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A14
Iran has blocked a request from the United States to allow Swiss
diplomats to go to Kish Island to look for the luggage or other traces
of missing former FBI agent Robert A. Levinson, according to U.S.
officials and the Levinson family.
Levinson flew to Kish Island, an Iranian duty-free zone that does not
require visas, on a business trip six months ago and disappeared.
Iran's Foreign Ministry told the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which
represents U.S. interests there, that it had closed its own
investigation into the Levinson case, the sources said.
Australian Leader Endorses Iraq Policy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402045.html
Bush in Sydney for Economic Summit
By Michael A. Fletcher
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A14
SYDNEY, Sept. 5 -- President Bush received a firm endorsement of his
Iraq war policy from embattled Australian Prime Minister John Howard,
who said on Wednesday that he would not withdraw any of his nation's
combat troops from the country until the mission is complete.
"Australian forces will remain at their current levels in Iraq, not
based on any calendar but based on conditions on the ground," said
Howard, who is facing a reelection challenge in a campaign against an
opponent who favors a staged withdrawal of the 1,500 Australian
military personnel in Iraq.
Israeli Court Orders Rerouting of Barrier
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090400948.html
Decision Backs Palestinian Villagers
By Scott Wilson
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A16
GAZA CITY, Sept. 4 -- Israel's high court ordered the military Tuesday
to reroute the separation barrier near the West Bank village of Bilin,
the scene of sometimes rowdy weekly demonstrations against the project
that Israeli and Palestinian activists say helped bring about their
rare legal victory.
The Israeli military has said the path of the 456-mile barrier was
determined by security considerations, and it attributes a sharp
reduction in suicide bombings in Israel in recent years to the $2.5
billion construction project.
Difficulties Arise in Probe Of Russian Reporter's Death
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401048.html
By Peter Finn
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A16
MOSCOW, Sept. 4 -- A week after Russia's chief prosecutor announced
the arrest of 10 suspects in the contract-style killing of journalist
Anna Politkovskaya, the investigation into her murder appears to be in
disarray.
Pyotr Gabriyan, the chief investigator in the case, was replaced by a
more senior official Tuesday, a move that Politkovskaya's former
editors at the Novaya Gazeta newspaper said in a statement caused them
"disappointment and bewilderment."
Exhibit A in Painting Court as Too Far Right
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401900.html
By Robert Barnes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A19
Lilly Ledbetter's pay discrimination case before the Supreme Court
raised no constitutional quandaries and never received much attention.
Until it was decided.
One of These Things Is Not Like the Other . . .
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401928.html
By Al Kamen
Wednesday, September 5, 2007; Page A19
Shoulda known better. We take off a couple of weeks and the hoo-ha
hits the blades.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigned and headed to Disney World
over Labor Day weekend with the family, some of his kids' friends and
his security detail. (Why he needs a detail when he's safely outside
the Beltway is unclear, but they're said to be handy when the lines
down there get really long.) Also, two veteran senators, Larry Craig
and John Warner, are calling it quits -- or maybe not -- White House
press secretary Tony Snow is leaving, and the British stood down in
the Basra region as the Iraqis finally stood up.
Another Iraq Photo Op
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/opinion/05wed1.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
As Americans and Iraqis continue to die, President Bush stubbornly
refuses to recognize that what both countries need is a responsible
exit strategy for the United States.
Unprotected Air Cargo
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/opinion/05wed2.html
Congress has passed a good law that would make American air travelers
safer. Now, the Transportation Security Administration needs to
enforce it.
The Candidates' Tainted Money
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/opinion/05wed3.html
For all their press releases promising watchfulness, the presidential
candidates have become increasingly addicted to bundlers.
A Saint of Darkness
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/opinion/05wed4.html
A new book of Mother Teresa's letters is a welcome reminder that
saints, too, are only human, and that stories of dauntless piety tend
to be false.
The Mix Tape of the Gods
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/opinion/05ferris.html
By TIMOTHY FERRIS
Contemplation of Voyager's billion-year future among the stars may
make us feel small and the span of our history seem insignificant.
A Culture of Naming That Even a Law May Not Tame
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/americas/05venez.html?ref=world
By SIMON ROMERO
A bill introduced last week could prohibit Venezuelan parents from
bestowing names like Tutankamen del Sol, Hengelberth, and Maolenin on
their children.
Hard Times Help Leaders in Iran Tighten Grip
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/middleeast/05iran.html?ref=world&pagewanted=all
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN
Iran's increasing economic and political isolation is helping leaders
to hold back what they see as corrupting foreign influences.
Suicide Blasts Kill 25 in Pakistani Garrison City
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/asia/05pakistan.html?ref=world
By SALMAN MASOOD
Powerful coordinated explosions were set off by two suicide bombers in
Rawalpindi, a garrison city near the capital.
Marines Dispute Accounts of Excessive Force in Afghans' Deaths
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/asia/05marines.html?ref=world&pagewanted=all
By PAUL VON ZIELBAUER
Lawyers for two Marines involved in an episode that left about a dozen
Afghan civilians dead are disputing the official military and Afghan
descriptions of their actions.
Israeli Court Orders Barrier Rerouted
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/middleeast/05mideast.html?ref=world
By ISABEL KERSHNER
The section of Israel's separation barrier in dispute had cut a West
Bank village off from much of its farmland.
U.N. Chief Tries to Bolster Peace Accord in Sudan
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/africa/05nations.html?ref=africa
By WARREN HOGE
The settlement of the war in southern Sudan is being held up as a
model for resolving the Darfur crisis, Ban Ki-moon said.
Hurricane Felix Hammers Nicaragua and Honduras
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/americas/05felix.html
By MARC LACEY
Even as Hurricane Felix began inundating the countryside on Tuesday,
it was an earlier storm, Hurricane Mitch of 1998, that haunted
Hondurans.
Taliban Tied to Abduction Is Killed, Afghan Says
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/asia/05afghan.html?ref=asia
By ABDUL WAHEED WAFA and DAVID ROHDE
The Taliban commander who masterminded the kidnapping of 23 Koreans in
Afghanistan was killed in fighting on Monday evening, an Afghan
official said.
In Australia, Bush Finds an Enthusiastic Supporter
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/asia/05prexy.html?ref=asia
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
When President Bush met with John Howard, the prime minister of
Australia, the topic quickly turned to Iraq.
Eight Arrests in Bomb Plot in Denmark
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/europe/05denmark.html?ref=europe
By SOUAD MEKHENNET
Investigators described the threat as imminent and said the arrests
were the result of an international investigation that had lasted
several months.
Democrats, Promising to Force Change in War Strategy, Aim to Reframe
Iraq Debate
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/washington/05cong.html?ref=middleeast
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
As Congress reopened for business on Tuesday, the Democratic
leadership promised to force a change in President Bush's war
strategy.
Death Sentence Upheld for Hussein Henchman
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/middleeast/05iraq.html?ref=middleeast
By DAMIEN CAVE
The decision paved the way for the henchman, Ali Hassan al-Majid, a
cousin of Saddam Hussein, to be executed within 30 days in accordance
with Iraqi law.
As Prostitutes Turn to Craigslist, Law Takes Notice
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/nyregion/05craigslist.html?ref=us&pagewanted=all
By BRUCE LAMBERT
Law enforcement officials say the Web site, known for its for-sale
ads, is increasingly used to trade sex for money.
Washington Shed Here: A Collectible
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/05george.html?ref=us
By MICAH COHEN
Among cards picturing third basemen and center fielders, the Topps
Company inserted three George Washington "relic" cards, each with a
strand of hair from the first president.
Short on Labor, Farmers in U.S. Shift to Mexico
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/05export.html?pagewanted=all
By JULIA PRESTON
Concerned about a crackdown on immigrant labor, more farmers have been
moving across the border to Mexico.
No More Privies, So Hikers Add a Carry-Along
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/05whitney.html?ref=us
By FELICITY BARRINGER
More park stewards in the West are removing outhouses from trails and
asking hikers to pack out their own waste.
Hawaii Ferry Sits Idle Amid Protests and Court Rulings
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/05ferry.html?ref=us&pagewanted=all
By CHRISTOPHER PALA
An $85 million ferry that was designed to transform transportation
among the Hawaiian Islands is sitting idle amid a dispute over
environmental safety.
Florida Sheriff Set to Admit Guilt in a Corruption Case
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/05sheriff.html?ref=us
By TERRY AGUAYO
The authorities said that the sheriff, Ken Jenne, had accepted
thousands of dollars from contractors doing business with the
sheriff's office.
Musician Is Killed for Banging on a Door
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/05dallas.html?ref=us
By GRETEL C. KOVACH
The incident occurred three days after a new law took effect
strengthening the right of Texans to use deadly force to protect
themselves and their property.
Tainted 2004 Edwards Donor
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/tainted-2004-edwards-donor/
A contributor to the presidential primary bid of the former North
Carolina senator in the last cycle is indicted, but the current
campaign has no intention yet of returning that money.
Edwards: End the Benchmark Bickering
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/edwards-end-the-benchmark-bickering/
Saying that there is no hope for a military solution in Iraq,
presidential candidate John Edwards called on Congress to force the
president to set a timetable for the withdrawal of troops.
Senator Craig's Legal Options
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/senator-craigs-legal-options/
As the senator vows to clear his name, he may have a really difficult
time trying to undo his guilty plea in Minnesota. But there is a slim
opening there.
Change vs. Change in Clinton, Obama Spots
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/change-vs-change-in-clinton-obama-spots/
As both she and Senator Barack Obama release ads about "Change,"
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is refusing to choose one or the other
in the 'change vs. experience' fight.
Clinton Donor: Fugitive Redux
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/clinton-donor-fugitive-redux/
A major Democratic bundler of campaign contributions, not just for the
New York senator but for other Democrats, fails to appear in court
today after surrendering last week on a 15-year-old warrant.
In Turmoil of '68, Clinton Found a New Voice
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/politics/05clinton.html?pagewanted=all
By MARK LEIBOVICH
Hillary Rodham Clinton's course was set, in large part, during the
supercharged year of 1968.
Thompson's Ad Hits the Web
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/thompsons-ad-hits-the-web/
By Kate Phillips
Why wait to squeeze a short television ad in between all those tooth
whitener commercials, and amid the 90 minutes that your competitors
are debating important points on a stage in New Hampshire tonight?
The first glimpse - well, maybe the umpteenth glance - at the upcoming
announcement tomorrow of former Senator Fred Thompson's candidacy for
the G.O.P. nomination is already posted on the Web.
2008: G.O.P. Debate in N.H.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/2008-gop-debate-in-nh/
By Michael Falcone
One day before former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson is set to shake
up the Republican presidential field by officially announcing his
candidacy, the current crop of G.O.P. hopefuls will face off in a 90-
minute debate tonight that will be broadcast on Fox News at 9 p.m.
Eastern.
McCain Attacks Foes on Security and Foreign Policy
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/politics/05mccain.html?ref=politics
By MICHAEL COOPER
Senator John McCain took a more aggressive stance toward his
Republican rivals on Tuesday, saying they lack his knowledge and
experience on national security issues.
Michigan: Primary Is Moved Up
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/05brfs-PRIMARYISMOV_BRF.html?ref=politics
By MICHAEL FALCONE
Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm approved the bill despite a pact signed by
several Democratic candidates who agreed not to campaign in states
that have violated party rules by leapfrogging ahead on the primary
calendar.
Battle Over Iraq Strategy
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/world/middleeast/05adbo.html?ref=washington
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
As the nation awaits next week's report on the status of the Iraq war,
the battle for the hearts and minds of Americans is escalating on the
airwaves.
New Ties Found to Link Lenders and Colleges
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/us/05loan.html?ref=washington
By JONATHAN D. GLATER
A Congressional report suggests that there has been more questionable
conduct in the ties between colleges and student loan companies than
previously reported, this time involving charitable giving to build
business.
The School Cafeteria, on a Diet
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/business/05junkfood.html?ref=business&pagewanted=all
By ANDREW MARTIN
School districts across the country have been taking steps to make
food in schools healthier, but some parents say they are taking it too
far.
In 3rd Recall, Mattel Says More Toys Include Lead
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/business/worldbusiness/05mattel.html?ref=business
By LOUISE STORY
The latest recall - the third in five weeks - covers 675,000 units of
various Barbie accessory toys that were manufactured from Sept. 30,
2006, to Aug. 20.
China Steps Up Efforts to Cleanse Reputation
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/business/05counter.html?ref=business&pagewanted=all
By DAVID BARBOZA
Even as it cracks down on product safety and substandard goods, China
lashes out at critics of its exports.
Studies Say Newer Stents for Arteries Show Promise
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/business/05stent.html?ref=business
By BARNABY J. FEDER
Stent makers and cardiologists said reports at this year's major
meeting of European cardiologists bolstered their confidence in the
safety of the newer drug-coated versions of the devices.
Apple Reactions: First Product Impressions
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/apple-reaction-first-product-impressions/
The Nano is both fat and thin. People who bought the iPhone at $599
are mad that the price is now $399. And more reactions.
'Dead Certain'
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/books/05kaku.html?ref=arts
By ROBERT DRAPER
Reviewed by MICHIKO KAKUTANI
In "Dead Certain" Robert Draper draws a detailed portrait, based on
six hourlong interviews with the notoriously press-wary president and
interviews with some 200 other sources, including Laura Bush and Vice
President ***** Cheney.
Clinging to Memories of a Ghost Who Haunts Chile
http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/movies/05salv.html?ref=arts
By MANOHLA DARGIS
One from the heart, "Salvador Allende" is a plaintive look back at the
rise and violent fall of the world's first democratically elected
Marxist president.
Oprah's Couch For Obama Only
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/09/05/post_59.html
Oprah Winfrey may be getting behind Barack Obama's presidential
campaign with vigor this year -- she'll raise $3 million for him when
she holds a fundraiser at her California estate on Saturday.
It means she'll be wading into the political world as never before. In
2000, she had Al Gore and George Bush for guest appearances. And
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has dropped by her couch.
Ad Watch: Clinton's 'Change' And Obama's 'Change'
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/channel-08/2007/09/ad_watch_clintons_change_and_o.html
So you say you want a change? Then turn on the TV set in New Hampshire
or Iowa today. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are both running ads
with "change" as a theme.
The Spouses Speak Out On Electablity Issue
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/09/04/the_spouses_speak_out_on_elect.html
The Democratic obsession with "electability" is now moving to the
candidates' spouses.
In recent weeks, John Edwards has said he can win in the South and
appeal to rural voters, Barack Obama argued he can increase turnout
among blacks and young people by 30 percent, and Hillary Clinton said
she was the better general election candidate in part because
Republicans have already spent years researching her past. Edwards or
Obama, she implied, would provide fresh and untested targets for the
opposition.
Obama Wants More Regulation, But Experts Beg To Differ
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2007/20070831092338.aspx
Candidate wants 'fly-by-night' lenders regulated and fined, but free
market economists propose a different solution: let the market work.
By Stuart James
Business & Media Institute
8/31/2007 9:26:54 AM
Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has proposed a solution to
the subprime problem and its affect on the stock market - more
regulation.
"The implosion of the subprime lending industry is more than a
temporary blip in our economic progress. It is a cancer that, given
today's integrated financial markets, threatens to spread with
devastating impact to housing and to our economy as a whole, unless we
act to contain it," wrote Obama on the Financial Times Web site August
29.
Obama: Iran "greatest strategic threat" to US
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/5/17953/47352
by StephenB
Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 02:16:01 PM PDT
Yesterday's New York Daily News featured an op-ed by Barack Obama in
which he supports a "get tough" approach to Iran. Here's a quote:
[Iran] now poses the greatest strategic challenge to U.S. interests in
the Middle East in a generation. Iran supports violent groups and
sectarian politics in Iraq, fuels terror and extremism across the
Middle East and continues to make progress on its nuclear program in
defiance of the international community. Meanwhile, Iran's President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has declared that Israel must be "wiped off the
map."
Notes on a Weekend in New Hampshire
http://time-blog.com/swampland/2007/09/notes_on_a_weekend_in_new_hamp_1.html?xid=rss-swampland
Posted by Joe Klein
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.
Obama Loads Up With 150+ Foreign Policy Advisers, Many Former Clinton
Officials
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/09/05/obama-loads-up-with-150-_n_63158.html
Wall Street Journal | September 5, 2007 11:37 AM
What Democratic Sen. Barack Obama may lack in foreign-policy
experience, he is trying to make up for in sheer numbers of advisers
-- enough, says one of the team, for "his own virtual State
Department."
Since launching his presidential bid in February, the freshman senator
from Illinois has used the burgeoning brain trust -- now over 150
advisers and counting -- to help flesh out an almost wonkishly
detailed set of statements, on the Iraq war, on Iran, U.S.
counterterrorism strategy, the future of the U.S. military, even Cuba.
Coming up next, his advisers say, will be more on China, U.S. energy
security, the plight of Iraqi refugees, and how much to reduce the
U.S. nuclear stockpile.
Aggressive Ethics Reform: Obama's Plan To Restore Trust In Government
http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/9/5/183841/7155
by lovingj, Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 06:38:41 PM EST
The New York Sun did an article today on Obama entitled Obama Unveils
Government Ethics Plan. This article serves as another example of
Obama not just talking the talk but actually walking the walk. By
putting in writing his intent to marginalize special interest
influence in Washington, he is signaling to the American people that
ethics is not just something he talks about during an election year
but the "cause of his life."
The Sun article notes that his plan is broadening the differences
between a Clinton presidency and an Obama presidency.
.
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