articles 12/10

Secretary Rumsfeld's Remarks to the John Hopkins, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
"The Q&A period which followed rises above his prepared remarks by considerable margin. No transcript is available, a Real Player audio file is available here and it is worth every one its 44 minutes. The subjects he covers run the gamut. What is torture? Are military contractors necessary in Iraq? Why does the perception of the same event differ between segments of the American public? What is military transformation? What are the key advantages of the enemy? If they are not to be called insurgents, then what should they be called? How many troops are enough?"

C. S. Lewis Superstar
How a reserved British intellectual with a checkered pedigree became a rock star for evangelicals.

The Man Behind the Wardrobe
An interview with Douglas Gresham, stepson to the famous writer.

Does Criticism of the War Undermine Troop Morale?
James H. Joyner, Jr., Ph.D.

The Strongest Economy You've Never Heard Of
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
43% of Americans say they believe that the national economy is in a recession...Nothing could be further from the truth.

Bush turned the tables on the Democrats
By Victor Davis Hanson

Narnia & Its Enemies
Sexist, racist, intolerant Lewis?

Democratic Implosion
Can the party of the people be saved from itself?
By Victor Davis Hanson

Lieberman Wins Republican Friends, Democratic Enemies With Support For War
By Shailagh Murray

Lieberman's Pro-War Views Concern Dems
by Andrew Miga

Remarks of Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment Forum on Next Steps for Successful Strategy in Iraq
by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)

Saddam's Chief Apologist
by Christopher Hitchens

The Panic Over Iraq
by Norman Podhoretz

Fighting to Win
With the proper strategy, victory in Iraq is far more likely than people think.
by Frederick W. Kagan

Down the Memory Hole
The Pentagon sits on the documents of the Saddam Hussein regime.
by Stephen F. Hayes

The Party of Sam's Club
Isn't it time the Republicans did something for their voters?
by Ross Douthat & Reihan Salam

Eighty Percent of What?
A questionable poll on what Iraqis really want.
by Fred Barnes

Kyoto's Dead Hand
Even signatories are giving up on their emissions targets.

What if . . . . . . Saddam were still in power?
by Holman Jenkins

U.S. Faces Hard Road In World Cup
Team's First-Round Draw Features Italy, Czech Rep.
Advancing will be an achievement

Reds' Casey inspired local teen
By Kevin Garvey

articles 12/7

President Bush's Speech on the War on Terror, Rebuilding Iraq
Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.
12/7/2005

'Do Some Soul Searching'
Why aren't the media telling the whole story about Iraq?
by Donald Rumsfeld
Entire speech

The Wisdom of Solomon
Law schools adopt an Orwellian theory in an effort to keep the military out.

Rally Round the (White) Flag, Boys!
Democrats finally find an Iraq policy they can get behind.
by Edward Morrissey

Sex, Please--We're Young and Chinese
A generation after Mao suits, China is coping with an epidemic of free love

It's All Bad News. . .
Except for the economic reality on the ground.
by Irwin M. Stelzer

Salesman-in-Chief
Bush is talking up the economy and the war. At last.
by Larry Kudlow

The Battle for Narnia
by Adam Kirsch

Global cool
by David Warren

Iraq and the Corruption Trap
by Arnold Kling

It Ain't That Easy, Folks
by Michael Fumento
Iraqi withdrawal is harder and more dangerous than it first appears.

Some Megachurches Closing for Christmas
This Christmas, no prayers will be said in several megachurches around the country. Even though the holiday falls this year on a Sunday, when churches normally host thousands for worship, pastors are canceling services, anticipating low attendance on what they call a family day.

The Promise-Driven Life
by Michael S. Horton

Saddam's Shop of Horrors

articles 12/3

USA Today
Will that be cash, credit — or finger?

What, Me Worry?
Bush abandons the Alfred E. Neuman school of public relations.
by Daniel Henninger

Pouting Pundits of Pessimism
Every bit of good economic news gives them reason for despair.
by Brian Wesbury

'A Beacon on the Summit'
Foreign policy "realists" aren't always very realistic.
by Eliot Cohen

Let There Be Light . . .
. . . in the murkiest recesses of the United Nations.
by Bret Stephens

Truth or Consequences
If the war is to be lost, it will be a collapse of stateside civilian morale that loses it. Everything else is secondary.
by David Tell

Leaking At All Costs
What the CIA is willing to do to hurt the Bush administration.
by John Hinderaker

Pump Up the Volume
Finally the "nonpolitical" White House gets wise.
by Fred Barnes

President Outlines Strategy for Victory in Iraq United States
Naval AcademyAnnapolis, Maryland
National Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Fact Sheet: Training Iraqi Security Forces
In Focus: National Security


Vice President's Remarks at the Frontiers of Freedom Institute 2005 Ronald Reagan Gala
The Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Most of you know, I have spent a lot of years in public service, and first came to work in Washington back in the late 1960s. I know what it’s like to operate in a highly charged political environment, in which the players on all sides of an issue feel passionately and speak forcefully. In such an environment people sometimes lose their cool, and yet in Washington you can ordinarily rely on some basic measure of truthfulness and good faith in the conduct of political debate. But in the last several weeks we have seen a wild departure from that tradition. And the suggestion that’s been made by some U.S. senators that the President of the United States or any member of this administration purposely misled the American people on pre-war intelligence is one of the most dishonest and reprehensible charges ever aired in this city. (Applause.)

Some of the most irresponsible comments have, of course, come from politicians who actually voted in favor of authorizing the use of force against Saddam Hussein. These are elected officials who had access to the intelligence, and were free to draw their own conclusions. They arrived at the same judgment about Iraq’s capabilities and intentions that -- made by this Administration and by the previous administration. There was broad-based, bipartisan agreement that Saddam Hussein was a threat, that he had violated U.N. Security Council Resolutions, and that, in a post-9/11 world, we could not afford to take the word of a dictator who had a history of weapons of mass destruction programs, who had excluded weapons inspectors, who had defied the demands of the international community, whose nation had been designated an official state sponsor of terror, and who had committed mass murder. Those are the facts. (Applause.)

What we’re hearing now is some politicians contradicting their own statements and making a play for political advantage in the middle of a war. The saddest part is that our people in uniform have been subjected to these cynical and pernicious falsehoods day in and day out. American soldiers and Marines are out there every day in dangerous conditions and desert temperatures –- conducting raids, training Iraqi forces, countering attacks, seizing weapons, and capturing killers –- and back home a few opportunists are suggesting they were sent into battle for a lie.
The President and I cannot prevent certain politicians from losing their memory, or their backbone -– but we’re not going to sit by and let them rewrite history. (Applause.)

We’re going to continue throwing their own words back at them. And far more important, we’re going to continue sending a consistent message to the men and women who are fighting the war on terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, and many other fronts. We can never say enough how much we appreciate them, and how proud they make us. (Applause.)

They and their families can be certain that this cause is right and just, and the performance of our military has been brave and honorable. And this nation will stand behind our fighting forces with pride and without wavering until the day of victory.

Chamberlin splits from Chase to join Edelman in China

by Hamilton Nolan, PR Week USA

Dec. 2, 2005, 14:22

NEW YORK: JPMorgan Chase is experiencing some turnover as the head of external communications for the Chase card division departs to become head of Edelman's Shanghai office.

David Chamberlin, who was at Bank One until it merged with Chase in 2004, will begin his new post in January. Director of internal communications Paul Hartwick will succeed Chamberlin temporarily.

Fred Hill, the head of communications for JPMorgan Chase, said the company has recently downsized its corporate advertising group and its design group, and cut jobs in the philanthropic area. He added, however, that the communications department is not being downsized.

Melinda McMullen, an SVP of communications and public affairs who is leaving the company at the end of the year, will not be replaced.

When Jamie Dimon takes over as CEO on January 1, Hill will begin reporting to chief strategist Jay Mandelbaum.

"If you look at where [Dimon] has been in his career, he has never had communications report directly to him," said Hill. "Obviously I don't agree with that, but he's the boss."

articles 11/28

Debunking the myth of the underprivileged soldier
by Tim Kane and James Jay Carafano

articles 10/29

A new credit card of Chase Bank with 'blink' technology that lets users wave their cards near a computer reader instead of having to swipe them through a device, is shown Thursday, Oct. 27, 2005 in New York.

Philadelphia Inquirer
Paying in a blink

News-Journal
Chase unveils Wawa credit card
‘Contactless’ device frees customers of PINs, signatures

NY Post
New Card To Make Spending As Easy As A "blink"

Internet News
Gotham Can Purchase Without Contact

WPVI-TV, ABC Philadelphia
New Hi-Tech Credit Cards

Information Week
Chase Rolls Out RFID Credit Cards in NY and Philadelphia

A new credit card and card reader from Chase Bank with 'blink' technology that lets users wave their cards near a computer reader instead of having to swipe them through a device, is shown Thursday, Oct. 27, 2005 in New York.


Bono: The Rolling Stone Interview

Toledo Blade
Bono and U2 ask God some tough questions

Native of Sidney now topples terror

By JARED STRONG
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
October 25, 2005

A little background:

It's a long way from Depot Street in Sidney to the halls of the National Counterterrorism Center. Scott Redd made the trip like he does everything else: one step at a time.

Redd, a 61-year-old retired vice admiral, has held numerous high-level government jobs since 1998, when he left the Navy after 36 years. He's led an intelligence commission on weapons of mass destruction and last year directed programs to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure.

In the news:

Redd was confirmed by the U.S. Senate earlier this year as director of the National Counterterrorism Center. He's been on the job 90 days. The center is the primary organization for analysis of terrorism intelligence, and it helps plan counterterror activity. Redd answers to the director of national intelligence — and to the president. But first, he answers 10 (or so) Questions:

Q. Did you spend your entire childhood in Sidney?
A. Yes, indeed. We lived on what was commonly called Depot Street — no street numbers in those days — which later was christened Fillmore Street. I remember making up a street number for my ham radio license application.

Q. How often could you be seen at the famous Penn Drug Store? Do you miss their vanilla phosphates?
A. Penn Drug was the place to be, and I spent my fair share of time there downing more than a few vanilla phosphates. I wonder if they still make them.

Q. When did you graduate from Sidney High School?
A. 1962. We had, as I recall, 36 in our graduating class.

Q. Did you get along with those guys in Shenandoah?
A. They were OK, but then they were "city boys" compared to those of us from Sidney.

Q. Do you miss the Sidney Rodeo?
A. Of course. Every former resident of Sidney misses the rodeo. I remember that no matter from which direction you entered town, it seemed there was a large sign proclaiming Sidney as the "Largest Outdoor Rodeo in the World."

Q. Were you ever a rodeo participant?
A. No. My skill set didn’t run in that direction. However, I suppose everyone would like to be a bull rider.

Q. Did you play high school sports?
A. I certainly wasn’t a great athlete, but with 36 students in the class, you almost had to play every sport or there wouldn’t be a team. The game I remember most was playing a much larger high school baseball team from Council Bluffs and beating them 1-0. I pitched a one-hitter and won it with a home run. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Q. What is the worst part about growing up in southwest Iowa?
A. Putting up hay on my uncle’s farm in the middle of summer and walking to school in the midst of those Iowa winters.

Q. Hawkeyes or Cornhuskers?
A. Hawkeyes, of course.

Q. How do you plan to stop terrorism from hitting a small town like Sidney? Are there any targets in particular the town should safeguard?
A. Our mission at NCTC is difficult, but it’s straightforward: do everything possible to stop each and every attack.
I’d rather not get into a discussion of what specific locations or site might be tempting targets for terrorists. What I would say is that residents of Sidney, all other Iowans, and everyone in the country should remain vigilant. Report anything suspicious or out of the ordinary to the appropriate authorities.
We need to keep looking out for each other.

Q. Are there any lessons you learned growing up in Sidney that stick with you?
A. Lots of them. I learned the importance of values and integrity there. I also learned the value of hard work, making your world your bond, and getting along with people from varied backgrounds.

Q. How does a man who grew up in small-town Iowa become an important part of the safety net for our country?
A. I guess it sounds trite, but the answer is "one step at a time." Do your best, bloom where you’re planted, take care of those entrusted to your leadership, have a vision for where you want to go. And always be able to look yourself in the mirror.

Redd: U.S. Making Progress on Terrorism

By KATHERINE SHRADER
Associated Press Writer
Thu Oct 13, 3:46 AM ET

Photo 1
Photo 2

A top-secret bulletin zips across the globe, from Iraq to the National Counterterrorism Center, a leading nerve center for U.S. intelligence. The tip is critical: Terrorists may be plotting to blow up New York subways.
The operations center swings into action. Is the information credible? Are the people about to be grabbed in Iraq truly a threat? Well before the sun rises, counterterrorism chief John "Scott" Redd has already received several updates.
Morning, afternoon and middle of the night, conference calls connect counterterrorism experts to as many as a dozen U.S. agencies, including FBI, CIA and the Defense and State departments.
In New York, city officials decide to warn the public to be on the lookout for suspicious packages and behavior. In Washington, federal officials decide the tip isn't credible.
No bombs have gone off.
As the new NCTC chief, Redd was at the center of last week's efforts to analyze the threat.
In an interview at the start of his third month on the job, Redd described how the four years since 9/11 have brought sweeping changes to the way counterterrorism agencies communicate.
His center, for instance, has access to 26 different computer networks containing intelligence information and brings that information together into NCTC online, available to 4,000 counterterrorism experts across the government. That, he says, is unprecedented.
Some information is also shared directly with foreign allies. While Redd declines to offer specifics, intelligence experts have long said countries such as Britain are among the United States' closest partners.
The NCTC's operations center — complete with flat-panel televisions and easy-on-the-eyes lighting — is considered state of the art. Most of the desks can move, allowing the al-Qaida and weapons experts to sit together — or in whatever configuration best addresses the current threats.
The center officially came into existence in December, absorbing a counterterrorism analysis operation called the Terrorist Threat Integration Center. In the process, the NCTC won more authority.
A mathematician, Redd was reluctant to give a score on the progress the U.S. government has made in working together. But, he said, on a 10-point scale, "It's above five."
As often happens in government, the center has had growing pains.
Redd's predecessor and senior CIA leaders fought for months over how many counterterror analysts the CIA should share with the NCTC. Some in Congress and elsewhere have also questioned whether the wave of intelligence reforms has only created more bureaucracy and confusing chains of command.
Redd said he comfortably wears two hats: He's the president's top adviser on terrorism, but he also answers to National Intelligence Director John Negroponte while serving as his "mission manager" for terrorism analysis and strategy.
The retired Navy vice admiral, who spent much of his career aboard ships, has come a long way from Sidney, Iowa, population 1,000.
He remembers making up a street number for his amateur radio license application because the town was so small actual numbers weren't necessary. Redd's first trip east of the Mississippi River was to report for his freshman year at the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1962.
In the bureaucratic hierarchy, Redd is now considered an equal to CIA Director Porter Goss.
Here's a look at some of Redd's views on the latest threats:
• Osama bin Laden can't communicate with his followers the way he had in the past. "The more you communicate, the more you try to directly run an organization, the more vulnerable you are," Redd said. "And he is pretty deep in hiding. We know he is not communicating very much."
• Al-Qaida is changing. "My analysts would probably tell you that since 9/11, there have been very few terrorist operations which have been directed directly by al-Qaida," Redd said. "They may have influenced them, they may have had prior knowledge, but by and large, we have really set them back on their heels."
• While Redd directs specifics on the July attacks in London to British investigators, he said it appears that al-Qaida may have had a closer connection to the successful bombings on July 7 than the failed attacks two weeks later. But "the jury is still out" on any connections to al-Qaida's central leadership, he said.
• The London attacks provide a valuable lesson. "'Fortress America' doesn't work. ... You can't assume that every threat that comes to the country is going to come across the border," Redd said. "There is always the possibility that it could be internal."
• Terrorists are paying attention to events in the United States, including the hurricanes. "We know that they are reasonably media savvy," he said.
• The war on terror may take a generation and that's part of the reason Redd said he took the job. "The Cold War took 40 years. We don't know how long this one is going to take. I may not be around before this is finished, but my grandchildren will be around."
What threat keeps Redd up at night? "The one I don't know about."

articles 9/18

NY Times Magazine
The Statesman
In his global campaign against disease and destitution, Bono has taken the power of rock celebrity to new places — prime ministerial residences, the White House and the offices of the United Nations. But the success he has had is about a lot more than his soaring voice.




Will the GOP be Katrina’s Biggest Casualty?
by Mark Tapscott
Yes, President Bush gave a good speech Thursday night but no amount of inspiring rhetoric can obscure the fact that Hurricane Katrina may well have drowned the Republican Party as a credible vehicle of conservative reform.

LA Times
Louisiana Officials Indicted Before Katrina Hit; Feds found dubious expenditures by state's emergency preparedness agency...

How to Fix the Airline Mess
When Delta and Northwest airlines went bankrupt last week, it was the latest blow to an industry plagued by poor management, combative unions and huge pension burdens. Gordon Bethune, the former CEO and savior of Continental Airlines, says the government has only made the problem worse

A Teen Twist on Sex
A new survey says many U.S. teens have engaged in oral sex--and it's not just boys on the receiving end

College Football Rankings
USC in No. 1 spot for record 22nd straight poll; Oklahoma drops out

articles 9/17

Reuters
Power-dressing man leaves trail of destruction

Reuters
Vatican's search for gays in seminaries raises alarm

The menace of multiculturalism
by Suzanne Fields
It's not easy to dislodge a trendy fad, particularly among the public intellectuals and the aspiring sophisticates of the chattering class, but 'multiculturalism' may be getting an intellectual re-examination.

“The Grapple in the Big Apple”
Hitchens vs. Galloway.
By Alex Massie

'Sinister Piffle'
Christopher Hitchens "debates" a demagogue.
by Kimberley Strassel

George Galloway Is Gruesome, Not Gorgeous
Now, watch me debate him.
By Christopher Hitchens

Reinventing Television
He's the smart-ass host of The Daily Show. But more than that, Jon Stewart is helping invent a new kind of TV -- time-shifted and multiscreen.
By Thomas Goetz

Blame throwing
by David Warren

In two-parent families, the kids are all right
Study finds stability pays big dividends

Chief Justice Roberts
The distinction between law and politics that the Judiciary Democrats do not respect lies at the heart of Roberts's approach to judging

Media Cooked Up Storm Over Katrina
by Victor Davis Hanson

The Bush Doctrine, Unpacked
by David Gelernter

Union trouble
by George Will
Pilots, flight attendants and other members of different unions are crossing the picket lines manned by members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.

NY Times Magazine
Taking Stock of the Forever War

Omaha-Born Man Will Lead Nation's Counterterrorism Center

Back with a Bang
It may be only rock & roll, but the Stones still rule
by David Fricke

Reformation Chart
Just how different are the Roman Catholic and Protestant doctrines?

articles 8/14

She's So Cool, So Smart, So Beautiful: Must Be a Girl Crush

At the Pumps and on the Web, Drivers Check for Lowest Prices
For millions of Americans, filling up the tank has become an eye-popping experience as prices reached levels not seen in decades.

G.I.'s Deployed in Iraq Desert With Lots of American Stuff
Soldiers in Iraq have taken the quest for the succor of the familiar to astonishing levels, accumulating all the accouterments of home.

Inside Iran's Secret War For Iraq
A TIME investigation reveals the Tehran regime's strategy to gain influence in Iraq--and why U.S. troops may now face greater dangers as a result

Don't Let Travel Miles Burn a Hole in Your Pocket
Some advice for using frequent-flier miles on airlines that are close to, or already in, bankruptcy.

The Great American Jobs Machine
Employment is higher than at any time in history.

The New Litmus Test
The left-wing blogosphere is ready to take on the party establishment. What do Democratic candidates have to do to earn the love?
by Dean Barnett

The Overlooked Case Of Mohammed Afroze
Al Qaeda's terrorism isn't really motivated by the Iraq War and Israel.
by Edward Morrissey

Bordering on a Policy
Is there an agreement in the works on immigration?
by Tamar Jacoby

Keep Quiet And Listen!
The words of radical Islam speak for themselves.
by Victor Davis Hanson

Iraqi Game Plan
If you're unhappy about the way things are going in Iraq or Afghanistan, you can now refight the battles yourself, from the comfort of your couch.

The New Soldiers of Fortune
There are dozens of private security companies operating in Iraq, and Triple Canopy is one of the largest. How was it formed, who are its men — and what is the line between "security" and warfare?

Four Amendments & a Funeral
A month inside the house of horrors that is Congress

Bassist turned comic mocks the stars he backed

UnconfirmedSources.com
U2 Will Play Free Concert in Crawford Texas to Honor Cindy Sheehan
World Bank's Paul Wolfowitz Says Bomb Cindy Sheehan

On condemning terrorism

Jeff Jacoby

articles 8/7

Will We Ever Arrive at the Good Death?
Almost 40 years after the birth of the hospice movement, and despite the rise of living wills and palliative care, the end of life remains anxious and hypermedicalized.

AFP
Men do have trouble hearing women, scientists find
Men who are accused of never listening by women now have an excuse -- women's voices are more difficult for men to listen to than other men's, a report said.

AP
Daylight-Saving Switch May Cause Tech Woes
When daylight-saving time starts earlier than usual in the United States come 2007, your VCR or DVD recorder could start recording shows an hour late.

The Rise of the Digital Thugs
The newest big corporate menace: disgruntled techies, who find company secrets and will keep them, for a price.

Finding Bargains (and Headaches) at Foreclosure Sales
If rising interest rates cause more people to default on their adjustable-rate mortgages, investors could face a potential boon.

Pince Me -- Is That Wal-Mart
The house of fuddy duddy is now aiming to become the next trendy-setter.

Liberals Fund New Approach
Democratic backers pledge $80M for advocacy network to compete with conservative groups.

See the War, After an Ad for the Army
by Sarah Boxer
This week the Web site ifilm.com introduced a new "channel" called WarZone with film clips from World War II, Vietnam, Israel and Iraq. Looking at the selection of videos about Iraq, it's hard to say which are scarier: the clips themselves or the advertisements that run with them.

The Blogs of War
On the 21st-century battlefield, the campfire glow comes from a laptop. Military bloggers offer a real-time window into life behind the lines. And they're putting the Pentagon on the defensive.
By John Hockenberry

Rolling Stone
Marine Gone Mad
Andy Raya didn't kill anyone while stationed in Iraq. He waited until he returned home.

New Pope: Reasserting Christianity in the West
The new pontiff has offered clues to the ways in which he will lead the church and, he hopes, change Europe.

The Condi Doctrine
After six months as Secretary of State, she has seized control over U.S. foreign policy. Now comes her toughest test--finding a way out of Iraq. An intimate look at Rice's world.

60 Years Later, Remembering the Pacific War
Sixty years later, veterans of the Pacific War remember: 'Kill or be killed.'

The Black Family: 40 Years of Lies
Rejecting the Moynihan report caused untold, needless misery.

A Feasible Fix for Social Security
Our recipe for saving the system, protecting the poor, and boosting the investor class

Brain Workouts May Tone Memory
Keeping your gray matter in great shape doesn't prevent age-related cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's. But "cognitive fitness" proponents say mental exercises can help stave off such diseases.
By Joanna Glasner.

The Dog Ate My Steroids
Why athletes fail drug tests, in their own words.
By Josh Levin and Rachael Larimore

Rivers of Coke
Drug researchers piss-test an Italian river and find huge quantities of cocaine residue. Seems Italians are sniffing four times as much coke as officials estimate. By Stephen Leahy.

U2's City of Blinding Lights
12,000 daisy-chained LEDs. Spycams controlled by a PlayStation. The Vertigo tour is a monster concert machine - and the ultimate rock-and-roll R&D lab.
By William Gibson

articles 8/6

LA Times
New Chapter in the Mystery of Marilyn: Her Own Words?
By Robert W. Welkos, Times Staff Writer
Miner's Transcript of Monroe Tapes
Miner's Account of Monroe's Death
Former Los Angeles prosecutor John W. Miner was head of the District Attorney’s medical-legal section when Marilyn Monroe died.

Bush v. Rumsfeld
The president knows we have to win the war in Iraq . . . Rumsfeld doesn't.
by William Kristol

Sanctuary No More
It's no longer springtime for jihadis in Britain.
by Gerard Baker

Goldilocks Economy
The bad news is the good news isn't being heard.
by Irwin M. Stelzer

Nuclear Explosion
A portrait of our scary world, 60 years after Hiroshima.
by Fred Ikle

WSJ Editorial
Hiroshima
Nuclear weapons, then and now.

Truth Has Nothing to Do With It
Is Theory going out of fashion in American universities?
by James Seaton

The Cut-and-Run Caucus
Why are some Democrats so eager to give up in Iraq?
by Brendan Miniter

Phone sex firm's odd bedfellows
What do Microsoft, eBay and the Carlyle Group -- employer of a number of former high-ranking government officials -- have in common?

USA Today
Preseason Football Poll
The Wolverines open the 2005 season ranked fourth in the preseason USA Today Coaches poll, the eighth straight season the program has listed in the top 10 of the coaches poll.

Football Tops Big Ten Preseason Media Poll
The Wolverines were selected as the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten Conference in a poll of media attending the Big Ten Kickoff Event.

• Michigan has more wins that any football program in NCAA history, 842-274-36 (.7465277).
• Michigan has the highest winning percentage of any team in the NCAA history (.7465277).
• Michigan has a run of 107 straight AP polls (20 polls longer than Miami) in which it has been ranked in the Top 25, the longest streak in the nation. The streak, which is 80 week long, began Oct. 24, 1998.
• Michigan is 262-82-10 (.756) all-time when listed in the AP Top 10, including a 38-17 mark during Lloyd Carr's coaching tenure.
• Michigan has had 343 football games televised, which leads the NCAA.
• Michigan has appeared in 30 straight bowls, the longest current streak in NCAA history.
• The Wolverines set an NCAA record in 2004 by averaging 111,025 fans per game at Michigan Stadium.
• The Michigan football program is the only Big Ten team in any sport to win a conference title in each decade. It is the winningest overall athletic program in Big Ten Conference history.
• Michigan ranks #1 all-time in composite AP final football polls (1936-2003), passing Notre Dame for the top spot after last season's #6 final ranking.
• Michigan has appeared in more Rose Bowls (19) than any other Big Ten Conference school. They are 8-10.
• Michigan has 42 Big Ten titles (OSU -29) which is the most of any college football program in ANY conference.
• Michigan has 11 national championships (5th all-time) to OSU's 7.
  

Lloyd Carr Stats

• Head coach Lloyd Carr has a career winning percentage of .779 (95-28), ranking him fifth among active Division I coaches.
• Michigan has a 35-18 overall record against AP nationally ranked teams under Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines have compiled a 125-104-8 (.542) all-time record against AP nationally ranked teams.
• He now leads active Big Ten coaches with 63 conference wins (63-17).
• His teams are an amazing 14-4 against Top 10 opponents and 7-2 against Top 5 opponents.
• He grabbed the active career lead in Big Ten wins during the 2003 season.
• He is the eighth coach in conference history to claim five or more Big Ten championships.
• He is fourth among active Division I-A coaches with a .77236 winning percentage.

Bono gives an explicit confession of being saved by Grace, not Karma

August 6, 2005
Salty Dogman
by Gene Edward Veith

Is Bono, the lead singer and songwriter for the rock group U2, a Christian? He says he is and writes about Christianity in his lyrics. Yet many people question whether Bono is "really" a Christian, due to his notoriously bad language, liberal politics, and rock star antics (though he has been faithfully married for 23 years). But in a new book of interviews, Bono in Conversation by Michka Assayas, Bono, though using some salty language, makes an explicit confession of faith.

The interviewer, Mr. Assayas, begins by asking Bono, Doesn't he think "appalling things" happen when people become religious? Bono counters, "It's a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the Universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma."

The interviewer asks, What's that? "At the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics—in physical laws—every action is met by an equal or an opposite one," explains Bono. "And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that. . . . Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff."

The interviewer asks, Like what? "That's between me and God. But I'd be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge," says Bono. "It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for Grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity."

Then the interviewer marvels, "The Son of God who takes away the sins of the world. I wish I could believe in that."

"The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death," replies Bono. "It's not our own good works that get us through the gates of Heaven."

The interviewer marvels some more: "That's a great idea, no denying it. Such great hope is wonderful, even though it's close to lunacy, in my view. Christ has His rank among the world's great thinkers. But Son of God, isn't that farfetched?"

Bono comes back, "Look, the secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: He was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to say along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammad, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn't allow you that. He doesn't let you off that hook. Christ says, No. I'm not saying I'm a teacher, don't call me teacher. I'm not saying I'm a prophet. I'm saying: 'I'm the Messiah.' I'm saying: 'I am God incarnate.' . . . So what you're left with is either Christ was who He said He was—the Messiah—or a complete nutcase. . . . The idea that the entire course of civilization for over half of the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside-down by a nutcase, for me that's farfetched."

What is most interesting in this exchange is the reaction of the interviewer, to whom Bono is, in effect, witnessing. This hip rock journalist starts by scorning what he thinks is Christianity. But it is as if he had never heard of grace, the atonement, the deity of Christ, the gospel. And he probably hadn't. But when he hears what Christianity is actually all about, he is amazed.

articles 8/3

Why Truman Dropped the Bomb
Sixty years after Hiroshima, we now have the secret intercepts that shaped his decision.
by Richard B. Frank

When Tush Comes to Dove
Real women. Real curves. Really smart ad campaign.
By Seth Stevenson

But Why Can't Hillary Win?
Sen. Clinton's electability problem.
By Jacob Weisberg

God vs. Satan
Who's the better investor?
By Daniel Gross

America’s Pro-Choice Movement at a Crossroads
They've been dreading this moment for decades. How the pro-choice movement is readying for Roberts—and navigating a critical political crossroads.

Frist's Stem Cell Capitulation
by Eric Cohen & William Kristol

Correcting the CIA
by Robert Novak
A statement attributed to the former CIA spokesman indicating that I deliberately disregarded what he told me in writing my 2003 column about Joseph Wilson's wife is just plain wrong.

Health benefits of prayer
by Armstrong Williams
Prayer heals. So say thousands of Americans who use prayer to improve their health.

Senator Frist's grave mistake
by Cal Thomas
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist made some fundamental mistakes in announcing his support of federal funding for stem cell research.

10 Years That Changed the World
A decade ago, Netscape went public, blasting the Web into everyday life. Now, Wired talks to the inside players - from Marc Andreessen to Shawn Fanning to Steve Jobs - about 10 years of boom, bust, and sock puppets.
Interviews by Jeff Howe

The Big Gulp
NASA pisses away millions hauling H2O into orbit. But there's a better way - recycle astronaut urine. Just one question: How does it taste?
By Tom McNichol

Building the Béisbol Brand
Signing Pedro Martínez, developing young phenoms in the Dominican Republic, luring Spanish-speaking fans — Omar Minaya is reinventing the Mets by embracing the Latinization of professional baseball. Is this the future of big-league business?

Rafael Palmiero
• Jayson Stark: Yes vote Buster Olney: Sham artist Raffy busted• Gene Wojciechowski: True lies Ray Ratto: Canseco got it right• Patrick Hruby: A yawner

USA Today
Steroid test nabs first major star
Palmeiro out for 10 days; drugs back in sports spotlight
By Mike Dodd and Hal Bodley, page 1A
Suspended
Full coverage

Palmeiro's image takes hard hit
Steroid suspension may hurt Hall hopes
By Mel Antonen, page 1C
BALTIMORE — One day, Rafael Palmeiro is a legend with elite Hall of Fame statistics. The next, his legacy is swirling in a steroid controversy.
Full coverage

Say it ain't so, Palmeiro
Oriole lets everyone down; ‘accident' story not believable
On baseball By Hal Bodley, page 2C
Rafael Palmeiro, nattily attired in a perfectly tailored navy pinstriped suit, walked into the hallowed halls of Congress on March 17 and said he never used steroids.
Full coverage

Appeals process part of policy
Players have right to challenge result before disciplinary action
By Hal Bodley, page 2C
Rafael Palmeiro received no special treatment from Major League Baseball by having his grievance for testing positive for steroids heard — and decided — before his 10-day suspension was announced Monday.
Full coverage

Orioles fans stunned by violation
By Scott Boeck, page 2C
BALTIMORE — Fans attending Monday's game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards between the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox expressed shock, disbelief and disappointment when hearing Rafael Palmeiro had been suspended for 10 days after violating Major League Baseball's steroid policy.
Full coverage

Subjection to God and Subjection to the State, by John Piper

Subjection to God and Subjection to the State, Part One
June 12, 2005
Romans 13:1-7
Subjection to God and Subjection to the State, Part Two
July 3, 2005
Subjection to God and Subjection to the State, Part Three
July 10, 2005
Subjection to God and Subjection to the State, Part Four
July 17, 2005

articles 7/24

Bush Rises to the Occasion
The Roberts pick is courageous and important.
by William Kristol

NY Times
Cigarettes, Taxes and Thin French Women
Economists have been wondering whether high cigarette taxes may have the unintended effect of increasing obesity.

Time
Living Under the Cloud
The atom bombs dropped over Japan ended a terrible war and persuaded the world never to use nuclear weapons again. Why that legacy is now in peril--and what we should do about it

NY Times
How Costco Became the Anti-Wal-Mart

US News & World Report
The Pentagon has a secret new strategy for taking on terrorists--and taking them down

Good Riddance . . . But Not Much Improvement
Prince Bandar, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, is out. Prince Turki is in.
by Stephen Schwartz

The Presidents' Man
Why John Roberts' service in the White House Counsel's office matters.
by Hugh Hewitt

Jihad Made In Europe
There may be more to fear from a mosque in Leeds than a madrassa in the Middle East.
by Reuel Marc Gerecht

Another Link in the Chain
The role of Saddam and al Qaeda in the creation of Ansar al Islam.
by Stephen F. Hayes & Thomas Joscelyn

Your Papers, Please
Will the Democrats go fishing for documents to sink Roberts?
by Duncan Currie

Reading Roberts's Mind
He'll certainly be better than O'Connor. But how much better?
by Terry Eastland

It Takes an Establishment
At some point the radicals need assistance, support, and reinforcement from establishment conservatives--like John Roberts.
by William Kristol

And Then They Came After Us
We’re at war. How about acting like it?
by Victor Davis Hanson

Currency basket case
Of all the news stories regarding China's so-called currency reform, 'Saying Goodbye to Mr. Greenspan,' written by Keith Bradsher of the New York Times, hits the nail closest to the head.

The Neoconservative Convergence
Some once famously dissenting ideas now govern U.S. foreign policy, maturing as they go.
by Charles Krauthammer

Wedding bells aren't ringing, but neither are phones of divorce ...
The U.S. divorce rate has dropped 5% since 1980, while the marriage rate dropped 50% since 1970. Analysts credit the change to the increase in cohabitation -- people living together without being wed. These couples are 40% more likely to break up than married couples.

Cohabitating Americans in 7 states run afoul of the law
The almost 1 million unmarried heterosexual Americans who live together in Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia are violating state laws against "lewd and lascivious" cohabitation.

'Cohabitation is replacing dating'
More than two-thirds of married couples in the USA now say they lived together before marriage. And the number of unmarried, opposite-sex households overall is rising dramatically even in seven states where laws against intimate relations between unmarried partners are still on the books.

Sweden's 'marriage lite' gets closer examination
The rise of cohabitation in the USA has prompted those who track the state of American marriages and families to take a closer look at Sweden, where unmarried, opposite-sex partners routinely live together.

Where Have All the Jockstraps Gone?
The decline and fall of the athletic supporter.
By Daniel Akst

Senate Confirmation Hearing for National Counterterrorism Center Director

Video of the hearing

Testimony: Confirmation Hearing on Vice Admiral John S. Redd to be Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Reuters
US counterterror agency criticized on info-sharing