NYT: Briton Convicted in Sudan Blasphemy Case

First, a woman who was gang-raped gets 200 lashes simply for being in a car with a man. Now a British teacher may get 40 lashes (plus jail time) for allowing her students to call their class teddy bear "Muhammad." Hopefully, these types of bizarre and cruel decisions will make Muslims take another look at shariah law.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Thursday, November 29, 2007

NYT: From Smoking Boom, a Major Killer of Women

"[C]hronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or C.O.P.D., [is] a progressive illness that permanently damages the lungs and is usually caused by smoking. Once thought of as an old man’s disease, this disorder has become a major killer in women as well, the consequence of a smoking boom in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. The death rate in women nearly tripled from 1980 to 2000, and since 2000, more women than men have died or been hospitalized every year because of the disease. 'Women started smoking in what I call the Virginia Slims era, when they started sponsoring sporting events,' said Dr. Barry J. Make, a lung specialist at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver. 'It’s now just catching up to them.'...'It’s the largest uncontrolled epidemic of disease in the United States today,' said Dr. James Crapo, a professor at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Thursday, November 29, 2007

The moment of truth for Clinton

Posted by Bill Swiggard, Thursday, November 29, 2007

Mr. Nasty versus Mr. Nice

Posted by Bill Swiggard, Thursday, November 29, 2007

NYT Editorial: A Loss for Privacy Rights

A flagrant and outrageous violation of the Fourth Amendment.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

NYT Op-Ed (Friedman): Oasis or Mirage?

"Annapolis conference requires all hands on deck."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

NYT Guest Op-Ed: Caution: Taliban Crossing

"Don't believe the hype. Pakistan cannot control militants on its frontier."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

NYT Op-Ed (Dowd): Jump on the Peace Train

"Condi and W. leave the gym for a photo-op."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

NYT: Oil Producers See the World and Buy It Up

"Flush with petrodollars, oil-producing countries have embarked on a global shopping spree. With a bold outlay of $7.5 billion, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is about to become one of the largest shareholders in Citigroup. The bank had already experienced the petrodollar’s power this month when another major shareholder, Prince Walid bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, cleared the way for the ouster of its chief executive, Charles O. Prince III. The Dubai stock exchange, meanwhile, is negotiating for 20 percent of a newly merged company that includes Nasdaq and the operator of stock markets in the Nordic region. Qatar, like Dubai a sheikdom in the Persian Gulf, might compete in that deal. In late October, Dubai...bought part of Och-Ziff Capital Management, a hedge fund in New York. Abu Dhabi this month invested in Advanced Micro Devices, the chip maker, and in September bought into the Carlyle Group, a private equity giant. Experts estimate that oil-rich nations have a $4 trillion cache of petrodollar investments around the world. And with oil prices likely to remain in the stratosphere, that number could increase rapidly."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

NYT: U.N. Warns of Climate-Related Setbacks

"Development in poor nations is threatened unless rich ones take action, a report says."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

NYT: When Fuel and Politics Mix

"In 2008 race, Democrats tie goals to climate issues as Republicans look to markets."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Fate of the Know-Nothings

Posted by Bill Swiggard, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The impossible (American) dream

Posted by Bill Swiggard, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Chris Hedges | America in the Time of Empire

Posted by Michael Butler, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Crisis as Opportunity

Quite a summary and a great challenge. MB
Posted by Michael Butler, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

NYT Op-Ed (Herbert): Behind the Curtain

"Democrats need a wizard who'll give them courage."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

NYT Op-Ed (Brooks): Follow the Fundamentals

"The essential strength of the U.S. economy." Brooks takes on "Dobbsianism."
Posted by Ian Alterman, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

NYT: Mississippi’s Lott to Leave Senate Seat

And none too soon! Bye, Senator! Have a nice life!
Posted by Ian Alterman, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

NYT: Hackers Cracked Charities’ Addresses and Passwords

"Data on thousands of contributors to 92 organizations is compromised." By whom? One unmentioned possibility is that the government did the hacking in order to find out who is contributing to which organization.
Posted by Ian Alterman, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

NYT: Round 2 for Biotech Beets

More Frankenfood in the news... Indeed, with all the Frankenfoods we are already eating (whether knowingly or not), the question arises: are we - humans - being "re-engineered?"
Posted by Ian Alterman, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

The Consortiumnews.com The ‘Triumphant’ Neocons

Posted by Michael Butler, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

What Happened Here? by Charles Kaiser – A Review

Posted by Michael Butler, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

A Tale of Two Georges

By our great friend Pat Hunter, skier extrodinary.
Posted by Michael Butler, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Making history in the Mideast

Posted by Bill Swiggard, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Liberals’ lesson down under

Posted by Bill Swiggard, Tuesday, November 27, 2007