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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/04/AR2007050400756.html
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Postcard From Tom: Buenos Aires
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2007051519
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Buenos Aires looks and feels like Europe, except when it comes to prices: $150 a night for a great hotel and less than $50 a head for a memorable steak dinner, including wine.
CABANA LAS LILAS (Alicia Moreau de Justo 516, 011-54-11-4313-1336)
Yes, you'll be surrounded by tourists. But of all the places where I tried Argentina's famous grass-fed beef (and there were many), this handsome 400-seater in the Puerto Madero docklands area delivered the most bang for the buck. My formula for fun is to ask for an outdoor table overlooking the water, tap the sommelier for a great malbec and order a rib-eye steak, smoky from its charcoal grill. The meat, which comes straight from the owner's ranches, is preceded by a feast of gratis appetizers. Throw in some veal-stuffed empanadas and blimplike souffle potatoes, and you'll wish you had a second stomach. Steaks $14-$20.
Whether you're sitting in the lovely garden, with its vine-covered walls and splish-splashing fountain, or in the airy, two-story dining room and bar, with its low couches and center fire pit, this watering hole with a Scandinavian theme in Palermo serves up prime people-watching, along with delicious open-face sandwiches, deer spring rolls and herring with potato salad. Wash back your snacks with the signature aquavit -- liquid barbed wire! Plates to share $5-$10.
PATAGONIA SUR (Rocha 801, 54-11-4304-5917)
The run-down waterfront neighborhood of La Boca is host to one of the finest restaurants in the city, watched over by one of South America's most acclaimed chefs, Francis Mallman. Leather walls, burgundy drapes, Klimt reproductions -- and a mere 22 seats -- set this gem apart from the competition. So does the cooking, which yields stellar chopped beef empanadas, sweet king crab with shaved fennel and long-cooked lamb enhanced with fresh chimichurri. Three-course menu $65.
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CABANA LAS LILAS (Alicia Moreau de Justo 516, 011-54-11-4313-1336)
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/07/AR2007050701224.html
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Start Hedging The Views . . .
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2007050819
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"I think abortion ought to be illegal and legal, depending on the choice of the people involved and the state they live in. I would appoint judges who are strict constructionists to make sure all of that would happen. These were exactly my thoughts on 9/11 when I met the challenge and prevailed."
Look at these guys. I mean, where'd they get them? Huckabee, Brownback and Tancredo don't even believe in evolution. Madonna mia! These guys are running for president? Do they also think the world is flat and babies come from storks? Whoa! Gotta think they're playing to their constituency. Jeez, this is the party I'm in. This is the business I've chosen. Can't say that. Never say that. Uh-oh, here comes another abortion question.
"Good question, Chris. I would appoint strict constructionist Supreme Court judges who would -- and I would insist on this -- strictly construct the Constitution of the United States as amended. Because those amendments, particularly the first 10, which we call, appropriately I maintain, the Bill of Rights, are to me fundamental and protect a woman's choice to choose or not to choose, that is the question. Which is what 9/11 was all about, when you think about it."
I think I did pretty good. Judy's smiling. But did you listen to that Romney and his "altered nuclear transfer"? What the hell is that? He was asked about stem cells and he starts talking like the Discovery Channel. This guy's some piece of work. Look at that jaw and those dimples. I never saw anyone like him in my entire life. Smooth. He wouldn't tell you if your pants were on fire. If I don't make it, this guy could be president. He's got what it takes -- great looks, golden tongue. A winner. Oh my God, here it comes again.
"I'm for stem cell research but I am not pro-choice, although I used to be, and I don't think the government should fund abortions or anything else, but I would make an exception for stem cells, but not gay rights or gay marriage -- Yuck! Yuck! This is what I was thinking on 9/11, as a matter of fact."
I hope the "yuck, yuck" worked. Jeez, I don't know who I am anymore. When I became a Republican, the party in New York had Nelson Rockefeller and Jake Javits and Ken Keating and even Louis Lefkowitz, not that anyone remembers Louie anymore. Now I look around and it's all these holy rollers. Celibacy until marriage. They got it wrong. It's celibacy after marriage. Heh, heh. Got to be careful here. No jokes. I'm not in the Big Apple anymore. I told Judith this would happen. What am I gonna say about being married three times? What am I gonna say about loving opera and good food and being Italian? Eyetalian, is what they say in this party. I roomed with gay guys, for crying out loud. Wonderful people. Stand-up guys. Uh-oh, here it comes.
"I am opposed to abortion in any case but with some exceptions that have to do with pregnancy and such. And I think that John McCain is right about seeing God in the Grand Canyon because this is the way I feel when the sun sets over Flatbush. A woman who chooses to have no right to choose would be chosen in my administration for the Supreme Court. I am opposed to illegal immigration and amnesty and stem cell research and sex education and condoms to fight AIDS, and I think we should just say no to anything that makes sense. I'm for the war, 'cause if we don't fight them there we will have to fight them here, just don't ask where 'there' is and who 'they' are. Have I mentioned 9/11?"
Judy's not smiling. What did I say? Gotta remember that song she sings to me about New York. "If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere." Maybe not in the Republican Party, though. Start spreading the news.
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If Rudy Giuliani can make it in New York, he can make it anywhere. Except, perhaps, in the Republican party.
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Farewell, Jacques Chirac
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2007050819
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"All political careers end in failure," a British statesman once wisely said. Judging by the wreckage of the famous political career that ended this week, he was even wiser than he knew. With the election of a new president of France on Sunday, the lengthy professional life of Jacques Chirac -- French president for 12 years, mayor of Paris for 18 years, twice French prime minister for a total of four years -- comes to a grinding halt, apparently to the great relief of his compatriots.
In the coming weeks, there will be plenty of time to discuss the virtues and vices of his successor, President-elect Nicolas Sarkozy. But before Chirac fades from the scene altogether -- or before he becomes embroiled in corruption investigations -- I'd like to take this opportunity to recall some of the highlights of his diplomatic career. Many Americans know him only as the man who made the right decision about Iraq, albeit for the wrong reasons. But try, if you can, to leave Iraq aside: Chirac's more important diplomatic legacy lies elsewhere.
Ponder closely, for example, what Chirac has had to say on Africa, where his country has enormous influence, in many places far outweighing ours: During a visit to the Ivory Coast, Chirac once called "multi-partyism" a "kind of luxury," which his host, president-for-life F?lix Houphouet-Boigny, clearly could not afford. During a visit to Tunisia, he proclaimed that since "the most important human rights are the rights to be fed, to have health, to be educated and to be housed," Tunisia's human rights record is "very advanced" -- never mind the police who beat up dissidents. "Africa is not ready for democracy," he told a group of African leaders in the early 1990s. On Britain: "The only thing they have ever done for European agriculture is mad cow disease . . . You can't trust people who cook as badly as that."
On Russia: "For his contribution to friendship between France and Russia," Chirac decorated Vladimir Putin last year with the highest order of the Legion d'Honneur, a medal reserved for the closest foreign friends of France (Churchill, Eisenhower) despite the deterioration of the Russian president's human rights record. A few weeks later, Chirac decided to hold his 74th birthday party in Riga, Latvia, after a NATO summit. He invited President Putin, disinvited President Bush and snubbed the Latvian president in the process. As the diplomatic scandal grew, the guests all begged off, and the birthday dinner never took place.
On Saddam Hussein: "You are my personal friend. Let me assure you of my esteem, consideration and bond." On Eastern Europe supporting the United States in the United Nations: "It is not really responsible behavior. It is not well brought-up behavior. They missed a good opportunity to shut up." On Iran's nuclear program: "Having one or perhaps a second bomb a little later, well, that's not very dangerous." Theoretically, Chirac was supposed to be negotiating with Iran to give up its nuclear program at the time.
On hearing a French business executive address a European summit in English: "deeply shocked," he stormed out of the room.
As I say, it's an important legacy: one of consistent scorn for the Anglo-American world in general and the English language in particular; of suspicion of Central Europe and profound disinterest in the wave of democratic transformation that swept the world in the 1980s and 1990s; of preference for the Arab and African dictators who had been, and remained, clients of France. In his later years, Chirac constantly searched, in almost all international conflicts, for novel ways of opposing the United States. All along, he did his best to protect France from the rapidly changing global economy.
It was, in other words, the legacy of a man who was deeply conservative, almost Brezhnevite in his view of the world -- so much so that the word most often used to describe his political beliefs is "stagnation." But as he leaves office, the loudest condemnation of his 12 years as head of state comes not from the outside world but from the French themselves. Don't listen to me, listen to them: After all, it is they who have just elected a man who promised to "break with the ideas, the habits and the behavior of the past."
"The French people have chosen change," Sarkozy declared during his acceptance speech Sunday night. "I will implement that change." And what they want, it seems, is a change from Chirac.
Next week: Tony Blair -- or "All political careers end in failure, Part II."
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As he leaves office, the loudest condemnation of Jacques Chirac's legacy comes from the French themselves.
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Progressives' French Lesson
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2007050819
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Is Europe moving right? Is the democratic left in trouble?
The decisive victory of Nicolas Sarkozy over Socialist S?gol?ne Royal in France's presidential election on Sunday was the most recent example of the battering that moderate-left parties are taking from the forces of globalization and discontent over immigration.
A few days earlier, Britain delivered a rebuke to outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labor Party in local elections. Last September, Sweden's Social Democrats were voted out of power, a blow to the progressive spirit in light of the country's standing as a model egalitarian society.
Earlier in 2006, in the land of single-payer health care, Canada's Conservatives under Stephen Harper came back from near-death 14 years ago to form a minority government. In 2005, Germany's Social Democrats lost their majority, though they cling to a share of power under Christian Democratic Chancellor Angela Merkel.
There are some countertrends toward the left, notably in Australia, according to recent polls. A populist left (quite different from the moderate European variety) has gained ground in Latin America. And Democrats might take heart that France and the United States have moved on opposite electoral cycles ever since Socialist Fran?ois Mitterrand won power in 1981, just a year after Ronald Reagan's election.
Nonetheless, the social democratic and liberal left faces a big problem because globalization makes the movement's core pledge -- to produce economic growth that lifts up the poor and the middle class as well as the rich -- far more problematic.
For much of the period after World War II, national governments found it relatively easy to redistribute wealth and income through taxes and decent wage agreements negotiated by strong labor unions. Globalization and heightened competition are taking a toll on unionized industrial jobs, while national governments have less freedom of action when capital is so mobile. As a result, thriving emerging economies are enjoying higher growth rates than their traditionally wealthy competitors.
In France, Sarkozy promised that by deregulating the labor market, he could create more growth and more jobs. Royal pledged to preserve and expand some of France's generous social protections -- although she also bowed to the imperatives of global capitalism by sounding some modernizing themes. Sarkozy's clarity trumped Royal's well-meaning muddle.
Fear that immigrant and particularly Muslim communities were not integrating well into France also helped Sarkozy. His tough-guy image allowed this center-right candidate to court the far-right constituency of Jean-Marie Le Pen. According to the polling agency Ipsos, voters who backed Le Pen in the election's first round went to Sarkozy on Sunday by more than 5 to 1.
Here again, Royal played defense by offering her own version of patriotic politics -- French citizens should learn the words of the Marseillaise, she said, and keep a French flag in their cupboards. But she also felt an honorable obligation to criticize some of Sarkozy's harsher positions on immigration. Worries over immigrants trumped fear of Sarkozy's hard line.
And where Royal won by almost 3 to 2 among public-sector workers (she also carried students and the unemployed), she lost private-sector workers (as well as the retired). The left can't win without a better showing among workers in the private economy.
In fact, Royal's biggest problem was reflected in another Ipsos finding: While 42 percent of her voters said their ballots were aimed primarily at keeping Sarkozy out of the presidency, only 18 percent of Sarkozy's voters said they cast negative ballots against Royal. The left is in trouble when its campaigns are based more on anxiety about the right than on the hopes that progressives inspire.
It would be a mistake to draw too many American lessons from the troubles of European social democrats. For one thing, the social insurance system is much weaker in the United States than in Europe, where even conservatives support substantial government provision for health care and child care. If European voters seem willing to gamble on a bit less security because they have a lot of it, American voters now seem inclined to ask for more because they have so little.
But the center-left clearly needs a shot of dynamism. It must convey a clearer sense that it knows how to preserve social justice in a globalized economy and how to respond to a growing impatience with government. It must figure out how to preserve civil liberties, protect immigrants and foster an inclusive sense of national solidarity at the same time.
With their European friends in some trouble, American progressives may have both the opportunity and the obligation to find the new formulas.
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With their European friends in some trouble, American progressives may have both the opportunity and the obligation to find the new formulas.
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Life at Work Live
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2007050819
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An archive of Amy's Life at Work columns is available online.
Find more career-related news and advice in our Jobs section.
Amy Joyce: Good morning, all. It's Tuesday, which means it's time to talk about your life at work. As always, please hop in with your own advice and stories to share with your fellow readers here.
A bunch of questions await, so let's just get started, shall we?
Atlanta, Ga.: I think your column on Sunday was excellent. I am glad that companies are becoming involved in this issue. However, what if it's the employee who is doing the abusing and the spouse who is home? One of the things an abuser does is try to make the abuse dependent on him/her -- so many people being abused do not have jobs (a reason they stay).
What do you think a company would do in that situation? If it didn't affect an employees work (which, I would suppose, it does) then do they not care? Do companies offer the same type of EAP for spouses?
If an employee indicates abusive behavior, what would a company do?
washingtonpost.com: Missed Amy's column on Sunday? Read it here: Office Awareness Can Head Off Abuse at Home, (Post, May 6).
Amy Joyce: A few of the companies I spoke with for this column mentioned they are on the lookout for in-house abusers, as well. It's not a big part of the programs yet (How can they find the abusers? Think they'll come forward and tell their managers?). But I know these companies provide EAP services to the abusers, too. I believe Liz Claiborne's education program includes things like how to tell if you are abusive, and they did a survey of employees recently that included those questions. Some people answered very honestly (but anonymously) that they are the abusers in their relationships.
I'm not sure if the benefits are open to those being abused if they don't work there.
Washington, D.C.: Amy -- What's the best way to propose to your employer that you would like to request several months off (unpaid leave, of course). I want to travel and take a few programs and seminars that are of interest to me for my personal development. How do I sell this to my current employer?
Amy Joyce: Has anyone in your company done this before? If so, go talk to them (duh). If not, think about why the company would want to do this. Can it save them money? Will you be able to bring whatever skills you gain back to the company? Can you promise them that (do you want to)? Think about the benefits for the company. That will make this a little easier on you. But if you want to do it, and you can afford it, go for it. I think experiences like this are priceless. And yes, if your company doesn't want you back, you will still be very hirable elsewhere.
Anyone do this before and want to provide some advice/insight?
Arlington, Va.: I am 26-years-old, but I've been known to be carded at Rated R movies. Yes, I've been told I'll love looking so young when I'm 50, but at this junction in my career, it's important to me to at least look my age. Can you give me any tips (hairstyles/make-up) to make me look older? I want to look 26, not 16 trying to look 26.
Amy Joyce: Dress professionally. Act professionally. That's all you can do, and that's the best you can do. Don't start trying to cake on the makeup or get a granny haircut or grow a beard if you're not in to that. (Talk about regrets later.) People will wonder what's up, when really all you should do is prove your worthiness at work. People can get over your youthful appearance if you show them you're a smart, innovative, creative employee/client.
Alexandria, Va.: With the proliferation of online classes, I'm just wondering how effective and how helpful getting an online MBA degree would be? With everything else being equal, would companies be more inclined to hire a person who received a degree online over someone without a degree?
Amy Joyce: Companies? HR folks? What are your thoughts? I know people who who have done this at places like Univ. of Md.. and ended up with great jobs. So, can't be too prohibitive, right?
Annandale, Va.: Hi, Amy! I am going to be starting a new job soon and I have already made plans to go on a vacation in November. How do I tell my new employer about that?
Amy Joyce: Thanks for the offer. I'd need to let you know, however, that I have already made plans for a vacation in November. Is there a way we can work this out?
Be prepared to take paid time off, or ask for an advance on your vacation time. And remember that this happens all of the time. Companies are used to it and can handle it. Congrats on the new job.
Anonymous: Hi, Amy. My boss wants me to cc: him on all e-mails I send related to my projects. I'm not an entry-level person; fairly senior in fact. Is there a good way to tell him that I find this a demonstration of a lack of trust? My reviews from him have all been "excellent." My perspective is that I'm more than happy to (and do) cc: him on significant exchanges, but that I find cc:ing him on my day-to-day work shows that he lacks confidence in my work. Thanks for your advice!
Amy Joyce: How about asking him (in a not-defensive way) why he would like you to cc him on all e-mails. He may have a very logical reason that you actually agree with. If you don't, tell him that you'll do it, but he'll be inundated with pointless emails.
Anonymous: Hey, can you do us a favor and not say "duh" when responding? I'm sure you don't mean it, but it comes across as trying to make someone feel foolish for asking a question. If they knew what to do, they wouldn't have written.
Amy Joyce: Sorry if it came across that way, but I was saying Duh to myself. I typed that advice and thought: Like this person wouldn't have thought of this him/herself.
Anonymous: Morning, Amy. Sorry for posting early, but I hope that you and your readers can help. Long story short, I lost my GS-14 salary govt. job because I lost my security clearance for mental health issues. I always received really good evaluations throughout my career (which means nothing to adjudicators). How do I address the "reason for leaving question?" What explanation do I give for the employment lapse? How do I get past being "overqualified and overpaid" for more junior-level positions in new career fields? I just want to work again at any livable salary. I would love any help and advice you are willing to provide.
Amy Joyce: I'm sorry to hear that. Have you checked to see if this move was legal? Have you asked your now-former boss for more explanation and whether you'll get good references? If not, do so. You'll want as much support and backup right now as you can get.
Anyone ever deal with this before?
RE: Annandale: I think he/she should be prepared to take UNPAID time off if he/she hasn't accrued enough time by November and if the company doesn't allow for advances on vacation days.
Amy Joyce: I guess I'm a little off today. I meant to say unpaid, thanks.
Alexandria, Va.: I'm pregnant, and every day right when I walk into the office a few women in particular have to comment on the size of my stomach. Every. Single. Day. It's getting really old. Any suggestions of a reply that will stop this so I don't have to endure three more months of it?
Amy Joyce: Options as I see 'em (being as my belly is so huge, I'm having a hard time reaching this keyboard):
1. They'll get as tired of it as you do and they'll stop with time.
2. "Yep, I had a huge breakfast this morning."
3. "Yep, things seem to be progressing," (as you progress back to your desk.)
Acknowledge, don't acknowledge, get to your desk as quickly as you can. They'll catch on. And remember that they don't mean any harm.
Millsboro, Del.: Do you have any tips for a thank-you note I could give to the head-hunter who helped me land my wonderful new job?
RE: online degrees -- I only know one person who got an online degree (MS in management through Univ. of Md.), and he did indeed move on to a better job shortly after.
Amy Joyce: No tips necessary. Thank this person for a great job, the attention they provided to you, the way in to a job that you're really going to enjoy. Whatever you want/feel. Make it short, sweet and sign your name.
Thanks on the online degree.
RE: 26 going on 16: I have this same problem (oh so tragic to look much younger than you are!) and aside from letting my gray hair show (which might not be possible for a 26-year-old) I would periodically mention my age - either directly saying my age or saying how long it's been since I graduated college or grad school, etc. It can be done to fit the conversation or just said casually at the water cooler. Many people responded with "Oh my, you look so young for your age, I never would have guessed. You're so lucky."
Amy Joyce: This seems like a safe answer.
New York, N.Y.: Hi, Amy. Love your chats. I applied for a job. I got called by them to discuss my resume, but since I was on the subway, I missed the call. Called back and left a message. Haven't heard back. That was late on Thursday. Should I call again? Given the timing of the call, I feel like my voicemail could have gotten lost in the shuffle. I want to seem interested (which I am), but not pushy (which I certainly don't want to be!). Thanks!
Amy Joyce: Yep, please call again. They probably got sidetracked. You're not being a pain, you're following up on something *they* wanted.
Baltimore, Md.: RE: Online MBA. I think it all depends on the school it's from. You can now get an online MBA from Stanford. That would be worth a lot. One from an obvious diploma mill -- something named Exeter International University with a P.O. Box address in Oxnard, California -- would not be an advantage.
Dayton, Ohio: Ack! The sky is falling! I manage 35 people on a government contract, and it's turning out to be a lousy week: resignations, discipline meetings, HR snafus, and no good candidates for my open slots. Plus I have my own work to do and a monthly management review with the customer. How do I keep myself sane this week?
Amy Joyce: Remember that this happens. And then things most often get better. And remember that the weekend is just a few short days away.
Handle what you have control over right now. The things you have no control over? Put them on the bottom of your list. Speaking of lists, make one. Make it detailed and mark off what you've accomplished as you do it. It will make you feel like you're getting somewhere.
In between all the insanity, do something nice for yourself: A walk around the block in the sun. A coffee treat. Lunch with a co-worker you enjoy.
D.C.: Warning to the person who just got an offer and need to go a vacation in November. I was in the same situation last year, and I lost the offer.
Amy Joyce: Just because of the vacation? Did they give that as a reason? If the company seems to bulk at the idea of you taking a vacation, then consider whether the vacation is worth it, or if it can be rescheduled. Also consider whether you want to work for a company that is SO excited about hiring you, they'd let you go over a pre-planned vacation. (i.e., it's a good sign that they probably would be not such a great company to work for.)
RE: D.C.'s unpaid leave: Jinx -- a colleague and I were just talking about this yesterday: suggesting to HR a perk for employees who've been w/ the company XX years (ours prides itself on long tenure), to be able to "skip a month" (or however long) without pay. Like FMLA, but for personal growth reasons. Now I think I will make the submission! If I get any feedback from HR, I'll let you know.
Amy Joyce: Please do. There are a decent number of companies that do this, and the ones I've spoken to seem to enjoy the results. They get the usual: loyalty, good recruiting tool. But also they get interesting people who do interesting things with their time off, and bring that back into the office. Who wouldn't want to work with someone who takes a month off to take art classes or travel or ... whatever. It brings a whole new perspective into the workplace.
Baltimore, Md.: You had a question last week from a person who wanted to change careers, but didn't know what to do. I changed careers at the age of 50, after I was laid off. I asked myself, what do I really enjoy doing? and the answer was "home remodeling." I got a job with a commercial construction company, taking a big pay cut (since I had no experience) but I've had several good raises since then, and I'm happy to go to work every day. So, people having mid-life crises really should ask themselves "What do I really enjoy doing?"
Amy Joyce: Thanks, Baltimore. I love to hear it. Congrats.
Bethesda, Md.: Thank you for taking this question. I just found that my department posted another job, with the same title as mine, but higher pay. Even the qualification are very similar. It will be for another group in my department. So, should I bring the ad to my boss and ask her to match the pay?
Amy Joyce: You bring the ad to the attention of your manager and ask why this is for so much more than you earn. Then ask if you could get a raise, and give reasons why you have earned one. (How long have you been there, what new duties have you taken on, how have you done on your projects, etc.)
RE: Unpaid Leave: Hi, Amy. In regards to the question about unpaid leave, I just returned on March 5 from three months unpaid leave-of-absence from my workplace in New Jersey. I spent the time traveling in New Zealand. I hit 40 in 2005 and had been thinking about getting away since then. I was completely burned out and wasn't able to do my best at work. I worked with the guy in charge of my whole department -- not my direct supervisor -- for almost six months to work it out. He was amenable to the proposition because I told him how much he would save on my salary for the time off. I also wrote a little "report" detailing what he would get when I returned -- that is, an employee who is refreshed and renewed and ready to dive right back in. It was no secret that my work had suffered slightly in 2006 and this was a way to get back in the game, so to speak. Also, I used three weeks of my 2007 vacation time at the end of my sabbatical, so that part of it was on me. The one thing that I did ask for my company to provide was to continue my healthcare coverage while I was away. They did that.
My last formal presentation to my big supervisor was at the end of May 2006, he took the entire summer to think about it and we met again the week of Labor Day 2006 for final tweaking of details. He then went to our corporate HR and they approved it the first week of October. My last day of work was Friday, Dec. 1 and I was in the air to New Zealand on Dec. 3.
And it was the best thing I could have done. I am a renewed and refreshed employee. I look at things differently now. My own supervisor, her supervisor and the big boss of my department (the guy who approved it) see a difference in my work. So it worked out for everyone. Hope that is helpful.
Amy Joyce: That's terrific. Congrats. I assume you feel like sticking with that company for a while now, huh? You also were very lucky they agreed to continue your health coverage. That was incredibly generous and not something I'd guess many companies would do.
I hope this helps the person wondering how to do the same.
Mental health issues: I'm sorry to hear that the GS-14 lost the job because of mental health issues. I had the same problem five years ago -- but I was working for a very supportive non-profit whose CFO's wife worked for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.NAMI.org), so they understood what I needed, even when I didn't.
I would go to NAMI for resources, but some of the issues you'll be dealing with include: are you able to work? do you need accommodation, and for what (scheduling, for example, to see medical health professionals).
I was on disability for some time, so I dealt with the time away as an ADA issue -- I was on disability -- and as long as you're able to perform the job duties (with reasonable accommodation), then you're okay with gaps without them getting into the details. Also, please consider seeking out employment where gaps in the resume are not the main focus. When you're ready, you'll find former colleagues and friends who might be able to help you find a new position (which is probably the best way to find a job).
I also was keen on resuming gainful employment, but it took a lot of searching to realize that, even though I was qualified and intelligent to perform very high-level work, that it wasn't suited for my emotional make up -- too much stress. There are jobs that pay decently that don't expect you to work crazy hours, or to deal in areas that might not be a match any longer for you. My mental health problems were a wake-up call as to how I really wanted to live my life, perhaps your situation could be for you, too.
Amy Joyce: Thank you so much. I hope this helps our GS-14. Good advice to check with NAMI.
Washington, D.C.: About taking vacation: I took a vacation about two weeks after starting my current job. I'd been planning it for months and didn't want to lose the money I'd spent on plane tickets. I let my employer know after they made the offer, but before I'd signed all the official paperwork (at your advice, actually). They didn't have any problem with it at all; I just had to take a week of unpaid leave. Who would want to work for a company that would retract an offer over something this trivial, anyway?
Amy Joyce: I wonder the same. That said, however, people in this situation do need to think about how the company will cover for you while you're out. This is probably not the best timing, particularly if you're new and in the midst of training. And if it's a smaller organization that has been depending on your position for a while, again, it might be difficult for them. Figure these things out before you tell them about the vacation. At least acknowledge them. That way, they'll know you really aren't just thinking of yourself.
Washington, D.C.: Hi, Amy. Any advice on how to broach the subject of getting extra vacation time instead of a raise? I have the meeting with my boss coming up, and would like to know how to bring up the subject. Up to now I have had good reviews and believe I am in good standing with the company/boss. In the upcoming year I anticipate needing extra time off and so, would like whatever would be my raise, to translate into vacation time instead. Is this reasonable/do-able? Has anyone ever tried this before? Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Amy Joyce: People have definitely done this before, and your company may welcome it. It will be cheaper for them than a raise. You could approach the talk like this: I'm due for a raise and here's why. However, I'd like to know if, instead, we could increase my vacation time by X. It will be less expensive for you, and I could really use the extra X weeks off.
It's a proposal. See what happens.
Anonymous: I have the same problem with being very young looking ... 27 going on 15. The most irritating things are (1) everyone automatically assumes I'm a summer intern (while an intern in college, a woman actually bawled out screaming when she found out I was in college, saying she thought I was in middle school), and (2) when a visitor or anyone new starts small-talking, the first question directed toward me is ALWAYS "so where did (do) you go to school?" as though I got out yesterday. I always feel weird explaining that I've been working for six years. Is this OK to say, or how else to better (or not) approach this with people who don't know you already?
Amy Joyce: As to the number two question: I went to X U, but that was years ago. I've been working here for almost seven years.
Amy Joyce: Okay, gang. It's that time again. Check out Life at Work the column in the Sunday Business section and don't forget to join me again here next week, same time, same place. Have a great week.
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Science and Medicine: Melamine
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Dr. Poppenga is a board-certified veterinary toxicologist and is currently a professor of clinical veterinary and diagnostic toxicology at the University of California at Davis. He is also the section head of toxicology at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory and has been actively involved in investigating pet and livestock exposure to melamine and other contaminants found in wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from China.
David Brown: Welcome readers and chatters. This is the chat about the science behind the recent pet-food poisonings. The point of departure is a story that appeared in Monday's Post about melamine and cyanuric acid and their probably interaction to form kidney or bladder stones and kidney failure in some animals. We are extremely fortunate to have with us Dr. Robert Poppenga, a veterinary toxicologist at the University of California, Davis. He will do most of the answering, although I will do some chiming in. We appreciate his being here greatly.
How poisonous is melamine? Now people talk about melamine as if as deadly as cyanide. Is melamine a common cabinet finish in every household? The cats and dogs could have scratched it off in our kitchens and ate it anytime.
Robert Poppenga: Melamine is not considered to be particularly poisonous based upon experimental work done in mice and rats. Cyanide is much more toxic than melamine. It is not considered to present a significant hazard to human health either. Unfortunately, there is little toxicity information that is specific to dogs and cats, although many years ago it was given to dogs to see if it would be an effective diuretic (increase urine production). At that time, no adverse effects were noted.
David Brown: I believe that cyanuric acid, which is a compound also found in some of the crystals of the affected animal, is believed to be somewhat more toxic to animals, although its effects on dogs and cats specifically is similarly unknown.
Does food agency has a conculsive evidence to say that pet deaths are due to Melamine or its congeners.
What is the purpose of adding Melamine in pet food?
Robert Poppenga: It is unlikely that melamine itself is causing the pet illnesses. The current thinking is that melamine in combination with cyanuric acid (another contaminant in the wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate used in the pet foods) may be responsible, although this has not been proven. There is no reason to add melamine to pet food - melamine is believed to have been added to the wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate to artificially increase their content of nitrogen (and as a result their apparent protein concentration). The more protein in the material, the higher the selling price.
David Brown: I think everyone is pretty confident in saying that melamine and the other compounds were not put in pet food for a purpose that was not, at base, fraudulent, deceptive, or possibly accidental. There was no high-minded "purpose."
Washington, D.C.: Is it safer to use pet food manufactured by a company that doesn't outsource?
Robert Poppenga: Good question. I believe that the food supply in developed countries (i.e., the U.S., Canada, Europe) is more tightly regulated and therefore much less likely to be adulterated than in other countries with fewer regulations and oversight. The problem would probably be finding out where the ingredients in a product originated from since that information is not on the label.
San Antonio, Texas: Greetings! Thank you for the webcast!
Question 1: Were the fetus or new borns of the contaminated pigs/hogs checked for melamine, cyanuric acid, etc?
Question 2: How much melamine, cyanuric acid was found in the eggs of chickens?
Robert Poppenga: I can only address the pigs that were exposed in California. They were not pregnant so no fetuses or neonates were exposed. I do not have information on the other pigs that were exposed. I am not aware that anyone has tested eggs from chickens; I believe that the majority of chickens were broilers (i.e., raised for meat and not eggs).
Lovettsville, Va.: The term "contaminated" has been repeatedly applied to pet foods containing the chemical melamine. However, I have read that the chemical was deliberately added to pet foods to increase the products APPARENT protein content, as the assay for protein is based on an analysis of amines presumed to be derived from protein. If the melamine was added with the intent of making it appear that the foods contained more protein than actually present (i.e. with fraudulent intent), then the term "adulterated" would be more appropriate. If true, we should not tip toe around in an effort to protect the perps.
Robert Poppenga: The use of contaminated vs. adulterated really indicates the same thing; from a regulatory standpoint, food products containing melamine (or any other unregulated chemical) are indeed "adulterated".
David Brown: I agree that "adulterated" is the more precise term.
Shippenville, Pa.: Could the presence of cyanuric acid along with the melamine in the sick animals' bodies be that cyanuric acid is one of the metabolites of melamine and thus forms within the body, rather than coming from an external source? I read about that hypothesis two weeks ago.
David Brown: My understanding is that cyanuric acid is not in a pathway in which vertebrates chemically alter or breakdown melamine. I have heard the theory that cyanuric acid can be made from melamine by microbes, but I have to investigated that claim or done any reporting about it. Melamine and cyanuric acid are on each other's synthetic pathways, that is to say, they are easily changed into each other in chemistry labs and chemical factories.
Robert Poppenga: There is relatively little information regarding melamine metabolism in the body. However, there is one study in male rats that showed no significant metabolism.
The other point to make is that both melamine and cyanuric acid were identified in the wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate implicated in the pet food contamination.
Cecil Fox, Little Rock, Ark.: We are getting closer. Analysis of food and food products is in the purview of the AOAC (Association of Official Agricultural Chemists). They issue a methods text now in its 11th edition. This "bible" like the other one is fraught with anachronisms and archaic ways of analyzing foods.
"For many years, the protein content of foods has been determined on the basis of total nitrogen content, while the Kjeldahl (or similar) method has been universally applied to determine nitrogen content (AOAC, 2000). Nitrogen content is then multiplied by a factor to arrive at protein content. This approach is based on two assumptions: that dietary carbohydrates and fats do not contain nitrogen, and that nearly all of the nitrogen in the diet is present as amino acids in proteins. On the basis of early determinations, the average nitrogen (N) content of proteins was found to be about 16 percent, which led to use of the calculation N x 6.25 (1/0.16 = 6.25) to convert nitrogen content into protein content."
The result has been that analysis of proteins languishes with a brewery procedure from the 1880s. The reason for this lugubrious progress is that the equipment is simple, he reagents are inexpensive, and it works except for more sophisticated adulteration with things like melamine.
The solution is to revise the AOAC Methods to include a more robust measure of protein or amino nitrogen and to ensure it is used. The problem here is that it often takes peons for an analyticle procedure to become validated by the AOAC.
Another issue is other adulterants that may be used that also give a Kjeldahl result such as chicken feces (patented as a feed for chickens), offal, feathers, hair, toe nails, and horn. The answer is simple enough, a greater investment in analytical methods and apparatus and speedier adoption.
Robert Poppenga: Good point. Many "official" analytical methods are antiquated and there needs to be a streamlined process for validating new methods and making them widely available.
David Brown: Peons working for eons---it is a recipe for regulatory inaction!
My understanding is that many chemical analyses are slightly more sophisticated than just measuring total nitrogen content of a substance, which is what the Kjeldahl reaction does. Many also measure urea nitrogen and subtract the two, coming up with a nitrogen content that is then assumed to be protein, although neither of the reactions actually measure the presence or number of peptide bonds, which is the hallmark of proteins.
Tulsa, Okla: Has melamine been proven to cause the kind of illnesses and deaths noted in the pets?
Robert Poppenga: The short answer is that no, melmaine alone has not been shown to be solely responsible for the kidney damage.
Anonymous: I've heard that there have also been problems with the Chinese food-supply chain involving substitution of food product (gelatin I think) with antifreeze. Some have suggested that this is also an issue with this pet food problem. Number one, is there any truth to allegations that Chinese food stuffs have been contaminated with antifreeze (ethylene glycol) and number two, could this same contaminant have any role in this pet food issue?
Robert Poppenga: The pet foods have been tested for antifreeze and found to be negative, so that is not an issue with the pets (antifreeze does cause renal failure). I have not heard anything about any other food product being contaminated with antifreeze. In the last couple of days there has been concern over the addition of diethylene glycol to cough medicines in lieu of glycerol. Diethylene glycol can also damage the kidneys.
Harrisburg, Pa.: I have been doing some research into this subject. I was told by experts at the Agriculture Department that it is impossible to test for most toxins in the food supply, and that the only way these toxins could be identified is to wait for someone, be it people or animals, to get sick and then use the symptoms of their illness to reduce the search criteria. Then they conduct the search to discover which toxin is causing the illness. Does this sound correct to you, or are they passing off responsibility on what information that prior testing of food could yield?
Robert Poppenga: The problem is that there is no simple, single method for detecting every possible chemical. However, there is likely to be heightened surveillance as a result of this incident.
Washington, D.C.: I've got some melamine bowls and a Mr. Clean magic eraser, which I understand is made from melamine. Do I need to worry about using either of these around my cats?
Robert Poppenga: No, there would be almost no exposure from those sources for pets.
David Brown: There are 674 melamine items on sale on eBay at the moment. I think we're safe saying that melamine bowls have a long record of safety.
Lumberton, N.J.: Thank you for doing this chat! I think the question most on my mind is: if a pet ate the contaminated food, would it cause long-term health risks? Assuming the cat didn't die, could it be permanently affected by the poisoning? And could there be additional problems that appear later on?
Robert Poppenga: I do not believe at this time we know the answer to that question. The kidney has a tremendous reserve capacity and hopefully exposed pets will not have long term consequences.
Washington, D.C.: Although my question is related to people and not pets, I'd like to ask if you have any comment on an incident reported recently in which glycerin exported by a Chinese company killed and sickened many people in Panama after it was mixed in with various medicines. The company apparently claimed that the glycerin was pharmaceutical-grade, when it actually was industrial-grade and poisonous to people. This incident, together with the recent pet-food poisonings and lead-filled baby bibs made in China and sold at Wal-Mart, makes me wonder what we as consumers can really do to protect ourselves from dangerous Chinese products. How can we make our government regulate products that could be dangerous to us? Do you think government agencies will wake up and realize how enormous the threat is to our health and our pets' health? (Granted, I'm not sure if the tragedy that occurred in Panama could occur here, but at this point, I think it is entirely possible.)
Robert Poppenga: I think that if there is any "silver lining" to the whole pet food recall, it is a recognition on the part of regulatory agenices that in a global trade environment, our food supply is particularly vulnerable. Unfortunately, resources have not kept pace with the need and most attention has focused on infectious agents coming into the country. Perhaps there will be more resources directed toward surveillance and test development.
David Brown: It will be interesting to see if all kinds of money for the surveillance and testing of food, and possibly even the inspection of Chinese manufacturing plants, will materialize when this is all over. The 9/11 events and the anthrax letter attacks caused a great flow of attention and resources to various aspects of public health and disaster readiness. This obviously is not on that scale, but it may nevertheless have some effect on where the federal government is willing to spend our money.
Downtown, D.C.: My young dog died from liver failure about a week before all the recalls hit the news. Tests showed his kidneys were functioning right up until we had to euthanize him.
Could melamine be the culprit here, or is there no chance of a failing liver but healthy kidneys? After euthanizing our dog, we had him cremated so there is no way to test his remains for this poisoning.
Robert Poppenga: There is absolutely no evidence for the recalled pet food affecting liver function...only the kidneys are damaged.
Gaithersburg, Md. Pet ER Trip: Thank you for addressing this topic. I spent hours in an emergency clinic after my cat became lethargic and a food he was eating got recalled. Please advise us on how to recognize the clinical signs of possible toxicity, and how we can protect our animals. I have spent more time researching pet food than food for the rest of my family. Also, I fear cross contamination from non-recalled foods processed at the same facilities as recalled foods. Surely, the machines cannot be completely sterilized between food runs.
Robert Poppenga: The clinical signs exhibited by affected pets are very non-specific (i.e., they could be caused by many diseases). Pets will perhaps first be noted to have vomiting and are not eating. They may drink more water or urinate more than normal. They would then become very lethargic and inactive. Your veterinarian would have to run tests to determine that the kidneys were not functioning or whether there was some other cause of the pet's illness. I can say that most pet food manufacturers employ rather strict protocols as far as the food processing goes. I think that any substantial cross contamination would be unlikely.
David Brown: There is also a dose issue. Neither melamine nor cyanuric acid are poisonous in low doses the way cyanide is. So the idea that some adulterated food that might remain on the mixing blades in some big vat in a pet-food factory could alter the food in the next batch in a way that would have an actual health effect---I think the feeling is that is not likely and is not worth worrying about.
Baltimore, Md.: In simplest terms, is there some way to be sure the food we feed our dogs and cats is safe: Either by consulting an online list of products or looking at the ingredients on the side of the bag? THANK YOU in advance.
Robert Poppenga: First, check the manufacturer's website for the recalled pet foods (which might include a lot number or date). I believe at this point, that the chances of still having unidentified, contaminated pet food on store shelves is low.
Three ingredients have been shown to be contaminated: wheat gluten, rice protein concentrate and corn gluten (in South Africa). You can check the labels for any of these ingredients and avoid them to be safe - there are lots of pet foods that do not contain them. Home cooking is not generally recommended unless you are working with your veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist to make sure that the diet meets the nutritional needs of the pet.
Philadelphia, Pa.: If we start feeding our dogs and cats "human" food, what kind of viaman suppliments can we give them to go with it?
Robert Poppenga: See a previous answer...you would need to work with your veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist to make sure the diet is adequate.
Washington, D.C.: Is it safe to say that the introduction of the nitrogrin-enhanced compounds are done soley for marketing reasons? or do they help in creating a more nutritious product?
David Brown: A substance that boosts nitrogen would only be useful if the nitrogen were biologically available to the consumer. My understanding and research suggests strongly that the nitrogen in melamine--six atoms in a 15-atom molecule--is not biologically available (or very little is), as most of the compound is excreted chemically unchanged.
I suppose another issue is whether there is any need to boost protein in pet foods. There is a fair amount of evidence that most human beings consume far more protein than they need for health and sustenance.
Robert Poppenga: I agree with David's comments. Melamine does nothing to enhance a food's nutrition.
Chicago, Ill.: How can the assessment that melamine, whether in combination with cyanuric acid or not, is responsible for the recent deaths of pets be reconciled with the USDA/FDA's statement yesterday that melamine and related compounds at the levels detected in pet foods present little or no threat in food?
Robert Poppenga: This is a good question. I believe that the FDA/USDA risk assessment pertained to the pigs and poultry exposed to small amounts of the pet foods (the pig and poultry diets contained melamine at much lower concentrations than the pet foods because they made up only a small percentage of the diets). So the conclusion was that meat from pigs and poultry contained such low concentrations of the contaminants that there would be essentially no risk to people eating the meat.
David Brown: Again, dose and length of exposure are likely to be very important in determining whether an animal (including a human animal) would get sick from these compounds.
Washington, D.C.: What are some of the signs that my pet might have been affected by the contaminated food? My cat passed away about a month prior to the recall announcement. During his last vet examination, he was deemed healthy. I was there to witness my pet die: it looked like he was choking and having a seizure. Twenty minutes later as we rushed him to the clinic, he passed away. Doctors said he did not choke on anything and that it might have been a heart condition, but no autopsy was performed. In hindsight, I should have requested one.
Robert Poppenga: Ideally, a necropsy (autopsy in human terms) is always the best way to try to figure out a cause of death if it is not evident before death. The signs that you describe to not seem to fit what has been typically described in pets affected by the pet food.
Tribeca, N.Y.C.: Thank you for taking my question. The scale of this pet food recall just boggles my mind. Do we have any idea how long this has been going on and the true extent of it?
I have been making my Westie her own food. I boil ground beef, cuts of lamb shank with carrots and peas. Nothing else. Once it is done I strain it and put it in the food processor. When I feed her I mix that with some dry food (non-recalled). Do you think she is getting enough nutrients? I am amazed how she can eat around the dry food and snarf down the homemade food.
David Brown: FDA officials have said they have no idea of whether this has been going on for a while. I do not know whether pet-food manufacturers archive samples of every lot, which could now be tested. It's a good question. I think the fact that the adulteration caused a detectable "signal" in terms of animal health in several regions at the same time suggests (indirectly, of course) that this is a sporadic event and not likely to be a chronic state.
Robert Poppenga: It is my understanding that there is certainly interest in testing archived ingredients if available to try to ascertain if this was a more longstanding contamination issue....the limiting factor will be the availability of older samples for testing.
Rockville, Md.: How long will it take before all the tainted chickens are eaten and thus, off the market? Is the FDA taking it's current stance based only upon the science, or is it releasing the chickens based upon a "business friendly" policy? I read about "minimal risk" but what is the risk?
David Brown: There are no certainties in any of these issues, only probabilities. Might a few freezers contain one of the 2.7 million chickens that got some adulterated pet-food scraps and went on the market in March? Possibly, but most such products are consumed soon after purchase, so they are long gone. They would have contained little melamine, as most of the compounds is excreted unchanged by the body, and the exposure would have been brief. So the likely risk to human health is very, very small--and there have been no unusual spikes of human illness suggesting there was any health effect at all.
Arlington, Va.: Is Melamine a relatively new additive to pet foods? And if not - why is it NOW - becoming such a problem?
Robert Poppenga: Melamine should not be in pet foods (or any food for that matter). Pet food contamination and associated pet illnesses were first recognized in March, thus the whole concern about melamine. In tracing the contaminated pet foods, their use in pig and poultry feed became evident.
Washington, D.C.: OK, so we check the label. But what assurance do we have that the label is truthful and accurate?
Robert Poppenga: Well, the only thing that I can say is that (in theory at least), pet food labels are tightly regulated as to the product's ingredients. I cannot answer the question of the current degree of oversight by the FDA, but the regulations exist.
David Brown: Alas, I think we have run out of time. I know there are quite a few questions left. I'm sorry we couldn't get to them, although some were left unanswered because we don't have the answers (or even reasonable guesses!) Thanks for reading and listening. I think we can agree that we were lucky to have Dr. Robert Poppenga with us this hour.
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Station Break
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Heard or seen something on the pop culture landscape that appalled/delighted/enlightened you? Of course you have. That's what Station Break with Paul Farhi is here for. Local stations, cable, radio shows, commercials, pop culture -- they're all fair game.
Farhi was online Tuesday, May 8, at 1 p.m. ET.
Farhi is a reporter in the Post's Style section, writing about media and popular culture. He's been watching TV and listening to the radio since "The Monkees" were in first run and Adam West was a star. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Los Angeles, Farhi had brief stints in the movie business (as an usher at the Picwood Theater), and in the auto industry (rental-car lot guy) before devoting himself fulltime to word processing. His car has 15 radio pre-sets and his cable system has 500 channels. He vows to use all of them for good instead of evil.
Paul Farhi: Greetings, all, and welcome back...So, I'm watching my Sopranos the other night--and, yes, I do think of them as MY Sopranos, for some reason--and Chris, out of nowhere really, blows away his old friend, J.T. Then, in other indiscriminate secondary-character death news, the Chinese Commando Team (nice of them to be available on short notice in L.A.) takes out "24's" Milo. Both murders were a little shocking, and not. Which brings me to my point (finally): Does the FCC have a point in trying to do something about TV violence? Yes, I'm sure the Sopranos is a bad example of a TV program that kids might be exposed to (I won't let my daughter near the house while I'm watching it), but "24" is on broadcast TV at 9 p.m. Do we have a problem here (and haven't we always had that problem)? And if so, should the government do something about it? And if so, what?...Let's go to the phones...
Please let me know when the Queen has left town so I can watch the local news again. I need to catch up on important issues like fires, crime, whether Joe Gibbs has a hangnail, and Whether it Really Does That.
Paul Farhi: Can't stand the queen, or the queen coverage (though I did love her as Helen Mirren). I wish Monty Python was around so that we could all make fun of her...
Takoma Park, Md.: Regarding Comcast Cable -- So I'm watching TCM on Sunday and get a scroll across the screen saying as of May 15, TCM is moving to their digital lineup and you will need a digital box to watch it. Does this mean I need to pick up a digital box and/or pay an extra 20 bucks a month for their digital service? If so, then that is the last straw. Goodbye Comcast, hello RCN.
Paul Farhi: Yes, you will need the box and the dough. Awful decision by Comcast. As I've bored you before, I'm a big fan of TCM (but thank heavens I get digital now, or I'd really be upset about this). On the other hand, one nice thing about getting the digital package--Comcast on Demand, with archived movies and shows of all kinds, is very, very nice. And they have TCM on demand On Demand!
washingtonpost.com: FCC Report Urges Limits On TV Violence ( Post, April 26)
Lost sunset period: Wow -- has anyone ever given a three-year-notice about a TV show before? It's one thing to say this is a one-year deal, but that's really going out on a limb. What if the next two seasons totally bomb -- will ABC feel some obligation to stick with it for the 3rd season?
Paul Farhi: I found that odd, too. "Lost" has been losing altitude, creatively and ratings-ly, since its first season. But I guess ABC figures enough chumps will stick around to find out where all the plot curlicues wind up (or don't) to justify the next three (somewhat truncated) seasons....
Re: Queen News Coverage: I for one am happy to see the news about the Queen. It means there are no campus shootings, no anthrax cases, no real tragic news that we have to focus on. Let's simply enjoy a little bit of fashion news and stop the griping.
Paul Farhi: Yes, that is a subsidiary benefit, I have to admit. I find that whenever I'm in the car and the news comes on (NPR or WTOP), I'm bracing myself to hear something awful. When the lead story is silly fluff--the Queen being the main display item in the Silly Fluff department--I feel almost relieved.
Idaho Ave., NW Washington, D.C. I stopped short Monday morning when I heard that WTOP sold off the naming rights to the glass-enclosed nerve center to Ledo Pizza. Is it really necessary for WTOP to sell the naming rights to the glass- enclosed nerve center, or is this a way to make up all the money lost from what now seem to be less than good business decisions over the past 18 months?
Paul Farhi: I think you're correct in questioning Bonneville's business decisions over the past 18 months. WashPost Radio has yet to prove itself; the would-be sale of WGMS, then the flip to the short-lived George104, then the rent-out to Radio One on Praise 104 haven't exactly been home runs. But Bonneville is also the highest-grossing radio outfit in town (thank you, WTOP). They can afford to experiment a bit. And the Ledo thing? Bit of a lark, as the Brits might say.
Rockville, Md.: This is about WWRC, "progressive radio 1260," as it is called, which features liberal talkers. Recently, I've been hearing a business program on there from 6 to 7 p.m. which is clearly not part of the liberal format. And last night about 10:30 I heard a right wing talker named Steve Malzberg who said he had a new program. Is WWRC changing its stripes again? And does anybody listen to it? Ratings? And do they power down at night when I can hardly hear it?
Paul Farhi: WWRC didn't make the top 25 stations in the latest Arbitron ratings. Since the lowest-rated stations on that list managed to get just 0.6 percent of the audience during an average quarter hour, it's possible that NO ONE is actually listening to WWRC.
Re: "Lost": Do you think they will shoot all the episodes in the next two years and just stretch them out over three years for the viewers?
Paul Farhi: Sure. That's the cheaper way to do it. And network TV is all about "the cheaper way to do it" these days...
Alexandria, Va.: As a fan who got hooked on "24" back in season one, this has been a painful slew of Mondays. Has the series jumped the shark or merely skipped over an alligator?
Paul Farhi: I'd go with the former, frankly. And so would the producers of the show, who have said recently that they will be retooling it for next season. Not sure what this "retooling" might mean (Jack takes a desk job?) but it IS time for a little retrenchment...
Baltimore, Md.: Re the government and TV violence: I know the industry must be getting nervous about this, because Dick Woolf, the emperor of Law and Order said something remarkably stupid to Entertainment Weekly, namely that no industry in America ever got better because of government regulation.
Gee, I can name the banking industry, food and drugs, the securities industry and so on. I am not saying TV violence should necessarily be regulated, too, but for a smart man like Woolf to say something that historically foolish makes me think Hollywood is feeling some heat.
Paul Farhi: Interesting point. And I can think of a few industries that got worse (in many material ways) thanks to government de-regulation (we might start with radio and TV...). But I'm not sure the TV industry is all that worried. Congress has tried to do something about TV violence for many, many years (Sen. Kefauver held hearings on it in the early 1950s!) but has never accomplished much. No reason to think this will be anything different.
RE: Arbitrons: Paul, how large is the D.C. radio audience? I'm curious as to what a 0.6 number means.
Paul Farhi: Sorry about that--the total Washington D.C. metro radio audience (i.e., persons 12-plus) is 4,176,300, give or take, according to Arbitron.
Chantilly, Va. - Am I the only one concerned ...: That CTU seems to be the most unguarded, easy to access, easy to infiltrate govt installation of all time? Two seasons ago when Sean Astin's character left the building to go across the street it appeared as if CTU was built in some strip mall right on a main road. I guess this is part of what makes it so easy to get from place to place in under 45 seconds even in L.A. rush hour traffic.
Paul Farhi: Hahahaha! On the other hand, don't you think it was really, really smart of the federal government to locate its main counter-terrorism unit in Los Angeles, which appears to the home of every major terrorist operation in the country? I mean, they must have branches of Henchmen R Us out there, considering how busy the terrorists are there.
TV in the modern world: The news about "Lost's" creators plannng a three-year exit plan shows they aren't living in the modern world. I record the show on my DVR and watch it when I get around to it, skimming past the commercials as I do. Unless the show catches fire again, I'll probably keep doing that for the next three years. I'm not sure how that helps ABC's advertisers. If they'd kept the show moving along smartly, I might actually watch it live (and watch the commercials).
Paul Farhi: Well, as a general observation, DVRs have the potential to really wreck the TV business, for the very reason you state. HOwever, most people, oddly enough, still watch commercials on DVR. Weird but true. At least according to a study (or possibly a "study") that CBS put out at the beginning of last season.
RE: WWRC: So, a 0.6 means that at any given time, 25,000 listeners are tuned in? When I was managing ad sales for cable systems, we built a pretty stout business on smaller numbers than those -- but they have to be able to control costs.
With 25,000 committed listeners, the right targeted advertisers should be able to do some business with the "liberal" format, but their listeners are anti-business, according to your chatter.
Sounds like infomercials are on the way!
Paul Farhi: Oh, no. Not 25,000. The 4.1 million number I mentioned is the POTENTIAL audience if 100 percent of the audience is listening. And, of course, 100 percent of the audience is never listening. So the 0.6 percent represents the actual audience at any given time--a much, much, much smaller number. This will get nerdy (if it hasn't already) but it might be better to look at "cume"--the total number of individuals who listen to a station during the course of a week. WTOP has the highest cume of any station--864,800. That means that roughly 125,000 people, give or take, tuned in at some point during the week.
Richmond, Va.: Money talks and b.s. walks. If people REALLY wanted less violence on TV, then shows about sunshine and rainbows would top the ratings every week.
Paul Farhi: The caller makes an interesting point. Violence sells, and always has (going back well before Bill Shakespeare). However: prolonged exposure to TV violence hurts children in various ways. This has been studied over and over and over again. There's no denying it. The only question is what to do about it.
Re: WWRC: They've been selling brokered time slots for about 6 months now. I can understand doing it at, say, 11 p.m. when no one's listening to make a little extra money. But, during drive time? Crazy.
Paul Farhi: Makes more sense than trying to sell ads, though, no? At least with brokered programming (essentially, an infomercial), the station can book some revenue.
Henchmen R Us: Is that where the Penguin and the Joker buy those groovy uniforms for their boyz?
Paul Farhi: Oh, no. The Penguin and Joker went more uptown. They shopped at Chateau du Accomplice (pretentious accent on the "ice").
Chantilly, Va.: Paul: Has anyone ever tried doing a CTU org chart? Sometimes they answer to "District," other times to "Division," and still other times directly to the White House.
But in every case Jack Bauer is still always right and the other person is wrong.
Paul Farhi: I would like someone to compile a dictionary of the techno- mumbo-jumbo uttered by the CTU desk drones. It's such convincing nonsense--always something about "the subchannel" and the "satellite sockets." Practically Jetsonian!
Alexandria, Va.: FCC & Violence
The FCC should not regulate violence on TV to "save the children." As an adult I have the ability and free will to watch what I want. As a parent, I have the ability and free will to monitor and control what my children watch. I also have the control to send the kids to bed at a healthy time (kids should not be up and watching at 10). Why does the government need to regulate how I entertain myself?
Also, haven't all TVs made in the last 10 years been created with a V-chip? Why aren't parents using it?
Paul Farhi: This posting crystallizes the very rational (and perhaps libertarian) view of the issue. The fact is, many parents DON'T bother to screen what their kids watch and DON'T avail themselves of the v-chip or other blocking mechanisms. There's a good argument--and I'm neutral on this, so don't take this for advocacy--that the TV industry has handed viewers the tools and it's now up to them to use them.
TV's Effect On Kids: It's not just violence. Have you tried to manage a 25-year- old lately? The whole MTV/Friends/Sex in the City -- created diva culture is what's really ruining these kids.
Paul Farhi: Maybe we need a D-chip, which senses excessive portrayals of diva behavior. Would ruin the careers of Christina Aguilera and Lindsay Lohan.
Washington, D.C.: Do you know how many times they run that "I've had the time of my life" commercial for Sandals travel on CNN during the day? It's enough to pull an Elvis on the TV. Can't there be some kind of regulation regarding frequency of commercials by companies selling their wares? The viewer is really suffering here.
Paul Farhi: What part of long beaches, clear ocean water, fabulous pools and young women in bikinis don't you like?
Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: Paul -- I saw your article(s) about Ken Burns caving and possibly changing his film. What's up with that? Is it true that those who have launched the campaign (including members of the Hispanic Caucus) haven't even seen the film? If not, how can they judge?
washingtonpost.com: Latinos' Battle With Burns Taken to 'War' Sponsors ( Post, May 3)
Paul Farhi: Burns basically IS changing his film as a result of these protests, although this gets very bogged down in semantic tap dancing (he's adding material that will be broadcast during "The War," according to PBS and Burns' publicist, but is not changing his finished film. Huh?) And Burns has all but admitted he overlooked Latinos/Hispanics in his film, so seeing all 14 hours of it probably is a little irrelevant at this point...
Silver Spring, Md.: Oh, and about the violence thing -- I currently have the ability to restrict violent programming by the content's rating in my television, cable box, DVD player, laptop PC, and Xbox 360. Congress forced everyone to have the V-chip. People have the choice to use them or not use them, there's no need for stupid new regulations.
I can decide for myself what I want to watch or let my family watch. The last thing I want is for some bureaucrat to make that decision.
Paul Farhi: Understood. Question: Do you feel the same way about "indecency" on radio and TV? Because the Supreme Court has said "some bureaucrat" has the right to make those decisions in behalf of your children...
Washington, DC: Shouldn't it be a parent's job to manage what children watch on television? If so, why is the FCC trying to be a parent, and why is it the government's responsibility to decide what is and is not appropriate for our children? Aren't televisions and cable boxes required to have a nifty device called a "V-chip" in them? If parents are so ignorant and irresponsible, why should the other responsible parents be punished?
The FCC is a JOKE!
Paul Farhi: Not a lot of federal bureaucrat lovers on this channel, apparently...
Sopranos: Christopher was drunk and started blurting out secrets. JT knew he should not be hearing that stuff and told Christopher. Christopher realizes he's right and blows him away. Indiscriminate?
Paul Farhi: Yes. Indiscriminate. Chris was drunk and extremely angry/humiliated. He's a psycho.
Silver Spring, Md.: Agh! Not even a spoiler warning in your intro paragraph? I was saving 24 for tonight ...
Paul Farhi: D'Oh! Apologies. Apologies a thousand times!
RE: Lost: So they'll tie up all the loose ends before the series ends, huh? Isn't "Lost" created by the same guy that put "Alias" on the air, and the same thing happened -- the plots and story lines got ever more twisted, and they promised to wrap everything up into a box with a neat bow -- and it never happened?
Paul Farhi: My guess is that it will never happen on "Lost" because it can't happen, not in our lifetime, what with the 63,005 loose ends that need to be tied up on that show.
TV:"Have you tried to manage a 25-year- old lately? The whole MTV/Friends/Sex in the City -- created diva culture is what's really ruining these kids."
A good point, but the shows reflect the diva culture more than they create it, methinks.
Paul Farhi: So what you're saying is, MTV/Friends/SITC reports on diva culture, you decide?
Radio indecency vs. TV violence: There is, at least for the moment, one significant difference: TV is still overwhelmingly an in-home delivery system, as opposed to radio, which is everywhere. Presumably, if a parent is concerned about content, he can control a child's viewing more readily than the child's listening.
Paul Farhi: While I'd say that is a practical distinction, it's pretty meaningless in the eyes of the law. The rationale for the FCC's indecency regime--one upheld by the Supreme Court back in '77--is that broadcasting (radio and TV) are both pervasive/ubiquitous media, and licensed by the government, and therefore subject to some content restrictions.
Washington, D.C.: While I truly believe that FCC regulation of just about anything is censorship, I have a question that maybe you can answer. I am in my upper-mid-twenties and I am under the impression that violent crime has increased significantly since the 50s, when it seems (again, I wasn't around then) that saying "Geez!" could be controversial. So it makes me think that the increase in these images has somehow made us more violent. Do you think that is the case, and if so, can we as a society be exposed to these images without becoming more violent ourselves?
Paul Farhi: Wow--that's several volumes of dissertation waiting to be written. Let me try to boil it down in my own lunkheaded way. The crime rate, I believe, is somewhat higher PER CAPITA than in the 1950s (and possibly the '60s), but lower than in the '70s, '80s and '90s. As for TV's contribution to real crime, that's murky. Some societies, such as Japan and Canada, have every bit as much TV violence as we do, but much, much lower crime rates. So, the connections are difficult to make.
Lost Ends: I haven't seen the show, but how likely could it possibly be that none of the "solutions" gets out online over three years? Especially with what seems to be a pretty strong nerdlinger contingent among the show's fans ...
Paul Farhi: Three words: Shoot multiple endings. This would allow the producers to take advantage of all the buzz and then pop in the "real" ending at the last minute....
Washington, D.C.: Don't apologize about revealing 24. I DVR things all the time and I realize by doing that I take the risk of being "spoiled." I'm so tired of people thinking the world revolves around their TV habits.
Paul Farhi: Well, I hate to be a spoilsport. But, yeah, watch the damn program the way God intended, why don't you?*
*Workshopping new "tough guy" online host.
Chantilly, Va.: I wonder which job is more fun: Being the guy who thinks up "24" jargon or being the guy who comes up with names for new drinks at Starbucks?
Paul Farhi: Could be the same guy. I hear the villain on "24" next season will be named Mocha Soy Frappucino. An Italian fellow, I think.
Have you tried to manage a 25-year- old lately? The whole MTV/Friends/Sex in the City -- created diva culture is what's really ruining these kids.: Thank you! I thought I was the only one who thought that.
Paul Farhi: You're welcome. We're all about bringing the "community" together here.
Baltimore, Md.: Many people forget that, legally, the airwaves are the government's property -- it's been that way since the early days of radio. The government licenses the broadcast spectrum, but retains ownership. Theoretically, the Feds can do anything they want.
Paul Farhi: Well, theoretically, they can't. There's a First Amendment, and the courts watch what the government does. This ultimately explains why there hasn't been a violence law. The courts would probably shoot it down--hahaha! violence law-shoot it down!...ahem...--very, very fast...
Long time reader, first time poster. I really appreciate all you do for the chat community. It's inspirational. Just wanted to get your thoughts on this year's Washington University (in St. Louis) baseball Bears. The boys have had a pretty good season ... what's the outlook for the NCAA's? Thanks.
Paul Farhi: The Bears have tremendous team hitting depth, but suspect pitching, with a strong two-deep roster but an unproven bullpen that could hurt them over a long tournament. As you know, the NCAA Division III tournament is a double-elimination format, beginning with a regional playoff. The pitching question hangs over the team's chances of going deep. But it is certainly possible, given their sterling 30-9 record this season against very fine competition.*
*Coincidentally, I have a son who plays third base for Wash.U. But this has nothing at all to do with my interest in, or knowledge of, NCAA Division III baseball.
Paul Farhi: And on that note, if any, I must punch the clock and call "Time!" We had some fun, didn't we? We'll have even more--okay, we'll have the same amount--when we do this again in two weeks. Everyone's invited. Wear something colorful. Until then, regards to all...Paul.
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White Tie and Tiara
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The most elegant Washington evening in a decade, last night's state dinner for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, took place on a velvet-smooth night that made Washington appear more beautiful, a little softer around the edges, than it might actually be.
President Bush, who his wife said had to be talked into hosting his first white-tie dinner, appeared to love it.
He stepped onto the front portico of the White House in the early dusk, jovial and laughing, the first lady at his side. A casual man, bedeviled by the lowest presidential approval ratings in a generation, he appeared, for once, to revel in the pomp and ceremonial trappings of the office.
He came down the red-carpeted steps to welcome the queen as she stepped from a black Chevy SUV. It has been 56 years since her first state visit to Washington (when Harry S. was running things), and the monarch, without a word, showed how it's done:
She wore a white gown with a beaded bodice and chiffon skirt, but what you really noticed was the tiara given to her by her grandmother (Queen Mary), plus a three-strand diamond necklace, a diamond bracelet, a pearl watch, three brooches on a formal blue sash, diamond drop earrings and a silver purse.
Suffice it to say it glittered.
Downstairs, the 134 guests who had snagged one of the exclusive invites were arriving. The biggest star of the night was also one of smallest: Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel.
"It's awesome," he said, as reporters clustered around him.
"I'm more nervous than I was at the race!" said Lisa Funk, his fiancee.
Nancy Reagan stewed behind them in the entry line. The former first lady could only wait for the cameras to turn to her.
Tricia Lott, wife of Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott, was on her way in when asked if she had gotten a new dress for the occasion -- she was, after all, seated at the president's table.
"About two hours old," she smiled, indicating her dress.
Ashley Manning, wife of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Peyton Manning, looked fabulous in a black Monique Lhuillier gown that was all the more striking for being precisely the same dress that Robin Roberts of ABC was wearing -- albeit Roberts's was a lovely shade of milk chocolate.
All the stately gowns proved to be a hazard for the menfolk. Oil kazillionaire T. Boone Pickens kept stepping on his wife's train. "I tell ya, that dress is driving me crazy," he said with a laugh.
At this party there was no duplicate of Laura Bush's gown: The embroidered turquoise silk faille with a matching embroidered bolero was created just for her by designer Oscar de la Renta.
For a glamorous evening in America, the guest list was striking for its omissions. The glitterati weren't movie stars but athletes: jockey Borel, Indianapolis Colt Manning, golf legend Arnold Palmer, former NFL star -- and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's escort -- Gene Washington.
From television, there were newscasters and hosts -- Jim Nantz of CBS Sports, David Gregory of NBC News and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, co-host of ABC's "The View." From the classical arts, pianist Rohan De Silva; Marta Domingo, wife of Placido Domingo; and violinist Itzhak Perlman, who provided the after-dinner entertainment.
Leonore Annenberg, wife of the former ambassador to the Court of St. James's -- and who once set off a controversy by curtsying to the queen (which Americans aren't supposed to do) -- came in, oxygen tank in tow, determined not to miss the event. "I'm just so thrilled to be here," she said.
The dinner was held in the State Dining Room. At the head table, the queen was seated on Bush's right, Nancy Reagan on his left. To the queen's right was Chief Justice John Roberts Jr.; Alma Powell, wife of former secretary of state Colin Powell; Arnold Palmer; Ashley Manning; Nantz, Tricia Lott; and former secretary of state George Shultz.
The first lady sat next to Prince Philip. Her table also included Rice and first brother Jeb Bush. Colin Powell was seated nearby, across from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reportedly turned down the invite).
The toasts, if predictable, were heartfelt. The president raised a glass to the queen and the "valiant people of the United Kingdom." In her response, Queen Elizabeth harked back to her youth. "My generation can vividly remember the ordeal of the Second World War. . . . For those of us who have witnessed the peace and stability and prosperity enjoyed in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe over these postwar years, we have every reason to remember that this has been founded on the bedrock of the Atlantic Alliance." She then cited problems facing this generation: Iraq, Afghanistan, climate change and poverty. But, she said, "together with our friends in Europe and beyond, we can continue to learn from the inspiration and vision of those earlier statesmen in ensuring that we meet these threats and resolve these problems."
The White House was at its most elegant, everything in colors of cream, gold and ivory. The 13 tables were covered with cream damask tablecloths and vermeil centerpieces of 60 white roses. The china was the Clinton set, ivory with a gold rim and a gold depiction of the White House in the center. The dinner, instead of the usual four courses, was a five-course affair, starting with spring pea soup and caviar, proceeding to Dover sole, saddle of spring lamb, arugula salad and a dessert of petits fours, and a spectacular presentation dubbed "Rose Blossoms," an elegant creation of meringue and spun sugar.
During the after-dinner entertainment, 76 guests were invited to join the festivities in the East Room, where Perlman nodded to the royal couple and said, "Thank you for coming to our concert." After the laughter, he performed five "musical bon bons." At the end of his set, the crowd erupted in applause, begging for an encore. "Tell me what to do," he said, looking at the president. "Everything is protocol."
Alas, Bush leapt up and led him off the stage so that the U.S. Army Chorus could boom out "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." The queen and prince left shortly thereafter, about 11 p.m., but the evening ended with dancing. No political battles this night. The last thing we saw was Nancy Pelosi cutting the rug with George Shultz to "In the Mood."
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In Cambodia, a Clash Over History of the Khmer Rouge
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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, May 7 -- In a country where half the students who enter grammar school never finish, Cheak Socheata, 18, is among the most privileged of her generation: She made it to college.
But even Cheak, a first-year medical student at Phnom Penh's University of Health Sciences, has learned next to nothing in school about the Khmer Rouge, who in a little less than four years in power executed, tortured and starved to death an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians, about a quarter of the population.
"I just heard from my parents that there was mass killing," Cheak said. "It's hard to believe." Her high school history teacher told her the basics -- the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979 -- and advised her to read about the rest on her own, she recalled.
Nearly three decades after the Khmer Rouge were overthrown, a battle over history is underway in Cambodia. On one side are forces eager to reckon with the past, both in school and at a special court set up to try the surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge. Many teachers, students and activist groups say more should be taught about the Khmer Rouge years, which is virtually absent from school curriculums now.
Blunting these demands is a government whose top leaders were once associated with the now-defunct communist movement and who seem loath to cede control over such a politically sensitive chapter of Cambodian history.
"Suppose that ever since 1945, Germany had been ruled by former Nazis," said Philip Short, author of "Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare," a biography of the Khmer Rouge leader published in 2004. "Would the history of the Nazi regime be taught honestly in Germany today? This is now Cambodia's problem."
A new high school textbook about the era, the first written by a Cambodian, was recently published by the Documentation Center of Cambodia, an independent institute in Phnom Penh that specializes in Khmer Rouge history. In "A History of Democratic Kampuchea," author Khamboly Dy, 26, spells out in 11 detailed chapters the rise, reign and fall of the Khmer Rouge, who called themselves the Communist Party of Kampuchea and the country, Democratic Kampuchea.
A Cambodian government review panel deemed the book unsuitable for use in the regular curriculum. Instead, the panel said the book could be used as supplementary reference material and as a basis for the Ministry of Education to write its own textbook.
"It's a start. The door is open," said Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center, which has been pushing to get a textbook into classrooms since 1999.
Short said Khamboly's text is hard to fault on substantive historical grounds. "It deserves to be not merely an approved textbook for Cambodian schools but a compulsory text, which all Cambodian schoolchildren should be required to study," he said.
Its sidelining reflects the failure of the country's current leaders to move beyond their Khmer Rouge past, he said. Prime Minister Hun Sen, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Senate President Chea Sim were all middle-ranking Khmer Rouge officials, he said.
The three men left Cambodia for Vietnam in the late 1970s and returned with Vietnamese army forces that overthrew Pol Pot in 1979. Today, their political legitimacy rests in part on their credentials as men who helped free Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge tyranny.
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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, May 7 -- In a country where half the students who enter grammar school never finish, Cheak Socheata, 18, is among the most privileged of her generation: She made it to college.
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Chinese To Deploy Soldiers To Darfur
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A spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, did not say how many Chinese soldiers would be dispatched or what their duties would be, describing them as "multifunctional" military engineers. U.S. officials in Washington estimated the number at around 300, the Reuters news agency reported.
The decision to help bolster the 7,000 African Union peacekeepers was seen mainly as a gesture to underline Chinese support for a U.N.-administered solution to the four-year-old conflict in western Sudan's Darfur region. Since an armed secessionist revolt began there in 2003, as many as 450,000 people have died from violence and disease and about 2.5 million have fled their homes.
In recent weeks, the Darfur crisis has become particularly sensitive in China because of suggestions in the United States and Europe that people should boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympics to demonstrate opposition to Chinese policies in Sudan. China, which has deep economic and military ties there, has been widely criticized for failing to bring strong pressure on the government to persuade it to accept a large force of U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur.
The ties include large oil purchases and extensive arms sales. The human rights group Amnesty International recently charged that the purchases and sales have been continuing despite U.N. calls for an embargo. Jiang, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, declined to respond to questions about the Amnesty charges. But she said China's arms sales to Sudan are strictly controlled, include only conventional weapons and do not violate U.N. regulations.
Five of the African Union peacekeepers were killed April 1, leading to warnings that the Darfur situation could deteriorate further unless more is done to stop the fighting. Clashes involving the Sudanese army, allied militias and a half-dozen rebel groups have erupted regularly despite a peace agreement reached a year ago. Fifteen A.U. soldiers have been killed since the peacekeepers were stationed in Darfur in 2004.
The U.N. Security Council decided in August to send more than 20,000 peacekeeping troops and police officers to halt the bloodshed, which the Bush administration has described as genocide. But the Sudanese government, headed by President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, has insisted that Sudanese authorities should retain control over the rebellious area and suggested that the African Union force should be allowed to do the job.
As negotiations continue about the full U.N. force, Bashir has accepted a 3,500-member interim U.N. force designed to strengthen the African Union units already on the spot. The Chinese engineers were being dispatched as part of those reinforcements, which have been called a "heavy support package," U.S. officials said.
Rejecting the criticism from abroad, Jiang said China also has "a positive attitude" toward getting the full-strength U.N. force to Darfur. Throughout the struggle, however, the Chinese government has insisted that whatever the United Nations does should first be approved by Bashir's government. Citing that stand, it abstained when the Security Council voted in August to send 20,000 peacekeepers.
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On Your Feet - washingtonpost.com
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They're made for walking, jogging, hiking, even dancing.
But in the centuries since our ancestors first wrapped their feet in woven grasses and animal skins to protect them from rough surfaces, function has clashed with fashion in the design of our shoes. The crocodile-hide loafers and cowboy boots that cross paths with dress oxfords on today's city streets are often chosen for what they say about their wearer rather than for comfort.
Among women's shoes, fashion has truly trumped function. As the summer months approach, colorful sandals, flip-flops, wedges, high heels and ballet flats dot the sidewalks. One of trendiest shoes this season is YSL's platform "Tribute" -- with a tottering 5 1/2 -inch heel. Often painstakingly selected to complete outfits, shoes like these put stress not just on feet, but on ankles, knees and backs, contributing to the approximately $3.5 billion spent annually in the United States for women's foot surgeries, which cause them to lose 15 million work days yearly.
Enduring discomfort to participate in fashion or show status is an age-old trend, said Elizabeth Semmelhack, a curator at Toronto's Bata Shoe Museum, which has about 13,000 footwear artifacts; the oldest is 4,500 years old, and the most recent was collected in 2006. "It's absolutely clear to me . . . when I look at cultures that impracticalit y is one of the primary features among the privileged" class, she said.
Experts warn against what one group of foot doctors calls "cruel shoes" -- such as the high heels that Semmelhack says have historically been "one of the primary ways to express what [people] don't have to do," such as walk long distances and do strenuous work.
Shoes with "pointed toes, shoes with thin soles, and shoes with high spike heels" are of the cruel variety, according to the Web site of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, because they can "cause crowding of the toes and increased pressure," which can result in hammertoes and bunions. The American Society of Podiatric Sports Medicine reports that a three-inch heel creates seven times more stress than a one-inch heel.
Years ago, lower classes did their best to mirror trends established by upper classes, Semmelhack said. For example, "in the 18th century, lower-class [women] might have heels, but [they] won't be as high" as those owned by upper-class women.
When humans walked barefoot, "societies seemingly had a low incidence of foot deformities and pain," according to a 1994 essay published in the Journal of the Southern Orthopaedic Association. The first shoes "were made in the shape of the foot and were sandals," wrote Sally A. Rudicel, an orthopedist at Tufts-New England Medical Center. But "over time . . . as the shape of shoes changed, they became deforming forces on the foot and the source of pain."
Today, despite mounting evidence of the damage ill-fitting shoes can cause, women squeeze their toes to fit into oh-so-popular pointed-toe shoes, and they readily break the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' rule of thumb: no more than three hours in three-inch heels. Wearing heels causes your foot to slide forward, "redistributing your weight, creating unnatural pressure points and throwing your body's natural alignment out of whack," according to the Mayo Clinic. High heels have "been linked to overworked or injured leg muscles, osteoarthritis of the knee and low back pain," continues Mayo. "You also risk ankle injuries if you lose your balance and fall off your high heels."
For those women who want fashion plus function, so-called comfort-brand shoes claim to offer the best of both worlds. Among them: Naturalizer, Ecco, Aerosole, Cole Hahn and Taryn Rose, created by a former orthopedic surgeon who brought her first line of luxury shoes to the market in 1998. And they're not your grandmother's orthopedic shoes.
Foot doctors often recommend these lines to patients. "Comfort shoes tend to have a rounded toe box, more cushioning [and] more arch support," said Theresa Fahy, a podiatrist with offices in Vienna and Leesburg. The shoes make "you more comfortable when you're standing," she added.
Still, the lines aren't a cure-all for everyone, Fahy said. "It really depends on the foot. . . . You don't really have a universal shoe for every foot."
But when it comes to properly fitting shoes, women often find a lack of options. "Men's shoes on the whole are available in a greater variety of widths and conform more closely to the outer dimensions of their feet," the foot and ankle society reports.
As a result, women are at greater risk for shoe-related health problems than men, according to the society, which released a recent position statement declaring that foot problems "resulting from poorly fitting shoes have reached epidemic proportions and pose a major health risk for women in America." Women account for about 90 percent of surgeries performed for the most common foot ailments, the society reports.
That risk can include bunions, stress fractures, joint pain in the ball of the foot, Morton's neuroma, "pump bumps" (enlargement of the bony area on the back of heel), corns and calluses, hammertoe, toenail problems and tight heel cords (shortening or tightening the Achilles tendon).
Women often think they're doing their feet a favor when they ditch the heels and put on flip-flops or ballet flats because there's no heel, no pointed toe, no reason to worry. Right?
Not so, say podiatrists, who treat foot problems often exacerbated by improper footwear. "The thing that flip-flops do best is carry patients into my office," said Stephen Pribut, a D.C. podiatrist. The repeated process of lifting your heel away from the shoe surface (creating that characteristic flip-flop sound) creates tension in the foot, said Pribut, which can worsen such painful inflammatory conditions as plantar fasciitis.
Erika Schwartz, a podiatrist in private practice in the District and Chevy Chase, advised that ballet flats and flip-flops "really shouldn't be worn for any kind of excessive walking [because there's] really nothing giving you support underneath."
Nobody is advocating going barefoot on today's hard, trash-strewn surfaces; it's all about the right fit. "If your foot doesn't hurt during or within 24 hours after wearing a shoe," Pribut said, "go ahead and wear it. Otherwise, toss it and start over again." ?
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They're made for walking, jogging, hiking, even dancing.
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Locks, Buzzers Await Loudoun School Visitors
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Like some others in the Washington area, Loudoun County schools soon will greet all visitors with something new: a locked front door, a video camera and a button-activated intercom to request entrance. Inside, office staff will screen the visitors and decide whom to buzz in.
The video intercom, common in apartment buildings around the world, is turning up increasingly in public schools. After the 1999 Columbine High School shootings and subsequent school tragedies, limiting access is a top concern for every school administrator.
Loudoun's $550,000 video intercom solution, to be installed beginning this summer, was proposed after the Amish schoolhouse shootings in Nickel Mines, Pa., in October, in which a gunman killed five students and himself. The proposal, included in the school budget, won overwhelming approval days after the Virginia Tech shooting rampage last month that left 33 dead, including the gunman.
"I realize that schools cannot provide fortification against the crazy events that occur in society," Loudoun School Superintendent Edgar B. Hatrick III said. But he said school officials can at least take steps to secure buildings.
"By using the intercom video system, we can control who actually comes in the front door," he said.
The technology has been adopted in elementary schools in Alexandria, Arlington County and the District. Two Montgomery County elementary schools are testing it, and after a three-year trial, Fairfax County schools are planning to install the cameras and intercoms at the front door of each elementary and middle school by the end of 2008 at a cost of $4 million.
Many school systems install intercoms only in elementary or middle schools, because high schools are bigger and more porous and tend to have more paid security staff on campus.
Almost every school in the country has a policy that requires guests to register at the front office, but officials say it's easy to slip past. Modern school designs often are more security-conscious, allowing a direct line of sight from the front office to the parking lot. But older schools have fewer windows, and officials must look for more creative ways to control who comes and goes.
Prince William County schools are testing another technology: a visitor monitoring system that would allow school staff to check the background of visitors by running their driver's licenses through government databases of sex offenders.
After the Washington area sniper shootings in 2002, Loudoun public schools briefly employed greeters to monitor every front door and sign in every visitor. But that system was expensive, costing about $1 million a year, and so was quickly disbanded. Many schools try to staff entrances with off-duty teachers or parent volunteers. But Loudoun officials believe intercoms will be a more cost-effective, long-term solution for all elementary and secondary schools.
The District has used intercoms and cameras for about five years in its public elementary schools, an official said, a step taken after someone ran inside a Northeast Washington elementary school during a drive-by shooting.
"They work great," said Franklin Chrisman, a D.C. school security officer who oversees buildings and safety equipment. He said the intercoms and cameras free up security officers to monitor other parts of school buildings and ensure that side and rear doors are closed and locked.
Montgomery school officials are still evaluating the technology. They have tried it in two elementary schools with mixed results, said Robert Hellmuth, director of the county's Department of School Safety and Security.
"We don't know where we are going with it. Schools traditionally have been open, nourishing, welcoming buildings in our communities," Hellmuth said. "We've gone to some PTA meetings where some people say we need to tighten things down and some where they say we are overreacting."
Kenneth Trump, a Cleveland-based school safety consultant who has clients across the country, said many schools hesitate "because they don't want to alienate parents, but once it's employed, most parents are very appreciative." He said the top concern he hears from parents is that "anybody can walk in or around their kids' schools."
Mary Ann Cannon, an Ashburn mother with three children in Loudoun schools, echoed that concern. "It's very easy; you can walk right in," she said. She said security seems to have loosened since the post-sniper crackdown. She welcomed the intercoms. "I think the safer we can keep our kids the better," she said.
Staff writers Tara Bahrampour, Maria Glod, Nelson Hernandez and Theola Labbé contributed to this report.
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Like some others in the Washington area, Loudoun County schools soon will greet all visitors with something new: a locked front door, a video camera and a button-activated intercom to request entrance. Inside, office staff will screen the visitors and decide whom to buzz in.
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Longtime Leader Quits International Jewish Group
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Billionaire Edgar M. Bronfman resigned yesterday as president of the World Jewish Congress amid the fallout over his sudden firing two months ago of his longtime associate in the nonprofit organization.
Bronfman and Israel Singer became a famous, globe-trotting duo in the 1980s and 1990s, first by helping to expose the Nazi past of former United Nations secretary-general and Austrian president Kurt Waldheim, and later by coaxing European banks to pay billions of dollars in restitution to Holocaust survivors.
Together, they turned the tiny World Jewish Congress (WJC) into a powerful diplomatic force, fueled by a combination of Singer's energy and Bronfman's wealth from the Seagram liquor business. But the organization has been in turmoil in recent years over alleged financial improprieties and a battle between potential successors to Bronfman, 77, who headed the organization for 26 years.
In March, Bronfman stunned many Jewish leaders by firing Singer after having stood by him through an investigation of the WJC's finances by the New York attorney general's office. The investigation concluded last year that Singer had violated his fiduciary responsibilities, but it found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
In a letter last month explaining the firing to WJC officials, Bronfman accused Singer of taking the organization's funds "for his own use" and of undermining "the very principles of morality and integrity we fought together to preserve around the world."
Singer denied those allegations, and his supporters in the WJC's European and Israeli affiliates threatened to split the international organization unless Bronfman restored Singer to his post. About the same time, the WJC stopped funding its Jerusalem branch.
The dispute came to a head at a meeting yesterday of the WJC's steering committee in New York. In a three-paragraph statement, the organization announced Bronfman's resignation together with a resumption of funding for the Jerusalem office and "restoration of normal relationships" among its affiliates.
Neither Bronfman nor Singer was available for comment. The WJC's secretary general, Stephen E. Herbits, a former Defense Department adviser and Seagram executive, issued a statement saying the steering committee decided that "it did not want to discuss Israel Singer any further, that the matter was closed for the World Jewish Congress, and that anything else related to Mr. Singer is between him, government officials and other institutions. Given that decision, Mr. Bronfman, who has been on record for six years wanting to retire from the WJC, now feels that he can."
The WJC said its governing board will elect Bronfman's successor in June. Bronfman previously indicated that he wanted his son Matthew to take over. But cosmetics billionaire Ronald S. Lauder has floated a bid for the post, and Pierre Besnainou, president of the European Jewish Congress, has thrown his support to a current WJC official, Mendel Kaplan.
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Real Wheels
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Brown test drives all types of cars, from luxury sedans to the newest minivans and hybrids. His On Wheels auto reviews are lively, detailed accounts of cars' good and bad qualities.
Brown's Car Culture column addresses the social, political and economic trends of the industry.
Brown comes online Fridays at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions on every aspect of the automotive industry -- from buying your dream car to the future of the internal combustion engine.
Logan Circle, D.C.: Why are they making the WRX into a hatchback? I think it turned out pretty ugly.
Warren Brown: Good morning, Logan Circle.
Saw it at the New York show. Subaru is looking at global markets, where performance sans utility is a poor seller. Subaru wants to sell as many Imprezas, WRX or otherwise, as possible. Utility plus performance might spoil the beauty. But it sells.
Ann Arbor, Mich.: Very nice column, Warren! I wish there were more like yours! Question: how is it possible that a two/three-year old 25-30,000 miles certified car costs as much as or not so much less than the edmunds.com TMV or MSRP prices for the new car?
What should be the right percentage depreciation that one should expect for a used -- ahem pre-owned -- car?
Warren Brown: Hello, Ann Arbor (love your town, although parking there is difficult, especially when the University is running full tilt).
In answer, it all depends on the car, the regional market, existing demand for that particular vehicle in that regional market, whether or not the vehicle in question (say, the current Toyota Corolla which lacks much STANDARD safety equipment) has been trumped in the marketplace by rivals (such as Hyundai with lots of standard safety equipment sold at below-Toyota prices), whether or not the vehicle in question is being replaced by another superior model at an effectively lower price (much more standard safety equipment at a marginal price increase, for example.)
And with gas-electric hybrids, there is this:
. Their nickel metal-hydride batteries will be replaced by smaller, more efficient lithium polymer and other lithium batteries.
.Gas-electrics eventually will be challenged by diesel-electrics. (Watch The Volvo Group, which starts putting those in over-the-road trucks in 2009. The Volvo Group is separate from Volvo Cars. But here's betting that Volvo Group truck technology will migrate to Volvo Cars.
In short, buying a gas-electric car today is like buying a laptop or iPod. What's the resale value of a used laptop?
Washington, D.C.: Warren, this question may not be your area, but I'm hoping you or someone else on this chat can help.
My in-laws have a 2000 Volvo S80. The fabric lining on the inside of the A-pillars is coming off, apparently because the adhesive is failing. I have never seen anything like this, even in the cheap cars that I have owned/driven into the ground after 10+ years.
My in-laws have been getting quotes from the dealerships (which point out that the car is no longer under warranty) and independent body shops of a few hundred dollars or more to fix this problem, which seems absolutely ridiculous. Are there any other alternatives? How about getting Volvo to take care of this on its own dime, since this seems to be a clear manufacturing defect? Or is it normal for the interiors of high-end European sedans to come apart faster than anything in my 10-year old little Mazda?
Warren Brown: Thank you, Washington. I know this happens. Putting your query out there for the beloved tech-ies among us to take a swing at it.
Detroit, Mich.: Warren: A friend is buying a Mercedes-Benz AMG convertible for the spring. I thought one of the last things in the world you'd ever want to do is put a little kid in a car seat in convertible, like she's doing with her daughter. Am I right or is it no big deal these days?
Warren Brown: Good morning, Detroit--my second home filled with many dear friends.
Your concern is understandable. Convertibles are inherently less safe than hardtops from a rollover, head-protection, passenger-ejection perspective-- although those potential disasters are mitigated, especially in high-end performance models such as MB's AMG editions, by technologies such as pop-up roll bars, stability control, et cetera.
With a child in a convertible, it is supremely important to properly anchor that little body with a seat belt, or a properly installed child safety seat. Check with local dealers, police, or fire stations for instructions on proper anchoring. To do anything less in this case amounts to parental negligence of the child.
Alternative fuels? My advice: Warren: In a previous life, I was an alternative fuel vehicle = specialist at a major utility. When people asked me if they should buy a Prius, I tell them to buy a reliable non-hybrid Corolla/Civic (or equivalent), enjoy the 40+ MPG, and save their money for the plug in hybrid like the Chevy Volt, which will really make a difference in their fuel bill (at 90+ MPG). Your thoughts?
We have an unfortunate tendency in this country to look for quick, easy, cheap, silver-bullet answers in a world where none of those things exist, where everything involves some sort of tradeoff.
That said, it should be clear to everyone by now that gas-electrics constitute one minute step toward solving a problem that cannot and will not be solved by technology alone. Gas-electrics simply were the most politically palatable, ingeniously over-hyped alternative.
We have to look at all emerging alternative fuel and propulsion technologies as being complementary -- "complementary" with an "e" after the "l" versus an "i."
"Complementary" in the sense that all emerging alternative technologies should work in tandem to help reduce our overall dependence on foreign oil; and help us to reduce the effects of global warming.
Fossil fuel-electric technology (gasoline-electric, diesel-electric, hydrogen-electric, CNG-electric, etc.) will be assisted at some point by hydrogen-electric technology.
But all of those hybrid models depend on the development of advanced battery systems, which is occurring at break-neck pace right now.
(In fact, I will be in Poland in a few weeks looking at what Central European engineers are doing with batteries and diesel applications.)
But, as I said, technology will not solve everything. We'll need major changes in human behavior. For example, The Volvo Group has done studies showing that over-the-road truck drivers could increase fuel efficiency by 12 percent to 15 percent just by changing the way they drive. It costs billions of dollars to technically -- with new engines, etc. -- bring about that kind of improvement in fuel efficiency.
Woodbridge, Va.: Good morning, Mr Brown. My husband and I are looking at buying an SUV sometime in the near future (6 months). We really like the Mercedes ML (Husband test drove and LOVED) and I like the style and interior of the Volvo XC90. We will probably buy used. Which one is the better vehicle? Are there any issues with either? Thanks!
Both the M-Class Mercedes-Benz and the Volvo XC90 are wagons masquerading as SUVs. I doubt that you or your husband are contemplating taking either one of those models on a serious rock-climbing, mud-crawling, stream-fording off-road trip. Here's hoping that you aren't, anyway. If you're going to do that sort of thing, buy a Jeep, Land Rover, Nissan Xterra, Hummer--in sum, a real SUV.
That being the case, I suggest you take a serious look at the Mercedes-Benz R-Class, or even the wonderful Hyundai Veracruz, or the brilliant GM crossover lineup including the GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, and Buick Enclave. Those are wagons, "crossovers," if you will, that offer as much luxury and safety, that come in all-wheel-drive or two-wheel drive, that have as much good on-road performance, but that get better fuel economy than most real SUVs, which the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and never-got-the-seats-right Volvo XC90 most assuredly are not.
D.C.: Mr. Brown: I just wanted to tell you that I recently began reading your columns and I'm impressed by your thoughtful and "radical" truth-telling about the sacrifices we should all start making regarding our transportation/energy problems. I usually agree with you; sometimes I don't -- but in every column you are a brilliant writer.
Warren Brown: I thank you, D.C.
The objective here is not to be right, per se. It is to spur serious debate on a problem that is growing more serious by the day--access to oil--who gets it, how it's gotten, at what cost to whom, at what cost to the environment, at what cost to global peace...and, ultimately, how long any of it will remain to be gotten.
It is not that I have turned my back on the car culture, as some critics have alleged. Nor is that, at 59, I've suddenly lost my lust for a nice turn behind the wheel. Let it be clear, I have not lost my lust for ANYTHING.
But I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel extensively around the globe the last decade, and to continue traveling currently.
The experience has opened my eyes and my mind. We in America are living in a bit of a dream world--the richest country with the cheapest gasoline and a seemingly insatiable desire for more in a world that generally does not have much. You do the math. You parse the political, economic, social and military implications and you begin to realize, as I have, that we in America cannot continue to party on, guzzling oil willy-nilly as if the rest of the world does not exist.
Silver Spring, Md.: You've convinced me not to buy a new hybrid just yet. I still want to get good mileage and low pollution in a really comfortable car, lots of highway commuting but no real long-distance driving.
What is your choice in that area?
Warren Brown: Hello, Silver Spring. There are any number of small cars that get good fuel economy and that meet the stringent air quality standards of the California Air Resources Board. Some of them include my favorite, the Honda Fit. Also, there's the Nissan Versa, nicely done Chevrolet Aveo, commendable Toyota Yaris.
But fuel-efficiency alone does not necessarily mean you have to drive small. As officials at The Volvo Group and other companies have pointed out, you can also drive smart. To wit: How much farther faster do you get driving at 60 miles per hour versus 80? What do you actually do with the time "saved"? In terms of the extra fuel costs and inherent safety risks involved in going 80 instead of 60, in terms of fuel and other costs, what is the actual return on your investment in that effort? If you really need neither the extra torque nor the extra horsepower, why buy a vehicle that offers more of each simply because it comes with rebates?
Warren Brown: Okay, good, folks, I have to keep this one short today in an effort to erase my reputation for always being late for luncheon dates.
Thanks for joining me today. Please come back next week.
And remember Tuesday, May 8, from 12 noon to 1 p.m., we're launching "On Wheels with Warren Brown," a production of On Wheels Inc., at WMET World Radio, 1160 AM on your radio dial, www.wmet1160.com on your laptop. Yo, Brian Armstead, my dulcet-toned brother, gonna need you, dude.
Need you, too, Ria. Eat lunch, woman.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Join live discussions from the Washington Post. Feature topics include national, world and DC area news, politics, elections, campaigns, government policy, tech regulation, travel, entertainment, cars, and real estate.
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Appearing every Wednesday and Friday in The Washington Post Style section and in Sunday Source, Tell Me About It offers readers advice based on the experiences of someone who's been there -- really recently. Carolyn Hax is an ex-repatriated New Englander with a liberal arts degree and a lot of opinions and that's about it, really, when you get right down to it. Oh, and the shoes. A lot of shoes.
Mail can be directed to Carolyn at tellme@washpost.com.
Carolyn Hax: Hi guys. I have to share this one from my inbox today:
"I guess when it's not your place to judge, you just have to settle for name calling.
"Or is that just something dried-up old hags do when they can't bring themselves to use a current picture.
"If you thought you sounded playful; then you should be chuckling right now."
Tortu, RE: Long story short. Let a friend move in with me temporarily. It was a disaster--she had no respect for my personal space or my stuff. No boundaries and no shame--lots of excuses and denial about her behavior. I have finally managed to get her out of my home, but now my problem is this. We move in the same social circles and so have the opportunity to see each other often. She wants to know why our friendship is "strained" and why I seem mad at her; I want nothing more to do with this person. Do I go all out and detail my every frustration with her, or let sleeping dogs lie and pretend everything is hunky dory for the sake of no-conflict socially? I know she will never accept responsibility or own up to her behavior so part of me wonders what's the point of further argument, denial, and excuses. Another part of me thinks it's not fair to just say nothing. Your thoughts?
Carolyn Hax: Have you considered the offical get-it-out-in-the-open lunch. I know, I know. But she's asking, so, maybe you can respond by explaining as much as you need to stop carrying this anger around.
San Francisco, Calif.: When should you move on? I just recently completed a year long, relationship with someone on the East Coast, where we were both talking about marriage. Thing is, we are in sporadic communication and I will be moving to the same city as her b/c of work. A lot of friends think we will get back together but I'm wondering whether its healthy to remain in touch or whether I should keep her at a distance.
Carolyn Hax: You;ve left out the key information: Who broke up with whom, and why?
I'm having a little bit of trouble with my mother. She is really a great woman -- smart, funny, warm. She and I have always had a terrific relationship and I count her as one of my closest friends.
We've started to drift apart over the last few months, however, largely because of my recent engagement to "Mark." Although Mark and I have been dating for two years and have known each other since college, my parents don't know him very well (they live overseas and have only had the chance to meet him a few times).
Since my engagement, my mother's conversations with me have mostly consisted of her questioning my decision or nitpicking small faults that she has gleaned from either things that I told her (that I obviously didn't believe were faults) or from her two interactions with Mark. I try to avoid the subject-but that has practically become impossible as I occasionally need her input to plan the wedding. She has been extremely difficult about this as well-not from a financial perspective, but just from an attitude perspective. In one of our recent conversations she told me, for example, that we should just elope because it would be a lot less effort.
Carolyn, how can I rebuild my relationship with my mother? I am finding it hard to see her side of things, and thought you might be able to help with that too. Thanks so much.
Carolyn Hax: Have you asked her plainly if there's something bothering you? When someone starts pelting you with a million little emotional pebbles, and has no history of doing that, then there's a big ol rock somewhere back there. Maybe she's afraid of losing you. Maybe she feels out of it/outof control since she doesn't really know the guy. Maybe she had a bad first impression of Mark and had assumed she would have time to find out more before you got serious. Invite her to unburden--and whatever she says, do not, do not punish her for saying it. The only bad outcome here is that she doesn't open up. (Which is, of course, possible.)
Washington, DC: Within a couple of months into dating, my boyfriend told me that he had cheated in a recent previous relationship. I lost my trust in him from that moment on, and had become a jealous person, frequently questioning him. We have broken up, and I worry now that maybe it didn't work out because I'm too jealous. Is this something I should fix in myself, or is this just something brought about by him?
Carolyn Hax: Um. The first sign that you have work to do is a willingness to blame someone else for everything. So, yes, this is something you should fix in yourself.
When he had this little spasm of honesty with you, was he--defending his infidelity? Regretting it? Deploring it? Dislpaying it for onlookers to admire? Surely there was some context to the conversation. Whatever it was, it probably contained everything you needed to judge whether his cheating was a terrible slip he's unlikely to repeat, or a sign that he shouldn't be trusted.
And even if you think that's giving everyone's deductive powers a bit too much credit, I have no doubt he supplied you enough info for you to decide, "I don't trust him" vs. "That's a red flag, but I need more time to be sure."
And if you chose the latter, what was the point of staying with him if you realized, shortly after choosing to keep him around, that you were as sure as you needed to be and couldn't trust him at all anymore?
No cheating is good, but some is more understandable and/or forgivable than others. Some unforgivable cheaters turn themselves around. People choose every day to trust mates who have slipped in the past. Correction--mates who are honest about having slipped in the past. This guy could have hidden his past, but he didn't.
All of which brings me to one point: These things often aren't black-and-white. If you're going to see them as black-and-white, then your actions have to match your beliefs: You should have broken up with the guy on the spot. But if you;re going to believe there's gray, your actions again need to match your beliefs--you need to pay attention to the details and make a conscious, reasoned decision whether the guy is trustworthy or not.
That, I think, is the way you need to get at your jealousy. If your sense of security is based on a black-and-white sensibility, and if you need pure whiteness to be able to sleep at night, the you;re either going to end up with a good liar or a bad case of insomnia. Please find a way to make some peace with grayness--to regard carefully the facts of a situation, to trust the decision those facts support, to accept that you still might be wrong sometimes, and to trust yourself to handle that.
Fairfax, Va.: For Torture, why not a somewhat sanitized version of the truth? "While you were living with me, I learned that we don't have as much in common as I once thought." No need to mention that Common Human Decency is what you found you don't have in common.
Carolyn Hax: Good start, but I think the anger might be past the point of ignoring. Maybe add, "And I was frustrated that you wouldn't take responsibility for breaking my toothpick sculpture"--as long as it's a fact not in dispute.
Freaked out!: I am going for my first (routine) mammogram today and I'm totally freaked out. Not only is there a (I know, minuscule) chance to learn some really bad news, I'm also suddenly feeling old! Even my 35th birthday didn't do that to me!
Any advice from you or the peanuts? To get through the waiting, and the smash test itself?
Carolyn Hax: What can I say. It's just the first few steps of the famous falling-apart cha-cha. The faster you get used to it, the funnier it gets.
Dating a former cheater: I am the good liar that someone who won't countenance cheating could end up with. My gf made it very clear from the beginning that this was not something she could deal with. Well, okay, but I had cheated in a previous relationship (years before I met her), I worked out why, and I won't do it again. But if I'd told her, that would have been it.
I still did it, though, and my girlfriend doesn't know. I'm okay with this -- I have to be. But the point is that not admitting to having cheated in the past is not the same thing as never having done it.
Carolyn Hax: Excellent, thank you.
Now can we talk about why you're still with someone who can't handle honesty? When I'm guessing that's something you'd appreciate?
Re: Boston, Mass.: If the mother is deliberately being vague about her "big ol rock," shouldn't it be the mother's responsibility to unburden herself, instead of the daughter inviting her to unburden? Unless the daughter has a record for punishing her mother for voicing her opinions.
In my family, the members who have big ol rocks chip off pieces and throw them at others as passive-aggressive maneuvers, such as indirect insults, embarrassing stories, and surly attitudes.
Carolyn Hax: If it gets the mom talking, who cares whose responsibility it is? The daughter gains nothing by folding her arms and insisting it's not her job.
... Unless of course they're on the nth time around with this stuff, and the daughter has decided she's no longer going to be the one to grovel every time her mother points to the floor. But that doesn't sound at all like the dynamic between this mom and kid.
Washington, D.C.: Although I love my sister dearly, we simply cannot travel or live together. We are both in our 30s. She has a tendency to fly off the handle in an unpredictable manner and say horrible, awful things either to my parents or me or both. We never know what will set her off. I can count on this happening whenever we travel together, usually to Europe, making it difficult to just up and leave when I want to. (She does all the driving.) Although she apologizes profusely and sincerely later on, these incidents are extremely draining on me. I come back to work feeling as though I've had no vacation at all, and my self-esteem is gone. Despite all of this, she insists on doing it again year after year. I'm not sure why because it's clear she's so unhappy during these trips, and although she acknowledges she needs help she has never taken steps to remedy this problem, i.e. therapy. This year, I'm trying to avoid going altogether. But she brings up an excellent point: our parents are getting older, and our time with them is limited. However, my vacation time and money ($1400 for a ticket!) are precious to me too, in addition to my own happiness and sanity. Just like the previous years, this will be the only vacation I take all year, and I'd like to make the most of it. I don't want to spend it being yelled at and being told how unhappy I make her but I do want to spend time with my parents. How should I approach this?
Carolyn Hax: Stick to your no, but say that if it's important to her to get the family together, you'll gladly join them for part of a week in X, X being someplace in the US where you can come and go more freely.
You;re in your 30s. I.e., about 10 years into being fully equipped to stand up to this bully.
Chinatown: Re: Getting through your first mammogram - Give yourself a treat to look forward to on the FAR side... a glass of wine in a swanky spot on the way home, a stop at the bookstore, an ice cream. Don't make the test the only thing looming for you today - and I always like to reward myself for just getting things like that DONE rather than putting in off.
Carolyn Hax: Great point, thanks. I want a Margaritas for Mammograms T-shirt. Or Mules for Mammograms. Platforms for Pancakes ... this could get difficult.
Love your advice, but last week you gave an answer that's continued to trouble me. You're take that the parent who hadn't read his daughter/son's book was playing a cruel mind game. I've been there (in the author's place) and really don't know. Like the poster, I wrote a popularly received book that my mom took over a year to read and my dad still hasn't, though both are big readers. I don't know what it is, but I'm sure it didn't have anything to do with cruelty. They're clearly proud. Maybe there's something too weird about reading your kid's book, especially if you sense you aren't really crazy about it and don't want to say. Whatever the reason, it's enough that they're proud. I'd hate to see the poster end up hating his/her dad for deliberate cruelty when something else is going on.
Carolyn Hax: Thanks, I agree--my job is to identify poison, not introduce it. I hope that wasn't the case here. Thanks.
Ann Arbor, Mich.: Is it bad to write a letter to my father explaining things that I could never talk about in person? There's no big scandal involved, but these would be things a lot of sons and daughters never bother to talk about with a parent or close relative. Am I taking the easy road out?
Carolyn Hax: Write the letter and then ask yourself the same question. Some people see letters as the coward's way out, some see them as the perfect tool for accomplishing what you describe--saying things that, if spoken, would get muddied by the emotions of the moment. I find a good way to navigate between the two camps (since one of you might be on one side, the other on the other) is to deliver the letter in person. Where feasible, obviously.
Washington, D.C.: Carolyn -- I accepted an offer for a new job and I need to give my notice today at my current job (I have three weeks left to go). I love my job and am only leaving because I can't deal with the commute any more, and my new job is a 15 minute walk from home. What's the best way to break this to my boss? He's lost a number of employees lately (retirement, death, etc) and I know he doesn't want to lose any more. And he's such a nice guy -- I dread the look I know he's going to give me when I tell him.
Carolyn Hax: Bosses expect this. It's part of the territory. Think of your telling him today as the kindest thing you can do, since the sooner he knows the better he can prepare. And be sure to share all the nice stuff.
New York, N.Y.: Is "self-pollution" a bad sign in a marriage? If my drive is higher than my wife's and I work around it in a solitary manner, does that bode poorly for the relationship?
Carolyn Hax: I think calling it "self-pollution" is the only scary sign here. Otherwise, you;re describing the oldest coping method in the book for unequal sex drives in a marriage. Well, maybe second oldest.
The former cheater: Why am I still with her? Because she can handle honesty about everything else and her zillions of good qualities (we've been together for years) outweigh this particular flaw.
She'd been cheated on, over time, in her previous relationship. She doesn't want to think that I could do that. Since I won't cheat on her (and I can say that with more confidence, I think, because I did to a former partner and I know what leads there) then I would prefer to let the past be the past.
Carolyn Hax: Understandable. Thanks for writing back.
Washington, D.C.: I think I may be a terrible girlfriend. I have had two serious relationships, and I am in my third, and I seem to make it a point to drive my boyfriends away. I'm not sure why I am so demanding; I find I am a much nicer and forgiving person of my friends. My current boyfriend is a great person and we are mostly very happy. But a constant source of fighting is that he feels as though he "disappoints" me when we have little arguments. Without being too specific, these are things like not calling when he says he will, or being late, things along those lines that I would probably more easily forgive of a friend. What do you think is going on here?
Are you scared you'll get hurt in a relationship, where you don't think you will in a friendship? Does this fear emerge in the form of having an idea how a relationship should go, and then freaking out when reality doesn't live up to your idea? Which then turns into "calling your boyfriend on" all these little things you think he should be doing better? And then feeling bad for picking, even though you've rationalized your decision to speak up as a necessary part of sticking up for yourself? I.e., protecting yourself from getting hurt?
If that's not you, then, er, oops. But if it is, then I think the way to approach this is similar to the jealousy approach earlier. It's a matter of paying attention to the facts of people and relationships, and then letting go, trusting things to work out.
That can be in the form of a relationship that maybe isn't your "ideal" but that makes you happy, or in the form of accepting that breakups happen and hurt but are necessary in the process of finding someone with whom you have natural compatibility--meaning, you aren't watching every move just to keep him happy, and he isn't watching every move to keep you happy. Either way, it's still a conscious decision not to micromanage every moment, thought and interaction.
Carolyn Hax: Sorry, I haven't fallen off my chair--just got into another long one.
Washington, D.C.: I can't seem to pull it together lately (the idea of work is beyond comprehension, constantly in knots over a guy I may/may not actually be involved with...). I know my personality kind of lends itself to these periods of inner turmoil (for lack of a better phrase), but the constant worrying, overwhelming insecurity, random crying jags...they've got to go. The rational part of me thinks it's time to get thee to some sort of therapist, but I've gone that route before and the whole baring one's soul is not so easy for me. My dad's always reminding me that life's full of peaks and valleys but maybe it's time to ask for some help getting out of this valley?
Carolyn Hax: And maybe seeing a therapist not just as a talk bucket but a diagnostic tool to figure out if your "personality" has any treatable disorder to it.
It will still be your choice whether to treat it, if there is something there.
Washington, D.C.: My little brother is 17, and he lives with my parents in a teeny town in West Texas. (I am mid-20s female.) He's had the same girlfriend for four years. There's not much to do in the country, and the State of Texas ignores sex ed. Based on statistics, he is having sex or will be soon. My parents never discussed sex with me growing up, so I worry that my brother is getting little or no accurate information to help him make responsible choices. I've thought about sending him links to helpful websites (i.e. planned p-hood), but his internet usage is closely monitored. Also, my help has not been solicited by parents or brother. One more layer -- my parents and I are not close. We're not at war, but we don't talk or visit each other often. Your thoughts?
Carolyn Hax: Can your brother visit you? Not that he'll want to hear a sex-ed lesson, not that it's your job to deliver it, and not that he'll meet certain doom without it--but seems to me that you;ve got a sheltered kid who might appreciate a wider view of the world, along with someone willing to listen to him.
How much honesty: how much honesty is too much in a relationship? I was raised to always be "nice" and if you have something not nice to say -- don't say it. But what if it needs to be said?
And what is appropriate if the other person has NO compunctions about telling you what they don't like or wish you'd change -- is it "fair" then to tell them the same -- I don't know that I could, as much as I'd like to.
Carolyn Hax: Where to start. If someone is regularly telling you how you should change, then you need a new regular companion. I'm not sure why we're all here or what's the point of it all, but I'm confident it's not to contort ourselves to please demanding, difficult people whose senses of entitlement were built without "off" switches.
As for the proper place of honesty, I think it lies in the service of intimacy. An explanation in the form of examples:
If you have an awkward feeling and you withhold it, you keep a partner from understanding and therefore addressing why you're upset. Also, generally, you keep the person from knowing you. So this is where you need to loosen your definition of "nice" and realize that the nicest thing you can do for someone close to you is let the person get close. That involves sharing some bad things with the good. Things like, "When we're out with other people and you interrupt me, it makes me feel irrelevant." Or, "I resent it wehn you pressure me to see your mom, when you know how hostile she is."
If however this thought you'd be expressing didn't serve to bring you closer or define your limits--say it was just, "That story you told at dinner was really stupid," or, "Right, go run off to your mommy," then you'd be using unhelpful honesty.
To "terrible girlfriend": The terrible girlfriend needs to sit back and do a little introspection. Being in a relationship is all about little compromises. You have to be willing to put the well-being of the partner and the partnership at a high level of importance (for some, that's much easier than with others). That means giving them slack for minor things that aren't worth fighting (pick your battles over things that are worth it and let the others slide), noting and appreciating the things that are right and that you enjoy, and finding non-confrontational ways to broach issues that will cause abrasion in the relationship. If you can't do that for whatever reason, you need to decide how healthy the relationship is for both of you.
Two-way communication is a must in a relationship and without it, you're heading for a long life of stress and anxiety. Who needs that?
Carolyn Hax: Right. But I would add to your list of good things to have: confidence in your ability to distinguish when you're putting a high priority on a relationship for your own good, and when you;re doing it at your expense. There is a, for lack of a better cliche, tipping point when you're letting so many little things go that the big thing, your sense of yourself, is going out the door with it. Think of the "work" in a relationship as work to share responsibilities evenly, or work not to inflict every mood on your mate. It should never be work to like someone.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Carolyn! First time asker here. I'm a guy in his 30s who has not had contact with his dad for coming up on a decade or so now. Contact didn't end with a blow-up fight or any fight actually, we just stopped talking. Parents are both alive but divorced. Considering this is the "information age" and it is really easy to find almost anyone, exactly how should I be taking this? I am somewhere between offended/sad/ticked off and mystified. How does a Dad simply cease a relationship with their child? Should I attempt contact, or as the parent is that his responsibility (as my Mom thinks). Any insight from you or 'nuts would be greatly appreciated. Thx! P.S.: You rock.
I think you need to figure out what you want out of this, and then take the steps to get it. And be absolutely clear: You can't get anything he isn't giving. You have an example of that right in your letter: You want (or, I guess, your mom wants) him to contact you--but you can't make that happen. So, you need to sort through the choices over which you have full control--deciding to find him, for example, or deciding not to--and then pick one, and follow through on it.
Again--you can't make him be ecstatic to hear from you, you can't make him articulate why you aren't close, you can't stop him from losing touch with you again. But you can seek him out, and you can prepare yourself to flexible enough to deal with whatever you get. Best of luck with it.
Marriage Advice: I think that my husband and I are sexually incompatible to a large degree. That's not to say it's never good, but it's often a source of tension and disappointment. We've been together for over 10 years, but we're still young (it's never been great though, and in fact, it's better now than it was for several years). We are incompatible, I think, in terms of when in the day we are interested, what we find appealing (he's very passive, and I believe, has a disconnect between kissing and caresses and sexual activity - that is, he's very affectionate, but it is not at all sexual. When he's interested in sex, he is not interested in kissing, etc., which turns me off). This has become a bigger problem lately, as we are trying to have a baby, but seem to have trouble having enough intercourse to make it work. I have already discussed my feelings with him, but it makes no difference - he sees no reason to change, and simply accepts that sex is an infrequent activity for us. Any advice? Thank you.
Carolyn Hax: Sounds like your husband might have unresolved issues about sex, and that any incompatibility you have between you is just a symptom of that. Since you regard your sex life as a problem and he doesn't, it might make more sense for you to get some counseling, first to help you figure out what's going on, and next to figure out how best to approach your husband. Please resolve before babies? Please? Unaddressed tension and disappointment are bad for the nest. Thanks.
St. Johnsbury, Vt.: To Torture: I am on the other side: a dear friend moved in with me for a few weeks, things did not go well, she moved out and has literally not spoken to me since, except to say "can't talk now" when I at first tried to call her. If we show up at the same event she moves to the other side of the room or leaves.
I am sure that, like Torture, she believes I behaved in ways that remove me from the list of viable humans. I don't know what they were. After almost two years I am reconciled to the loss of a friendship that meant a lot to me.
So, Torture, I don't think you should explain anything to her. She still likes you, even though you had a hard time living together, but you don't still like her. Unless you think she can talk you back into liking her, please don't bother to fill both of your heads with all the hurtful things you could say to her.
She will stop trying to be your friend eventually. And maybe you will at some point begin to remember some of the ways you, too, were not a perfect roommate.
Carolyn Hax: Thanks for the other side.
Re: relationships are work: People always say relationships are work, but they never say friendships are work. Should a romantic relationship be more/less/the same work than a friendship? (By which I mean a serious friendship, the kind of person you can call at 3 am with a crisis)
Carolyn Hax: I would say less, or at least the same. If you expect to live with someone, multiply any work you do by 24 x 7 x life. Few people ask this of their friendships, and for a great reason--it is a lot to ask.
Washington, D.C.: I can't believe that you think Former Cheater's position is "understandable"! In his first post, he stated "My gf made it very clear from the beginning that this -past cheating] was not something she could deal with." So he has been LYING about something he knows is very important to her. He seems to think her stance is unreasonable, but that doesn't mean it's OK for him to lie. I'm sure that if she was hiding something that was a "dealbreaker" for him, he would not appreciate that. If he truly respected her, not just wanted to be with her, he would have told her the truth all along.
Carolyn Hax: I read it differently--that she threw out a don't-ask-don't-tell order. That's very different from an, "If you've cheated then I don't want you." If you're the one who read it correctly, then I disagree with me, too. Former cheater, u still out there?
Washington, D.C.: Peaks and Valleys here. I know you get this question a lot, but if I do opt to go the therapist route - how do I go about finding one? I don't think I'm bold enough to simply ask someone for a recommendation.
Carolyn Hax: Does your employer have an Employee Assistance Program? You can start there, or you can ask your regular MD for a referral, or you can unleash your dormant inner boldness and ask a trusted friend. It's not a scarlet Crazy, it's just health care.
Anonymous: Is it really "honesty" to tell a current beau about cheating in a past relationship, when you are totally reformed, not to mention probably older & wiser? Isn't it just opening a can labelled worms, when the can's been empty for years?
If you are CURRENTLY cheating, being called on it, that is when honesty is required.
Carolyn Hax: Actually, the way people deal with this is very useful in determining compatibility. If someone sees it as basic/refreshing/necessary honesty, a mate who thinks it's an empty worm can might not be a great match. I would hate, for example, to be with someone who was holding this info back so as not to upset me. Bleah. But you and that person might do well together. That's why I called out the guy with the don't-tell-me girlfriend. That difference of opinion on honesty could be saying a lot (or, of course, it could say almost nothing). The point is, it's all part of making good and informed choices.
Being honest: I'm in a relationship right now where there are some things that have been eating at me, but I don't feel like telling the other person will accomplish anything. If I thought it was something he could do anything about, I would say something.
Is that too simplistic? Should I be voicing my frustrations, even though it achieves nothing except to get some frustrations off my chest and make him feel bad for something he can't change?
Carolyn Hax: Seems like the more productive course now would be to address your frustrations. You've ruled out voicing them as unhelpful, which is fine, that happens. But now that you've got em and they're bugging you and the other person can't or shouldn't have to change, what now? Can you make peace with these things, or do you have to make bigger changes?
Saint Louis, Mo.: Carolyn (Web only),
My wife and I have a 20-year-old son living with us, who, all his life, has shown very little social motivation or drive to achieve anything. We have always had to drag him to social events, and growing up, he was needed repeated reminding to do chores and to put schoolwork before television. Now, he has one friend with whom he socializes in person, and he has begun writing to a long-distance pen-pal. His academic and/or career plans are nebulus at best, and when we attempt to ask him about his specfic plans, we get gruff and curt replys short on details. Meanwhile, he seems quite content to spend most of his time at the house watching television and contributing little while his three teenage siblings begin to pass him. He's doesn't seem intellectually lacking, just sort of walled-off from the world. We're wondering how normal this is, and what approach we should take to help him. Any ideas?
Carolyn Hax: Maybe talk to a child development specialist to feel out what the range of normal is? Whether he's a mainstream but placid kid or one with an undiagnosed condition would affect the approach you use to nudge him along. And, unfortunately, you probably do need to nudge him along, at least far enough to be self-supporting.
re: Sheltered bro: Do talk to him, if you can, not just about sex but about relationships in general. My husband's brother was really isolated at that age, couldn't talk to his very conservative parents, and disaster ensued. Husband still regrets not having offered the kid at least an opportunity to gain an outside sib-to-sib perspective on his very natural, very strong physical feelings and the emotional buffets that came with them.
Round the mulberry bush: I read someplace during my husband's and my pre-marital counseling that most marriages have one or more "unresolvable issues" that may be an ongoing source of disagreement and the way to deal with them is to try and navigate through them as kindly as you can and not place any expectations on them being truly "resolved," but I've got one that's making me nuts: Scenario, I make a comment about some household issue like "I need to do some laundry" or "the living room is a bit out of hand isn't it?" and my husband jumps up and apologizes all over himself like I was accusing him for not doing the whatever. We have TALKED about this many times. I have explained that I am NOT accusing him of being at fault for the whatever, that it's mostly about kicking my own butt into gear, that if I wanted him to do something or felt some resentment for his not doing something I would say so directly, and that it makes me feel like a total harpy when he genuflects for no reason at all. He has reflected and feels that the primary reason he does this is that his mother is a passive aggressive type who issues indirect commands and holds silent grudges for 8 million years over minor stuff. Okay, so we've talked about this, we're both aware of this, and yet we continue to have these ridiculous and frustrating conversations that are wearing me (us, probably) out. How do we stop going in this particular circle? Any hope, or do I just resign myself to this one for the next forty or fifty years?
Carolyn Hax: You could stop yourself from saying, "I need to do some laundry," and just do it.
Or, when he starts apologizing all over himself, you can say, "It's okay, don't worry--she can't hurt you any more." Doesn't need to be said with a straight face, and in fact is better without it. But acknowledging the old wound openly can be magically soothing for the person whose old wound has just been reopened.
Today's Cartoon: Nick's doodle today is great but the woman giving the disapproving look to the older guy (my age) and the Ashlee, well, she looks like you. In a good way, of course.
Carolyn Hax: It is me. First time he's ever drawn me in his style. Usually he's mimicking the way I draw myself (stick figure). Bonus: The coot is my dad, with extra years and padding.
Carolyn Hax: That's it for today. Bye, thanks, and type to youse next week.
reston, va.: Okay, I'll bite. What in the world prompted that e-mail in your inbox that you posted at the beginning of today's chat?
Carolyn Hax: Eek--I forgot to include the subject line. it was in response to my using "old coots" in the column today.
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Join live discussions from the Washington Post. Feature topics include national, world and DC area news, politics, elections, campaigns, government policy, tech regulation, travel, entertainment, cars, and real estate.
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Lavender, Neutralized
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In my house, the color palette is neutral: The walls are pale linen, the sofa is light brown, the rugs are natural sisal, the dishes are white.
I find neutrals calming, tasteful and restful. And the perfect backdrop for anything and everything, all seasons of the year, whether the shade is taupe, tan, ecru, almond, cream or ivory. Or lavender.
Once considered too cloying, too old-fashioned, perhaps best left for the baby's room, lavender has of late become a go-to color for walls, ceilings, fabrics and furniture, showing up in magazines, catalogues, show houses and designers' portfolios.
"It's gone beyond the sweet old lady thing," said Washington designer Whitney Stewart. "It's something new and fresh that we can use in the same way as the beiges."
This season, Crate and Barrel is selling lavender stemware. Pottery Barn's summer paint palette includes a shade of lavender. Restoration Hardware, known for its strictly edited color selection, sells lavender paint, shower curtains and towels. And, last fall on the fashion runway, where interior design often takes its cues, a pale lavender wedding gown appeared among a sea of white and ivory.
The color stars at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York this month, where emerging design trends often begin their journey into the mainstream. A lush bedroom decorated by Manhattan designer Jamie Drake included lavender wall-to-wall carpeting, a lavender velvet slipper chair and high-gloss lavender lacquer wall panels.
"Lavender can be a soft and embracing neutral when used in lavish amounts," Drake said in an e-mail.
Many people have a misconception about neutrals, designers say. Neutral does not have to mean shades of beige. It's a grounding background color that does not call attention to itself, but allows everything around it to stand out.
"There is an entire world out there of neutral colors that are not beige," said Stephanie Hoppen, author of "Perfect Neutrals: Color You Can Live With." She describes lavender as sophisticated and chic, a color that "works like an absolute dream."
The wide spectrum of lavenders -- tending toward pink, blue, gray or white -- can adapt to almost any color or design style. Paired with warm dark wood finishes, lavender can seem cool and refined. Near a cool pale green, lavender comes across as warm and lively. "It can pick up the qualities of any color," said Chicago designer Anne Coyle. "There's no color that it can't mix with. Lavender is the new neutral."
Coyle says lavender is always her first choice, and it's the color of the walls in her home furnishings store in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. Despite a rotating stock of items in a mix of colors and styles, she says, nothing ever looks bad with the lavender walls. She likes the color with black and white, brown, gray, celadon (a pale green), mustard yellow, contemporary furniture and antiques. "It's like gray but a little more racy, a little more fun," she said. "It's like the crazy aunt of gray."
Stewart recently used a taupey lavender as the principal color in the living room of a client's Georgetown home. She frequently uses the color with cream, gray and taupe, or midnight blue and white. She says the color is a frequent request of young professionals.
Jeannie Tower, a Washington feng shui consultant, says the color not only looks beautiful, but can make you feel good, too. "It's a nesting color," Tower said. "It makes you very content. You want an environment that's calm, surrounded by things that inspire you and make you feel warm and comforted. Lavender will do that."
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Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland home and garden news/headlines, including build/fix and furnishing/design, garden/patio tips. Resources and coupons for homes and gardens, DC, MD, VA contacts. Guides for organizing, cleaning, planting and caring.
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U.S. Identifies Dead Insurgent As Group's Propaganda Chief
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The death of Muharib Abdul Latif al-Jubouri came during a pre-dawn raid Tuesday on four buildings west of the Iraqi city of Taji, north of Baghdad, said Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell. He described Jubouri as "senior minister of information for al-Qaeda in Iraq," responsible for the insurgent group's propaganda arm. Jubouri was killed in a firefight, he said, and his body was later identified through photos and DNA testing.
"Picking up somebody with that kind of history, that is significant -- to be able to stop that kind of activity," Caldwell said. "Taking him off the street is a good thing."
The announcement came as the U.S. Embassy said a rocket attack Wednesday night killed four Asian civilian contract workers inside the Green Zone, which houses the embassy and senior Iraqi government officials. The dead were one Filipino, one Nepali and two Indians. All were employed by a U.S. government contractor for jobs such as serving food, U.S. officials said. It was the third consecutive day that rocket or mortar fire had struck the Green Zone.
"We're constantly looking at our security measures and adjusting to take into account the environment," said Dan Sreebny, a U.S. Embassy spokesman.
Caldwell said Jubouri was the last person known to have "personal custody" of Fox, of Clear Brook, Va., who worked with Christian Peacemaker Teams, a group based in Chicago and Toronto. Fox's body was found in Baghdad in March 2006, shot multiple times. He was 54 and a father of two.
Fox's former wife, Janet Echols Stansel of Springfield, Va., said the family had not been contacted yet by the government. "I don't know whether it is true or not," said Stansel, referring to Jubouri's involvement in Fox's kidnapping. "Whatever I think I feel is subordinate to what the children feel. . . . The children lost their father. They were very close."
Jubouri was also involved in moving Carroll, a reporter for the Christian Science Monitor, from one hiding place to another and creating ransom and propaganda communiques about her before she was released in late March 2006, Caldwell said.
In addition, Caldwell said, Jubouri was linked to the kidnapping in early 2006 of two German engineers who were released after being held for three months.
Iraqi government officials said Tuesday that Sunni tribal groups had killed Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, in the same area near Taji. U.S. military officials promptly said they were unable to confirm this.
On Thursday, Iraqi government officials said the man who had been killed was actually Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni insurgent umbrella organization said to have been created by al-Qaeda in Iraq.
But Caldwell questioned whether Baghdadi "even exists," stressing that the U.S. military had nobody, "alive or dead," that is "going through any kind of testing or analysis at this point," referring to both Masri and Baghdadi.
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Washington Post coverage of the American occupation of Iraq, the country's path to democracy and tensions between Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.
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Pentagon: 300 Iraqi Troops Killed in April
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"I'd like to also express my condolences to the Iraqi people," said Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins, deputy operations director for the Joints Chiefs of Staff. "The Iraqis sustained over 300 Iraqi security force losses in the month of April."
"April was a tough month in Iraq," Wiggins added.
The spike in military deaths is a reminder that "coalition and Iraqi security forces are the primary target for attacks," Wiggins said at a briefing for Pentagon reporters. "This is a consistent trend. The coalition is the target for every two out of three attacks."
Iraqi civilians have sustained higher numbers of casualties than U.S. and Iraqi forces.
Wiggins said he did not have data on the number of Iraqi civilians killed in April. But in March, a total of 2,762 Iraqi civilians and policemen were killed, down 4 percent from the previous month, when 2,864 were killed.
Even so, Wiggins said U.S. forces are making "steady progress" in stabilizing the war-ravaged country, where more than 3,250 American service members have been killed since the start of the conflict in March 2003.
The American troop surge underway in Baghdad is "paying off," he said, by sending combat brigades to neighborhoods in the Iraqi capital. Iraqis are tipping off U.S. forces to the locations of enemy weapons caches, he said.
"It's not often flashy, but it's the sort of progress that can make a difference over time," Wiggins said, "similar to the hard-nose football game, three yards at a time, one first down at a time."
Sixty percent of U.S. service members are being killed by improvised explosive devices, Wiggins told reporters. And the number of IED attacks against Iraqi civilians is rising, he added.
"Innocent Iraqi people in the markets, mosques and even at funerals are targeted," he said. "As you know, these attacks kill scores of innocent people trying to move about during the normal course of their daily lives.
"We haven't solved this yet, but this it a top priority."
Wiggins said the IED attackers have ties to Iran's Quds Force, an arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps charged with Iran's clandestine foreign operations. The Quds Force, in turn, has ties to the Hezbollah, Hamas and other militant groups, as well as to Iraqi political movements that the United States has supported.
"We know that they're involved," Wiggins said, referring to the Quds Force, "whether training those folks in IED emplacement or providing the expertise."
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World news headlines from the Washington Post,including international news and opinion from Africa,North/South America,Asia,Europe and Middle East. Features include world weather,news in Spanish,interactive maps,daily Yomiuri and Iraq coverage.
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It's All About Al-Qaeda Again
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President Bush is at odds with the American public and a restive congressional majority over the Iraq war, and even some Republicans talk about imposing new requirements that could trigger a troop withdrawal.
It's time to play the Qaeda card.
In a speech about Iraq yesterday morning at the Willard Hotel, the president mentioned Osama bin Laden's group -- 27 times. "For America, the decision we face in Iraq is not whether we ought to take sides in a civil war, it's whether we stay in the fight against the same international terrorist network that attacked us on 9/11," Bush told a group of construction contractors.
Never mind all that talk about sectarian strife and civil war in Iraq. "The primary reason for the high level of violence is this: Al-Qaeda has ratcheted up its campaign of high-profile attacks," Bush disclosed.
The man who four years ago admitted "no evidence" of an Iraqi role in the Sept. 11 attacks now finds solid evidence of a role in Iraq by the Sept. 11 hijackers.
"I don't need to remind you who al-Qaeda is," Bush reminded. "Al-Qaeda is the group that plot and planned and trained killers to come and kill people on our soil. The same bunch that is causing havoc in Iraq were the ones who came and murdered our citizens."
This new line of argument would seem to present some difficulty for the White House, and not only because, as the Pentagon inspector general reported last month, al-Qaeda had no ties to Iraq before the U.S. invasion in 2003. More to the point: If the problem in Iraq isn't sectarian strife, then why is the U.S. military building walls to separate Sunni enclaves from Shiite neighborhoods?
The White House's plan to deemphasize sectarian fighting evidently didn't make it to Egypt, where Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with the Iraqi prime minister. A Rice deputy, briefing reporters yesterday on the condition of anonymity, said the United States wants Arab countries to pressure Sunnis to stop fighting the Shiite-led Iraqi government.
These awkward truths left White House press secretary Tony Snow with hard work at the podium in his first televised briefing since returning from cancer surgery.
Fox News Channel's Bret Baier noted: "This morning the president said that al-Qaeda seems to be a bigger problem than sectarian violence. That seems to fly in the face of what we've heard in recent weeks and months on the ground in Iraq."
"Well," the game press secretary replied, "you've got a shifting series of circumstances."
NBC's Kelly O'Donnell wasn't convinced. "Wasn't the whole point of the surge to quell the capital and really to diminish the sectarian violence? And now he seems to be saying the enemy is more al-Qaeda."
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President Bush is at odds with the American public and a restive congressional majority over the Iraq war, and even some Republicans talk about imposing new requirements that could trigger a troop withdrawal.
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Palfrey to Offer Internet Radio Interviews for Sale on eBay
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The alleged Washington Madam has "an exclusive interview" to sell.
In the latest marketing ploy by the woman who may or may not hold some of D.C.'s raciest secrets, Deborah Jeane Palfrey is turning to eBay. Next week, five one-hour interviews Palfrey did last month with an Internet-radio host are going up for bid. The starting price: $5,000.
No names connected with Palfrey's former escort service are revealed, but Palfrey hopes that someone will be interested in her "insights" on her ordeal as the object of a federal racketeering and prostitution probe. The auction follows on the heels of ABC's "20/20" airing a much-awaited segment tonight about Palfrey and her voluminous phone records. It could deliver a bombshell or fizzle.
Even before the broadcast, some parties have started reacting, reflecting fraying nerves as almost every day claims another casualty.
A prestigious law firm, Akin Gump Strauss Houer & Feld LLP, placed a legal secretary on administrative leave yesterday after she informed her employers that she moonlighted for Palfrey's escort service for "spa money," according to ABC's Web site.
ABC quoted R. Bruce McLean, the chairman of Akin Gump, as saying the woman told the firm Monday morning of her work for Palfrey, in violation of a policy barring employees from holding second jobs.
"She did not seek approval for that particular job, and would not have been given it," McLean was quoted as saying.
She also told her bosses that she was a government witness in the case, so the law firm hesitated to dismiss her, ABC said.
When contacted about the ABC report, a spokeswoman for Akin Gump said she would not discuss "an internal personnel matter."
The woman's attorney, Athan Tsimpedes, declined to comment, dismissing Palfrey as a woman who is "creating as much havoc as she can."
Last week, a deputy secretary of state abruptly resigned the day after ABC called him to ask about his dealings as a customer of Palfrey's former agency, Pamela Martin & Associates.
Palfrey -- who continues to say she is not talking, but continues to comment on the proceedings nonetheless -- has expressed regret for the troubles faced by escorts and customers who are unmasked. But with her assets frozen, she must raise money for her defense. Plus, she feels she has been mischaracterized.
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The alleged Washington Madam has "an exclusive interview" to sell.
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For Court, Slipping Into Something a Bit More Conservative
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Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the woman accused of being a D.C. madam, made an appearance in federal court earlier this week dressed in a navy blue suit and a pair of sensible heels. Whether Palfrey's California-based escort service has actually been providing the men of Washington with something more than the law allows has yet to be determined in court. But the image she presented to reporters and photographers outside U.S. District Court was not nearly as tantalizing as the charges.
She looked as if she were running for city council rather than heading up a prostitution ring.
Palfrey was wearing navy blue trousers with turquoise and white pinstripes and a navy blue blazer that buttoned almost to her neck. The top button was open to reveal a hint of a turquoise shirt underneath. She was not wearing much jewelry other than a pair of ornate, but not inappropriate, drop earrings. A pair of black-rimmed spectacles hung from the neckline of her shirt collar, and when she slipped the glasses on, she looked practically professorial.
No one expects a woman accused of a crime -- particularly of being a madam -- to arrive for court dressed in a tight dress and a feather boa. But Palfrey's attire was pure mid-level establishment. She would not have looked out of place on Capitol Hill. The alleged madam could pass for a legislative aide.
If there were any aspect of her appearance that made Palfrey stand out, it was her lipstick. Not because of the color, which was a geranium red, but because of the precision with which it was applied and the fact that her lips glistened like patent leather. It is the sort of cosmetic flourish that drags out a morning routine because it requires a slow, steady hand to paint on such perfect sweetheart lips. The lipstick is distracting, but not damning. The color and the shine drew attention to her mouth and served as the tiniest nod to sex appeal in an otherwise all-business facade.
Is this what a madam looks like? Fiction has offered up a variety of stereotypes: from the spike-heeled, leather-suited dominatrix to the rotund and vaguely maternal sort who favor caftans and Kools. But real life has provided more instructive examples in the form of Heidi Fleiss, the "Hollywood Madam" of the 1990s, and Sydney Biddle Barrows, who did business in New York during the 1980s as the "Mayflower Madam." Each dressed for the well-to-do customers that her employees serviced -- a device certain to lessen their sense that there was anything scurrilous about the sex-for-money transaction. This was no street-corner exchange with a hooker in a miniskirt and tube top and a pimp hiding in the shadows. It was prettied up as a respectable business deal between men and women in suits.
Fleiss, with her tousled brown hair, had a wardrobe like a young Hollywood agent at the time. It included tasteful dresses with deep V-necks and power shoulders and neutral pantsuits with an Armaniesque nonchalance.
Barrows, a blueblood blonde, had the hyper-groomed style associated with the sort of Manhattan woman who lunches at Bergdorf Goodman, wears her grandmother's pearls and is not a homemaker but runs a household. Her clients could pretend an appointment with one of Barrows's elegantly attired working girls was no more scandalous than dinner at some clubby Upper East Side haunt followed by an especially satisfying "dessert."
Included in the cost of a high-priced call girl is discretion -- but also the appearance of keeping to one's own kind. These on-the-clock encounters are not aimed at exploring society's underbelly. It's more like having a business acquaintance with benefits.
If it turns out that Washington men have their own madam -- with a stable of college-educated call girls -- then it makes sense that she would look like the many anonymous staffers who are paid to keep these men's schedules and -- for a time -- their secrets.
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Get style news headlines from The Washington Post, including entertainment news, comics, horoscopes, crossword, TV, Dear Abby. arts/theater, Sunday Source and weekend section. Washington Post columnists, movie/book reviews, Carolyn Hax, Tom Shales.
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A Pair of Flying Leaps
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The airline industry is littered with the corpses of failed start-ups.
But that doesn't deter Bill Diffenderffer and his fellow executives at Skybus Airlines. They are launching a new airline just as the industry is recovering from a tough downturn that helped force United and Northwest airlines into bankruptcy and contributed to the demise of local low-cost carrier Independence Air.
Diffenderffer concedes that he wondered about the wisdom of starting a no-frills airline when so many carriers were losing money. A former lawyer for long-defunct Eastern Airlines and a vice president at IBM, Diffenderffer said he couldn't resist Skybus's business plan, which is based on the successful approach of low-cost European airline Ryanair. The new airline is expected to start service from its base in Columbus, Ohio, in coming weeks and fly to eight other cities, including Richmond.
Skybus will be joined by another new airline in the market this summer. Virgin America, also brushing aside the history of airline start-ups, plans to begin operations and proposes to eventually serve Washington Dulles International Airport.
Despite the skepticism of some analysts and airline executives, Diffenderffer said he sees opportunity in tapping what he describes as a horde of Midwest residents eager for cheap fares and a willingness to fly to secondary airports. The strategy has helped him raise $160 million in capital, the airline says.
But Diffenderffer says he isn't shaping his battle plan only like a business executive. He also thinks like a samurai.
"The airline industry keeps growing, and the dominant players are essentially weak," said Diffenderffer, 56, author of the book "The Samurai Leader: Winning Business Battles With the Wisdom, Honor and Courage of the Samurai Code."
"Put those things together," he added. "What if you are given $100 million and a blank piece of paper? What would you do differently? That's what we are doing."
Skybus will have a tiny payroll -- mostly pilots, flight attendants and some managers, executives said. It will contract out everything else. The carrier has no customer service agents or even a number for passengers to call with questions; passengers must book their tickets online.
The airline will sell advertising on the sides of its planes and inside the cabin to boost revenue. If you want to check a bag or get a soda, get out your wallet. Like Southwest, it will have no assigned seats. For an additional $10 you can board the plane before anyone else.
The planes will have no in-flight entertainment, which can be expensive to keep up. "Bring a book," Diffenderffer said.
To generate buzz, Skybus is offering 10 seats on each plane for $10 each. The rest of its fares will be about 50 percent lower than the competition, Diffenderffer said.
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Senate Likely to Back Drug Reimportation
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The Senate cleared the way yesterday for the likely adoption of a measure that would legalize the reimportation of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and other countries, a move supporters say would save consumers $50 billion over 10 years.
Ignoring a White House veto threat, lawmakers voted 63 to 28 to move to a final vote on adding the drug provision to a larger bill on the operations of the Food and Drug Administration.
"There is a pricing problem with prescription drugs," said Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.), who co-sponsored the amendment with Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine). "The identical drug, FDA-approved, the same pill, put in the same bottle, made by the same company, is set virtually every other place in the world at a lower price. And the American consumer is told, 'You know what, we have a special deal for you: You get to pay the highest price in the world.' "
Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), one of the lead sponsors of the FDA bill, opposed the amendment, saying the FDA has enough trouble determining whether domestic drugs are safe.
"I'm baffled that we want to take on all the hard work and effort to fix our drug system's problems and then throw it all away opening it up to more drugs," Enzi said. "Let's get it fixed at home before we open it up to the world."
A final vote on the provision, as well as one on the larger bill, is not expected until next week. The House has not yet taken up similar FDA legislation.
The provision would allow consumers to buy prescription drugs from Canada and permit commercial distributors to obtain them from Canada, Japan, Austria, Switzerland and other European Union nations, Dorgan's staff said. Imported drugs would have to be FDA-approved, manufactured in facilities inspected by the FDA and carry documentation about the chain of custody of the drugs.
Earlier this week, the White House said President Bush's advisers would recommend that he veto any reimportation provision that did not address safety concerns around imported drugs that were identified by a Department of Health and Human Services task force in 2004.
"The administration believes that allowing the importation of drugs outside the current safety system established by the FDA without addressing these serious safety concerns would threaten public health and result in unsafe, unapproved and counterfeit drugs being imported into the United States," the White House statement said.
Despite support in the House and Senate, the White House for years has blocked legislation opening the borders to the reimportation of U.S.-made pharmaceuticals, arguing that their safety cannot be assured. During the Clinton administration, Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala similarly concluded that she could not guarantee a safe system for drug imports.
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) has offered a further amendment that would require the federal government to certify the safety of imported drugs and determine whether importation brings any economic benefit. If the Bush administration reported an inability to certify the safety of the drugs, Dorgan and Snowe's amendment could be undercut.
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The Senate cleared the way yesterday for the likely adoption of a measure that would legalize the reimportation of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and other countries, a move supporters say would save consumers $50 billion over 10 years.
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Walter Schirra; Fifth Astronaut in Space
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Walter M. Schirra Jr., 84, one of the original seven astronauts and the only man to fly in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs, died of a heart attack May 3 at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, Calif. He also had cancer.
The quick-witted Navy captain, who was known as Wally, was the fifth American in space at a time when NASA's manned space program was young and untested. His Oct. 3, 1962, Mercury flight, which lasted 9 hours, 13 minutes and 11 seconds, was considered textbook-perfect. The capsule splashed down only 4.5 miles from the aircraft carrier Kearsarge in the Pacific Ocean.
But his next mission, as commander of Gemini 6, started badly. The launch was aborted once after an unmanned satellite blew up in space, where Gemini 6 was supposed to rendezvous with it. The mission was delayed a second time when the Titan II engines beneath the space capsule ignited at countdown and then shut down.
For several heart-stopping minutes, Capt. Schirra and astronaut Tom Stafford, sitting atop a highly explosive mass of rocket fuel, chose not to pull the ejection handle, which would have scrapped the mission. It was a calculated risk. Capt. Schirra trusted that the booster rocket would not explode and that the first attempt to rendezvous with another spacecraft, Gemini 7, could still occur. The risk paid off, and three days later, the launch was successful.
Asked later what he thought while sitting on the launchpad, Capt. Schirra replied, "This was all put together by the lowest bidder."
His last space mission, Apollo 7, which launched Oct. 11, 1968, was the first for NASA after three astronauts were killed in a launchpad fire in 1967. Apollo 7 was celebrated for restoring Americans' faith in the space program, but Capt. Schirra filed a complaint about the decision to launch in winds that gusted to 22 mph.
Despite developing bad head colds, the three astronauts became known for their daily 10-minute television shows from orbit, during which they clowned around, held up humorous signs and generally educated television viewers back on Earth about spaceflight. They received an Emmy Award for those performances. They also exhausted their supply of prescription Actifed, and when that cold medicine became an over-the-counter medication in 1983, Capt. Schirra became one of its celebrity pitchmen.
But the takeoff so angered Capt. Schirra that he wrote a memo accusing the Apollo spacecraft manager of endangering the crew's lives. That was unusual for Capt. Schirra, whose personality was "fun and effervescent," said Roger Launius, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's curator of space history and the former chief historian at NASA.
"I think what you're seeing here is the serious side of him, demonstrating his capability as a test pilot and astronaut who didn't agree with the decision," Launius said.
Most of the time, Capt. Schirra was a gregarious and garrulous public figure. "He was able to take complex engineering and scientific ideas and translate that to something that was understandable," Launius said.That made him an excellent color commentator on CBS, working with anchorman Walter Cronkite during the broadcast of the first Apollo moon landing.
On his Mercury flight, Capt. Schirra smuggled a corned beef sandwich in his flight suit. A well-known practical joker, Capt. Schirra "was quite popular," wrote author Tom Wolfe in "The Right Stuff," his 1973 book about the original seven Mercury astronauts.
"He was a stocky fellow with a big, wide-open face who was given to pranks, cosmic winks, fast cars. . . . A smile about a foot wide would spread over his face and his cheekbones would well up into a pair of cherub bellies, St. Nicholas style, and an incredible rocking-druid laugh would come shaking and rumbling up from his rib cage and he'd say 'Gotcha!' Schirra's gotchas were famous. Wally was one of the people who didn't mind showing their emotions, happiness, rage, frustration, whatever. But in the air he was as cool as they made them."
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Walter M. Schirra Jr., 84, one of the original seven astronauts and the only man to fly in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs, died of a heart attack May 3 at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, Calif. He also had cancer.
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Royal Ahold Sells U.S. Foodservice to Private-Equity Firms
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Royal Ahold, a Dutch supermarket operator and owner of Giant Food, yesterday agreed to sell Columbia-based U.S. Foodservice to two private-equity firms for $7.1 billion in a deal that would end a transatlantic partnership troubled by financial scandal.
The deal comes six months after Ahold said it would sell U.S. Foodservice, which distributes food to hotels and restaurants, and focus on reviving its flagging supermarket operations. Under the transaction, U.S. Foodservice would be acquired by New York private-equity firms Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.
"We are pleased to be partnering with two outstanding firms -- two of the oldest private equity firms in the business -- which have a great understanding of our industry, from both a financial and operating standpoint," Robert Aiken, president of U.S. Foodservice, said yesterday in a statement. "We have great confidence the strategic and financial support of these two firms will enable us to grow and better serve our customers."
Ahold has been under pressure from investors to sell off its U.S. operations, which are struggling with weak sales and intense competition. Following a six-month review of its assets and corporate strategy, the company said in November that it would divest U.S. Foodservice to focus on its core retail business. Ahold is also in the process of finding a buyer for Tops supermarkets, but the company yesterday reiterated its plan to hold onto Giant.
Selling U.S. Foodservice "returns Ahold to a purely retail-focused company, and Giant is certainly a part of our portfolio in the United States," said Kerry Underhill, an Ahold spokesman.
The sale agreement comes just days after the surprise announcement by Ahold chief executive Anders Moberg that he would step down as of July 1. Moberg was brought in to restore the Amsterdam company's credibility and financial stability after a 2003 accounting scandal at U.S. Foodservice left some analysts wondering whether Ahold could survive.
Ahold was forced to restate more than $800 million in earnings after it came to light that U.S. Foodservice executives had inflated promotional rebates from suppliers to meet earnings targets. The scandal caused the parent company's shares to plunge.
Ahold settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission two years ago and agreed to pay $1.1 billion to resolve shareholder lawsuits. While dealing with the legal fallout, Moberg rebuffed calls from investors to sell U.S. Foodservice and set about closing outdated Giant stores and cutting costs at others.
The sale announced yesterday has been in the works for a few months and attracted significant interest from prospective buyers, Ahold said. The deal, which must be approved by shareholders at a special meeting scheduled for June 19, could close in the second half of this year.
"I am extremely pleased to be able to announce that we have reached this important milestone for U.S. Foodservice, for Ahold and for our shareholders," Moberg said in a statement yesterday. "We have focused on restructuring U.S. Foodservice, strengthening its capabilities and restoring profitability."
One of the two buyers, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, has made investments in the food-service business in the past decade, including in Alliant Foodservice, which it sold to Ahold in 2001.
"U.S. Foodservice is well positioned in a stable and growing industry that we know well from prior investments," said Richard J. Schnall, a principal at CD&R. "We plan to leverage the company's strong national and local market positions in the nearly $200 billion U.S. food service industry to accelerate growth in both revenues and profitability."
Ahold bought U.S. Foodservice in 2000 for $3.6 billion. It accounts for 47 percent of Ahold's U.S. operations and 34 percent of its total sales.
When Ahold acquired U.S. Foodservice, the industry consensus was that it overpaid, said Robert S. Goldin, an executive vice president at Technomic, a food consulting firm in Chicago. Industry analysts had previously estimated U.S. Foodservice could be worth $5.1 billion to $5.7 billion. Yesterday, Goldin and other industry experts said Ahold got top dollar.
"For Ahold this is a reasonably good end to what's been a pretty unsuccessful foray into U.S. food distribution," he said. "It's been a sore spot for them. They overpaid for the business and never rationalized it. I would imagine they are pretty happy to put this one behind them."
U.S.-traded shares of Ahold rose more than 7 percent yesterday to close at $13.65.
Staff writer Ylan Q. Mui and staff researcher Richard Drezen contributed to this report.
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Washington,DC,Virginia,Maryland business headlines,stock portfolio,markets,economy,mutual funds,personal finance,Dow Jones,S&P 500,NASDAQ quotes,company research tools. Federal Reserve,Bernanke,Securities and Exchange Commission.
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MLS Tries to Make Waves on Air
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This evening will not mark the first time D.C. United has played on a weeknight. Over the years, because of stadium and scheduling issues, MLS teams have had to squeeze a random Wednesday or Thursday match onto their calendar.
No one particularly liked them. Coaches and players felt they interrupted the weekly routine. Marketing departments found it difficult to sell tickets. Consequently, games lacked intensity, turnouts were small, TV ratings were even smaller and, by the time the weekend matches rolled around, most fans had forgotten the midweek games had ever taken place.
But because of a new broadcasting package -- a deal that is earning the league an estimated $20 million per year in rights fees -- Thursdays have suddenly become an important date in MLS.
United's match tonight against the New England Revolution at RFK Stadium will be shown on ESPN2, which is attempting to make Thursdays a signature night for soccer and broaden the appeal of the league beyond weekend evenings.
MLS also has contracts with Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español for Saturday broadcasts, with Spanish-language network Univision for Sunday games and with HDNet, Mark Cuban's high-definition outlet, to show primarily weekend matches.
"It's a very important development in the life span of this league and it will be, I think, one of the things we look back on that has taken MLS to the next level," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said of the TV contracts.
What MLS might lose at the gate playing on odd days and at odd times, it gains in national exposure and presentation. The league's broadcast partners will provide coverage for 110 of 195 regular season matches.
Although ESPN has been showing MLS games throughout the league's 11-year history, mostly on Saturday afternoons, this is the first year the company has taken control of production, advertising and promotion, and offered matches on the same night throughout the year.
In the past, MLS produced its own games -- and it showed. "It just feels like a big-time sports television property now," Garber said.
Besides providing the league with prime-time exposure, ESPN has added several features in an attempt to improve presentation -- high-definition broadcasts, a sky-cam for some matches, a virtual offside line, a ball tracer, a sideline reporter and three commentators.
National ratings have remained stagnant over the same period last year -- a 0.2, which equals 223,000 households -- but in the 18-to-34 male demographic, the numbers have increased 100 percent.
"It's a slow-growth proposition for us, but we think it's a sound approach so far, both on our end and MLS's," said Scott Guglielmino, ESPN's vice president for programming. "It's a long-term strategy. It's not something where we are looking for ratings to triple this year."
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Major League Soccer is attempting to make Thursdays a signature night for its burgeoning league thanks to a new $20 million television deal with ESPN2.
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In Veto Signature, a Tribute
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When President Bush vetoed the war spending bill, he used Bob Derga's pen.
"It was just a plain old black rollerball," Derga said. "Just a $2 pen."
But it was priceless to Derga, an Ohio engineer who used it to write letters to his son in Iraq.
Cpl. Dustin A. Derga, a reservist with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, was killed in a May 2005 assault just east of the Syrian border. For a grieving father, the pen remained a link to what he considers a young life lost for a good cause, and he wanted Bush to use it for a purpose.
It happened this way: On April 15, Derga and his wife, Marla, drove away from their home in Unionville, where a chiseled stone in Dustin's honor reads, "If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever." Derga was headed for a gathering the next day at the White House, where he hoped to have a minute with the president.
He had two principal objectives: the president's signature on Dustin's Purple Heart certificate and a chance to urge him to use the pen if Congress sent him a bill setting an October date to begin a U.S. military withdrawal.
After Bush spoke to the cameras and a supportive audience, an aide led the way for the Dergas and about half a dozen other families connected with Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission. When they reached the Oval Office, Bush was standing in the doorway.
"He greeted each family as we came in, gave us a hug and shook hands," Derga said. "Very emotional meeting. . . . He was choked up."
Derga said Bush spoke to the group, then with each family in turn. "He talked a little bit about how he didn't come to Washington to win popularity polls," said Derga, an engineer with Diebold Inc. "He's very firmly behind his beliefs and convictions, and he believes the test of time will prove him correct. He even said whether he lives to see that or not is immaterial. He can leave the White House knowing he did what was right."
During their private meeting, Derga made his plea.
"I handed him the pen and looked him in the eye and I said, 'Mr. President, if this comes down to a veto, I want you to sign it with my pen.' He said, 'Yeah, I'll do it.' When we left, he was shaking everybody's hand. I said, 'I'm serious. I want you to do it.' He said, 'I will. I will.' "
A call from the White House late Tuesday gratified Derga.
"We very much support the direction the president's taken. It's not a popular one, but he's doing what I feel is morally correct. He's staying the course," said Derga, who aimed "to let him know we fully support him and we can be a little part of it. It's not on his shoulders alone. I'm supplying the ink. He's doing the pen motion. We're in it together."
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When President Bush vetoed the war spending bill, he used Bob Derga's pen.
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Hearing on Md. Child's Death Explores Dearth of Dental Care
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The case of Deamonte Driver, the 12-year-old Maryland boy who died because of a dental infection, sparked a wide-ranging hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday as lawmakers delved into the difficulties the poor face in getting access to dental treatment.
Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio), chairman of a subcommittee looking into gaps in Medicaid coverage, had his staff call dentists on a list available to the mother of the Prince George's boy who died Feb. 25 of an infection that began with an abscessed tooth and spread to his brain.
Of the 24 dentists listed as participating in United Healthcare, a managed care organization serving area Medicaid beneficiaries, none could have helped him, Kucinich said. Telephone numbers for 23 were disconnected, incorrect or belonged to a dentist who did not take Medicaid patients. The 24th was an oral surgeon.
Government regulators, who depend on managed care organization data to assess the effectiveness of Medicaid, "would have believed that the number of dentists who could have served Deamonte was 24," Kucinich said. "But the real number is zero."
An official from United Healthcare was quick to rebut Kucinich. In an interview, Peter Ashkenaz said: "We've got 92 dentists in Prince George's County, and in 2006 we paid claims to 78 of them. I don't know where he is pulling that from."
Deamonte's death drew national attention to the problems of those without access to dental care, prompting calls for change. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) has co-sponsored a bill that would provide millions in federal dollars to increase dental care for the poor.
A large photo of the boy gazed down from two large screens, as his story was interwoven throughout much of the hearing.
"With all the resources available to us, how did we so thoroughly fail this little boy?" asked Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.).
In Maryland, a survey of more than 700 dentists listed as Medicaid providers found 170 who said they would take a new Medicaid patient, said Norman Tinanoff, chairman of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Maryland Dental School.
Prince George's County has 45,000 to 50,000 child Medicaid participants, yet only about 50 dentists on a list provided by the county health department will see them, Temple Hills dentist Frederick Clark said.
"With this disproportionate ratio of patients to providers, it is virtually impossible for a parent to find a dentist to treat their child's dental concerns," Clark said.
At the time Deamonte fell ill, his family's Medicaid coverage had lapsed. Yet even on Medicaid, his mother, Alyce Driver, said her children lacked regular dental care and she had great difficulty finding a dentist. It took seven months of effort for her to get treatment for a younger son whose dental problems had originally seemed more pronounced than Deamonte's. The treatments came only after the mother reached out for help, said Laurie Norris, a lawyer from the Baltimore-based Public Justice Center, who testified at the hearing.
"It took the combined efforts of one mother, one lawyer, one help-line supervisor and three health-care case management professionals for a single Medicaid-insured child," Norris said.
The state's Medicaid reimbursement rates, which ranked lowest in the nation in 2004 for restorative procedures, are a deterrent for some dentists, Tinanoff said.
"An illustration of the problem is the current reimbursement rate for dental sealants," he said. Maryland Medicaid pays $9 per sealant, a fraction of the going rate.
Burdensome paperwork and the level of need presented by poor families also discourage dentists, Clark said.
Despite recent efforts to change the system, fewer than one in three children in Maryland's Medicaid program received dental service in 2005, the latest year for which figures are available from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Specialty procedures -- including fillings, extractions and surgery -- are particularly hard to obtain.
A 2004 study cited at the hearing found that fewer than one in five Medicaid-covered children nationally had received a single dental visit in the previous year.
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The case of Deamonte Driver, the 12-year-old Maryland boy who died because of a dental infection, sparked a wide-ranging hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday as lawmakers delved into the difficulties the poor face in getting access to dental treatment.
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Latinos' Battle With Burns Taken to 'War' Sponsors
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Latino advocacy organizations upset about filmmaker Ken Burns's forthcoming PBS documentary on World War II have stepped up their campaign against the film, pressuring two corporate sponsors to remove their support.
Leaders of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, an umbrella organization of 14 groups, on Tuesday asked representatives of General Motors Corp. and Anheuser-Busch to disavow their sponsorship and remove their corporate logos from Burns's "The War," a 14-hour documentary scheduled to be shown on PBS stations in September, coincidentally during Hispanic Heritage Month.
"Our message was very simple," said Manuel Mirabal, the association's chairman. "They should not be associated with this documentary. If they plan to do so, to put it bluntly, they will not be held harmless."
He added: "We should all be working to resolve this issue together. We understand that Ken Burns has his artistic principles, but in this case taxpayer dollars were used to make this film and it is flawed. Ken Burns can make as many films as he wants, but the buck stops here because he's using our taxpayer dollars."
The groups, including veterans' organizations, have complained for months that the documentary includes no mention of Latino contributions to the American war effort.
The controversy began last fall when, after a screening of the film, Burns's team acknowledged that Latinos were not represented in the documentary. The campaign against the film was initiated by Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, a University of Texas journalism professor who directs the U.S. Latino and Latina World War II Oral History Project. PBS officials, Burns and the advocacy groups met last month in Washington without reaching a resolution.
PBS and Burns have said that they will add additional material to address the issue and that they have hired a Latino filmmaker to assist in producing it. But Burns and PBS have said repeatedly that the film itself is complete and that the new material will not be part of the stories detailed in the documentary.
The addition of new material hasn't quieted the protests; the organizations are concerned that such content will be a mere "add-on" that marginalizes the war service of Latinos.
In a related development, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus said it has requested meetings with representatives from General Motors, Anheuser-Busch and other underwriters of "The War" to raise the same issues.
In a statement yesterday, General Motors said: "We are aware that some Hispanic organizations and leaders have expressed concerns about the exclusion of diverse groups of people who served in World War II from the documentary. We encourage these organizations to engage in conversations with Mr. Burns and PBS so that an understanding can be reached with a resolution that is agreeable to all parties."
A representative for the automaker, Ryndee S. Carney, added in an interview yesterday that the company has "no plans to remove our name from the film."
Anheuser-Busch said in a statement yesterday that it was not involved in developing the documentary's content. The company said: "Our long history of military support includes numerous Latino veterans' organizations and projects honoring the Latino contribution to American military efforts."
Representatives of PBS had no comment yesterday.
GM and Anheuser-Busch are the sole corporate sponsors of the documentary, providing about $5 million of the film's $8 million budget. General Motors has provided funding for Burns's Florentine Films for 20 years.
People close to the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility say its leadership urged the two companies to cut future financial ties to Burns and to meet with him to stress their concerns.
Among the nonprofit and quasi-governmental organizations that provided funding are the Lilly Endowment, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Longaberger Foundation and the Park Foundation, according to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Mirabal, whose group met with GM and Anheuser-Busch executives in Miami, stopped short of saying Latinos would boycott the corporations if the group's demands were ignored. But in an interview, he made clear that his organization considered the status quo unacceptable.
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Get style news headlines from The Washington Post, including entertainment news, comics, horoscopes, crossword, TV, Dear Abby. arts/theater, Sunday Source and weekend section. Washington Post columnists, movie/book reviews, Carolyn Hax, Tom Shales.
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By YaÅar YakiÅ, Ghassan al-Atiyyah, Khalid al-Dakhil and Scott Lasensky
Istanbul, Riyadh and Washington - No one fears instability and violence in Iraq more than Iraqis and their neighbors. But mutual suspicions and rivalries, and a lack of U.S. commitment to regional diplomacy, have prevented Iraq and its neighbors from turning common anxieties into a common agenda. However, an emerging regional diplomatic initiativeâthe focus of this week's foreign minister's conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egyptâcould be a turning point that leads all sides toward concerted action.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should use the Sharm el-Sheikh gathering to demonstrate Washington's new commitment to sustained, high-level engagement and effective regional diplomacy. If this new initiative is to succeed, the United States should also make clear that the American military presence in Iraq is also part of the agenda.
As regional anxieties surge, reliance by the neighbors on unilateralism is giving way to renewed interest in multilateral diplomacy. âIraq's neighbors acknowledge their shared responsibility to support Iraqi reconciliation,â said a group of leading foreign policy figures in the Marmara Declaration, the recent product of non-official dialogue between Iraqis and their neighbors. Stabilizing Iraq, the group declared, âis inextricably linked to protecting [the neighbors'] own national security interests.â
The first order of business is to build an on-going, results-oriented process that includes all the pivotal players. Iraq and its neighbors have been holding regular ministerial meetings since 2003 as part of a Turkish initiative, but without the United States. The key international and regional players convened in late 2004 at Sharm el-Sheikh, but with little follow-up. Summit meetings should punctuate rather than define the process.
The international compact between donors and the Iraqi government, which will be ratified at Sharm el-Sheikh, provides a framework for regional and international economic assistance to flow in sync with Iraqi government reform. But much more needs to be done to address the worsening security vacuum. In this regard, the involvement of military, intelligence, and police officials in both the ministerial meetings and the technical-level working groups is critical, as is the establishment of a joint crisis-response mechanism.
This new diplomatic initiative could also be used to generate regional support for Iraqi political reconciliation. It is a collective opportunity for the neighbors to signal unambiguously to the various Iraqi factions that reconciliation is a regional priority. But the key ingredient is for the Iraqi government to start a serious process of reform and reconciliation, and to demonstrate its effectiveness and credibility at home so that the neighbors can then provide more political backing.
For its part, Washington needs to generate new ideas to turn around the worsening crisis in Iraq. The United States should continue its dialogue with all Iraqi factions, including insurgents, with the objective of bringing all sides into the political process. Washington should pay more attention to its Arab allies, namely Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and demonstrate its commitment to sustained, high-level engagement with all the key players, including Iran and Syria. Moreover, the United States should step up its involvement in the working groups, which were established last month at a preparatory meeting in Baghdad, but have yet to get moving. With intense skepticism in the region about American intentions, the more Washington can do to demonstrate its commitment to multilateral solutions, the greater the chance engagement will work.
On the question of the U.S. military presence, there is no way to satisfy the expectations of all sides without declaring definitively that the United States will withdraw: not precipitously, but responsibly. A precipitous withdrawal would accelerate unilateralist impulses in the region, further imperil Iraq, and raise the prospects of a regional war. But digging in heels is also problematic, since it will impede the drive for greater regional diplomacy. Regional playersâwhether they want the United States to leave or to stayâneed to be convinced that they will have more influence by acting within a process than by challenging it on the battlefield.
Finally, the United States can help generate incentives aimed at both defusing flashpoints and encouraging regional reconciliation. Stepped-up humanitarian assistance to the front-line states in the refugee crisis, Jordan and Syria, which also have the most fragile economies, could provide an early boost to the process. More broadly, expanding the agenda to cover a wider range of issuesâincluding changes to the Iraqi constitution, the status of Kirkuk, economic development, and support for militiasâwould motivate the neighbors to invest in a process viewed as inclusive of their concerns. Last but not least, the United States should assist Iraq in taking concrete, visible steps to prevent armed groups from using Iraqi soil to attack Iraq's neighbors.
Skeptics in the United States would argue that regional diplomacy and high-level engagement with Iraqâs neighbors is itself a concession, but the situation in Iraq is too desperate to cling to high-minded notions at the expense of pragmatic solutions. Hard bargaining and multilateralism have produced results elsewhere, from Afghanistan to the Balkans.
This emerging process could provide a framework to ease tensions in the region and deliver practical solutions for Iraq. Moreover, if this process succeeds it could provide a major boost to American credibility, at a time when the gap between U.S. power and influence seems so wide.
YaÅar YakiÅ is an MP and a former Turkish foreign minister, Ghassan al-Atiyyah is a leading Iraqi political analyst, Khalid al-Dakhil is a Saudi academic and writer, and Scott Lasensky is a senior researcher at the U.S. Institute of Peace.
This article was distributed by The Common Ground News Service (CGNews).
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Need to Know - PostGlobal on PostGlobal; blog of politics and current events on washingtonpost.com. Visit http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/needtoknow/
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A Law Day Unto Himself
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President Bush wants to wish you a Happy Law Day.
He wants you, he says in his 2007 Law Day proclamation, to know that "Our Nation is built upon the rule of law."
He wants you to recognize how America's lawyers have "helped make our Nation a shining example of justice."
If only the president would practice what he proclaims.
To be fair, Bush is stuck with this Law Day business. It's been around since 1958. Law Day is one of those ceremonial things presidents have to do, like pardoning turkeys, only less fun.
At least this year's milquetoast theme -- "Empowering Youth, Assuring Democracy" -- isn't quite as uncomfortable for the administration as last year's, "Separate Branches, Balanced Powers." (The American Bar Association picks the theme.) Last year's proclamation was hard to take, with its ode to the "wisdom of the Framers' design" and its warning of "the risks that accompany the concentration of power."
Luckily for Bush, these proclamations tend to be short, so he didn't have to explain how they squared with his warrantless wire-tapping -- despite a statute that requires warrants.
Or a view of presidential power so inflated that Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was moved to declare that a "state of war is not a blank check for the President."
Or the blizzard of signing statements asserting presidential authority to ignore whatever law he had just approved.
The most shameful example: Bush's treatment of the anti-torture amendment. The president said he would interpret that "in a manner consistent with" his constitutional authority.
In other words, if he felt like it.
But if last year's theme was particularly ill-suited for the Bush administration, this year's Law Day seems especially ill-timed.
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Beyond presidential power, what is President Bush upholding?
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The Democrats' Foreign Policy Primary
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Niccolo Machiavelli, the 16th-century political realist and schemer, would relish the intricate calculations the three leading Democratic presidential candidates are required to make.
Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards need to do two things simultaneously: persuade the intensely antiwar majority in the Democratic Party that they despise President Bush's Iraq policies and demonstrate that they would be resolute in dealing with America's foreign foes. Over the past week, that foreign policy dance has produced some riveting moments.
If you talk to members of Team Clinton, you quickly understand that her experience -- both in the Senate and in the White House as a genuine governing partner with her husband -- is their trump card against Obama. He may move Democratic crowds to tears and cheers, but Clinton would know what to do and how to do it from the moment she walked into the Oval Office.
A Pew Research Center survey conducted in mid-April suggests this argument could stick; Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters gave Clinton a seemingly impregnable 39 percent to 5 percent advantage over Obama as the candidate with the "best experience" to be president. Most Democratic foreign policy gurus argue that among the party's top three, Clinton has the most fully thought-through approach to international affairs.
That's why there was glee in Clinton circles over Obama's answer at last Thursday's Democratic debate in South Carolina to a question about how he would respond to simultaneous terrorist attacks on two American cities. Obama gave a 205-word reply without mentioning retaliation.
Edwards, who spoke next, could not wait to say that he would "act swiftly and strongly to hold them responsible for that." And Clinton relished driving her toughness home. "I think a president must move as swiftly as is prudent to retaliate," she declared. "I believe we should quickly respond."
Obama, seeing the threat immediately, doubled back in response to a later, unrelated question to endorse "intelligently using our military and, in some cases, lethal force to take out terrorists." But he had given the Clintonites their opening, and they pressed their advantage over the weekend.
Yet it's not clear how well toughness will sell among Democratic primary voters who are overwhelmingly and intensely critical of the Iraq war. Here, Obama, having opposed the war from the beginning, has an obvious advantage over Clinton because of her vote to authorize force in 2002 and despite her efforts to explain it.
Speaking before the California Democratic State Convention over the weekend, Obama could not resist an indirect dig at Clinton. "We've seen," he said, "how a foreign policy based on bluster and bombast can lead us into a war that should've never been authorized and never been waged."
Obama, however, faces risks on his other flank from Edwards, who has renounced his own vote in favor of force and now displays the fervor of a born-again war opponent. With Obama and Clinton confronting the possibility that they may have to vote for compromise language on an Iraq supplemental appropriations bill, Edwards challenged Congress (and by extension his rivals) "to stand firm and strong" on Iraq.
"If the president vetoes this bill, they should send him back another bill with a timetable for withdrawal," Edwards told the California convention. "If he vetoes that, they should send him another one back with a timetable for withdrawal." Edwards thus raised the prospect that Obama and Clinton's obligations as members of the Senate's narrow Democratic majority may conflict with the imperatives of their presidential candidacies.
Obama faces the knottiest political problems of the three. He is being challenged on his right (on experience and toughness) and his left (with antiwar Democrats fearing he will embrace establishmentarian views). His detailed foreign policy speech last week received generally favorable reviews from the foreign affairs powers-that-be but drew criticism from the left, especially for his refusal to renounce the use of military force against Iran.
By contrast, Edwards has decisively thrown in his lot with the party's antiwar wing, while Clinton is distinguishing herself not only from President Bush but also from Obama by embracing a brand of tough-minded realism.
The upside for Obama is that circumstances are forcing him to define a new center of gravity on foreign policy in Democratic politics. If he succeeds, the rewards he reaps could be as great as the risks he now faces.
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Over the past week, the foreign policy dance by the three leading Democratic presidential candidates has produced some revealing moments.
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Sarkozy's New Europeans
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To anyone steeped in the thousand-year history of Anglo-French enmity -- that bitter struggle over power, influence and the edibility of snails -- the highlight of France's presidential election campaign was surely the speech that Nicolas Sarkozy, the center-right candidate (and now the very precarious front-runner) gave this year in London. Standing in the heart of London's financial district, Sarkozy heaped compliments upon his country's historic enemy. The British capital was, he said, a "town that seems more and more prosperous and dynamic every time I come here." More important, it had become "one of the great French cities." He understood, furthermore, that hundreds of thousands of Frenchmen had moved to Britain because "they are risk-takers, and risk is a bad word" in France. With distinctly un-English passion (some things never change) he pleaded with them:
"Come home, because together we will make France a great country where everything will be possible, where fathers won't fear for the future of their children, and where everyone will be able to make their plans come true, and be responsible for their own destiny."
Unfortunately, it seems that even a Sarkozy victory in the final round of voting on Sunday won't persuade all of the 2 million-plus French exiles to go home. Asked by a French polling company, TNS Sofres, "Are you satisfied with your life abroad?" 93 percent of French ?migr?s surveyed recently said "yes." Asked, "When do you expect to return to France?" 25 percent answered "never."
To Americans, who've become used to the idea that people take jobs far from home, that people move to places where the economy is better and that consequently some cities shrink (St. Louis) while others grow (Los Angeles), there is nothing odd about the fact that the French now vote with their feet. There are better-paying jobs in London, taxes are lower in London, the economy grows faster in London: C'est la vie -- and tough luck for Paris. But Europeans have not, historically, been quite so mobile. Even a decade ago, tradition and sentiment kept people at home; legal and linguistic barriers made it hard to move, even if they wanted to go.
Thanks to the European Union, which has opened borders and eliminated employment barriers, it is now not only possible to move, it is downright easy. And not only for the French: Something like a million Poles have left home since Poland joined the European Union in 2004, largely for England and Ireland. Unlike France, Poland is booming. But as in France, high taxes and complex regulations mean that jobs for young Poles are still too scarce and badly paid. Abroad, young Poles earn more and are treated better.
When they come back (if they come back) they'll demand no less. The plumbers in Warsaw already expect to be paid something remarkably close to what plumbers are paid in Berlin -- that is, if you can find a plumber in Warsaw at all.
All of this is, of course, precisely what previous generations of European politicians have feared. For the past decade, French, German and other European leaders have tried to unify European tax laws and regulations, the better to "even out the playing field" -- or (depending on your point of view) to make life equally difficult everywhere. The emigration patterns of the past decade -- and the past five years in particular -- prove that that effort has failed. Sarkozy's election campaign, if successful, might put the final nail in the coffin.
The political and economic consequences of this new mobility could be quite profound. Countries such as Poland and France may soon be forced to scrap those regulations and taxes that hamper employment, however much the French unions and the Polish bureaucracy want to keep them: If they don't, their young people won't come home. Leaders in those countries may also have to alter their rhetoric. Sarkozy's Socialist opponent, S?gol?ne Royal, now uses words such as "entrepreneurship" at least some of the time, too.
Down the road, there could be cultural consequences as well. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the European Union's failure to create anything resembling a meaningful European "Idea." Almost by accident, the European Union may have created a new kind of European citizen instead: mobile, English-speaking, Internet-using, perhaps with the same nostalgia for Krakow or Dijon that first-generation New Yorkers feel for Missouri or Mississippi but nevertheless willing to live pretty much anywhere. Sarkozy is the first European politician to appeal directly to these new Europeans. Even if he loses, he probably won't be the last.
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The political and economic consequences of Europeans' new mobility could be quite profound.
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By Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank -- Islamabad and New York
Five British citizens, four of whom are of Pakistani descent, were convicted Monday of planning to attack targets in the United Kingdom under orders from al Qaeda using fertilizer-based bombs. Their convictions underline the fact that from its Pakistani hub al Qaeda now has the capability not only to plan once-off attacks in the U.K., but is also able to plan a sustained campaign of terrorist operations against the United Statesâ closest ally. And the ease with which al Qaeda has recruited operatives from the U.K. suggests that a future attack on the United States by British militants trained in al Qaedaâs training camps in Pakistan is a real possibility.
Several U.K. terrorism plots involving British Pakistanis in recent years can be traced back to a senior al Qaeda commander, Abdul Hadi al Iraqi, (who it was announced on Friday is now in custody at Guantanamo.) A number of the fertilizer plotters and two of the suicide bombers who on July 7, 2005 killed 52 commuters on Londonâs transportation system attended a Pakistani terrorist training camp under Abdul Hadiâs orders. Abdul Hadi also reportedly met with Rachid Rauf, a British Pakistani, with reported ties to Kashmiri militants, who is alleged to be a key figure in last summerâs aborted al Qaeda plot to down as many as ten American airliners over the Atlantic. (According to the Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir, Abdul Hadi â a former Iraqi army major before he joined al Qaeda in the late 1990s â operated mainly out of Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan where he planned his terrorist operations.)
A possible al Qaeda link has also emerged in the case of five men suspected of attempting additional attacks on the London transport system on July 21, 2005. In their separate ongoing trial, not only did a government scientist testify that the explosive devices they used were remarkably similar in design to those used in the July 7 attacks, but a prosecution witness testified that the alleged ringleader of the plot trained in a Pakistani training camp with Kashmiri militants.
In fact, almost every significant terrorist plot uncovered in the U.K. in recent years has some link to a Kashmiri militant group, which is significant because most British Pakistanis are of Kashmiri origin. Since 9/11 al Qaeda has significantly deepened ties â dating back to the 1980s Afghan jihad against the Soviets â with such groups, helping it to revive its operational capabilities in Pakistan.
A perfect example of the worrisome nexus between British militants, Kashmiri groups and al Qaeda is Omar Khyam, the ringleader of the fertilizer plotters who was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the plot. Khyam is the cricket-mad son of middle-class Pakistani immigrants who grew up south of London in the tranquil, green commuter town of Crawley. He testified during his trial that around the age of sixteen he began to take the practice of Islam âquite seriouslyâ and that it was above all the Kashmir issue that radicalized him after falling in with Al Muhajiroun, a British al Qaeda support group. In 1999, a year after his spiritual awakening, he went on a family holiday in Pakistan, one of four hundred thousand visits to the country made by British-Pakistanis each year. Near the capital, Islamabad, he stumbled across a rally organized by Al Badr Mujihadeen, a Kashmiri militant group, where he picked up some literature about the Kashmir jihad.
That chance encounter would plant the seed for his next trip to Pakistan in January 2000. Khyam told his family he was going on a brief trip to France. In fact he went to Pakistan for three months training with the Kashmiri militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba. Linking up with the group was surprisingly easy, Khyam testified that on landing in Islamabad, knowing that Kashmiri militants âhad offices all over Pakistan in every major city,â he had simply told his taxi driver to âtake me to the office of the mujahideen.â He was subsequently taken to a training camp in the mountains of Kashmir where he was trained on a wide range of weapons such as AK-47s and rocket propelled grenades. At the camp explosives training was also provided to the recruits by officers of ISI, the Pakistani military intelligence service. Eventually, Khyamâs concerned family tracked him down in Pakistan, sending an uncle to bring him back to the U.K.
Khyam returned to Pakistan in the summer of 2001 and traveled into Taliban-controlled Afghanistan where he said he found the Taliban to be âvery closeâ to the ideals of the Prophet Muhammad and he resolved to move to Afghanistan at some point in the future. Back in the UK in September 2001 Khyam started a computing course at a college in North London. When the 9/11 attacks happened he testified that âI was happyâ¦because America was and is the greatest enemy of Islam.â
Subsequently Khyam spent much of his time with a circle of radical young men, most of whom were second-generation British Pakistanis. Khyam testified at his trial that the 2001 war in Afghanistan against the Taliban turned his group of friends against their home country for the first time and that the war in Iraq was âjust sort of the final [straw].â
By then Khyam had already started working for al Qaeda according to the testimony of Mohammed Junaid Babar, a Pakistani-American accomplice in the fertilizer plot turned-prosecution star witness. In the spring of 2003, as the Iraq war was getting under way, Khyamâs group traveled to Pakistan determined to get further training in jihadist camps. According to the confession one of them gave British police, the group was at this stage intent only on fighting in Afghanistan. However, Abdul Hadi sent word to them that because al Qaeda âhad enough peopleâ¦if they really wanted to do something they could go back [to the U.K.] and do something there.â Abdul Hadiâs deputy then met Khyam in Kohat, Pakistan and instructed him to carry out âmultiple bombingsâ either âsimultaneouslyâ or âone after the other on the same day.â
Under Abdul Hadiâs orders, Khyamâs group exploited their contacts with Kashmiri militant groups to set up a training camp in Malakand, a district on the northern Afghan-Pakistan border where, together with two of the July 7 bombers, they were instructed in bomb making techniques (including fertilizer-based devices) and explained the rewards of martyrdom. Khyamâs group became much more serious after attending the training camp and started buying bomb-making supplies that they intended to ship back to the U.K.
Khyam and most of his group returned to the U.K in the fall of 2003 where they purchased 1,300 pounds of fertilizer and considered a variety of possible targets including a well known London nightclub, a shopping center, trains and synagogues. In February 2004, according to the confession one of the group gave British police, Khyam contacted Abdul Hadiâs deputy to check the precise bomb-making instructions he had learned in the camps the previous year.
That same February, the court was told that just before police swooped down on Khyamâs cell, he was visited by Momin Khawaja, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani descent, who had also attended the Malakand training camp in Pakistan, demonstrating al Qaedaâs ability to coordinate with many spokes from its Pakistani hub. Khawaja, who once had a job as a software developer for the Canadian government, worked on developing a remote-control detonation device for the fertilizer bomb Khyam planned to construct. The two kept in touch by saving emails in draft form in shared Hotmail and Yahoo accounts (âyou donât actually send the emailsâ, testified Khyam). Such techniques are standard al Qaeda practice and were used by the 9/11 hijackers under orders from their operational commander Khalid Sheik Mohammed.
The fact that al Qaeda has trained several separate cells of British recruits from its Pakistan base in recent years should be of great concern to U.S. national security officials because of the ease with which British passport holders can enter the United States.
That recruitment, however, has not been limited to the British Pakistani diaspora. Pakistani-Americans, such as Iyman Faris who plotted to bring down the Brooklyn Bridge, also trained with al Qaeda in Pakistan. Mohammed Babar, the star prosecution witness in the fertilizer trial is also a case in point. Babar, a one-time resident of Queens, was arrested in New York shortly after the arrest of the fertilizer conspirators in the U.K. He subsequently pled guilty to supplying money, night-vision goggles and sleeping bags to al Qaeda militants attacking U.S troops in Afghanistan. Babar testified that he also met with the senior al Qaeda commander Abdul Hadi al Iraqi four times in quick succession just before he returned to New York in early 2004 and he conceptualized (but did not plan in detail) an attack on Times Square during New Yearâs Eve celebrations.
Unfortunately, it may be only a matter of time before an al Qaeda-trained British- Pakistani or Pakistani-American launches a successful attack in his own country.
Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank are research fellows at the NYU Center on Law and Security. Bergen, author of the book âThe Osama bin Laden I Know,â is also a Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation.
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Need to Know - PostGlobal on PostGlobal; blog of politics and current events on washingtonpost.com. Visit http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/needtoknow/
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The $50 Billion Plan to Protect the Gulf Coast
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Louisiana Plan to Reclaim Land Would Divert the Mississippi (Post, May 1)
Peter Whoriskey: Good morning. Thanks for joining us.
Reston, Va.: Has anything like this been attempted elsewhere in the United States or other countries? If so, how successful was it?
Peter Whoriskey: Good question. The answer that I've gotten is no - nothing on this scale has ever been tried. The most similar project is a much much smaller diversion of the Mississippi, just below New Orleans.
I visited it. Basically what they did is they dug a deep channel, about a 1/2 mile long, and using these immense gates they let the water flow out the side of the Mississippi into some wetland areas.
As I understand it, however, this smaller diversion wasn't meant to build land necessarily but to lower the salinity of the water in some eroding wetlands. Scientists say it was working well. The surge of Katrina set that project back however.
New Orleans: Do Americans understand the economic consequences of losing coastal Louisiana? Do Americans understand that the oil and gas companies have raped the wetlands without restoration projects? How would lumber companies be viewed if they ripped every tree down in the U.S. without replacement?
Peter Whoriskey: You sound like someone from Louisiana, where I hear that question often. They say: We're critical the nation's energy infrastructure, you've got to help us.
The value of Louisiana's natural resources is exactly the argument that the state delegation is planning to bring to Washington as they ask for these huge sums of money. Roughly 2/3 of the $50 billion project cost - and that is very likely too low - will be requested of U.S. taxpayers.
Washington, D.C.: Doesn't it make more sense not to try to live in a floodplain, and instead use that $50 billion to relocate people to an area that is not another weather catastrophe waiting to happen?
Peter Whoriskey: That seems logical, and I do often wonder whether people in Louisiana are doing enough to save themselves from trouble in the next hurricane.
Most people rebuilding in New Orleans - that I've seen - are not raising their homes. Once again, they're trusting the levees.
On the other hand, people live in floodplain's all over the United States, and it doesn't seem fair to make only people of southern Louisiana get up and leave home. And the reason most people are not raising their homes farther above the ground is that its simply too expensive. There are federal grants to help, but on a typical slab home, the grants don't cover even half the cost.
What New Orleans city planner wants to do is to encourage people to live in the safest areas - generally the highest.
Harrisburg, Pa.: Why $50 billion? Why not $30 billion or $40 billion, or $49.9 billion? How solid are these estimated costs? As we saw in the Big Dig, these approximated estimated costs had little relationship to reality. Who is estimating these costs and how much faith is there that cost overruns will not hit this project?
Peter Whoriskey: I think the Louisiana folks who put this plan together will admit the $50 billion figure is just "ballpark."
They can't be that precise because the plan is still somewhat conceptual. How much water will be diverted from which precise locations has not been determined.
Given the uncertainty I think you're right - the numbers will go up. Cost estimates for public projects rarely seem to go down.
Arlington, Va.: Has the funding been approved for this project? If so, who's paying for it and what guarantees do we have that the project will work as intended?
Peter Whoriskey: The project cost would be split between federal and state sources with the federal government expected to pick up the lion's share.
The plan is just now going through the Legislature, where its sponsors expect it to pass. The real test comes as it goes to Washington.
Arlington, Va.: Thank you for the article. I'd point readers to " Bayou Farewell," a great book written by Mike Tidwell, himself a former Washington Post writer, for more information. Here in Washington, what is the next step? For those of us who recognize the need for a massive restoration plan for the Louisiana coastline, what can we expect of our members of Congress? Also, it seems like the commitment from a variety of industries and interests to solve this problem is like never before. Your article describes shrimpers and fishermen as ready and willing to solve this problem -- that's remarkable, considering the changes it could bring to their industries. Should we expect heavy lobbying from the shipping industry, or will they also likely go along with this type of plan, even if they don't love it?
Peter Whoriskey: Wow - that's a lot of elements in one question.
I think Bayou Farewell gives readers a nice feel for the rural people - many of them Cajuns - who live in the areas most affected by coastal erosion. The land they and their ancestors have been living on is disappearing at an astonishing rate - 24 square miles a year. It's one of those strange things that you can hardly believe is happening until you go visit and meet the people who've seen their backyards go underwater.
Peter Whoriskey: As for the other parts of the question, it's hard for me to tell how well this will fare in Washington.
Louisiana will be asking for a lot of money, and Congress and the country are skeptical of what have been known as "megaprojects." Once the project become fully fleshed out in detail - for example, how shipping will be handled - we may see more opposition, too.
Maybe they can break it into digestible pieces, but that might take too long. The dangers for people in the coastal communities are imminent.
Clyde, Mo.: Thirty years ago, I lived in those coastal communities of Louisiana. Years of shipping channels and levees have stopped what the river did naturally -- overflow and build up land. If there is not some reversal of the human-caused erosion, more huge chunks will be lost. Question: Will the competing interests (political, environmental and commercial) ever be able to make a coherent decision?
Peter Whoriskey: All those interests been dithering over all these questions for a decade or more. Lawsuits, contrary scientific judgments, etc. - the equivalent in some views of playing the lyre while Rome burns.
The hope of many there is that Katrina and Rita showed the nation how critical the land loss issue can be in saving lives and livelihoods.
Arlington, Va.: Are they planning to open up the Old River control system? That would be major. I would like to see a chart showing where the diversions would be placed. Does the cost of the system include getting shipping to the Port of New Orleans now that it no longer would be on the main stem of the river? This project is huge. I bet the Corps loves it.
Peter Whoriskey: There is a very nice graphic that runs with this piece that shows the location of the river diversions. If you click on the story, it's there.
Philadelphia: On a related issue, how many people still are dislocated and what is their living situation like? What is the delay in not assisting displaced people in getting their lives back?
Peter Whoriskey: That is a big, big question. There are well over 100,000 people from New Orleans alone who have not come back.
Some of the folks I've talked to are doing just fine, thank you, living in Houston or Atlanta or Tennessee. Their jobs moved, or they just relocated themselves. Other people are stuck still living with relatives, and complaining of what might be called "too much togetherness." Thousands of others are living in FEMA trailers, either in the yard of their flooded property or in one of the FEMA trailer parks.
New Orleans: Good story (but you already knew that).
Peter Whoriskey: Thanks. Who dat?
Moss, Tenn.: In my opinion, this $50 billion-$100 billion is well spent ... but make sure the Louisiana thieves do not get control of the project. Excellent plan for the entire Gulf Coast!
Peter Whoriskey: You must also be from Louisiana.
Washington, D.C.: The thing that gets lost in all of this is that when you take the chance of living below sea level, and don't prepare your home or have an emergency plan, than that fault and responsibility lies with you to fix your life. You said, if people aren't rebuilding their houses elevated ... yet who will they come to if this happens again? Us, the taxpayers. I read that the government just extended housing for Katrina evacuees through 2009! How on earth can we expect these people to rebuild their lives if the government keeps paying the bills? Better to relocate them to a less-diverse area of the country to help with race relations and integration, than allow people to rebuild substandard housing below sea level.
Peter Whoriskey: You raise a lot of issues, as questions about New Orleans always seem to.
First, I think you may be presuming that the only people affected here are African American, but they're not. Long stretches of the areas most affected by coastal erosion are predominantly white. Lakeview and other low-lying New Orleans neighborhoods are predominantly white, too.
That said, the issue you raise about whether the lowest, most vulnerable portions of the coast ought to be repopulated is a very interesting one. The people who live in those neighborhoods say that the government built the levees in the first place and that sense of safety brought the people in. The government shouldn't now decide to pull up and go away.
On the other hand, the federal flood insurance program, which provides people affordable flood insurance in these areas, seems to be in a very difficult spot. They're supposed to set regulations for how high rebuilt homes ought to be and in many places they merely said "three feet higher than before." This didn't make much sense in areas that had just seen 10 feet of water. It seems to have been more of a political compromise than a scientific finding.
Berkeley, Calif.: The Mississippi Delta is included on maps of heavily populated regions at (immediate) risk from climate change. Any reasonable plan should include actions that decrease subsidence and estimate reasonable sea level rise this century (climatologists are saying it could be 1-2 meters, or more) and increase coastal protection (mangroves, etc.). It's not clear that any investment in the Mississippi Delta makes sense without this. Are the authors of this plan dealing with the real and immediate future?
Peter Whoriskey: Sea rise and global warming are part of the discussion around this plan. It's certainly one of the arguments that the state delegation will make in asking for the money.
Washington, D.C.: What happens to New Orleans in this scenario? I lived in New Orleans for more than four years, including post-Katrina, and this is the first I've heard of a major diversion like this. I read something in the article about a series of locks and canals, but does the diversion mean that we won't be seeing ocean liners sailing under the Crescent City Connection anymore?
Peter Whoriskey: I think its farther down the Mississippi that shipping would be rerouted, if it is rerouted at all.
New York:"Louisiana thieves?" The AP has a story today about Bush family cronies bilking the taxpayers with completely defective pumps by rigging the bidding process. I'm shocked (in the "Casablanca" sense) you haven't mentioned this, Peter.
washingtonpost.com: Corps Asked to Explain Pump Contract (AP, April 30)
Peter Whoriskey: There it is.
Granger, Iowa: I am just wondering if the kind of flooding from Hurricanes Rita and Katrina could happen further inland than New Orleans, or was the particular topography of the area overdue for such a calamity?
Peter Whoriskey: Well I don't think it would reach Iowa...I think flooding could certainly reach farther inland than New Orleans, especially with Lake Pontchartrain to the north...
Peter Whoriskey: Thanks everybody for all those interesting questions. I'm checking out...
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Washington Post national reporter Peter Whoriskey will discuss the $50 billion plan to rebuild Louisiana's coast line to deflect the damage of future hurricanes. It would be the one of the largest capital projects in U.S. history -- dwarfing Boston's "Big Dig" -- and impact the way many coastal businesses operate.
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Chatological Humor (Updated 5.4.07)
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Gene Weingarten's humor column, Below the Beltway, appears every Sunday in The Washington Post magazine. It is syndicated nationally by the Washington Post Writers Group.
At one time or another, Below the Beltway has managed to offend persons of both sexes as well as individuals belonging to every religious, ethnic, regional, political and socioeconomic group. If you know of a group we have missed, please write in and the situation will be promptly rectified. "Rectified" is a funny word.
On Tuesdays at noon, Gene is online to take your questions and abuse. He will chat about anything. Although this chat is updated regularly throughout the week, it is not and never will be a "blog," even though many persons keep making that mistake. One reason for the confusion is the Underpants Paradox: Blogs, like underpants, contain "threads," whereas this chat contains no "threads" but, like underpants, does sometimes get funky and inexcusable.
This Week's Poll: Women Only| Men Only
Important, secret note to readers: The management of The Washington Post apparently does not know this chat exists, or it would have been shut down long ago. Please do not tell them. Thank you.
Weingarten is also the author of "The Hypochondriac's Guide to Life. And Death" and co-author of "I'm with Stupid," with feminist scholar Gina Barreca.
New to Chatological Humor? Read the FAQ.
I got a lot of mail on my Sunday column, some from people reporting that they have a similar affliction, some from people suggesting that I get counseling, pronto, and some from people who simply could not believe I got the word "douhebag" into the Washington Post. Thank you. That last was a feat of which I am proud.
About a week after the column went to press, I was reminded of an example of my douhebaggery far more serious than anything I had put in the column. It happened when my wife had no choice but to enter and use my basement office. This is the one part of the house into which she never ventures, largely for health concerns.
Anyway, afterward she came to me and informed me that she had cleaned up my office because she could not stand to be in it in its normal state. "I cleaned everything," she said, with a meaningful look, "INCLUDING THE RAT POISON." (emphasis mine.)
Some of you may remember that about three years ago I wrote a column about how we actually had a rat in the house. We called an exterminator, who put out rat traps and blew rat poison into the walls. Unfortunately, he had not first ascertained where it would fall, which was right into my basement office.
Rather than clearing it, I have been working, for nearly three years, in the middle of a dusting of rat poison powder, some of which had settled into little mounds. I just worked around them.
So. Lessee. I had an interesting experience over the weekend at a little community park. A few feet away was a family of three -- man, woman, little girl. He was a very dark-skinned black man, she was a very fair-skinned white woman, and the baby had a beautiful skin tone between the two. Suddenly, the man said to me: "Can I HELP you?" in a way that I recognized to mean, "What the hell are you looking at?" and I realized I was staring. I was. I was fascinated.
I said, "Sorry, I was just noticing that the insignia on your daughter's Yankees cap is... wrong." He laughed. "Yeah," he said, "It's some bad Chinese knockoff." Then we all talked happily about the Yanks for a while.
On the aptonym front, I used to think no mortuary could ever top "Amigone Funeral Home," but a friend of mine who wishes to remain anonymous found this one.
Also, I am in receipt of this correspondence from my friend (Jennifer Hart, Arlington), the brilliant Style Invitational Hall of Famer, who here comes eloquently to my defense. I should note that Jennifer and I have luncheoned together on more than one occasion, so she knows what she is talking about.
"In last week's Chatological transcript, a letter was printed from a Mr. or Miss "Jack Bellows" who was disillusioned after hearing Gene Weingarten's voice on NPR, calling it a "paltry voice, shaky and inconsequential, but grating, oh so grating on the ears." I was very upset to read this description -- in fact, shocked and appalled would be more accurate.
Because, for crine out loud, what a colorless and timid description! What a sorry lack of imagination! Weingarten has described his own voice as nasal, adenoidal, similar to a mosquito's buzzing. He has admitted to having a harmonica shoved up his nose. I would add (having heard this voice a few times) that it has a wheedling, reedy tone, like a midget playing a bagpipe. In fact, the Weingartean vocals could safely be compared to a rising whine of helicopter rotor blades; to "Psycho's" screek-screek soundtrack; to the squealing brakes of a rusted-out VW Beetle; to scissors being ground on a stone wheel; to the keening snarl of a hungry street dog; to a choir of jackasses braying "Livin' La Vida Loca" in zero-part harmony. Step right up, folks, and hear The Man With a Kazoo for a Larynx! And once you get past the buzzsaw tone of the voice, oh horrors, you have to deal with the Bronx accent, as thick as a pastrami sandwich made by a loving Yiddish grandma, with a heaping cynical side of horseradish. This is a voice that should be hawking peanuts and beer at Yankee Stadium -- except that, unfortunately, its carrying power is damped down by a thick black moustache.
Yes, a strange and distinctive voice, a voice that is 100 percent perfect for a writer who needs to cozy up to sources and wheedle out their most private secrets. A voice that attracts dogs with its high-pitched sonics, that makes children giggle and reporters jump. A voice that has been shaped, through millions of years of evolution, into the perfect voice of the humorist. What, you want a whoopee cushion should sound like a Stradivarius? Gene Weingarten's voice is perfect, and all of his readers should be grateful for that.
I will be addressing the changes to our comics pages in later chats, but there is one thing I must note now. I was the principle agitator to get "Agnes," and it had not been in the paper for more than a week or so before it demonstrated why I love it. Hope you all saw this.
A very weak comics week. Points to Zits for the "Good Boy" storyline. Comic Pick of the Week is Monday's Speed Bump. First runner up, amazingly, is Thursday's Baldo and even more amazingly, Thursday's The Wiz of Id. In a category of its own -- Not real funny, but quite elegant -- is Monday's FBOFW.
Gene Weingarten: Er, as usual, please remember to take today's poll, the results of which so far are, in a way, completely startling. I'll be analyzing soon, 'cause I need to hear some explanations from both the guys and the girls.
An Eastern Market junkie: Hey Gene,
I don't care if this makes the chat or not; I'm all broken up about the Eastern market fire and I know you'll understand.
I'm a guy in my late 30s who has lived on the Hill for 16 years and change. Before today, I didn't think that much about how my life revolved around Eastern Market. But, it does.
I stop there for coffee and breakfast a few times a week, going back years.
I've taken dates to art or movies or dancing on Friday nights and I've taken dates to Market Lunch for Saturday breakfast.
Virtually every visitor I've ever had from out of town since I've moved here has been there, because I always insist that we go. And they all have raved about the place.
Every time I bring meat I've bought there to a cookout, everyone there asks me where I got such a wonderful steak.
My home is decorated with items I've picked up from one of the outside vendors or at the flea market.
The market brightened my life because of the people who worked there, most of whom must be facing the worst kind of uncertainty, not knowing when they can return or how they will support themselves in the interim.
When I heard about the fire this morning, I felt compelled to go and see the place on the way to work. I stayed for an hour, paralyzed by shock and sorrow. There may have been a hundred people there, all feeling like I did.
Watching the workers boarding up the windows on my way home from work, I had a feeling like I might have if a loved one had an accident and I saw them in the ICU, hooked up to tubes and machines, unconscious. And I choked up. In public. Not something that a 30-something guy does very often.
Please inform the chatters about the fund for merchants and workers of Eastern Market at www.capitolhillcommunityfoundation.org. At least I get to go to work this morning.
Than ks for letting me get this off my chest.
Gene Weingarten: Yeah. I'm with you.
I deliberately address Eastern Market in the intro because you've read and heard enough about it from others. But I live 500 feet from the market, and I am totally broken up about it.
I heard the fire engines at 1 a.m. on Monday, and went outside to watch. Flames were licking up from the roof. There were maybe 100 people in the streets, all of whom had wandered out the front doors in a state of shock and deshabille. A few were crying.
My memories? The meat guys who used to throw in to our bag the ends of those giant bologna and salami loaves, for Harry. The guys at the poultry stand on the day before Thanksgiving, joyfully flinging 25 pound turkeys around like beachballs. The upretentious grunge of the place, with birds sitting up in the rafters, pooping down on the counters. The unbelievably surly, no-nonsense, put-you-in-your-place ladies manning the fish-n-eggs breakfast stand, who would melt when in the presence of a baby. The fact that you could get any part of any animal, even anatomical parts you did not know existed, at the meat stands.
Eastern Market needs to be rebuilt just the way it was. It should not be fancified. It should not allow in any franchise operations.
Baltimore, Md.: Dear Gene --
It's Tim Page, writing you from Baltimore. I'm so sorry about Eastern Market: what terrific times we used to have there when I was your neighbor.
Today marks a truly "hysteric" anniversary in the chronology of photo-ops. It is now four years since Flight Suit Boy landed on an aircraft carrier and pranced around in front of a banner that read "Mission Accomplished." Obviously, it wasn't.
My question is this. Has the term "Mission Accomplished" been completely debased by this farcical misrepresentation? Is it now one of those phrases that nobody will ever be able to use again without irony -- like "heckuva job," "make him an offer he can't refuse," "behind him 1000 percent," all the way back to "peace in our time"?
Also, "It's a slam dunk."
Can anyone think of other farcical debasements of terms, to the point where they mean the opposite of what they're supposed to mean?
Lifelongliber, AL: My dad died shortly before your return to the chat. He was 94 and had lived a good life. He was in a rehab hospital following shoulder surgery when he developed bleeding in his brain. He died shortly thereafter. He had a great sense of humor, and here is his last funny remark, though as an ultra-liberal he was being serious, too.
In the days leading up to the discovery that my dad had bleeding in his brain, he had been showing increasing signs of dementia and depression. I was concerned and spoke to his attending physician. She then starts asking my dad some questions to test the dementia symptoms. She first asks him if he knew who I was. I thought that he would get this right and he does. She then asks him what year it is, and based on how confused he was in my last conversations with him, I thought that there was no way he'll get this right. Of course, he says, "2007." So, the doctor asks him the month. Now, I know he can't get this right, and he says "it's April." Well, I'm getting irritated because I'm sure there's a problem and he keeps getting the answers right. The doctor then asks him if he's sad and depressed, and he says: "Sure, I'm sad and depressed. Who wouldn't be sad and depressed with that 'clump' in the White House." So the doctor bursts out laughing, pats him on the knee and leaves the room. They discovered the subdural hematoma the next day, but it was still a pretty good way for a liberal to go out.
Gene Weingarten: This is great.
My father had serious similar issues very late in his life: Bouts of dementia-related amnesia. He wanted me to quiz him about it, so we could gauge how bad things were. The worst moment came when he couldn't recall the first name of my mother's sister. There was a dead silence in the room. He asked me to ask him another question. I didn't want to, but I did it. I asked him my mother's first name.
There was nothing much to say. Kind of in desperation, I looked around the room, and saw the sports page. So I said, "Hey, the Yankees got Al Leiter."
And my father said: "Ooh, he's good! A lefty, used to pitch for the Mets."
Theophyla, CT: Yesss! I saw that "Agnes" and was far more amazed that it got past the censors than that your Sunday column did.
Gene Weingarten: True. It was on the comics page!
Principle?: What, does PtheP not read your intros?
Gene Weingarten: Ooopsie. Note correct spelling, Lizzie.
Maryland: Have you seen this?
As the leading expert on funny, I ask you: is it intended as sarcasm, or is it real? Am I a liberal elitist for thinking anyone could actually be this dumb?
Gene Weingarten: The last paragraph pretty clearly suggests this is a joke, and a very good one. The joke is both on conservative deniers and on the editors of the newspaper.
Medford, Mass.: was the NPR thing part of the Joshua Bell interview? I haven't listened to it yet -- can't listen at work.
Gene Weingarten: This is in reference to an update post about the horrifying timbre of my voice.
No, I was interviewed separately, by Bob Garfield, about the story.
Josh's interview about the story is short and excellent. He has one very funny line. Liz, can you link to it?
washingtonpost.com: A Concert Violinist on the Metro?, ( NPR, April 11)
A pitcher for the Washington Senators hit for the cycle: Camilo Pascual in 1960. He also tossed a complete game three hitter and struck out 13. Amazing. For some reason he does not show up on the list of pitchers who hit for the cycle, but here is the boxscore to prove it happened:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
1960 Red Sox 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 7 0 6 0
1960 Senators 0 0 2 0 6 5 8 1 x 22 18 1 6 1
Red Sox AB R H BI AVG Senators AB R H BI AVG
Green 2b 4 0 1 0 .250 Gardner 2b 5 4 3 3 .600
Runnels 1b 3 0 1 0 .333 Green cf 2 3 1 0 .500
Malzone 3b 4 1 2 0 .500 Dobbek cf 0 1 0 0 .000
Stephens rf 4 1 1 1 .250 Killebrew 3b 5 3 3 8 .600
Williams lf 3 0 0 0 .000 Bertoia 3b 1 0 0 0 .000
Keough lf 1 0 0 0 .000 Mincher 1b 5 2 1 0 .200
Geiger cf 4 0 2 1 .500 Allison rf 4 2 2 1 .500
Buddin ss 4 0 0 0 .000 Lemon lf 5 1 2 6 .400
Sullivan,H c 4 0 0 0 .000 Thronebery lf 1 0 1 1 1.000
Sturdivant p 2 0 0 0 .000 Battey c 5 1 1 0 .200
Worthngton p 0 0 0 0 .000 Consolo ss 4 2 0 0 .000
Jackson ph 1 0 0 0 .000 Pascual p 4 3 4 2 1.000
Chittum p 0 0 0 0 .000 41 22 18 21
Casale p 0 0 0 0 .000
Red Sox INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Sturdivant L 0-1 4.1 4 5 5 2 4 67 42 10.38
Worthngton 1.2 9 8 8 1 0 59 30 43.20
Chittum 0.1 2 6 6 4 1 37 15 99.99
Casale 1.2 3 3 3 3 3 47 26 16.20
8.0 18 22 22 10 8 210 113
Senators INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Pascual W 1-0 9.0 7 2 2 1 13 137 85 2.00
9.0 7 2 2 1 13 137 85
Bos: Keough inserted at lf in the 6th
Jackson batted for Worthngton in the 7th
Was: Dobbek inserted at cf in the 8th
Bertoia inserted at 3b in the 8th
Thronebery inserted at lf in the 8th
E-Consolo. 2B-Geiger, Gardner, Killebrew, Allison 2, Battey, Pascual.
3B-Malzone, Pascual. HR-Gardner(1), Killebrew 2(2), Lemon(1), Pascual(1).
K-Green 2, Runnels 2, Stephens 2, Williams, Buddin 2, Sullivan,H 2,
Sturdivant, Jackson, Killebrew 2, Mincher, Allison, Battey 2, Consolo,
Bertoia. BB-Runnels, Gardner, Green 3, Mincher, Allison 2, Battey, Consolo,
Temperature: 55, Sky: clear, Wind: out to right at 8 MPH
washingtonpost.com: I'm only sending this question over because I assume the writer is insane and probably spent a large part of his weekend assembling this info.
Gene Weingarten: Wowowowow. Very cool. Camilo Pascual!
Now, we are going to try an experiment. You will recall that last week Liz got all huffy about my presumption that as a girl she knew nothing about baseball, even though she knows nothing about baseball.
She said this when a female poster explained what "hitting for the cycle." And I predicted that by the same time next week, Liz would not remember what it means.
So here is the challenge, Chatwoman: Tell people what it means, right now. No googling. On your honor.
Chapel Hill, N.C.: Hi Gene! I was going to ask this last week, but because wp.com is making it so difficult to find the links for the chats, I completely forgot. Oh well. Better late than never?
I'm graduating in two weeks with my masters degree and am going to be moving back to the D.C. area for a Maryland and Virginia, and I think living in the city would complete my experience as a Washingtonian. However, I was telling this to my Dad a couple weeks ago, and he seemed very much against the plan - he even went so far as to request refusal on the location of any apartment.
My question is -- as a Dad yourself, and as someone who lives in DC, is this an appropriate response? He won't be paying for anything since I'll have a job, but I think he's overreacting and thinking of me still as his baby girl. I know I'd be able to choose someplace appropriate and safe, but I don't want him freaking out about my choices. Any advice you have would be wonderful.
p.s. if you haven't seen the movie "Hot Fuzz" yet I highly recommend it.
Gene Weingarten: There are absolutely wonderful safe funky areas to live in, in D.C., even on a limited budget. The only reason to live in the suburbs is if you are worried about schools for your children, which you are not. Kiss your daddy on the forehead and tell him he is a silly old coot but you love him for worrying about you.
Farcical Debasement of Ter, MS:"fair and balanced"
washingtonpost.com: Ummm.... does it involve menses?
Gene Weingarten: SHE DOESN'T KNOW!
PA, IN:"I feel your pain". I can't believe Clinton used to say that with all sincerity. No one could ever pull that off now.
Arlington, Va.: I've had some good times at Eastern Market in my five years here.
Do you seriously think it will ever be the same? I doubt it, and I think the lament of the first poster sums it up.
By the time the government rebuilders go in, and worry about 21st century building standards, fire codes, wiring, etc., it just won't ever be the same.
May as well stick a Burger King in the corner.
Gene Weingarten: No, it won't be the same. No way. Their choice will be modernized, or faux old. Neither is good.
But if they don't franchise it up, if they stay with colorful old eccentric vendors, it will be OK.
New York, N.Y.: Seriously, I can't figure out "extraterrestrials." It's supposed to be "extra" what, exactly?
Gene Weingarten: Someone please tell her.
Dog,MA: My friend has an old female chocolate lab named Murphy. The best dog 'trick' I've ever known/seen is performed by this team.
The owner will get Murphy's attention and proceed to ask "how do we pay the rent Murphy?" To which Murphy promptly lays down spread eagle on her back!
It's great! Maybe your Murphy could pay the rent this way as well.
New York, N.Y.: Hey Gene,
I've been asking every relevant, and irrelevant chat this question, but no one responds.
Why does Bush call Alberto Gonzales "Fredo"? I'm convinced it has to do with Fredo, the ne'er do well Corleone brother in the Godfather films. And we all know what happened to him.
washingtonpost.com: See last week's updates.
Falls Church, Va.: Hi Gene-
Wanted to share this link. It's a news article about a scam in China where sheep were sold as poodles. I laughed out loud when the woman said her dog "wouldn't bark."
Dog Owners 'Fleeced' in Poodle Scam, ( Metro.co.uk, April 26)
Gene Weingarten: I have a hard time believing this is true, but it made me laugh.
Regarding the poll: I am surprised so far by the majority of women's answers to the first question. There is clearly only one correct answer, and that's option "C". "A" is an obvious line. Any reasonably attractive 30-year-old woman has heard that line a million times, and should recognize its disingenuousness. Reminds me of the girl in Airplane!: "I don't mean to sound forward... but I don't think we're going to live through this, and I've never been with a man before." As for the others, "B" is just plain creepy, "D" is pathetic, and "E" is someone who is guaranteed to talk about himself all night long. At least "C" has a sense of humor.
Gene Weingarten: I TOTALLY agree with you about all of this, on every point except the creepiness of "B," and was equally surprised by the results so far.
Many, many things surprised me about these results, but nothing surprised me more than how well the men have been doing, how closely their answers track the women's answers. Good for you, guys.
I had intended question three to be a mammoth trap. I knew knew knew knew that the ladies would be repelled by a guy who talked mostly about her; he doesn't know you that well to be that bowled over and it is potentially creepo impending stalker behavior. But I didn't expect all that many guys to intuit this. I thought they'd all opt for the divorce thing, which is really nothing major at all. It's a first date -- probably the correct time for that disclosure.
So, good for the guys.
I was also surprised at the degree to which the women are afraid of men. That is how I see the pattern of answer, and if I am wrong, please correct me, girls. You are opting, to a greater degree than I anticipated, for the boring but safe.
Which leads me to the central dichotomy here. I would have predicted the women's answers for all of these questions, though not nearly as universally as the women are showing them. If my goal was to get a phone number, period, I would have gone with Question A, even KNOWING that it was probably recognizable as a line. It's earnest and humble, and I would figure most women would at least be neutral to it, and many would like it. The creepiest to me was not B but E, the egomaniac who tells everything about himself AND uses the word "attorney" instead of lawyer.
And yes, D, the knock-knock joke, is unbelievably lame.
But if my goal was not just to get the phone number but to do a little screening at the same time -- limiting my success maybe, but increasing the likelihood this would be a good match, I would go with B or C. I think they are (ahem, kaff kaff) kinda excellent. Why? One, because they acknowledge themselves as lines, and so are making fun of themselves at the same time. Two, because they are both funny. Three, because they have spirit and thought and energy.
My personal favorite is C, because it is, well, not only funny but the truth. It satirizes the entire hitting-on process by reducing it to its essential truth. I think if I were a woman, I would have been impressed by that one. At least enough for a cup of coffee in a public place.
What is wrong with my fellow women?: Gene I picked C, "Lets have sex..." because its FUNNY! What's up with these women who want the annoying Woody Allen nervous schmo, "I don't know what I'm doing, I am a fool". Ugh! I am 30, married. But I always have been attracted to the funny glass-bowls.
Gene Weingarten: You're getting me hot here.
Gene Weingarten: This is perhaps the most perfect example. The expression is GONE because it means, "I'm about to lie."
Washington, D.C.: So I'm a guy who picked the impossible-to-get tickets option to the second question in the poll. I wanted to pick dinner and a movie, but couldn't because you included that I'd be picking her up. It's just that a lot of women wouldn't be comfortable with a random guy who asked for her number at a bookstore to know where she lives before at least one date. I'm curious if you purposely put that in there, or it was just something you didn't think about. The option I would have really liked to have seen was meeting up with her for drinks or coffee. That way if it went well, it could turn into dinner, if it didn't then you could bail after half an hour.
Gene Weingarten: The impossible to get tickets makes women feel the guy is trying too hard, for a first date. Right, women?
Cat litter cake: Please Google "cat litter cake." Now, is this disgusting or funny? When I first heard of it, I was revolted. I can't decide whether that's because I'm a cat owner, or in spite of it.
Also, is it acceptable to use "Google" as a verb? I started doing this one day without realizing it.
Gene Weingarten: This is hilarious.
Of course Google is a verb. It is one of the most amazing corporate incursions into our language ever. It's bigger than Scotch tape.
In fact, I can't even think of another way to say Google. "Search the web for ...." I guess.
Preggers Has Request: Hello, Gene,
You may remember me as the girl you diagnosed as preggers when I couldn't sleep on my belly anymore, due to sore chest-age.
I'm preggers again. Twice inside of twelve months. Whee.
Anyway, to get to the point, I've been obsessing on music. Hubby jokes that I'm having music cravings. I listened to "American Pie" 37 times today.
Would you or great, wonderful, sexy, amazing, brilliant Chatwoman link back to your detailed analysis of said song?
Gene Weingarten: Gene's "American Pie" analysis
New York: Two questions about your community park incident: how did, and do, you feel about getting "caught" staring for racial reasons? I experience the staring thing (receiving end) on a daily basis and from time to time get inwardly impatient with the gawkers. On the outside, I'm merely "icy."
And oh, the other question -- does it give you any pause at all when people say "really bad CHINESE knock-off"? I like (sarcastic) how people put the emphasis on "Chinese", as if "really bad knock-off" doesn't cover the full extent of their grievance; only explaining/stressing that it's Chinese does it justice.
Gene Weingarten: You didn't get it, or I didn't tell it right. I wasn't staring at them for racial reasons at all. I was staring at her hat.
Alexandria, Va.: She should tell her dad she found a nice apartment right behind Camelot just to see if he knows what it is.
Gene Weingarten: Hm. I don't get it. Splain.
Seattle: yep. Death to the unworthy. We want kids, but only if they promise to be smart and handsome and not too inconvenient.
(P.S. Yes, we WERE subject to this choice. We were fortunate that the test was wrong, and we had a normal child)
Gene Weingarten: This is in reference to an item from last week's update, in which a couple said that they had terminated a pregnancy after a diagnosis of a serious genetic defect. They felt they had done the right thing, but know that this decision would be viewed harshly by others. I urged them to go on with their lives and not look back. I also told them two other things: That this was the one issue about which I cannot and will not speak freely; also, that I would have made the same decision they did.
This poster gets me angry. But I am not going to address it. However, he or she gives me an idea, about a way into this issue. This is going to be the subject of next week's poll.
Poodle Sheep: Urban legend, and racist to boot!
Gene Weingarten: Yeah, figured as much. It is funny.
Washington, D.C.: This line made your whole column worthwhile:
Plus, you wind up listening to a lot of rap, some of whih atually is rap.
Little black bo, OK: Let's all pause for a moment to contemplate the sadness and desperation of an elected Republican official -- in fact, an official who promoted abstinence-only policies to fight AIDS -- caught with a record of receiving massages from nubile and highly-paid massage therapists and being forced to resign by a cold, judgmental world.
Okay, that's long enough. Let the humor begin! I was immediately reminded of your classic column about getting a back massage from a questionable establishment... I'm sure Chatwoman could find it for us. And I'm sure you can offer some insight into recent events.
washingtonpost.com: Below the Beltway, ( Sept. 2, 2001)
Gene Weingarten: I love the fact that he resigns, and then says the massages were not sexual.
THEN WHY DID YOU RESIGN, DUDE?
The truth is, I'm not sure I see why he had to resign, other than the fact that we are ridiculously prudish and hypocritical, as a country, at least in what we demand of our public officials. Isn't it great that the French presidential elections are between a woman whose mate is not her husband and a man whose wife has no particular intention of living with her husband in the presidential palace, or whatever it is those frogs call the residence?
Re: Eastern Market: I agree wholeheartedly that there should be no franchises, etc, in the renovated Eastern Market. But, remember, modernizing it to a certain extent isn't a bad thing (like, um, a nice fancy fire prevention system that includes sprinklers?). I don't want to make light of what happened. But people should always remember that, throughout the centuries, the world's landmarks have been burned, bombed, and otherwise destroyed -- and rebuilt. I think the goal should be to rebuild in a way that was true to the original, with an eye to making sure that 300 years from now this fire is just a part of Eastern Market's lore.
Camelot: It's a strip joint in D.C.
Gene Weingarten: Oh. But why would an apartment behind it be so bad?
911 in Ameri, CA: The Wash Post recently did an article (2/11/2007) about the suicide rate in Va and made the comparison that you are eight times more likely to die from suicide than murder. But still we put our heads in the sand and don't talk about it until something very public and televised happens. Have you ever noticed that local obits never list suicide as the cause of death?
I take 911 calls for a living.
I speak to more mentally ill people than you can ever imagine. We shove them to the side of our world and never talk to them or about them. I have spoken to adults who have guns in their hands or pills in their stomach. I try to get them to come out of their homes, and let us help them. I don't always succeed. I have answered the call from small children who have come home from school to find Mom bleeding to death from self-inflicted wounds. The woman who called because she found her niece in the bathtub with a radio in the bathwater. I know of calls from co-workers who have talked to parents who came home and found their teenage daughter has hung herself in the closet. From people who come to a lake and find clothes piled neatly on the bank. A woman who comes to work and finds a note from a co-worker that reads, "by the time you read this, I will be dead." People call 911 and then commit suicide while on the phone because they want someone to come and find their body. You can not possibly imagine the private, secretive and hidden pain people of all ages feel. We hide it well.
Never heard of these deaths? Yet all these calls happened right here in affluent and educated Fairfax County,Virginia.
Gene Weingarten: You also write well.
Please email me at weingarten(at)washpost.com.
You are a story, I think.
Burke, Va.: Favorite Jeni joke, he said he was a lesbian trapped in a man's body.
Actually it's sort of deep. It describes a certain type of heterosexual man, and that's about as far as Chatwoman is going to let me go with this line of thought.
Indecisi, VE: Advice for the young (not quite 30, but close!) and perplexed, pretty please? This may be a Hax question, though I feel like I'll get a less free-to-be-you-and-me answer from you. So I'm seeing this guy, it's been a year and change, and it's the best relationship I've ever had. We get along, we make each other laugh, we share interests and backgrounds, the physical side is good, all that jazz. But I don't feel like I know that he's "the one." Other young (and clearly unperplexed) friends say if you don't know by now, he's not it. So my question... is there a time when not knowing means no, or do you just keep going until you know for sure either way?
Many thanks, and missed your chats terribly.
Gene Weingarten: I never felt I had to have "the one." I never even asked myself that question, because it reeks of the paranormal. It suggests spirituality, predestination, and the immature notion of souls made for each other, and thus such. Poppycock. Marriage is something that you craft. You find someone you love, and then you have to work at keeping it going.
You haven't mentioned the word love. Do you love him?
Okay, I know what I mean by that, but I can't really define that for anyone else, so ask yourself this: Would you look forward to the prospect of raising kids with this guy, with all the attended stresses and joys? Can you imagine sharing all that with this particular person, including the enormous weight of responsibility? If the answer is yes, go for it.
If you don't intend to have kids, then it doesn't matter. Go for it. If it doesn't work out, divorce. No biggie. No harm, no foul.
Anonymous: Tom let you keep douhebag? Really?
washingtonpost.com: Ya, that's fued up (my "k" isn't woring, either).
See What's Missing, ( Post Magazine, April 29)
Gene Weingarten: Tom never even expressed reservations about it!
When the column was sent to its syndicate clients, my editor, Amy Lago, asked that we offer editors an alternative word to substitute if they wanted to. I suggested "dikhead," but for some reason that didn't fly. So we wound up with "ninompoop."
Northern Virginia: About the asparagus pee: We actually learned about this in medical school. There was a debate about people with non-smelly pee - was it a lack of smell receptors or a lack of chemical in the pee? Two studies were performed -- one in Europe, one in Israel; the European one showed that "non-smellers" did indeed have pee that was lacking in the smelly chemical, however the Israeli study showed that everybody's pee smelled, and the non-smellers were missing the appropriate smell receptor. There was much debate about whose study was actually correct, but then a third study showed that there are indeed two separate populations: people without the chemical in the urine, and people without the smell receptor. I happen to be in the latter group, as I discovered after a friend correctly pointed out that I had been eating asparagus when he used the bathroom after me (geesh, and I had flushed, too!). Pee!
Gene Weingarten: So there are four types of people: Smellers, nonsmellers, stinkers, and nonstinkers. I wonder if they are present in equal numbers?
Fascinatingly, smellers know if they are stinkers, but nonsmellers don't; smellers who are non-stinkers may well be unaware they are smellers. The most self-aware are the smeller-stinkers. They are the Zen group.
College Park, Md.: The asparagus experiment is complete!
After eating an asparagus-only appetizer, so as to purify the results, my boyfriend and I headed to the bathroom as soon as the urge hit.
It worked! He could smell my asparagus pee, but I couldn't! He said that mine wasn't a very strong smell, but it was definitely asparagus. I did drink a lot of water, though...
He is a smeller-stinker. You are a nonsmeller-stinker.
Thank you for your empiricism.
Impossible Tickets: Actually, Gene, I picked the tickets choice for the same reason the male poster mentioned -- it was the only one definitely in a public place where I could get there and back under my own steam. Women are really conditioned to be very careful on a first date with a total stranger, even if you've been chatting via phone or e-mail first.
Gene Weingarten: Why are you guys so scared?
I understand caution, but this seems excessive to me. I guess I am wrong. I accept that I am wrong.
World Bank, Washington, D.C.: Gene,
Would you put your career at risk for Shaha Ali Riza?
Gene Weingarten: I don't believe it is proper or appropriate to comment on a woman's appearance, nor do I feel that one's appearance is the most important way of evaluating a person.
Pat the Perfect, ME:1. "Heckuva job."
2. "No offense, but ..." (translation: "I will now say something that I realize is incredibly hurtful")
Gene Weingarten: Yes, on the first.
The second doesn't really fit the paradigm, Pat.
Hitting on Chatwoman:"washingtonpost.com: Ummm.... does it involve menses?
Gene Weingarten: SHE DOESN'T KNOW!"
But bless her for her response!
washingtonpost.com: Aren't I cute? I can also type 55+ WPM.
Gene Weingarten: I understand she can also recite, from memory, the first 12 lines of Canterbury Tales in olde English.
Eastern Market: I haven't been to Eastern Market in a while (since I changed jobs). But I remember the dining experience as something similar to the Soup Nazi. You had to be prepared - -now dawdling allowed in either ordering or eating. It was kind of like getting slapped around by the beautiful and charming waitresses at the Tune Inn or, to a lesser extent, at Sherrill's.
Lines B and C depend on having comic timing. Most guys (indeed, most people) do not have comic timing. Coming from you, line C would be ridiculous on its face. But coming from a halfway-decent looking younger guy, there might be the slightest doubt about whether he was serious, which would make a woman want to run to the nearest police station. Likewise, someone of your stature and demeanor could not be taken seriously with line B, but with other guys it would just seem unbalanced.
So, in sum, those might be good lines for YOU, but that wasn't the question.
Gene Weingarten: This is one of the most adroit backhanded compliments I've ever gotten.
A woman once told me she liked spending time with me because I was "safe, like someone's gay uncle."
New York, N.Y.: Why are we scared? The guy has control of the wheel, can lock the doors, drive us somewhere abandoned (or to his place), rape us, and kill us. You really couldn't figure that out?!
Never mind. I am wrong. I accept that.
Your posting of the Mark Fiore animation reminded me of a question I had for you, since you are the only person I know of besides myself who enjoys discussing comics.
When the Pulitzer Prizes were announced, I noticed that the winner for editorial cartooning (Walt Handelsman) was noted for his "zany animation." Then I went to look at the other finalists for editorial cartooning, and it seems they have all dabbled in animation. It seems Pulitzer was making a point, and I'm not sure I like it. I find these little web animations to generally be not that funny, and I think the skill demonstrated is not as impressive as the actual ink-and-pen art of editorial cartooning.
What do you think? Are all cartoonists going to have to turn to animation? And is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Gene Weingarten: I think it is the future, and I am ambivalent about it. In one way, I think it is good because it simply expands the craft in an interesting way. In another way, I see it as a cheapening element, like the emergence of MTV and rock videos. I still hate that. Still.
I have now twice judged the RFK editorial cartooning awards, and Fiore's animations were always strongly considered. They didn't win. They might someday.
Mangled Station Na, ME: Gene,
Thank you for highlighting an important issue in your cover story of a few weeks ago. Mispronunciation of Metro stops by train conductors is reaching epidemic proportions. L'Enfant Plaza is but the tip of the iceberg and something must be done about this now.
As a proficient and prolific professional of proper pronunciation, I humbly request that you do something about this post haste.
Just to show you the breadth and depth of this horror, I provide the following examples:
West (or East) Falls Church pronounced as "West Falls Chorch"
Farragut West as "Far-gut West"
McPherson Square as "Mick-fir-son Square"
Judiciary Square as "Judy Sherry Square" (yes, Judy Sherry as two separate words, as if it were a first and last name).
Please, can you do something to help?
Gene Weingarten: You got the Judiciary wrong. It's Jewdisherrary.
Ironically sad: Renowned Cornell University cat veterinarian James Richards -- who was injured when he crashed his motorcycle trying to avoid a cat in the road -- has died, the university said Wednesday. He was 58.
Gene Weingarten: Just incredible, if true. This description of the accident sounds a little improbable, though. The sort of thing someone might speculate on, and it keeps getting repeated because it is so moving.
I just got off the phone with Molly. She says this guy was utterly beloved, and the vet school is still in shock and grief.
Genderbender: I was reading over some ancient chats (you know, 2003), and one of them discussed a gender test that was apparently in your June 15, 2003 column. Unfortunately your column archives don't go back that far. (Why is that?) Could you convince Liz to find and post a link?
washingtonpost.com: I was able to locate the column in question using a powerful tool available to us journalist types: Google.
Below the Beltway, ( June 15, 2003)
Gene Weingarten: A slightly longer version of this wound up in "I'm With Stupid."
Iceburg?: Does your computer also randomly switch vowels in words? Jeez Gene, I know you are lazy, but about this? Tsk Tsk.
Gene Weingarten: Oooh, I and everyone else missed that. It was in a line in the column about "the tip of the ieburg," which, as I pointed out to Tom, sounds like a term for the foreskin.
Great NPR clip: I like Bell even more after listening.
Gene Weingarten: He is a really cool guy. I love his observation about the hats.
Monday on Washington Post radio, your colleague Howard Kurtz offered the following on George Tenet:
"So what's interesting here is: This is no longer the liberal media saying this. This is no longer a bunch of journalists of questionable patriotism saying the Bush administration rushed to war; wanted to invade Iraq all along; didn't have a serious debate. This is the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency and I think, in some ways -- leaving his motivation aside -- he has validated the press accounts that we've seen about the way that this war unfolded."
Do you have any idea who Kurtz might be referring to when he talks about "journalists of questionable patriotism?" Friends of yours? Were they the same ones getting the story right all along?
Not funny or anything. Sorry. Just wanted to get a sense of how this comment was received inside The Washington Post (by you or anyone else).
Gene Weingarten: Wow. I think Howie would pull that line back, if he could. I think it didn't come out the way he meant it.
I am guessing here, but I think he meant some version of: 'Journalists whom administration partisans are able to attack by questioning their patriotism."
DoesAnybodyReadTi, ME: I didn't know that David Von Drehle was leaving the Post for Time magazine! What a depressing loss. How did The Post let this happen? And to learn this after reading his very insightful, instructive, and heartwarming story in the Mag this weekend...
washingtonpost.com: From Here to Eternity, ( Post Magazine, April 29)
Gene Weingarten: It's a gigantic loss to the Post. This was one of the best pieces of writing I've seen, anywhere, ever. If you haven't read it, do so now. We'll miss you here, but there are always the updates with whih to reconnect.
Dr. Gene: Geez, what have I done without you to relieve my hypochondriac fears?
I have been absolutely exhausted lately. Dead tired. Sunday I had a rare free day and spent the whole afternoon sleeping instead of any of the things I wanted to do. I called in sick a week and a half ago because I was so exhausted, and not only slept all day long but had no trouble getting to sleep again at night. I can't tell you how many times in the last few weeks I've laid down on the couch at 8pm, feeling like lead is running through my veins, and woken up again only when my husband goes to bed at midnight (or later--we're still young).
My husband thinks it's because I'm anemic, but I'm usually just a tad bit anemic and that certainly hasn't changed. I even had my iron up enough two weeks ago to give blood. This is really starting to depress me, as the evening are my only time to work out and relax. I struggle with my weight and am worried that I'll start creeping up again due to all of my missed work outs.
Help? (Oh, I haven't tested but I doubt I'm pregnant--I've, uh, not missed anything lately.)
Gene Weingarten: Honey, go to the doctor. Fatigue can mean nothing dire, but it can also be a presenting symptom of a lot of serious things you need to know about. You need a full blood work up.
Agnes?: I've been trying to figure out what Agnes' friend misheard, and the only thing I came up with was that she thought Agnes said "extra nostrils." Yet you and another reader seem to think it's something more salacious.
Gene Weingarten: It's a joke about testicles.
I am the only one to have picked 'not a good dresser' in the final question of the poll. I would normally have chosed one of the other options, however have just been out for lunch and enjoyed a few glasses of wine.
What does this mean? Am I less inhibited and answering truthfully? Would I not normally?
Gene Weingarten: It means I have no shot with you.
Washington, D.C.: Great timing on the return of your chat. It's like you knew that you were needed.
My office just installed new fixtures in all the bathrooms, including fancy new auto-flush toilets the use a sensor to detect when you're getting up and flush themselves. They're very clever, high-tech, and undoubtedly contribute to a cleaner and more pleasant bathroom experience. They were also clearly designed by a right-handed person.
The problem is, when one twists one's body to reach for the paper left-handed, one's body moves out of the range of the sensor, triggering the flush. There seems to be no way of positioning one's body so that one can both get and use the paper left-handed without a flush. Reach, flush. Reach, flush. Repeated for every piece of paper.
In addition to being a big waste of water (one trip to the rest room probably cancels out a lifetime of using low-flow toilets), this is a huge embarrassment, even for men. A quick, informal poll of other left-handed men in my office suggests a sudden reluctance to use the office bathroom for anything that requires a stall.
But, of course, the real question is, what are the left-handed women in our office doing? It's not like they can easily avoid stall use the way we can. And, given what we've learned in this chat about female bathroom behavior, if even men are experiencing flush shame, what must it be like for women? Should I be avoiding my left-handed female colleagues in the fear that some day one of them is just going to explode in a giant ball of urine?
Gene Weingarten: I hate auto-flush, as does Berkeley Breathed, who has a campaign against them in Opus.
My biggest beef is that sound before the flush; at the Post, it sounds like a baby crying. Very disturbing.
The Yankees: Is there any truth to reports when someone throws out a ceremonial first pitch, Joe Torre now asks if they can go seven innings?
Chatwoman does not understand this.
Gene home cubicle: Does any natural light get into your office at all?
Gene Weingarten: No. Not even close.
Gene Weingarten: I had construction guys install jail-type bars on the (interior) window, just for laughs.
Hey, Cwoman, can you link to the pix of my office?
Fly Over, IN: Welcome back - blahdee, blahdee, blah.
Since you are a world famous author, I was hoping you might be able to provide some insight into genius and how to approach it.
I'm going to go to a book signing in a few days for world renowned cartoonist, Berkeley Breathed. I plan on purchasing his new publication, two copies actually, and have him autograph them. But do you think he would sign one of his older publications? I don't know the proper protocol - is this acceptable?
I thought since you know him, you might be able to let me know if he would be 1. honored, 2. offended, 3. honored and offended? Also, I'm sure I'll do nothing but babble (I did that at a Dave Barry signing), so do you have anything pithy that I can say to him. I'll write it down on a notecard to take with me.
Gene Weingarten: He would be honored. Bring old books.
Tell him that I told you to remind him that his entire fascination with anagrams was begun by me when I told him that Opus anagrammed to Soup. This was 20 years ago.
Fairfax, Va.: One time I spilled a little water on my keyboard and a few keys stopped working. I thought that eventually they would dry out at which time I would be able to use the keyboard as I had before. But in the mean time, I opened a file that had all the letters that didn't work, and as I needed them, I would simply cut and paste the desired letter into the file I was working on. Each document I had to work on took a really long time to complete. I did this for about a week. Was this lazy?
Gene Weingarten: You are the fourth person who has told me of this behavior. Lazy is not really right. It is a form of procrastination: inertia-driven behavior. I understand.
Seattle, Wash.: Do you read Maureen Dowd? I used to enjoy her and take her Clinton-disgust on face value. But she's decided to extend that disgust to Democratic candidates, and comes off as silly and unserious.
I think it's a complete shame, by the way, because I was once completely in love with Maureen Dowd for her brain, her looks, and most importantly, her chutzpah. Now? She makes me sad.
If it matters, I'm 25.
Gene Weingarten: I used to enjoy her columns more. I thought she deserved her Pulitzer. I wouldn't give her one now. She isn't trying as hard.
Seattle, Wash.: Let's be clear. The "serious genetic defect" was Down's Syndrome, not micro-encephaly.
Gene Weingarten: Next week, dude.
Minnesota: Gene: "I was also surprised at the degree to which the women are afraid of men. That is how I see the pattern of answer, and if I am wrong, please correct me, girls. You are opting, to a greater degree than I anticipated, for the boring but safe."
You hit it on the head here, Gene. The man who wrote the book "The Gift of Fear" (his name escapes me because I am 45 years old and the memory is the second thing to go -- the mammary is the first) -- Anyway, he says in his book that at core, men are afraid that women will laugh at them, and at core, women are afraid men will kill them.
I believe this to be true. The historical record also proves it.
Gene Weingarten: I like the mammary line.
Fort Belvoir: Speaking of out-of-town pronunciation, there's a George Clooney phone commercial where he pronounces it at Fort Belv-whar.
Gene Weingarten: Huh? It is fort bell-vwar, no?
Agnes: And the last throwaway line is awesome, too. "He wrecked her Volvo"
Gene Weingarten: Yep. Just incredible. An amazing, amazing bit of comics subversion.
Hartford, Conn.: If we're going to evaluate Shaha Ali Riza, can Chatwoman link to a photo of her other half? And can someone please explain his appeal?
Cut It O, UT: Consider the human appendix.
At one time in our evolutionary history, it was a useful item, helping our hominid ancestors digest cellulose or other matter. Now, it no longer serves any useful function. However, it can make us very ill, even kill us, when inflamed or diseased.
Consider the second amendment. . . .
Let's just cut it out.
Gene Weingarten: Can anyone offer a good argument why this Amendment should not be trashed? Or modified, so it cannot be interpreted to mean that every single American has a God-given right to have a gun?
Washington, D.C.: At 3 minutes and 4 seconds after 2:00 a.m. on May 6th it will be 02:03:04 05/06/07. This is the only time such a sequence will occur in our lifetime since it will not happen again until May 6, 2107.
Gene Weingarten: Thank you so much for this important information.
I know that sounds like sarcasm, but it isn't.
I once pulled over to the side of the beltway to take a picture of the odometer on Molly's Honda Civic. It was 1234567.
We got a puppy around the same time and age as Murphy, and can relate to your stories. Our girl also favors rocks, construction materials, etc. Have you found a way to curb this behavior? We repaired a plaster wall and today she ate the dried spackle right out of it. We're afraid that if we leave her out of her crate while we're gone, we'll come back to a pile of rubble where our house used to be.
Gene Weingarten: Back when we had two mewling insomniac babies, I hated people who told me about their perfect little infants who slept through the night. So I truly hate saying this, but Murphy is not destructive. At all. We no longer crate her. She has the run of the house when we are gone, and damages nothing but her own toys.
I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.
Look up a trainer named Victoria Schade. She's really good.
Kurtz on the Radio: I think Howie would have been making "air quotes" when he was talking about liberal journalists if we could have seen him. He was describing the jabberwocks the wingnuts have been questing for over the last few years.
Gene Weingarten: Right, I assume so.
Washington, D.C.: Oh my lord. I just took the poll, and it looks like most men are picking A as the best pick-up line. Idiots. Guys, don't you realize that women like self confidence more than anything else? Which is why you do not start a conversation by pointing out that you are bad at something!
In fact, they all kind of suck. But at least the knock knock joke will make her smile. Sigh, no wonder all my idiot buddies complain about the women in D.C. It's not the women, it's the fact that men don't know how to approach them.
Gene Weingarten: Read the ladies' answers. You, sir, are the dope.
Seoul, R.O.K.: I was hoping to read a different take on the VT massacre from you. "He was insane" seems a little too pedestrian for such an extreme act. While Occam's Razor suggests we look for horses, I think the possibility of zebras warrants scrutiny.
Pharmaceuticals, anyone? I heard it mentioned that Seung-Hui was on an antidepressant. When I heard this my mind flashed this scenario: a troubled boy visits the school doctor and tells him he is depressed and can't sleep, faster than you can say "tickity-boo" he walks out of the office with a prescription for Paxil, or Zoloft, or some other "wonder" drug, after a week or so on time-released cocaine he starts getting ideas...
Gene, what do you think the chances are that Cho, a possible garden variety manic-depressive, got misdiagnosed as depressed by a doctor who interviewed him for 10 minutes and quickly became manic, psychotic and delusional on serotonin uptake inhibitors?
Gene Weingarten: Well, as I recall, that misdiagnosis and erroneous treatment is EXACTLY what happened to Jane Pauley, who killed no one.
I'm sure we'll discover if you're right, but I sort of doubt it. The key to your scenario is "quickly." Cho was exhibiting deeply disturbing and aggressive behavior for some time.
Bill Maher on the Justice Dept.: So now it seems that even the summer interns are vetted for their political loyalty. I don't know why -- call it the drop that finally causes an overflow -- but that has me really scared.
Bill Maher sums it up nicely:
[W]henever there's a Bush Administration scandal, it always traces back to some incompetent political hack appointment, and you think to yourself, where are they getting these screw-ups from? Well, now we know. From Pat Robertson. I'm not kidding.
Take Monica Goodling, who, before she resigned last week, because she's smack in the middle of the U.S. Attorneys scandal, was the third-ranking official in the Justice Department of the United States. She's 33 years old. And though she never even worked as a prosecutor, she was tasked with overseeing the job performance of all 93 U.S. Attorneys.
How do you get to the top that fast? Harvard? Princeton? No, Goodling did her undergraduate work at Messiah College. You know, Messiah, home of the Fighting Christ-ies? And then went on to attend Pat Robertson's law school. Yes, Pat Robertson, the man who said that the presence of gay people at Disney World would cause earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor, has a law school.
And what kid wouldn't want to attend? It's three years, and you only have to read one book. U.S. News & World Report, which does the definitive ranking of colleges, lists Regent as a Tier Four school, which is the lowest score it gives. It's not a hard school to get into. You have to renounce Satan and draw a pirate on a matchbook.
This is for people who couldn't get into the University of Phoenix.
Now, would you care to guess how many graduates of this televangelist's diploma mill work in the Bush Administration? 150. And you wonder why things are so messed up. We're talking about a top Justice Department official who went to a college funded by a TV host. Would you send your daughter to Maury Povich U.? And if you did, would you expect her to get a job at the White House?
In 200 years, we've gone from "We, the people," to "Up With People." From "the best and the brightest" to "dumb and dumber." And where better to find people dumb enough to believe in George Bush than Pat Robertson's law school?
The problem here in America isn't that the country is being run by "elites." It's that it's being run by a bunch of hayseeds. And, by the way, the lawyer Monica Goodling just hired to keep her a$$ out of jail, went to a real law school.
Gene Weingarten: It's sickening. It started with Ashcroft, who used to hold prayer breakfasts with his staff. You didn't HAVE to attend, but, you know ...
Brisbane, Australia: No, Gene, the rest of the world is not laughing at you about gun control. It's more like watching a close friend who's ruining his life through drug addiction or destroying his family by gambling away his money.
The solution is right there in front of you, it seems so damn obvious to all of us, yet the people who matter can't seem to grasp it.
After the Virginia Tech outrage, Australian radio interviewed a bloke from something called (I think) the Virginia Citizens Defence Association. Presented with gun homicide figures for the US and countries with meaningful gun control, this fruit loop seriously dismissed them because ""over here it's all drug dealers shooting each other''.
Of course he also quoted the line from the Constitution, which was drafted in case the King of England decided to come and get his tea back, as justification for his personal right to pack anything up to a tactical nuclear weapon.
No, we're not laughing. We're a bit sad though.
Gene Weingarten: Well put. We are, indeed, nationally diseased in the head about this.
Did you see 60 Minutes on Sunday? There was a man -- a gun lobbyist -- who was straightforwardly arguing that it is wrong to deny the sale of guns to people with diagnosed mental illness, including those judged to be a danger to themselves and others. Only in America.
Middle of the Atlantic Ocean: You know you've made an impact when people start copying
Tasmin Little: Playing Great Music in Unexpected Places, ( The Independent, April 20)
Gene Weingarten: A pretty ineptly done story, I thought, with similar results. Also, they didn't seem to make the same effort at secrecy; we didn't have a photographer obviously hanging around.
Gaithersburg, Md.: I somehow knew that finding a part-time job was the only way to while away the time during your absence. Thank you for returning. I'm too old to be working that much. However, if you still want a pen pal, I'm 70 and totally unreliable. (Please tell me what IMHO means.)
Have you had any problems with Murphy's diet, since the dog food scare? Samantha, the "Velcro Beagle" that lives with me, has had a few stomach upsets. I threw out all of her food and completely restocked.
Gene Weingarten: In My Humble Opinion.
Mildly interesting Darwinian food fact: We feed Murphy a combination of Pinnacle duck and potato dry food, and Prairie canned food, which is produced by a company not affected by the recall. Prairie foods have choices of several different meats, some unusual: There is chicken, lamb, turkey, venison, rabbit, beef and duck.
Murphy is a Plott Hound, which is a purebred, backwoods country huntin' dog. A bear and boar hunter, and a small-game forager, by breeding. And damned if she doesn't show a very strong preference for the rabbit and duck.
Postees: Are other columnists jealous of your telecommuting? Do you feel "green"?
Gene Weingarten: A lotta people at The Post telecommunicate. It's an honor system, and it becomes clear when someone is abusing it.
North Bethesda, Md:"This is the only time such a sequence will occur in our lifetime since it will not happen again until May 6, 2107."
I know where I was at 12:34:56 7/8/90. It's happened before.
Gene Weingarten: I' m not sure about that 0. It may invalidate it.
Re: Auto-Flush: Here's a trick to stop the auto-flush - wet a small piece of paper towel or toilet paper under the faucet, and paste the piece over the sensor. I learned this trick because the loud flushes of many public toilets scare my small children. I remove the piece of paper once the child is finished and we're ready to leave the stall - that gives us a few seconds to close the door behind us to muffle the flush noise.
Sudoku: Do you like this puzzle? When it first came out, you withheld judgment.
Gene Weingarten: No. The rib likes it a lot. I just find it annoying. And I hate that when you realize you've made a mistake, it's too late to rectify it, rectify being a funny word.
Your mention of the French presidential election reminds me of a story. When I was in my mid-20s (about 10 years ago) I worked for a consulting firm doing work with NATO and the Eastern European countries wanting to join. I should mention here that I'm female, as it has bearing (ha) on the story. During a big week-long military exercise in Germany, our US Army client (and host of the exercise) thought it would be a good idea to have a country-western karaoke night. Bad enough in any Hometown USA bar, let alone featuring crooners from 27 countries all soused on homemade moonshine they'd smuggled into their luggage (at the risk of sounding condescending, I'm not making that up).
When my turn came to sing, I performed woefully, and exited the "stage" rather humbly. I returned to the group with whom I'd been chatting prior to my performance -- two Brits and a Frenchman who had just come into the room.
Frenchman: Leeza, I 'eard your performance, eet was...inteeeresting.
Me: Yes, uh, I guess I had a bit of a frog in my throat.
Brit: GOOD GOD WOMAN, NEVER say that to a Frenchman!
14th and I: Holy crap, we have the same baby-crying automatic toilets, too! I frickin' hate them.
The sinks are automatic, too. I also hate them.
My building provides free mouthwash in the bathroom, and I once took a mouthful and forgot how Listerine really stings. I spit it out, and shoved my face under the faucet to rinse off my screaming tastebuds. The water didn't turn on, but the soap dispenser did. Right into my eyes.
I hate my office bathroom so much I want to fight it like a ninja.
Gene Weingarten: Oh, yeah. Those automatic faucets are also awful.
McLean, Va.: Re the time/date sequence: since Europeans typically put the
day before the month (e.g. today would be 01/05/07) they
will have a shot at the sequence on June 5.
Madam I'm Adam: Would you resign if your name appeared on D.C. madam's client list?
Gene Weingarten: WHY? HAVE YOU HEARD SOMETHING?
No, I would not. I would write about it in a funny way. My problem would be at home. Deservedly.
Anonymous: So I was wondering today -- I know sometime readers see you on the street and out and about. Does this affect your behavior in any way? Do you stop yourself from yelling at people in traffic or being rude to cashiers, on the off chance that the person behind you recognizes you and reads your columns or loves the chats? Or do you behave as you usually would, hoping they'll understand and/or not caring what they think? Am I thinking about this too much?
Gene Weingarten: I am always aware, in public, that there might be people I don't know who know me. You would think that this would curb my tendency to go outside unshaven, wearing dreadful clothing, etc. It does not. It does, however, tame my behavior a little. I won't ever make a scene for any reason, however provoked or right I might be.
A Gender Question: As you are an internationally recognized arbiter of gender-difference issues, perhaps you could explain something to me.
Why is it that printed news stories (and bloggers and chatters on the various washpost.com politics sites), when referring to our current Secretary of State -- and trying to do so politely --, speak of "Ms. Rice" and not "Dr. Rice"....whereas the earned degree of former Secretary Kissinger is always acknowledged by referring to him as "Dr. Kissinger?"
Gene Weingarten:"Dr." is always wrong, except in the case of Kissinger, who MUST be referred to as "Dr." because he is and will always be and is perfectly typecast as Dr. Strangelove.
Towson, Md.: Re: First 12 lines of Canterbury Tales in olde English
I had an english prof at the U of Maryland that made us to this. Still remember most of it. Also had a history teacher in high school that made us memorize part of "The Crisis" by Thomas Payne. That was 1988 or 89 adn I still remember most of it. Strange how that stuff sticks in your head.
washingtonpost.com: Yes, I'd just like to say to Mrs. Martin, teacher of AP English at Washington-Lee High School -- neat trick.
Gene Weingarten: I know several poems by heart, including some long ones. They stick because they are beautiful. I sometimes recite Ozymandias to myself. Those final few lines are, well, sheer poetry.
I am listening : to Bell's metro performance on washingtonpost.com while reading this chat. I really should just buy a CD, but somehow I love the background, life noises in the recording.
Gene Weingarten: Wasn't it gorgeous?
Re: Other Wo/man: Gene, I have been a divorce lawyer for over 25 years. I agree there is probably someone else and that it is probably a woman. I have a favorite party trick: As a client is leaving the initial consultation in which he has told me that his wife is a good woman and a great mother but he just doesn't love her any more, I ask "Oh by the way, what's her name?" Client: "What?" Me: "I'll need your girlfriend's name just in case her husband ever calls we'll know there's a conflict." Client: "[Gasp]! How did you know!? Wow -- you're good."
Gene Weingarten: Hm. Is this basically a ploy? There wouldn't really be a conflict if you are representing clients who are on both ends of an extramarital affair, so long as you don't KNOW they are, right?
Alexandria: Violinists at the Torpedo Factory were making oodles of cash. To crowds of tourists. Playing so so stuff. Perhaps you have created a trend where people are now scared not to stop and listen to the violinists in case they turn out to be Joshua Bell.
Gene Weingarten: I have gotten several emails from street musicians, saying profits are up. Way up.
Media Notes: Read his column every morning, it's worth it -- Kurtz corrected himself about mid-column (right after a Dinesh D'Souza quote, if I remember correctly). PLEASE post this, so Howie gets his due for correcting himself. Thanks!
Gene Weingarten: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Good. I missed it.
Go Pinstripes: So will A-Rod's performance this season (if he keeps it up) be enough to hush the doubters? And will BoSox fans ever stop gloating when they start off the season (again) taking the lead in the East? Has the last decade taught them nothing?
washingtonpost.com: Does this question have something to do with hockey?
Gene Weingarten: ARod will not shake his rep unless and until the Yanks win it all. His rep is that he is only good when it doesn't matter.
I picked the impossible-to-get tickets because then, even if the date sucked, I'd have gotten something cool out of it, and it minimizes the potential for awkward silences. I hate awkward silences with a passion.
I also went with the first line, because the truth is that I'd never give my number to someone who approached me in a bookstore.
Gene Weingarten: It's better than a bar, no?
Vienna, the one in Virginia: Gene, again, how do you write? I`m sure the stoires don`t always come easily and you have writers-block, too. So how do you do it? Do you write at a certain time (morning, night), under a strict schedule (from x to x), with a strict aim (no less than xx words)?
Gene Weingarten: I write when I have put it off sufficiently that I have no choice but to write.
re: second amendment: Seriously, I'm no gun lover, but how would it sound to ask the same question about modification/trashing in reference to the 1st amendment? Or 4th? 5th? 6th?
I think the best answer is because if we start treating parts of the constitution as disposable, the whole becomes somewhat devalued.
Gene Weingarten: Well, I agree. But the Constitution is supposed to be a living document, amended as needed. That's the point. I think two such things in the 250 years of the Republic isn't going to turn us into a banana republic.
Different take on the VT massacre : I'll give you a different take: he committed crimes against women, stalking, threatening, so he was given a lot of passes.
If he'd cheated on his poetry exam, he could have been expelled from the university. But threatening and stalking women? Go home boy, be nice.
Gene Weingarten: Wow. Very true.
If we see you in public: would you prefer us not to say anything? Or perhaps we can have a secret hand signal that can transmit "Hey -- love your chats" without saying anything.
Gene Weingarten: Chatwoman suggests that you flash me Snoop's Shocker.
Thanks everyone. Terrific questions. I'll be updating as usual, and back next week with a Very Serious Poll.
Canterbury, England: Middle English, not old English.
washingtonpost.com: I know, I know. My bad. I was dusting a table while answering.
Gene Weingarten: I am in receipt of an interesting correspondence from Peter Sagal, host of NPR's terrific improv comedy show, "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!"
On his show a week ago, he and his guests were talking about the death of crooner Don Ho, and it was noted that Ho had dozens of grandchildren and great grandchildren. On the air, with a sudden inspiration, Sagal said "You know, when all those babies were in diapers, that means dozens of nappy-bottomed Hos."
The audience roared. Some groans could be heard. Afterwards, NPR fielded some complaints.
Peter asked me if I thought he had gone over the top.
Nope. That was a great joke, edgy but harmless. It was not about race. It was a joke on the entertainer's name, and on the Imus furor.
People need to get a life and stop looking for reasons to get offended.
Gene Weingarten: Several readers pointed out one of the most egregious and ubiquitous Metro conductor mispronunciations: "Groves-ner."
Silver Spring, Md.: Following up your comments on Kurt Vonnegut's passing, did you see Fox News' "obituary"? This may be the most vile thing Fox News has ever done.
Gene Weingarten: This is despicable. Only Fox news would have a snide, politically slanted obit. I've met James Rosen. I had breakfast with James Rosen. And James Rosen is no Kurt Vonnegut.
Regarding Carolyn Hax's second letter on April 20th, personally, do you "stop before you indulge"? Did Hax get one wrong this time?
Gene Weingarten: Yes, I do. I am not a leerer.
I got cured one day maybe 10 years ago when I turned around to look at the rear of a woman who I had passed in the hallway, just at the moment she was turning around, too. Got caught. Got the contempt. Took it to heart.
Baltimore Md.: An aptonym for you: I just learned that the chief public health officer for Baltimore County is named Pierre Vigilance.
Blacksburg, Va.: So why would you get married again? Want more kids? That's the only reason for marrying, right?
Gene Weingarten: I didn't say I'd get married again. I said I'd get another Rib.
I'm not AGAINST marriage sans kids, I just said I don't see the reason for it. So if I were suddenly ribless, and then fell in love with another woman and wanted to live with her forever and ever and ever, I would simply want to live with her forever and ever and ever. I'd see no reason to marry, because I am done with kidhaving.
If, however SHE wanted to get married, I'd do it for that reason. The deal would be that in return for marrying her, she'd have to agree that we'd have the wedding in, like, a bowling alley or a cemetery, with four people present.
Washington, D.C.: Lesbian trapped in a man's body...I think Chatwoman is more broad-minded than you give her credit for, Gene!
Maybe you could put your analysis in an update later this week, after carefully phrasing your statements in such a way that they would pass muster.
I say this because I think you may have described me as well, and I'm curious.
Gene Weingarten: Hm. Well. Okay, let's see if I can get this through Chatwoman.
A lesbian trapped in a man's body would be a heterosexual man who particularly enjoys aspects of sex that would be the sorts of things that might constitute (see, I am using big words here, and complex syntax) aspects of conjugal behavior that, presumably, constitute a large measure of a particular activity that might represent a substantial part of the ordinary repertoire of lesbian physical lovemaking.
Arlington, Va.: "There are absolutely wonderful safe funky areas to live in, in D.C., even on a limited budget."
Really? Even with D.C. taxes factored in? Name one where I don't need a roommate. I'll move there.
Gene Weingarten: My neighborhood and environs. Looks for "Eastern Market" or "Union Station." You will want to rent a basement apartment (many of these are aboveground and airy.) You can probably find a nice one for a $900 -- $1,000 a month. Is that affordable?
Gene Weingarten: Ooop, I appear to have shot from the hip yesterday, wildly, on the issue of guns to the mentally ill. Thanks to Joe Loong for pointing out that the guy on "60 Minutes" who thought it was wrong to deny guns to the mentally ill was not a pro-gun advocate. He was a former president of the National Mental Health Association.
Gene Weingarten: Jack Bellows responds to criticism from Jennifer Hart about the lack of creativity in his criticism of the sound of my voice ---
Please tell your friend Ms. Hart that I could have used more "colorful" depictions of your voice (Harvey Fierstein speaking a few octaves higher, Alvin from the Chipmunks after his first round of estrogen shots for gender reassignment therapy, Peter Brady singing "time to rearrange" in that episode on puberty, an asthmatic Lhasa Apso getting neutered) but such vivid imagery would serve only to re-traumatize me. I am trying to heal my wounds, not deepen them.
Next time someone accuses you of being cruel to telemarketers, send them this.
Gene Weingarten: This is one of the funniest things I've ever heard. I wish the hosts weren't stepping on the lines with their guffawing.This is probably work-safe, but it is not politically correct.
LA VA.: Of course auto-flush toilets are horrible, soul-crushing devices. So are automatic faucets, automatic paper-towel dispensers, and all the other insipid machinery of a careless society. It boils down to this: the number of a-holes who can't be trusted to flush the toilets or turn off a faucet after washing is so high that I have to endure autoflush and wave my hands around like an idiot just to wash up.
There are countless other situations wherein everyone is inconvenienced by the stunning thoughtlessness of others. I call this "paying the a-hole tax." You can, too, if you like.
Gene Weingarten: I couldn't have said it better, so I won't try.
2nd Amendment: I totally disagree with you about gun control, but you're not going to listen to any arguments in that direction so I won't bother.
However, I do admire that you're advocating repealing the Second Amendment to get your desired end, since at least that is the "correct" way to do it. A lot of gun control proponents want to instead take the stand that, well, maybe the second amendment doesn't REALLY mean that; or else just want to pass laws that blatantly violate it and then pretend that it doesn't exist.
Gene Weingarten: Well, the Second Amendment does mean that, but it means it for an outdated purpose. It is as though there were an Amendment that said, "Since travel is an essential freedom, no law shall be made restricting the ownership of horses."
You know what I think? I think anti gun control advocates are paranoiacs. There, I said it.
Is there such a thing as a funny knock-knock joke (that would appeal to someone over the age of 6)?
I guess this begs the question "what is funny?", but all that aside... can you provide an example of good knock-knock joke?
Gene Weingarten: A good knock knock joke is one that subverts the form, reccognizing its stupidity. As in The Interrupting Cow.
My favorite knock knock joke is where you tell someone: Okay, go "Knock knock."
Then you say: Who's there?
BS in Physics?: Oooooooo, baby!!!! Wish I'd known that while I was still single!
Gene Weingarten: Uh, it's phony. I bought it online for $750.
greyhou, ND: Can you explain Saturday's "Frazz" to me? What does the baggie represent? Does it refer back to the previous day where the kid was making fun of the Greyhound going after fake rabbits?
Gene Weingarten: You don't have a dog, do you? The baggie is to pick up his poop.
Some comic has a line: If aliens came to Earth and saw us walking after our dogs, picking up their poop in little bags, which species do you think they'd assume was dominant?
Washington, D.C.: So this sounds awful, but I'll say it because well, we're anonymous. I've been thinking about breaking up with my girlfriend of almost a year, in large part because I don't feel intellectually challenged or engaged with her as much as I'd like. Clearly I owe her some good answers at this point, but just as clearly I can't say, "You know, I just don't think you're smart enough for me." At some point I'll have to suck it up and say something, but I don't feel like there's an honorable way to get through this. So I thought I'd ask you. Why, I can't really say, other than the fact that you're likely to have an opinion.
Gene Weingarten: What is honorable is telling no lie, but not so much of the truth that you cause more pain than needed.
C'mon, you know how to do this.
Concord, Mass.: My wife has the asparagus gene. Yes, I can smell the asparagus. I can't smell anything unusual from myself when I've have some.
If that settles that, how about another question. Why can't I hear myself snore? I'm told I rattle windows (apnia). When my son was an infant, I could hear him coo as he was waking through an unholy racket I was making. Selective deafness?
Gene Weingarten: I need to investigate this. I snore, too. And it's weirder than what you describe. There are times when I think I am awake -- I feel awake -- and my wife will nudge me and say I am snoring. Loudly.
Any brain doctors out there who can explain this?
Is there any way to reprint your column on dogs and Congressional Cemetary? I just told someone how brilliant it is and now cannot find it anywhere (I stupidly threw it out when I moved).
Gene Weingarten: Lizzie, please search for "Tuesnelda" and my name.
washingtonpost.com: Below the Beltway, (April 7, 2002)
Disillusioned: Something's still bothering me about the comment you made stating IMHO about there being "someone else." Isn't it possible for two people to fall out love? Isn't it possible for a marriage to end and the parents of young children realize that it would be a better environment for the children to grow up in with two happpy, although separate, parents? I think it's archaic to stick it out for the kids when the marriage is obviously over. Young children are the ones who will not be injured as much by a divorce--because they won't remember it.
Gene Weingarten: Yep, it is possible for people to fall out of love. But so long as the marriage is not a complete dysfunctional disaster, I think parents of young children are obliged to tolerate their lack of passion. THEY screwed up; the kids should not have to pay. You have to try.
It's not always about you.
A Genius Invent, OR: This week comes word that scientists are working on a drug that will fulfill every man's two greatest desires: More sex -- and thinner sexual partners: Hope for Sex-Boost Slimming Pill (BBC News, April 30)
If the inventor of Viagra wins the Nobel Prize (and if he hasn't, he should), I'm not sure what this team of researchers should get -- perhaps several Hawaiian islands. (And yes, I am waiting for Cwoman to make snide comments about us men being such crude and vile pigs.)
Gene Weingarten: Wow. A diet pill for women that increases libido. And it was tested on female ... shrews.
This is quite a story. It includes the phrase "rump presentation."
washingtonpost.com: That's "Chatwoman" and gee am I glad there's someone out there doing important work to "fulfill every man's two greatest desires."
Google as a verb: You think its bigger than Fedex or Kleenex? Or Bandaid? Already! in such a short time?
Gene Weingarten: Well, they are all similar but many people (me, for example) don't say Kleenex or Fedex, unless I mean the specific products or services. Band-aid is huge, and might be as big. The thing about Google is that it is virtually the only term used for what has become a nearly universal practice.
Automatic: There are three hot air hand dryers in the women's room at church and they have hair triggers. I'll be using the bathroom, listening to my four-year-old daughter scream with laughter as she runs back and forth setting them all off.
Gene Weingarten: Places that have only hot-air dryers in their bathrooms don't care about their customers. They take forever and are useless on a face.
washingtonpost.com: "Most users walk away with wet hands and wet hands transfer bacteria 500 times more readily than dry hands..." -- Electric Dryers vs. Paper Towels in the Public Washroom, (Buzzle.net, July 31, 2006)
Reference Material: When's the last time you used an old fashioned hard copy reference book for any research?
Gene Weingarten: I use a Thesaurus all the time: Vintage 1975, Roget's, with the index in the back. Online Thesauri are no good, don't have word nuances, etc. Outside of that, no.
Cloverly, Md.: That hitting for the cycle by Pascual is bogus. At least the Baseball Almanac thinks so. Here's the box score from that day.
Great day for Pascual, actually struck out 15, but only had one hit (a double).
Gene Weingarten: Ah. Alas. A hoax, I guess, on me.
New York, N.Y.: You may have already seen this link.
But I thought of you, of course!
Gene Weingarten: Okay, well, this is completely ridiculous and it made me laugh.
Submit all retorts, rebuttals and the like to next week's show.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Join live discussions from the Washington Post. Feature topics include national, world and DC area news, politics, elections, campaigns, government policy, tech regulation, travel, entertainment, cars, and real estate.
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Who Gets Stuck? - washingtonpost.com
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When Merck launched a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign last year to promote Gardasil, its new vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, company officials probably did not anticipate that its signature phrase -- "one less" -- would apply not just to malignancies but also to physicians. Yet that slogan has come to symbolize the response of doctors locally and around the country.
Pincered by rising costs and eroding reimbursements, and resentful of what they regard as a long-standing and unfair financial burden, some doctors, especially pediatricians and gynecologists who are most likely to be asked for the vaccine, are refusing to buy it or restricting who receives the shots.
We can help you find the right work environment with competitive benefits.
Discontent over the price of the vaccine -- the most expensive ever approved -- highlights a long-simmering dispute over reimbursement for immunizations, traditionally regarded as bedrock medicine. It is a dispute, experts say, with significant public health implications that has accelerated as the number of costly new vaccines has proliferated.
"This is a national issue that is affecting lots of people," said Benjamin Gitterman, president of the D.C. chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "It's a matter of cash flow," Gitterman added. Some insurance companies are paying doctors $122 per shot -- just $2 more than the price doctors pay for a dose of Gardasil -- an amount not sufficient to cover the cost of stocking and administering the vaccine, doctors say. The problem is disproportionately affecting pediatricians, experts say, because they administer the majority of immunizations and are among the lowest-paid specialists.
"Some plans are saying I'll give you $90 -- and not a penny more," said Washington pediatrician Promise Ahlstrom.
Instead of routinely immunizing females between the ages of 9 and 26, the population for which the three-dose vaccine is approved, some doctors are handing patients a prescription to be filled at a pharmacy. Patients who do this, however, may be stuck with the tab: Many insurers, including CareFirst and Aetna, pay only for vaccines supplied by a doctor.
Other physicians are reserving Gardasil for patients whose insurers have agreed to pay what the doctor deems a "reasonable" fee -- usually a minimum of about $140. Still others are requiring payment from patients upfront.
The spotty availability of Gardasil is likely to complicate efforts by parents to comply with new laws in Virginia and the District. Both jurisdictions will require the vaccine for school entry with certain exceptions. (Maryland officials are studying whether to require the vaccine.) Doctors report a brisk demand for the vaccine, which prevents some strains of the ubiquitous human papillomavirus (HPV), linked to the development of cervical cancer.
Merck executives have said that the price of Gardasil is justified by its development costs and its value. Insurance company officials agree that the vaccine is expensive, but add that physicians are adequately compensated for providing it.
Many pediatricians see things differently.
"We shouldn't be expected to subsidize the public health system and perform our jobs at a loss," said Jon R. Almquist, chairman of the pediatrics academy task force on immunization, in a statement released last week. "We've carried this burden long enough."
Herschel R. Lessin, medical director of a large pediatric practice in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., that participates with 50 health plans, wholeheartedly agrees.
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When Merck launched a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign last year to promote Gardasil, its new vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, company officials probably did not anticipate that its signature phrase -- "one less" -- would apply not just to malignancies but also to physicians. Yet that sl...
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Murdoch Bids for Wall Street Journal
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Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. has made an unsolicited takeover bid for the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, an offer that generated nearly instant resistance from the company's controlling family and set up a media culture clash.
The offer seeks to marry the pinstriped Journal, widely regarded as the paper of record for the U.S. economy, and Murdoch's News Corp., home of "American Idol," Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly and the New York Post tabloid.
For Murdoch, the Journal would be a key component of the business news channel, a rival to CNBC, that he plans to launch on cable this year.
But first, Murdoch must persuade the Bancroft family, which controls more than 60 percent of Dow Jones & Co. voting power.
In a brief statement yesterday afternoon, Dow Jones director Michael B. Elefante -- the Bancrofts' representative on the board -- said family members and trustees told him that they would vote against Murdoch's proposal.
The board said it would consider the Bancroft opposition when considering Murdoch's offer, which at $60 a share represents a substantial premium over the stock's trading value. In a television interview yesterday, Murdoch said he hoped the Bancrofts would "take it calmly and think about" the offer. Dow Jones stock over the past year has traded in the $30s and topped $60 only once, in 2000, before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks sent Journal advertising and Dow Jones shares down.
"There's plenty of time," Murdoch, 76, said during an interview on Fox News Channel's "Your World With Neil Cavuto."
The bid would offer cash or a mix of cash and stock for all outstanding Dow Jones stock, which closed Monday at $36.33 a share. The stock price rose 55 percent yesterday, to $56.20, after the bid. Murdoch's offer would be worth at least $5 billion, including existing debt. Late yesterday, News Corp. confirmed that the offer remained in place.
"It's a generous offer," Murdoch said. "We are the sort of people with the same traditions that I think will prove great guardians for this paper."
"If Murdoch gets control of the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones and if he follows the pattern of his past acquisitions, he will use the Wall Street Journal to serve his own purposes, financial and political," Ben H. Bagdikian, author and former dean of the journalism graduate school at the University of California at Berkeley, said in a statement.
The union representing Journal employees also opposed Murdoch's bid.
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Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. has made an unsolicited takeover bid for the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, an offer that generated nearly instant resistance from the company's controlling family and set up a media culture clash.
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April Toll Is Highest Of '07 for U.S. Troops
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BAGHDAD, April 30 -- The deaths of more than 100 American troops in April made it the deadliest month so far this year for U.S. forces in Iraq, underscoring the growing exposure of Americans as thousands of reinforcements arrive for an 11-week-old offensive to tame sectarian violence.
More than 60 Iraqis also were killed or found dead across Iraq on Monday. Casualties among Iraqi civilians and security forces have outstripped those of Americans throughout the war. In March, a total of 2,762 Iraqi civilians and policemen were killed, down 4 percent from the previous month, when 2,864 were killed. Iraq's government has yet to release any monthly totals for April.
Attacks killed a total of nine U.S. troops over the weekend, including five whose deaths were announced Monday. The weekend's fatalities brought the toll for the month to 104 Americans killed, in the sixth most-lethal month for American forces since the U.S.-led invasion four years ago.
Under the new counterinsurgency plan, many U.S. forces have left large, more secure bases to live in small combat outposts and to patrol hostile neighborhoods where the risk of insurgents targeting them has multiplied.
Highlighting the vulnerability of American forces, a series of explosions Monday night rocked Baghdad's Green Zone, the most heavily secured enclave in the capital and home to thousands of U.S. troops, Western diplomats and Iraqi government officials.
"There is a duck-and-cover going on right now," said Lt. Col. Christopher C. Garver, a U.S. military spokesman, before quickly getting off the phone. Later, Garver confirmed there had been an assault on the Green Zone, but it was unclear what had happened. Local Iraqi television stations reported 10 explosions inside the zone. There were no immediate reports of casualties, Garver said.
In eastern Baghdad on Sunday, a roadside bomb killed three U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter who were on patrol, the military said. Attackers shot dead another soldier in the same section of the capital on Saturday. Meanwhile, a Marine was killed in the Sunni insurgent bastion of Anbar province, west of Baghdad. On Saturday, the military reported four U.S. soldiers had been killed on that day.
Before the deaths announced Monday, 99 U.S. soldiers had been killed during April, according to iCasualties.org, an independent Web site that monitors military deaths. Nearly half have died in and around Baghdad, with the next greatest number of deaths occurring in Anbar and Diyala provinces. In December, 112 U.S. soldiers were killed.
With 11 combat deaths, April also was the deadliest month for British troops in Iraq since the beginning of the war, when 27 soldiers were killed in March 2003. This month's British casualties highlighted the growing tensions in southern Iraq as Shiite groups clash for power and Britain prepares to draw down its forces.
The deaths came as the largest bloc of Sunnis in Iraq's parliament, the Iraqi Accordance Front, threatened to pull out its ministers from the cabinet, saying that it "had lost hope" in having Sunni concerns addressed by the Shiite-led government. The threat prompted President Bush to phone one of Iraq's two vice presidents, Tariq al-Hashimi, a Sunni, in an attempt to defuse the potential political crisis, Hashimi's office said in a statement. A Sunni withdrawal could seriously hamper efforts at national reconciliation and further weaken the government. Only two weeks ago, six cabinet ministers loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr resigned from the cabinet.
In the province of Diyala, where scores of fighters have fled to escape the Baghdad security offensive, a car bomb exploded near a funeral tent in the town of Khalis, killing 22 and wounding 35, said Lt. Mohammed Hakman of the Diyala police Joint Coordination Center. Police said they expected the toll to rise.
The strike came four days after a suicide attacker detonated a car packed with bombs at a checkpoint in the town, 50 miles north of Baghdad, killing 10 Iraqi soldiers.
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BAGHDAD, April 30 -- The deaths of more than 100 American troops in April made it the deadliest month so far this year for U.S. forces in Iraq, underscoring the growing exposure of Americans as thousands of reinforcements arrive for an 11-week-old offensive to tame sectarian violence.
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At First They Flirt, Then Colleges Crush
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Yale University sent out thousands of rejection letters this spring that included this line:
"It is painful to us that we must turn away so many superbly talented students."
Brown University wrote: "We want to acknowledge your accomplishments and to reiterate how much care we have taken in the admission process . . . and how difficult and painful it therefore is to deny so many."
Painful? Just ask Tanvi Gupta, a 17-year-old from Derwood who got five rejection letters this month, from the five colleges she wanted to go to.
For many overachieving high school seniors, getting that letter is the first real kick-in-the-gut feeling of failure. And for admissions officers who have spent months recruiting the most talented students, April can be like a bad breakup -- played out thousands of times. It ends today, the deadline for most students to commit to colleges.
This year, the most selective universities sent out more rejection letters than ever: Georgetown sent about 10,000; Stanford sent about 20,000. Johns Hopkins sent about a thousand more than last year, when they sent at least 2,000 more than the year before.
All the more reason for school officials to choose their words carefully when they turn away all those applicants. Many said: There's really just no good way to say no.
It's not unlike the end of a high school romance, said Bill Conley, dean of enrollment and academic services at Hopkins. "That's the dance we're doing in admissions. We don't think we've made promises -- we haven't. But . . . they're hopeful. We've nurtured this relationship, only to abruptly end it."
He laughed, remembering his own thinking in high school: "Do I just do the fade? Never communicate again? Or do I just be very direct: 'I don't like you anymore.' "
The middle ground, Conley said, is, " 'It's not you; it's me.' "
That's the approach many schools take now, starting the letters or e-mails with statistics about the huge, record-setting crush of applications they get. It used to be that schools were essentially turning away students who they thought couldn't hack it there, said Barmak Nassirian of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
But in recent years, the number of applications has surged for several reasons: There are more high school seniors out there. More of them are applying to college, seeing it as increasingly essential to their careers. And they're applying to more schools.
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Yale University sent out thousands of rejection letters this spring that included this line:
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Why It Is NOT Harder to Get Into Top Colleges
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Please be careful to whom you show this column. I am slipping it in on a lovely May Day, when I assume my editors are taking long lunches or talking to their brokers or polishing their resumes, life being uncertain for newspaper people these days. I so don't want them to see what I am writing. It may render obsolete one of our most beloved newsroom traditions -- the college angst story.
I have written many of these stories. They are part of my April routine. I find some student body president at a local high school who has been rejected by all her favorite colleges, despite her 4.0 grade point average and her 2150 SAT score. I provide another 1,000 words or so of middle class panic and regret and fear for the future in our most Ivy-obsessed suburbs, and the next day I get lots of congratulatory emails.
So who does Kevin Carey, research and policy manager at the D.C.-based think tank Education Sector, think he is, telling me, and many reporters like me, that we got it all wrong? Maybe if I just quote him, I won't get into as much trouble for ruining our daily circulation figures next April. Here is what Carey said in an exclusive piece for www.prospect.org, the Web site of The American Prospect magazine:
"From a student's perspective, the odds of getting into college are a function of two things: the number of qualified students who apply, and the number of slots that colleges make available. It's true that the number of prospective college students is growing, as The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal all noted in nearly identical articles published recently. Driven by the baby-boom echo, the number of high school graduates jumped from 2.9 million in 2002 to 3.1 million in 2006, an increase of 8.4 percent.
"But the number of spaces in elite colleges is increasing too, at a nearly identical rate. According to U.S. Department of Education statistics, the 60-odd colleges and universities rated 'Most Competitive" by Barron's Guide to Colleges sent out 199,821 acceptance letters in 2002. In 2006, the number of 'fat envelopes' had increased to 215,738, an 8.0 percent jump. As the nation has grown, its elite colleges have grown along with it.
"Why, then, the high anxiety? Because college admissions scare stories aren't based on the overall ratio of admissions to applicants. They're based on the ratio of admissions to applications, as reported by individual colleges. And the number of applications to elite schools is skyrocketing, increasing 18.9 percent from 2002 to 2006."
To be honest, it is not that surprising that Carey would be the one to expose our little game. He is becoming something of a legend as an analyst unafraid of all the numerical trickery and spin that reporters like me lack the skill and patience to deal with. Carey started out as an obscure numbers cruncher, an education finance analyst for the state of Indiana where he developed a new formula for setting local property taxes and distributing state education aid. He brought his expertise to Washington and caught my eye with a number of reports for The Education Trust, a non-profit group promoting better schools. While there, he developed the www.collegeresults.org Web site, the best tool for assessing college graduation rates I have ever seen.
Now he works for another top-flight Washington non-profit, the Education Sector, and is still in his 30s. I steal his stuff all the time. Maybe that is why he is being so mean to me.
As he points out, we in mainstream media have mentioned the sharp rise in the number of colleges the average high school seniors applies to, but have often failed to show how that fuels applicant angst without actually changing the balance of supply and demand. "When the number of applications grows faster than the number of applicants," Carey explained in his piece, "it creates a false sense that admission standards are getting tighter. Imagine 20 students, each of whom applies to five schools and gets into two. Now imagine if the same students each applied to ten schools and got into two. The outcome for the students is the same: two acceptance letters. But the schools report lower admission rates, and the odds of admission seem worse."
I knew that, even if I didn't write it so clearly. What I didn't know, and which was also in his piece, is that between 2002 and 2006 the number of acceptance letters mailed by the eight Ivy League colleges increased 10.6 percent, faster than the growth in high school graduates. I thought that increase in Ivy acceptances might be just more overbooking to protect against the rise of students applying to every Ivy. But Carey said Ivy enrollments are also going up, so it appears they are stuffing more kids into the same old dorms -- a trend I have noticed over the last generation -- and also building or buying a little more dorm space.
All of which leads me to say: Thanks a lot, Kevin Carey. You really showed me up. He admitted to me that much of the college application anguish derives not from what has happened to the competition for college spaces in the last four years, but in the 20 or 30 years since the parents of current college applicants went through this process. He doesn't have data to measure applicants and spaces that far back, but shares my view that attitudes toward the Ivies were significantly different then -- academic admission standards for the most selective schools were lower, and many competitive high school students in the South, Midwest and West didn't even think of going to the Northeast for college.
Those were my high school years, ancient history. I continue to struggle to describe accurately what is happening now. Next year, because of the oh-so-smart Mr. Carey, I am going to have to acknowledge that maybe things are not quite as bad as they seem. What fun is that? I hope he is proud of himself.
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So Sorry About the Names, Alleged Madam Says
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The alleged D.C. madam is in desperate need of defense witnesses.
Deborah Jeane Palfrey told reporters that she is "genuinely sorry" if people are hurt when identified as clients of her elite escort service -- but she has no choice but to call them to prove that her escorts provided only the fantasy of sex. Not the real thing, which would be illegal.
Of the deputy secretary of state who resigned Friday after being confronted by an ABC reporter asking why his private cellphone number was on Palfrey's phone list, Palfrey could only sympathize: "I unfortunately know firsthand the implication such a revelation can have upon one's life."
She also knows the town is edgily awaiting the next name to be dropped, in a verbal Dance of the Seven Veils. According to ABC's Web site, Palfrey's potential witness list includes "a Bush administration economist, the head of a conservative think tank, a prominent CEO, several lobbyists, and a handful of military officials."
But forget them for the moment, Palfrey suggested yesterday; instead, she urged reporters to help expose why prosecutors are unfairly hounding her.
"Put aside the titillation of the who's-who list -- at least in part -- and instead investigate the disturbing genesis, the confounding evolution and the equally alarming continuation of this matter," she said. "I believe there is something very rotten at the core of my circumstance."
The government is armed with its own witnesses.
Among them are several women prepared to testify that they were prostitutes who worked for Palfrey's firm, Pamela Martin & Associates. There also are men who, though they would prefer she plead guilty and leave their names out of it, will testify that they paid for sex with women working for Palfrey, according to court records and law enforcement sources briefed on the three-year investigation.
Prosecutors also have a paper trail of money transfers and newsletters to buttress their contention that Palfrey knew her Washington area escorts were providing something more concrete than vivid fantasies.
She came to their attention almost inadvertently, sources said. The investigation began with an unsolicited tip to -- who else? -- the Internal Revenue Service from an angry man who said he had discovered that his girlfriend was working as a prostitute for Palfrey.
Then they heard from a woman who said she had answered Palfrey's ad in the City Paper seeking prospective escorts, sources said. To the young woman's surprise, when she went on a date with a client, he wanted to have sex with her. She declined, and soon she heard from Palfrey, who told her the escort service was "not a social network" and the woman should start providing what clients really wanted, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation.
Not that Palfrey wasn't careful. According to records prosecutors filed in the case, a woman who worked for Palfrey was arrested in an Alexandria prostitution sting. That caused great consternation. Soon after the arrest, Palfrey's newsletters included detailed instructions on avoiding arrest. One tip: Have the client undress first.
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The alleged D.C. madam is in desperate need of defense witnesses.
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Calls Mount for Olmert to Step Down
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JERUSALEM, May 1 -- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert faced rising calls Tuesday for his resignation, a defection from his governing coalition and rumblings of insurrection within his own party a day after an official investigation found "serious failings" in his conduct of the war in Lebanon last summer.
Olmert's aides and political allies acknowledged that the Winograd Committee's interim report was unusually harsh and that the prime minister would require political resilience to survive.
"There is a group that is examining the possibility of his resignation and there is another group that does not think it is the right time," said Otniel Schneller, a lawmaker from Olmert's centrist Kadima party, describing the divide in the ranks as one member, Marina Solodkin, called publicly for him to resign.
"All in all, though, there is support for the prime minister," Schneller said.
But some Israeli analysts, citing the country's previous experience with postwar investigations, predicted that it is a matter of time before Olmert steps aside or is ousted from office, given the report's sharp indictment of the government's competence and the army's fitness.
The committee concluded that Olmert acted hastily last July in going to war against Hezbollah, an armed Lebanese Shiite Muslim movement, and never had a "detailed military plan" for securing the release of two captured Israeli soldiers or defending the country from a predictable rocket barrage during the fighting. The soldiers are still believed to be in Hezbollah's hands.
Olmert's departure would either hand the prime minister's post over to a Kadima lawmaker or trigger new elections. Either scenario would mean months of political paralysis, hampering any steps toward restarting a peace process with the Palestinians.
The Bush administration, largely alone in endorsing Olmert's decision to go to war last summer, has been promoting those talks with new energy in recent months.
"He does not think it would be best for the state of Israel right now to send it to new elections," said Miri Eisin, spokeswoman for Olmert, who met Tuesday with the leaders of his coalition partners. "He doesn't think it's time to just start over."
But Israeli analysts say the depth of popular outrage, Olmert's ability to maintain the loyalty of his party, and the internal politics of his largest coalition partner, the center-left Labor Party, will determine how much longer he remains in office.
Yaron Ezrahi, a Hebrew University political science professor, said that "it took time for public anger to turn to protest" after state investigations into the 1973 Arab-Israeli war and the massacres at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps following Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon.
Golda Meir and Menachem Begin resigned as prime minister following those inquiries, which Israeli analysts say were less harsh than the Winograd findings.
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JERUSALEM, May 1 -- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert faced rising calls Tuesday for his resignation, a defection from his governing coalition and rumblings of insurrection within his own party a day after an official investigation found "serious failings" in his conduct of the war in Lebanon last summer.
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Off to War He'll Go: British Army Clarifies Plans for Prince Harry
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LONDON, April 30 -- Our story so far:
Harry, the young warrior prince, wants to go to Iraq to fight with his mates. The puckish 22-year-old second lieutenant confesses that he loves "running down a ditch full of mud, firing bullets."
Much public angst ensues. Everybody loves Harry, the rosy-cheeked younger son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Nobody wants him harmed, and nobody wants him to be a Royal Target and put his mates at unnecessary risk from insurgents enthusiastic to stick a dagger in Britain's collective heart.
In February, Defense Secretary Des Browne announces that Harry is going to war. It's official: His unit ships out later this year -- perhaps sometime very, very soon.
More angst follows, but it is generally drowned out by much proud talk of generations of the royal family serving in wars dating back to the days when they were fought with swords and horses and men in steel loincloths. Even Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's grandmother, served briefly as a 19-year-old member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II, doing maintenance work on Army vehicles.
The last royal to see combat action was Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew, who served during the Falklands War 25 years ago. Sure, say the critics, but is cruising to Argentina really the same as commanding troops in Iraq, where a dozen British soldiers have been killed this month alone?
Then last Thursday, the tabloids worked themselves up into a brand new Harry Frenzy.
"Harry Won't Fight," screamed the Sun, using one syllable more than usual for a three-word tabloid headline.
The paper rolled out the big "SUN EXCLUSIVE" logo, clearly still feeling cocky after its world-beating scoop two weeks ago that Harry's brother, Prince William, and girlfriend Kate Middleton were kaputsky.
The problem: Army chiefs were reconsidering Harry's deployment. With violence spiking off the charts in Basra, the defense ministry, Charles and Elizabeth seemed to be having a little re-think about sending the Lad. Had anyone really, really, really thought through the consequences of Harry's death? And what if Harry were kidnapped? Is Britain ready for the truly unspeakable possibilities of that?
Last month Britain was knocked for a loop when Iran scooped up 14 British sailors and marines and held them in Tehran for two weeks. Presumably Harry, a highly trained member of one of the Army's most elite units, would not, as one of the captured sailors did, cry a bucket of terrified tears because an Iranian meanie said he looked like Mr. Bean. But visions of Princess Diana's baby boy on grainy insurgent videos on the Internet are a nightmare no one dares contemplate too closely.
Some have suggested that if Harry has to go to Iraq, maybe a desk job on base might be a better idea.
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LONDON, April 30 -- Our story so far: Harry, the young warrior prince, wants to go to Iraq to fight with his mates. The puckish 22-year-old second lieutenant confesses that he loves "running down a ditch full of mud, firing bullets." Much public angst ensues. Everybody loves Harry, the rosy-cheek...
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Ex-Redskin K. Mitchell Dies
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Mitchell, who played for Washington from 2000 to '03, brought a hard-nosed approach and veteran leadership to the defense and special teams. Born in Harrisburg, Pa., Mitchell attended Syracuse and was a second-round draft pick by San Francisco in 1994. He spent four years with the 49ers and two with New Orleans before coming to Washington.
Several family members told the Patriot News, Mitchell's hometown paper, that Mitchell died of a heart attack. The Associated Press reported that an autopsy was performed by the Virginia state medical examiner's office. The cause of death was not immediately announced.
Mitchell and his wife, Denise, and their two children, Jonathan, 4, and Kayla, 2, remained in Virginia after his tenure with the Redskins ended. Defensive lineman Renaldo Wynn said the family was struggling to cope.
"She doesn't know why it happened, and from what I heard he was in great health and had shed 20, 30 pounds," Wynn said. "It's just so unfortunate and he was so young and it's so unexpected. It's just devastating to the whole Redskin family and all the people he touched. He was a great guy. I don't think no one had anything bad to say about Kevin at all."
Redskins wide receiver James Thrash was particularly close to Mitchell, teammates said, and former Redskin Eddie Mason, a linebacker with the team from 1999 to 2002, lives nearby and was one of Mitchell's closest friends. Mitchell played for four head coaches with the Redskins but was let go shortly after Coach Joe Gibbs put together his staff before the 2004 season.
"I walked into Redskins Park this morning and saw tears and wondered what's going on," said linebacker Lemar Marshall, who last spoke to Mitchell a month ago. "When I found out K-Mitch had passed I was deeply saddened. . . . The entire Redskins family got to put our heads together and make sure things are taken care of for his family."
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Official Panel Accuses Israeli Leaders Of Multiple Failures in Lebanon War
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JERUSALEM, April 30 -- An official Israeli investigative committee on Monday accused Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of "a serious failure in exercising judgment, responsibility and prudence" in taking the country to war in Lebanon last summer.
The interim findings of the Winograd Committee also sharply criticized Defense Minister Amir Peretz for not grasping "the basic principles of using military force to achieve political goals" and accused Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, the army chief of staff at the time, of acting "impulsively" in advocating an "immediate, intensive military strike" to secure the release of two captured Israeli soldiers.
The findings amount to a harsh indictment of some of Israel's most respected institutions and the people who lead them, portraying the Jewish state's military commanders as complacent and its political leadership as rash and inexperienced.
The committee concluded that Israel's army "was not ready for this war" and blamed Halutz for failing to devise an effective strategy or to make Olmert aware of sharp disagreements within the military over how to achieve Israel's goals against Hezbollah's guerrilla force.
"After 25 years without a war, Israel experienced a war of a different kind," said Eliyahu Winograd, a retired judge, presenting conclusions that focused on the decision to go to war and the first days of fighting. "The war thus brought back to center stage some critical questions that parts of Israeli society would prefer to avoid."
The committee is due to issue its final report this summer. But its preliminary findings describe an Israeli government that lacked a plan to achieve goals characterized as "too ambitious," suffered from a lack of military experience among civilian leaders and was undermined by a general staff that failed to adapt on the battlefield after its strategy showed early signs of failure. The report used the word "failure" dozens of times in connection with the prime minister and said Olmert bore "supreme and comprehensive responsibility for the decisions of his government and the operations of the army."
The panel said it would leave to the public the question of whether Olmert should step down. The report prompted calls for Olmert's resignation.
In a televised response, Olmert said that "it would be wrong to resign." He described the conclusions as "severe" and acknowledged that "serious mistakes have been made by the leadership that I head."
"These mistakes must be corrected, and I intend to do so thoroughly," Olmert said, adding that he will appoint a cabinet committee to implement the report's recommendations, which center on improving communication within the government and giving the Foreign Ministry a more active role in times of war.
Although he is deeply unpopular with Israel's public, Olmert has built a broad coalition government that includes secular-centrist, hawkish Russian-immigrant and religious parties, none of which appeared ready to bolt following the report's release.
"If Olmert doesn't come to the conclusion that he should resign, the chances for him to maintain the current coalition are pretty good," said Gabriel Sheffer, a Hebrew University political science professor on sabbatical at Duke University. "Nobody in the coalition is very interested in having new elections. The decision is in the hands of Olmert."
Olmert appointed the panel, comprising a retired judge, two retired generals, a law professor and a political science professor, in September to evaluate Israel's performance during the 33-day war against Hezbollah. Olmert did so rather than call on Israel's Supreme Court to name a state inquiry commission, such as those that followed Israel's two most recent wars, in 1973 and 1982. State commissions hold more legal authority, and in the past they have forced the resignation of Israeli ministers.
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JERUSALEM, April 30 -- An official Israeli investigative committee on Monday accused Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of "a serious failure in exercising judgment, responsibility and prudence" in taking the country to war in Lebanon last summer.
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NSC Post a Real-World Lesson for Cha
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Victor D. Cha, a Georgetown University international relations professor, started his job as an Asia specialist at the White House's National Security Council during Christmas week in 2004. His boss at the time said it would be a quiet period to settle into his new job, the first time Cha had worked for the government.
Then the Asian tsunami struck, killing at least 235,000 people as it swept across a dozen countries.
Cha's sudden introduction to high-level crisis management was a revelation. Debate over the rise of China and the eclipse of the United States dominate the discussions within the ivy walls of academia. But in the real world, he discovered, only one nation had the military might and the diplomatic connections to quickly deal with the tragedy.
"You see that in the crisis of this magnitude, what is the country that steps up and provides the public good? It wasn't China. China's role was helpful but peripheral. It was the United States," Cha said. "It is not only that we responded but that everyone is looking to us to respond."
Cha, 45, will return to Georgetown this week, but his government service has had unusual impact, especially for an ivory-tower academic with no experience in policymaking.
He arrived at the White House with a reputation as an advocate for a tough approach to negotiations with North Korea -- what he called "hawk engagement" -- but in the end he drafted the crucial memo that helped persuade President Bush earlier this year to allow U.S. negotiators to meet for bilateral talks with their North Korean counterparts in Berlin.
The approach all but shattered the taboo on substantive bilateral negotiations that Bush had imposed since the crisis over North Korea's nuclear ambitions erupted nearly five years ago. North Korea requested the meeting after refusing substantive talks at six-nation negotiations in December. (Pyongyang proposed Geneva as a venue, but that is where a Clinton-era agreement scorned by Bush was negotiated, so Berlin was chosen.)
Cha caught Bush's eye by arguing in his memo that it is time to test North Korea's intentions -- seeking an agreement with specific actions and a limited time frame. North Korea ultimately agreed to shut down its nuclear reactor in 60 days if the United States ended a banking inquiry, but North Korea has now missed the deadline by more than two weeks.
Cha declined to discuss the memo. But he said that despite media reports of intense ideological disputes over Korea policy, "from my perch, it is all what the president decides. He wanted to see if the North Koreans were serious about implementing the September 2005 joint statement." Cha was referring to a deal that had gone dormant for more than a year. "Part of trying to decide whether they are serious is that you pull on the negotiating thread a bit harder."
Cha, a fluent Korean speaker whose father-in-law was a general and minister in the Roh Tae Woo government of South Korea, was also responsible for policy to Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands, reporting to Dennis Wilder, senior director for Asian affairs. But Cha has made his mark on North Korea policy, particularly after he was elevated last year to be the deputy U.S. negotiator at the North Korea talks, working closely with Assistant Secretary of State Christopher R. Hill, the chief negotiator.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hired Cha when she was national security adviser in Bush's first term, but it took Cha almost a year to get his security clearance. He had crossed paths with Rice at Stanford University, where she was provost and he was a fellow at two Stanford think tanks, and then caught the attention of senior officials when he wrote a defense of the administration's North Korea policy in Foreign Affairs magazine in 2002.
"People were trying to interpret what the administration's policy was," he said. "It was largely a black interpretation, that they were trying to scuttle everything that the previous administration was doing. I thought that wasn't right, and that it was a much more subtle policy."
Within the government, Cha was regarded as remarkably self-effacing, without having a hidden agenda, and thus was seen as a bridge between the warring policy centers within the administration on North Korea. "He had trust on all sides," said Michael J. Green, a former White House official who has known Cha for 15 years.
Last month, Cha became the first U.S. official to visit Pyongyang in almost five years when he was assigned to accompany New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) on a trip to recover the remains of U.S. soldiers. It was Cha's first visit to the country he had studied for so long.
"On the drive from Pyongyang to the DMZ, you really get a sense of how poor the country is," Cha said. "There is no farming equipment, people walking on the road, no tractors. It reminded me of South Korea in 1960 -- but everything had stopped after that."
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Ex-CIA Officers Among Tenet Critics
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George J. Tenet's close friends said he anticipated criticism for some of the claims and anger he expressed in his new memoir about his former life as director of the CIA. He did not expect, they said, that his detractors would include former CIA and military officers, or that he would be blamed for the deaths of U.S. troops fighting a war in Iraq that he knew had been badly planned from the start.
As his book, "At the Center of the Storm," debuted yesterday, six former CIA analysts called on Tenet to donate a significant portion of royalties to families of service members killed or wounded in Iraq. They also called on him to return the Presidential Medal of Freedom he was awarded in December 2004.
The signed letter chastised Tenet for bottling up criticism of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war for three years and then publicly focusing on how the White House may have sullied his reputation. The letter -- written by officers who have been vocal in their opposition to the war -- was widely circulated by e-mail to CIA and military veterans groups and blogs. Several former CIA officers who worked closely with Tenet in the run-up to the war said they agreed with the letter but did not want to become embroiled in a public fight with their former boss.
"What about the 3,000 Americans who are dead in Iraq?" asked a former senior CIA officer who left the agency shortly after Tenet resigned in 2004. "Where's George's sympathy for them? I think he is a guy that did care and tried to do the right thing, but he didn't have the moral courage to stand his ground when you need to."
Much of the criticism centered not only on the memoir but also on an interview Tenet gave to CBS News's "60 Minutes" Sunday night to promote it.
In the book, and during the sometimes combative interview, Tenet said there was never significant debate among President Bush's top advisers about the threat Iraq posed before the invasion. He wrote that the White House had no strategy for the post-invasion period and that senior CIA analysts had warned Bush and others in the administration that a chaotic postwar situation in Iraq would be exploited by al-Qaeda.
But Tenet did not say those things publicly at the time of his resignation, when Bush was running for reelection and championing progress in Iraq, and he remained publicly silent for three years, until he completed the book, which garnered a $4 million advance.
Mark Lowenthal, a former Tenet adviser at the CIA, said Tenet's silence was appropriate. "You don't go out slamming the door. George saying these things or not saying them is not going to save a single life in Iraq; that's just silly."
W. Patrick Lang, a retired Army colonel and former Middle East analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency, said he was most bothered by Tenet's explanation of his use of the phrase "slam dunk" in December 2002 during a meeting with Bush about the case for war. Bush administration officials have said Tenet was describing the intelligence on Iraq's alleged weapons programs, but Tenet said he was explaining the ease with which a public case for war could be made.
"An intelligence officer should not be in the business of selling a war to the American people," Lang said.
John Moseman, Tenet's former chief of staff, said the book is "a valid attempt to balance a record that has been badly distorted." He added, "Most of these people haven't read the book yet, but if they take a breath and read the book they will see that George takes a fair amount of responsibility."
Perhaps most upsetting, Moseman and Lowenthal said, was Jeff Danziger's political cartoon yesterday, which tied Tenet directly to the mounting American deaths in Iraq. Above a caption that reads: "George Tenet passes out some complimentary copies of his book," is a drawing of Tenet placing books on the headstones of U.S. troops killed in Iraq.
The CIA stayed out of the controversy yesterday, issuing a statement that honored Tenet's service and noting that his final years of leadership occurred during an intense and challenging time. "Through it all, he never wavered in his concern for the mission of the Agency or in his dedication to its people."
Staff researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report.
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The Glossy Is Half-Full: Businessmen as Celebs
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Ah, it's the unmistakable sound of Tom Wolfe cranking up another sound-effects lead paragraph. This kind of thing was new and exciting back in 1965, when Wolfe first did it, starting his piece on Las Vegas like this: " Hernia, hernia, hernia, hernia" -- 30 consecutive hernias, to approximate the sound of a craps dealer at work. But now -- after countless Tom Wolfe imitators (myself included) have imitated his style countless times -- it's somewhat less exciting when Big Tom does it yet again to start "The Pirate Pose," his story on hedge fund billionaires in the premiere issue of Portfolio, the much-hyped new business magazine from the Conde Nast magazine empire.
The bama bampa barama noise that begins Wolfe's piece is the sound of a rich, obnoxious, egomaniacal hedge fund baron furiously banging on the door of an apartment in his fancy Manhattan building so he can complain about not being allowed to drill vent holes in the walls. The guy spouts off obnoxiously for a page and half, which was more than enough to convince me that he's an egomaniacal jerk. The only problem is: Wolfe never identifies the guy. And the rest of the article is packed with other delicious anecdotes of boorish behavior by egomaniacal hedge fund billionaires who aren't identified either. What's going on here?
Back in 1970, in his famous piece "Radical Chic," Wolfe didn't skewer some anonymous classical musician who made a fool of himself hosting a fundraiser for the Black Panthers -- he told us the guy was Leonard Bernstein. So why is Big Tom holding back on us now?
But I don't want to beat up on Wolfe. He's an Old Master and this piece, like all his stories, is a lot of fun. So let's talk about the rest of Portfolio. It's fat, slick and glossy and looks a lot like Vanity Fair, which is, of course, also published by Conde Nast.
Vanity Fair became enormously successful doing personality profiles of actors, musicians, pols and assorted Eurotrash miscreants. Portfolio seems to be attempting to do the same for businessmen. Thus, we learn that billionaire T. Boone Pickens doesn't get along with his kids, one of whom is a convicted crook. And we learn Bill Ford, of the automobile dynasty, sucks up a lot of espresso and likes to play rough games of hockey.
The stories are all well-crafted but . . . do we really care about this? I'm not sure I do, and I'm not sure there's enough room in my pathetic brain for info on the personal lives of billionaires, especially with so much cranial space already stuffed with endless inside info on Britney and Brangelina. The creation of a whole new class of celebrities could spark some kind of mass mental meltdown.
Here's what I want to know about businessmen: Is the product they're selling useful and safe? And are they doing any damage to their customers, employees, shareholders, the environment or society? That's it. I don't want to know about their caffeine addictions, hobbies, marital problems, rotten kids or sexual kinks. (Well, maybe the sexual kinks.)
But that's just me. Maybe you're eager to learn that Pickens once erected a bronze statue of himself playing racquetball outside his company headquarters or that his 78th birthday party featured a squad of cheerleaders with "Boone" emblazoned on their uniforms and Rod Stewart singing, "The Way You Look Tonight."
If that's the kind of stuff you want to know, Portfolio is the place to find it.
So there I was, minding my own business, blissfully flipping though the new 40th anniversary issue of Rolling Stone, which features nostalgic interviews with Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Tom Wolfe, Bob Dylan and Jack Nicholson, all of them reminiscing about the good old days of 1967. I'm reading along, having a fine time, when suddenly a strange feeling came over my brain and I heard a voice whispering in my ear: You have experienced this already.
Well, at first I thought I was having some kind of Rolling Stone-induced acid flashback, because hey, man, I lived through 1967 myself. But the lampshades weren't breathing and the walls weren't pulsing, and I realized that this was no flashback, I was just remembering the 20th anniversary issue of Rolling Stone. Didn't it contain interviews with the very same people?
Only one way to find out: I got up off my chair and crawled deep into the bowels of the fabled Magazine Reader archives -- way back, past random issues of George and Rosie and Regardie's and , voila!, there it was, dated Nov 5-Dec 10 1987, Rolling Stone's 20th anniversary issue. My heart racing, I flipped to the table of contents. Yup! Interviews with Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Tom Wolfe, Bob Dylan and Jack Nicholson. Also George McGovern, Jane Fonda, and Jackson Browne, who are interviewed in the 40th anniversary issue.
Well. Does this mean the Rolling Stone Rolodex needs some updating? Probably. There are a few folks in the 40th anniversary issue who weren't in the 20th -- Patti Smith, Steven Spielberg, Michael Moore -- but there isn't a single black face and only two women. My memory isn't what it used to be, but I'm pretty sure black people and women had already been invented back in 1967 and maybe some of them have some memories worth sharing.
But the interviews that do appear in the issue are kind of fun. There's a lot of hemming and hawing about the meaning of the '60s, which might drive non-baby boomers up the wall, but there are also a few good anecdotes and at least one bit of genuine wisdom. The wisdom comes from Keith Richards.
"Any life lessons you'd like to pass on to the younger generation?" the interviewer asks.
"First of all, don't do anything if there's not joy in it, a sense of exhilaration," Richards replies. "A day is a day, and each one is going bye-bye, and you've only got so many more in front of you. Friendship is probably one of the most important things in life. . . . It's about friends -- the ability to make friends, the ability to forgive friends. And their ability to forgive you. It's just the ability to enjoy other people's company, really. Then you've got it all, man. The rest is gravy."
Keith Richards, voice of wisdom. Who'd a thunk it?
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So: You've sold some 11 million CDs faster than even your management could have dreamed, and your last album swiftly obliterated notions that you'd fall prey to a sophomore jinx.
Now what? If you're Michael Bublé, more of the same career-wise: "Call Me Irresponsible," the Canadian crooner's third studio release, is about as responsible as it gets.
There are no great surprises here, nothing to disappoint the surging fan club. Instead, Bublé and super-producer David Foster play it safe. They evoke shades of classic pop -- complete with requisite nods to Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett -- then augment the vintage standards with lustrous covers of contemporary hits (another reprise of "Always on My Mind," anyone?) and two original tunes, the postmortem love song "Lost" and the catchy, if slight, single "Everything."
Boyz II Men and Brazilian tunesmith Ivan Lins unexpectedly turn up, the latter on a Latin and loungey duet performance of "Wonderful Tonight." But those cameos are no match for some of the album's highlights, which include John Clayton's swaggering big-band treatment on "The Best Is Yet to Come" and Bill Holman's Sinatra/Basie-styled arrangement of the album's title track. When relying on top-notch arrangers, Bublé can make you forget that his voice isn't nearly as distinctive or as expressive as those of his role models. His obvious affection and natural affinity for classic pop are big pluses, and his brassy takes on "I've Got the World on a String" and "I'm Your Man" will surely keep the summer concert throngs cheering.
DOWNLOAD THESE: "The Best Is Yet to Come," "I'm Your Man"
Michael Jackson is a tough act to follow. That seems to be the game plan for Ne-Yo on his sophomore release, "Because of You," proclaimed literally on the album by Def Jam CEO Jay-Z, who casts himself as a latter-day Quincy Jones to this multi-talented artist.
Ne-Yo's not there quite yet. But in an era bereft of great R&B songwriting, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter may be the closest thing to the young Michael we've got. On "Because of You," it's a pleasure to watch Ne-Yo grow into himself.
Ne-Yo has already proven that he can write a heck of a pop tune -- witness Rihanna's "Unfaithful," Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" or Mario's "Let Me Love You." Given Ne-Yo's capabilities, hook-laden songs such as the title track and "Crazy" seem almost too easy.
The best moments of this album are when Ne-Yo gambles on the unconventional. On "Sex With My Ex," he experiments with 1980s new wave, and nails a common, dirty little secret with unflinching lyrical fidelity. "Leaving Tonight," Ne-Yo's duet with the Oscar-winning Jennifer Hudson, is a Grammy-worthy performance itself -- the kind of gutsy, he-said-she-said soul standard that Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack might have been proud to record in their day. "Angel" is an ethereal ride through buttery clouds of lyrics and key changes.
As long as Ne-Yo doesn't have to be our musical Messiah -- like his "Matrix" namesake or, even worse, Michael himself -- the kid can soar into open skies.
DOWNLOAD THESE: "Because of You," "Leaving Tonight," "Angel"
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CALL ME IRRESPONSIBLE Michael Bublé So: You've sold some 11 million CDs faster than even your management could have dreamed, and your last album swiftly obliterated notions that you'd fall prey to a sophomore jinx.
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Finns Gone Wild - washingtonpost.com
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2007050219
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Two Finns are sitting at a bar, a bottle between them. They polish it off in silence and order another, at which point Finn A raises his glass and says, "Cheers!"
Finn B gives his companion a withering look. "Are we going to talk, or are we going to drink?"
By the time I landed in Helsinki last April for Finland's annual May Day celebration, this was the joke I'd been told -- by a Finn -- to sum up the northern nation's less-is-more approach to conversation. I'd been living in Iceland, Scandinavia's other oddball nation, for about a year. And I'd heard that during May Day, known as Vappu in Finland, the nation abandoned its famous shyness and let loose.
My Vappu began on the ground-floor bar of Hotel Torni, a historic downtown hotel and my base camp for the weekend. Built in 1931, the Torni, now part of the Finnish hotel chain Sokos, is renowned both for being the headquarters of Soviet bodies that remained posted in Finland after World War II and for having the best view of the city, from the women's bathroom in the hotel's rooftop bar.
Though it was Saturday and May Day wasn't until Monday, celebrations were already underway at the Torni's 1930s-era American Bar. On the bar stool next to mine, Helsinki resident Mikko Vaajamo sampled from a personal drink buffet of aged whiskey, champagne, espresso and a strawberry margarita.
"There are two days when you don't want to have visitors arriving in Finland for the first time," Vaajamo said. "One is Vappu." The other, he offered, is Midsummer's Eve, when things apparently get equally out of hand and could also give visitors the mistaken impression that Finns are always an outgoing, jovial crowd. Vappu, he said, "is kind of a nationwide coverup story."
May Day, also known as International Workers' Day, originated in the United States on May 1, 1886, when workers staged strikes seeking an eight-hour workday. Its recognition in the United States has dwindled, but the day is celebrated throughout Europe, Russia and Asia. As in some other cities, May Day in Helsinki has mostly lost its socialist roots and become a more leisure-oriented public holiday, when the end of a long winter is toasted with copious glasses of sparkling wine and modest regard for the morning after.
The following morning, April 30, I went to a May Day Eve kickoff event on the University of Helsinki campus. Helsinki's Vappu has become a big student day, and the city's crowning event -- when students scrub down the Havis Amanda statue at 6 p.m. on May Day Eve -- is attended by what feels like half the city's 565,000 residents. As we watched students make speeches on the rooftop of an academic building, I asked my host, Pekka Makinen, what I needed to know about Vappu.
"Sparkling wine," he answered. And, he added, a few simple rules. "If somebody tries to work or study during the celebration, he will be drowned in a small lake outside Helsinki." More seriously: "Everybody has to drink to dignity and be in a good mood."
By mid-morning, dignity was starting to wane; some students had clearly been at it for a few days. Wearing painter's jumpsuits in bright colors denoting their area of study (a pink suit, for instance, indicates a major in mechanical engineering), thousands of students milled around in various stages of inebriation, with cooking utensils, stuffed animals and champagne flutes harnessed to their suits. A woman splashed around in a hot tub fashioned out of a shipping container, and a few detoxing souls sat on the wooden benches of a simple tarp sauna, the same model used by the Finnish military in the forest and on peacekeeping missions.
On the flat rooftop, the female freshmen of the chemistry department performed the cancan, a cork popped into a stand-up microphone, and the students' version of Vappu had officially begun. The master of ceremonies sent the university's annual launch of a whiskey bottle attached to a cluster of red balloons into the air. We watched it float toward the treetops, bearing its message of fun.
As the day unfolded, most of my conversations looped back to one simple philosophy: "It's Vappu." Why do students wash the naked female figure of the Havis Amanda statue with soap and water? It's Vappu. Why is that naked man crawling up the statue? It's Vappu. Did you just drink an entire bottle of sparkling wine during our 10-minute conversation? It's Vappu.
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One day each spring, dignity takes a back seat to "the bubbly."
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Forgiving Judas: The Ultimate Test
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Greetings Sister Elaine Pagels et al:
ON: Forgiving Judas: The Ultimate Test
I am Attaching a article that I think has a cuncurrence of the crux of the matter herein.
So please bear with me. Mercy Bouque! We.
Hello Sister Christine Ockrent, We, in N.Y.C., America, Thank the France Ancestors for the Statute LIBERTY & more.
As a matter of Fact, my Brother SOLOMON (Died because of Vietnam et al) was born in MARSALLES, FRANCE. Back in the 1940's Marseilles was used by the underground "Jewish Resistance"
a/k/a "Haganna" including the "French Resistance" against Hitler and Mussolini et al. AND; In a way
Hello Sister STARHAWK: On: Conditions for forgiveness.
It is true that one Generation, of family, individuals & Nation(s), in time, suffers for the SINS OF THE PARENTS. So time is the best medicine.
But when it comes to reading Tea leaves and making sense out of the "HOROSCOPES [Past present, current , future etc..] then that is an entirely different observation."
Like our Great Prophet and Father of "Relativity" [Al Einstein et al greats] once said, of many that, "It depends on the âCasual Observer" to understand [Geometrically] where He or She is and what they see and or interpret..." [Similar].
So forgiveness in the old PISCES-AGE is the same today in the more advanced AQUARIUS-AGE. Not to Mention our Me Me (innate photon essences) are also changed via your Non-Elemental and Original Magamatriculated BIO CARBON/SODIUM BASED SELF
And you exist in this Miracle of an elegant TRANSFINITY (Reality on the move between absolute HOT & Absolute COLD) PHOTOFINITE â ESSENCE, DNA, RNA, PROTEIN, HORMONE, CYTOCHROME-P450 and other Atomics and Chemicals of your very Miracle in your own beautiful throbbing zero sin of a Me Me mist.
Note: on Mrs. Taylors post or thread; She said or implied that, "Apology's Today are half hearted compared to the more sincere and ancient apologies of {lore]???
So Constellations are on the move, as we are revolting, via the Eclati, in Photo finite mist and our Intelligence Today is definitely much much higher than JESUS's, Mose's. Mohammed's etc..
But I know, deepest down, in my Holy Cosmic Heart Beat that an Apology today is more realistic than yesteryears. It's true, some acts can never be forgotten, even after 27,000 years from now with a half degree offset of the line(s) of our heuristic sights then!
Like myself, Most People today, are not "starhawk" (Astrologist's) so to speaketh, and they do not know or understand What they are interpreting from Say ancient ARIES or modern GEMINI etc..
And âJoan of Arkâ and the âBastille Daysâ or âNapoleonâ turning Monarch Europe upside down etc... and these events happened not too long gone. And repeat of history is only HUMATELY posiible but ECLATi-On impossible. Ya?
I know during Jesus & during the entire Biblical Epochs times, of their Lores or fold, It was a time was that the Equinoxal or alignment of Space-Ship Earth was in the "PICES-AGE" of the Constellation along with the âbone readingâ.
Those days Jesus, Judis, Pilot et al , would all look up and use the Horoscope as or like a Religion to predict the days and courses of events, religious, political, personally, superstitious etc...
But Today, Some people still use the Constellations of OUR STAR SYSTEMS to predict their daily and imminent everyday live. (Good day, Happy day, refrain day etc.) or sacrifice etc.
This is like a religion not just for "Wicca" folk. There are people who would sell their own mother or Father so to speak, to preserve that ancient Zero God Human Invention, Just likes the so called Ancient Books and their "People of the Book."
Today we are in the AQUARIUS-AGE" [Started around 1990] so What JESUS, MOSES, Mohammad, Zoroaster (their "3 wise" priests used the North Star to find & see Jesus in his crib etc..), Hindu & Buddha et worshipers saw above or used for guidance them "Bad Ole days" is not the same.
Important: Contrary to the Democratization of the Middle East today;
The âAMERICAN HIGH SIXTIESâ AND The âU.S.S.R. HIGH EIGHTIESâ was the so called âTransformation and was a unique type of Reformationâ of an EPOCH moment in OUR-TIME.
And hence the Synopsis and the ENTROPY of how that ERA evolved today, like going from a Caterpillar to Butterfly experience (Aware, Known or UnKnown conscience, then now future).
So the the Kids of the 1950's, 1960's. 70's & 1980's including the 1990's saw and experienced a metamorphism age going From PISCES the Fish to AQUARIUS age, that is in your Heuristic Photon Mist self NOW and will be with HUMATES for a while as IT (g-d) Swims & Fly's around, so to speak, as being ETERNITY AVOIDING LONLINESS through all ITSELF (g-d) in the Animate and in the inanimate things IT (g-d) Created via US being in the infinite ITSELF as the Source One that we are.
To have the same alignment or similar Equinoxal alignment, this will take another 27,000 years. remember: The ICE-AGE was around 12,000 years Ago. And GLOBAL WARMING is a natural occurrence and Global Cooling is also another phenomena.
So remember, Space-Ship Earth is only 4,98Billion Years old and has around another 8 Billion years left before the END will be inevitable. But WEW NEVER DIE! : + ) Praise the ECALATi in our MeMe.
Remember: There is LIFE in LIGHT and wherever PHOTONS have never seen or been or known (by our Eclati, g-d) then there is zero Photons existence and thus zero life and zero inanimate things. Wherefore: WE NEVER DIE and LIFE IS A MIRACLE and Zero SIN about it otherwise!
Sister: I am also attaching or recirculating something that I find important for HUMATE HEURISTIC CONSUMPSION. Thank You ALL.
Att: A.N.O.N.Y.M.O.U.S., VIEJITA, Jonathan et al
Hugs and kisses to ALL the HUMATES Here and there & Beyond our Galaxy.
Secret: We come from MAGMA and we go via Plasma right?
Guess what happens when we go through the Non gravity place via the Due To Be?
Answer: We get recreated in another NEBULAE that gives birth, from an OLD Star Systems to a NEW Star Systems.
Our Eclati-on moves or weaves from one Nebulae to another.
And back here on Earth your ME ME stays within the Biological Generation of your off Spring from one Genetic permutation to another until Space-Ship Momma/Poppa Earth herself/Himself goes POOF-TIME, especially when Grandma-Sun Implodes and becomes a chunk of Iron in the Due to be, for another ENDOFINITY INTO EXOFINITY over and over.
Are you happy now Cyber anonymous Who? In a real way, IT (g-d) is TRUE: G-d is Great!
P.S. I am an ECLATi-On. I am from the âJoktanâ blood line and not âPeligâ like Moses, Jesus, and Abraham et al: I am EBERU (Hebrew line) in the âMe Meâ of my full HEURISTIC âPhotogenic gearâ on Space-Ship Earth..
In a way we needed and should be great full for our past Pre-apocalyptic Faith SYSTEMS.
Our PROPHET Albert Einstein was right, "Science" is lame without "Religion" [Question is which one, i.e.,ECLATARI-On] And Religion is Blind [Closed minds and heuristics feeding] without Science. [Open mind]." [Similar].
(((((((((( ECLATi, G-D BLESS AMERICA & FRIENDS ! )))))))))))
Viva La Francaise and AVI DA ZAINE & Tonka Shane.
Are You ready to work with your SOURCE ONE, ALMIGHTY, LORD G-D? : = ) / ya Ya Mon.
Posted April 26, 2007 1:02 PM
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A conversation on religion with Jon Meacham and Sally Quinn. Visit http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/
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Court Knows Best
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How nice of Justice Kennedy to look out for me.
Goodness knows, if I didn't have the justice and his buddies hovering, I might make a terrible mistake. I mean, I'm so impulsive and muddle-headed, I sometimes don't know what's in my own best interest.
Luckily, the Supreme Court does.
I'm referring, of course, to the court's insulting throwback of a ruling upholding the federal ban on the procedure known as "partial birth abortion."
The 5 to 4 decision was alarming for a number of reasons.
First, the majority's unstated but unmistakable willingness to dispense with inconvenient precedent. As nominees, the president's two choices for the high court treated us to pious pronouncements about their respect for the rule of law.
But they didn't flinch in overturning, in all but name, a seven-year-old case in which a differently constituted court, considering a nearly identical statute, came out the other way. For all that talk about impartially calling balls and strikes, Mr. Chief Justice, it turns out that it matters a whole lot who the umpires are.
Second, the Father Court Knows Best tone of Anthony Kennedy's majority opinion. "Respect for human life finds an ultimate expression in the bond of love the mother has for her child," Kennedy intoned. This is one of those sentences about women's essential natures that are invariably followed by an explanation of why the right at stake needs to be limited. For the woman's own good, of course.
Kennedy continues: "While we find no reliable data to measure the phenomenon, it seems unexceptionable to conclude some women come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained." No reliable data? No problem!
And I thought women were the ones who were supposed to be bad at science.
"It is self-evident," he adds, "that a mother who comes to regret her choice to abort must struggle with grief more anguished and sorrow more profound when she learns, only after the event, what she once did not know: that she allowed a doctor to pierce the skull and vacuum the fast-developing brain of her unborn child, a child assuming the human form."
Therefore, "the State" can step in to assert the "ethical and moral concerns that justify a special prohibition." In other words, it can protect women from the consequences they may or may not experience as a result of the ignorance from which they may or may not be suffering.
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I'm so impulsive and muddle-headed, I sometimes don't know what's in my own best interest. Luckily, the Supreme Court does.
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The Upside of Recession?
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It's increasingly clear that much of our standard economic vocabulary needs revising, supplementing or at least explaining. The customary words we use don't fully convey what's happening in the real world. Let me illustrate with two basic economic terms: inflation and recession. There are also larger lessons.
Start with inflation. You may have noticed that last week's release of the March consumer price index (CPI) -- the government's main inflation indicator -- inspired much optimism. "Inflation Fears Relax," headlined the Wall Street Journal. Stock prices jumped on the supposedly good news. But if you actually examined the CPI report, you found that prices in March rose at their highest rate since September 2005 and that, over the past three months, they've increased at a 4.7 percent annual rate. Doesn't sound like retreating inflation, does it?
What explains the discrepancy is "core inflation." That's the CPI minus food and energy prices. In March, core inflation did subside, prompting the upbeat spin. But you might wonder: We must pay for food, gasoline and electricity; why strip them out? The usual answer is: These prices jump around from month to month; they often reverse themselves (oil prices were high in the early 1980s, low in the late 1980s); core inflation better reflects the underlying trend. This is hardly wishful thinking. Since the early 1980s, the two indexes (the CPI and the core CPI) have recorded -- despite many monthly differences -- virtually identical increases.
But suppose that this relationship is breaking down. We all know about oil. Prices are about $60 a barrel. They seem unlikely to return to $28, the 2000 level. The real surprise involves food prices. In the past three months, they've risen at a 7 percent annual rate. We may be seeing the first adverse effects of the ethanol boom. Corn is a main feed grain for poultry, cattle and hogs. Corn is also the main raw material for ethanol, an alternate fuel for gasoline. Competition for grain has pushed up corn prices to about $3.50 or more a bushel, almost double a typical level. High feed prices have discouraged meat producers from expanding. The resulting tight meat supplies raise retail prices.
"Poultry is the best example," says economist Tom Jackson of Global Insight. "In the past 40 years, we almost never have year-to-year decreases in production. In the past few months, we've seen production go down." In March, the decline was 4 percent from a year earlier.
So the government's subsidies for corn-based ethanol are worsening inflation, perhaps permanently. Coupled with precarious global oil supplies -- posing a constant threat of higher energy prices -- that may make core inflation a less useful indicator. Ups and downs may no longer cancel each other. Inevitably, these developments also pose policy questions. Considering ethanol's tiny contribution to our motor fuel supply (about 4 percent), is the program worthwhile? Or is it a giveaway to corn farmers?
Now switch to recession. Since 1982, there have been only two (1990-91 and 2001). That's good. In the previous 13 years, there had been four (1969, 1973-75, 1980 and 1981-82). Almost everyone dreads another one. We've been conditioned to think of recessions as automatically undesirable. The labeling is simplistic.
Hardly anyone likes what happens in a recession. Unemployment rises, production falls, profits weaken, stocks retreat. But the obvious drawbacks blind us to collateral benefits. Downturns check inflation -- it's harder to increase wages and prices -- and low inflation has proved crucial to long-term prosperity. Downturns also punish and deter wasteful speculation. When people begin to believe that an economic boom won't ever end, they start to take foolish risks. Partly, that explains the high-tech and stock bubbles of the late 1990s and, possibly, the recent housing bubble.
Some sort of a recession might also reduce the gargantuan U.S. trade deficit, $836 billion in 2006 (just counting goods). Almost everyone believes that the U.S. and world economies would be healthier if Americans consumed less, imported less, saved more and exported more. The corollary is that Europe, Japan, China and the rest of Asia would rely more on domestic spending -- their own citizens buying more -- and less on exports.
Ideally, this massive switch would occur silently and smoothly. Realistically, the transition might not be so placid. A slowdown in Americans' appetite for imports would involve weaker overall consumer spending, about 70 percent of the U.S. economy. Such a slowdown might also be needed to persuade other countries to stimulate their domestic spending.
Almost no one wishes for a recession, but the consequences might not be all bad. The larger lessons here involve perceptions. Our regular vocabulary often fails to describe the complexities of a changing economy. We must be alert to new possibilities. Things are not always what they seem.
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Our regular vocabulary often fails to describe the complexities of a changing economy. Things are not always what they seem.
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The Washington Wizards
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Michael Lee: Hey, I don't want to waste your time with a lame intro. It seems like you guys have a lot to talk about, so without any delay, let's go. . .
Any word about Jamison's long-term plans? Does he envision opting out at all so as to get a longer term deal? The organization has got to be concerned about this as it greatly effects the financial flexibility of the franchise.
Ivan Carter: I don't see Antawn opting out and giving up the $16 million he'd pull down in the final year of that contract. The only way he opts out is if he and the Wiz agree to a longer deal that allows him to make that money back. The most likely scenario is that he plays the final year and then hits free agency. By that time, the Wiz will know what they have in Andray Blatche and have a pretty good idea of what they have in Oleksiy Pecherov, another big man who will be playing forward.
Oakton, Va.: Hope this gets answered even though I'm submitting early:
Now that the season is winding down, I have a request -- will either of you consider writing a piece on Susan O'Malley and her role in the organization? She definitely has Mr. Pollin's ear, the question is to what extent and in what scope? Just how much sway does she have over the organization and Mr. Pollin?
Maybe do it as a story leading into the next season? I get the feeling that there are two fixtures for the Wizards - Mr. Pollin and Susan O'Malley. It seems like everyone else is outside the Circle of Trust, including Ernie Grunfeld, which is unfortunate because he is the best thing this franchise has going for it. But what do I know, no one at The Post has ever explained it.
Yes, Mr. Pollin is a rich and powerful man, and maybe you guys want to stick with the vanilla stories and play it safe, but this is a story that is long overdue. As a long time Bullets/Wizards fans, don't we deserve to know just how the brain trust for the team works and operates?
Sports Editor, are you reading this?
Ivan Carter: I think you are way overstating Susan's involvement when it comes to basketball matters. That's Ernie's thing with one notable exception being Abe Pollin's influence in the extension of Eddie Jordan's contract last summer. Susan handles the business side and has plenty of say in some PR issues but I don't see her calling Ernie and saying: "have you thought about this trade?"
I like Avery Johnson, heck he was the starting point for the last Warrior squad that made the playoffs in the 1993-94 season. However, can you talk about how he adjusted right into Golden State's hands with no Dampier or Diop? They aren't quick enough to keep up with the Warriors speed.
Also, Dirk Nowitzki settles too much. Stephen Jackson is on you and you don't punish him?! You shoot fallaways?! I know this dude might be the MVP of the league, but maybe what DWade said about Dirk's lack of leadership skills was right. If Dallas keeps this up, Warriors advance.
Michael Lee: I know Ivan has been screaming for the past few days that Golden State is going to shock the world, but I don't know. I think Avery made a egregious error in switching his lineup to matchup with the Warriors. I always hate it when coaches have something that works in their favor, but adjust to the inferior team. Dallas won 67 games with Damp and Diop, why switch gears in the playoffs? When you haven't spent any time tinkering and experimenting in the regular season?
Granted, Damp and Diop can't keep up with Golden State's speed, but the Warriors cannot match up with the Mavs' size.
As for Dirk, he's got to remember to play like he did during the playoffs last year. I thought he really started to turn a corner when he started scoring more in the low post when his shot wasn't falling. He's a 7-footer. He would surely have an advantage if he decided to use it. Instead, he wants to be a guard. He has a pretty shot, but the Warriors can not stop him if he decides to mix it up. I don't expect him to shoot that poorly tonight. He'll adjust.
Anonymous: No issue with the playoffs, I commend their effort and hope they can pull out one or two. They just do not have the horses to compete. There's no shame in that. Now I am looking forward to the draft. With the Williams kid from UNC and all the Florida kids going pro, I can see the Wiz getting some inside help for next year. I do not know where they pick, but who should they have their eyes on?
Ivan Carter: They have the 16th pick and right now, it's anyone's guess who they'll be focused on. Maybe they go international again. I'll be doing my draft research once this season ends and I get to go to Orlando for the pre-draft camp, etc.
Silver Spring, Md.: Are the playoffs the proper place to discipline a player? Should Haywood continue to be punished for whatever it is he's being punished for if it costs the 'Zards a chance at winning playoff games?
Michael Lee: I realize I might be in the minority here, but what's the big deal? Didn't Haywood get the entire regular season to prove that he was unreliable? I mean, he was great for a few months, then he caught "a head cold" on that last West Coast trip when he decided not to give any effort any more. He earned a seat in the doghouse, but I think people are really overestimating what kind of impact he's really going to have here. It's not like stopping Ilgauskas is the only problem Washington had on Sunday. I think the main issue was that these guys didn't hit shots. And, the way Big Z was rolling on Sunday, I really don't think Brendan would've shut him down. Either way, the Wizards did NOT lose that game because Brendan didn't play more. That's how I see it.
Fairfax, Va.: Can we officially crown Kwame Brown as the worst No. 1 overall pick ever? At least LaRue Martin and Michael Olowokandi can catch. Meow!
Ivan Carter: It reminds me of a question I heard an LA reporter ask Phil Jackson this year when the Wiz were in town. "Wouldn't you say that the Kwame Brown for Caron Butler trade was one that worked out for both teams?" The look on Jackson's face was priceless.
Seattle: Hey guys, Having watched Kwame last night something struck me I'd never noticed before...he has really small hands for a man his size. Is that accurate? Beyond his other issues, how much do you think that plays in to his general ineffectiveness? The ball just flies through his hands like they were greased, he can't even catch and dunk with remote regularity, hold on to passes, grip the ball, etc.
On a Wizards note, how the heck can you not play Haywood against Ilgauskas? Haywood's always effective against him and seems darn close to having no motivational issues against Ilgauskas ever. I even like Jordan but cannot understand this by any measure.
Michael Lee: This is a two-parter. I'll answer this with another similar question.
N.C.: Can the Wizards take any positives at all from the 2006-7 season or is it a just a throwaway season?
Ivan Carter: They learned that Caron Butler can be an All-Star caliber player. They learned that Brendan and Etan still can't get along and both pretty much will always be what they are right now. They learned that Andray Blatche has some nice talent but remains a work in progress. They learned that Darius Songaila, when healthy, can really play the game and is a great fit for Eddie's system. They learned that they simply can't win without one of the big three. Period. They learned that Jarvis Hayes, if given longer minutes, can be at least a competent shooter (his percentage went up with the added minutes).
Fairfax, Va.: For those complaining about Larry Hughes knowing the Wizards offense: I would gladly have Larry Hughes call out every Wizards play for his Cavs than to pay him $70 million to keep him in D.C.
Ivan Carter: Larry is a nice player and he had a great Game 1 but that contract is going to be a heavy load to carry for this franchise in the next two to three seasons. My guess is that Larry, who is not in love with the Cleveland experience, will play out the remainder of that deal elsewhere.
Michael Lee: Okay, Ivan just stole my other question on the worst No. 1 pick. But let me answer the other one. Yes, Kwame has extremely small hands for a man his size, which has contributed mightily to him being ineffective for much of his career. He hasn't been able to develop a consistent jumper and you're right, his hands are like clay whenever that ball comes his way.
But if I had to pick the worst No. 1 pick ever, I'd have to go with the Olowokandi. Not just because he has proven himself to be pretty worthless and hasn't shown any sort of promise on either end of the floor - at least Kwame has been a valuable post defender in LA. I'd say Olowokandi was the worst based on the guys who immediately followed him: Mike Bibby, Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce.
The lottery picks in the 2001 draft, outside of Pau Gasol, have been really slow to be impact players in this league.
Washington, D.C.: Do you have any idea what Ernie Grunfeld's view of Eddie Jordan's coaching is? Said another way, does Grunfeld feel that he put together a .500 ball club this year? Or will all parties just blame injuries and not give much thought to what happened this year?
Ivan Carter: The Ernie/Eddie thing is always going to be an interesting situation. I think Ernie had to be thrilled when the team was 31-21 and atop the Eastern Conference, especially considering that his top offseason acquisition (Songaila) hadn't played yet and his first round pick (Pecherov) wasn't even in the country. In other words, outside of replacing Jeffries with Stevenson, Eddie didn't get too much extra ammo following last season. I really don't know what has gone through Ernie's mind since the injuries kicked in and this team went in the tank. I do know that he hasn't publicly complimented or criticized Jordan so that leaves it up in the air. Also, he made a point of backing Gilbert not Eddie when Gilbert made those ridiculous comments about Eddie stressing defense too much after that ugly home loss to Portland. Then again, that may have just been Ernie's way of staying on Gil's happy side because he knows he has to sign him again. Don't think Eddie didn't notice though.
Washington, D.C.: Isn't it interesting that when Jordan puts Kwame in the dog house he is a genius, yet when he does the same to Haywood, he is the goat?
Is Tuff Juice(C Butler) going to play in Game 3?
Michael Lee: No, Tuff Juice is out for probably this whole series and the Wizards would be wise to not risk him coming back. This season is a wrap. They aren't going to win anything with a 75 percent Caron and no Gilbert.
And I'm glad somebody here has some sense when it comes to this Brendan debate.
Washington, D.C.: First, let me say that I am not in the "Let's Trade Jamison" bandwagon. BUT, might there be an opportunity to trade him this summer for either Marion or Kirilenko? Both have big ticket contracts, and both teams, for different reasons, might be willing to move those guys.
Ivan Carter: I would think long and hard at any deal involving Marion and think very long and hard about any deal bringing in Kirilenko, who seems to be lost in lala land somehow. Maybe he just needs a change of scenery or maybe he's lost it. Who knows? When he was on his game, he was one of the most unique talents in the league. The only issue with Marion is that I see his game and Caron's game overlapping way too much.
What has Michael Ruffin done during the regular season to earn the minutes he got? What did Calvin Booth do to get no time? Come on man. You know as well as we do that Eddie has his favorites and it has nothing to do with what's going on on the court because if it did Jarvis would never get off the bench based on his reg. season and neither would Ruffin.
Michael Lee: Eddie can always be sure that Ruffin will always give him everything he has when he is on the floor. He has no idea which Brendan he is going to get. Is it the 8 point, 9 rebound Brendan? Or the 2 points, 3 rebound Brendan? As a coach, all you want is consistency in some regard, even if you lack the talent, just be consistent.
I just think people are overreacting here, thinking that Brendan Haywood is the difference in this series. He's not. I'm not saying he won't have a big game or won't be a contributor if and when the Wizards win a game this series. I'm just saying people have to stop acting like Brendan is Shaquille O'Neal (circa 2000).
Washington, D.C.: It's pretty bad when the opposing team's players are so shocked by your coaching moves that they publicly question them and almost lobby for you to make changes. Has the Haywood thing caused any Wizards' players to question or lose confidence in Jordan? I've got to think that at least a few have wondered what the heck Jordan is doing.
Michael Lee: Why are people siding so solidly with Brendan here? I really don't get it. You're acting like Brendan didn't stop playing at an important time in the season and lost his starting job. It works both ways. Eddie and Brendan both need to get past this, but it really isn't all on Eddie. He gave Brendan a chance to start this season and what did Brendan do with it? He earned a demotion!
Washington, D.C.: A follow-up to the first question -- if Jamison continues to have a great series, on the heels of the series and his good finish to the regular season (a 48 point game), will Jamison consider opting out? If his agents asks around and thinks he can get a 5-year, $40 million deal, for example, why risk performing poorly next season and not having many offers?
Michael Lee: Antawn has told me repeatedly that he does not have an option this summer, that he is a free agent NEXT summer. People within the Wizards organization have told me the same: He can become a free agent in 2008. I hope that clears up any confusion.
Rexburg, Idaho: Ivan and Mike, you both do a great job. Keep it up.
I'm a loyal fan and watch most of the games. However, when Eddie Jordan switches the to the small ball line-up I cringe so bad it makes me get up and leave. Please prove me wrong if this theory has ever worked, but from what I see they become frantic on offense and matadors on defense.
Do you know if Ernie has ever discussed this strategy with EJ? What are your impressions of how Ernie feels about this philosophy?
Ivan Carter: The "small ball" questions are numerous and have been all year and it is an interesting issue. Here's the deal: what have Etan or Brendan consistently provided to ever make you think that going small was that horrible of an idea? Consistent scoring? No. Consistent rebounding? Not really. Consistently physical play? Nada. As for the rotation issue, who, other than Songaila and maybe Daniels, has played with any level of consistency this season thus demanding a set amount of minutes and/or a defined role? Blatche? Flashes but not quite there yet. Mason? No. Etan/Brendan? No. Booth? No. Taylor? No. Ruffin? He's limited. That's all I'm saying. Eddie's mixed and matched because he's had no choice. It's no secret as to why this team was flying so high in December and January: he played 7 to 8 guys, everyone was healthy and they rolled. Once Jamison went down, followed by Butler followed by Arenas, this team was screwed, pure and simple. Had those guys stayed healthy with Songaila coming along as he has, this was a 45-49 win team.
Silver Spring, Md.: If Rick Carlisle is available, what do you think of firing EJ and bringing him in to teach defense and playing less small ball?
Michael Lee: Are you kidding? You want to match Rick Carlisle and his slow, methodical offense with Gilbert Arenas? Are you trying to drop kick Gilbert out of town?
Bowie, Md.: What is Eddie Jordan thinking? Michael Ruffin is not an NBA player. He's barely 6 feet 7, can't shoot, rebound, play defense, pass or provide any functional qualities required of an NBA big-man. His petty feud with Haywood is costing the team. I think Grunfeld should seriously consider a replacement as head coach if Jordan thinks Michael Ruffin is an NBA player. Calvin Booth has played well every opportunity this year. Yet, Michael Ruffin continues to get playing time. NBA coaches do not play Ruffin in the playoffs.
Ivan Carter: More votes against Eddie along with a Ruffin take.
Arlington, Va.: What are the odds Gilbert signs a three-year extension?
Ivan Carter: Trying to guess what Gilbert is thinking and/or what he's going to do is a very, very difficult thing. My gut reaction is to say that he waits until the last possible minute and signs an extension. He'll want to see what direction this team takes this summer and next season. My questions for Gilbert center around how he responds from the first serious injury of his basketball life and whether he raises his level of play as a defender. That will determine a lot about where this franchise is headed as well.
What is the latest word coming out of LA after that beating by Phx? For all the praise that Kobe gets for his individual performances, he still can't seem to make the players around him better.
He'll put up monster stats but ignore his teammates in the process. However, when he defers to them, they stink up the joint.
Michael Lee: I hate hearing about making your teammates better. I think you can only make the talent around you better if there really is a lot of talent to tap into. To my knowledge, I only know of a few guys in this league who have turned marginal talents into stars: Shaq, Jason Kidd and Tim Duncan. That's it.
Nash is surrounded by studs in Phoenix. Shawn Marion was an all-star before Nash arrived. Stoudemire was rookie of the year. Barbosa would've been great anywhere he went. The Suns have the best seven-man rotation in the league.
Kobe is playing with Kwame, Luke and Smush. And, Lamar Odom hasn't been the same since that one great season in Miami.
The Lakers will really need to upgrade the talent around Kobe, because he really can't win. Whatever he does, he's going to be wrong.
Silver Spring, Md.: Ivan, Jarvis Hayes a "competent shooter"? Are you kidding. Competent compared to who? Adam Morrison?
Don't tell me this organization is going to be fooled enough to bring him back when we've got four years of demonstrated suckiness to refer to.
Also I think folks are under-estimating the difference between having a legit 7-0 with long arms in there like Haywood versus a bunch of 6-9 and under short-armed guys in Etan, Darius and Michael.
Ivan Carter: In April, when he averaged 31.4 minutes in 11 games with 10 starts, Jarvis shot 45.9 percent overall and 45.5 percent from three-point range while averaging 12.9 points and he played pretty solid defense. In this league, that's extremely competent. What that earns him from the Wizards or some other team this summer remains to be seen.
As a scout from another team said to me early in the month: "The thing you fear is passing on him and he recovers from that injury all the way and figures it out. The talent is there, you'd just like to see him make more shots."
As for Brendan thing, that's why I asked Eddie in the press conference after Game 1 whether he considered going to Brendan in the fourth when Ilgauskas was killing the shorter guys with his length. Obviously, Brendan matches up best and that's why you'll see him tonight. I guarantee it.
Washington, D.C.: I couldn't agree more, Michael. It's better to put Ruffin in and KNOW you're going to get 0 points, 2 rebounds than put in Haywood when there is only a chance he'll get 0 points, 2 rebounds.
Michael Lee: You're missing the point. You guys are acting like Michael Ruffin is getting 35, 40 minutes a night. Dude is lucky to get 10. Haywood has been given every opportunity to succeed. Ruffin might finish with 0 points and 2 rebounds, but he might make that key pass to set up a score, or force a turnover. Yes, Ruffin made the most boneheaded play of the year against Toronto, but this isn't a Brendan vs. Ruffin issue. It's a Brendan vs. Brendan issue. Either he is going to compete or coast. Let's talk about other topics. A reserve for a seventh-seeded team in the playoffs should not be this big of a deal.
20010: Brendan Haywood's inconsistent play hurts the team a lot more than EJ playing Ruffin 5 minutes a game. Seriously, I don't even understand how this is an issue.
Michael Lee: Thank you 20010.
WDC: There is no way this many people think Haywood makes that great of an impact. I think I have it figured out. Brendan, please leave the chat and go practice making layups.
Silver Spring, Md.: So you concede Rick Carlisle is the better coach, and the only reason not to bring him in is Arenas might not like it?
Michael Lee: No. I'm completely dismissing that as a possibility on the most obvious grounds.
I'd hesitate to credit the extended minutes for Jarvis's resurrection, but instead credit Antonio Daniels. Jarvis needs someone to create for him, period, and feed him with good timing. Thing is Daniels didn't come on 'til late, as usual. I think Jarvis will do alright on another team. Just not here, with Gil. We need an off guard who can handle.
Ivan Carter: That's a good point and I also believe that a spot-up guy like Jarvis is better off with a pure point guard type but I also think that he may be one of those shooters who clearly is more comfortable when he gets 10-15 shots as opposed to 7-10, know what I mean? A guy who gets the extra looks knows that even if he starts 1 of 5, it's all good because he'll get more. It's like a running back who knows he's going to get 15-20 carries rather than 9-12. One key thing about his future: he's going to have to take the ball to the cup more next season, regardless of where he is. He's simply too big and long to be a Kapono spot-up type his whole career. Will he trust that knee? That's the other big question.
Silver Spring, Md.: Michael, we are siding with Brendan because he is one of the best players on the team. The 'Zards are much, much better defensively when he is on the floor. When Brendan plays the Wizards are about average on defense. When Brendan is not on the floor they are DEAD LAST! Brendan's contribution on defense is the ONLY reasons the Wizards do not have the WORST DEFENSE IN THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE!
Michael Lee: Since Brendan is so good, let's try to trade him for Tim Duncan, Yao Ming or Marcus Camby this summer, right?
You've defended small ball all season. Have you looked at the +/- stats for the Wizards when they go small vs. when they don't go small? If so, how do you explain away the disparity? Or are you "not a stats guy" like EJ?
Ivan Carter: I haven't "defended" small ball, I have merely pointed out that the inconsistency of the centers has contributed to Eddie's use of smaller lineups. If Etan played every night or even two out of three nights like he did against Dwight Howard earlier this season and/or if Brendan played like he did at Miami a few weeks back every night or two out of three nights while acting in a professional manner in the huddle, on the bench and in practice, going small wouldn't be an option.
Arlington, Va. : A lot of analysts doubted the Heat last year and they ended up winning the title. Can they pull it together and win the next two games in Miami and eventually pull off a series win over the Bulls?
Michael Lee: The Heat is the last team that I want to count out. I was ready to start shoveling last summer when Dallas went up 2-0 in the NBA Finals. I was ready to start looking at caskets when Dwyane Wade dislocated his shoulder. And, every time they rise up and make me look silly for doubting them. I picked Heat in seven, though, and I'm not backing off yet.
That being said, Miami is in real trouble against Chicago. The Bulls have owned them all season, dating back to that 42-point blowout in the season opener. And, Wade always struggles against the Bulls - good shoulder or not. I think Miami can win two at home, but I'm not real confident. Deng looks like he's on a mission. The Bulls added Ben Wallace to beat Shaq and he is delivering.
Glenn Dale: Any truth to the rumor that the Bullets, I mean Wizards, are planning to suit up Wes Unseld, Tom Kozelko and Joe Pace to patch up a glaring hole in the middle of their defense?
Ivan Carter: Now that's a solution.
Washington, D.C.: After the game, Odom mentioned something about not feeling the team is close or has the camaraderie necessary to win. Is there some real serious issues going on behind the scenes with the Lakers?
Michael Lee: When you get blown out by 28 in the playoffs, there are obviously some issues. Smush Parker and Brian Cook have both publicly disrespected Phil Jackson at different times this season. Kobe doesn't trust his teammates and they are probably resentful of some of the comments he has made of late. The thing is, Kobe has one gear and if you can't keep up, you get left behind.
D.C.: Off-topic question: how do you guys feel about the Sonics leaving Seattle, and with the gm and coach getting the boot, what is the future of that franchise?
Michael Lee: I am really worried about Seattle. Personally, I would hate it if the NBA was no longer in that city. If you've never been there, it is one of the best, most beautiful cities in America. I always love to stop by Dick's hamburgers. It's already a crime that the NBA is no longer in Vancouver. I'm serious, the trade from Vancouver to Memphis will go down as the worst in history. No offense to Elvis fans and folks from Memphis, but it doesn't compare to the Pacific Northwest.
Dr. Rao: It's simple physics. Tall guys have a better chance to guard other tall guys. You two still have not admitted that it was inexcusable not playing Haywood in Game 1. I don't care if people think he's Tim Duncan or plays more like my sister Brenda. The readers are trying to make a point about Eddie's coaching here.
Ivan Carter: As I keep pointing out: I asked Eddie after game one whether he considered playing Brendan to better match up. I wrote about it in my game story that day and again for the story that followed the next day. An excerpt from my game story:
Jordan defended his decision to defend Ilgauskas with smaller players rather than 7-foot center Brendan Haywood, whose five minutes of action came in the first half. Haywood gave Ilgauskas trouble during last season's first round series.
(Jordan quote in response to my question) "I just thought that the guys that were playing were playing hard and playing smart, so I'm playing those guys. I don't care if they're 5-2."
DC:"Also I think folks are under-estimating the difference b/w having a legit 7-0 with long arms in there like Haywood versus a bunch of 6-9 and under short-armed guys in Etan, Darius and Michael."
But half of the time, Haywood plays like he is a 6-7 swingman. There is a lot of Haywood worship going on in this chat, and it stinks. He SHOULD play more tonight, mainly because of the matchup problems he creates for Z. Buts lets not fool ourselves - he's a lot more Montross, a lot less Mourning.
Ivan Carter: More on the Brendan issue.
Michael Lee: Dr. Rao. I see what everybody is getting at, but it doesn't float. Brendan Haywood is not the difference maker this series. Will anyone here even consider that? Will anyone here acknowledge that Brendan played himself out of the rotation?
Coaches play who they want to play. Last I checked, that's why there are in that position - to make decisions about who plays and who sits. Trust me, whether Brendan plays or not Cleveland wins this series in five games or less.
Fairfax, Va.: It seems like Houston is flying under the radar, but I think they have a chance to really make some noise in the West. T-Mac is playing great and Yao seems to be at full strength. Any chance of them reaching the conference finals, or at least making it an interesting series against Dallas in round 2?
Michael Lee: I don't see them getting to the conference finals, but if they can get past Utah - I'm not ready to call the Jazz dead yet - I definitely think they can push Dallas to the brink. Two years ago, they won the first two games in Dallas before losing the series in seven. Yao and Tracy are pretty tough to beat when those two are healthy and on the floor together.
DC: re: Memphis vs. Vancouver
Michael, I guess you and Stevie Franchise wouldn't have much to agree upon. He was probably the cause for them to move.
Michael Lee: Yeah. I can't say me and Stevie agree on much.
Fairfax, Va.: These games would be a lot more interesting if the first round was still a best out of 5 series. These playoff series are too long. Any chance the league changes it back? It would certainly makes tonight's games more exciting.
Michael Lee: I agree seven games is two too many. That's why you rarely see any upsets in the playoffs. All the suspense is wiped out. The superior team usually always wins in a best of seven. If Seattle had two more games in 1994, we would not have seen Dikembe Mutombo on his back hugging the ball when Denver had that great upset.
But to answer your question, the NBA is not going back. It was a tradeoff in the last collective bargaining agreement. The players get a high salary cap - the NBA gets more first round games.
Michael Lee: Alright, people. I was expecting to have a relaxing afternoon before the Brendan Haywood Fan Club decided to bombard the chat this afternoon. That's cool. This time next week, this might not be an issue anymore and we can talk about some other topics. I'm out. Peace.
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Post Politics Hour
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Don't want to miss out on the latest in politics? Start each day with The Post Politics Hour. Join in each weekday morning at 11 a.m. as a member of The Washington Post's team of White House and Congressional reporters answers questions about the latest in buzz in Washington and The Post's coverage of political news.
Washington Post White House reporter Peter Baker was online Tuesday, April 24, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the latest news in politics.
Political analysis from Post reporters and interviews with top newsmakers. Listen live on Washington Post Radio or subscribe to a podcast of the show.
Peter Baker: Good morning, everyone. I'm filling in today for Chris Cillizza (around here, we just call him "Fix") after he filled in for me yesterday. President Bush is talking malaria today, Congress is preparing to vote on the war, Vice President Cheney and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are dusting off from yesterday's scuffle over who's more clueless and Democrats are in a tizzy over Rudy Giuliani's latest campaign trail comments. So let's get started.
Raleigh, N.C.: Good morning! Bill Richardson has separated himself from the pack of "others" on the Democratic side. Whether he can join the Chosen Ones remains to be seen. Which of the Republican "others" has the best chance of duplicating Richardson's movement?
Peter Baker: Good morning. Interesting question. How has Bill Richardson separated himself from the pack at this point? In terms of polls and fundraising -- the main criteria at this point in the process -- he's still way far back. The same is true of a number of other potentially credible Democratic and Republican candidates. Does he have a chance to break out? Maybe. Debates are one way that second-tier candidates can make an impression. But it's an uphill battle. As for the Republican side, the main candidates that some focus on other than the top three are two who have not yet announced, Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich. Not to say that either would necessarily win the nomination, but they both poll well enough to be serious players at least.
Philadelphia: Did you happen to catch Laura Bush on the "Today" show today? She said that in the course of the war no one had suffered more then she and her husband had. Is she serious? Can you imagine if this was Bill Clinton's war and Hillary said that?
Peter Baker: Lots of outrage this morning on comments by several politicians. I'll post a few.
Arlington, Va.: What do you make of the outrageous statement made by Sen. Hillary about comparing herself to Harriet Tubman, a former slave? While it might not be as disgusting as Don Imus, how can she rationalize comparing a white woman who never suffered under slavery to a woman show did? Any backlash on Hillary, or will the African-American community of Sharpton and Jackson ignore this?
San Francisco: Rudy Giuliani has some nerve claiming that a Republican president would anticipate and stop a terrorist attack. President Bush didn't anticipate or stop the anthrax attacks or the September 11 attacks.
Peter Baker: And yet another.
New York: It's astounding how the media is playing Reid's Iraq comments as somehow hurtful to the Democrats. Why don't the media elite actually get outside the beltway and talk to real people, or at least read the polls.
Annandale, Va.: How is the "Bomb Iran" controversy playing with Republicans? It might make them like McCain more.
Peter Baker: And one more. Lots of pols saying lots of things that have got people's juices flowing.
True or False?: I read in the Los Angeles Times that Rove is finally going to be investigated. I haven't scoured The Post yet -- is this true?
washingtonpost.com: Low-key office launches high-profile inquiry (Los Angeles Times, April 24)
Peter Baker: Actually, Scott Higham and Robert O'Harrow, two of our ace reporters who have been out front reporting on this story, wrote about the Office of Special Counsel investigation in yesterday's paper. We'll see if we can post a link.
washingtonpost.com: GSA Briefing Now Part Of Wider Investigation (Post, April 24)
Washington: Peter -- I hate to do this, but I'm going to ask one of those media bias questions. What excuse could there possibly be for Susan Schmidt and James V. Grimaldi to never use -- not once-- the word "Republican" in today's article about a "former Hill staffer" who is pleading guilty to accepting bribes. It's because of junk like this that the public (as opposed to us annoying partisans) comes away with the "everybody does it" belief. Grrr. This is a Republican scandal, and it should be reported as such. Period.
washingtonpost.com: Former Hill Staffer to Plead Guilty in Abramoff Probe (Post, April 24)
Peter Baker: Well, you'd have to ask them about that, but honestly I don't think there's been much confusion about the nature of the Jack Abramoff scandal and which congressmen have been most entwined in it.
Santa Fe, N.M.: Kucinich doesn't have a prayer of actually getting Cheney impeached -- but I applaud him for trying. How do you think the Cheney impeachment will play out?
Peter Baker: It's great grist for the party's base but there's no sign that it would actually go anywhere.
Santa Fe, N.M.: You mentioned that Democrats are in a "tizzy" over Giuliani's comments (basically saying voting for a Democrat is voting to have another 9/11). Shouldn't they be?
Peter Baker: Not for me to say. It's part of his standard stump speech and he's making the argument that policies Democrats have advocated would put the nation on "defense" instead of "offense" in the war on terror. Democrats this morning, including Barack Obama, say this amounts to fear mongering. Here's a sample of the back and forth:
Giuliani on the Democratic candidates: "If one of them gets elected, it sounds to me like we're going on the defense. We've got a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. We're going to wave the white flag there. We're going to try to cut back on the Patriot Act. We're going to cut back on electronic surveillance. We're going to cut back on interrogation. We're going to cut back, cut back, cut back, and we'll be back in our pre-September 11 mentality of being on defense."
Obama on Giuliani: "Rudy Giuliani today has taken the politics of fear to a new low and I believe Americans are ready to reject those kind of politics. America's mayor should know that when it comes to 9/11 and fighting terrorists, America is united. We know we can win this war based on shared purpose, not the same divisive politics that question your patriotism if you dare to question failed policies that have made us less secure."
Richmond, Va.: Every President elected in my lifetime has been an executive branch politician. The nominated "legislative branchers" -- Kerry and Dole come to mind immediately -- have flamed out badly in the general election. Are there any rumblings that this troubles the Democrats, seeing as how all three front-runners are Senators?
Peter Baker: You're absolutely right, of course, that no one has gone directly from the Senate to the White House since Jack Kennedy in 1960. The rest were all current or past vice presidents or governors. This election will challenge that, of course, since as you say all three top-tier Democratic candidates are current or past senators (as is John McCain on the Republican side). Running for president as a senator has the drawback of putting a long voting record on the table for dissection, distortion and debate. But it may be that governors or mayors have the drawback of not having as much experience in foreign policy and national security in a time when those issues are paramount. History is a guide but it doesn't necessarily mean it will repeat itself every time.
Los Gatos, Calif.: Good morning. If people are this agitated about the presidential election in April 2007, what are we in store for in the next 18 months? This is frightening.
Peter Baker: We're in for much, much more of the same, it seems. This is certainly the most intense a presidential campaign has gotten this early; at times, it has the feel of a campaign just a few weeks from the election. It may be, though, that there will be a period where it calms down later this year before intensifying again as the first caucuses and primaries near. Stay tuned, we're in for a heckuva ride.
Ames, Iowa: Thank you for speaking on our campus last week for the First Amendment Week festivities. Any farewell comments you'd like to make about former Prime Minister Yeltsin, who is being laid to rest today?
washingtonpost.com: Gun Salute as Russia Buries Yeltsin (Reuters, April 25)
Peter Baker: Thank you for the note, and for the invitation. I very much enjoyed the event at Iowa State University last week; it was a terrific crowd. As for Boris Yeltsin, he was a complex figure in a complex country, at once the hero on the tank who struck the death blow against the Soviet Union and at the same time the drunken, ill, sometimes oafish leader who presided over a period of chaos, crony capitalism, economic dislocation and vast corruption. In the West, we remember the man on the tank; in Russia, they remember the man on the sauce. And the different perspectives help us understand why Russia and America have a difficult time in their relationship even today.
Arlington, Va.: Peter, on the Zachares story, it is very clear that the man was a Republican. He worked for Don Young, a Republican from Alaska, and got a job through the Bush administration. I think the complainer, like a lot of us, just wants to get mad because a story isn't written exactly as he wishes. He/she should write his/her own blog and be done with it.
Peter Baker: Well, I think you're right that when we're mad about an issue, we often wish a news article were written more to reflect our strong feelings. That's what columns, letters to the editor and now blogs are good for, to let us express those passions.
Rockville, Md.: Not my candidate but ... "We know we can win this war based on shared purpose..." If we are not united after the next election, we will not win anything ever again. Oversimplification has ruined the debate we should have had or be having doing now. "He lied and people died" is a prime example.
Peter Baker: Thanks for the comment.
Arlington, Va.: Considering this administration's track record with military issues (poorly equipped troops, extended tours, the stop-loss order, the Walter Reed fiasco, this terrible Pat Tillman story, etc.), how long can the Republican Party continue to portray Democrats as the ones not supporting the troops? Has there been any slide in military support of the Republicans?
washingtonpost.com: Panel Vows to Pursue Tillman Case (Post, April 25)
Peter Baker: I haven't seen any polling among members of the military lately, but certainly a significant part of the high-ranking military establishment has increasingly voiced its dissent, most recently retired Marine Gen. John Sheehan, who turned down feelers to become the war czar for the White House. How that sentiment represents the broader military I'm not sure.
Cincinnati: As a practicing Catholic who generally votes Republican, I feel too much is made of the evangelical vote and not enough of the Catholic vote -- they make up at least 20 percent of the population. That said, I think we Catholics have a tough choice. We're pro-life and oppose same-sex unions, which rules out such nominal Catholics as Giuliani, and all of the Democratic candidates. On the other hand, I appreciate candidates who --like John Edwards (despite his haircut!) advocate a social justice program. Where to turn?
Peter Baker: Well, for Catholics as for many voters, no single candidate may represent the full spectrum of positions they might want. Elections often come down to picking the candidate who comes closest to your highest values, rather than someone who agrees with everything you believe.
State of Denial: Breaking news -- House panel votes to grant immunity to Gonzales aide Monica Goodling. In practical terms, this is not good for Monica's boss, right?
Peter Baker: Probably not. Even if she doesn't have information that's damaging to Attorney General Al Gonzales, it will keep the issue on the forefront when she testifies, and it's clear Gonzales and the White House were hoping this would just start to fade away after his own testimony.
House panel votes to give Gonzales aide immunity in prosecutors' firings
EDS: ADDS 3 grafs to UPDATE with Republican comment.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A House committee voted Wednesday to grant immunity to Monica Goodling, a key aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales during the firings of eight U.S. attorneys. She had refused to testify, invoking her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.
The 32-6 vote by the House Judiciary Committee surpassed the two-thirds majority required to grant a witness immunity from prosecution. A separate vote to authorize a subpoena for Goodling passed by voice vote.
Democrats said the votes were necessary tools to force into the open the story of why the prosecutors were fired and whether they were singled out to influence corruption cases.
The votes instruct a House lawyer to seek an immunity grant from a federal court. The grant would not take effect unless Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., chooses to issue Goodling a subpoena compelling her to testify, Conyers said.
Washington: I heard on NPR this morning that Jim Gilmore is announcing for the presidency. That made me chuckle. What does he think he can bring to the race?
Peter Baker: At the moment, he brings an asterisk in the polls. I ran into Governor Gilmore at a Republican cattle call in Iowa this month and he said no one should underestimate him. He then gave a speech portraying himself as the true conservative in the race, as opposed to the frontrunners, whom he belittled as "Rudy McRomney." But he didn't exactly set the room on fire.
Washington: Regarding Zachares, as far as identifying him by party, isn't there always a risk not necessarily being correct when staffers are concerned? When I worked on the Hill I was never actually a registered Republican, even though my senator was. If my name had come up in some news story, it would have been inaccurate to identify me as such. Sure, I worked for and campaigned for Republicans, but I never actually was one.
Peter Baker: You raise a good point. The important thing, presumably, would be to identify for whom a staffer worked.
Washington: Without having heard Hillary's Tubman comment (full disclosure), the obvious difference with Imus would seem to be that Clinton was holding up Harriet Tubman as a figure of admiration and emulation whereas Imus was using the Rutgers women as objects of denigration.
Peter Baker: I'm afraid I haven't heard the comments either, but I'll post this to give another viewpoint.
Woonsocket, R.I.: Not to keep picking at a sore spot, but since a major GOP talking point about the Abramoff scandal was "He donated to Democrats too" (a point which received considerable play in the media), it shouldn't be taken for granted that everyone knows that the staffer was a Republican. Journalists do have a tendency to assume a level of knowledge on the part of their readership that may not be there, in some cases! Political junkies who participate in chats like these are the exception, not the rule. Perhaps The Post should do some surveys to determine how well informed their readers are -- not just people on the Hill, but those across the nation.
Peter Baker: I understand your point, but I don't think the involvement of Democrats has received disproportionate play in the media. The stories have tracked the events -- when a congressman or an aide or a lobbyist is indicted or convicted or forced to resign, there's a story. So far, that's been people like Jack Abramoff, Mike Scanlon, Bob Ney, Tom DeLay, Susan Ralston and so on. And any story of any consequence on Abramoff has made clear he was a Republican lobbyist.
re: Yeltsin: I will never forget waking up by chance at about 3 a.m. one day and turning on CNN hoping to be lulled back to sleep -- only to see live video of tanks barreling down a big street and an announcer saying these Soviet tanks were headed for the "White House" ... (which was apparently the name of the building). A very surreal moment, as I had no idea I was seeing Russia and not Washington!
Peter Baker: Yes, in Moscow, the White House was the parliament building at the time (today it's the headquarters of the prime minister). It's a much more massive (and ugly) building than our own White House.
Raleigh is right: Bill Richardson has separated himself from the second tier -- he's somewhere between the top three and the others. I don't know if this shows up in polling, but if you look at reports, perception and his staff, he is clearly not in the same basket as Biden/Dodd/Kucinich. The question is where does he go from here -- the role of "not Clinton or Obama" is already filled by Edwards, and it's too much to hope that the top three all burn out.
Peter Baker: That may be, though I'm sure Senators Dodd and Biden would disagree. We'll see. Thanks for posting.
Re: "Buying the War": Bill Moyers will have a program tonight on PBS about how the media helped to "sell" the Iraq war. This isn't the first time this criticism has been leveled, and I was wondering whether you and your colleagues at The Washington Post have talked about your role in that "sale" and what safeguards might be in place now to try to "never do it again"?
Peter Baker: I was overseas during the buildup to the war, so I wasn't involved in the coverage of the administration and the arguments at the time. But the paper has written about this issue extensively, particularly Howard Kurtz, our media writer.
Money as a Benchmark: Just curious -- is there any evidence that correlates the voting patterns of contributors to presidential campaigns to those of non-contributors? In other words, if a candidate successfully gets contributors to support him/her, does it necessarily mean that voters in general also will be supportive?
Peter Baker: I haven't seen any empirical studies on that. I think it's probably more intuitive -- if Candidate X gets 100,000 to crack open their checkbook compared to 50,000 for Candidate Y, it indicates a certain level of enthusiasm that would be helpful in terms of the energy and work required to make a campaign successful. It's also a line of argument for Candidate X, whether it turns out to be true in the long run or not. I'm guessing Howard Dean had an impressive list of contributors but in the end couldn't translate it into the Democratic nomination.
re: Cincinnati.: I am Catholic also, but I have a question that I hope you can answer. How does same-sex marriage affect you personally? I mean, it is not like they are asking to be married in the Church. They are just asking for the same rights as any other heterosexual couple gets. You do not need to be in their bedroom and they do not want to be in your bedroom either.
Peter Baker: Some comments for Cincinnati. I'll post a few.
Los Angeles: To the comment about the Catholic voter. Even though I am not Catholic, I am a Christian and I know that when you cast a vote, there never will be a perfect candidate to vote for. However, I would hope that a person would consider what each party stands for and the candidate and how they would help or hurt the country as a whole instead of just picking out a few issues that are in disagreement with yours.
Alexandria, Va.: On Yeltsin's funeral, it looked like it was a religious ceremony -- is that the case, and if so, when was the last time a Russian leader had a religious funeral?
Peter Baker: Yes, he lay in state at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow as part of a full Orthodox Christian burial ceremony. Our successor in Moscow, Peter Finn, reports this is the first such burial for a Russian leader since Czar Alexander III in 1894.
washingtonpost.com: A Final Farewell as Yeltsin is Laid to Rest (Post, April 25)
Pittsburgh: Is there anything you and your wife miss about living in Russia? I'd like to visit but it sounds like a scary place.
Peter Baker: We do miss living in Russia, actually. It's a fascinating, complex, dynamic society with a rich history, literature and culture. Moscow is more livable than ever; something like 400 new restaurants open every year, you can see world-class music performed at the Conservatory for two or three bucks, some of the best museums in the world are there. And let's face it, it's an important story right now.
Boston, Mass.: The comment, according to the NY Daily News: "This reminds me of one of my favorite American heroines, Harriet Tubman," the senator told 1,800 cheering supporters when her mike was restored.
" 'She made it to freedom after having been a slave and she got to New York and she could have been so happy ... but she kept going back down South to bring other freed slaves to freedom.
" 'And she used to say, "No matter what happens, keep going," ' Hillary Clinton said. 'So we're going to keep going until we take back the White House!' "
I shudder to think what would happen if public figures are not ever allowed to invoke heroes from history in speeches.
Peter Baker: Thanks for passing this along.
Vienna, Va.: Good morning, Peter: Dan Froomkin had a link to Henry Waxman's letter to Andrew Card yesterday, requesting his voluntary testimony regarding lax treatment of classified information by White House staff, and the apparent stonewalling by the White House Security Office of legal oversight by other agencies. I wonder if you would comment on this and whether you think this will gain traction as an important issue -- or are there too many other issues (Gonzales, the Surge, etc) dominating journalistic attention these days for that to happen?
washingtonpost.com: Committee to Consider Four Subpoenas to Further Investigations (Oversight Committee, April 25)
Peter Baker: Chairman Waxman's letter made some interesting allegations but was fairly vague and unsupported so we'll have to watch to see if his investigation turns up more concrete information. As you note, there are a lot of issues to follow these days. Elizabeth Williamson wrote a fascinating piece on the front page of today's Post about the proliferation of Democratic investigations of various issues and the hiring of so many more investigators.
Clifton, Va.: Are the Dems worried that a combination of a Supremes decision on the Second Amendment and the shootings a Virginia Tech may make gun control an issue in 2008? The ACLU and far-left seem to want to ban all guns -- especially handguns, like the U.K.! Nothing will get out the bubba vote quicker than if you try to take away our guns! I don't own any guns but I seriously am considering buying several before my psych records get on the database! H&K Mark 21 etc. The ACLU and far-left haven't told us how they will collect all the illegal guns! Try to get mine!
Peter Baker: There doesn't seem to be much indication that gun control or gun rights will play a major role in the 2008 election despite the Virginia Tech shootings and the appeals court decision on the D.C. gun ban. That may change, of course, but the Democrats don't seem that eager to make a big push on gun control and the Republicans currently have a frontrunner in Rudy Giuliani who's on record as supporting gun control.
New York: Not sure if you are a "Daily Show" fan, but Stewart's interview last night with John McCain was in my view one of the best. Stewart asked hard questions and refused to take the usual spin as an answer. I have to ask, what does this say about the current state of journalism when we turn to comedians to conduct the most thorough interviews?
washingtonpost.com: Video: The Daily Show With John McCain (The Daily Show, April 24)
Peter Baker: There are lots of good questioners in journalism. I'll take Tim Russert over any comer any day of the week.
Atlanta: Good Morning, Peter. I went to dig out my old copy of "The Best and the Brightest" by David Halberstam and could not find it. So, I go to Barnes and Noble the Web site to purchase and found this under Critic Reviews: "For anyone who aspires to a position of national leadership, no matter the circumstances of his or her birth, this book should be mandatory reading. And anyone who feels a need, as a confused former prisoner of war once felt the need, for insights into how a great and good nation can lose a war and see its worthy purposes and principles destroyed by self-delusion can do no better than to read and reread David Halberstam's The Best and the Brightest." -- John McCain
Because it's been at least 25 years since I read this book, am I "mis-remembering" that it is about the screw-ups and dishonesty and poor decision making on the part of Kennedy's, then Johnson's Cabinet in the Vietnam War? If that's the case, doesn't it make anyone wonder what McCain has to say about this now, considering he is supporting the same type of people and circumstances that got us in to Iraq? Do you think maybe one of you folks could ask him sometime? Seems like he really didn't learn much from the book.
Peter Baker: That's fascinating, isn't it? I'm sure that's an issue Senator McCain will be addressing in some form or another during this campaign -- how does he see the lessons of Vietnam in terms of the current war? He has a powerful perspective as a former POW, but as you say, many Americans are looking at Iraq these days through the lens of the failed venture in Vietnam. Both President Bush and Senator Reid invoked Vietnam just the other day in their debate over funding for the Iraq war. So I imagine we'll see more discussion of Vietnam and its echoes today.
Atlanta: Gonzales vs. Rumsfeld? I can never figure out why the administration appeared to bow to pressure and got rid of Donald Rumsfeld in such a hurried manner -- the day after the elections and a week short of his being the longest-serving Secretary of Defense. I would have thought the administration would have been every bit as stubborn and contemptuous as they are over the calls for Gonzales to resign. What do you think is different between the two cases?
Peter Baker: In fact, President Bush resisted getting rid of Secretary Rumsfeld for many months, refusing to do it during moments when a lot of people were calling for his head and choosing to do it on his own timing. The same may happen with Attorney General Gonzales; the president may refuse to succumb to pressure now, when the heat is on, and then we may see Gonzales ease out sometime down the road.
washingtonpost.com: Revival of Oversight Role Sought (Post, April 25)
Peter Baker: Here's Elizabeth's story.
Bethesda, Md.: FYI, the national ACLU is neutral on the subject of gun control. I doubt they are teaming up with this group "far left" to raid private homes collecting guns. I for one feel much safer that the previous chatter is going to go on a gun buying spree, however.
Peter Baker: Thanks for posting.
Peter Baker: Thanks everyone for the great questions today. Wish we had more time as always. Have a great day and tune in again tomorrow.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Ask Tom
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In a city loaded with diverse restaurants, from New American chic and upscale Italian to sandwich shops and burritos on the run, finding the best places to eat can be a real puzzle. Where's the best restaurant for a first date or an anniversary? Father's Day? What's the best burger joint? Who has the best service?
Ask Tom. Tom Sietsema, The Washington Post's food critic, is on hand Wednesdays at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions, listen to your suggestions and even entertain your complaints about Washington dining. Sietsema, a veteran food writer, has sampled the wares and worked as a critic in Washington, Seattle, San Francisco and Milwaukee, and can talk restaurants with the best of 'em. You can access his Postcards from Tom to read his recommendations for other cities, read his dining column, First Bite and the Dish or read transcripts of previous "Ask Tom" chats. Tom's Sunday magazine reviews, as well as his "Ask Tom" column, are available early on the Web.
Tom Sietsema: IT'S OFFICIAL: The Majestic (911 King St., Alexandria) officially reopens to the general public May 1, and chef Cathal Armstrong and company have some neat tricks up their sleeves for the Old Town favorite, formerly known as the Majestic Cafe and shuttered all winter.
Fans of the previous restaurant's wonderful, old-fashioned layer cakes can return for more of the same, but now those desserts will be joined by nostalgia-inducing ice box cakes. The forthcoming restaurant will also be serving Caesar salads, tossed tableside; $9 cocktails designed by ace mixologist Todd Thrasher; and build-your-own hot dogs.
There's more: The end of the week will toast Armstrong's Irish mother with a family-style dinner -- say, whole roast chicken, multiple sides and a whole pie, intended to be shared by everyone at the table. "Nana's Sunday Dinner," the new owners are calling the meal. The price: $68 for a party of four. "Two can have it," says co-owner Meshelle Armstrong, "they will just have leftovers." Reservations can be made by calling 703-837-09117 ...
BITTERSWEET NEWS: Tonight, veteran pastry chef Ann Amernick plans to announce her retirement from day-to-day involvement at her roost for the past seven years -- Palena in Cleveland Park -- at a book party celebrating the publication of her latest creation, The Art of the Dessert.
"I've been doing this since 1976," she told me this morning. "I want to step back on a high note."
Amernick made a name for herself at the late Big Cheese in Georgetown and went on to make sweets for Jean-Louis at the Watergate and the White House, among other well-known addresses. The pastry chef says she will remain a co-owner of Palena, along with chef Frank Ruta, and (whew!) continue to make the buttery caramels that have long been her signature.
LOOKING AHEAD: There's a new face in the kitchen at Zola (800 F St. NW), where Jose Lopez-Picazo was named chef de cuisine earlier this week. Lopez-Picazo, a native of Spain and a veteran of Jaleo in Washington, most recently cooked at Kyma on the Annapolis waterfront.
Diners can expect a fresh menu at the modern American restaurant in about 45 days, according to Dan Mesches, the president of Star Restaurant Group, which owns Zola as well as Indigo Landing in Alexandria.
It's a busy, busy day in Food Land. Good morning, everyone.
I've heard there are great sushi and dim sum places in Rockville. Any recommendations for somewhere near Bethesda?
Tom Sietsema: The best sushi in Bethesda is at Raku. As for dim sum, I'll have to throw your question to the crowd gathered here.
washingtonpost.com: Review of Raku in Bethesda.
Silver Spring, Md.: To last week's chatter looking for good chocolate milkshakes: The Potbelly's Sandwich Works (small chain) makes wonderful shakes! They are so thick that you have a hard time getting at them through the straw. Also, it's been a while: but, I think I remember Johnnie Rocket's having good (old-fashioned) shakes, too... Oh, and both places have Malts, as well!
Tom Sietsema: A recent dining companion of mine (Hi, Maddy!) offers yet another source: Ben's Chili Bowl on U St. NW
I'm wondering how you would handle this situation:
I went to lunch at Ted's Montana Grill (not my choice )recently with about 7 co-workers. While there I got a good view of both sides of the server/guest equation. Several in the group ordered the short ribs and, after specifically asking, were told that it was a big, filling meal. When it came, the portions were tiny. There was a lot of grumbling at the table that must have been overheard by the waiter because he, without being specifically asked, brought each one another portion of the ribs. I thought that was a nice thing to do. It certainly made everybody happy.
However, at the same time, another of the guests found a small piece of bone in his freshly ground bison burger. This just really set him off. Without first bringing the specific problem to the waiter's attention, he immediately asked to speak to the manager. When the waiter responded with, "Let me get him. Is there a problem?" The guest responded with "The problem is that your manager isn't here yet."
Two things really bugged me about this. First, I think that in a case like this the diner should bring the problem to the waiter's attention first. Part of the waiter's job is to make the guest happy. Give him a chance to do that, especially with a waiter who has already proved that he will address guest complaints. If there is still a problem, then you get the manager. Second, it is FRESH GROUND meat. A small piece of bone isn't that big of a deal. Do you send back chicken noodle soup if you find a bone in it? A fish fillet with a stray bone? No.
What are your thoughts on this? I was really embarrassed to be there and felt bad for the waiter.
By the way, the manager seemed very surprised by the complaint, but he did comp the burger.
Tom Sietsema: I'm with you: Give the server a chance to remedy the problem first and if he or she can't, THEN ask for a manager.
Your co-worker sounds like a boor, by the way. A bit of bone should not be the end of the world.
Arlington, Va.: Hi Tom: Have you seen, or better yet, eaten any rhubarb dishes at area restaurants yet this spring? If so, where should I go?!!
Tom Sietsema: I'm a HUGE rhubarb fan, but I have yet to see it outside of the produce aisle. Sightings in restaurants, anyone?
Thanks for doing this chat session. One quick question can you recommend a place around the chevy chase area for a graduation party - about 100- 125 people.
Tom Sietsema: Whoa! In other words, you want to take over a restaurant? What's your budget? Your food preference?
Petworth, D.C. : Good morning, Tom--Kudos on the "First Bite" series. What I like most about the series is that there is no star system. LA Weekly's Jonathan Gold makes a good point when he says that he feels less confined in his reviews b/c he does not use a star system.
Considering that nearly every one of your reviews is 2 or 2.5 stars, do you ever consider getting rid of it? Is that a brass editorial or the reviewer's decision?
Tom Sietsema: It was my decision to award stars, but the rating system was obviously approved by my editors here.
Stars are something I take seriously; while they have their drawbacks, they also help keep a critic honest and provide readers with an immediate sense of where a place fits in. (Or so I hope.)
Indian food: Any recommendations for casual Indian food in the District? I love Bombay Club and Rasika, but am looking for some simple when I want to get a quick fix. Bonus points if you know any good South Indian places!
Tom Sietsema: Nirvana's daily-changing lunch buffet frequently features south Indian flavors.
Cap Hill, Washington, D.C.: Solid celeb sighting at dinner on Friday night -- Bill Paxton (Big Love, Apollo 13, Weird Science, etc) at Central. Pretty unnoticed, I guess because the place is so darn trendy. The waitress did not seem to know who he was.
I know many celebrities had the rubber chicken at the Hilton Saturday night, but maybe you want to ask chatters who they saw and where all weekend long?
Tom Sietsema: I was at a soup kitchen yesterday morning, and I was chatting up a volunteer who was cutting up strawberries for a fruit bowl. She told me she had worked at Miriam's Kitchen in Foggy Bottom for about a year, ever since she strolled past the address on her way to work and wondered about the long lines of people out front every weekday.
I wasn't wearing my glasses and I hadn't drunk any coffee, but the volunteer with the baseball cap looked really, really familiar. Nice to meet you, Karen Hughes!
Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.: On your recommendation we went to Frasca in Boulder CO several weeks ago and found it definitely worthy of your praise -- excellent and imaginative food and fine service. Keep up the good work.
Tom Sietsema:"Worth the drive (from Denver)," as they say.
Captiol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Tom,
I'm graduating from grad school next month and have been lucky enough to snag reservations at The Charleston in Baltimore for a celebratory dinner with the parents and girlfriend. Even more lucky because I wont be paying for it. However, I'm a little confused about how the restaurant works. Is it all tasting menu or are there a la carte choice as well. Also any impressions of the food there? Thanks
Tom Sietsema: Lucky, lucky you. Charleston is a luxe experience.
Bethesda, Md.: Tom, I'm very excited to be going to Restaurant Eve's Tasting Room soon. It appears from the website that if I choose the 5-course menu, which I plan to do, I'll have choices for each course. Is that correct? I ask because I'm pregnant, so am slightly restricted in what I'm supposed to eat. I don't want to make a big deal of it; as long as I have a choice and can ask a few questions it will be fine. Or do I need to call the restaurant ahead of time and tell them specifically what I can't eat?
Tom Sietsema: Yep, there are choices for each course. While the kitchen is pretty accommodating about special requests, it wouldn't hurt to call a day ahead of your reservation to declare any verboten ingredients.
Quick and inexpensive Indian fix: Naan and Beyond at 1710 L St.
ps. love the chats and the redesigned food section!
Tom Sietsema: Naan & Beyond gets a vote of confidence from me, too.
I'll pass your compliments on to the Post's new food editor, Joe Yonan.
NW Washington, D.C.: Aside from Palena, is there any restaurant on Connecticut Ave north of Dupont worth eating at?
Tom Sietsema: Sure! Lavendou, Ardeo, Spices ...
Arlington, Va.: Hi Tom -- Submitting early while the question is on my mind: I am looking for restaurants in DC and/or VA that have 'kitchen view' seating -- that is, you can sit at a bar/counter and watch the kitchen while the chefs cook as you dine -- or an open kitchen area that you can observe while dining at your table. I have been to Harry's Tap Room in Arlington and Cafe Atlantico in DC; are there any other restaurants (price not an issue) with this kind of atmosphere? I find it alot of fun and I am planning a date with a fellow foodie (we both love watching chefs do their magic!). Thanks!
Tom Sietsema: Places that come to mind include Central, Olives, Rasika (well, you can see the barbecue and grill), Corduroy (if you opt for the bar), Curry Club ...
Washington, D.C.: Can you help with a question about handicapped access to private rooms in a DC fine dining restaurant. Need space for 12-15; one person in a scooter. Can find restaurant accessible places galore, but not with accessible private rooms. Please, please help. It's a special dinner and we want things to be really nice. Thanks to anyone who can help.
Tom Sietsema: You'll want to investigate in person, just to make sure, but I'm thinking you might try Charlie Palmer Steak, Equinox's wine room, Bombay Club, Occidental, maybe Vidalia.
Washington, D.C: Haven't been to Rockville branch, but Annandale A&J is first rate dim sum.
Tom Sietsema: I always wish they would open a branch in DC!
Shepherd Park, Washington, D.C.: Tom,
We're attending a 7:30 concert at the National Geographic headquarters (17th and M Street) Friday evening. Where would you recommend we go afterwards for a late dinner?
Tom Sietsema: How late is late? Within walking distance, your best options are probably the Tabard Inn, Sushi Taro and Hank's Oyster Bar -- but you better call ahead to see when they accept their last customers.
Annapolis, Md.: A friend and I tried one of the restaurants you recommended in your fall dining guide. After waiting for twenty minutes or more for a menu, the owner answered our request for some water with a roll of the eyes. It occurred to me that the restaurant possibly did not want to expand its reach beyond the regular neighborhood crowd. Just made me wonder if you've come across circumstances in which restaurants you've reviewed did not want the publicity.
Tom Sietsema: HA! I've NEVER come across a Washington restaurant that didn't want some ink! I think you might have caught said owner on a bad day (and are you SURE it was the owner)?
Put the fork down and type: Tom! What are you doing, multitasking? Pay attention to us!
Tom Sietsema: Sorry, I got side-tracked there ... rough day!
I think using the star system to review restaurants in this case gives occasion to generalize. When I read reviews in order to consider a restaurant, I want specifics - specifics that will help launch me into the visuals, the tastes, the smells, the attitude of a dining experience. Stars do not help me achieve this. The time where the star system might be helpful or instrumental would be in the case of the Michelin star-rating guide - and this is because not all restaurants even receive stars. The ones that do already fall into a certain class or space of dining establishments - and thus the stars help to distinguish the top performers from the lot of defined best restaurants. The boundaries are already clearly established. When one awards stars to all or many restaurants, the meaning and the parameters of the stars becomes diluted.
If one is interested in employing a rating system to help users gain an at-a-glance perspective for restaurant reviews, I think that the Zagat dining guide offers a guideline (ranging in the 20s) that is essentially useful. Allotting 1 to 5 stars for a restaurant doesn't do enough to differentiate all the 2 or 2-1/2 star places from each other. Then, I am back at square one.
Thanks for letting me share my perspective.
Tom Sietsema: Thanks for sharing your thoughts. But you know what? I've never, ever heard anyone throw out a Zagat number when discussing a Zagat-rated restaurant. (It's true.)
Arlington, Va.: Re viewing the chef at work - Bazin's on Church in Vienna has 3 seats at the bar for this.
Tom Sietsema: Of course! I was mentally looking around the landscape and forgot Vienna.
Seems like the chat is chugging along very slowly. Is it me, or are there some technical difficulties? This is what makes my Wednesday! Help!
Tom Sietsema: This is what happens when I'm reporting til 10:54 a.m. and haven't logged on the day before! My apologies. But real life intervened.
Washington, D.C.: Vidalia has huge stairs at the entrance, not handicapped accessible.
Tom Sietsema: Bt I think it has an elevator.
Easton, Md.: Enjoyed your review of Restaurant Local. I will be in the vicinity on a girlfriend getaway next weekend. We would love a nice meal, and Local sounds great, but is it too 'fancy'? If so, is there something a little more casual you recommend in the area? We are young-ish and just want to relax and hang out together-- it's not a "special occasion" which is how it is described in the Post description above the review.
Tom Sietsema: I've seen people of all ages, and in all manner of dress, at Restaurant Local. I think you'd have fun there. Another option is the tendy Italian restaurant nearby, Scossa.
washingtonpost.com: Review of Restaurant Local.
Downtown Washington, D.C.: I've been on the road quite a bit lately, and was really surprised to walk past Red Sage late last week and find it closed. You've probably discussed this in my absence, but if you don't mind repeating, I'd love to hear what's behind the closure. Thanks!
Tom Sietsema: Here's the scoop:
washingtonpost.com: Food Flash: Red Sage Closure.
Zola people, if you're reading: Please add some more vegetarian options to the menu. I was there last week and ended up getting a combo of sides (ugh) and the brussel sprouts came with bacon on them! Help a veggie girl out, people.
Tom Sietsema: Consider your wish delivered.
Milk Shaker's Heights, D.C.: Potbelly? Johnny Rockets? Yuck. Trio's restaurant on 17th and Q makes real milk shakes, served in with the leftovers in a tin cup, the way shakes were meant to be served, and it's not a loathsome chain. Added plus -- non-shakers can have access to the full bar, and sit outside and watch the always amusing show.
Tom Sietsema: Please note: I wasn't pushing those as my choices, but simply relaying tips from some readers.
Arlington, Va.: Thanks for these chats. A friend and I were discussing whether you get reimbursed for the meals you eat at the restaurants you review. I seem to recall you mentioning in earlier chats that you paid for your own meals. My friend says I'm remembering wrong and that you must be reimbursed by the Post. Can you clarify? Thank you!
Tom Sietsema: The Post pays for all the meals I eat in conjunction with my Magazine reviews and for a part of what I consume for my Postcards in the Travel section.
Washington, D.C.: Tom -- I finally made it to the "new" Oyamel last night and loved the experience. The new space just seems like a much better fit with the concept, and the food is back to what it was when the original Crystal City location first opened. In fact, I found the whole experience "transporting," to use your word, like being back in Mexico and experiencing some of the flavors of true Mexican cooking for the first time. I never got this feeling in the former, warehouse-like, location of Oyamel or at Andale, the Mexican restaurant that formerly occupied the current Oyamel space. What do you think of the reincarnated Oyamel? If you could pick Jose Andres next "small plates" project, what cuisine would you like to see?
Tom Sietsema: I actually enjoyed the original Oyamel quite a bit, but I think the relocated restaurant's city location is going to be more of a success.
I can't imagine Mr. Andres tackling another small plates concept at the moment -- he has that new hotel project in Los Angeles to keep him busy right now -- but I'd love to see SOMEONE do dim sum well around here.
washingtonpost.com: First Bite of Oyamel.
Washington, D.C.: Today's "Ask Tom" in the printed section of the Post included a question about gourmet vegetarian options in the metro area. A growing number of Washingtonians are opting for vegetarian foods, and countless area eateries are responding to this increase in demand.
One of my favorite resources for finding veg-friendly fare in and around the area is www.VegDC.com. You can also request a free printed version to carry around with you for when you're not at a computer.
Tom Sietsema: Thanks for the resource.
I've got a new one for our list of pet peeves. My dining companion often hunches over his cup of coffee, but at two different restaurants in Clarendon, he's had servers come up under his chin and start pouring a refill. It's startling and intrusive, and he usually didn't want a refill yet. How would you handle that? Usually he just looks startled as he backs away from the cup, then says thanks.
Tom Sietsema: They "come up from under his chin" with a pot of hot java?I smell a lawsuit in the making!
News on the new Majestic?: It's still closed and so tightly sealed we can't even peep around the paper in the windows. Any news on an opening date? And any chance they'll keep the old "picnic on a plate" on the menu?
I'll trade you news for news: two blocks up King, in a space that's been a revolving door for a few years, we now have Leyla's. Really nice, homey Lebanese, great for the neighborhood. Hope they survive!
Tom Sietsema: I've eaten there. I agree with you that the fresh face is friendly.
I'm confused. Do you like Mar de Plata? And, can I get a two-fer? Have you or anyone gotten the Bebo sandwiches delivered to downtown? Every time I've eaten at Galileo, I was waiting, waiting, waiting between courses. Fine when it's night and there's wine to be had, but bad when I'm coordinating a lunch delivery for my hungry coworkers. Any experiences out there?
Tom Sietsema: Mar de Plata has some fine-tuning to do. I'm not a fan of the newcomer. Yet. (Gosh, that wasn't clear?)
As for sandwiches from Bebo, I've not experienced them yet. Has anyone here? Kindly give us the scoop.
washingtonpost.com: First Bite of Mar de Plata.
Ohio: RE: Person with bone in Bison-burger. There are many people who have a problem with finding such articles in their food. First, they may have an innate texture problem and can only deal with mouth-feel of food which is expected of said food.
Then, with the finding of the bone fragment, they might have had concern of ingesting bone fragments which, they felt, may cause problems. I am acquainted with such folks, their concerns are real, they are paying, so humor 'em.
Tom Sietsema: Consider 'em humored!
Thanks for being patient with me today, folks. I hope to get to more of your questions and comments next Wednesday. Over 'n' out for today!
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PBS Frontline: 'Hot Politics'
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Frontline's " Hot Politics" airs Tuesday, April 24, at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).
Amos covers Iraq for NPR News. Her reports can be heard on NPR's award-winning Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Knoxville, Tenn.: Thanks for discussing this important issue. Why did you feel it important to include the comment by Frederick Seitz about scientists being 93 percent Democrats, which seemed to go unchallenged? While Mr. Seitz was working for R.J. Reynolds in 1989, the CEO of R.J. Reynolds, William Hobbs, concluded that "Dr. Seitz is quite elderly and not sufficiently rational to offer advice" (from a RJR memo). Is Mr. Seitz representative of most global warming skeptics? Thank you.
Deborah Amos: Frederick Seitz was very influential in the 1990's - as the head of one of the premier science establishments in the US - his opinions were noted. I didn't challenge his claims on science party affiliation - I assumed that the audience would see his logic and judge for themselves.
Bogota, Colombia: This month, upon initiative of the U.K., the U.N. Security Council discussed for the first time the security implications of global warming. Some countries would like to see action by the S.C., which would require a previous determination that global warming constitutes "a threat to peace and security," while others (G-77) would like to continue to treat it as a development problem only. Given the U.S. stand on global warming, one would have thought that putting this issue on the S.C.'s platter would not have been in the interest of the U.S. Any thoughts on why the U.S. allowed this Security Council discussion to go ahead?
Deborah Amos: there appears to be a changing attitude about the topic. I listened to a news conference when the topic was introduced at the UN -- and many reporters asked the question you posed -- why would the US want this to go forward? The answer from officials was -- well, they did.
Sen. Chuck Hagel, one of the sponsors of the non-binding resolutions on Kyoto, now wants a National Intelligence Estimate on climate change.
Houston: Ms. Amos: Based on what you know about the candidates for the 2008 Presidential Election, is there any one candidate who stands out for his or her commitment to reducing this country's greenhouse emissions to pre-1990 levels? Is there one candidate who truly understands the significance of this issue and is not just paying political lip service to it? Thank you.
Deborah Amos: I don't have a favorite -- but I think it's important that the public and the media are sure of each candidate's position -- and in the next presidential debates -- this has to be a topic
Houston: The far right has successfully cast this debate in terms of "it's warming" versus "no, it isn't." Isn't it more accurate to say we should change the debate to discuss if we humans are having a negative effect? After all, nearly no reputable scientists argue the fact of global warming. What should be discussed are the origins and implications.
Deborah Amos: Have a look at the U.N. panel report ... the human impact is pretty clear. I think the discussion is going to move toward solutions.
Uppsala, Sweden: Isn't it all in the end a lifestyle and culture matter we have to deal with? Today it's like standing at the bridge at Titanic and seeing the iceberg get under the bow ... you know there will be problems but you don't know yet what the problems will be. The speed was the problem to start with, so economic exponential growth as we in our culture see it is to blame. In the end the only thing that would seem to be a hope for a future, is a $500/barrel oil price this year...
Deborah Amos: we have some serious thinking to do on the issue of "lifestyle" -- for example, many Americans commute to work. They could do more to reduce a carbon footprint by eliminating the commute rather than refitting the light bulbs. We don't have to sit in the dark to address the problem, but we do have to rethink "lifestyle" choices.
Rockville, Md.: Is there room in the debate for more than two positions. I see lots of "it is warmer" and fewer "it is not warmer" and none of my position -- "it is warmer and that may be good"? I think we need more than one question to examine and my question would be: What are the factors involved in warming and cooling that will decide the benefits and cost of a warmer Earth? Even at this "late date" I am not convinced that we have a complete and full list. By the by -- I'm a retired science librarian with education in physics, engineering and mathematics and a Ph.D. in library science. I am not a paid employee of anyone.
Deborah Amos: we decided early on in the production of "Hot Politics" that we would stay away from the "science" of global warming ... and so I don't want to get into science arguments, however, the recent Newsweek has a very good spread of articles about the winners and the losers of a warmer planet. It appears there will be some winners -- beach front property in the Baltics, for example. But the losers are a worry because there are national security implications in a world that is dryer and hotter.
Detroit: I understand the difficulty some people have comprehending the consequences and the rate of global warming. What I don't understand is some people's unwillingness to accept what all respected scientists are saying on the subject. To what do you account, in particular, Sen. Inhofe's almost emotional denial of its existence ("greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people")?
Deborah Amos: Senator Inhofe views are a puzzle. He does have a very emotional approach to this topic rather than a logical one.
Bethesda, Md.: Do you see a way in which conservatives could embrace the issue of global warming? A few (like Newt Gingrich) have done so, but most conservatives whose voices are heard in the media seem to belong to the camp of denial and delay.
Deborah Amos: more and more conservatives have embraced the "earth stewardship" argument. Conservation is a conservative concept.
Ossian, Ind.: Your PBS program was highly enlightening. It seems to me that as some lobbyists and politicians soften their stance as skeptics, others have not, i.e. Inhofe. What do you see as the political/societal/ecological ramifications of maintaining strident (and influential) skepticism? It concerns me that the skeptics may have done too good of a job in convincing a significant portion of the public.
Deborah Amos: As Barbara Boxer said in her remarks to Senator Inhofe on the day that corporate American came to capital hill -- "elections have consequences"
Seminole, Fla.: Sen. Warner startled me with his comment " now you have my attention" when corporate leaders were calling for action. What do you think we must do to get and sustain the attention of the government and this administration so that they finally take some action?
Deborah Amos: Perhaps if global warming becomes an issue in the next presidential elections -- that will galvanize thinking.
Rockville, Md.: For years I have proposed moving workers closer to work, moving work closer to workers, or moving both to be closer to each other. Not only do I get no agreement, but I don't even get seen in print (online) very often. So, I said, how about tax incentives for closer moves if it reduces commuting to work? This is a difficult subject to get people aware of and lots of resistance to even considering it. I got lots of anger from people who thought I wanted them to move to Washington. (My situation? In 2004 I moved to a metro stop and only have driven one day a week ever since. I try to do what I say.)
Deborah Amos: At a screening for "Hot Politics" last night, one environment reporter pointed out to the audience that a 20 mile a day difference in commuting would make a big difference in carbon emissions -- but Americans haven't taken this on board yet. I live in New York -- and mayor Bloomberg has set out an aggressive policy by proposing a congestion tax for the city of New York. Let's see what happens.
Elkins Park, Pa.: One of the extraordinary political initiatives under way is the actions of many governors and mayors throughout the country to establish global warming policies in spite of the lack of leadership at the federal level. What difference do you think these efforts by states and cities can make without a strong national effort in significantly reducing carbon emissions? Do these local initiatives take the Bush administration off the hook or add pressure to act?
Deborah Amos: The state initiatives are important -- California also took the lead in the 1970's in stepping out ahead of the federal government in environmental legislation. The business community is well aware of the prospect of 50 different sets of regulations -- which is why some have been pushing for federal regulations.
Bethesda, Md.: Hi Deborah. I really enjoyed the program last night and found the investigative reporting to be top-notch. I'm wondering what your opinion is on the plans to build additional nuclear reactors when there is still no firm plan for what to do with the already-in-existence spent fuel from currently operating reactors? Also, do you think the U.S. can meet future energy needs and reduce the impacts on global warming without using nuclear?
Deborah Amos: Nuclear is certainly on the table -- but there are key questions to answer: Will the American public support it? Can nuclear power plants come on fast enough to fill the energy gap? Are they safe? Those are pretty big questions.
St. Simons Island, Ga.: The political dividing line in the debate on global warming (or climate change to use the neutral term) is very clear: to remedy the cause of global warming will require a massive shift of power from the private to the public sector. Skeptics (including many libertarians) may believe in good faith that global warming is simply an excuse to make the shift; cynics (including, perhaps, the big oil companies) may simply not want to relinquish the power regardless of the consequences. In my view, the real debate isn't about global warming per se but the remedy to combat it. Until those who want to adopt government-mandated remedies are willing to compromise with those who want to adopt market-based remedies, nothing of consequence will happen.
Deborah Amos: There are some compromises already. Opinion is moving as the science becomes clearer.
Freising, Germany: I was surprised to read on your online interview with Newt Gingrich that some people in the States had considered the Kyoto Treaty as being anti-American. Gingrich mentioned carbon sequestration by farmers and by forests as being hurtful to America and helpful to Europe. But if this was such a large obstacle, then I'm surprised that the U.S. didn't fight, together with signatories Russia and Canada -- both of which have huge tracks of forests and farms -- to have sequestration included in the treaty.
washingtonpost.com: Extended interview with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (Frontline, Feb. 15)
Deborah Amos: There are many in the U.S. who believe that the treaty was "anti-American" -- not all of them republicans
Washington: Fantastic piece, Ms. Amos. I work on global warming issues and you captured the issue and politics quite well. As a former low-level Clinton administration person, I have to take some exception with Eileen Claussen's criticism of the administration not submitting the Kyoto Protocol for ratification before the Senate. It didn't have any chance of passing, and Clinton's political capital after the Lewinsky scandal was quite low. I wish they had submitted it and fought for its passage, but I also can understand thinking it would be better to wait until after the election, which we all hoped Gore would win. (Oh wait he did.)
Also, on the BTU tax, Ms. Claussen (I think) also seemed to imply that it didn't pass Congress because of a lack of political will by the Clinton administration. Hard to say -- the Clintons really really wanted health care reform, and that failed. I think a better explanation is political naivety during the first two years of the Clinton administration when Arkansas friends were advising and not Washington insiders who could have crafted a better win strategy for the BTU tax. Thanks again for a thoughtful piece. I'm glad Reilly and Whitman were willing to be interviewed -- especially Whitman!
Deborah Amos: Thanks for your insights on the Clinton administration.
Arlington, Va.: I was disappointed in this report. You didn't talk about the big split in the environmental community over whether or not to turn to nuclear power to deal with this problem, and I would have liked to have the coal industry give more of their point of view. Pictures of windmills and solar panels is great, but something is going to have to power electricity grid at night -- a period of very high demand in for air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. The environmental concerns on dirty and polluting batteries also was neglected.
Deborah Amos: You can't do everything in an hour. We decided early on to focus on the politics.
Ottawa, Canada: You seem to be pessimistic about any change in U.S. policy while the Bush administration is in office. Given the weakened political state of president, is it not possible that he could surprise everyone and change course? Perhaps this is one area where his legacy can be improved.
Deborah Amos: There is some legislation moving thru Congress -- but most experts I talk to say that 2008-2009 is when there will be concrete policies.
Higganum, Conn.: What a fantastic show. I assigned it as extra credit for my eighth-graders, hope that some of them watched and wrote about your show. Do you know of any scientific studies that were done that attempted to disprove that humans directly have impacted the degree of climate change that we are going to experience?
Deborah Amos: Have a look at the IPCC report -- a comprehensive look at the state of the science today.
Columbia, S.C.: The program last evening was outstanding! The program was quite balanced and thought-provoking. How were you able to gather all the major "players" for the program?
Deborah Amos: We just kept calling them -- for 8 months!
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Washington Post staff writer Barry Svrluga was online Wednesday, April 25, at 1 p.m. ET to take your questions and comments about the 2007 Nationals.
Svrluga covers the Nationals beat for The Post and writes the Nationals Journal blog for washingtonpost.com. He's also the author of "National Pastime: Sports, Politics, and the Return of Baseball to Washington, D.C."
Barry Svrluga: Greetings from Philadelphia, City of Brotherly Love (which means, I guess, brotherly love translates to booing and heckling your local teams at the top of your lungs).
John Patterson vs. Jon Lieber tonight. I find each of Patterson's starts intriguing, and tonight is no different. I remember that guy from August '05, striking out 13 Los Angeles Dodgers. I know Patterson believes he's still that guy, but he is preaching patience as he regains his arm strength. Tonight is the next step.
For you chatters who are not avid readers of "Nationals Journal," (which is linked above), well, first, shame on you. Second, check out an entry from yesterday about former Nationals. I put up some stats of almost everybody who's gone from the 2005 and '06 teams and asked people who they missed and who they liked the most of the new arrivals. An interesting discussion. You might enjoy it.
Okay, on to your questions.
He's like a puppy, see, only more useful: In 6.1 innings pitched over five games, Saul Rivera's got an ERA of 0. He's given up four hits, he's walked one, and he's struck out six. If I promise to feed and walk him myself, can we keep him? He's doing rather well, and it would be a shame to see him sent down when he's pitching better than just about anyone else on the staff.
Barry Svrluga: Except did you see the second pitch he threw last night? Aaron Rowand did, and he crushed it for a game-tying homer.
The club likes Rivera. He earned a lot of respect last season when he posted a 3.43 ERA over 54 appearances. But there are going to be tough choices when Ray King returns from the disabled list. As Jim Bowden likes to say, "The players will decide who stays," and he's right. By Friday, when King can return, we'll know more about who's performing well and who isn't.
Alexandria, Va.: Is Ryan Zimmerman just pressing in a attempt to try to do too much? He, at times, this young season has looked lost both at the plate and in the field.
PS--Is Manny still giving that great charismatic smile he showed all through Spring Training?
Barry Svrluga: I think it's a legitimate question, and -- warning: another plug for "Nationals Journal" upcoming -- as I just wrote in a Journal post, he is getting a little frustrated because he's hitting balls hard and is getting few results. Happened twice last night. I think there was a time when he was swinging at more bad pitches than he should have, but he's past that now. I expect him to break out soon and have a rather hot streak.
The fielding, I agree, is worrisome. It is one of his strongest suits, something he can bring everyday. Again, I think he has the kind of makeup that it won't be a long-standing problem, but he hasn't lived up to his own standard in that regard over the last week or so.
Acta: He's still got that smile. We see it more in the afternoon than late at night, though, after some of these games.
Manny's explanation for Fick's non-hustle:"The other play was a bunt play where he probably thought that a throw was going to first base or whatever."
I'm sorry, Barry, but I don't buy that for a minute. What if the throw was bad or the first baseman drops it? The need to hustle was always there. There are several other explanations I could understand, but not that one. Fick's screwup could have potentially cost the ballgame.
Barry Svrluga: I don't think Acta is trying to downplay Fick's jogging to first on a bunt play over the weekend in Florida (a play that ended up as a double play). I think his point is this: On Ryan Church's grounder to first on Sunday, there is no other outcome possible. You have to run hard, because the defense has only one play -- at first, to get you. On Fick's play, he froze (admittedly), and Acta believed that because the normal play would be to throw to first, Fick's lack of a sprint was more normal.
Not to say it was a good play by Fick, which it wasn't. He knows it, and he knew it immediately. I'm just reporting what the manager said about the difference between the two.
I think the entire Nationals marketing department should be fired! First of all, their entire marketing campaign for this year seems to center around the idea that "if you don't buy tickets to see this miserable team in 2007, you won't get good seats at the new stadium for 2008." People resent that kind of coercive effort, and based on early attendance figures, it clearly hasn't worked! On top of that, I got numerous e-mails during the offseason saying that if I bought a ticket plan for 2007, I would get a free Nationals "W" cap! Don't these people realize that EVERY Nationals fan already has a "W" cap?! And why would a $25 gift offer induce me to spend thousands of dollars to see a bad team??? I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
Barry Svrluga: I'm just here to pass on the thoughts of fans like you to any of those front office types who might read these kinds of things.
Reston, Va.: Is morale going to be a problem for the better players as the loses pile up? I sense the problems in the field with Zimmerman and in the pen with Chad stem from frustration and lack of focus possible caused by a sense of hopelessness.
Barry Svrluga: I actually don't think there's a sense of hopelessness at all right now, which is weird to say for a team that (ahem) is on pace to win 48 games (that's with one eighth of the season already gone). Here's why: They've been competitive for the most part since that absolutely horrific start. Yes, there will be games like Sunday's, which was 12-2 until Zimmerman's late grand slam.
But I do think it will be interesting to chart how different guys handle the grind of what could/will be a very long season. All that stuff reveals character, and who can handle different situations. If, say, Austin Kearns is still hustling after every ball and positioning himself well on defense and running out every grounder in August -- as he is now -- we'll know that the Nationals have signed a hard-nosed, no-BS guy for the next few years. It'll be fascinating to watch.
washingtonpost.com: Nationals Journal: Your "Where Are They Now?" Entry
Washington, D.C.: Your quote from John Patterson saying "My thought when that ball fell in was: I can't catch a break." after giving up a bloop single to Jimmy Rollins was very telling. He seems to constantly have something go wrong that he cannot get over. If he's not perfect (in his mind) all bets are off on his performance. What can the Nationals do about Patterson's psyche?
Barry Svrluga: Patterson's psyche is another reason I think this team is quite interesting. Patterson is extremely analytical. He knows his velocity is down. He's frustrated that that's the case. He knows he's still building arm strength. He doesn't want to go out there and be less than the pitcher he knows he was/is. But he also believes that positive thinking is all that will get him through this rough stretch.
The Nationals have talked to Patterson about his reaction to things like the bloop double from Rollins on the mound. He knows there's nothing he can do to prevent something that's already happened. Still, truly putting it behind him is another matter. That's why I look forward to each of his starts, because I think it's a great study in the mental and physical dynamics that make up elite athletes.
Metro Centro (D.C.): Lugey: Do you think Kasten and the Lerners would even WANT a surprisingly good team this year (i.e. first half Nats of '05)?
Barry Svrluga: Oh, I think they'd love that, because it would put more people into RFK, would allow them to say, "Look, we're further along than expected," etc.
Phillies Fan in D.C.: Sorry Barry, but "City of Brotherly Love" really translates to "loving your team so much that you have to express your displeasure when they are not performing at an expected level." We're not all foaming-at-the-mouth lunatics.
Barry Svrluga: Duly noted. And I do think this whole thing is about expectations -- expectations created by one leadoff hitter/shortstop (not to mention a starting rotation so deep that one of the seven or eight best starters in the NL East was dumped to the bullpen).
Rockville, Md.: Barry: Is it possible the naysayers who said Washington wasn't a baseball town were right? The novelty of having baseball back seems to have worn off pretty quickly. Not only are the stands empty, but I have been to bars where the TV is not tuned to the Nats, and there seems to be no real buzz about the team.
Barry Svrluga: Again, yet another fascinating topic surrounding this team. I was surprised, in the responses to that Journal post yesterday about who readers liked among the new additions, some of the errors that were made. Someone really liked "Felix Lopez," etc.
Is this a baseball town? I suspect it is, because there is a high-income, educated base here. Does that mean that the baseball lovers are focused completely on the Nationals? Perhaps not. They go to see good games, and they'll get into the team as it gets better, but spending three hours a night with a team that's 6-14 might not be everybody's first choice.
That said, I'll revert to my standard answer with these types of questions: This season, because of the Lerner/Kasten rebuilding plan that has led to a losing product on the field for 2007, isn't likely a true indicator of whether DC is a baseball town. I think the same is true for 2008, when the new park will be open, and there should/will be some curiosity factor that drives attendance up. The key year for this franchise -- and DC as a baseball town -- is 2009, when the novelty of the new park has worn off, and the product should be more competitive.
Anchorage, Alaska: Hey there Barry...
Regarding "Great Expectations" (that is, John Patterson)...
Not being a medical or athletic professional, I don't have a way to evaluate the whole arm strength issue... but Patterson seems to have a lot more excuses than answers about his recent starts... and admittedly I am only getting my information from what I read online in "The Washington Post" and other sources (that pale by comparison).
Do you have a sense of what part of his struggles are related to rehabilitation of the arm, and which are attitude problems? While this might not be fair, I was sure hoping that he was the part of the rotation that we could count on every fifth day... Fortunately, Hill and Bergmann have stepped up and shown something as of late.
Barry Svrluga: I do not think they are "attitude problems" in terms of not trying or working or caring or any of that. Patterson is in excellent physical shape and really, really puts a lot into each start.
There could be a mental part of it, though, that pitching coach Randy St. Claire has pointed to from time to time. Is Patterson mentally letting himself drive to the plate and throw with his full effort? Or his he subconsciously holding back a bit because he's worried about the elbow, etc.? I asked Patterson last week about this, and he said he felt he was allowing himself to give maximum effort. "I'm grunting and everything," he said. And even as St. Claire believes there might be a mental aspect to it, too, he also absolutely believes Patterson is building arm strength after essentially missing all of 2006.
While you have Stan's ear....: Barry, have you ever asked Kasten about the ushers, ticket fiasco, higher prices and worse service for concessions or any of the other really awful off-the-field approaches they're taking this year to the fans? I'm a huge fan, but at Bowie they at least pretend to appreciate my business after the check clears. Does Stan care at all how disgusted how many fans are with the entire ballgame experience this year?
Barry Svrluga: Oh, he cares. He cares. And yes, I ask him about this stuff all the time. More than he'd want me to, I suppose.
Whether all those things improve over time -- or, ideally, instantly -- will go a long way toward determining whether Kasten and the Lerners can deliver on their promise/pledge to have the best customer experience possible, regardless of the product on the field.
Ellicott City, Md.: I'm beginning to wonder if Schneider is the answer at catcher for the next several years. I believe he recently signed a several-year contract, but he's currently hitting below his actual weight (after a mostly subpar offensive year in 2006), and I believe has thrown out a low percentage of runners trying to steal both this year and last. Perhaps Flores should get a longer look this year? Any other viable catching prospects in the organization?
Barry Svrluga: This is a very good question. First off, Schneider knows he's not performing as he should offensively. I talked to him a while yesterday afternoon, and he understands a .169 average (as he had yesterday afternoon, before his two-out RBI single) isn't going to cut it. He has to get back to allowing the ball to travel in to him rather than lunging for it and rolling it over to the right side.
As for throwing out runners, most of the blame the Nationals put on this problem is on the pitching staff. I understand that it's not a popular answer for the problem, and the number -- as I've talked to Schneider about time and again over the past three years -- is always going to be attached to him. But look at it this way: Schneider finally threw out a runner over the weekend. It was Hanley Ramirez, one of the fastest guys in the division. The pitcher on the mound at the time: Chad Cordero, one of the Nationals' quickest in delivering the ball to the plate. Had Jesus Colome or John Patterson been on the mound, Schneider could have made the same throw, and Ramirez would have been safe. It's a complex equation.
Flores: I asked Acta yesterday if Flores had earned the right to have more of a look, not just because he drilled a couple of doubles on Sunday when he gave Schneider a rest, but because he had handled himself so well at the plate, laying off some breaking stuff and drawing walks, a very mature approach. Acta said he stands by Schneider as his every day guy -- and yes, he's signed through 2009 -- but that Flores has "more trust" now, and could be used as a late double switch option or as a right-handed pinch hitter.
Last part of a long-winded answer: Schneider would like to stay here, and there's no talk of trading him now. But keep in mind that he has a clause in his contract that if he gets traded, the team he goes to must pay him a $500,000 bonus.
Park Avenue, N.Y.: Barry --
Have you heard anything from Kasten or Lerner in reaction to the Forbes MLB Team Valuations, which claim that the team made $20 million in profit last year?
I suspect I know what they'd say, but it's worth asking, at least.
Barry Svrluga: Not specifically on that. But I will say they have pledged to not take "a dime" (their words) from the team in profit for the first 10 years. In other words, if they made $20 million, they're soaking that back into the club in some way shape or form.
Silver Spring, Md.: Barry, do you think we're seeing the low point of Nats performance right now? Can we expect it to not get worse or even (gulp) improve when the injured staples return, the team gels, the pitchers improve, etc.?
Barry Svrluga: I gotta think the low point was the 1-8 start. Since then, 5-6 and much more competitive -- even with three losses in a row.
Washington, D.C.: Given Chad's ineffectiveness thus far, is there any market out there for him anymore? Since we are tooling along at a .300 clip, I wouldn't be averse to trading him for more arms. Thoughts?
Barry Svrluga: This is an interesting and important question for the first half of the season. I'm not sure whether Cordero's recent performances have "scared" would-be buyers or not. His stuff is the same -- it's not like his velocity is down or he's a different pitcher. The popular in-house theory is that he's "pitching backwards," relying too much on his breaking stuff (slider) and falling behind in the count, then getting hit hard when he has to come back in. He also has a slight mechanical flaw right now that is causing his fastball to tail back over the plate, but it's been identified and they're trying to fix it.
Would a buying team like Cordero to pitch better? Sure. But I'm not sure there's anything fundamentally different about his physical makeup than there was in the spring or last year. I think everyone -- whether it's the Nationals or a team that would like to trade for him -- would like Cordero to get back to relying more on spotting his fastball with precision. The results, everyone seems to believe, will follow from there.
Between writing daily stories about the team, being a "go-between" with cranky fans, and so on, how do you keep your mental perspective of your role? It sounds like you talk to team execs a lot. While you conspicuously avoid writing opinions in your WaPo work, do you share them with team execs? Boz? Jorge?
Barry Svrluga: I don't have any opinions about this team.
Do I talk to team execs a lot? Ask them. But the answer is yes. That's my job. Sometimes, I call them to inquire about things. Sometimes, they call me to inquire about why I wrote something a certain way, etc. Constant, constant give and take. Part of the job.
My job is not to express opinions in my stories. That is left for Boz and columnists. There is an analytical part of the job, one that allows me to present evidence from stats or interviews or anything to build a case for why something happened. And there is an entertainment aspect, too, because we do, after all, want people to read the stories and come away with a good understanding of the game, but also enjoy them. But in general, the job is to present both sides of whatever the issue of the day is.
Take last night. Bergmann came out after 87 pitches and six innings. Why? My job is to ask Acta, ask Bergmann, ask the Phillies (or, in this case, have the always helpful Dave Sheinin duck into the Philly locker room to bounce it off a few guys) and report back what everyone said. Hopefully it's done in a way that both informs and entertains.
I'll leave the opinions to Boz, though.
Weather.com: While the team hasn't been worth the ticket prices so far, a great evening at the park with a team that tries hard is still worth the trip. EXCEPT in 30-40 weather. It's easy to look at the poor attendance so far, but I think you have to discount them (across the league) based on the first couple series being played in (outdoor) hockey conditions.
Barry Svrluga: I absolutely agree that the weather contributed to those sparse crowds early on. It'll be interesting to see what the Mets bring in over this upcoming weekend, particularly if the conditions are good.
Also: This is a really horrible part of the Nationals schedule. Twenty-one of 28 games on the road, and bizarre things like three days in Florida, off day, three days in Philly, three days at home -- and then a 10-day trip to San Diego, Chicago and Milwaukee. The club will be very happy when May is over.
16th and M: One of the worst traits a coach or GM can have is the urge to reunite with every Tom, Dick and Harry from a previous stop, especially if the team in question wasn't doing anything to begin with. For example, former Caps coach Ron Wilson thought things would be hunky dory if every bum that played for him in Anaheim wore a Caps sweater. A couple of seasons later, he was fired.
I'm noticing the same disturbing trend with Bowden. We already have three ex-Reds (Kearns, Lopez and Wagner), and Wily Mo Pena isn't far behind. Kearns is a solid everyday player, but Lopez is questionable in the field and Wagner stinks. How can we get Jim to stop raiding old Cincinnati teams that didn't go anywhere themselves?
Barry Svrluga: There was a time when I thought this was true about Bowden, but I've kind of changed my mind. I think it's hard to question the Kearns/Lopez/Wagner trade with Cincinnati, even if Wagner is currently struggling. Gary Majewski is currently in Class AAA with an 8 ERA. Bill Bray hasn't pitched this year because of a sprained or broken finger (I forget which). And Royce Clayton is playing for Toronto, not the Blue Jays.
Basically, the trade has turned out to be what Bowden said it would be -- two middle relievers for two every day players that could be part of the future.
Also: I disagree that Wily Mo Pena is far behind. I think there's a faction in the Nats offices that believes Pena strikes out too much. Let me put it this way: If Pena ends up with Washington, I believe it would be as part of a package deal, not one-for-one. And another thing to consider: Now that Jonathan Papelbon has re-embraced the closer's role with the Red Sox, Boston doesn't exactly need Cordero like they once did.
Chevy Chase, D.C.: Okay Barry. What is your answer to your own question at the Journal? Who do you miss the most? What acquisition do you like the most? What is your undo?
Are you surprised by the love being shown to Jamey Carroll?
Barry Svrluga: Ah, touche, Chevy Chase. Thanks for asking.
We'll start at the bottom. No, I'm not surprised at the love being shown for Jamey Carroll, because Frank Robinson was effusive in his praise for his ability to get the most out of his ... well, limited abilities, and his willingness to stay prepared every day. That said, I don't think his loss had as big an impact on the overall team as some people seem to think.
Two guys I miss the most -- and this is not to say that I think the deals were wrong -- are Livan Hernandez and Jose Guillen. I loved watching Livo pitch, even if he was getting torched or his knee was bothering him. I loved the flair he showed when fielding a grounder. Does it make sense to give him up for two young pitchers? Given the state of this franchise, sure.
Guillen: Let's be clear. His welcome in the Nationals clubhouse had long since worn off. But he was liable to say/do anything on any given day, and that added some intrigue. Remember, this is a writer talking, not a teammate, so I don't think they SHOULD have kept him. I'm just saying there's an odd reason I miss him.
Undo: Uh, hmmmm, well, given the state of the pitching staff, maybe not pushing Darrell Rasner off the 40-man roster to make room for (and I'm 90 percent sure this was the move) Matt LeCroy. Two asides: One, if that hadn't happened, I would never have met LeCroy, and he's one of the most genuine, down-to-earth, funniest guys in the game, I have to think. And I'm not even saying that Rasner (who was in the Yankees beat-up rotation until recently) would be a world beater here. I just think that for a franchise that so desperately needs pitching, it'd be nice to keep those arms around.
Park Avenue, N.Y.: If they're not taking "a dime," then Kasten, Lerner and all their family members who work in the front office are doing it for free or for reasonable wages?
Barry Svrluga: Don't mean that. Mean that they're not taking it as pure profit and, say, building a back deck on their house.
(Remember, this is what they have said, not what I'm saying.)
Silver Spring, Md.: Thanks for the chat today, and please keep plugging Nationals Journal.
I confess I'm one of those -- and I suspect there are many -- who haven't had it near the top of their bookmarks, because of some hazy notion that it was just a spring training thing. Of course it's not that at all, and it's nice to be able to see your insights on a daily basis. Keep it up!
Barry Svrluga: Silver Spring, you are kind. Please keep chiming in.
Lompoc, Calif.: I've read that Ryan Church has "improved" in center field.
Do you think that he's actually better out there, or is it just spin?
When Logan comes back, does Church move to LF and Snelling to the bench?
Barry Svrluga: I don't think it's just spin. Let's be clear, though: Church doesn't get to as many balls as Logan does. In fact, few people do. But what he has done better is make catches of the balls that he gets to (though he barely allowed Aaron Rowand's RBI double to fall in last night after he took a long run). Because he plays so deep (which allows him to get balls over his head), he lets balls fall in front of him. But has he improved? Yes, I think he has.
And yes: When Logan comes back, I expect Church in left and Snelling on the bench.
Thanks for doing these things, they are really great!
When is it that Jerome Williams is demoted or put into the bullpen? He has been terrible in each of his outings. Is there really a threat that another team will claim him off of waivers? And if he goes down, who is most likely to come up? Hanrahan? Simontacchi (if he's better by then)? or could maybe Billy Traber be the guy (lefty with not bad stuff, outdueled Smoltzy once)?
Barry Svrluga: Good question. There will be a limited amount of patience with Williams, without question. And your guesses about who might come up are good ones. Simontacchi is going to pitch five innings for Class AAA Columbus on Friday, and Bowden said the club will then evaluate whether he needs one more minor league start before he comes to the big leagues. (He's been out with a strained groin.) The club, though, seems inclined to find a spot for him. "Jason knows how to pitch," Bowden said yesterday.
Hanrahan would be the next target. He threw five innings of two-hit ball the other day, left with a small groin problem that the club doesn't seem worried about. Learning to better control his breaking stuff within the strike zone. I'd expect to see him at some point.
Traber: Being used out of the pen in Columbus. And actually, it was Tom Glavine that he out-dueled last year.
Washington, D.C.: Barry: How close do you get to the team when it is on the road? I am assuming that The Post does not provide you with your own Lear Jet. Are you on the same flights? Do you stay at the same hotels? Have a nightcap in the same spots?
Barry Svrluga: No, not on the same flights. They charter immediately after games, and it's not practical (because I'm writing after games) nor ethically right (because I shouldn't be sharing flights with the guys I cover) to take those same planes. Occasionally, I'll be in the same hotel as the team, but generally not. And if I stumble across a National or two at the same nightcap spot, I generally try to let them have their space.
Washington, D.C.: Okay, thanks for that Belliard experiment, he has obviously reverted to his career average. Can we now please put someone with good career OBP in the 2 hole? I recommend Kearns. He isn't hitting for any power anyway and he's probably a faster runner than Belliard. If you prefer a lefty, use Church. If Acta puts Guzman at the top of the order, I think I'll puke.
Barry Svrluga: I might ask about this today, but I think Acta is inclined to keep Church down in the order, both because he's having success there and because he has a little pop -- nine doubles and three homers.
I would expect, though, that when Guzman comes back -- probably next week some time -- he'll stick right in that second slot, with Lopez moving back to second base. But that hasn't been determined absolutely yet. Acta is going to have some decisions to make.
Old Town, Alexandria: Would the Nats ever consider moving someone else into the closer role? It doesn't seem like Cordero is fooling anyone. Some of the starting pitchers are working their tails off to keep the lead late in a game only to watch Mr. Silly Looking Hat give up hit after hit.
Barry Svrluga: No, right now, I don't think that's an option. And just for fun, let's look at Cordero's April 2006, when he gave up homers in three consecutive outings. Are the problems worse now? Yes. But this team needs to get Chad Cordero back to being himself -- whether it's because he's part of the future here, or because another team really wants to trade for him. They won't do that by making him a setup guy.
Phillies fan in Reston,: No, the expectations on the Phillies are due to missing out on postseason play by a combined 3 games over the last two seasons.
Both of which, you can point to slow starts in April as to where those games were dropped. A third consecutive poor opening fortnight has folks looking a three-peat heartbreak in late September.
That and the first MLB team to 10,000 loses is looming large.
Barry Svrluga: Also a good point.
Vienna, Va.: Is Jim Bowden in trouble with Stan? Nobody can be impressed with what he went out and got this winter at SS or starting pitching.
Barry Svrluga: Hmmmm. If you want to lay the Guzman contract on Bowden, that's fair game. But because Guzman was coming back and Lopez was in house, they didn't consider shortstop an area in need of addressing. Starting pitching: They simply weren't going to pay the going rate for mediocre pitchers, leaving them with a rotation in which the highest paid player (Patterson) makes $850,000. No, Bowden is not in trouble with Kasten for any of that, because it in fact fits in with Kasten's long-term plan.
There's always next season.: Barry, you're the biggest rock star to hit D.C. since Barack Obama took over for the campaign trail.
But my question is this: In the past, we've seen that some members of the Nats clubhouse (read: Jose Guillen) took issue with Ryan Church's attitude, and some said he was a rookie trying to act like a veteran. Given Sunday's benching of Church for "not hustling," are we seeing a recurrence of these attitude problems? What's the dynamic like between him and the rest of the team?
Barry Svrluga: I am thinking of running in 2012, but don't tell anyone yet. Just an exploratory committee at this point.
Church: I don't think anyone has a problem with Church. He is producing. He screwed up on Sunday. He acknowledged it. Everybody's moved on. Yes, he knows people have questioned him in the past, and it frustrates him. But I think he's decided the best way to quiet critics -- or even perceived critics -- is to produce. He is doing that.
Barry Svrluga: Folks, there's a few more questions, but I have to log off and depart for the ballpark. Another game awaits.
Thanks very much for your time and your thoughtful questions, and let's make a point to meet back here each Wednesday. Oh, and keep reading the Journal.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Washington Post staff writer Barry Svrluga takes your questions and comments about the Nationals.
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Cardio vs. Weights: The Battle Is Over
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Among the fitness questions we receive, some are perennial favorites. Like this one: Which is better for scorching up calories: cardio workouts or weight training?
The short answer is -- you're not going to like this -- you need to do both. Quit your groaning. It's not as hard as it seems. But first, an explanation.
"The calorie-burning debate gets complicated quickly," says Miriam Nelson, author of "Strong Women Stay Slim" and director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tufts University. "You are probably burning more calories when you are actually moving a heavy weight than when you are doing aerobic exercise. But you are taking breaks, so over 30 minutes the actual number of calories burned doing strength training will be less."
Time factors into the contest another way, too: "You are limited in the amount of strength training you can do," says Nelson, a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. The ACSM advises you weight-train no more than two to three times per week, to give the body time to repair microscopic muscle tears produced by training that are key to gaining strength. "But you can do cardiovascular exercise every day," Nelson says.
"Ideally, you want a combination of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise and moderate-intensity strength training. But if vigorous aerobic exercise and vigorous weight training went head-to-head for calories burned, vigorous aerobic exercise would win."
Nelson's call is supported by the ponderously named "Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide." The guide is used by the ACSM and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among other august authorities, to classify hundreds of physical activities by energy expenditure. The expenditure is measured in METs, or metabolic equivalents. The more METs an activity requires, the harder the activity and the more calories burned.
Doing circuit training (a series of exercises using different muscle groups, with minimal rest in between) requires eight METs, the same as running at a speed of 5 mph. To increase to 6 mph (a 10-minute-mile pace), you need 10 METs. Heavy weight lifting, by contrast, requires only six METs; light weight lifting, three. In other words, you have to work very hard at a non-cardiovascular exercise such as weight lifting to get to the same MET level reached by less-intense cardiovascular exercise. And only cardio will take you into the highest calorie-burning realm.
However, says Nelson, the cardio-vs.-strength debate overlooks two factors that are key to weight loss and weight maintenance. One is calorie intake. You can burn as many calories as you like with exercise, but if you eat them back, you won't lose weight. "Most people will eat to compensate for calories burned unless they are very careful."
The second factor, Nelson says: "All movement matters. It is the total volume of exercise over the day that is most important. Both planned exercise and lifestyle activities count." So you can't take just one dose of exercise and do whatever you want for the other 23 hours.
To combine cardio and strength training, you can either look at your week or your workout as a place to mix it up. If you exercise six days a week, you could use three days for 60-minute cardio workouts and three days for 30 minutes of cardio plus 30 minutes of strength training. Or you could order the combo platter.
If a new client wanting to lose weight came to Lance Breger, head trainer at Mint Fitness in Northwest Washington, he would recommend "circuit-style strength training" because it keeps the heart rate elevated, increases caloric afterburn and builds muscle. The exercises can be all strength exercises (switching muscle groups from chest to back or arms to legs) or a combination of strength and cardio exercises (a set of pull-downs followed by a lap around the track or three minutes on a bike).
Breger explains that a good program for general fitness involves a combination of cardio and strength. The bottom line for Breger is that "to burn more calories during exercise, you need to increase oxygen consumption [another measure of energy expenditure], which means you have to work harder."
So the debate is over. Shake hands, boys. It's a tie. Cardiovascular exercise and strength training can go have a small, low-fat, low-sugar, moderate-protein smoothie together and chuckle about the days when they were adversaries competing for our attention.
Laura S. Jones is a freelance writer living in Charlottesville. She is certified as a health fitness instructor by the American College of Sports Medicine. Comments:health@washpost.com.
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Among the fitness questions we receive, some are perennial favorites. Like this one: Which is better for scorching up calories: cardio workouts or weight training? The short answer is -- you're not going to like this -- you need to do both. Quit your groaning. It's not as hard as it seems. But f...
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Hill Subpoenas Approved for Rice, Other Bush Officials
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Lawmakers approved new subpoenas yesterday for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other Bush administration officials, part of an expanding legal battle between the Democratically controlled Congress and the administration over topics such as the firings of eight U.S. attorneys and flawed justifications for the war in Iraq.
The subpoena to Rice seeks to force her testimony about the claim that Iraq sought to import uranium from Niger for its nuclear weapons program. President Bush offered that as a key rationale for the war in his 2003 State of the Union address. It was approved by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, along party lines, 21 to 10.
The same panel also issued two subpoenas to the Republican National Committee for testimony and documents related to political presentations at the General Services Administration and the use of RNC e-mail accounts by White House aides, including presidential adviser Karl Rove.
The House Judiciary Committee voted 32 to 6 to grant limited immunity from prosecution to Monica M. Goodling, the former senior counselor and White House liaison for Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. She has invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to answer questions about her role in the prosecutor firings. The panel also authorized, but did not issue, a subpoena that would compel her to testify.
And finally in the Senate, the Judiciary Committee authorized a subpoena for Rove deputy Sara Taylor, whose name has appeared among thousands of pages of e-mails and other documents released by the Justice Department in the U.S. attorney firings.
The five subpoenas and related votes, approved over the course of two hours yesterday morning, provided fresh evidence of the remarkable change since Democrats took control of Congress in January. Congressional committees have approved or issued more than two dozen subpoenas, most of them related to the U.S. attorney firings.
"A subpoena is not a request; it's a demand for information," said Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House oversight committee that issued the bulk of yesterday's subpoenas. "They ought to understand it's no longer a request, it's no longer an option."
The White House signaled that it would continue to resist efforts to secure testimony from Rice, Rove and other aides. Spokesman Tony Fratto said that in Taylor's case, the committee should reconsider an earlier offer from the White House, which would allow aides to be interviewed without a transcript and not under oath.
The demand for Rice's testimony would put a spotlight on her role as national security adviser in promoting discredited administration claims that Saddam Hussein was pursuing a nuclear weapons program.
"There was one person in the White House who had primary responsibility to get the intelligence about Iraq right -- and that was Secretary Rice, who was then President Bush's national security adviser," Waxman said. "The American public was misled about the threat posed by Iraq, and this committee is going to do its part to find out why."
Rice was flying to Oslo for a meeting with NATO foreign ministers as the committee voted to issue the subpoena. "There is no need for Secretary Rice's testimony," Fratto said, "since the subjects about which the chairman says he wants to ask her have already been exhaustively investigated and addressed on the public record, including by Secretary Rice herself in connection with her confirmation as secretary of state."
He added, "There is a long-standing policy that senior advisers to the president, including the national security adviser, do not testimony before Congress."
A Democratic committee aide rejected that assertion, providing a lengthy list of White House aides, including chiefs of staffs, senior advisers and counsels, who provided testimony to the GOP-run committee during the Clinton administration. He said that if Rice defied the subpoena, the committee and then the full House could vote to find her in contempt before she could litigate a claim of executive privilege. The political costs of such a fight would be too great for Rice or the White House, he said.
Most of yesterday's subpoenas were linked at least tangentially to the U.S. attorney firings, which have sparked an uproar in Congress that has nearly cost Gonzales his job.
In his continuing bid to mend fences on Capitol Hill, Gonzales paid a visit yesterday to Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), who angrily took the Senate floor last month to say that the attorney general had lied to him about the removal of a U.S. attorney in Arkansas. Pryor said after the meeting that he told Gonzales it would be best for the Justice Department if he resigned.
Gonzales will appear again May 10 before the House Judiciary Committee, the panel announced yesterday. The committee's investigators hope that by that time, they will have secured an interview with Goodling.
"Ms. Goodling appears to be a key witness for us, as to any possible undue influence or improper interference, and as to any internal discussions as to how forthcoming to be to Congress," said Judiciary Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.).
Fratto and a Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on the grant of immunity to Goodling, who resigned her post earlier this month.
The office of Goodling's attorney, John Dowd, said he declined to comment.
More than half the Republicans on the House Judiciary panel voted to grant Goodling immunity. While he warned that the vote could have serious consequences, Rep. Lamar Smith (Tex.), the committee's ranking Republican, said "the public has a strong interest in knowing the truth in this situation and knowing it now."
Under the deal -- known in legal parlance as "limited-use immunity" -- Goodling could not be prosecuted for anything she truthfully tells Congress. Some Democrats have questioned whether prior testimony to Congress by some senior Justice officials, such as Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty, amounted to knowingly making false statements to Congress.
McNulty has acknowledged several misstatements in February testimony, blaming it on poor preparation by Goodling and other aides.
Staff writers Michael Abramowitz and Glenn Kessler contributed to this report.
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Lawmakers approved new subpoenas yesterday for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other Bush administration officials, part of an expanding legal battle between the Democratically controlled Congress and the administration over topics such as the firings of eight U.S. attorneys and flawed j...
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More GOP Senators Critical of Gonzales
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Despite vocal backing from President Bush, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales faced new doubts yesterday within his own party about whether he should stay on the job amid strong criticism about his handling of the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys.
Several Senate Republicans spoke out against Gonzales for the first time, voicing deep concerns about his performance before the Judiciary Committee last week. "I think there's a huge credibility issue at the Justice Department," said Sen. Norm Coleman (Minn.). "I continue, even after his testimony, to have grave doubts."
"I think the attorney general is on a tightrope, and he and the president need to make a decision before very long," said Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.).
On Monday, Bush said his confidence in Gonzales had grown after the attorney general's performance at the Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday. He repeated his support for the embattled Gonzales in an interview on public television's "Charlie Rose" show yesterday.
The continuing criticism of Gonzales from Republicans in the face of such support from Bush is unusual, but there were no new calls for the attorney general's resignation from prominent GOP lawmakers. Coleman noted that he is "walking up to the line" without calling for a resignation, a request that, he said, should come only from Bush.
Gonzales's testimony last week was meant to quell the furor surrounding the firings of the prosecutors last year. After a series of changing explanations that conflicted with information in thousands of pages of internal Justice Department documents, Republicans had hoped a strong performance by Gonzales would mute calls for his resignation. Instead, Republican criticism has grown.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) also said only Bush could demand a resignation. "It's his call," she said. "I don't think the attorney general has served the country or the president particularly well."
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For McCain, a Second Try at the White House
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PORTSMOUTH, N.H., April 25 -- Republican Sen. John McCain distanced himself from President Bush on a pair of key issues Wednesday as he launched his second campaign for the White House, calling on Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to resign and offering fresh criticism of the administration's handling of the war in Iraq.
After months of wooing Bush's allies to his campaign and serving as one of the most outspoken supporters of U.S. efforts in Iraq, McCain (Ariz.) used his announcement to draw distinctions from the Bush administration on the Iraq war, saying the United States "must never repeat" the mistakes made in the conflict.
And, in sharp contrast to the more conservative rhetoric he has favored recently, McCain called for a new spirit of "common sense" and bipartisanship to solve the nation's biggest challenges.
But it was later in the day that he made his sharpest departure from the White House, telling CNN's Larry King that Gonzales should go.
"I am very disappointed in his performance," McCain said when asked about the attorney general. "I think loyalty to the president should enter into his calculations." Prodded by King on whether Gonzales should resign, McCain responded: "I think that out of loyalty to the president that that would probably be the best thing that he could do."
McCain became the fourth Republican senator to ask for Gonzales's resignation, joining Tom Coburn (Okla.), Gordon Smith (Ore.) and John E. Sununu (N.H.). Many others have stopped short of demanding Gonzales's resignation but have said he is a liability to the administration, including Arlen Specter (Pa.), ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Asked about McCain's comments this evening, White House spokesman Tony Fratto reiterated the president's support for Gonzales. "Alberto Gonzalez is an effective attorney general and continues to have the president's full confidence," he said. "Under his leadership, the Justice Department has been very effective, keeping America safe, and we expect that to continue."
The decision to part ways with the White House on Gonzales took some of the focus away from McCain's announcement, even as, in a coincidence, the Supreme Court was hearing a challenge to the landmark campaign finance law bearing his name in Washington. In a conversation with reporters after his announcement but before the interview with King aired, McCain hinted that he might be pondering another break from Bush in the near future. When asked whether Gonzales should resign, he told reporters to ask again the next day because he didn't want to "step on today's story."
Dressed in a dark blue sweater under cloudy skies on the banks of the Piscataqua River, McCain kicked off his bid for the Republican nomination by saying he alone possesses the experience, maturity and seriousness to be president in a time of war and domestic uncertainty.
"Americans are acutely aware of our problems, and their patience is at an end for politicians who value incumbency over principle and for partisanship that is less a contest of ideas than an uncivil brawl over the spoils of power," McCain told hundreds gathered in Prescott Park. "I want my presidency to be an opportunity -- an opportunity to fix what we all know needs to be fixed."
McCain is hoping the announcement tour that began with two appearances in New Hampshire -- the home of the nation's first primary -- and continues through South Carolina, Iowa, Nevada and Arizona will invigorate a campaign that has been struggling since it began. He raised almost $13 million in the first quarter of the year, which would have seemed princely four years ago but trailed the money raised by top presidential contenders from both parties this time.
His attempts to create a sense of inevitability around his campaign have been derailed by former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who leads the GOP field in most national polls.
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Latest politics news headlines from Washington DC. Follow 2006 elections,campaigns,Democrats,Republicans,political cartoons,opinions from The Washington Post. Features government policy,government tech,political analysis and reports.
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Justices Reconsider Campaign Finance
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It was clear from the start yesterday just how eager some justices were to revisit the landmark McCain-Feingold campaign finance act that the Supreme Court only four years ago blessed as constitutional.
"Maybe we were wrong last time," Justice Antonin Scalia told Solicitor General Paul D. Clement when Clement advised that the court had already decided the very issue at stake in yesterday's oral arguments.
Scalia was then in the minority of the court. But by the end of yesterday's oral arguments, it seemed that he is part of a majority on the new court headed by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., which appeared skeptical of the way Congress tried to curb the election-year influence of unions, corporations and special interest groups.
It was a lively session, with prevailing justices in 2003's McConnell v. Federal El ection Commission defending the court's precedent. "It's sort of for me deja vu all over again," Justice Stephen G. Breyer said. "We've heard it." Scalia led the charge on the other side, saying the law is unconstitutionally restrictive. "This is the First Amendment," he thundered.
Roberts and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who were not part of that earlier 5 to 4 decision, may be the keys to how the latest challenge fares. Roberts was an especially tough questioner of Clement, whose duty was to defend the portion of the law under attack, although the chief justice seemed uncomfortable with the idea of blatantly disregarding the court's precedent.
Alito was quieter, but his questions were skeptical of the restrictions in the law. "What do you make of the fact that there are so many advocacy groups that say this is really impractical?" he asked Seth Waxman, representing the congressional sponsors.
A decision to overturn the court's previous endorsement of McCain-Feingold or loosen the restrictions surrounding the use of "issue ads" could have a major impact on the 2008 elections, with rival groups ready to spend millions of dollars.
Yesterday's arguments concerned a portion of the law that says corporate entities cannot use money from their general treasuries to broadcast ads that run 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election, are aimed at a relevant electorate and mention a federal candidate by name.
The naming restriction was particularly important, because Congress was trying to do away with "sham" issue ads that purported to be about a controversy but amounted to an attack on a candidate. The groups are free to run such ads if a separate political action committee pays for them.
The court in 2003 said the "vast majority" of such issue ads fell into the category of electioneering, and upheld the restriction as constitutional. But last year, the justices ruled that groups could challenge the law based on specific applications.
A group called Wisconsin Right to Life said its ads fit the bill. They mentioned the state's two senators by name and asked viewers to tell them not to filibuster President Bush's judicial nominations. The ads fell within the blackout period because Sen. Russell Feingold (D) -- coincidentally or not, the namesake of the law -- was running for reelection.
A divided appeals court sided with the group, with two judges saying the ads were genuine issue ads; a third said they were part of the group's stated goal of defeating Feingold.
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Continuing coverage of the Supreme Court nomination and confirmation process from The Washington Post.
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Va. Tech Killer's Motives Pursued
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BLACKSBURG, Va., April 25 -- Seung Hui Cho stood outside as his first victim walked into the Virginia Tech dormitory early on the morning of the April 16 massacre. Witnesses told police that Cho -- wearing the same dark clothing he wore later when he continued his rampage at an academic building -- did not follow Emily Hilscher upstairs. Instead, he waited several minutes before entering the dorm, where he fatally shot Hilscher and the resident adviser who came to her aid.
At a news conference Wednesday, Virginia State Police officials said Cho's actions outside the West Ambler Johnston dorm are clues in the mystery they are trying to unravel as they investigate what motivated Cho that morning. They have found no connection between Cho and either of the first two victims -- supporting one theory that he did not target Hilscher.
State police offered several new and chilling details about the deadliest shooting by an individual in U.S. history, saying that Cho's later attack at Norris Hall lasted nine minutes and that he squeezed off more than 170 rounds. Law enforcement officials said they found 17 ammunition magazines at the scene.
They said they have read reams of e-mail and cellphone records and interviewed hundreds of witnesses but have found no explanation for Cho's actions. In fact, they said, they may never know why Cho started at the dorm, waited more than two hours and then killed 30 more people at Norris Hall.
The first 911 call from Norris came at 9:32 a.m., investigators said. Police arrived three minutes later and found that Cho had chained all three entrances shut.
It took officers five minutes to breach the doors. As they ran upstairs to the second floor, the final shot was fired -- Cho's self-inflicted wound to the head.
Authorities said Wednesday that Cho still had ammunition for the 9mm pistol he used in the shooting. He also used a .22-caliber handgun.
Police said at the news conference that Cho was familiar with Norris Hall because he had a class there this semester. Law enforcement sources, who declined to be identified because their information went beyond the official briefing, said the classes met on Tuesdays and Thursdays; the shootings were on a Monday.
The sources said Cho made a short telephone call the day before the massacre to his family in Fairfax County. Authorities believe it was the last call he made.
Col. Steven Flaherty, the state police superintendent, said the investigators who are leading the state and federal probe are pursuing "hundreds of leads" and "haven't ventured to speak" to Cho's family yet. He later said that FBI agents have spoken to family members, but he would not elaborate. The sources said the family has been cooperative but was unable to shed light on Cho's motives.
The Chos left their home the day of the shootings for an undisclosed location, though the sources said the family is in Northern Virginia. Family members have not commented, other than in a statement released through an attorney last week in which they said they feel "hopeless, helpless and lost" and "are so deeply sorry for the devastation."
Wednesday's news conference provided more information on the massacre, during which Cho, 23, killed Hilscher and resident adviser Ryan Clark at West Ambler Johnston before gunning down victims at Norris Hall and shooting himself.
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BLACKSBURG, Va., April 25 -- Seung Hui Cho stood outside as his first victim walked into the Virginia Tech dormitory early on the morning of the April 16 massacre. Witnesses told police that Cho -- wearing the same dark clothing he wore later when he continued his rampage at an academic building --...
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Kaine May Seek More Data for Gun Sales
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Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said yesterday that he is considering an executive order to make sure that gun sellers have more information about the mental health of potential buyers, a move that would have kept Seung Hui Cho from purchasing the handguns he used to kill 32 people at Virginia Tech last week.
A court had found Cho to be dangerously mentally ill, but that information was not available in the computer systems used by the outlets that sold Cho the guns. Kaine's proposal would ensure that such mental health information be in the database.
"I think there's a way to tighten this and to get more data onto the system," Kaine (D) said. If that data had been available at the gun stores, Cho, who killed himself after the rampage April 16, would have been barred by federal law from buying the weapons.
Even lawmakers who have traditionally been reluctant to restrict gun ownership said that providing additional information would help keep guns out of the hands of the dangerously mentally ill.
"The murderer down at Virginia Tech never should have been able to purchase a gun," said Del. Mark L. Cole (R-Fredericksburg). "Someone who's declared a threat to themselves or others should not be able to purchase a firearm."
Virginia is relatively aggressive in reporting mental health records to the federal system that gun sellers use for background checks of potential buyers. Virginia was the first state to develop a system to provide background checks for firearms purchases -- four years before the 1993 federal Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act set up the national system.
But the Brady system relies on states to send criminal and mental health records to the FBI database. As a result of lawsuits, the federal government cannot mandate that states do so. In 2003, Virginia began voluntarily reporting mental health records to the FBI's national instant background check system. Only 22 states provide such records. Since then, Virginia has reported more than 80,000 mental health records to the FBI, more than any other state.
But most of those records are generated by involuntary civil commitments to state hospitals, criminal judgments in which a person has been found not guilty by reason of insanity, or court proceedings that have determined a person "legally incompetent" or "mentally incapacitated" -- that is, unable to function in society.
In December 2005, Cho was briefly detained in a mental facility after police had told him to stop bothering women on campus. The next day, a special judge determined that Cho presented "an imminent danger to himself as a result of mental illness." He was released under an order to seek outpatient treatment.
But because Cho was not involuntarily committed to a mental hospital, his name was not sent to Virginia State Police and put into the computerized National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Thus, when Cho presented his Virginia driver's license, green card and checkbook with matching address to a Blacksburg pawnshop owner in February and a Roanoke firearms dealer in March, his background check came up clean. In both instances, the computer screen read "PROCEED" with the sale.
Federal law, however, bars gun sales to people who have been judged "mentally defective," which includes someone who has been determined by a court, board, commission or other legal authority to be a danger to himself or others as a result of mental illness, as Cho was in 2005.
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Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said yesterday that he is considering an executive order to make sure that gun sellers have more information about the mental health of potential buyers, a move that would have kept Seung Hui Cho from purchasing the handguns he used to kill 32 people at Virginia Tech...
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A Grisly Problem, Grateful Iraqis and a Grim Outlook
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BAGHDAD, April 24 -- The soldiers called him Bob, and for the past several weeks, until Tuesday morning, he was the biggest obstacle to the success of an important mission in a small but crucial corner of the Iraq war.
"We can't get anybody to get Bob out. No one wants to do it," Army Maj. Brent Cummings, executive officer of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, said with worry one recent morning as Bob's story began unfolding. Cummings was looking at an aerial photograph of an area in east Baghdad called Kamaliya, where there was an abandoned spaghetti factory with a hole in the courtyard, a hole in which some of his soldiers had discovered Bob.
Bob: It's shorthand for "bobbin' in the float," Cummings explained.
Float: It's shorthand for "two to three feet of raw sewage," he further explained.
Bobbin' in the float is shorthand, then, for yet another lesson in the comedy, absurdity and tragedy that is any moment in this war.
Bob was found as a result of the new strategy of trying to secure Baghdad by temporarily increasing the number of troops and moving them into neighborhood outposts. After the soldiers identified the spaghetti factory as the best place from which to secure poor, rough, dirty, insurgent-ridden Kamaliya, they began clearing the factory in order to move in.
One day, in one area, they found 16 rocket-propelled grenades, three antitank grenades, 11 hand grenades and 21 mortar shells. Another day, they found 14 more mortar shells. Another day, they found the makings of three roadside bombs. Another day, they found a square metal cover in the courtyard that they thought might be booby-trapped. Ever so carefully, they lifted it and found themselves peering down into the factory's septic tank at Bob.
The body, floating, was in a billowing, once-white shirt. The toes were gone. The fingers were gone. The head, separated and floating next to the body, had a gunshot hole in the face.
The body, it was quickly decided, would have to be removed before the 120 soldiers could move in. "It's a morale issue. Who wants to live over a dead body?" Cummings said. "And part of it is a moral issue, too. I mean he was somebody's son, and maybe husband, and for dignity's sake, well, it cheapens us to leave him there. I mean even calling him Bob is disrespectful. I don't know. It's the world we live in."
"I'd like to put him in a final resting place," he said, "as opposed to a final floating place."
But how? That was the problem. No one wanted to touch Bob. Not the soldiers. Not the Iraqi police. No one.
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Washington Post coverage of the American occupation of Iraq, the country's path to democracy and tensions between Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.
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Outpost Attack Highlights Troop Vulnerabilities
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BAGHDAD, April 24 -- As U.S. soldiers fired a hail of bullets, the first suicide bomber sped toward their patrol base. Reaching the checkpoint, the truck exploded, blasting open a path for the second bomber to barrel through and ram his truck into the concrete barrier about 90 feet from the base. The second explosion crumbled walls and parts of a school building, killing nine American troops and injuring 20.
Mourning his fallen comrades Tuesday, Lt. Col. Michael Donnelly took comfort in a single detail: The bombers did not detonate their payloads inside the base, located in Sadah, a village 40 miles northeast of Baghdad near Baqubah, the Diyala provincial capital.
"It certainly could have been worse," said Donnelly, a U.S. military spokesman, describing Monday's bombing, one of the deadliest ground attacks against U.S. forces since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
U.S. forces are increasingly exposed to danger and death as they step up their presence in Baghdad and volatile areas such as Anbar and Diyala provinces. Once housed in vast, highly secured bases, many now live in hostile neighborhoods inside isolated combat outposts, the linchpin of a counterinsurgency plan designed to wrest control of the capital and other hot spots from Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias.
Military tactical experts say such combat outposts, where soldiers are expected to interact with area residents and gather intelligence about potential enemies, are the most effective way of preventing car bombings and other attacks in the long term. Paradoxically, this approach is making U.S. soldiers more vulnerable as they rely more than ever on the Iraqi police and army -- and the support of the local population -- for their safety.
Insurgents are starting to take advantage of this exposed presence, staging daring frontal attacks designed to cause heavy casualties, a departure from their trademark hit-and-run and roadside bomb attacks. In a similar coordinated assault Feb. 19, insurgents attacked a U.S. outpost in Tarmiyah about 30 miles north of Baghdad, killing two American soldiers and wounding 17.
"I would refer to them as probing actions to determine vulnerabilities," said retired Col. Andrew R. Berdy, a former battalion commander in the Army's 101st Airborne Division, referring to the two attacks.
"I think that al-Qaeda insurgents are going after any target that looks soft or promising, wherever those may be," agreed Col. Jerry Morelock, a former director of the Army's Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
On Tuesday, the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella Sunni insurgent organization said to have been created by al-Qaeda in Iraq, asserted responsibility for the attack in Sadah. In a statement, the group said it had sent "two knights" to bomb the "Crusader American base."
Diyala, a major flash point of Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish tensions, has become the third-deadliest area in Iraq for U.S. forces this year, after Baghdad and Anbar provinces. Since the beginning of the 10-week-old security offensive in Baghdad, fighters have largely lain low in the capital and instead have engaged U.S. and Iraqi forces in such areas as Diyala, where the U.S. military is sending more than 2,000 reinforcements to combat the growing insurgency there. At least 56 U.S. soldiers have died in Diyala since November.
"There is a lot of work still to be done in Diyala province," Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said in an interview before the attack in Sadah.
"What you are trying to do is to improve security in neighborhoods. That means you have to get into the neighborhoods," he added.
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BAGHDAD, April 24 -- As U.S. soldiers fired a hail of bullets, the first suicide bomber sped toward their patrol base. Reaching the checkpoint, the truck exploded, blasting open a path for the second bomber to barrel through and ram his truck into the concrete barrier about 90 feet from the base....
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Bush Gives Mixed View Of Progress In Iraq
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NEW YORK, April 24 -- President Bush said Tuesday that the verdict is still out on whether the Iraqi government can make the political changes necessary to end sectarian violence as he offered a mixed report card on the progress of his new Iraq strategy.
Bush told PBS talk-show host Charlie Rose that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has followed through on commitments to bolster Iraqi forces in Baghdad but that he has "still got a lot of work to do" on the political front, such as holding provincial elections and passing a law to share oil revenues.
The assessment was one of Bush's more nuanced in recent weeks, which have largely been devoted to pressuring Congress to approve money for military operations in Iraq and elsewhere. Bush said the U.S. commander in Iraq will need until September to "have a pretty good feel" for whether the Baghdad security plan is working.
"The good news is that sectarian death is down in Baghdad," Bush said. "The bad news is that spectacular car bombs still go off, in a way that tends to shake the confidence of the Iraqi people that their government can protect them."
Bush said, however, that a lessening of violence could reflect a decision by extremists to wait out the Americans until they leave. He also said if Maliki asks the United States to leave Iraq, "I don't see how we could stay" -- but added that the prime minister understands it would prompt a catastrophe for American forces to leave now.
Bush was in New York to urge Congress to reauthorize and expand his signature education measure, highlighting the successes of a charter school in the heart of Harlem as a model for the sort of improvements he wants to spread nationwide.
In a bipartisan break from his acrid fight with Congress over the war, Bush brought Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) here to focus on his No Child Left Behind law. While most of Bush's legislative agenda faces little chance of passage now that Democrats are in charge, education has been one of the few areas where the president has been able to work across party lines.
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Latest politics news headlines from Washington DC. Follow 2006 elections,campaigns,Democrats,Republicans,political cartoons,opinions from The Washington Post. Features government policy,government tech,political analysis and reports.
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China Food Fears Go From Pets To People
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SHANGHAI -- Something was wrong with the babies. The villagers noticed their heads were growing abnormally large while the rest of their bodies were skin and bones. By the time Chinese authorities discovered the culprit -- severe malnutrition from fake milk powder -- 13 had died.
The scandal, which unfolded three years ago after hundreds of babies fell ill in an eastern Chinese province, became the defining symbol of a broad problem in China's economy. Quality control and product-safety regulation are so poor in this country that people cannot trust the goods on store shelves.
Until now, the problem has not received much attention outside of China. In recent weeks, however, consumers everywhere have been learning about China's safety crisis. Tainted ingredients that originated here made their way into pet food that has sickened and killed animals around the world.
Chinese authorities acknowledge the safety problem and have promised repeatedly to fix it, but the disasters keep coming. Tang Yanli, 45, grand-aunt of a baby who became sick because of the fake milk but eventually recovered, said that even though she now pays more to buy national brands, she remains suspicious.
"I don't trust the food I eat," she said. "I don't know which products are good, which are bad."
With China playing an ever-larger role in supplying food, medicine and animal feed to other countries, recognition of the hazards has not kept up.
By value, China is the world's No. 1 exporter of fruits and vegetables, and a major exporter of other food and food products, which vary widely, from apple juice to sausage casings and garlic. China's agricultural exports to the United States surged to $2.26 billion last year, according to U.S. figures -- more than 20 times the $133 million of 1980.
China has been especially poor at meeting international standards. The United States subjects only a small fraction of its food imports to close inspection, but each month rejects about 200 shipments from China, mostly because of concerns about pesticides and antibiotics and about misleading labeling. In February, border inspectors for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration blocked peas tainted by pesticides, dried white plums containing banned additives, pepper contaminated with salmonella and frozen crawfish that were filthy.
Since 2000, some countries have temporarily banned whole categories of Chinese imports. The European Union stopped shipments of shrimp because of banned antibiotics. Japan blocked tea and spinach, citing excessive antibiotic residue. And South Korea banned fermented cabbage after finding parasites in some shipments.
As globalization of the food supply progresses, "the food gets more anonymous and gradually you get into a situation where you don't know where exactly it came from and you get more vulnerable to poor quality," said Michiel Keyzer, director of the Centre for World Food Studies at Vrije University in Amsterdam, who researches China's exports to the European Union.
Chinese authorities, while conceding the country has many safety problems, have claimed other countries' assessments of products are sometimes "not accurate" and have implied the bans may be politically motivated, aimed at protecting domestic companies that compete with Chinese businesses.
China's State Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture, which along with other government agencies share responsibility for monitoring food and drug safety, this week declined to answer written questions faxed to them.
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SHANGHAI -- Something was wrong with the babies. The villagers noticed their heads were growing abnormally large while the rest of their bodies were skin and bones. By the time Chinese authorities discovered the culprit -- severe malnutrition from fake milk powder -- 13 had died.
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For 'The View,' The Bloom Is Off the Rosie
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Rosie O'Donnell's wild ride on "The View" is coming to an end, not even one year after it began.
"They wanted me three years, I wanted one year . . . it just didn't work. That's show business," she said at the top of yesterday's show.
Barbara Walters, the ABC daytime show's executive producer and on-air den mother, jumped in to make it "perfectly clear" that she had not participated in the negotiations to renew Rosie's contract.
"It was between [Rosie's] agents and ABC daytime. This was not my doing -- nor my choice," Walters said on-air, noting that it was she who had "induced" the longtime daytime talk show host to join "The View" gaggle.
Rosie, who replaced Meredith Vieira as co-host and moderator in September, will stick with the show until the end of June, Walters told the studio audience and viewers at home.
"Yes, per my contract," Rosie said, adding, "They're not kicking me out, don't worry."
Rosie has, in fact, been very very good for "The View." In the time she has been on the show, ratings among all viewers are up 17 percent compared with the same period of time in '06. And among women ages 18 to 34 -- the Holy Grail of daytime TV -- "The View" is up a whopping 20 percent with Rosie on board.
The Reporters Who Cover Television have had a full-time job keeping up with Rosie in her short 7 1/2 months on "The View."
Most famously, she traded insults with Donald Trump, who co-owns the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
That headline-grabbing war of words started in December, when Trump announced he would let then-Miss USA Tara Conner hang on to her crown in spite of reports of underage drinking, if she went into rehab.
The next day, Rosie called him a "snake-oil salesman" and said the twice-divorced Trump had no right to be a "moral compass" for the pageant winner.
Trump -- whose sagging NBC reality series "The Apprentice" was about to return -- retorted by calling her, repeatedly, fat and unattractive, sometimes adding "pig," and saying that he planned to send someone to lure away Rosie's partner, with whom she has four children. In the course of that media blitz, Trump also said that Walters told him she wanted to ditch O'Donnell. Walters has denied that claim.
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Rosie O'Donnell's wild ride on "The View" is coming to an end, not even one year after it began.
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Timeline: A Brief Compendium of Rosie Quotes
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Despite early success as a stand-up comic, a respectable resume of big-screen supporting roles ("A League of Their Own," "Sleepless in Seattle"), a possible future on FX's "Nip/Tuck" and duty at the helm of two daytime talk shows, Rosie O'Donnell's propensity for speaking her mind has garnered her the most attention throughout her career. Following this morning's announcement of a planned exit from "The View," we pause to replay a few choice words from the mouth from Queens:
1999: "You are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun, I think you should go to prison."
O'Donnell's outspoken anti-gun stance landed her in an on-screen imbroglio with actor Tom Selleck, who claims O'Donnell broke an agreement to not talk about his affiliation with the NRA.
Nov. 20, 2006: "To me that was a homophobic remark. If that was a straight man... if that was a guy that she didn't question his sexuality, she would have said a different thing."
O'Donnell was referring to "Live With Regis & Kelly's" Kelly Ripa's annoyance at guest host Clay Aiken's attempt to silence her by placing his hand over her mouth. Ripa said: "I just don't know where that hand's been, honey." Ripa vehemently denied that the comment was homophobic.
Dec. 5, 2006: "You know, you can imagine in China it's like, 'Ching-chong, ching-chong. Danny DeVito. Ching-chong, ching-chong-chong. Drunk. The View. Ching-chong.'"
This time, O'Donnell inspired an Asian backlash with her characterization of how Danny DeVito's drunken "View" appearance was playing in China.
Dec. 20, 2006: "(He) left the first wife -- had an affair. (He) had kids both times, but he's the moral compass for 20-year-olds in America. Donald, sit and spin, my friend."
The above statement -- O'Donnell's assessment of Trump's forgiveness of hard-partying Miss America Tara Connor -- kicked off a massive feud between the two. Trump variously called O'Donnell "fat," "unattractive," "a loser," "slob," and "terrible" while O'Donnell ramped up the vitriol by terming Trump a "snake-oil salesman" and "comb-over bunny." (More Rosie vs. Donald)
March 26, 2007: "There were 15 British sailors and marines who apparently went in to Iranian waters and they were seized by the Iranians. And I have one thing to say. Gulf of Tonkin. Google it."
Referring to the capture of a British Navy crew patrolling the Persian Gulf, O'Donnell seemed to imply that the event may have been staged. The comment drew fire from several critics, including conservative newsman Bill O'Reilly and (surprise, surprise) Donald Trump.
April 23, 2007: "It was always my dream to give an old, bald billionaire a boner."
Just one gem from Rosie's offensive monologue as host of the Matrix Awards. According to the New York Post, O'Donnell also dropped the f-bomb multiple times and grabbed her crotch shouting "Eat me." On O'Donnell's blog, she writes of her misgivings about attending the lunch and being "forced" to introduce Rupert Murdoch.
Further Reading: Rosie O'Donnell's Wikipedia entry Boycott Rosie O'Donnell (Boycottliberalism.com) Rosie's Blog
By Liz | April 25, 2007; 11:20 AM ET | Category: TV Previous: A Very Special Goodbye: TV Exits | Next: Morning Mix: Hugh Grant Busted for Baked Beans Attack
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"1999: "You are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun, I think you should go to prison."
However, big shot people like her are allowed to have body guards follow them around with guns for their protection. Something she admitted on O'Reilly. I dislike hypocrites.
As an Irish American, I am so glad she is off TV. Her loud mouth and rude demeanor do not represent me. I hate to admit this, but she made me like Elizabeth and I really don't care for her "view" either and often times think she is whiny.
Posted by: Irish girl | April 25, 2007 11:54 AM
oh, that's so unfortunate. it was always entertaining to hear what crazy, illogical thoughts she could verbalize. it somehow made "the view" more relevant to me. now I could care less what joy and hasselback have to say. oh well.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 11:56 AM
I was appalled to read about that speech at the Matrix awards...what were they thinking? There were young scholarship winners there. Very bad taste.
Posted by: POS | April 25, 2007 12:03 PM
Its pretty clear to me that Rosie lives by a double standard when she opens her mouth: on the one hand, she is on the lookout for any kind of remark that could possibly be characterized as homophobic (the Ripa thing), but on the other hand its OK for her to slur Asians by making fun of how they speak?
What would Rosie say if a male public figure made of fun of gays by lisping his speech? She would be outraged, and slam them. Why can't she follow that same standard herself with all communities?
What a loud, foul-mouthed hippocrite. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Posted by: Rosie is Angry at the World | April 25, 2007 12:16 PM
I have no problem with what Rosie said at the Matrix Awards. She is a stand up comedian! They hired her to emcee the event, knowing full well who and what they were getting! To act upset after she made inflammatory remarks during her routine is disingenuous BS, as far as I am concerned. Why is it other comedians can do routines putting down celebrities and public figures and not get the same heat?
That said, I don't agree with all her remarks on the view, particularly the ones with racial overtones. But I do think she is often singled out for unfair treatment.
Posted by: CJB | April 25, 2007 12:28 PM
she is "singled out" for "unfair" treatment because she keeps authoritatively saying asinine things. I am a huge advocate for limiting the free speech rights of celebrities, and rosie is the posterchild of my movement. I have never seen her open her mouth without absolute garbage spilling out.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 12:36 PM
The only thing and I do mean the ONLY thing I have every agreed with Rosie on is after 9/11 she was criticizing the celebrities for doing a telethon and giving up their time but not their money and I don't know what the criteria was for being able to actually talk with one of them, but I am sure it wasn't cheap!
Posted by: MF | April 25, 2007 12:37 PM
She's bipolar and off her meds and the world knows it. Try digging up some of the quotes surrounding her (failed) time at McCalls magazine.
Posted by: 23112 | April 25, 2007 12:37 PM
The only thing I'll miss about her is her ability to make that mealy-mouthed nitwit Hasselback uncomfortable with the realization that she's a right-wing nutbar.
Posted by: Joseph J. Finn | April 25, 2007 12:47 PM
The fact that Rosie says such controversial things leads TV network executives to take a chance on her and hire her for shows. Her controversy makes them money in the short term through increased ratings, but might cost them ad revenue in the long run when (NOT if) Rosie says something beyond the pale.
Sure, Rosie is an angry person who says insulting, controversial things. But its the networks that are giving her a huge platform to say those things that is the real problem.
Posted by: Industry Double Standard | April 25, 2007 12:50 PM
Dean Vernon Wormer: "Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son."
Rosie's not doing so well with her 2 out of 3 either.
Posted by: Stick | April 25, 2007 1:08 PM
Considering the uproar about Don Imus and his comment(s), how did Rosie keep her job after the "ching-chong" bile she spewed?
Or are ratings all the TV networks have to answer for?
AS far as her comment about giving a man a boner ... dream on Rosie - it will never happen. It is women like you that make men gay.
Posted by: JustaMan | April 25, 2007 1:17 PM
The View needs to be taken off the air totally. It's just a waste of tv space and a source of air pollution. Rosie is irritating, Joy is a waste of time, Elizabeth is annoying and can't seem to put a coherent thought together, and Barbara should not be destroying a lifetime of reasonably good work with this tripe. But, hey, that's just my opinion!
Posted by: pnina | April 25, 2007 1:46 PM
Amazing that no MSM story mentions Rosie's questioning of 9/11 only other events in her life. Simply amazing.
Posted by: bill | April 25, 2007 1:58 PM
You forgot her comments about how it "defies physics" that the way one of the WTC towers collpased was caused by the plane hitting it, that it had to be lined with explosives or something. Popular Science, btw, actually disproved these sorts of conspiracy theories a while back... but I guess Rosie, a comedian, knows more about these things than actual physicists.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 1:59 PM
Why are celebrities allowed to give thier opinion about anything? Who cares what they think? They don't know what the real world is like...they are celebrities! Duh! They are just here to entertain...not to be given a forum for every stupid thought that runs through thier minds! No one else gets that opportunity. They should just smile and wave and keep thier mouths shut!
Posted by: Laur | April 25, 2007 2:00 PM
"The View needs to be taken off the air totally"...AMEN!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 2:00 PM
Rosie's early success gave her a big head and made her think she could say/do anything that came to her limited mind. I'm glad she's gone.
Posted by: James | April 25, 2007 2:02 PM
I hate that show but it's obvious she was given a leave of absense. She isn't "leaving" by choice.
As soon as I heard her comments about the World Trade Center collapse, I knew the conservatives who run Disney (and all mainstream media) would try to get rid of her.
Questioning the "official story" on 9/11 is what did her in.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 2:20 PM
Well, finally she is gone. The big mistake was putting her on the view in the first place. Rosie is an angry bully that shouts about what is right or wrong but blythely goes along doing what every she wants because she is Rosie. good bye, good riddance.
Posted by: Kew | April 25, 2007 2:32 PM
Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll fall off the cruise ship in June.
Posted by: WDC | April 25, 2007 2:32 PM
it will certainly take more than one square to wipe television and the american sensibilities of "rosie"...i am all for freedom of speech, but not a national forum to spew bile...it would be nice to think that this is the last we will hear from the irrelevant "rosie"...and while we are at it let's fire the rest of the inane celebrity "politicos"...
Posted by: kb | April 25, 2007 2:40 PM
y'all are all crazy. rosie was the best thing that ever happened to the view. agree with her or not (and i rarely did), it was pure entertainment to see what would spew from her mouth at any given moment. i actually became interested in the show b/c of her. now, meh...not so much. bye byeeee view!
Posted by: wats | April 25, 2007 2:45 PM
What a loss to "The View." O'Donnell infused belly laugh humor, political critique, and a very strong sense of family values as she always emphasizes "children first." As I work at home from my computer, "The View" has become my daytime check in with "the girls" to hear a full panorama of "female America speaks." Sadly, O'Donnell isn't aware of the impact she has helping form young peoples' moral compass, or she wouldn't give up her bully pulpit. We need her opinions through the coming Presidential campaign - and suffer a loss without her.
Posted by: ca | April 25, 2007 2:45 PM
disney may be a gigantic corporate conglomerate that controls half the world, but I don't know that I'd label it "conservative." yes, it does force its employees at DWorld to conform to a pretty strict code of conduct, but it also has an entire day where it lets gay families come to the park, and at least one of its movie studios is known for putting out what many conservatives think are slanderous films.
this doesn't really add to the conversation, I'm just sayin...
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 2:46 PM
remember when people thought she was the "queen of nice"? man, we were stupid back then.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 2:49 PM
another trash mouth loser bites the dust, now if Howard Stern gets ousted, maybe we can bring dignity back (a little) to the media.
Posted by: je | April 25, 2007 2:51 PM
ca, if rosie is your moral compass you must be flying over the poles and spinning out of control...if anyone needs her commentary to make a presidential decision, god help us all....
Posted by: kb | April 25, 2007 2:53 PM
Rosie is simply an example of what is wrong with the freedom we have in the US. She doesn't actually care about making a point as long as she is talking. The world is listening and instead of actually using her forum to make a difference she is making offensive noise. Moonbeam
Posted by: Moonbeam | April 25, 2007 3:10 PM
We really don't want her falling off the cruise ship. You think global warming will raise the ocean levels? Rosie in the water may flood half the east coast.
Posted by: JustaMan | April 25, 2007 3:12 PM
I love Rosie and don't watch the view because I work. I think she's funny, says what she wants and who cares. It gives people something to talk about. good for her. i hope she gets her own show back. I would TVO that!!!!
Posted by: BIg Fan | April 25, 2007 3:13 PM
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 3:37 PM
Come back in a year and see that 99% of what Rosie said has been proven true. Her so-called enemies: Rupert Murdock, Donald Trump, Bill O'Reilly -- are all despicable people. America is stupid, sheep led into war by a maniac, sheep slapping yellow magnetic ribbons on their gas-guzzling SUVs while the world dissolves into chaos. Rosie was the breath of gutsy truth on The View and the only reason I watched. (OK, I love Joy Behar, too, because she was the other wit.)
Posted by: Puuwai | April 25, 2007 3:46 PM
puuwai, I was with you right up to the joy comment. I find it sad that people describe her as a comedian, because I have never heard her utter anything that was the least bit amusing.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 3:50 PM
"The world is listening" to Rosie? Really? Does anyone outside of the US tabloids and celebrity columnists really care at all about what Rosie has to say? Does what she say really matter at all anyway? Personally, I would take anything a celebrity spouts off, whether it be 9/11 theories, child raising tips or Scientology, with a grain of salt.
Posted by: re: Moonbeam | April 25, 2007 3:55 PM
i'm w/the irish girl at the top of the postings. she is a hypocrite with the first statement about guns...and yet she allows an armed bodyguard to protect her family.
not to mention her longstanding 'crush' on wacko tom cruise during her first talk show. man, what a pain she is. i can't stand 'the view' anyway, never been able to stomach any of the women who were on there including supposedly normal meredith viera.
Posted by: methinks | April 25, 2007 3:56 PM
I'm with Puwai, too. The people are stupid sheep who blindly follow a psychopathic president into a hellhole war. The yuppie stay-at-home-thanks-to-rich-husband moms who watch the view need a civics lesson these days. IMPEACH BUSH!
Posted by: WeinerDog | April 25, 2007 4:06 PM
I'm with Puwai, too. The people are stupid sheep who blindly follow a psychopathic president into a hellhole war. The yuppie stay-at-home-thanks-to-rich-husband moms who watch the view need a civics lesson these days. IMPEACH BUSH!
Get a life, both of you. Rosie has mental health issues and she should get those issues under control if she plans to stay "married" and an adoptive mother. What a life those poor kids live.
Posted by: WDC | April 25, 2007 4:13 PM
I'm with Puwai, too. The people are stupid sheep who blindly follow a psychopathic president into a hellhole war. The yuppie stay-at-home-thanks-to-rich-husband moms who watch the view need a civics lesson these days. IMPEACH BUSH!
Posted by: Anonymous | April 25, 2007 4:36 PM
I'm with Puwai, too. The people are stupid sheep who blindly follow a psychopathic president into a hellhole war. The yuppie stay-at-home-thanks-to-rich-husband moms who watch the view need a civics lesson these days. IMPEACH BUSH!
Posted by: 1 sheep | April 25, 2007 4:37 PM
I'm with Puwai, too. The people are stupid sheep who blindly follow a psychopathic president into a hellhole war. The yuppie stay-at-home-thanks-to-rich-husband moms who watch the view need a civics lesson these days. IMPEACH BUSH!!!
Posted by: 2 sheep | April 25, 2007 4:37 PM
Rosie was one of the best people on TV for Republicans. Her crazy rants exposed the conspiracy theories, hypocrisy, and intellectual slovenliness of the far Left. She probably turned people further right and only affirmed their conservative views more than Bill O'Reilly could dream of. A true loss for the red states...
Posted by: Charlottesville, VA | April 25, 2007 5:28 PM
Interesting. All this screaming because people don't want to consider the truth, because then what would we do? Rosie O'Donnell, like Jane Fonda during the Vietnam Era, is taking all this flack because she is right, and underneath, everyone knows it and wishes they didn't. So they kill the messenger. But get ready, folks. Rosie has a huge heart, and her truth comes from her heart, not her testicles. Love instead of fear. Which is why she's right.
Posted by: shaman7214@sbcglobal.net | April 25, 2007 5:39 PM
Wow. That's exactly the kind of "intellectual slovenliness" the commenter referred to above. Rosie is right because you think she is, because "her truth comes from her heart." Think about this without succumbing to your own sense of intellectual superiority: There are many people against the war, but why do people think Rosie is an idiot? Maybe it's Rosie, not your sense of utopia, or what is "right," or how everyone who disagrees with you must be driven by fear. Reading your response, however, leads me to believe that maybe you ought to consider being driven by reason and rationale rather than just love.
Posted by: NoVa | April 25, 2007 6:24 PM
Posted by: furtdw | April 25, 2007 7:45 PM
I liked Rosie when she was stand up comedienne. She was funny and not so over the top crazy and vulgar. I think she just could not handle the success she achieved. In her mind, she is still the fat, poor kid that everyone picked on, so she strikes first.
The View is the voice of American women? Oh hell no. I am an American women and those harpies/barbies/spineless doormats do NOT speak for me. Furthermore, the only thing left wing on Elizabeth is her hand. That bimbo has no thoughts or beliefs, she only says whatever someone else has told her to say.
Posted by: ep | April 25, 2007 8:02 PM
Now here is a person who should not own a gun! I would keep her bodyguards on a short leash, too.
Posted by: Bill Mosby | April 25, 2007 8:07 PM
It is about time Rosie was gone
Posted by: Nick | April 25, 2007 8:30 PM
I wish everybody would stop picking on me!!! Acting was so much easier than walking the streets. Then again, those nickles really added up.
Posted by: R. O'Donnell | April 26, 2007 8:02 AM
Of all the "first name basis" celebrities out there, I'd say Rosie is the one I find most tiring, the biggest nothing, the one whose fat, angry, snarling face I'm most sick of seeing on my AOL welcome screen... the one I am least interested in knowing anything about or hearing ANY opinions from... the one who, everytime I see a headline about her, makes me want to scream ENOUGH ALREADY... and the one who, unfortunately, has proven time and again that her biggest talent is for putting herself back in the limelight when you think she's finally gone for good.
So I know I haven't seen the last of her yet. Sigh.
Posted by: Margo | April 26, 2007 11:31 AM
Some fire melted steel out in San Francisco today, Rosie girl. Think all those backed up motorists should blame a Bush conspiracy?
Posted by: Thomas | April 29, 2007 7:19 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
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Washingtonpost.com blogger Liz Kelly dishes on the latest happenings in entertainment, celebrity, and Hollywood news.
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A Very Special Goodbye: TV Exits
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Parting is such sweet sorrow, yet this ever-changing world in which we live in demands that we learn to say goodbye to our real friends -- the ones who turn out for us every week on TV -- far too often. With the explosion of reality TV shows, we are traumatized weekly by abrupt adieus. We hardly had time to clear a corner of our crowded hearts for adorable pixie Sanjaya Malakar before he was brutally excised from "American Idol" and condemned to the wraith-like fate of other reality show also-rans. All that remains is his name (which has taken on a Borat-like shorthand meaning "nerdy, gawky, fearless teen, a bit cooler than Napoleon Dynamite, but not so hip as to alienate grandparents") and a reputation as "the guy with the hair."
Last night it was Heather Mills -- the woman who defied generations of Beatle-worship to lob accusations of abuse at Paul McCartney and lately crossed the pond armed only with a false leg to take on the best and brightest of America's D-list in a weekly dance-off. Last night, Mills came prepared for the worst with a farewell speech handily stashed in her bra; she thanked partner Jonathan Roberts and the show's crew for their part in the competition. All too soon, Mills will fade from our Yank psyche, only to reemerge in sporadic reports about her divorce from Sir Paul. She will forever be remembered as "the one with the fake leg and the racy pix."
Even curmudgeonly old fix-it show hosts aren't immune from the pixelated grim reaper. CBS has unceremoniously dumped Bob Vila's home improvement show, citing some kind of nonsense about "bad ratings." (For those of you born after 1979, think of Vila as a non-hot, non-young Ty Pennington) who can probably claim much credit for birthing the DIY home improvement show genre. Vila's strength was his take-no-prisoners approach to project management which taught me at an early age that being a know-it-all jerk can take you pretty far in this world (certainly much further than that block of wood Norm Abram). Shockingly, Vila will forever be remembered as "the guy with the beard."
And, as was announced this morning, Rosie O'Donnell plans to exit "The View" in June -- leaving the coffee klatch leaning dangerously in the direction of ultra-right wing Barbie Doll Elizabeth Hasselbeck. O'Donnell's storied feuds -- with Donald Trump, Kelly Ripa, Hasselbeck and pretty much anyone else in sight -- made for some surreal daytime TV. Luckily, she'll forever be remembered -- and accessible -- as "the one with the wacky blog."
The vacuum left by Sanjaya, Heather, Bob and Rosie will be filled, and quickly. But how long will it be, I ask you, until we are asked to say goodbye again? Next week? Cool.
By Liz | April 25, 2007; 10:43 AM ET | Category: TV Previous: Morning Mix: Rosie O'Donnell -- Adieu to 'The View'? | Next: Timeline: A Brief Compendium of Rosie Quotes
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Rosie is leaving the "View"?
Does that mean the Donald wins?
Posted by: SoMD | April 25, 2007 11:12 AM
Shakespeare *and* McCartney in the first sentence - well done, Liz!
And many, many, many thanks for not including a Loverboy lyric anywhere in there.
Posted by: byoolin | April 25, 2007 11:14 AM
I don't quite understand the bile aimed at Bob Vila. I agree he seems a little full of himself, but still, fairly harmless.
Posted by: Saint Paul | April 25, 2007 11:45 AM
I don't really fancy either,Bob or Ty but I've never seen Bob with a hammer and nail in hand. Or have I not watched his show enough? There is another guy on WETA, he's not bad but I think he might the block o wood Liz referred to.
Does anyone take that Hasselbeck chick seriously? She always seemed like filler to me.
Posted by: petal | April 25, 2007 11:52 AM
Liz, I think you could do a much more careful analysis of Bob Vila. Bob Vila actually did nothing on This Old House, or that CBS show he started. In this sense, he was the prototypical suburban man, who feels some sort of compulsion to actually acquire some manual skills, but who is so blatantly frightened and awkward that actual carpenters, electricians, and the like can just do their best to restrain their condenscion--"That's right Bob, turning off the power befor you change an outlet (obviously, you moron) is a good idea." In that way, every urban/suburban man could identify with him, as he stood back, trying to save face as the team of contractors facilly completed tasks that once marked a man's usefulness to his household and community. Yuppy men felt not quite so wimpy when they wore a beard and flannel and hung around power tools.
Posted by: bkp | April 25, 2007 12:03 PM
I bewt Babwa mawde suwre the Wrosie's contrawct was not renewed.
Posted by: Don Trump | April 25, 2007 12:22 PM
How will they send off Rosie? I'm hoping maybe she can swing out of the studio on her depression sling.
Posted by: 23112 | April 25, 2007 12:31 PM
Why the hostility? Am I supposed to feel ashamed for not having those skills in the first place or for attempting to acquire them? Move past the hatred. Embrace the Vila.
Posted by: Prototypical Suburban Male | April 25, 2007 12:33 PM
No one has ever accused either Behar or Walters of being conservative. How can O'Donnell leaving tilt the show towards Hasselbeck? That comment makes no sense whatsoever.
Posted by: Dolores | April 25, 2007 12:37 PM
Wait a minute, now. I now that Bob Vila's recent TV appearances have had him act the host instead of the worker, but on the original This Old House (way back when) he was right in there doing the hard work. Bob was quite handy back in the day.
Posted by: SN - a long-time DIY watcher | April 25, 2007 12:37 PM
Wait a minute, now. I know that Bob Vila's recent TV appearances have had him act the host instead of the worker, but on the original This Old House (way back when) he was right in there doing the hard work. Bob was quite handy back in the day.
Posted by: SN - a long-time DIY watcher | April 25, 2007 12:38 PM
Bob's been cancelled, but Norm still powers along, so can't say that's Bob gone further. Besides, Norm has always been at the top of my list of men I'd want to be stranded with on a desert island. Good looks and sex won't last, but a well-built tiki hut....
Posted by: Gran | April 25, 2007 12:44 PM
I for one am glad that Rosie is leaving. I don't agree with The Donald though and think he is a mean man that should learn to keep his mouth shut. He has that ego thing going. I didn't like the fact that The View turned into Rosie's show instead of 5 women. I liked the discussions that they used to have...she would tend to talk over everyone and drown them out. She also talks too loud..............
Posted by: Charmin | April 25, 2007 1:12 PM
Rosie only had a 9 month contract, so what's the big deal? She did her job and is leaving.
Posted by: barb | April 25, 2007 1:21 PM
How can you refer to Norm Abrams as a block of wood? The man is good with his hands, good with power tools, clean, and intelligent. I think he's got sex appeal (and you would never have to set foot in a furniture store again!). He's much sexier than Bob!
Posted by: sunny sd | April 25, 2007 1:24 PM
Thank you for the kind words.
Posted by: Bob Vila | April 25, 2007 1:34 PM
If Don Imus had said some of the things Rosie said he'd have been gone ages ago. Heck, he may have said those things as far as I know, I wasn't an Imus watcher.
I used to love Rosie's talk show, back before she went nuts.
I'm w/barb, she had a contract, met it & didn't renew.
Posted by: Bored @ work | April 25, 2007 1:38 PM
Napoleon Dynamite was MUCH cooler than Sanjaya -- if only because of the Vote for Pedro shirts.
Posted by: Ryan | April 25, 2007 1:40 PM
Good idea, 32112! Rosie should swing out of the view on her depression sling - it will make a memorable exit. Let's hope they pick a less combative replacement.
Posted by: tina | April 25, 2007 1:49 PM
I wish "barb" wouldn't use my screen name. Get your own. I'm changing mine. What is this, web stalking?
Posted by: Barb | April 25, 2007 1:59 PM
Rosie gone? Good. One more hatemonger / straightophobe gone. Why is it that anyone she disagrees with is automatically a "homophobe" or "fatophobe"? Because that's what uneducated people do that can't make an educated stand on something. Btw "Rev" Al and "Rev" Jessie have yet to appologise to those white devils at Duke. One of the first things they screamed was "racest". Again...uneducated!
Posted by: Chris in Colorado | April 25, 2007 2:19 PM
I believe that Bob Vila was canned from his first show because the upper management found out he was taking kick-backs from Sears (whom I think now sponsor his new show). Since that program aired on PBS is was considered wrong and out he went.
Posted by: DC DIYer (sort of) | April 25, 2007 2:37 PM
I'm right with you Chris on everything you wrote. Rosie is a foul-mouthed,hypocrite, if anyone has ever seen her old stand up routine she was not politically correct by any means. I'm not sure if anyone caught it but the day Anna Nicole died just hours before Rosie stated she would be fine if she never heard another word out of Anna Nicole's mouth again. Granted, she didn't know that Anna had died but still there are somethings you just don't say. She vies daily for quotes in the shut your mouth column.
Posted by: Sharon | April 25, 2007 2:49 PM
I like Sanjaya he makes what is called entertainment. Is harmless enough and the young girls seem to like him. What I noticed about me was that I was smiling and enjoying the moment while he was performing. I said to my wife it is like when a hummingbird comes to our feeder and we are right there in the lawn chair a few feet away and feel good and glad we were there for that moment I am glad for the moments he gave me.
Posted by: RL5560 | April 25, 2007 2:51 PM
Sanjaya as a hummingbird? Aww, what an analogy, that's so, so... nauseating.
Posted by: Cubeland, MD | April 25, 2007 3:05 PM
No, the snark regarding Vila is correct, he was egomaniacal and despite a lack of any discernible talent on the show, managed to steamroll right over the "nobodies" who actually did the work. Bob was famous for cutting people off mid-sentence to repeat what they'd just said as if it were his own thought, and had an unerring flair for the obvious, "I see you're using a hammer to drive in that nail" and dead-on insights such as "Yellow is a much warmer color than white". He also seemed vaguely irritated on each show which is bewildering considering he didn't sully his hands much. I remember one carpenter actually cut off part of his ring finger but was on the next week anyway, while Bob walked around with his hands on his hips, producing zip. I always eagerly awaited the end of the show when Bob would close with an uber-affected pronunciation of his name- "I'm Bob VEEEEE-laah!"
Posted by: whataboutbob | April 25, 2007 3:14 PM
Lady McCartney can waltz right into the next chapter of her life without missing a beat or launching a limb airborne- there's got to be a porn website somewhere for those with a fetish for middle-aged amputees who forced a Beatle to dye his hair and get a bad facejob. If not, there should be.
Posted by: stumpythegolddigger | April 25, 2007 3:45 PM
Napolean Dynamite is cooler than Sanjaya for a host of reasons but mainly because he's a better dancer!
Posted by: methinks | April 25, 2007 3:47 PM
I think Bob Vila got canned because of the way he pronounced his own name. I can't even spell it phonetically, but he always said the second part of VILA like BLEAH minus the "b."
Is that show HOMETIME still on? The nebbish-looking yuppie dude who had a different woman partner every time you tuned in? He made Bob Vila look like Tom Brady.
Finally, Liz, I sense a possible Friday list: BEST AND WORST EXITS IN TV HISTORY.
Posted by: Margo | April 25, 2007 3:56 PM
Bob Villa may have come off like an average Joe but he happens to be a very talented finish carpenter who owns/owned his own business for many years successfully I may add, you idiot!
Posted by: Steph | April 25, 2007 4:09 PM
Bob Vila always reminded me of Richard Karn on Home Improvement. I always thought Karn could fill in for Vila as his understudy.
Posted by: Ellen | April 25, 2007 4:21 PM
Finally Rosie is gone. Hopefully they will replace her with someone who is of Meredith Viera's ilk.
Posted by: Anne | April 25, 2007 11:34 PM
I believe that Rosie's exit will have to be facilitated not by her depression sling but by a frontloader, hopefully a rusty one. In the spirit of multi-tasking, this will enable us to lance the boil she's been on Babs' arse while giving Rosie tetanus which will weld her ample jaws shut.
Posted by: Bob Crane | April 26, 2007 9:09 AM
Liz, your comments about Norm Abram wound me deeply. I make time every Saturday to watch New Yankee Workshop and This Old House. Not only is he incredibly good at what he does, he actually has a knack for explaining it to the viewer.
Plus, he's just an average guy who happens to have a TV show. A great respite from our more flamboyant celebs, I have to say.
Posted by: tamerlane | April 26, 2007 11:05 AM
Bob Vila is not a carpenter, let alone a finish carpenter nor is he a woodworker. Even his wife, Diana Barrett said, "Vila is not a fix-it person".(source: The Detroit News, 10/09/1998) Vila is nothing more then a pithman for Sears and a actor for the TV shows.
Posted by: David | April 26, 2007 1:03 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
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Washingtonpost.com blogger Liz Kelly dishes on the latest happenings in entertainment, celebrity, and Hollywood news.
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Apple's Former CFO Settles Options Case
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A former chief financial officer of Apple reached a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday over the backdating of stock options and said company founder Steve Jobs had reassured him that the questionable options had been approved by the company board.
Fred D. Anderson, who left Apple last year after a board investigation implicated him in improper backdating, agreed yesterday to pay $3.5 million to settle civil charges.
Separately, SEC enforcers charged Nancy R. Heinen, former general counsel for Apple, with violating anti-fraud laws and misleading auditors at KPMG by signing phony minutes for a board meeting that government lawyers say never occurred.
Heinen, through her lawyer, Miles F. Ehrlich, vowed to fight the charges. Ehrlich said Heinen's actions were authorized by the board, "consistent with the interests of the shareholders and consistent with the rules as she understood them."
Anderson issued an unusual statement defending his reputation and tying Jobs to the scandal in the strongest terms to date. He said he warned Jobs in late January 2001 that tinkering with the dates on which six top officials were awarded 4.8 million stock options could have accounting and legal disclosure implications. Jobs, Anderson said, told him not to worry because the board of directors had approved the maneuver. Regulators said the action allowed Apple to avoid $19 million in expenses. Late last year, Apple said that Jobs helped pick some favorable dates but that he "did not appreciate the accounting implications."
Explaining Anderson's motive for issuing the statement, his lawyer Jerome Roth said: "We thought it was important that the world understand what we believe occurred here."
Roth said his client, a prominent Silicon Valley figure and a managing director at the venture capital firm Elevation Partners, will not be barred from serving as a public-company officer or board member under the settlement, in which Anderson did not admit wrongdoing. Roth declined to characterize the current relationship between Anderson and Jobs.
The SEC charges are the first in the months-long Apple investigation. Jobs was interviewed by the SEC and federal prosecutors in San Francisco, but no charges have been filed against him.
Steve Dowling, a spokesman for Apple, declined to comment on Jobs's conversations with Anderson. Dowling emphasized that the SEC did not "file any action against Apple or any of its current employees."
Government authorities praised Apple for coming forward with the backdating problems last year and for sharing information with investigators. Apple has not publicly released its investigation report.
Backdating stock options by choosing award dates when the stock price was low gives employees a financial edge by increasing the likelihood that they will profit when they sell the shares. The practice is not necessarily illegal, but it can violate securities laws and accounting rules when it is not disclosed to investors. The SEC is investigating more than 140 companies over backdating.
Heinen and Anderson "failed in their duties as gatekeepers" and caused Apple to underreport expenses by nearly $40 million, according to Marc J. Fagel, who leads enforcement efforts in the SEC's San Francisco office. Last year, Apple restated its financial reports from 1997 to 2002 by $84 million to cover options-related charges.
The SEC did not file charges against Wendy Howell, who reported to Heinen in Apple's legal department and who completed paperwork on an option award for Jobs in 2001.
Ingrid Ebeling, an analyst at JMP Securities, noted that Anderson's response contradicted Apple's earlier statements that Jobs was unaware of the accounting significance of backdating options. Though Anderson might be bitter, Ebeling said, "I would give his statement credibility."
At the same time, she said, the fact that the SEC investigation has proceeded thus far without charging Jobs is a good sign for the Apple chief executive. "Things are looking more favorable for Jobs," she said.
Apple shares fell 27 cents yesterday, to $93.24. The stock fell about 3 percent after Anderson's statement around 1 p.m. but bounced back.
The SEC and Justice Department have also been looking into stock options backdating at Pixar, where Jobs was chairman and chief executive before the company was bought by the Walt Disney Co. last year.
An internal investigation at Walt Disney concluded last month that Jobs had not acted improperly in the award of options to senior Pixar executives. Several of those grants coincided with dates when Pixar stock was at an annual low. Jobs was not one of the recipients.
But two weeks ago, the company said in an SEC filing that it would pay as much as $33.5 million to account for improper backdating of options given to Pixar employees.
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A former chief financial officer of Apple reached a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday over the backdating of stock options and said company founder Steve Jobs had reassured him that the questionable options had been approved by the company board.
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Snyder: Redskins Are on Right Track
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For the first time since just before last year's NFL draft, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder met with reporters yesterday and praised the direction of the organization, professing his belief that the club has improved significantly this offseason.
Snyder and Coach Joe Gibbs, who are preparing for this weekend's draft, reaffirmed their philosophy of being aggressive when it comes to player acquisitions and said they would apply that thinking to the draft, investigating ways to trade up or back, while also evaluating whom to take should they keep the sixth pick.
Snyder said that he had not considered altering the front-office structure or hiring a general manager despite last year's 5-11 finish. Snyder, whose team is 59-69 since he bought it in 1999, has drawn criticism for his heavy spending and reliance on free agency, but said that the franchise values the draft as well. And Gibbs said he hopes to refrain from dealing any 2008 picks after entering this draft without any selections in the second, third or fourth rounds.
"We were obviously very disappointed for the fans and for us," Snyder said, "and it was a rough season and a lot of things took place and we think we're making a lot of progress and heading in the right direction, but it didn't stem from our [front-office] structure or one particular thing. We hope and expect to get a lot better."
Snyder said he believes veteran free agents London Fletcher and Fred Smoot are significant upgrades, and anticipates that the organization will make strides whether it keeps the sixth pick or trades it.
Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson is considered by many teams to be the best player available in the draft, and the Redskins are smitten with him as well, sources said, mulling over options to trade up to get him (the team has shopped cornerback Shawn Springs to Detroit, which has the second overall pick, again in recent weeks). Completing such a trade would be difficult -- perhaps impossible -- without including next year's first-round pick. That, according to Snyder, means that it is imperative that the team identify the best possible candidate for the sixth pick. Snyder has watched Johnson and others work out, and meets with most top prospects.
"From my perspective I'm coming in trying to make sure that we get -- at the sixth pick of the draft -- we're looking for a perennial Pro Bowl player," Snyder said. "We're looking for a dominant player that early. We obviously will be looking to trade down and we may look to trade up, but what we're in search of right now is the sixth pick, because we're not sure if we'll get phone calls [from teams seeking to make a trade] or not."
The Redskins' coaches and scouts spend weeks assessing players, and after much debate they assign a grade to each player and ranks him. But the decision belongs to Snyder, Gibbs and Vice President of Football Operations Vinny Cerrato, who explore trades, run the "war room" on draft day and ultimately make any selections or trades.
"The three of us normally at the end of it try and come up with a final game plan for the draft," Gibbs said.
Gibbs said that the team is not concerned with drafting for a need position with the sixth pick, and that the club's depth at certain areas will not affect how it selects. Wide receiver, for instance, is a position on which the club has splurged in recent years -- Santana Moss, Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El each got signing bonuses of at least a $10 million -- but that would not necessarily preclude drafting Johnson. The highest-rated defensive player to many within the organization, safety LaRon Landry, also plays a position where veterans abound -- but has game-breaking potential -- while Gibbs added that the age of tackle Amobi Okoye, 19, the second-ranked defensive player among many in the organization, was not a detriment, either.
"Long term, it's, 'Can this player play for 10 years?' " Gibbs said. "And even though it may be crowded where he initially comes in at a position, if you feel like that long term he's going to be playing here for a long time and has chance to go to Pro Bowls. But I will say this, that doesn't mean he has to do it that first year. Sometimes it's a learning process and sometimes he comes into a position where there's already a lot of talent there."
Gibbs said that he does not see any players in this draft who would be automatic starters on the Redskins, regardless of position, and that the club could still address some needs, such as along the defensive line, on the second day of the draft, citing linemen Kedric Golston and Anthony Montgomery, who were late-round selections last year. The Redskins have yet to augment the defensive line this offseason despite sagging against the run and failing to generate much of a pass rush in 2006, but sources said that if the team did select Landry or Johnson it would turn again to trades and free agency for linemen.
There are a handful of players around the league who received the franchise tag who could be trade material, although sources said the Redskins have not contacted representatives for franchised linemen Cory Redding (Detroit), Charles Grant (New Orleans) or Justin Smith (Cincinnati) to this point. Other pass-rushing defensive ends could become available as well, with Oakland's Derrick Burgess and Buffalo's Aaron Schobel -- who has strong ties to assistant head coach Gregg Williams -- both underpaid by current standards and likely seeking new contracts this offseason. Trading for prominent veterans has been a mark of the Gibbs-Snyder partnership, and they are rarely shy about making bold moves, attempting to land cornerback Dre Bly and linebacker Lance Briggs in recent months.
"Dan's philosophy is to be aggressive," Gibbs said. "We fall in the category of being more aggressive and it's based on Dan being as aggressive as he is."
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Owner Daniel Snyder makes a rare appearance with Coach Joe Gibbs on Tuesday to reaffirm the Redskins' aggressive strategy on the eve of the draft.
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'Brain Chaser' Tackles Effects of NFL Hits
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PITTSBURGH -- Bennet Omalu knows why his phone calls often bring silence on the other end. He introduces himself as a forensic pathologist, which means he is trained to examine dead people. He explains that he's also a neuropathologist, which means he is trained to examine dead people's brains. He says all this through a thick accent that is the result of a childhood spent in Nigeria.
Then there is the matter of what he is seeking in those calls: the brains of recently deceased professional football players.
Coming over the phone in slightly broken English, with a complicated explanation of a medical phenomena that most coroners have never heard of or believe to be true, the request to have the brain pulled from the freshly deceased player's head and shipped here to be studied might as well come from Mars.
"They insult me," Omalu said. "They say, 'What do you think you are doing?' " Then they say no.
Omalu, 37, a man who knew nothing about football and was a soccer goalie in his homeland, believes he has proven that repeated concussions in football lead to early-onset dementia, very similar to the boxing ailment known as "punch-drunk syndrome," possibly leading to dementia and depression.
Omalu has been able to examine four brains -- those of former Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Andre Waters, former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen Mike Webster and Terry Long and former Denver Broncos running back Damien Nash. Webster, Long and Waters all showed signs of severe punch-drunk syndrome, and Long and Waters committed suicide. Nash, who died Feb. 24 after collapsing following a charity basketball game, did not. But he was just 24 and barely had played in the NFL.
And while the link between Webster, Long and Waters, who all suffered emotionally and intellectually in their post-football lives, has encouraged some researchers, others question the validity of Omalu's work, suggesting his research is sloppy and the evidence is insufficient. Either way, he needs more brains.
That is not easy to accomplish.
"Just call me a brain chaser. That's what I do," Omalu said with a laugh.
He is a smallish man with a wide face and a big smile who favors pinstriped suits and chats without the detached air of many doctors. He came to the United States in 1994 to do his residency at the University of Washington. He was drawn to pathology because he never really liked any other field of medicine. He found it all too boring. Along the way, he discovered he loved to study the brain.
Five years ago, while working at the Allegheny County medical examiner's office, he came to work and discovered Webster's body on the slab. The former Steelers center caused a stir in the coroner's office mainly because he was one of the most beloved Pittsburgh players of the 1970s and '80s. But Webster had fallen on hard times after football; he seemed scattered and irritable, eventually lost all of his money and distanced himself from his family.
Watching coverage of Webster's death (the cause was not released), Omalu was shocked that the people who talked about him on television mocked his intelligence. Omalu wondered if perhaps Webster suffered from dementia pugilistica, or punch-drunk syndrome. When he arrived at work and discovered he would be doing the autopsy on Webster, he pulled out the brain and found it to look unblemished. Still, he wanted a further look.
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Forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu, above, has been studying the brains of several deceased football players and believes he has proven that repeated concussions lead to early-onset dementia, very similar to the boxing ailment known as "punch-drunk syndrome."
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Panel Vows to Pursue Tillman Case
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Members of a congressional oversight panel vowed yesterday to investigate whether the White House and top Pentagon officials played a role in deceiving the public about the 2004 "friendly fire" death of a former NFL player, Cpl. Pat Tillman, and argued that five investigations have failed to answer critical questions about the case.
During a dramatic hearing on Capitol Hill, Tillman's brother, Kevin, spoke publicly for the first time about the shooting and how members of the Army Ranger unit they both were with kept him in the dark about how Pat died on an eastern Afghanistan hillside. Kevin Tillman spoke about the "deliberate and calculated lies" the military told his family and the public, and how he believes military officials "hijacked" Pat's legacy by transforming his tragic death into "an inspirational message."
VIDEO | Pat Tillman's brother, Kevin, accused the military of misrepresenting the nature of his brother's death by friendly fire in Afghanistan. (April 24)
"The least this country can do for him in return is to uncover who was responsible for his death, who lied and covered it up, and who instigated those lies and benefited from them; then ensure that justice is meted out to the culpable," Kevin Tillman said, adding: "Anything less than the truth is a betrayal of those values that all soldiers who have fought for this nation have sought to uphold."
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing came three years after Pat Tillman was gunned down on April 22, 2004, by members of his own unit while on a bungled mission near the Pakistani border. It marked the first time the full Tillman family had gathered in public to decry the problems that have plagued the case. Mary Tillman, who has called for high-level investigations since 2004, continued to accuse the government of "using" her son's death to divert attention from the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and high casualties in the Iraq war.
Investigators found that the military destroyed evidence such as Tillman's clothes, manipulated the story by saying he was engaged with the enemy when he died and drew up a misleading Silver Star citation. Tillman's death gained worldwide attention in part because he gave up a lucrative pro football contract to enlist in the Army. The committee also heard testimony yesterday from Jessica Lynch, a former soldier whose ordeal in Iraq in 2003 was inaccurately portrayed in the media as a heroic fight against insurgents, when in fact Lynch never fired a shot.
"The American people are capable of determining their own ideals for heroes, and they don't need to be told elaborate lies," Lynch said.
Kevin Tillman -- who was in the convoy with his brother the day he died but was too far away to see what had happened -- testified that he was whisked from the area shortly after Pat's death and was sent home with his body in an attempt to keep him from the truth. Spec. Bryan O'Neal, who was with Tillman when other U.S. soldiers began firing on them, testified yesterday that he was ordered not to speak to the Tillman family or to mention that it was a friendly-fire case, with the implication that he would get in trouble if he did.
"I was 100 percent positive it was friendly fire," O'Neal said. He said he reported the incident that day.
Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), the committee's chairman, said the government violates its most basic duty when it fails to tell soldiers and their families the truth. He said he is awaiting the Army's top-level review of how to assign responsibility for the lies about Tillman's death but said he will continue investigating.
"We still don't know how far up this went," Waxman said. "We don't know what the secretary of defense knew. We don't know what the White House knew. These are questions the committee seeks answers to."
Acting Defense Department Inspector General Thomas F. Gimble, whose recent report blamed several senior officers for misinforming the public about Tillman's death, said his probe did not look into senior administration officials, and that Donald H. Rumsfeld wrote in a letter on his last day as defense secretary that he did not know about the friendly-fire aspect of the case until shortly before the family learned of it in late May.
Republican lawmakers also criticized the military. Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (Va.) called the military's actions "a disservice to the memory of Corporal Tillman, to his family, his unit and this nation."
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Members of a congressional oversight panel vowed yesterday to investigate whether the White House and top Pentagon officials played a role in deceiving the public about the 2004 "friendly fire" death of a former NFL player, Cpl. Pat Tillman, and argued that five investigations have failed to answer...
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The Imus Test: Rap Lyrics Undergo Examination
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At first blush, it seemed as if the latest furor over misogyny and racism in rap had died down, eclipsed by more tragic headlines. Shock jock Don Imus, in the wake of uttering his now-famous two-word slur, got the sack while a victorious Al Sharpton declared that "more people need to get this message." But two weeks past its news expiration date, the debate seems to be gathering renewed strength.
Today, rap is both an art form and an industry under intense examination, both from within and without. Perhaps the late C. DeLores Tucker, who began railing against rap's "pornographic filth" in the early 1990s, was onto something after all.
On Monday hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, who just two weeks ago was arguing for the rights of rappers to express themselves as artists, did a seeming about-face and called for the voluntary banning of "bitch," "ho" and the N-word from the lexicon as "extreme curse words." He called for a coalition of industry executives to "recommend guidelines for lyrical and visual standards." Then the NAACP yesterday unveiled an initiative to halt racist and sexist imagery in the media, aimed at the record and television industries, recording artists and the African American community. And tomorrow, in a belated benediction, a civil rights group will honor Tucker, the leader of the National Political Congress of Black Women who initiated a national crusade against gangsta rap and took the recording industry to task for putting profits ahead of social responsibility.
Rap, facing sluggish record sales, is at a cultural crossroads. A University of Chicago study released in February said that 62 percent of black teens think rap music videos are degrading to black women.
Was veteran rapper Nas right when he titled his latest album "Hip Hop Is Dead"?
"I don't see rap in a crisis," Simmons said yesterday. "This happens every 10 years. People are blaming rap for all of society's ills."
His call for the removal of the unholy trinity of rap insults came as a response to "public outrage," Simmons said, but he remains wary of encroachments on the First Amendment. "It's the potential for us to head off a nasty discussion that promotes censorship."
Rappers, he said, are "going to make poetry no matter what anyone says." And no matter how hard-core their expressions, a segment of the buying public seems to want it.
"I don't think it's going to have a significant impact," Geoff Mayfield, director of charts at Billboard magazine, said of Simmons's recommendation. "A lot of broadcasters will be cautious anyway. I believe that those standards are already adhered to. I don't know how often you would hear the B-word on the radio."
In the music business, decisions are driven more by commerce than ethics, he added, and sales of unedited albums far surpass sales of the "clean" versions. "I don't see that changing."
Tucker's boycotts of hard-core rap and the stores that sold it didn't stop the industry from churning out more and more explicit recordings. Back then her quest seemed quixotic, schoolmarmish and finger-wagging. (On a 1999 release, Snoop Dogg mockingly dedicated his CD to the people "who say gangsta rap is dead: [Expletive] y'all.") While her efforts made headlines and seemingly pushed Warner Bros. to offload the Interscope label, gangsta acts such as Snoop, Tupac Shakur and 50 Cent sold well.
But the Imus incident recharged a debate that never really went away. "This is what you would call a perfect storm. Hip-hop was already going through a purging process and self-examination," said Davey D., a hip-hop historian and journalist in the San Francisco area. "The debate around hip-hop being dead brought many of those issues to the forefront. People have grown weary."
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At first blush, it seemed as if the latest furor over misogyny and racism in rap had died down, eclipsed by more tragic headlines. Shock jock Don Imus, in the wake of uttering his now-famous two-word slur, got the sack while a victorious Al Sharpton declared that "more people need to get this...
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Smithsonian Will Charge For Butterfly Pavilion
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Butterflies are not going to be free, at least not at the Smithsonian Institution.
In a rare move, the Smithsonian is going to charge admission for part of a new permanent exhibition called "Butterflies and Plants: Partners in Evolution."
Admission to the Smithsonian's Washington museums has always been free, and the legislation and wills creating four of its museums -- the National Portrait Gallery, the Freer Gallery of Art, the National Museum of African Art and the Hirshhorn Museum -- specifically ban admission fees. But in recent years some lawmakers have been pushing Smithsonian officials to find new ways of meeting expenses.
The National Museum of Natural History's two-tier look at butterflies will open in November. There will be a general exhibition that will focus on the evolution of plants and butterflies. It will include a window looking into a special pavilion filled with live tropical butterflies. All that will be free. But visitors who want to enter the Butterfly Pavilion, a climate-controlled space with about 300 to 400 butterflies whizzing around, will have to pay.
The Smithsonian Board of Regents approved the admission policy at its January meeting, according to the full minutes of that session, obtained by The Washington Post. The members of the Smithsonian governing board were told that the tickets would most likely cost $5. The minutes also indicate that the fees would be waived one day a week.
"All income generated from admissions will be used to support the operation of the Butterfly Pavilion, the Insect Zoo and related activities," the minutes said. The Smithsonian has on rare occasions charged admission for temporary exhibitions but never for a permanent installation. (Its New York museum, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, charges admission.)
Immediate reaction to the decision was mixed.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, endorsed the idea yesterday. "This exhibit sounds like a wonderful addition to the Smithsonian collection, and I'm happy to hear that they have found a creative way to make it available for visitors to enjoy," she said.
Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican member of the Senate Finance Committee, who has been monitoring financial issues at the Smithsonian, said the timing wasn't right to start charging admission. "They ought to mothball this idea until they sharpen their pencils on wasteful spending," Grassley said. "As long as senior managers have a sense of entitlement and an anything-goes culture about spending, museum-goers can't have confidence that charging admission is really a last resort."
Butterfly pavilions are expensive ventures because the butterflies and plants have short life spans and need to be replaced frequently. The regents were told the annual operating cost is about $900,000.
The butterfly exhibition will cost $3 million, said Elizabeth Duggal, the museum's associate director for external affairs and public programs.
Robert Sullivan, the former associate director for public programs at the museum, was part of the planning team and predicted that the public would accept the fee.
"The plan is to use the money to support butterfly research and the house itself," Sullivan said. "The animals are fragile; you have to raise them, and put them in every day. You have to have a greenhouse for the plants and you have to burn the plants every six months. It is an expensive facility to run. But butterflies are a great learning experience."
At Natural History two temporary exhibitions have had admission fees: "Amber: Window to the Past," in 1997, and "Dinamation's Dinosaurs Alive and in Color," in 1990. The Smithsonian also charges admission at its three Imax theaters, plus the planetarium and the simulator rides at the National Air and Space Museum.
"The public never had hesitation about paying for specialty events," Sullivan said.
The pavilion was designed by Smithsonian staff to create a hospitable environment for the insects. "Our goal is to keep them flying without wearing them out," said exhibition developer Sally Love. The butterflies will be drawn to light, with lamps substituting for natural light, she said. It is not clear how long each visitor will stay, because the 1,400-square-foot pavilion will be heated to 80 degrees and 80 percent humidity. The organizers estimate that 30 people at a time will be able to visit the smaller area, and they predict 200,000 visitors a year.
The Smithsonian is using farms in Latin America, Africa, Asia and North America to supply the butterfly pupae.
Attendance at the 96-year-old Natural History Museum grew 33 percent during the first four months of this year, compared with the same period a year earlier, according to acting Smithsonian Secretary Cristián Samper, the former director of the museum. That is partly because the adjacent American History Museum closed last September for renovations; it is scheduled to reopen in fall 2008.
The American Museum of Natural History, a New York museum that is not federally funded, operates its butterfly show eight months a year. Admission to the museum, with a special butterfly charge, is $21 for adults and $13 for children. The museum-only fee for adults is a suggested $14.
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Butterflies are not going to be free, at least not at the Smithsonian Institution.
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How Much for the Plastic Rat?
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An egg with a coat of shellac that says "Ecuador." Acrylic paperweights full of Burmese jungle ants. A caribou that sings "O Canada" when you press its nose.
Going somewhere far away means new sights, new eats. New stuff.
If you're like me, one of the best sides of travel is hunting souvenirs -- objects that are locally made and that your friends can't buy at Trader Joe's or Pier 1 Imports back home.
You can keep your fine art, your lacquerware, your hand-woven silk. When it comes to souvenirs, I want weird. Plastic junk that makes noises and smashes into things. Stuff that my wife says is ugly and that I should leave alone.
Cheap, packable knickknacks rarely weigh me down. Customs inspection? Not a worry. I rarely regret spending a few euros or yen. And when I get my junk collection home, it helps bring back tiny tastes of the strangeness and humor of my destination.
Here are my souvenir rules:
* What I buy must be the size of a shoe box or smaller (so I can squeeze a lot in).
* Five bucks per object is the target price; 20 bucks per item is tops.
* It has to be made locally -- at the very least, in the country I'm visiting.
* It should make me think of the place I went to or of something that happened on the trip.
* Above all, it's got to make me laugh.
You and I can argue about which countries are best for "nice" souvenirs and which are best for portable, inexpensive junk. Almost everyone has his or her own secret supply lines when it comes to quirky objects from the road.
I've had good luck in Istanbul, thanks to its bazaars, picking up a miniature hookah pipe in the shape of a squirrel. It even works. In India, I found a wooden pan flute that has the word "Delhi" elegantly inscribed on it, and underneath, "Sexy Legs."
You don't have to go exotic for interesting finds. For some reason, Florida has a lot. (I once bought a snow globe with a blizzard coming down over a beach with palm trees.) And there's always Canada. Interested in something with a North Woods motif? What about a toilet-paper holder with a beaver popping out to inspect the roll?
These are all good. But I found the mother lode of weird souvenirs on a recent vacation in Vietnam. Like Japan in the 1960s, Vietnam is up to its ears in dirt-cheap, funky, unique junk. Motorized rats, bamboo hats, snake wine. I bought. I bargained. I couldn't stop. Here's my Top 5 list from scouring stores in Hanoi, Hue and Hoi An.
Peter Mandel last wrote for Travel on British tourists in New York.
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Find Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland travel information, including web fares, Washington DC tours, beach/ski guide, international and United States destinations. Featuring Mid-Atlantic travel, airport information, traffic/weather updates
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A Corker of a Kayak Trip
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It's really just a shame, isn't it? Thousands of perfectly fine kayaking excursions are ruined each year by the senseless lack of libations. Oh, sure, there are raging waters and placid passages and random spottings of whatever kind of drab-feathered owl is spiraling toward extinction this week.
But what if one prefers to paddle while savoring the intense tropical citrus flavors of a steel-aged French clone chardonnay? Is it asking too much to want a bit of vine-ripened spirit as the accompaniment to an endeavor that's so often -- well, not dry exactly but, you know, dry.
The refined people of Cape Charles, Va., sure don't think so.
Which is exactly the thing that prompted me and my friend Allie to pack up and head to the southern tip of Virginia's Eastern Shore recently. After four hours spent asking "Who lives in these towns?" and "Who shops at that Macy's?" and "Why is there a College of Pharmacy in the same strip mall as a Burger King?" we pulled up to the converted garage-style headquarters of SouthEast Expeditions.
There we found Dave Burden, loading a slew of kayaks onto the trailer behind his pickup. If you like your boating/wine tasting guides to look as if they just stepped off the set of "Northern Exposure," Dave's your guy.
He signed us in, told us to follow his lead and away we -- um . . . huh. A kayak flew off the back of Dave's truck into the middle of the road, and he kept on keeping on without ever looking back.
Allie and I aren't skittish types, really, but we suddenly found ourselves hoping for shallow waters and weak winds.
But first, a drink at Chatham Vineyards, just a few miles outside of town in Machipongo. It's a Federal-style mansion surrounded by a lush old farm that Northern Virginia native Jon Wehner and his wife, Millie, planted with vines eight years ago.
"You can really taste the Eastern Shore," Wehner said as he moved from the oak-barreled chardonnay to its not-too-sweet rosé. It's a small operation -- and one of only a handful in the region -- but the wines were wonderfully drinkable and the atmosphere cozy.
Dave, who had led us to the vineyard and disappeared with the boats (retrieving the wayward kayak in the process), was back now, wearing shorts and flip-flops despite the infuriating April chill. It was time to paddle, he said, so we followed him to the bank of a gently flowing body of water he introduced as Church Creek, which apparently leads to another little creek, which leads to the Chesapeake Bay. No Class VI rapids here.
After about 25 minutes or so on the water, Dave began expounding on facets of the creek's environment. Something about salt marshes or egrets or osprey. But, oh, who cared about that, because then he was pulling us to shore and uncorking bottles of red and white.
Turns out our kayaking expedition consisted mostly of a cocktail hour on a spit of land 200 yards offshore. Salut! We settled in as Dave and Donna Bozza, the other local among our band of six, recounted tales of life in tiny Cape Charles (population under 2,000 at the moment).
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On Virginia's Eastern Shore, SouthEast Expeditions takes adventurers to Chatham Vineyards for a drink, then to a gentle creek for kayaking.
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Earth Day: A Biblical Mandate
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I will celebrate "Earth Day" and encourage Christians of all denominations and traditions to do so. Why? We believe that God created the earth, entrusting its care to man, and that He will one day recreate it in "the new heaven and new earth." We are called to "witness" to our faith as believers.
Participation in this event is an opportunity to express love for God and care for what He has created. We evangelicals call this "creation care." Care for the entire creation -- the environment and "all creatures great and small" -- is a biblical obligation (Gen. 2:15). We should walk in God's ways (Deut. 10:12) and try to inspire people by offering broader vistas of thought and service.
Can we hear the voice of the biblical prophet Ezekiel: "Is it not enough for you to drink the water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?" Here's a modern-day question: Is it enough for you to enjoy a pleasant climate? Must you destroy it? Is it not enough for you to enjoy the myriad of creatures? Must you extinguish them? Major segments of the earth are dying and we are responsible. Earth's resources are not infinite.
A new moral awakening is sweeping our land. It's a re-awakening to the heart of the Gospel ethic: to steward the natural world in order to preserve for ourselves and future generations a beautiful, rich, and healthy environment. It is "revision-ing" our lives. Taking part in "Earth Day" is a response to this new calling.
Thus, our family will worship together at National Cathedral in Washington with other environmental, scientific, and faith leaders and then enjoy the outdoors together. It's all part of a faith commitment we've made to do everything in our power to preserve this precious gift the Creator has given us.
Richard Cizik is vice president for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals. His primary responsibilities include editing publications such as NAE Washington Insight, directing NAE's Washington Insight Briefing and Christian Student Leadership Conferences, setting its policy direction on issues before Congress, the White House, and Supreme Court, and serving as a national spokesman on issues of concern to evangelicals.
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A conversation on religion with Jon Meacham and Sally Quinn. Visit http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/
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Books: "Supreme Discomfort"
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"Justice Clarence Thomas is the Supreme Court's most reclusive member, which is saying something. Deeply distrustful of the media, the justice also almost never speaks from the bench. As a powerful official who remains opaque to the public, he is a prime candidate for a careful, fair-minded biography," writes Kenji Yoshino, professor at Yale Law School, in Book World.
Kevin Merida and Michael A. Fletcher, Washington Post reporters and authors of "Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas," will be online Monday, April 23, at Noon ET to discuss their biography of the Supreme Court's most controversial justice.
Submit your questions and comments before or during the discussion.
Washington, D.C.: Good article in this weekend'a Post. What was the most revealing piece of information that you got, while researching this book?
washingtonpost.com: Justice Thomas's Life A Tangle of Poverty, Privilege and Race ( Post, April 22)
Kevin Merida: First, let me say welcome to everyone. This was a fascinating exercise for me and Michael. We believe that there are many sides to Justice Thomas, many complexities to his life story. I think for me, one of the great revelations in researching this book was just how many people, and a wide variety of people, he entertains in his chambers for conversation. Often people would drop by, say a court employee bringing his parents and they'd find themselves in Justice Thomas's chambers for hours. Many times these conversations seem to have a cathartic quality for him. He will discuss his upbringing, the slights from his childhood, pull out high school yearbooks, on one occasion imitate the dance steps of Motown's Temptations with the father of a protege. We talked to a number of people who had visited him, and those interviews really unlocked him for us.
Michael A. Fletcher: Hello everyone, thanks for joining us. Let's get started.
St. Paul, Minn.: The Post for this program states that Justice Thomas rarely speaks from the bench. His reticence often extends to his writings, often his dissents are a mere paragraph or two. How much precedence is there for this dearth of writing from a sitting Justice?
Michael A. Fletcher: Thomas actually does his fair share of writing from the bench.The short opinions you refer to often are in dissents or concurrences on cases that raise issues where his views are already known and not about to change. Also, he often pens passionate opinions on issues that he is passionate about. Among them are school integration and affirmative action in higher education (in the 2003 Michigan case he memorably (and some say misleadingly) quoted Frederick Douglass). Thomas also has gone on in some of these minority opinions to make his case for why he feels past court precedents--sometimes landmark precedents--have strayed from the path charted by the Constitution.
Washington, D.C.: When writing the book, how many people would NOT speak to you about Thomas?
Kevin Merida: As we write in our author's note, there were certainly some who didn't speak to us--a number of his colleagues on the court, for instance, and some others. But we were most struck by just how many people did cooperate with us, including Justice Scalia, Thomas's mother and sister, who granted multiple interviews, Thomas's childhood friends, and many others who were close to Thomas now and during key moments in his life.
Fairfax County, Va.: I am concerned and upset about your reporting on the teenager Clarence Thomas has brought up. Is he old enough to handle suddenly being put in the public spotlight and having his parents' deeds and misdeeds brought to light? I thought the Clintons had made a lasting change through their handling of Chelsea's situation while she was a minor. Why did he make up so much of the excerpt in The Post and why did you report about him (his preference in reading, his school, etc.) at all? I am happy to read about this mysterious Justice but would have also been just as happy to wait a few years til this young man was a grown-up.
Kevin Merida: Thanks for your question, Fairfax. We tried to be very careful in what we included specifically about Thomas's great nephew. There really is not a great amount of detail in our Sunday excerpt about young Mark's life. Thomas himself has talked about Mark in considerably more detail in public speeches. He is very proud of the young man, and his decision to try to give Mark what his grandfather had given him and the circumstances of how that came about, is an important part of Thomas's biography. As clerks and friends told us, it is something that reenergized Thomas and really has changed his life.
Baltimore: Justice Thomas's confirmation hearings: In your book, where do you come down on the question of Thomas vs. Hill? Was it an attempt to smear a good man, a courageous action on the part of a young woman, or ultimately an unknowable he said/she said situation?
Kevin Merida: I think what happened between Thomas and Hill is ultimately unknowable. Only the two of them know for sure what transpired. What IS clear is that one of them lied, period. There was no wiggle room left in either of their stories. We try to dissect what happened and add some new information and context to help readers untangle it for themselves.
Mt. Rainier, Md.: I'm a PG Co. elementary school teacher. Justice Thomas spoke to my 4th grade students several years ago, and it was not a success. He seemed uncomfortable around children, and, among other things, explained that he never spoke in court because, when he was their age, other kids made fun of his comments. But the man is a Supreme Court Justice! So far we have not had him back.
Michael A. Fletcher: Interesting. Justice Thomas often is a very effective speaker, even if he sometimes leaves his audiences a bit puzzled. He has a way of conveying humility when he talks and he has the kind of stump speech that one would not expect from a Supreme Court justice. Rarely does he give talks on subject such as: "Application of the Commerce Clause in 21st Century America." He could, and he does write about that issue in his opinions. But instead, he often uses his public appearances to talk about his own life, his own struggles, and for some audiences that can be inspiring. But for others it is a downer. In many of his graduation speeches, for example, Justice Thomas talks about the hard time he had getting a job coming out of Yale Law School. Even now that he stands at the top of the proverbial legal heap, he tells groups that he keeps a stack of job rejection letters in his home. I think his point is to try to connect with people that he is a regular guy who has had struggles like everyone else but overcame them. His famous silence from the bench is grew from those struggles. I don't know what he told your class, but he has given various reasons for his silence in the past. He says advocates should have their say before the court and that justices should refrain from interrupting them. He also has suggested that justices who ask a lot of questions are often grandstanding. But he also has said that his silence is a holdover from his days as a young man who spoke in a "Geechee" dialect common to his coastal Georgia home. He said he learned to be ashamed of how he talked when he was a teenager. He says a teacher at his high school (a Catholic minor seminary in Savannah) called him out on the way he talked and that Thomas worked hard to overcome his dialect. It was effective: Thomas now speaks in a clear, commanding baritone. But he said in those days he developed a habit for listening that was never broken.
Philadelphia: I found it interesting how relatives of Justice Thomas said they wouldn't think of contacting Justice Thomas for assistance over a relative's legal troubles. From one perspective, we cringe when we see justice bent for a relative. Yet, from another perspective, it makes Justice Thomas appear cold and distant from his roots. What is your take on this?
Kevin Merida: Justice Thomas has always had a complicated relationship with his sister. They both started in Pin Point, but he was the one who went to Savannah to live with his grandfather after the family house burned down and his sister stayed behind with aging relatives. Their lives diverged. His sister, Emma, had children early. She picked crabs to earn money and for a time was on welfare. Thomas went throught the Catholic school system and for a time was preparing to be a priest. His grandfather and grandmother helped him to fulfill his potential. Emma, who never had as much ambition as her brother, has stayed in Pin Point and works as a cook. She is not bitter about her brother, she just does not view life the way he does. They are really in two different worlds, and when her son got caught up in a drug sting in Pin Point, she didn't believe her brother really wanted to be bothered. In fact, she thinks her brother's name and reputation made it more difficult for her son to get leniency in sentence, which was 30 years.
Windsor Mill, Md.: If Thomas had talked to you during the course of researching the book, what would you have asked him? If he were willing to talk to you today, would you ask him something different? And how does a subject's unwillingness to cooperate affect how you treat him in the book? Do you approach it with the same attitude you would, had he cooperated?
Michael A. Fletcher: Great questions. One issue we would have loved to explore with Justice Thomas was his estrangement from large elements of the African American community. We are curious about how the justice views that, how the breach widened the way it did, and whether he ever sees it being bridged. Justice Thomas is arguably the most powerful African Americans in public life, but yet he is not celebrated in much of the African American community. In some quarters, he is actually looked down upon. But it is not as if he feels no connection to the black community. He does many quiet things, including speaking to school groups and mentoring young people, many of whom are black. Of course, we would also have liked to discuss the Anita Hill situation with him, if only to learn more about the texture of their relationship. Similarly, we're curious about his relationship with the right. In light of the Imus controversy, for example, I'd be curious about what he thinks of his buddy Rush Limbaugh's radio show. The fact that he didn't talk caused us to work harder to interview people around him, people who meet in chambers with him or otherwise are privvy to his thoughts. We also relied a lot on his large catalog of speeches. I like to think that the fact that he didn't talk did not change our view of him. I have to say, that every time we were able to approach Justice Thomas in public he was unfailingly polite, even as he was unmoveable on the subject of doing an interview.
New York, N.Y.: Thanks for taking questions. I recently heard on a radio interview (I think one or both of you were on) that Clarence Thomas does not really enjoy being a Supreme Court justice, but he will never resign because that would satisfy his critics. Did I hear correctly?
Michael A. Fletcher: Justice Thomas has indicated to some people who have talked to him that he is not that enamored of the job. Surprised, that person pursued the subject with him, and Thomas said he would perhaps prefer to do something like his grandfather did--run a small business. That is another of the things we would have asked him about had the justice granted us an interview. But he has never invoked the prospect of stepping down, at least to our knowledge. In his defiant moments, Thomas has said that he plans to stay on the court for a long time--if only to confound his critics.
Bethesda, Md.: Other biographies have been written about Clarence Thomas. What unique perspective do you two bring to the table. And how do your experiences as black men affect your perspective?
Kevin Merida: I think growing up in black communities and having thought a lot about the expectations high achieving African Americans face informed our work quite a bit. We think Justice Thomas's racial identity is essential to understanding him--it informs his work on the court, his views of the world and his relationships with others. And we explore the various sides of that identity more than other biographies to date.
Washington, D.C.: Thanks for the chat. I can't wait to read the book.
I'm wondering to what extent, if at all, did Justice Thomas cooperate with you in the writing of this book?
How open were his friends and associates to being interviewed?
Kevin Merida: Justice Thomas did not cooperate with this book, but as stated previously many of his close friends did, including former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson and HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson.
New Bedford, Mass.: From what I have read so far, sounds like you guys did a masterful job! Congratulations!! Essence magazine called your book an expose. Is that a fair assessment? What was your initial intent in writng this book and did that change during the course of writing. Thanks!
Kevin Merida: Thank you for the kind words. I would not call our book an expose, but we're happy to have been featured in Essence. Our intent with the book was to try to explain Thomas, to unravel some of the mysteries about him. We have long believed that he is one of the most fascinating figures in public life, often caricatured and somewhat opaque for many. We have tried with this book to help people concerned about this country and its direction develop a deeper understanding of the most controversial justice on the nation's highest court.
Washington, D.C.: I'm 72 and went to law school during the most "activist" years of the Warren Court. Even then the concept of an "evolving" Constitution was controversial.
I personally don't see how it cannot evolve to meet changing times. Didn't Justice Black once famously say that he could find no reference to electronic wiretaping in the Constitution? As my granchildren would say, "Duh!" And one of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention protested that, if a ban on cruel and unusual punishment were to be adopted, this would outlaw the then-current practice of cutting off felons hands. I also don't think the founders would want everyone running around with guns. Is this really what he wants?
Michael A. Fletcher: One thing Justice Thomas does is draw a distinction between what he "wants" and what he feels he has power to do as a justice. He once remarked that judging can sometimes be like seeing someone drowning 20 feet below you and having only 10 feet of rope. He, in short, sees a limited role for the judiciary. He would argue that the evolving mores of society should be reflected in laws--and Constitutional amendments--passed through the federal and state legislatures and through referenda. Now, many people --including other members of the court--take issue with that saying that our society is so much more complex than the Founders ever imagined, and that the language of the Constitution is often so vague, that it is does not make good sense to view our founding charter as being set in stone.
Washington, D.C.: When you write a biography of someone do you have to get that person's permission?
Michael A. Fletcher: Not if that person is a public figure. Of course, their cooperation is something an author would always prefer to have because the subject can reconcile events for a writer like no one else could. And we tried until the end to get Justice Thomas's cooperation, several times enlisting his friends to carry messages to him. But to no avail.
New York, N.Y.: Is Justice Thomas close to any of his colleagues on the court?
Kevin Merida: Not close as in sit at home and watch a college football game with. But we're told he has a relationship with Justice Ginsburg, who has taken a liking to his great nephew. He sits beside Justice Breyer during oral arguments, and they regularly carry on a whispery conversation. Both are considered justices who are very down to earth when it comes to interacting with the public. He and Justice Scalia share an affinity for how the Constitution should be interpreted, and have often commiserated together when they are on losing ends of votes.
Fairfax, Va.: If there were a way, do you think Justice Thomas would like to get out of that job and do something else?
Kevin Merida: Justice Thomas's good friend, Michael Luttig, who had been an appeals court judge and sometimes on short lists for Supreme Court vacancies, surprised some by quitting last year and becoming counsel to Boeing. His good friend, Larry Thompson, told us he would not be surprised if Thomas did find something else to do at some point. Not that he was predicting it. Only that Thomas likes to keep his options open--he told one visitor to the court who joined him for lunch not long ago that he would love to be a small businessman like his grandfather.
Detroit: Putting aside his possible political leanings, could you address how learned a constitutional scholar Thomas is? One reads that he is not the most intellectual of the justices on the Supreme Court. How well did he do in classes when he was younger and in jobs before he joined the Supreme Court?
Michael A. Fletcher: The best we could tell, Justice Thomas is well regarded among his colleagues. Also, former clerks say that he is well regarded even if his silence from the bench is an object of fascination. Contrary to some popular opinion, he writes his fair share of opinions. But during the time span covered by our book, at least, he has proven to be unwilling to compromise on many cases before the court, leaving him to influence the course of the law through his dissents and concurrences. He came to court with precious little litigation experience, having spent less than a year and a half on an appeals court before being tapped for the Supreme Court. Before that he worked as chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as an assistant secretary at the Department of Education and as a Senate staffer. He also worked as a corporate lawyer for Monsanto, and his first job out of Yale Law School was with the attorney general's office in Missouri, where he gained the bulk of his courtroom experience before being seated on the bench. Classmates said he worked hard at Yale, and he was among the top graduates at the College of the Holy Cross. Rather than describe him as brilliant, most people say Justice Thomas is hard-working and determined.
Michael A. Fletcher: Time's up. Thanks for the great questions.
Macon, Ga.: So, why doesn't he ever speak in court?
Kevin Merida: The justice has given several explanations for why he doesn't speak more from the bench: he believes all good questions will get asked at some point, he believes the advocates deserve a chance to be heard instead of constantly being cut off by justices, he believes some of his colleagues are really engaged in debate among each other and that some like the sound of their own voice. But perhaps the most detailed explanation he has given traces his reticence back to being a teenager when he spoke in a coastal dialect known as Geechee or Gullah. He was teased about it, and became so self-conscious, he said, that he developed the habit of listening.
Kevin Merida: Well, this ends our chat. Thanks for tuning in. We hope those who are interested in learning more about Thomas will pick up our book. Appreciate all of the fine questions.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Color of Money Book Club
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Michelle Singletary hosted an online discussion about kids and money with the authors and developers of several products aimed at teaching financial responsibility to children on Monday, April 23.
This was the topic of April's Color of Money Book Club selection. (Read more in Michelle's April 8 column: These Little Piggies Save at Home).
Participants for this discussion were: Denise LaBuda, from Quicken Kids and Money; Susan Beacham co-founder of Money Savvy Generation; and Lori Mackey, creator of Money Mama and The Three Little Pigs
Read Michelle's past Color of Money columns.
Michelle Singletary: Good day to all. I'm feeling great today. It's finally spring.
And I love the topic today. Kids and Money. So let's get started.
In regards to last week's chat, I was the posted that differentiated between necessities and things we think are necessities.
I've made a major decision to sell an art piece that I adore. Why? I can't afford it. Sure, it's going to take some time to sell, especially if I want to get what I paid for it, and it's really saddening that I have to sell it, but I can't afford it.
I thought about what you said, Michelle, that you can always find fat in a budget, and I decided that I'd rather reduce my debt load than keep the item. It's beautiful, I love it, and I'll greatly regret letting it go, but it'll make paying my bills a lot easier, and that's a peace of mind that I can give myself with this object.
Just wanted to say, thanks!
Michelle Singletary: I love to start the chats off on a good note. And you certainly hit that note but taking another look at what you could do to reduce your debt.
Good for you! And you are so very welcome.
I've asked this a few times -- hope you have time today! My fiancé is moving to the United States when we get married this fall. As he has no credit history in the U.S., we'd like to make sure to establish a good history right away. What is the best way to do this -- add his name to my credit card? To the mortgage? Will either affect my rates? (I have very good credit history, if it matters.) Thanks!
Michelle Singletary: Sorry I couldn't get to you before but while I wait for my guests to answer some kids and money questions, here goes.
First, wait until you are married before adding him to any of your credit cards, home, loans, etc.
Then you should know changes in the way credit is rated makes it relatively easy to begin to build a good credit history. So to start you could add your "husband" to your credit cards as either a joint holder or authorized user. Your credit profile and history will then be placed in his credit files. If you own a home you might refinance to add him to the mortgage. Don't just add him to the title and leave the mortgage in just your name because that means he had rights to the home without any of the liability.
Going forward as you apply for credit together and handle it well, he will be good credit. Takes about six months to a year.
Anonymous: Hi, Michelle. Keep up the good work! My husband and I have three kids in their 30's. We were, and are, very frugal, which I think they somewhat resented, but our only debt is our mortgage, which will be paid off before we retire. All make more money than we could possibly have imagined, and all are in debt, surrounded by unnecessary things, and piling up more on expensive vacations and very expensive cars. So, as a parent who tried and failed in this regard, I just want to say good luck to you and the other parents who are trying to teach good financial habits to your children. I think your job is even harder, since if anything the economy is even more consumer-driven now. Good luck!
Michelle Singletary: So sorry your kids are struggling. And don't be hard on yourself. Sounds like you tried to do the right thing. But being frugal doesn't mean your kids will turn out to be spendthrifts because they resented wearing high waters (as mine do). I talk a lot about how frugal I am but I add a lot of humor to it and I talk to my kids and get them to see why we (meaning me and their daddy) choose to spend less on many things to save for other things. For example, yeah they don't have a lot of trendy clothes (or clothes at all) but we are planning a two-week vacation to Hawaii -- paid for in cash. So I asked them. "Would you like some jeans that you won't be able to wear in a couple of months or would you like to be kicking it back on a beach for two weeks?" Guess which they choose.
The trick is to get your kids involved why you are choosing to be cheap. One of my mantras is "Priorities lead to Prosperity." Once your kids understand you are saving so you can have a family vacation every year or to send them to college debt free they won't fuss so much or resent your frugality.
Boulder, Colo.: What are your opinions on an allowance and doing chores around the house as part of being in a family versus assigning a value to chores and paying out on a chore by chore basis?
We have an 18 month daughter, and I figure that we parents need to come up with an answer to that question in the next year or two.
Denise Labuda: Hi In our Quicken Kids and Money program, we recommend that parents use a two part chore system when using chores to begin teaching the life skills of how to run a home and how to work for pay. Our first type is called "Citizen of the Household," and these are chores that teach the idea that you are part of a community (in this case, our family) and that we all do work here to live here--and we do not get paid for these chores. The second type of chores--"Work for Pay," we recommend should be paid like a salary. You do all of your chores to get paid, not just ones you feel like. Just like our job, we most often don't get paid piecemeal, but for completing our weekly responsibilities. And we start kids as young as 3-4 on this system.
Bethesda, Md.: How to you instill a sense in your children that it is important to give to the less fortunate? We are fairly well off, do a lot of volunteer work, but our children's attitude is that, e.g., if inner city schoolchildren worked as hard as they did, or homeless people got jobs/didn't drink/had better personal hygiene habits, they wouldn't be in this situation. The children are 11, 9, and 6, and nuanced explanations don't seem to hack it. Thanks for your help.
Lori Mackey: It is important to allow children to give to what is important to them, ask them what it is they want to help, what is something they love or would like to make a difference in. One of my kids loves animals and gives to the animal shelters and the ocean charities; my son loves kids and gives to charities that help children. Let them give to what is important to them and they will start to see the power of giving back and helping others.
I love your advice, but I have a quibble with Sunday's column. I agree that foreclosures tend to reduce property sale prices in a neighborhood, but as some previous chatters noted, for some of us the best thing in the world would be a reduction in the average sale price of an American home. For example, when I moved into my neighborhood (1999), the average house (50 year old semidetached, less than 1000 sqft) went for $125,000-175,000. Now, then sell for $350,000-$400,000. More than twice the price in less than 10 years is fundamentally unreasonable.
Yes, the majority of Americans who are homeowners, a reduction in "home values" due to foreclosures would be bad. But for the 40% or so of us who don't own a home, and in consideration of the historically unprecedented rise in prices over the past 3 years, it's good news.
People who stayed out of the market in the past 3 years were good financial stewards. We deserve some help.
Michelle Singletary: I hear you and I do understand your pain. But the answer isn't to wish those folks -- who are in homes they can manage with some loan restructuring and budgeting -- be kicked to the curb.
What I'm suggesting is show some compassion. I know there are many in those homes that can't be helped. They did buy too big. But many can be helped to stay put and they should be assisted.
It just sounds like people are just waiting for thousands of people to be put out so they can buy a home. Perhaps the answer is to support and build more affordable homes. And if you have been reading Ken Harney's housing columns you will note he's spent a lot of time talking about real estate, and mortgage people who have been pushing appraisers to beef up the values of homes. So the mess we are in is not just the fault of people buying too much house.
Ashburn, Va.: I've never understood why our schools don't offer financial instruction. Why is this, and how can it be changed?
Denise Labuda: As of today, there are no approved national standards on what to teach our children about money during their primary and secondary years. Folks are working to get them passed in Congress. The Jump$tart Coalition is the leading national non-profit working with Congress. In addition, there are about 15 or 16 states that have approved financial literacy standards in their state curriculums. If you want to help, consider doing work with the Jump$tart organization and to keep pressing your government representatives at the state and federal level.
Michelle Singletary: I think we need to approach this from two ways. Get more mandatory personal finance classes in high school and college.
But also encourage parents to teach it at home. Financial education must begin at home. Schools can't teach the values that should go along with this information.
Laurel: To the other discussants: here's a point on which Michelle and I have differed in the past.
On the question of credit cards for college students or other similarly-aged persons, I think it's OK to let them experience of the pain of debt as long as it teaches them not to get into debt later.
One of the purposes of one's learning years is to make life's mistakes when the stakes are small and recoverable. You're thoughts, please, on what unpleasant money circumstances are worth experiencing at a young age?
Lori Mackey: I think credit cards should have warning tags on them like cigarettes, "This could be hazardous to your financial future!" If a child is educated about credit cards and understands how and when to use them then I feel it is ok, but most children cannot balance a check book. I definitely feel children should make money mistakes when they are young, but they should make them with cash, if they make mistakes with credit cards it will ruin their credit and it could take years to fix.
Michelle Singletary: Right. And please. Doesn't take long to learn to be a debtor.
I say put it off for as long as possible. And really what is so great about credit that we want to rush and teach our kids about it anyway. All it teaches them is buy what you can't afford to pay with cash today. And even those of us who pay off our bills every month still spend more studies show when we pay with plastic.
I have a friend who doesn't use a credit card at all!! These days you can rent a car and reserve a hotel room with a debit card.
Camarillo, Calif.: Financial Literacy should be taken seriously by parents and schools, we finally have a Financial Literacy Month, how can we as parents and educators get our society to become more involved with the consequences of financial illiteracy?
Carol Haverty, retired, but still volunteering to teach Financial Literacy through Park and Rec, Comm. Colleges and other low cost and free venues locally.
Lori Mackey: The NASBE just released a report stating our children are treading in serious financial waters, it is called "Who Will Own Our Children" they are planning to implement a curriculum in k-12. This is very exciting, and we must educate our schools on the businesses and non-profits that are out there teaching kids about money. They also state in the report that this could be one of the biggest national security issues that our country will face if we do not get it under control. If you visit the NASBE.org website you can get a copy of the report and hand it out to the schools.
What about the reverse?: What if it's the parents who need the financial lessons? My sisters and I are all married with kids of our own and are all financially savvy.
Our parents on the other hand, are 70. Dad still works, mom does not. They just don't get that you can't spend more than you bring in. They have relied on 2nd & 3rd mortgages/equity loans, etc.
On the one hand, we want them to have a good life; on the other hand, we know one day their debt will become our headache.
How do we help them?
Michelle Singletary: Love them and pray that they stay healthy because sounds like they will be living with one or both of you eventually.
You can't teach people what they don't want to learn.
Rockville: The trick is to get your kids involved why you are choosing to be cheap. One of my mantras is "Priorities lead to Prosperity."
Yeah, this is kind of my question that I'm not sure I can articulate. How far do you go in relating that "I'm not buying thing A for you" means 'You'll get thing B instead' so that they understand that spending decisions aren't something for them vs. not something for them.
Michelle Singletary: You go as far as it takes to get your kids to understand that in life you have to make choices. Most of us can have it all. So you budget for what you can afford. I talk to my kids ALL the time. They are 12, 9 and 6. Even the 6 year old knows about her college fund and at times says she's not going to spend so it can go into her college fund.
When they whine about wanting something at the store, I use that opportunity to say if I give in to your every want, we won't have the money to take the nice vacations you like. Then I say, "Don't you like traveling every summer to nice places?" Then I remind them of all the fun things we did.
They still whine and I say, "Well too bad. This is how it's going to be."
Explain with love. Laugh at their crazy demands. Then in the end do what you know is best. Trust me they do get it. Maybe not right then.. but they do. But you have to be consistent!
Coventry, R.I.: My son is interested in purchasing a toy that cost around $100. It is a higher model than one he already has but he seems motivated to save for it. At six years old how would you go about matching his savings or would you have him save the full amount?
Denise Labuda: With young kids, we encourage them to save for as much as possible towards their goal as long as the length of time to save given their "savings rate" is within their ability to wait.
So if you son is putting away $5 a week for example, and it will take him 20 weeks at that rate to save it all by himself and he can wait that long, let him do it. If you know he can't wait that long, then we suggest you do a "match rate" that will reduce his wait time to a timeframe he can handle.
Most importantly you want him to be successful in saving for something he thinks is important--this is an important long term skill...and the more he can be successful at it when he is young, the better he will be with his choices in the future.
Michelle Singletary: Listen to Denise. Me, I would ignore the tike and tell him I have two words for you, "College Fund."
I always enjoy your columns and chats.
My sister married into an extremely wealthy family and I sometimes worry how I will explain the difference between our families' lifestyles to my children. Right now all the kids are little so no one notices but as they get older, the cousins will have more trips, possessions and so on. Thank you.
Lori Mackey: The most important concept is that you teach your children that money does not make you, who you are; there will always be people who have more money and less money then you. However, the key is in how you talk to your children. Always talk in a positive way about money, and let your children know that anything is possible and everything is attainable.
Arlington, Va.: The problem with financial classes in schools is that finances are at the core about behavior, not about book smarts. Most people who would be teaching personal finance to our kids would either be teachers who are most likely in debt up to their eyeballs in student loans, car payments, and credit cards OR representatives of companies like VISA who would LOVE to teach our kids how to be "responsible" with credit cards.
Michelle Singletary: Now I wouldn't say most of the people teaching the class are broke, but your larger point that the values and behavior have to come from home is right.
Re: Bethesda: If I were Bethesda, I'd be less worried about having my kids find a charity that interests them than figuring out why they have what sounds like fairly callous attitudes towards the less fortunate.
Michelle Singletary: Interesting. I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps you do need to figure out why they don't have compassion for the folks they see down and out.
Then again, it's not like we have to look too far. In our society people are fond of saying stupid things like, "People need to just pull themselves up by their boot straps."
Upside down on the house Article: The article on negative house equity was shocking. I can't believe that a homebuyer making 70K featured in the article thought a 500K plus home was a good idea. Even if his soon to be ex-wife (they were in middle of divorce) made 70--that means that at 140K they were in a home 3 1/2 times their income. I don't know why the bank approved them but they should not have tried for a loan like that anyway.
Another couple can't come up with 28K to pay back what they owe--they are also in the middle of a divorce. These people don't have 28K in non-retirement accounts that they can access TODAY????
The adults highlighted in that article clearly did not even have the basics covered. Now we will have more people out there claiming "divorce" devastated them. What actually did it was an insistence on not living within their means and saving money.
washingtonpost.com: 'Upside Down' Home Sellers Owe More Than They Get
Michelle Singletary: Well, I wouldn't be so harsh because I'm telling you what I read in that article seems so normal to me based on the mail I get, the people I meet and the folks I counsel.
Many, many people don't have the basics covered. Not having $28,000 please. Many people don't have a spare $28 and I'm not talking about poor folks, I'm talking about well earning, middle and upper-income people.
Washington, D.C.: We're having a baby in the fall, and I can't figure out what I'm supposed to be saving for.
We have a healthy cushion (probably more than six months' worth), we have no consumer debt, and are steadily working on the mortgage. And, since we both work in universities, we don't have to save for college tuition-- our kid goes for free, or at least gets a 90% tuition remission.
So other than maxing out our retirement plan contributions, overpaying our mortgage each month, and sending the stockbroker something to play with... is there something kid-specific that I should be worrying about?
Michelle Singletary: Sounds like you are on the right track. You're got an emergency fund, retirement going. But I would caution you about the college thing. 18 years is a long way off and you and your husband may change jobs or be pink slipped -- you never know.
I would still save for college, at least for room and board in case you kid or kids decide to stay on campus. And what if the school where you work doesn't have the program they want to study? Then what?
Reston, Va.: Just a comment, if you have the time. I have 3 daughters, 15 year old twins and a 13 y.o., and their financial habits could not be more different. One makes Scrooge McDuck look like a spendthrift; one never met a cute outfit she didn't want to buy; and the third has taken a fairly balanced approach to spending and saving. We raised them all the same, and are now trying to get the spender to save while assuring the saver that it's OK to buy an occasional treat or funky pair of shoes. I know you have three children, as well. Without trying to pry, it will be interesting to see how they handle money as adults.
Susan Beacham: Here is some good news for you. Delayed gratification is learned behavior. And, delayed gratification is the end goal when we are teaching our kids about money. Start by teaching your children that they have 4 choices for money: Save, Spend, Donate and Invest. Then, teach them to set goals for each choice. Your teach children about money the very same way you taught them to take care of themselves if they every find themselves in a fire- remember the "Stop, Drop and Roll" mantra? Okay, for money it is "Stop, THINK and choose. Once they know about the choices that are available for money - they will stop and think and choose.
Michelle Singletary: I hear you Reston. Believe it or not I do fear sometimes that because of what I do my kids will run off after they finish college and become wild spenders.
But you know I have faith. So far all three of my kids handle money like me and their dad. They do just what Susan suggests. They think before they buy. If they don't learn anything else from me they do this, they ask themselves "Is this a need or is this a want." Then they weigh what it means giving up their cash for their want.
And again, we talk about money not in terms of things but in terms of priorities. This comes first, then this and this and after that if you have money left get a want.
It really works. I gave all three of my kids $10 once to go on a field trip. I purposefully said to them all, "Now I know mommy is always saying you should save but you can spend all of this $10 if you want."
Do you know every child came back with money? My oldest came back with $4. My youngest who was 5 came back with $6 and my son, the prince, came back with his entire $10.
And to a fault they each said they didn't really see anything they wanted to buy more than saving part or all of their money.
I tell you it brings tears to my eyes even now.
My 14-year old cousin's goal is to become a writer. However, when I talk to her about writing careers, she seems to think that all she needs to do is write a best selling book and she'll be well off for the rest of her life. I noticed that many of her friends also do not understand the hard work, dedication and understanding of finance that's needed to have productive careers. Do you have any advice on resources for kids to learn this sort of information? I also am looking for a creative outlet for my cousin that relates writing with understanding money.
Lori Mackey: INGDIRECT has a contest called Adventures in Saving, any child/teen/adult can enter with the chance to win $1000 and become a published author. There are great resources on the website for her to learn how to write. If she wins this, she could be on her way! The story must be a savings theme, so she will learn how to write and understand how to save money at the same time.
Re: college saving: Even if you work at a college that will pay your kid's tuition for free, I would definitely save for college. Do you work at a top university that's really hard to get into? If so, what if your kid doesn't get in? If not, what if your kid is brilliant and wants to go to (and gets into) Harvard? It is way too far off to count on tuition reimbursement, for any number of reasons. And if it all works out as you plan, then you'll have a tidy sum of savings.
Michelle Singletary: Love this point, echoes mine. Also, I've told all my kids if they get scholarships and therefore we have money left in their college fund, it's still theirs to use for a down payment on their first home.
Ann Arbor, Mich.: Hi Michelle,
Thanks for taking my questions. First of all, I know you've said a few things about Dave Ramsey before, but don't remember if they are positive or negative. A few friends of mine have gone to his live seminars and really enjoyed them.
Second, how do your child/money experts feel about allowance, and how it is distributed? Some people say that you should require chores, but others say that then the kids can just turn down the money and that chores should be a minimum requirement of living in a house, and not rewarded. What do you think?
Lori Mackey: Children should learn to earn, we have a big problem with kids having an entitlement attitude, so I suggest children should do certain things around the house as being part of the family, but children cannot put value on their parent's money. So figure out how much you spend on a monthly basis on un-necessities for your kids, then allow your child to earn that through chores, jobs or tasks. Then when you are out in the malls, markets and stores and your child wants something, say, of course, you can have that; you just need to use your own money. Kids are too young to get a job, but they are not too young to earn an income. Kids will always spend their money much more wisely then their parent's money. This will also teach them that money is a choice; we all have the choice to spend or not to spend.
Michelle Singletary: I love Dave Ramsey. He's my idol. He doesn't believe in using credit cards AT ALL. That's my goal --- soon!
And he preaches as I do about becoming debt free, even of your mortgage.
As for allowances, I think a combination is good. There are certain things every member of the household should do without getting paid. I have no intention of putting my kids on a family payroll. But I do think they can do some things extra to earn money.
Parent debts: What about the reverse? wrote: "we know one day their debt will become our headache."
Not necessarily. My parents are just like his or her parents, so I know that one day my husband and I may wind up completely supporting them instead of just giving them regular financial assistance and we are preparing for that eventuality. However, it should be noted that when parents die, children are not responsible for the parents' debts (thank god!!!). My sisters and I used to be petrified that we would be saddled with their debts -- I think we started talking about it with fear and trepidation when we were in our early teens, until I finally learned that, though creditors may try to trick or intimidate the children into paying debts that are not their own, they have no right to do so.
Michelle Singletary: You are right; heirs aren't responsible for debts unless they co-signed for it.
Baltimore: What's age-appropriate for a 6-yr-old? She is starting to understand that money is important (she LOVES hoarding in her 3 piggy banks, but will then try to give us a handful of change to show us she loves us!), but isn't quite making the connection to earning money, saving up for what you want, contributing to charity, etc. She will be 6 in two weeks, and it seems like an appropriate time to start an allowance (how much?), and select a gift that will help her learn money management, but I don't have much of a sense of what is appropriate for her age.
Frankly, figuring out how to teach her about money is a struggle for us to start with. I was raised poor -- budgeting and saving came naturally to me, because that's how we stayed fed and clothed; and financial security is my number one goal, because I Never Want To Be Poor Again. But now I've been successful at that, and we don't need to pinch every penny as hard as I used to. Which is great -- but the flip side of that is that our kids aren't going to learn about saving and budgeting and delayed gratification quite as automatically as I did. So we have to consciously think of ways to instill in them that same structure and discipline and work ethic, without the same degree of financial deprivation that taught me.
Susan Beacham: I love that very young children are instinctual givers. They love to give what they have. My daughter Amanda once, upon hearing us talk at the dinner table about "meeting the Mortgage" offered all she had to help us make that payment. We should recognize that at a very young age kids are very giving and also that they have strong entrepreneurial desires.
I think you need to start teaching your child that she has 4 choices for money-save-spend-donate and invest. Then, allow her to "donate" Help her put the "do" in donate by suggesting that she can give her time and talent as well as her money. Then, help her "invest" in an entrepreneurial way. Kids at this age think of invest as investing in themselves - not in stocks. So, help them develop a plan to start a business. That will help your daughter focus on a number of money connections about earning money and the power of saving some.
Allowance. You know, I think she is too young - unless she is one sophisticated gal - I would wait. Allowance is not money for "chores" or "good grades" is money to cover expenses you cover now in their lives. So, hold off a little bit unless you think she is ready.
A final note: I passed a lemonade stand last summer. It was a hot-hot-hot 90 degrees in the shade kind of day. Two young boys - around 9 years old - were dressed in suits and ties and had a sign "Best Dressed Lemonade". I pulled over and asked them what the deal was - why the suits? They told me that they felt that people would be more willing to pass them money if they were dressed professionally! I love that story because it shows that kids are so smart and pick up all kinds of cues form the world that we never realize as parents until they start to reflect that education in their behaviors.
By the way - those boys told me that they tripled their sales with this approach!
Annandale, Va.: Thanks for chat and interesting columns.
We have a five year old who has been interested in money (he has offered to buy soda for us in vending machines with some change we've given him). He was shocked the first time when I told him he could put the money in but he wouldn't get it back.
We just explained to him yesterday the differences between pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.
Still uncertain when to actually let him buy something and to keep track of his money.
My question is if we start too early, would this lead to problems later on (but you let me buy x last week?) or is it something that we should just keep doing with small amounts until it sinks in?
Susan Beacham: Please start early. If you do not start early, then marketers will be the money voice in your child's head. Basically, marketing message are directed to your child from about age 18 months on up. So, your instinct to work with your child right now at this young age is exactly correct.
Since he is interested in spending, ask him to set a spending goal. Since he is young, have him draw the picture of the goal he has for the money he is spending. Then, post that picture on the refrigerator for you and your child to see - every day - so your child can remember what was important to him yesterday. Now, that goal may change, but having a picture of the goal will help you child delay gratification and stay focused.
Denise Labuda: I agree, please start early. Kids can be taught the basics of budgeting and given responsibility for making their own spending, saving and sharing decisions--with your help and guidance. All this can be done with a small amount of money each week starting as young as your son. You would like to empower him to make good money decisions, learn that money is a finite resource and we always get to make choices around what to do with what we have.
Bethesda, Md.: What do you recommend about telling children how much we parents make? My parents never told us and I didn't feel it was our business but my parents, even though they were frugal, did not do anything to teach us about money and constantly harped about how expensive we were. I love your Hawaii example because its what I do - children will understand and respect money decisions if they know the choices and what is involved; I'm just interested in how much information you recommend providing children.
Denise Labuda: Be as transparent as you are comfortable with. If your salary is off limits, you can engage your kids in discussion around the cost of every day household things, like electricty/gas, food, transportation to help them begin to grasp what things cost and over time back in what one would have to make to afford the things we want.
Having ongoing, open discussions about money is the bigger goal--- so talk about money as often as you can, and include the choices you make.
Michelle Singletary: I will not and have not told my kids how much I make. It is none of their business.
But I do what Denise says; I show them or talk to them about what things cost. So when we go grocery shopping I get them to help me select items by comparing prices. For example, my oldest wanted some brand name item. But I showed her the store brand not only cost less but had more in it. She frowned but right there in the aisle we had a discussion about why she wanted the brand name. Just because she said. Well just because will make you broke I said. She rolled her eyes and I laughed because that does not impress me. Oh but when I tried to buy so really off, off brand soda she so lost it.
"Are you trying to kill us with some off brand bug juice," she said.
I mean it was really off, off, off. We laughed at that. So we compromised. I got the store brand, which was just a couple of cents more than the funny colored off, off brand.
Teachable moments folks. Teachable moments. And humor. Use it a lot.
Blacksburg, Va.: "How far do you go in relating that "I'm not buying thing A for you" means 'You'll get thing B instead'"
Make this part of your daily parenting! My parents had us choose between things all the time. As an example: we rarely went out to dinner, but when we did my parents gave us a choice between a drink (soda) or dessert. We always chose the free water instead of the expensive syrupy soda, and learned that there were tradeoffs in life in an early, easy way. To this day I still prefer water with my meal.
Susan Beacham: I have offered our girls the "water or soda" choice as well. But, I give them the cost of the soda when they choose water. Then, they know that they must save a little, donate some and invest some and then they can spend what is left.
"small and recoverable": I think Laurel is wrong. I graduated from college years ago so I don't have the pulse of the kids today but I think that they owe alot more than I would consider "small and recoverable". I think that a small number for a college kid would be 3k and under. I have a feeling the average kid owes about 7k. That would be consumer debt and not the school loan debt.
Susan Beacham: My stats tell me that college kids today owe anywhere from $3000-$7000 in consumer debt. Add that then to student debt that is anywhere from $20,000-$30,000 and you have a big nut to crack when you graduate. When I talk with college kids, I get the feeling that they are a bit immune to the "smaller" consumer debt bill as a result of the "larger" education debt bill. That is dangerous. Education debt is necessary debt. Consumer debt is an unnecessary debt.
University administrators report losing more college kids today to credit card debt than to academic failure.
We need to reach and teach our kids about credit long before they leave for college.
Michelle Singletary: Well, well where did the time go. That hour went fast. Thanks to all who participated, especially my guest, Denise, Susan and Lori. I'm afraid Mary couldn't join us.
Great comments and questions today. As always, look for my print column (Thurs. and Sunday in the Post) and my e-letter, which I hope you subscribe to for answers to some of the questions we didn't have a chance to answer today.
Also, Join us for An Author Meet & Greet at The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. Tuesday, April 24, 2007 6:00 p.m. -- 9:00 p.m. It's free!
I'll be there signing copies of my two books, "Spend Well, Live Rich," and "Your Money and Your Man."
Other Post Authors will include: Marie Arana, Jabari Asim, Benjamin C. Bradlee, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Pam Constable, Karen DeYoung, Juliet Eilperin, Michael Fletcher, Wil Haygood, Stephen Hunter, David Ignatius, Alec Klein, Jay Mathews, Kevin Merida, Lonnae O'Neal Parker, Tom Ricks, Jackie Spinner, Sally Squires, and Bob Woodward.
You will be able to buy books at the event.
Thanks again for joining me today.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Michelle Singletary hosted a discussion about kids and money with the authors and developers of several products aimed at teaching financial responsibility to children.
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Outlook: Dear Media, Quit Promoting Mass-Murderers
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Lionel Shriver, whose book " We Need to Talk About Kevin" has been suggested as a possible inspiration for the Virginia Tech shooter, was online Monday, April 23 at 2 p.m. ET to discuss her Outlook article on the detrimental effects wall-to-wall media coverage of school shootings has on security, mental health and prevention.
What the Killers Want (Post, April 22)
Lionel Shriver: At your disposal. Let's hope that if there's a next time we can chat about something more uplifting.
Zurich, Switzerland: As a writer working on a novel that includes a couple of references to fictional episodes of mass murder and the media reaction to it (a satire), I wanted to ask you why you think such events have such social relevance that it compelled you to write about it? Also, for me what is more telling is the media reaction. You've already alluded to how the media coverage, sadly, spurs on the next madman. But what does it say about the rest of us?
Lionel Shriver: Said novel is, mercifully, finished, and was published in 2003. I was attracted to this material, if attracted is the word, because it screams backstory. There's a long, agonizing story behind each of these killings, and the Cho case is no exception. Natural subject matter for fiction.
I'm afraid that the media is feeding a culture-wide voyeurism. It's chicken or the egg whether the media is creating that appetite, or merely feeding it.
Atlanta: More comment than question: I agree that the media reaction sets up a knee-jerk reaction from schools. My nephew is a well-grounded kid but a bit of a smartass. On the school bus one day some of the kids were talking (negatively) about their parents and he pipes up that he wants to kill his parents ... with a salad fork! Well, the bus driver overheard the remark and reported him to school authorities who went way overboard: school suspension for a week, required counseling sessions with him and his parents, etc. And who can forget the kid in Atlanta who made national news for getting suspended for two weeks for having a Tweety Bird key chain, part of the "zero tolerance policy." It bothers me that kids get punished for these types of frivolous infractions, but the "system" cannot seem to recognize true mental illness when it's staring them right in the face.
Lionel Shriver: That's exactly the kind of institutional overreaction that I was writing about.
Tempe, Ariz.: Based on news values, do you think the news media is prone to negativity? If so, is sensationalism merely a byproduct?
Lionel Shriver: Good news is no news. But I do think the media plays up a story like this to excess. In the same week, 200 Iraqis were killed in a single day, and that story was shoved to the inside pages.
Fairfax, Va.: Your Opinion piece was appalling. No matter how one slices it, any reader who is even slightly deranged (if there is such a thing) is very likely to see it as inspiration. The novel never should have been written, never mind published. You'd call it self-censorship; I call it good citizenship given the kind of world we live in.
Lionel Shriver: I'm disconcerted how that opinion piece would be an inspiration. I may feel discomfited by the implicit hypocrisy of decrying media the excessive attentions of the media to these stories while participating in those attentions. But the novel does not remotely glorify the violence in it, and you are better off decrying the publication of a book that you have actually read.
Freising, Germany: I recall back in public school that a teacher told us that assassins are often sorry individuals who want to achieve fame for the wrong reasons. Cho seems to have had visions of grandeur, but I question the postulation that he wouldn't have done the shooting if he didn't think that he'd posthumously be on primetime television. You mentioned a similarity in method between your fictional character and Cho, but was there any indication that Cho studied media broadcasts of other tragedies, such as Columbine?
Lionel Shriver: Who could have missed the foofaraw after Columbine? You'd have to have been living on the moon. So of course he was aware of it.
Washington: Reading the summary and commentary on your book is just eerie and sad given the recent Virginia Tech situation. Did your research on parent-child relationships show you that this situation is more common than known, so no surprise? Or, is this event shocking to you?
Lionel Shriver: All of these events are shocking to me. When we get to the point that we're not shocked, then we're really in trouble.
Arlington, Va.: I agree with the point in your Outlook article that most people in this world do not want to admit: People die unfairly all of the time, and in many of these instances there's nothing we can do about it. I keep seeing commentators say that they hope we can enact reforms so that this will never happen again. That's incredibly unrealistic -- of course, this is going to happen again, and eventually someone will kill more than 32 people. Why do you think people can't accept that some of us are going to die and there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it?
Lionel Shriver: The drive to find "solutions" is powerful, since no one wants to just throw up their hands and admit helplessness. But aside from addressing gun control responsibly, the solutions can become their own problem. Especially the kind that don't work. Which is most of them.
Anonymous: I read your movie about Kevin is in the works. Will there be any change in schedule because of recent events?
Lionel Shriver: I have no idea. I doubt it. They're working on the script. The project will doubtless proceed at its own pace. I stay out of it.
Fairfax, Va.: When I first heard that NBC had received that package of photos and videos from the Virginia Tech shooter, and that these menacing images were now all over the media, all I could think of was how that contrasted with what happened when John Lennon was killed: all the media seemed in sync in refusing to publish even the name of his killer. What a great idea that was! Do you think today's media could ever live up to those kinds of ideals?
Lionel Shriver: Unlikely, and I'm loath to embrace censorship. But there's nothing wrong with exercising good editorial judgment. I came across a blog recently that posed the question, "Name one good thing that came of airing those Cho videos." I couldn't think of one. Astute.
Alexandria, Va.: By inserting their network logo prominently in each of Cho's photographs, NBC has taken on the appearance of a sponsor. It seems strange that an organization would want to associate themselves so closely with this sort of event. Is NBC now the go to network for publicity seeking psychos?
Lionel Shriver: Yes, that's what they've asked for, isn't it? If you were going to shoot up your school, wouldn't you think, oh, I see, that's the drill, you send the video to NBC?
Washington DC: Thanks a lot for your critical article! Is it true, that numerous kids were expelled for writing work during the post-Columbine period?
Lionel Shriver: Yes. Even violent poetry.
Deming, N.M.: I can understand this unique situation where a mass killer strikes and the public wishes to know about the killer, his motivations, background, etc. Yet don't we focus too much attention on the perpetrators of a crime and not enough on the victims? I often have suggested that the media should even consider refocusing their headlines and focus of their articles from the accused to the victim. I say this for this reason: there are some criminals who are attracted to this attention. If we took away this attraction, we not only shine the light to where it belongs -- the results of crime -- but we take away the attention to that some criminals crave.
Lionel Shriver: The problem is essentially narrative. The story of the victim, as sad as it may be, is not narratively compelling: person who doesn't deserve it gets shot. Wrong place wrong time. As a story, it doesn't excite your curiosity -- whereas "really quiet guy suddenly murders 32 people and himself" does.
New York: Had NBC not aired the tape and it was discovered that they were holding it, there would be massive outcries by all -- public and media -- about how they should air it, how it's newsworthy specifically because it could show insight into the largest mass murder and mass murderer in U.S. history, how this will help the families have their questions answered and give them closure. NBC found itself in an (un)enviable position and did what the news media is supposed to do -- share the news.
Lionel Shriver: I take your point. And lest I seem self-righteous, I watched those videos, and something in me wanted that information.
Washington: I tend to agree with your proposition that focusing on the killers in mass killings such as the one at Virginia Tech serves to "give the killers what they want," and that the news media, in an ideal world, should avoid providing such publicity. On the other hand, in the real world, dysfunction sells papers. No matter how deplorable it may be, many of us find that the killers are far more interesting to read about than the victims. Is it realistic for the media to avoid disseminating information in which there is widespread interest?
Lionel Shriver: I don't expect news programs to fail to report the biggest mass murder in American history. On the other hand, they're playing this one for all it's worth. On my own account, even doing an online chat like this is starting to make me feel guilty. Complicit.
One more on releasing the tapes: My bet is that just about everyone who heard about the tapes rushed to watch them on TV. I know I did. I did not want to hear anything more about the massacre and everyone's ideas about it (over and over), but I did want to hear what this kid had to say. Maybe it's just so I could make some sense out of it all. I would guess that most people felt the same way, and only afterwards decided they shouldn't have been shown. After all, if they hadn't shown them, we'd all be screaming at NBC about that...
Lionel Shriver: As I remarked to another commentator on this blog, I wanted to see the videos too. You're right -- you need to tell yourself a coherent story to make some loose sense of it all. And the videos gave us a glimpse inside this poor bastard's head. Then I have a backlash response: why should I care about what's inside his head, of all people's?
Re: NBC and the tapes: My opinion is that had NBC waited to show the tapes, for a week or two perhaps, they wouldn't have received anywhere near the criticism they have. Again, in my opinion, they were correct to show the tapes -- these tapes don't aggrandize the individual, but rather paint a vivid picture of a person who is out of touch with reality. This picture should be held in our communal psyche and we should try to learn how better to identify and intervene with people like this before they become a danger to others or themselves. What is striking to me are the similarities between this killer and those at Columbine, not to mention the others in our history that have taken such actions. I'm not certain anything could have been done to stop this delusional person, but if there is any possibility of stopping another delusional person, then we should all try to learn from the record he left -- it might prove to be the only useful thing he did.
Lionel Shriver: There's a recognizable type, I think, that is vulnerable to contemplating this kind of violence -- a lethal combination of self-pity and grandiosity. It's exactly the same type that becomes a suicide bomber.
But I already knew that. I'm not sure that I was better informed in any useful way by those videos. I was simply curious, voyeuristic, and I think if we're honest with ourselves that's why we watch this stuff, and not because we want to "learn" so that we can prevent these incidents in future.
Bethesda, Md.: I realize that the release of Cho's diatribes was very painful for the families, but did he really get what he wanted? I understand that broadcasting his videos, pictures, etc. gets his message out, but I tend to believe he wanted people to understand and be persuaded by that message -- that other people drove him to do this, none of this is his fault, etc. I doubt many people thought that ... mostly what we saw was a pathetic, naive and very troubled kid. I don't think that conclusion would have satisfied him. Any thoughts?
Lionel Shriver: Oh, no one wants to be regarded as pathetic. So in that sense, no he didn't get what he imagined for himself. But even more importantly? HE'S DEAD. I don't think these shooters ever quite register what that means. Like, you don't get to watch yourself on television. So when they shoot themselves at the end of these sprees--as they so often do, to escape any consequences if nothing else--all the you'll-be-sorry! gratification that these folks imagine for themselves is never delivered. I simply fear that others who watch Cho and imagine themselves being equally made much of do not register that Cho isn't enjoying any of this--do not register what being dead is.
Hokie Alum: After digesting all of the media coverage of my beloved school last week, I was pleasantly surprised -- I think for the most part the media did a great job of letting us know first what happened, and then the reaction of the community. There is one criticism I feel should be noted (and it isn't the Cho video sent to NBC). Especially on Monday and Tuesday, I thought the media was way too berating toward Virginia Tech President Steger and Police Chief Flinchum over their decisions between 7:15 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. that morning. Although we Hokies recognize that the questions that the media were asking are completely legitimate (and indeed now the Governor has a task force looking into it), the way the questions were being asked -- and when they were being asked -- I thought was extremely disrespectful. This is why President Steger got the standing ovation during the convocation.
Lionel Shriver: I concur. I was equally queasy over the readiness with which accusations of malfeasance began to fly. I resist the exercise of cheap hindsight. It would have been hard enough to handle that horror show on your campus without turning on the TV and being told it was all your fault.
Frederick, Md.: Is there a relationship, do you think, between the melodrama/microscope focus of the media on disaster at home, and the near-absence of much of the world from the "map" an intelligent news-consumer might construct: Virtually no South America, Africa or Asia when neither a world power (China, Japan), a catastrophe (Darfur, Iraq) or an annoyance to U.S. (Chavez, Castro, Morales et al). What might this tell us -- as maybe a novelist might -- about ourselves?
Lionel Shriver: To be fair, people are interested in stories in which they can imaginatively insert themselves. The farther away the story, geographically, economically, from your own circumstances, the more energy it takes to care. School shootings hit close to home. But it's not just Americans who have a hard time feeling powerfully about the other side of the world. If you go to Bangkok, the stories in the paper are all about Thailand.
Washington: What is "slightly deranged" regarding thoughts and writings? I always thought there is a slight difference between words and actions...
Lionel Shriver: I'm a big defender of being as nuts as you like on paper. Fair enough, Cho's writings were alarming. But we don't want to get to the point where creative writing students are terrified of writing anything "deviant" because they'll be kicked out of school.
Rockville, Md.: How do you feel college students should proceed with their playwriting classes? If they enjoy writing creatively about the twisted, macabre, and often violent things (a la Stephen King) what will professors do and or think? How do you differentiate between someone who is presenting a red flag and the others?
Lionel Shriver: You use common sense. A rare commodity, I'm afraid.
In our accelerating obsession with "safety," we're in danger of creating a stifling, repressive cultural climate. I think we have to live with risk. Frankly, Europe is even worse. They think they can create a perfectly safe world, and they control everything--like, whether you can climb a ladder on the job. It's like living in Romper Room.
Bethesda, Md.: Maybe there should be a delay in the broadcast of information like this, maybe sealed for two weeks to a month -- would not be good for ratings, though.
Lionel Shriver: I don't think there's anything wrong with airing one's disgust when for a solid week you can't turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper without seeing that guy's zoned-out face. But I really wouldn't argue for a bunch of new rules or laws that control what the media do and don't have to do. That's the kind of overreaction and urge to control and find a "solution" that I decry.
Washington: Did you hear "On the Media" this weekend? An official at the CBC (Canada) gave very good reasons for withholding the airing of the videos. He also said that, basically, NBC had an eye on the ratings.
Lionel Shriver: I didn't see it.
Silver Spring, Md.: I just want to strongly disagree with the person who said it's irresponsible to write a book that a deranged person might misinterpret. If we cleanse our world of all material sources that have "caused" crazy people to murder we would miss out on classic books and movies. Pet dogs would not be allowed. There'd be no Beatles. Certainly no Bible. And yet, I'd bet anything that insanity and murder would still exist in such a society.
Lionel Shriver: Fair play. If fiction writers are only allowed to describe characters doing things that the authors were happy for a readership to emulate, then novels would only have their characters putting out fires and rescuing cats from trees. You want to read those books? I don't.
Arlington, Va.: What I find disquieting is how all the publicity about one event leads the next killer to improve upon the model. For example, much was made of the Columbine killers causing everyone to run from the cafeteria and then cornering their victims in the library. Cho apparently learned well as he chained Norris Hall doors shut then was able to corner his victims in classroom after classroom.
Lionel Shriver: Yes, not only is this phenomenon contagious, but it's competitive.
Arlington, Va.: One of the things I found most disturbing about the release of Cho's video and photos was the way the media used them -- not just making them news, but then making them the foundation for a continual loop on television, when other commentators were talking. And even worse, using graphic photos on the front pages of news organizations. It was rather shocking to log onto CNN.com and find a large photo of Cho pointing a gun right at the camera, or effectively, the viewer. Or to click to WashingtonPost.com and see a large shot of Cho brandishing two guns, looking menacingly at the viewer. I can understand the need to run the images, but there seemed to be no discretion with how they were used. Children, people with problems with guns, or just an average Joe like myself who was a little bothered by those shots (especially the CNN.com one) probably didn't need to see them without some kind of warning. Just my thought...
Lionel Shriver: There's no question that across the board the media have loved this story and have milked it for all it's worth. I mean, are you not sick of it already? I am. Sick to death.
Arlington, Va.: As far as the tapes go, I think we're better informed, but I don't think we're better off.
New York: How does a news outlet like NBC ultimately discern where the public's right to know becomes their desire to know, and when is it just plain voyeurism? All of the commentary I have read has been very interesting, but how do outlets like NBC define the need to know?
Lionel Shriver: There is no need to know at issue here. Why did I need to know, really? Why did you? NBC was feeding an appetite, and they knew it. If my job were all about achieving high viewership statistics, who knows, maybe I'd have made the same decision.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Lionel Shriver, whose book "We Need to Talk About Kevin" has been suggested as a possible inspiration for the Virginia Tech shooter, details the detrimental effects wall-to-wall media coverage of campus killers has on security, mental health and prevention.
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He was online Monday, April 23, at 1 p.m. ET to address all your traffic and transit issues.
The Dr. Gridlock column receives hundreds of letters each month from motorists and transit riders throughout the Washington region. They ask questions and make complaints about getting around a region plagued with some of the worst traffic in the nation. The doctor diagnoses problems and tries to bring relief.
Dr. Gridlock appears in The Post's Metro section on Sunday and in the Extra section on Thursday. His comments also appear on the Web site's Get There blog. You can send e-mails for the newspaper column to drgridlock@washpost.com or write to Dr. Gridlock at 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.
Dr. Gridlock: Welcome, travelers. Hope your commutes are more pleasant in this beautiful weather. Let's get to your questions.
Annapolis, Md.: Dr. Gridlock, I have to commute for a few months from the Annapolis area to Fairfax (past the end of the Orange line). I was wondering if any of your readers had any tips on the best route to take (Beltway north or south or straight through town). Despite Wilson Bridge traffic and it being longer mileage-wise, I was thinking the southern Beltway route would be the faster option. Anyone who can weigh in on the drive? Thanks.
Dr. Gridlock: Annapolis, I think a lot of our chatters would be glad to help with this. Write back, though, and see if you can narrow it down for us: What part of Fairfax are you bound for and are you talking about standard commuting hours?
Glad to hear this commute will last no more than a few months. It's one of the more difficult ones, crossing the entire region. You've got the District, the Potomac and Tysons in the way. Some readers probably will suggest cutting through the District. One important thing for a commute like that is knowing some bailout points -- alternatives you can resort to at various points when conditions change.
Washington, D.C.: Dr. Gridlock -- WHAT is up with the traffic signals in Dupont Circle? They seem to be some sort of different material with smaller shades around them. They are so hard to see. I was first in line at one of these lights this morning and couldn't tell when it turned green. I had to wait for someone to honk to know it was green. This seems like a serious risk. Do you have any info?
Dr. Gridlock: No, but I'll take a walk up there and look. It's just a few blocks. I don't recall hearing about a recent change in the traffic signal style. Anyone else seen this -- or remember something I'm clearly forgetting?
Suitland, Md.: No question, really, just an observation. The back-up on Suitland Parkway each weekend when they close the South Capitol Street bridge is horrendous. In order to get into the city, all cars must turn right onto Firth Stirling and then get onto 295N. This can take up to 45 minutes! One of the main issues is that there is no merge area when getting onto 295N, so traffic never flows smoothly. There doesn't seem to be that much traffic on 295N, and it seems that it would be a lot better if they were able to close the right lane on 295N so that all the detoured traffic from Suitland Parkway would be able to merge more easily.
Dr. Gridlock: I'll pass along that suggestion to DDOT. The Transportation department says it's been watching the weekend bridge closings to see how it might fine tune its plan for the July-August shutdown of the entire bridge.
I had one experience with the traffic during a weekend closure, and it was very different from yours. It was on Saturday, March 31, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. I tried as many routes as I could around the closure and the detour, trying to get into trouble, but didn't have much luck. The only place I saw a backup was on the Howard Road ramp from 295.
The 11th Street Bridge, Suitland Parkway, etc., didn't present any difficulty at the particular time I was surveying the scene. I have heard from drivers who encountered lots of trouble on Fridays, after the bridge lane closures began at 10 a.m.
Now, the weekend closures of the inbound lanes have ended. There are a bunch of weekend closures of the outbound lanes coming up. When those are done, get ready for the big one this summer, which will shut all lanes of the South Cap bridge for a major rehab.
West End: Now that there is so much development in the West End area there is a huge dearth of street parking for my guests as compared to 2-3 years ago. Do you know if the city would ever open up the parking lot of Francis Junior High School on nights or weekends? Seems silly to have all those spots unavailable.
Dr. Gridlock: This is strictly off the top of my head, and readers are invited to correct me:
No, I think there's little chance that the D.C. school system would be into opening up Francis or any other school grounds for public parking. I don't see how school officials would regard that as a win for them.
I do sympathize with the problem: Parking is getting more difficult in many city neighborhoods. In part, that's a sign of economic progress, but that's not much comfort if you're hosting a dinner for some friends.
Takoma Park, Md.: Last week, I heard rumors that there was going to be a rolling truck protest this week slowly circling the Beltway and the White House protesting an issue related to Mexican trucks in the U.S. I didn't see any signs of it on my way into work today. Was this for real or just another out of control rumor?
Dr. Gridlock: We've heard those rumors, too, but so far today, we've seen no sign of this NAFTA protest around the Capital Beltway. Has anyone observed what we have not? Supposedly, the trucks would be traveling in a group at 55 mph, and you know what that would do to Beltway traffic if it actually happened.
Metrorail Surveys: What's up with the Metrorail surveys?
I see boxes at every Metro station to place filled out surveys, but nowhere do I see where to pick up the actual surveys.
Dr. Gridlock: Here's what's up: 300,000 Metro questionnaires are being distributed on weekdays through May 24, but they're not hitting every station at once. By May 24, Metro says, all 86 stations will have been surveyed.
Riders can mail the self-addressed, pre-paid survey card or drop it off at those collection boxes you've seen.
Washington, D.C.: What is the deal with Rock Creek Parkway? There are cones up and the right lane is blocked going south, but no work being done all week!! How long are they going to torture us with this stupid derailment of rush hour traffic?
Dr. Gridlock: A long time. This is a major project on the parkway between Virginia Avenue and P Street that the park service plans to complete in spring 2008.
Here are the details of what's being done:
Roadway reconstruction, bridge deck resurfacing, stone median replacement, widening of the multi-use trail and repaving of the Parkway and Thompson's Boat Center parking lot. Construction will also include drainage work, grading, roadway paving and curb replacement. The multi-use pedestrian and bicycle trail will be closed for approximately four weeks for reconstruction during the first phase of the project.
Here's what the work hours are supposed to be:
Monday through Saturdays 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 11 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Weekend work hours are from 7 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday. Three travel lanes are open during rush hours.
Arlington, Va.: Hi. I'm a cyclist who commutes from South Arlington over Memorial Bridge. I cross GW Parkway (using the path starting at the Pentagon). Usually, I don't have to wait too long before a kind driver stops to let me cross at the signs in the crosswalk. Otherwise, I would have to wait for rush hour to end. I've been doing this for years, but lately, I observe increasing aggression by other drivers toward the drivers who stop for a few seconds to let people cross. Friday, a motorcyclist almost rear-ended the driver who stopped in front of him, and hopped the curb into the grass to avoid a collision. If joggers and cyclists had been waiting there to cross, someone would have been seriously injured. Any thoughts on this area?
Dr. Gridlock: Of course, I don't like that situation. Motorists should be following other motorists at a safe distance in the first place -- especially in such a congested and difficult-to-navigate area where clearly there are going to be bikes and pedestrians.
It's probably the end of a long commute for many of those motorists. Sometimes the mind can wander and sometimes commuters are just so determined to get it over with that they chafe at any delay.
I think safety awareness campaigns like "Street Smart" are good things, but some engineering -- whether it's signs, better pavement markings or ped/bike overpasses -- in various locations would help us all get safely to our destinations.
NAFTA protest: Heard on the radio this morning that it's been moved to later in the week - Wednesday to Friday, I think.
Dr. Gridlock: Thanks for that response to our question about the rumored trucker protest on the Beltway.
New Metro cars: I hate them. The same guys who would take up two seats on the old cars are doing the same on the new (which has fewer seats). And yes, it's always guys in my experience.
Dr. Gridlock: You see those mostly on the Green Line now, I believe. (The rail cars, I mean, not the sprawling guys.) That's where the first wave of 6000 series cars are tested and deployed.
During the past few weeks, I heard plenty of complaints about crowding in all Metro cars, but these conversations -- some of them on our "Get There" blog -- have focused on tourists, luggage and strollers, rather than big wide guys.
Crossing GW Parkway: That crossing is a death-trap. Would it kill Arlington (or the National Park Service??) to install a signal there?
Dr. Gridlock: When I test out such ideas on traffic engineers, sometimes they say, yep, that's the solution. But more often, they furrow their brows and tell me about the dangers of routinely bringing traffic to a halt and the number of rear end collisions likely to result.
(By the way, I've found the Arlington traffic officials to be very, very into bike and pedestrian safety.)
For the parkway spot we're talking about, you think some sort of overpass is possible? Something that would entirely separate peds and bikes from cars?
Crystal City: Are there plans to smooth out the Roosevelt Bridge? For a brand new surface, it is horrible. The new surface on the Wilson Bridge is like glass compared to the Roosevelt washboard.
Dr. Gridlock: I don't know of any plans to modify the surface at Roosevelt as that project wraps up.
I agree that the Wilson Bridge surface is smoother. Don't know if a different type of concrete was used. I know that a quick-trying concrete was used on the Roosevelt so that traffic disruptions could be kept to a minimum.
The mailbag has contained letters from Roosevelt travelers complaining about the smoothness of the surface. After I got the first couple, I drove the Roosevelt, then went up to the Legion Bridge for comparison. Didn't notice any substantial difference on that particular experiment.
K St.: The other day I saw the Circulator bus back on K St. in Georgetown. Has there been any word of the success/failure of this new trial run through M St.? Everyone I've heard from wants the bus back on K to speed things up considerably, so I was hoping that the bus was back on K St., until I saw another one later going up M.
Dr. Gridlock: I don't believe there's been any change in the recently established route for the Circulator that takes it up Wisconsin Ave. If you folks have more thoughts on the Circulator service, post them here or on "Get There," or send an e-mail to me at drgridlock@washpost.com.
Recently, I got a letter from a commuter complaining about the frequency of the service. It's supposed to run every 10 minutes. That's part of the attraction: You don't have to worry about schedules. But my commuter correspondent has observed bigger gaps and some bunching up of the buses.
Last week, I waited 17 minutes before one jam-packed bus arrived. So I stood back, and the next one came about three minutes later. Got on that one, and it soon passed the first one on the way to Union Station.
Washington, D.C.: I just wanted to say thank you. I don't know if it was because I asked, because you answered, or not related to us, but over the last two weeks they have re-painted and re-signed the Logan circle mess. It is much much much easier to understand when to stop, when to go, and which lane is which.
Dr. Gridlock: Wish I could take credit for that. I should list this improvement in my Road Watch column on Sunday. Are others happy about the Logan Circle alignment?
Arlington, Va.: When cyclists use their hands to signal, should they always do so with their left arm? I saw one last week who used his right arm to point where he was going (basically a right turn) and it confused me because I was expecting him to hold his left hand up. Thanks
Dr. Gridlock: Cyclists can correct me, but I believe the standard is to signal a left turn with the left arm and a right turn with the right arm.
There's a good new biker's bible booklet (PDF) that Arlington biking enthusiast Paul DeMaio pointed out to me. It covers lots of the rules of the road.
Logan Circle: What happened to the lights on and around Logan Circle? They used to be timed and traffic moved efficiently. Now, 13th Street gets completely backed up because the light at O Street turns red just as the cars from 13th are giving the green arrow to enter the circle. Only 3-4 cars in get the circle, while everyone else waits behind the red on O, wasting about 30 seconds of the green arrow. Can this be fixed? Thanks!
Dr. Gridlock: Clearly, a very different view of the Logan Circle situation from our previous posting.
Falls Church, Va.: Roosevelt Bridge -- I drive it every day and have so for the past nine years. The surface is fine. Nothing extraordinary, but perfectly passable. Thank goodness the repairs are almost done. When they were grading and milling the surface THAT was when the pavement was bad. It's much better these past couple months.
My question: on 17th Street between E Street and H. What are those black "smokestack" vent-type things that appear in various places? I presume they're covering manholes or something during the various construction projects in these couple blocks, but taking away one lane going northbound (between F and Penn Ave.) in the morning does cause significant backups.
Any knowledge on how long these "stacks" will be in the vicinity?
Dr. Gridlock: I apologize to you folks who've asked me about the steamboat in the middle of 17th Street, near the Old Executive Office Building. I've been meaning to learn more about that. It's been there a while and is quite disruptive for traffic.
Fairfax Station, Va.: If commuting to work were a non-issue, where would you live in the D.C. area that was close enough to be able to take advantage of the cultural and educational activities, but be out of the constant day-to-day traffic and hustle?
Dr. Gridlock: When I first moved to DC in 1988, I thought of our Capitol Hill neighborhood that way, but I'm sure the group will have plenty of nominees. (We're a two-newspaper family: The Gridspouse is the outdoors writer for The Baltimore Sun. We left Capitol Hill after a year to shorten her commute -- just a little.)
Annapolis to Fairfax: do not know what part of Fairfax, but I would suggest taking 50 to 295, and bypassing the inner loop traffic to the Wilson Bridge. That's one alternative I did when I lived in Bowie but worked in Alexandria. Certain days you can read the 295 traffic to see if cutting through D.C. would be faster than 95 and the Wilson Bridge.
Dr. Gridlock: Thank you for that response to our Annapolis to Fairfax commuter who's looking for the best route.
Bowie, Md.: I commute everyday from Bowie to Herndon/Dulles and will be doing it only until the near future. Route is much shorter northbound on the Beltway. Southbound, it's mainly clear, but it's a longer drive and the Wilson Bridge can be backed up for miles and miles, not to mention backups heading towards Tyson's.
Since I leave early in the morning at 5'ish, it's not that bad, but the return drive can be demoralizing. I've often dozed off and have tried coffee before starting my commute, but that usually results in the need to use the rest room if the roads are backed up. I'd imagine it would be even worse for the Annapolis driver.
The span from DTR to I-95 on the beltway is usually the worst during the afternoon, but I heard it's equally bad as you near the Rt. 50 interchange. Of course, Rt. 50 East is gawdawful during the evening rush, especially since it's getting warmer and people want their crabs, sand and water.
Dr. Gridlock: By the way, there was a very interesting story about "extreme commuters" in the April 16 issue of The New Yorker. Bowie's experience seems to fit the "extreme" patterns.
Arlington, Va.: Where I grew up (Milwaukee), I was taught to always signal with the left arm. Straight out for a left turn, and up at 90 degrees for a right turn. The reason for this (I was told, and it makes sense to me) is that cyclists are typically on the right hand side of the road, so a right arm signal might not be easily seen by a trailing motorist, while a left arm signal will be.
Dr. Gridlock: It you get a chance, check page 12 of that biker's guide I mentioned about, with the link. Look at the signaling diagram with "Communicating."
bikers on the parkway...: I feel for those guys, especially when there's a continuous flow of traffic and they can't cross. Of course, then there are the bikers who willfully ignore stop signs and right of way (one way street, anyone?) and I think that most motorists don't really feel like being courteous to cyclists.
About the crossing though...seems like the same sort of flyovers the bike path uses around the airport would work. Also, a writer mentioned Arlington, but that area is under the exclusive pervue of the NPS.
Dr. Gridlock: This is one of a few responses I'm seeing on the parkway/bikers/pedestrians question. I'll show you a couple more.
Arlington, Va.: GW Parkway crossing: There is an overpass for boats leaving the marina just south of the crosswalk. Couldn't a sidewalk be installed at river level allowing pedestrians and bikes to cross here? Still leaving enough room for the boats of course.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Dr. Gridlock,
This is a general question, but one that I have been grappling with more lately. How and when does one make the determination to forego public transit and buy a car? I have lived in the area for almost seven years and own a home across the street from the metro station. In recent months I have been contemplating the cost/benefits of owning a car and commuting instead of dealing with the increasingly crowded and annoyance of the Metro. I know others have confronted this same dilemma and would like to hear what others feel about the topic. Thanks. (And for what it's worth, I live in Silver Spring, Md., and work near Capitol Hill).
Dr. Gridlock: I think the cost/benefit calculation is personal. The only thing I can suggest is that you find some way of factoring stress and personal satisfaction into the equation.
I made a switch myself around 2000, trading in a nine-mile drive from Silver Spring to downtown Washington for a Metro trip between Silver Spring and Farragut North. Mostly a money issue: I calculated what it was costing me to warehouse my car all day downtown. Emotional element: I enjoyed reading on the train.
Silver Spring, Md.: I've been hearing a rumor around downtown silver spring that metro is considering (maybe mo county?) making an entry/exit that opens out towards East-West Highway. Have you heard anything like that? It would be a great idea, not only for convenience for NOAA workers and people who live there, but also because that bridge underpass is shady at night to cross under. Thanks!
Dr. Gridlock: Here's a link (PDF) you might find useful to some of the latest news about the upcoming construction of the Silver Spring Transit Center. That area is going to be disrupted for a while.
Beltway at 55 mph: I would absolutely love it if I could travel the beltway at 55 mph during rush hour. On my daily commute through the inner loop stretch from the Robinson Terminal to Tyson's Corner, I'm lucky if I get to travel any faster than stop-and-go. I'm sure it's the same on other stretches of the beltway. So, this truck caravan should plan to drive during non-rush-hour (which is what -- 11 a.m./3 p.m.?)!
Dr. Gridlock: On our rumor -- so far unproven -- that there might be a trucker demonstration on the Beltway this week.
Prague: Actually back in D.C. now, but an observation from my trip.
We spent a week cycling around in the Czech Republic, in busy city traffic and on country lanes and highways. Cars were considerate and knew how to share the road. I felt much less threatened by traffic there. We could learn a thing or two from the example!
Dr. Gridlock: We definitely are not at that level of mutual respect among drivers, bikers and pedestrians.
Buying a car: I'd like to point out the FlexCar and ZipCar programs to the previous poster. If a car is only needed for occasional errands, he/she might find it more affordable to join one of these groups. Rental cars can be used for weekend trips. In the long term it may save him/her money.
Dr. Gridlock: That's a very good suggestion.
Tunnel under the Potomac: Hi Dr. Gridlock,
Why don't the powers that be build a tunnel under the Potomac to get to D.C.? It could be a toll tunnel like Baltimore's tunnel, using only EZ-Pass, with cameras to enforce it. No disruption of the cityscape, and it could have two or three exit areas -- toward the SW freeway, into D.C. and toward the Kennedy Center.
Dr. Gridlock: As a concept, I love it, but am doubtful that any level of government would go for that expense. Maybe a private consortium, but it's hard to imagine how high the tolls would have to be set for private partners to recoup an investment so large.
Old Town and National Harbor: Are you familiar with downtown Denver at all? They have something there called the 16th Street Promenade. It goes for about 2 miles from the State Capitol to the Train Station. It is a pedestrian mall, full of shops and restaurants. Only free shuttle busses that stop every block and arrive every 2 minutes are allowed on it.
Do you think this idea could work for Old Town and King Street? All the cars could be moved to Camron and Prince Streets (which are already one way) and allow King Street to be full of people between the River and the Metro Station!
Dr. Gridlock: I love that section of Denver. Around here, we're going to have to get more creative about moving people around. Various forms of shuttle buses and personal people movers have to be part of the future all across the densely populated communities.
Arlington, Va.: Yesterday, I was on a reconfigured Metro car which had four side seats on each side and also seemed to be configured by railings to force passengers inside the car rather than cluster around the entry doors. I don't see anything wrong with this.
Dr. Gridlock: That sounds like the Metro test car that's experimenting with more bench seating (where you face into the car) in the center. It's also got the element of the 6000 series rail cars that eliminates the three poles around the front and rear doors, so that travelers will stand deeper into the cars.
Lots of people were worried about this last summer, but I haven't heard many complaints lately.
Dr. Gridlock: Think I'll take a walk up to Dupont Circle to check those traffic signals and then over to Logan Circle for a peek at those pavement markings. (Look at that sunshine: Do I have a great job, or what?)
Thanks very much for joining me today. If there was an issue that you'd like to discuss further, you can always reach me through the e-mail bag, drgridlock@washpost.com.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Join live discussions from the Washington Post. Feature topics include national, world and DC area news, politics, elections, campaigns, government policy, tech regulation, travel, entertainment, cars, and real estate.
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Debating Gun Control Laws
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Legal Director Dennis Henigan of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which is urging stronger gun laws in the aftermath of 32 murders on the campus of Virginia Tech University, was online Monday, April 23 at 10 a.m. ET to discuss gun laws and legislation.
See also: Debating Gun Control Laws -- Author of "The Bias Against Guns" (washingtonpost.com, April 24 at noon)
Henigan is the director of the Legal Action Project at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, based in Washington. The Legal Action Project is a national public interest law program that provides pro bono legal representation to victims of gun violence in lawsuits against the gun industry and assists in the defense of gun laws in the courts.
Dennis Henigan: Hello everyone. Welcome to this discussion about the tragedy of gun violence in our country. I look forward to our exchange.
Boca Raton, Fla.: According to Matthew Barakat of the AP, a judge's ruling on Cho Seung-Hui's mental health should have barred him from purchasing the handguns based on federal regulation. If this is correct, what is the regulation and to what extent do other states (in addition to Virginia) have discrepancies in this provision of the federal regulation? Also, is the Department of Justice investigating these apparent discrepancies?
washingtonpost.com: Rules Should Have Barred Weapon Purchase (AP, April 20)
Dennis Henigan: The facts show that Cho was adjudicated by a Virginia judge to be both mentally ill and a danger to himself. This should have disqualified him from buying a gun under federal law. However, the order was not entered into the background check database. If the Brady Law background check had been properly administered, Cho would have been blocked from buying a gun and this tragedy likely would have been averted. Yet another demonstration of how gun control laws can save lives. I fear that Virginia is not alone is misapplying federal law in this way.
Rome, N.Y.: When we learn that terrorists might use shoes or shampoo bottles or toothpaste tubes as weapons we readily adjust our behavior to mitigate harm. Why the national state of denial about the harm guns do and the obvious ways to reduce that harm? Is it necessary to organize a National Shampoo Bottle Association to achieve the might of the national lobby that stands in the way of rational policies regarding handguns?
Dennis Henigan: The gun lobby and its supporters often miss the obvious. The innocent victims at Va. Tech. did not die because a young person was deranged. They died because a deranged young person had access to guns. If he had been armed with a knife, or baseball bat, or shampoo bottle, 32 people would not have died.
Williamstown, Mass.: Why do you think Congress would pass gun control laws after this event, but let the Assault Weapons Ban expire after Columbine? Because these horrible tragedies happen so often in the U.S., and not other nations, will people recognize that the ability to buy guns is at the core of so many people being killed? I question whether Americans have the attention span to focus on this issue.
Dennis Henigan: I believe the American people will be outraged about our nation's policies toward guns in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre. It is unforgivable that President Bush and the Congress (then controlled by his Party) allowed the ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to expire in 2004. The ammunition magazines that Cho used were banned by that law. Since 2004, many thousands more of them have been produced and are in circulation.
Elma, N.Y.: I'm a Democrat, yet I suggest it may be hard for most Democrats to swallow, especially in an election year, that one of the Republican arguments on gun control may have merit: we need to first enforce the laws on the books. Isn't the enforcement of the current laws underfunded and undermanned? And aren't both Democrats and Republicans to blame? Democrats because they've been more interested in passing laws than in doing the hard work of making them effective, and Republicans because underenforcement works to make the laws ineffective and therefore subject to criticism?
Dennis Henigan: Yes, the enforcement of current gun laws is woeful. But it is a fallacy to believe we must choose between stronger enforcement of current laws and stronger laws. We must have both! If the Brady Law had been properly administered, Cho would have been blocked from buying a gun from a licensed dealer. We need to strengthen the Brady system to prevent these sales. But Cho also could have just gone to his local gun show and bought a handgun without a background check from someone claiming to be selling only from his "personal collection". This is the "gun show loophole" that the Virginia legislature again this year refused to close. We need stronger law and stronger enforcement of those laws.
Lexington, Va.: In the aftermath of the VT tragedy, I have heard from friends and relatives in Canada, the U.K., Scandinavia, Greece and Korea, all expressing sympathy but saying "what can you expect, with the current gun climate in America it's simply to be expected." I really don't know how to answer these comments, other than to agree. I don't see how gun advocates can refute the fact that countries with strict gun control laws have far fewer gun crimes. This seems to be such a given. I think the entire country of Sweden had something like 20 murders last year, most of them domestic violence. I would move there in an instant except that the winters are so dark and cold!
Dennis Henigan: The research shows that other industrialized countries have comparable crime rates to ours. The difference is that our crime is so much more lethal. Our homicides rates are several times the rates in other industrialized countries. The reason: the ready availability of firearms in American and our lax gun laws.
Chantilly, Pa.: I'd like to know where you derive the number (30,000) of people that you say are killed by guns each year? Can you tell me the source of those numbers?
Dennis Henigan: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control. Look it up. And weep for our nation.
Jackson, Wyo.: We have more gun laws than any nation on Earth. All Swiss citizens are armed with automatic weapons by law, as are many if not most Israelis, yet they do not have gun problems. Could it be a problem with our increasingly dysfunctional society caused by the liberal agenda? If not, explain the low rates of gun crime for CCW states like Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana, especially compared to the murder and crime leaders,like Washington, Chicago, New York, etc., where citizens are barred from owning defensive weapons. Thank you.
Dennis Henigan: Your comment is fallacious is several respects. First, you compare states with cities, which is completely misleading. Second, if you look at gun death rates, not just crime, the leaders are the rural states with lots of guns. The leaders in 2003 in gun death rates were Alaska, Louisiana, New Mexico, Wyoming, Alabama, Mississippi, Montana and Arizona. Are guns making those states safe? Finally, your international comparisons are bogus, because you fail to mention that even countries like Israel and Switzerland, with armed militias, have strict gun laws determining what militia members can do with their guns. Your international comparison may simply prove that if countries strictly control guns, they have less gun violence than countries that do not.
Richmond, Va.: I own guns but would be happy to have restrictive purchasing laws. 90-day waiting periods would be fine with me. Also, being able to demonstrate that one is stable and a good law abiding citizen is fine, too! The question I have to those who simply state "let's just ban guns" is, how do we get the 250 million guns already in the hands of the U.S. populace out of their hands? Doesn't this seem to bolster the argument that in the end (under such high, restrictive measures and laws) that only criminals would have guns? Comments?
Dennis Henigan: You are typical of the vast majority of gun owners who support sensible gun laws. The NRA does not represent you! The issue is not banning guns. It is enacting strong laws to keep guns out of the wrong hands. States like New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts have enacted strong gun laws, yet allow law-abiding citizens to own guns. The data show that the guns used in crime in those states come from other states with weaker gun laws. In other words, strong state gun laws block criminals from getting guns in those states; the criminals must use gun trafficking rings bringing guns in from other states. This research supports the effectiveness of gun control laws, but it also suggests that we need, in the final analysis, strong federal laws to prevent interstate trafficking. We need a federal law mandating background checks on all gun purchases, not just those from licensed dealers. We need a federal ban on bulk sales, which facilitate gun trafficking. We need to give federal law enforcement authorities (ATF) more power to crack down on corrupt dealers who aid and abet traffickers. And we need a strong ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines of the kind used by Cho.
Cleveland Heights, Ohio: Why are 15-round clips legal? What is the justification? I am genuinely asking.
Dennis Henigan: In my view, there is not justification for high capacity ammunition clips for the civilian market. This kind of military-style firepower is appropriate for the battlefield or for law enforcement, but should be outlawed for civilian sale, as it was for ten years until President Bush and the Congress allowed the ban on assault weapons and high-capacity clips to expire. The President said he was for renewing the law, but his failure to lead on this issue was shameful.
Washington: For every columbine and VA tech, there are stories of lives saved because people were allowed to carry guns and subdued a crazy man on the rampage. All the worst shootings in this country happen in gun-free zones. Countries that outlaw the public carrying guns have seen increased in gun violence, kidnapping and other crimes. Look at Washington -- there is a gun ban, but this is one of the worst cities in American for gun violence. Any law you pass isn't going to stop one crazy man who would trade his life for others. If you believe in the Constitution, then every citizen who can pass a background check is entitled to own a gun.
Dennis Henigan: This is a nice presentation of NRA talking points, reflecting the mythology that paralyzes our nation's gun policy and costs untold innocent lives. Of the nation's homicides, a tiny number happen on "gun-free" college campuses. Is your solution to arms students on college campuses? Two words summarize why that would be a tragic folly: beer and hormones. Our national discussion should not be distracted by crazy ideas like arming students to ensure that, at best, shooters like Cho would be involved in a crossfire that would no doubt still claim many lives regardless of its conclusion. We need to be talking about strong policies to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people so that no one has to die.
Falls Church, Va.: Aren't you proposing a "War on Guns" highly similar to the "War on Drugs"? Even if handguns were made illegal, what reason is there to believe that illegal guns would be any harder to obtain then than illegal drugs are now? If illegal drugs can flow freely across our borders in high volumes, why wouldn't guns do the same?
Dennis Henigan: First, we are not proposing to ban possession of guns; thus, your argument is a red herring. The analogy to drugs, though, is interesting. Unlike illegal drugs, illegal guns originate in a legal market. Virtually every gun used in crime started out being manufactured by a licensed manufacturer and sold by a licensed dealer. This means that controls on the legal market can have a profound effect on the availability of guns in the illegal market. We know that almost 60 percent of crime guns originate with only about 1 percent of licensed gun dealers. We need to give ATF the additional tools to crack down on those dealers. The Brady Law has stopped over 1.3 million prohibited gun buyers from purchasing guns from licensed dealers. In the first ten years that Brady was in effect, violent non-lethal gun crime plunged 73 percent and gun homicides fell 33 percent. Again, strengthening control on the legal market affected the flow of guns to the illegal market. We now need to apply the Brady background checks to all gun sales, 40 percent of which are by private sellers who are not licensed dealers and thus are not subject to the background check requirement.
Fairfax, Va.: I'm all for closing the gun show loophole, but what about one friend selling/giving a gun to another friend? In my opinion that transaction should be recorded by a licensed FFl.
Dennis Henigan: Every gun sale or transfer should be subject to a background check. No check. No sale. No exceptions.
Delray Beach, Fla.: I was a member of the NRA for many years. It used to be informative, fun, and entertaining -- now it is a political organization and actually makes public policy. Who is going to stop this madness? Assault rifles, hollow point bullets, gun-carrying children, carrying weapons openly? Will the Democrats finally do something about this?
Dennis Henigan: Ultimately, only the American people can stop the madness. You, and those who think like you, must communicate your views to your elected officials strongly and often. Go to our Web sites (here or here) and we will make it easy for you. More than 80 percent of the American people support stronger, sensible gun laws, but the will of the people is being frustrated by a well-financed special interest lobby using the tactics of intimidation on politicians who are, as Sarah and Jim Brady like to say, "cowardly lions." The cowardly lions need to hear from you!
San Diego: This is more of a comment than anything else, but as a person who is both well to the left of center on the U.S. political spectrum and a gun owner, I am disturbed by calls by my fellow liberals to strengthen gun control laws. I'd like to gently remind people that there are literally tens of millions of Americans who own guns, most of whom use them for hunting, recreational or competitive target shooting and the like. What I hear and read from the left these days tends to paint all gun owners with a very broad and unflattering brush. I'd recommend reframing the debate so that it is not focused on gun control per se, but at ensuring that persons such as the Blacksburg shooter, who shouldn't have guns, don't get them.
Dennis Henigan: As President Clinton used to say, "No one missed a day in the duck blind because of the Brady Bill." Stronger gun laws would save lives without depriving law-abiding citizens of their choice to own a gun for lawful purposes. The NRA wants to make this a debate about gun ownership. This is a distraction. The debate is about our weak national and state laws that allow dangerous people like Cho access to guns.
Allen Township, Pa.: One of the arguments gun enthusiasts proffer against gun control: Mass murderers will find a way if they have the will, using fire, explosions, airplanes -- just look what they're doing in Iraq. How easy is it to buy C-4 or other explosives these days?
Dennis Henigan: Explosives have been tightly controlled since the 1930s. The Columbine shooting was an interesting case in point. The killers were armed with guns and homemade explosives. The explosives did not work well and I don't believe anyone was killed or injured by the explosives. If they could have bought explosives as easily as they bought guns, their explosives would not have been homemade and would have been far more effective.
Arlington, Va.: Wouldn't Cho have been able to kill quite a few had he been armed only with revolvers?
Dennis Henigan: Revolvers don't afford nearly the functional firepower of a semi-auto with high-capacity magazines. Cho knew he wanted to engage in a military-style assault at Virginia Tech with the objective of killing a lot of people very quickly. He chose guns appropriate to that task, while still concealable. With a 15-round magazine, he could shoot fifteen rounds in seconds without the need to reload, and then reload in an instant by ejecting the spent magazine and slapping in a new, loaded magazine. Apparently, he also had even higher capacity magazines. As we saw with the Long Island RR shooter a number of years ago, often the best chance of stopping a shooter is when he stops to reload. Reloading was not a problem for Cho. The firepower available to Cho enabled him to be a mass killer of historic proportions.
Chantilly, Va.: Mr. Henigan, do you yourself own a handgun?
Dennis Henigan: No. I don't propose to expose myself or my family to such an extraordinary risk. Handguns in the home increase the risk of suicide five-fold and homicide three-fold. Accidents with guns are far more lethal than accidents with other weapons. However, other law-abiding people may feel differently. They should have the option to make a different choice, but I would hope it would be an educated choice.
Detroit: It sounds terrible to say this, but is there any point in trying to obtain meaningful gun control laws? It seems that despite a push for such laws over many decades, there has been little progress. Even the Brady Bill had plenty of loopholes. Unless there is a shift of people's beliefs of myths of the importance of guns in self-protection and in the development of this country, I don't see how gun control laws will ever come about, despite the necessity of them.
Dennis Henigan: This comment expresses the sense of futility that many Americans unfortunately feel. The feeling of futility is, however, the gun lobby's best friend. We saw in the battle for the Brady Law and the assault weapon ban in the early 1990s that if the people demand action, it tends to stiffen the politicians' spines. We overcame the bullying of the gun lobby in those battle and we can do it again! Hopelessness on this issue does not honor the victims at Virginia Tech. They will be honored by action that prevents future tragedies.
York, Pa.: Handgun Control, Inc, now called the Brady Campaign, misrepresents information in their efforts to ban guns. This prevents an honest debate on the issues from occurring. Is the Brady Campaign willing to concede that gun control laws in other countries rarely correlate with a reduction in violent crime and/or homicide? For instance, in Britain murder rates have remained basically constant over the years when laws progressively have eliminated virtually all private gun rights. Also in England, firearms are used in less than 5 percent of all homicides, proving conclusively that the will to kill trumps all weapons laws. Will the Brady Campaign accept that sensible gun control means that mentally unstable persons shouldn't be able to buy guns, but sane and law-abiding adults should?
Dennis Henigan: In 2004, there were 73 gun homicides in England and Wales and 11,344 in the United States. God bless America.
Dennis Henigan: Thanks to everyone for caring so much about this issue to participate. Again, for more information about what the Brady organization is doing to prevent gun violence, visit bradycampaign.org or millionmommarch.org.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Legal Director Dennis Henigan of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which is urging stronger gun laws in the aftermath of 32 murders on the campus of Virginia Tech University, will discuss gun laws and legislation.
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String of Violence Has Shaped but Not Hardened Kids
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Vickie Marx ticks off the markers in the life of her eldest child, 15-year-old Danny: the Columbine school massacre when he was 7. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks when he was 9. The sniper attacks when he was 10. The Iraq war, which erupted when he was 11. And now the Virginia Tech shootings.
This generation of children, said Marx, 45, of McLean, has "lived with -- regrettably, sadly -- an ongoing barrage."
In a week when the nation has struggled to absorb the toll of America's deadliest shooting by an individual, many families in the Washington region faced it with a strong sense of the familiar. The Virginia massacre comes as yet another close-up horror for children who know violence through extraordinary events.
"It's been just sort of a wild ride," said Alyssa Navarrete, 18, a senior at Annandale High School. "Our generation kind of had to grow up pretty quickly. We were in seventh or eighth grade when the snipers were around. It sort of forced you to realize the world was bigger than your own back yard at a really young age. I think we're all probably stronger for it, but it does affect people for sure."
Last week, many students at Annandale High School openly grieved for Mary Read, a 2006 graduate who was killed at Virginia Tech, she said.
Coincidentally, Navarrete had put her commitment letter and $400 deposit to Virginia Tech in the mailbox the day of the shootings. "Just the way that everybody down there has come together -- that's a family I want to be a part of."
How children responded varied widely. There were questions. Sadness. Tears. Anger. Seeming detachment. Some focused on their own safety, others on grief-stricken families. Like their parents, they dwelled on why the rampage began -- its senselessness.
Joelle Griffith, 11, heard about the shootings in her technology class at Mitchellville School in Bowie that afternoon when she logged on to the computer. Since then, she has been following it closely on the Internet and on television. Her parents have been reassuring, but "it got me kind of scared about going to college," she said, "knowing that there are killers that we might not know about that might be everywhere."
Several child psychologists said that children might, for a time, worry about being alone, be afraid to go to school, fear the dark or feel concern for their parents' safety. Children with anxiety, depression or other problems might be more deeply affected, said therapist Britt H. Rathbone, whose Rockville practice treats teenagers.
There is almost certainly a cumulative effect of so many horrific incidents, said Katherine S. Newman, a Princeton University sociologist who wrote the book "Rampage: The Social Roots of School Shootings."
"I think many Americans will look on this period as unsettled and unstable," Newman said. "These violent spectacles are very rare, but they leave deep tracks and shake our ability to judge whether a setting is safe or dangerous."
The task of shielding children from the full impact of the Virginia Tech shootings -- or even interpreting it -- has become difficult for parents in an age when the blitz of news from print and televised sources is intensified by 24-7 Web sites and instant messaging.
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Vickie Marx ticks off the markers in the life of her eldest child, 15-year-old Danny: the Columbine school massacre when he was 7. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks when he was 9. The sniper attacks when he was 10. The Iraq war, which erupted when he was 11. And now the Virginia Tech shootings.
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Cho: How'd He Get Into Virginia Tech?
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Readers keep asking: If it's so hard to get into good colleges such as Virginia Tech, how did Seung-Hui Cho win admission?
Surely, his teacher recommendations could not have been stellar, even if they didn't spell out the extent of his personality defects. Surely his own essay must have revealed at least some of the disturbing thinking that permeates his creative writing assignments in college. No matter how good his test scores may have been--and how could he have earned top-notch grades if he never once spoke in class?--how could admissions officers have overlooked what must have been a paper record that reflected at least some of his overall picture?
Virginia Tech is a very large university, the biggest in the state, but it is also selective: It admits about 12,600 of the 19,000 high school seniors who apply each year. About 5,000 of those admitted students end up enrolling at VT. The academic achievement level of incoming Virginia Tech students is about mid-range, with the largest group by far showing SAT scores betwee 1200 and 1299. More than three times as many VT students come in with scores in the 1200s as in the 1400-plus range.
The university says it seeks students with at least a B+ average. Here's the school's profile of the average freshman and his grades and test scores:
Average SAT: 1231 Mid-50% SAT**: 1130-1330
(The SAT scores reflect the critical reading and math sections of the exam only.)
Virginia Tech makes its admission decisions purely and entirely on the basis of those numbers. Its application includes no requirement for interviews or teacher recommendations. (The University of Virginia, in contrast, requires both a written recommendation from a high school teacher or counselor and student-written essays.) The form that guidance counselors must submit to Virginia Tech asks for name, rank and number of advanced courses that the high school offers, but there is no question and not even a space for counselors to comment on a student's character, achievements, deficits or any other aspect of the application. If Cho had decent scores and grades, he was in.
(By comparison, another large state school, Penn State, also does not ask for teacher recommendations, but does require a short essay. The question there this year reads like this:
"Please choose one of the commitments that you listed above (activity, interest, or work experience) and provide a short description of its importance to you. Include why that commitment could be relevant to your student experience at Penn State.")
(About 300 colleges use the Common Application, which includes an essay question. For this year's selection of questions, see the jump.)
The Virginia Tech application does ask whether students have been a class officer and inquires about school organizations students may have participated in. There's a question about whether kids took part in sports in high school. But the personal statement, a crucial part of applications at most smaller schools and even some very big ones, is optional on the Virginia Tech application. Even then, it is limited to 200 words and is unusually rudimentary in scope:
You may respond to both statements (or one or neither) as you feel they support your individual application. Please limit your statement to no more than 200 words in length.
Applicants who do provide a statement must choose one of these questions:
There are a few questions that all applicants must answer, but they are simple Yes/No items asking whether the student has ever been suspended, expelled, placed on academic probation or convicted of a crime.
Virginia Tech's own list of what it looks at in an applicant goes like this:
* Ethnicity * First-generation * Leadership and service * Legacy * Major requested * Participation in Virginia Tech pipeline programs * Personal statements * Residency
As a first-generation Korean-American and Virginia resident, Cho had a couple of advantages right out of the gate. We haven't seen his grades and scores yet, but it's easy to imagine that he tested well, given that his sister got into Princeton and his family placed an enormous value on education.
So add this to the long list of questions about how Seung Cho got to do what he did: Why does one of Virginia's premier state colleges not spend the marginal extra money it would take to hire a few more admissions officers so that it can use a more probing application and seek teacher recommendations and personal essays to get a fuller picture of the students it is admitting? There are, luckily, only a tiny number of Seung Chos in any applicant pool, but every student is more than the numbers provided by SAT scores and GPA rankings. Any college, no matter its size, ought to want to see other facets of its applicants' lives.
From the Common Application, used by about 300 colleges across the country:
Choose one topic and write an essay: 1. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. 2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you. 3. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence. 4. Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence. 5. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you. 6. Topic of your choice.
By Marc Fisher | April 23, 2007; 7:17 AM ET Previous: Fenty's First 100 Days: Can He Top This? | Next: The Hains Point Hand: Stealing Away A Public Treasure
Man, they've lightened up since back in tha day (1971). I had to write an essay and IIRC had to get a teacher and a non-academic recommendation. My grades were OK but my SAT was smokin' for back then, 1240, Verbal 680, Math 560.
Posted by: Stick | April 23, 2007 07:52 AM
If his sister got into Princeton then some combination of parents and high school guidance counselers (motivated to get students into the best colleges) made sure the right boxes got checked. He was in the science club at Westfield, probably tested well and got good grades, and even with additional admissions officers would probably have no problems getting in.
Look, all the right steps were taken in line with trying to avail the best educational opportunities to everybody regardless of race/creed/color/etc. We err to the side of mainstreaming handicapped folks. We abhor locking up people unless they demonstrate violence. VT took him out of the classroom and provided 1 on 1 instruction. An official with the power of coerced treatment reviewed his case and concluded that incarceration was not called for.
What more could've been done without fundamentally limiting access? Is that what we want?
Posted by: Rob Iola | April 23, 2007 07:55 AM
Cho could have downloaded a mainstream essay.
Posted by: anon | April 23, 2007 08:03 AM
Va Tech is not the biggest school in the commonwealth - that would be George Mason.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 08:09 AM
I applied back in 1998, and got in (Class of '99). Even back then we had to do essays. I submitted my application in November of '98 and had heard back by the end of December. By comparison, JMU took much longer, and I didn't hear from them until April. They also had an essay requirement, and maybe even recommendations.
I ended up going to JMU. Not because of the application process, I just liked it better there.
Posted by: P | April 23, 2007 08:10 AM
Mr. Fisher is not an expert on college admission or psychology so he should keep his mouth shut. Why does The Washington Post let this man blather on and on?
Posted by: J | April 23, 2007 08:11 AM
VT is like many schools at every level in this country especially at the college level. Education should be just that - education. Unfortunatele, the schools care more about their profits than they do about teaching their students to be better adults. I have witnessed on several occasions my high school alma mater in Tampa (Tampa Preparatory) the administration ignore problems whether it was drugs or a pedophile teacher to say to prospective students, "We have no drug problem here..." That would explain why from 1992 to 1993 Tampa Prep had 3 students blow their brains out after partying. Just this year Tampa Prep suspended a swim coach after catching him filming the girls locker room in March. They didn't call the police and he wasn't fired until 7 months later when a PARENT contacted the police. By the way, it is a 1st degree felony in Florida to NOT report sexual abuse if you are an educator. This is how these schools operate; and while VT's administration did NOT pull the trigger, they should've have done what all these schools are aftraid to do - worry about the students best interests and not theirs. The blood is on their hands just as much as his. It costs an average of 25k-40k to send your kid to college at an out of state school. I think for that much money, the students deserve better. But this is how everything in this country has become. Watch people die that didn't have to, have a national day of mourning, let the politicians rape the event like 9/11, and nothing changes and we repeat the actions when it happens again.
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. For you school administrators out there, who cares if you get sued, get the Cho's some help. Otherwise, you're worse than the Chos of this world because YOU SAW IT COMING AND CHOSE TO NOT GET SUED. I'm pretty sure it will turn out to be 32 wrongful death lawsuits in the lng run. Since, the bottom line is all you care about - that should motivate you guys to change. And you call yourselves "educators".
Posted by: Eric | April 23, 2007 08:18 AM
Wow, this article is pointless. They guy was unstable and snapped. It doesn't mean that he wasn't intelligent, or should not have been admitted initially. If Universities and Colleges start weeding out every young adult that doesn't fit a picture perfect profile, their enrollments will drop significantly. What happened was tragic, but trying to find someone, anyone to place the blame on is pointless.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 08:20 AM
I find today's blog disturbingly Nancy Grace-ish. You have, without any evidence such a Cho's high school records or college application, proceeded to find VT guilty of negligently admitting a madman. First, how do you know that his personality didn't change dramatically AFTER he went to Tech? Shouldn't a quiet, introverted kid have the right to attend an excellent school? Second, you assume that an additional essay or more probing assessments by an admissions counselor would have been able to weed out someone who would become a homicidal mainiac 5 years later. Mental health professionals are often unable to predict aberrant behavior 24 hours in the future, much less years in advance.
The real problem here is a mental health system that is grossly underfunded and is hamstrung by too many rules that keep people who need involuntary care from getting it.
Posted by: WA2CHI | April 23, 2007 08:24 AM
Everyone must understand that VT did what it could for Cho within legal boundries for his own mental health issues, and that the other students protection would not have been furthered by Cho's expulsion. Remember with the open nature of our university campuses, the story could have read "ex-student" murders others on VT campus.
Posted by: Tom | April 23, 2007 08:24 AM
Re: above statement on relative size of schools. Va Tech has 22,000 undergraduates and Mason has 18,000, but Mason has more graduate and continuing students, so the overall university total is slightly higher there. I think the undergraduate population, because it is the core of the in-residence, full-time student body, is the salient number, but they're awfully close no matter how you look at it.
Posted by: Fisher | April 23, 2007 08:26 AM
Forget how he got in; how the flip did he STAY in? All through undergrad and graduate school, 12 years apart, anywhere from 40-60 percent of my grade in class was class participation.
Posted by: Stick | April 23, 2007 08:35 AM
Has anybody considered he may have been a transfer student? SAT's don't always matter at that point and all he would have needed is passing grades at a Community College.
Posted by: SoMD | April 23, 2007 08:41 AM
if cho had been required to write a personal statement, i doubt it would have said, "i am an extremely disturbed individual who is likely to murder his classmates in a sudden rampage. and i'd like to major in english."
Posted by: mai-linh | April 23, 2007 08:44 AM
So now the complaint is about VT's admission standards?
OK, let's tighten them up. Let's tighten up the standards of all universities.
Then we can look forward to the next Marc Fisher column where he complains about all those kids left behind because they can't get a college education. Heck, he might even throw in a euphemism like "inner city youth" or something like that.
Posted by: Goaltender66 | April 23, 2007 08:46 AM
"...anywhere from 40-60 percent of my grade in class was class participation."
Yes, and I believe that if Cho had wanted to be a business major, that is precisely why he switched to English - business courses after the introductory level require a very high level of group work/class participation.
I believe the article is pointless as it applies to Cho. He would have gotten into college somewhere. Had Cho been denied admission completely to a university of his choice, his rampage would have occured at a workplace, a community college, or even his old high school.
Posted by: Thomas | April 23, 2007 08:49 AM
Who exactly do you think you are and what gives you the right to be attacking the university like this? Surely you were not preaching this before the shootings. The guy was psychotic. Insane. We learn and move on. Your article would be more appreciated if you did not waste our time with your accusatory tone. Suggestions for improvement are always welcome, but enough with the accusations.
Posted by: Arlington | April 23, 2007 08:57 AM
We don't know exactly why Virginia Tech let Cho in, but we do know that he was not a US citizen, and that he likely took a spot that would have otherwise gone to a US citizen.
Posted by: Roger T | April 23, 2007 09:04 AM
"As a first-generation Korean-American and Virginia resident, Cho had a couple of advantages right out of the gate."
Being a Virginia resident would be an advantage, but "first generation" in college admissions refers to being the first in one's family to go to college (and not being the first to immigrate ). Plus, being Korean American is no more advantageous than being European American/white in the admissions game.
Posted by: reader | April 23, 2007 09:09 AM
Rofl. Guess you can add another subject to the list of faux expertise you pretend to have.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 09:09 AM
English classes, like business, also require an enormous amount of participation. And from reading "McBeef" (I was only disturbed by the horrible writing), I'm wondering how he stayed in the department. I would have been flunking out of my literature studies with bad writing and zero class participation.
Posted by: NoVA | April 23, 2007 09:09 AM
HAH. The majority of these comments are way better than the narrow minded and short sighted article. Wash Post should get them on their payroll.
Posted by: 4cryingOL | April 23, 2007 09:10 AM
So let me understand this. You don't know his grades, You don't know his SAT scores and you don't know if he wrote a personal statement. So the value of this article is what?
Posted by: Greg K | April 23, 2007 09:13 AM
The only advantage to being a resident of Virginia is the lower tuition. It has nothing to do with intelligence. The second, being an immigrant, really frosts my shorts because there are thousands of Americans who would love the opportunity to go to college but can't because we're giving everything to immigrants on a silver platter.
Furthermore, isn't there some kind of personal interview you have to go through to enter college. Surely it isn't all done by paperwork. Don't people have to show up in person to register? When I was going to AU (working two jobs 7 days a week, thank you, I'm an American) you had to register in person, then meet with advisors, not to mention taking part in class discussions. So don't badmouth Va Tech's admission policy. The guy was a nut, clear and simple.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 09:15 AM
Marc Fisher--I have asked you several times in email and in these comments to stop commenting on matters that you have no expertise in, which judging by your writings, are most topics. By your own admission, you don't even know how to buy shoelaces, man.
Get a grip, look yourself in the mirror, and admit that you are a moron.
The ONLY reason I refuse to pay for this paper is because of its poor judgment in keeping you on its payroll. It looks like I will have to write several more letters recommending your termination. Thank you for providing me so many outstanding examples of your incompetence.
Maybe you should start a DC radio nostalgia society and leave grown-up issues to the adults.
Posted by: bkp | April 23, 2007 09:18 AM
Cho's problem was the Korean American community. They encourage success but do nothing for those in trouble. They encourage their children to be engineers and scientist but not English majors. Reading between the lines his father was a failure in the yes of the Centerville Korean American community which is very active and very discriminating. Their stores in centerville cater only to Koreans and not the rest of the community. And what about CHo's parnets could they have put too much pressure on him to meet the norms of Korean AmMerican young males etc. I see this pressure with a friend of mine hwo puts an inordinate amount of pressure on her son. Damn the kid hasnt been arrested and they dont get calls from the hospital it is a good weekend. Sorry the Centerville Korean American community is at fault. As is his family and his sister!
Posted by: Fred | April 23, 2007 09:19 AM
There is something really arrogant about assuming that you will screen out mentally disturbed people with a more selective admissions process.
With the proliferation of admissions consulting services, along with savvy parents, I'm sure anyone who has the resources -- intellectual or financial -- could beat the system.
Even a one-on-one interview would not necessarily eliminate a person like Cho from consideration.
Posted by: Kate | April 23, 2007 09:19 AM
Here we go, the 20/20 know-it-alls just cannot leave it alone. Surely everyoe had to see the sign Cho had on his forehead that said "I am crazy". Give it a rest.
Posted by: Tired of it | April 23, 2007 09:21 AM
This article is just pointless...The Kid Snapped, and it dosent have anything thing to do with his SAT scores or how he got in.
Posted by: GCT | April 23, 2007 09:26 AM
I understand some of the anti-Marc sentiment in the discusssion, but to be perfectly honest, this was my first question when I heard that it was a student.
And to respond to GCT, the point is that he did not just "snap." This was a trainwreck a long time coming.
Posted by: Paul | April 23, 2007 09:32 AM
The largest university in Virginia is VCU (30,000+), which surpassed George Mason (29,000+) last year. Tech is third (28,000+), I believe.
One would think that a paper such as the WP would have a fact-checker or two.
Posted by: Todd | April 23, 2007 09:33 AM
I thought I saw Cho's age posted as 23. That's 5 or even 6 years out of high school. Most universities have a back door to admissions that is seldom discussed. Usually there is no "test" for admission to night classes or continuing education classes for credit other than a high school transcript showing graduation or even a GED certificate. Once you take a couple of classes usually there is nothing preventing a "part timer" from signing up for a full schedule of day classes avoiding the SAT, essay, interview, business altogether. Of course the student is not associated with a "class of xx" but usually they don't care. In a commuting university of that size there is probably no expulsion for failing either. Just keep registering and paying is all you have to do.
Posted by: Vins Nash | April 23, 2007 09:36 AM
"Why does one of Virginia's premiere state colleges not spend the marginal extra money it would take to hire a few more admissions officers so that it can use a more probing application and seek teacher recommendations and personal essays to get a fuller picture of the students it is admitting?"
This is absolutely a fair question to ask, and many people have already begun talking about this. Sorry if it hits a nerve, Hokies, but this is a relevant issue... unless you believe that VPI bears no culpability whatsoever. (Maybe it's only a tiny bit, but it is beyond naive to think that the university shoulders none of the blame here.)
Posted by: dsbaf | April 23, 2007 09:36 AM
By Mark Fisher's reasoning, UVA, George Mason, and hundreds of schools around the country have been effective in screening out mass murderers. Remarkably, even the many colleges and universities that admit every applicant have managed to accomplish this. Obviously, predicting rare events like this is virtually impossible...like predicting airplane crashes or earthquakes...even when experts with mountains of data are making the predictions. Oh, I forgot, this is America so we have to blame someone. Maybe we should appoint Mr. Fisher "Blamer-in-chief."
Posted by: Scott Lucas | April 23, 2007 09:49 AM
Spent extra dollars on mental health, not college admission administration. No matter if Seung-Hui Cho is at a university or not, he would still be suffering in ways most people cannot comprehend. He would still be a danger to others and himself. And thanks to all media for showing Seung-Hui Cho's tapes and writings. The public needs to see and read first hand to begin to understand how much pain and danger he was in. Hope for change in the future. My heart is bleeding for all the victims, including Seung-Hui Cho.
Posted by: Manassas | April 23, 2007 09:52 AM
Let's not blame a college application system that has to deal with thousands of applicants. If that system were perfect, no one would ever flunk out or even go on academic probation. Besides, it's characteristic of school shooters that they take considerable pride in their ability to fool people who represent institutions. What about Cho's parents? Surely they knew that there was something wrong with their son; accounts say that they never spoke of him.
Posted by: gmu grad | April 23, 2007 09:55 AM
It wasn't enough to blame the police, the University, his parents, etc. for failing to prevent this inhuman act - it's now the fault of the admissions office, for not somehow detecting potential psychopathy in their applicants? Mr. Fisher, you are way out of line on this one. If we're going to hold anyone responsible for these deaths, it should be the person who actually pulled the trigger: Mr. Cho.
Had he been denied admission to Tech, I can only assume that he would have taken his violent tendencies to JMU, Mason, or similar.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 09:56 AM
"You have, without any evidence such a Cho's high school records or college application, proceeded to find VT guilty of negligently admitting a madman."
The problem is, VT did in fact admit a madman. It's fair to ask how that happened, and what can be done to avoid it happening again. Yes, Mr. Cho's mental state could have deteriorated significantly after he was admitted. And no, we do not know (certainly not yet, at least) if an essay, or teacher recommendations, or interviews, or anything else Mr. Fisher suggests would have worked to keep him out of VT.
But it is clear that there were warning signs that Mr. Cho was seriously disturbed well before he went on his rampage. We're not blaming VT's admission department to look back and try to learn how to prevent this sort of tragedy. And one lesson seems pretty clear - colleges and universities should look at more than raw intelligence and academic scores.
And it's a total red herring to ask "[s]houldn't a quiet, introverted kid have the right to attend an excellent school?" The concern here isn't about someone who's reserved, but someone who's mentally unbalanced. There is a difference.
Posted by: Demos | April 23, 2007 09:57 AM
A play that Cho wrote, besides being violent and wierd, exhibited poor grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. I realize English was his second language, but how could he be a senior ENGLISH MAJOR in apparently good academic standing at a major university without being able to speak the language? Was VT about to grant this guy a degree? If so, why?
Posted by: SCK | April 23, 2007 09:57 AM
What's the point of this article? Are you saying that if he had not gotten into VT, he would have gone to another school and done the same thing? This article is pointless and waste of everyone's time.
How did you get your job at Washington Post?
Posted by: Spencer | April 23, 2007 09:58 AM
My son had a fairly high SAT, 3.5+ GPA, won academic awards and sports awards, was in clubs, was a good citizen-no discipline ever, participated in church activities, etc. Most importantly, HE WAS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN!!!! (Our family working hard in America for over 290 years!!!) They let Cho in and turned my son down....what a country!!!!
Posted by: Jas. | April 23, 2007 09:59 AM
Some of the comments on this page express anger at Mr. Fisher for wondering how Cho got into Va Tech. If you ask me, Fisher didn't go back far enough. If Cho never spoke in school, how did he get promoted out of first grade? Second grade? Third grade? Did ALL of his teachers "look the other way"? For twelve years? Incredible.
Posted by: diane | April 23, 2007 10:00 AM
I suspect in this case the term Korean-American may be a misnomer, since the Chos are all resident aliens and remain Korean citizens. Being a Virginia resident has an effect on more than tuition. The in-state admissions are set by the legislature at 65 percent, out-of-state 35 percent. When my daughter applied to VaTech and UVA in 2002, the difference in the application process was striking. Tech`s application did not require much beyond a transcript and SATs, UVAs was much more extensive. Cho`s silence in class was noticed by other students all the way back to middle school, this problem has been on the way a long time.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 10:03 AM
Oh, I get it, keeping as many people as possible out of college is now a GOOD thing. My mistake.
Posted by: BP Beckley | April 23, 2007 10:04 AM
A better screening process may have kept Mr. Cho out of Virginia Tech. So instead, he very likely would have carried out his rampage at a school with less rigorous admissions requirements. And even if all schools screened him out, there is no reason to presume that his rampage would not have occurred somewhere.
Posted by: Greg | April 23, 2007 10:08 AM
Wait a minute, what the heck does a citizenship got to do with the admission process? Are you a bigot?
Posted by: Spencer | April 23, 2007 10:08 AM
Spencer, you must be kidding! Americans should be admitted before aliens. No bigotry, just the right thing to do!. Do you think an American would be admitted before a Korean is S. Korea???? I think NOT!!!!
Posted by: Jas. | April 23, 2007 10:12 AM
I wouldn`t read too much into Cho`s age. His family moved here when he was eight and his language skills may have slowed his progress in school early on.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 10:12 AM
Why all the Fisher hate today? There's nothing "pointless" about this article. For crying out loud, Cho was a 23-year-old who couldn't write, didn't talk, creeped everyone out, had a prior history of mental disturbance and even had some ex-classmates who thought he might go on a shooting rampage, yet somehow Virginia Tech kept him enrolled as an English major. You mean to say you never once asked yourself "how'd he get in, anyway?"
Posted by: Andy | April 23, 2007 10:16 AM
Jas, America is a country of immigrants. You did say your family immigrated 290 years ago, right? Remember, you were once an alien too. Think, before you say something.
Posted by: Spencer | April 23, 2007 10:17 AM
This article is worse than pointless, it's offensive. If Cho had been kept out of college, he may still have gone on a rampage elsewhere. This article suggests that were he went on his rampage and who he killed is important, as if some lives are more valuable than others and some peoples feelings of being secure are more imporant than others. The media has already celebrated the lives of the Tech students far more than anyone who died in Iraq in the last week. No offense intended to the victims of this tragedy, but the media has completely lost perspective and this article is one more aggregious example!
Posted by: ch | April 23, 2007 10:21 AM
Mr. Fisher, usually I enjoy your columns and agree with you on many topics. I have to say today that you were reaching and off base. I'd almost think you had nothing else to write about today. You have nothing to base your writing on other than the admission requirements, which can be found on the website. You don't have the killer's grades, application, hs grades, recommendations, NOTHING. My brother's went to Westfield and if their college application process is anything like Centreville's then the killer was required to submit an essay and recommendations, even if the school didn't require them. The killer was at Tech for 4 years. If he had murdered these 32 innocent people within even a year of his admittance then maybe you'd have something. But 4 years? You're reaching.
To P, I applied to Tech at the same time you did, was accepted, and as you can see, graduated. Tech DID NOT require an essay but my HS required us to send one anyway. Please get your facts straight.
Posted by: Hokie4Life | April 23, 2007 10:22 AM
Hey, we all originally came out of Africa, does that make Europeans immigrants as well? That "we were all immigrants onece" is a tired, hackneyed way of avoiding a serious conversation on immigration and what it means to be an American.
Posted by: Stick | April 23, 2007 10:26 AM
If Cho had not snapped and gone on this horrible rampage, he would have been lost in the crowd, passed through college and gotten a degree when he couldn't speak or write. An illiterate with a Va Tech degree. A lot of other kids who get passed through school and go out into the world, barely functional. Look at all the professional athletes who get basketball scholarships and can't speak in complete sentences. Some are making millions of dollars a year. Meanwhile people who really want to go can't because the cost of tuition is out of sight.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 10:29 AM
Who died and made Mr. Fisher keeper of the college admissions key? He is obviously "fishing" for a way to prolong a storyline that may finally be losing steam. Many of us have family members with some degree or another of mental illness who move along in their daily lives undetected and perhaps rightfully so. Rather than attach VaTech for making education assessible, let's tackle health care reform-- most insurance plans do not adequately cover mental illness treatment-- and patients' rights-- family members are basically helpless in pursuit of getting loved ones into effective treatment without their consent and really sick people will never consent because their perceived reality is warped, etc. There but for the grace of God go many of us.
Posted by: Sue | April 23, 2007 10:31 AM
Fred, the Centerville Korean American community is as much to blame for Cho as the African American community is to blame for Malvo and the U.S. Army is to blame for Tim McVeigh. Which isn't to say there isn't any community blame-- just don't point fingers where they come right back at yourself.
As for his parents, now THEY may genuinely share some burden of guilt. How could you not be aware that your child is insane?
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 10:34 AM
Stick, are you saying that Europeans are not immigrants to America?
Posted by: Spencer | April 23, 2007 10:36 AM
according to Jas, no international student should ever step foot on an american campus because people like him worked too hard to have to be turned down.
Posted by: T in VA | April 23, 2007 10:38 AM
Uh, yeah...an essay. That would have solved everything.
"Why do you want to attend Va. Tech?"
"So I can kill as many of my classmates as possible once I'm a student there. I couldn't accomplish this goal at my safety school."
This article proves that the media have absolutely nothing else to say about this entire tragedy. From second guessing security procedures with talking heads the very day the tragedy was still unfolding, to this blather about how paying a few more admissions counselors to review applications.
Posted by: Patrick | April 23, 2007 10:38 AM
A number of commmenters have argued that if VT had screened Mr. Cho out, his rampage would simply have been shifted to another, less selective school, or occured in a workplace somewhere.
First, we don't tell people not to lock their doors at night because doing so just shifts any potential robbery down the street to another house where the residents are less careful about security. All colleges and universities should share a concern about avoiding the kind of tragedy VT has suffered. If there are practical ways to change the admissions process to identify seriously disturbed students, then they should be generally adopted.
Second, no one has argued that this should be the only response - and it could help make other responses more effective. There appear to have been plenty of warning signs - but Mr. Cho was also apparantly moving through the normal stages of life. Being told "no, you aren't ready to move on to our university - you need to get help first" by each of the schools he applied to might (and this is only a "might") have been one more wake-up call for the family, and for Mr. Cho himself.
This is only one small piece of the puzzle - but we shouldn't rule it out of bounds.
Posted by: Demos | April 23, 2007 10:39 AM
Wah. Maybe you should thank VPI for saving your son's life by not admitting him.
Posted by: dirrtysw | April 23, 2007 10:40 AM
Marc is wrong on yet another detail. "First generation" does not mean first generation American, but first generation in the family to go to college.
It makes sense to encourage and help people whose families have not been to college before.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 10:40 AM
Why should one community or ethnic group take blame for one person's action, whether it's Cho, Malvo, McVeigh, Columbine kids, and etc?
Posted by: Sigh! | April 23, 2007 10:40 AM
Posted by: Spencer | April 23, 2007 10:43 AM
I am very dissapointed in the lack of logic in this article. Apparently all the good stories were taken. It wasn't enought that in the past week the US has seen the worst shooting in history, a deadly air show crash in a residential neighborhood, a failing World Bank leader who is from our curent administration, a tumultuous increase in violence in Irak, and a close election in France which could elect the first woman to the presidency in a western nation. I appologize, university admissions are clearly more important than all of those issues, combined. You work for a newspaper, how about reading the front page from time to time? I am very dissapointed that such a blog was written for big and prestigious newspaper. For shame.
Posted by: reader | April 23, 2007 10:43 AM
I went to a small Jesuit university in New Orleans and I really think that Cho would 1) not have gotten in as an essay was mandated and 2) would not have stayed in as MANY classes counted attendance as 30 percent of your grade, so you cannot possibly do well if you don;t show up. Cho missed classes for a MONTH! Also when I had academic problems I saw the DEAN of Arts and Sciences directly, can't imagine that would ever happen at a larger school. I DO think that someone can slip through the cracks more easily at a larger school (my school was 5,000, and at the time, largely commuter). Noone has talked about psycological profiles. Why can't we at least give prospective students the Rorscharch??? IMHO the system failed this individual LONG before college. He had serious sensory intergration and behavioral issues in elementary school. I think this case is terribky sad and needs to be a wakeup call for our society. From what I have read kids who went to school with him could not have been suprised when they heard what he ultimately did with his life
Posted by: Sarah | April 23, 2007 10:43 AM
"Many of us have family members with some degree or another of mental illness who move along in their daily lives undetected and perhaps rightfully so."
I have to strongly object to this. We're talking about a severe mental illness that made Mr. Cho a mortal danger to everyone around him. This is a far cry from the depression, panic disorder, what have you, that is a real challenge for an individual - but not a threat to the life or health of anyone else.
Mr. Cho needed to be detected, and dealt with - just as much as the drunk driver or armed robber. Sensitivity to the rights and dignity of people with mental illnesses is a good thing, but we have to be able to draw the line at a place that gives us a fighting chance to prevent mass murder.
Posted by: Demos | April 23, 2007 10:46 AM
I'm wondering why, once again, we're hearing how an institution has somehow "failed." Lets wonder instead what his parents knew and what they were thinking, to launch such a troubled child into the world.
Posted by: Skeptic | April 23, 2007 10:46 AM
No brainer here Marc. *Ethnicity* is number one on VT's list-read your own copy. A state mandated policy of social engineering to dilute the human population of every government and corporate entity in the US. Cho turned out to be an affirmative action killer.
Posted by: Unkle Cracker | April 23, 2007 10:48 AM
Don't colleges interview prospective students anymore? In the 60's they did.
Also, why did no one make a big deal of this kid's refusal to speak in class and friendless life from the age of elementary school?
Posted by: sheila08 | April 23, 2007 10:49 AM
Uncle Cracker, hmmmm.... your comment sounds a lot like Neo-Nazi.
Posted by: Spencer | April 23, 2007 10:51 AM
I don't disrespect VT for admitting Cho, but I sure do disrespect VT for giving passing grades to anyone who writes as poorly as Cho did and as poorly as some of its alumni who have posted comments here. Tech's engineering programs may be pretty good, but its undergraduate liberal arts programs don't seem too impressive.
However, Cho's academic performance is far less important to me than his mental health, and I wonder if this tragedy may have been avoided if (a) the university had expelled Cho or required him to undergo treatment as a condition of remaining there following the complaints about his behavior by the English professors and the students whom he stalked, (b) he had gotten a high-quality mental evaluation in 2005 after he discussed suicide, (c) a judge had ordered his commitment rather than outpatient treatment, and (d) the state of Virginia barred the sale of guns to anyone whom a court has declared mentally ill and dangerous.
Posted by: cm | April 23, 2007 10:54 AM
Spencer: My ancestors came here from Germany and Ireland 160 years ago. They came for a better life and they worked hard, learned the language, sent their kids to school. None of their kids turned out to be mass murderers, drug dealers, wife beaters, gangsters, (or professional basketball players). My ancestors came here for a better life for themselves and their kids because life in their native countries was too unbearable. Famine in Ireland, civil war in Germany. Can you imagine how horrible life had to be to risk an unpredictable ocean voyage just to get away from it? They called those ships 'coffin ships' because many who stepped aboard died enroute to America. Now, 160 years later, I consider myself an American, and damned proud of it, too. Don't get me started on the number of relatives who served, and some died, in the military for your rights, bub.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 10:55 AM
Those who are claiming "ethnicity" as a reason why Cho got accepted should know that in most universities, being asian doesn't help you get in anywhere at all. Why? There are too many qualified Asian-American applicants for the "quota" that universities want to fill up.
Affirmative action is for other ethnicities, not asian.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 10:56 AM
Even if VT had required essays, Cho probably would have written a bland enough essay not to freak anyone out and still would have gotten in. I think the bigger question is how he was able to stay. Between the stalking and the poor class performance, he should have been asked to pack his bags long ago. It doesnt make VT look good that they allowed such a poor performer with such major issues to stick around.
Posted by: dc | April 23, 2007 10:57 AM
Hey anonymous, did you day "Don't get me started on the number of relatives who served, and some died, in the military for your rights, bub"? What the heck does that mean? My ancestors are from Englad 200 years ago. You did say your ancestors are from Germany, right? No wonder you speak like you do.
Posted by: Spencer | April 23, 2007 10:59 AM
I'd also wondered how Cho made it into VT. Not because he was antisocial or exhibited any signs of mental instability, but because he was an English major who couldn't write. Having read a little of the play he wrote for class, I was struck by how poor and how young the writing was, like something written by a really angry adolescent.
So here was a kid applying to a big, fairly well-respected engineering school as an English major, even though he didn't seem to have an aptitude for writing or language. Why go to VT at all? Or is it that getting into a top liberal arts school would have been significantly more difficult, but non-engineering majors can slip into VT more easily because they don't have much competition? And I wonder why he even picked VT in the first place. Not an engineering major, and it's hard to believe he just fell in love with the campus.
The lack of an essay requirement is interesting to me only because it seems unlikely he would've been admitted -- as an English major -- on the basis of a writing sample. But I don't think it's appropriate to fault an admissions department without training in psychological evaluation for not spotting psychological disorders in a (missing) admissions essay. Besides, should antisocial kids not be allowed to go to good colleges? Depressed kids? If it became known that someone was denied admission to a school because the admissions department had "profiled" the student on a psychological level, I think people would be kind of upset...
Posted by: Tom | April 23, 2007 11:00 AM
"it became known that someone was denied admission to a school because the admissions department had "profiled" the student on a psychological level, I think people would be kind of upset..."
Agreed. But perhaps we need to rethink our approach to handling the most severe mental illnesses. I'm not talking about stigma, but simply finding a way to identify individuals who are a danger to themselves and the people around them, and requiring them to get appropriate help.
Posted by: Demos | April 23, 2007 11:03 AM
how bout just asking the media to just STOP IT with the coverage. it is sickening. just go away. let them heal. where were you before so stop the faux pandering. now.
Posted by: LINDAB | April 23, 2007 11:05 AM
Cho's story brings up many questions. What are the obligations of others to intervene when a fellow human being is in such obvious pain? Could his roommates have done more? Why didn't his family try to get him more help? What did his sister think to do when he was briefly admitted to a psychiatric ward? However, this being said, it seems that Cho did a very good job of concealing the depth of his derangement. Though it seems that the English Department made a reasonable effort to try an help this young man, it seems that he got away with a lot of bizarre behavior which ought not to have been tolerated. You could argue in retrospect that the school system from elementary school onward failed to be accountable and to make him accoutable. Our system is not conducive to making a difference when the individual is not aware of his own problems and is in many respects hiding how disturbed he really is. Afterall, he was sharing a suit with other students for months and they really had no idea he was buying guns, taking target practice, etc. The whole situation is just extremely sad.
Posted by: Eric Smith | April 23, 2007 11:12 AM
Jas, blamed your son not the school. Maybe your son was just not smart enough to get in.
Posted by: bob | April 23, 2007 11:18 AM
I did the math. VT is not a "selective" school if it accepts 12,600 out of 19,000 applicants. That is close to two thirds. There is a lot of confusion about the difficulty of getting into college today, and the misuse of terms like "selective" perpetuates that confusion.
Posted by: kaleberg | April 23, 2007 11:19 AM
Mr. Fisher raises the same questions that I had relative to Cho's entry into VT. Another issue is how he graduated from high school? If I had sat through an English class (or any class) and refused to respond to my teacher (as has been reported by numerous classmates of Cho), then (a) my parents would have been notified of my impending dismissal, (b) my grade would have suffered immeasurably; therefore, I would have not graduated, or I would have been very low in my graduating class.
Posted by: adjjones | April 23, 2007 11:20 AM
Cho was most likely a boiling cauldron of "messed up" under the surface for a long time. People can hide behind a facade of "quiet, reserved, shy" for any reason. He was troubled, no reflexion on his ethnicity, acceptance to college, or anything else. He tragically could not cope with whatever was within him and took all those promising lives away as a result. There are a lot of unstable people in the world, just hope they aren't in the midst of a large group of innocent souls when they lose it.
Posted by: gmc | April 23, 2007 11:22 AM
we seem to forget that things like this are mere "blips" on the scope, anomalies that crop up in the larger picture. there is little or nothing that can be done to stop these things. you could limit or restrict things, legislate and enforce things, but in the end they will happen someplace, somehow, to someone.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 11:22 AM
Sorry, guys, there is no law against being insane, only against certain insane acts--and many sane ones I might add. Had Cho survived his lunacy and stood for his crimes, most of you would be clamoring for life imprisonment or the death penalty. His final heroic (or cowardly) act of taking his own life at least granted you that wish. So what if his parents knew he was insane? They were powerless to "fix him" or to control his interactions with others. He was an adult. (Read Bebe Moore Campbell's "72 Hours," try on his parent's moccasins, and walk a mile.) And to my sister Diane-- speaking is not a pre-requisite for being promoted in primary school or at any other level. What if Cho had been mute, would that make you feel better about his social prowess or lack thereof? As a painfully shy child, I spoke to few people outside my immediate family circle. Had I been assigned to a less astute 1st grade teacher, I might have been labeled "special ed." and subsequently denied lots of experiences afforded my peers. I didn't find my voice until my teen years. Then I was a cheerleader, class president, homecoming princess,... a "normal" popular kid who ultimately graduated from high school and college with honors. Today, I have a wonderful marriage, great kids, successful career, am well-traveled, etc. and I have yet to murder anyone. So much for the non-speaking theory. Incredible, indeed.
Posted by: Sue | April 23, 2007 11:26 AM
Offering admission to 12,600 out of 19,000 who applied - or about 2 out of 3 - doesn't strike me as being all *that* selective.
Posted by: saxlaw | April 23, 2007 11:33 AM
Sue, thanks for speaking out for the shy and quiet people.
Posted by: Sigh! | April 23, 2007 11:33 AM
As one who grew up in Virginia, attended a Virginia state college (not Va Tech), and now facing sending my oldest child to college (hopefully!) in four years, the topic of admissions, especially in Virginia, is quite interesting to me. Yes, requiring at least one essay should give a college admissions committee better insight as to an applicant's virtues, weaknesses, passions, and overall character. However, in this day and age of the "helicopter parents" who hover constantly over thier children's every moves, one cannot even be sure that the students have written these essays themselves. In fact, I would wager that most have not. Most have paid expensive college coaches or had their parents "feed" them thoughts, correct their focus or slant, and correct their grammar. Many schools are accepting students now based on their "packaged person" and not the real person they are getting. At least the test scores and grades are most likely their own. Comments from the guidance office and teachers, sent DIRECTLY from those teachers and offices (with no interference from students) would be the most truthful reflections of students of those that are designed to enhance the scores and grades.
Posted by: MomFacingCollege | April 23, 2007 11:35 AM
Mr. Fisher, Your article is an insulting stretch of logic and reason. Clearly, the only thing left unquestioned by the vultures that have descended on Virginia Tech and its Administration was the admissions process. You have thankfully righted that in assuming that any change in a process largely replicated at thousands of other schools could have identified (and rejected) one individual who was to commit this atrocity two years later. If only there had been an essay requirement, this never would have happened! How astute of you further to imply a comparison between the "marginal extra money" of a few extra admissions officers and the 33 lives lost. Certainly, a fair statement. Thanks for your latest constructive contribution to the general mass of media refuse surrounding this horrible event. I speak for myself when I ask you to apologize for this absurd claim, but all of us at Virginia Tech wish the media would end its rampant and uninformed speculation as they attempt to place blame under the guise of seeking answers.
Cameron Lewis Class of 2009 Virginia Tech
Posted by: Cameron | April 23, 2007 11:36 AM
A lot of severe mental illness doesn't manifest itself until the late teens and early twenties. Schizophrenia is a prime example. It's a mistake to try to diagnose Cho without real information, but it is likely that his function and his sanity both decreased significantly during the time he was at VT. There may not have been any markers on even the most thorough application.
Schools need a system to get help to those kids who go off the rails due to late-manifesting mental illness. It's too common--and while there are seldom wholesale school shootings, there are few colleges who don't have handfuls of suicide attempts every semester. Yes, these kids are legally adults, but perhaps part of the school policy could include requiring people with certain red flags to be treated by a counselor in order to continue as students.
Posted by: krasni | April 23, 2007 11:41 AM
I have actually had a little experience with the admissions process at Georgetown, and one thing I can say is that essays are the bane of the admissions committee's existence. With essays schools are mainly trying to see if possible candidates can express themselves grammatically and logically. Too many applicants feel the need to be "original" in their essays. I remember one kid from a WASP suburb tried to show his diversity sensitivity (I suppose) by writing his essay in his best rendition of urban street language. Then there are the essays in orange crayon, the visual aids. In other words, a well-written essay that happens to express a dark view of the world would not necessarily set off any red flags.
Posted by: Paul | April 23, 2007 11:42 AM
To those questioning the selectivity of VT, check out the acceptance rates at a cross-section of schools. Most accept virtually everyone who applies and sends a check that clears. By the standards of all 3000 or so colleges and universities in the US, VT is pretty selective. There is only a handful of schools that accept less than half of all applicants and those with truly low acceptance rates like the Ivies are very rare indeed.
Posted by: Loudounian | April 23, 2007 11:43 AM
How ironic that Tech doesn't require these requirements for an undergraduate degree, however, for me to be admitted to the Masters Program which will require me to shell out about 40K, I have to submit a resume, a letter stating why I want admission to the program, and a letter from my supervisor.
Posted by: Leslie | April 23, 2007 11:45 AM
After doing a little more research, which was accomplished via an internet search engine freely available to the public, it would appear that the Americans with Disabilities Act created a right that mentally ill people could attend college.
In other words, even if VT expended scads of money to perform a stringent background check on Mr. Cho, even if his mental illness came to light before he was admitted, VT couldn't deny his admission for that reason alone, especially if he "tested well."
Posted by: Goaltender66 | April 23, 2007 11:52 AM
Demos, we do not necessarily have different viewpoints, perhaps just different vantage points. I have seen this up close and personal a few times. Mental illness doesn't usually start out "severe," it is progressive and can begin as the mild depression, anxiety and other disorders of which you speak. I have (at least) three bi-polar family members (one immediate). One was a self-medicating drug addict for decades until he became compliant with his treatment. Now he runs his own successful business. One was committed multiple times before giving in to a lifetime of medication and psychotherapy. She is a tenured, published, award-winning university professor. The third, a university student, took her own life just over a month ago, within months of diagnosis and commencement of treatment. In hindsight, all three exhibited signs from childhood. It's complicated, but I agree, there has to be a better way forward. Healthcare and patients' rights reform are a good start.
Posted by: Sue | April 23, 2007 11:52 AM
All the stretching and grasping to find out why Virginia Tech let the gunman in and let him stay are no different than speculating on whether a woman who was raped somehow brought it on herself by a history of flirtation, dressing provacatively, etc. That is completely immoral as is blaming Virginia Tech or its administration for being the victim of this horrible act of a madman.
Stop blaming the victim and blame the perpetrator.
Posted by: Tom H | April 23, 2007 11:52 AM
A waste of bandwith, Mr. Fisher. This piece is unsubstantiated and based wholly on conjecture. There is no evidence that his admissions information would have even yielded hints of a mental illness, and even if it did, admissions officers are not mental health practitioners.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 11:52 AM
Posted by: Alberto Gonzalez | April 23, 2007 11:53 AM
to leslie, aside from the 40k, how is that process any real different than applying for another job?
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 11:53 AM
The irresponsible and reprehensible Monday morning quarterbacking by the media continues unabated as we head into week 2 since the tragic events of April 16. Fisher, when are you going to get into your head that it is impossible to prevent every danger, tragedy, and horror in society?
Posted by: Keith | April 23, 2007 11:55 AM
Mr. Fisher implies that because Cho's sister got into Princeton that he must have been academically proficient as well. That is a huge, misguided assumption.
I agree that there should have been an interview process.
Posted by: phoaglan | April 23, 2007 11:55 AM
"The real problem here is a mental health system that is grossly underfunded and is hamstrung by too many rules that keep people who need involuntary care from getting it."
No, the real problem is we don't have a bunch of pre-cogs lying in a pool somewhere telling Tom Cruise who to arrest before they commit a crime.
Look, from what we can tell this was a sick individual who went to great lengths to hide what he was planning. He went about preparing intelligently, renting vans and hotel rooms to prepare his videos.
This hindsight stuff is all 20/20 but just wait until the avalanche of lawsuits starts hitting the academic sector in a few years because they've been secretly psychologically profiling and invading their student's privacy all in the name of security.
Posted by: Jaredd | April 23, 2007 11:57 AM
This is an example of why Virgina Tech has asked the media to leave their campus.
Posted by: phoaglan | April 23, 2007 11:59 AM
Cho was in semester #8 at Tech. He was a capable student and part of Tech. Live with it.
Posted by: Ralph | April 23, 2007 12:00 PM
Alberto Gonzalez, what's up with a racist remark "Gook"? Should we call you "Yo, hombre or amigo"?
Posted by: Sigh! | April 23, 2007 12:02 PM
"Sorry, guys, there is no law against being insane, only against certain insane acts--and many sane ones I might add."
That's righ, insanity is not a crime - nor should it be. It is, in fact, a generally recognized defense against criminal liability.
However, certain forms of severe mental illness can make someone a serious danger to society. It is neither unreasonable nor unjust to say that we must identify such individuals and require appropriate treatment - including institutionalization, if necessary - to protect both them and the people around them.
I don't think there's any real question about the legal principle involved - involuntary commitment was actually considered in Cho's case. The issue is whether we're identifying people who are a threat to society, and whether we're making the appropriate decisions once they are identified. We have, as a society, made real strides towards destigmatizing mental illness and "mainstreaming" individuals with less severe mental illnesses. We may have been to quick to commit people in the past - have we in reaction become too slow to commit people like Mr. Cho?
Posted by: Demos | April 23, 2007 12:07 PM
"Cho was in semester #8 at Tech. He was a capable student and part of Tech. Live with it."
Unfortunately, he wouldn't let all of the students and teachers on the Tech. campus do exactly that. That's the problem.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 12:08 PM
phoaglan: "Mr. Fisher implies that because Cho's sister got into Princeton that he must have been academically proficient as well. That is a huge, misguided assumption."
I think the implication is that he would be admissions savvy, not necessarily academically proficient.
Posted by: Loudounian | April 23, 2007 12:09 PM
There were many opportunities to to identify and treat Cho's psychosis before he went on a shooting rampage. Every organization that dealt with Cho: the Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia Tech, the police, the mental health community, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, ineffectively dealt with the symptoms Cho presented. Most of the reasons for the lack of effective response can be described as too much deference to Cho's right of privacy.
Posted by: Mister Methane | April 23, 2007 12:10 PM
Cho was severely autistic, not mentally ill, beginning as a child. He never should have been in Virginia*s public school system; there are many children who should not be attending our public schools. They need to be in special schools receiving professional mental health care. We know he had problems in middle school dealing with other kids because of his inability or unwillingness to talk. Once the public school system permits a child to stay in the system despite his extremely asocial behavior typified in autism, then there was no doubt that he would graduate from a Virginia public high school, no matter what problems he had, as long as he did reasonably well academically. Given that he graduated, one of the state universities, which VT is, would have accepted him as they would any other student. Even if he had gone to a two year community college, if his grades were at least a C, he would have been automatically accepted at a four year state university. This is more or less what the laws are in Virginia. That*s why the graduates of four year colleges are so much less educated and skilled than they used to be, not just in Virginia, but especially in Virginia. Since Americans decided to be politically correct and especially after threats of litigation by every *special* group on the grounds of *discrimination* (racial minorities, disabled, poor children, you name it, there*s an advocacy group) the doors have been flung wide open to taxpayer funded support of everyone rather than implementing selection processes that determine those students most worthy of education and accepting only them. There*s just no such thing left that says that a person must show his *worth* to attend college. More taxpayer dollars are spent in public K-12 for a child *with disability* than for a regular normal child, at least twice as much. That*s why we are going down the tubes as a nation in educating our kids. As for Cho and how he ended going ballistic, the fault lies with his mother who vastly favored his sister, never even tried to get him mental health care, prayed for him to change as if that would do anything, and went to work because she said the family needed money. Her behavior is not a result of her being Korean; her behavior is a result of being a parent who blames herself for his autism. Many mothers especially end up feeling guilty, although some do just the opposite by pretending their child is perfectly normal. In this case, her guilt made her ignore him and pretend he was not there; it seems that she simply would not accept him in her life. Cho*s father was at fault for not stepping in and doing something about his wife*s ignoring her son or perhaps he felt as guilty as she did. Anyway, it*s obvious that Cho*s rant is directed at his parents - not anyone he went to school with. It seems to me that his pent-up anger was actually at his parents. In the old Korean culture, if she had chosen to ignore him, another relative would have picked up the slack and taken care of him, keeping him at home and not sending him to school - ever. This is where things went hay-wire for the Cho family because in America he was expected to go to school, unlike Korea. But the mother did not want to hear anything about his autism or mental illness. It*s also obvious that they did not socialize with others in the Korean community because of their shame about their son. This could happen to any family, not just Koreans. The sad part is that social services will get involved when they see physical abuse of a school age child, but psychological abuse of this kind (being ignored, knowing your parents are ashamed of you, getting no attention from your family) is not on the radar screen. Getting back to VT admission policy, Marc Fisher should understand that Virginia state universities allow just about anyone to attend. And just about everyone graduates. So this was a pointless exercise and not worth a column at all.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 12:11 PM
It is ignorant to assume that this young man's troubled past would have shone through in a more rigorous admissions application. He was smart enough to orchestrate this blood bath - presumably he would be smart enough to doctor up an essay to come off as a well-adjusted teen. Furthermore, it is not the responsibility of university admission officers to diagnose mental illness. That is not what they are trained for, nor is it appropriate.
Posted by: JP | April 23, 2007 12:11 PM
It's alot tougher to get into VT now. I graduated high school in 1998 and got into VT with a 3.1 GPA and an 1150 on my SATs. I didn't write an essay. I actually wanted to go to Florida State and got in.. then I visited both VT and Florida State and immediately fell in love with VT's campus. Choosing VT was the best decision I've ever made.
Posted by: Ryan | April 23, 2007 12:11 PM
VT is not very selective - they let in 2/3 of those who apply. Cho went there most likely because he could not have gotten into Princeton or other such selective colleges which require interviews, personal essays, teacher referrels, etc.
VT is not at fault here, folks. No one could really have predicted that THIS very sad young man would snap in such a violent way. There are a LOT of depressed, unhappy, lonely people in this world every day and some of them are college students. VT reached out to him but he would not be helped.
Posted by: wingman | April 23, 2007 12:12 PM
Mr. Fisher, I think you ask some valid questions, as clearly Cho was unable to function properly in a university setting. I ,too, wondered why he chose VA Tech (as an English major), and why he remained enrolled dsepite his obvious difficulties and lack of classroom performace.Having gone through the college application process with two of my children in the past several years,I can attest to the fact that other public and private universities and colleges here in Virginia require a great deal more information from their prospective students.That begs the question, did Cho chose VA Tech because he perceived the admissions process to be lax, and that, once in, he would be "under the radar" in such a large student body?
Posted by: deb | April 23, 2007 12:13 PM
He got in because he was qualified. If some US citizen did not get in, then that citizen was NOT qualified. If we admitted people to universities based on their citizenship status, we would quickly become less-than-mediocre. Thank God for the non-citizens who are raising our standards!!!!
Posted by: Not a US Citizen??? | April 23, 2007 12:13 PM
my daughter applied to george mason and they did a personal interview of each applicant they thought was qualified. sounds good to me.
Posted by: lindab | April 23, 2007 12:13 PM
Hey, what about public high and middle schools? Who's protecting us from guys like that?
Posted by: Lady Bird | April 23, 2007 12:14 PM
The article lists what the college considers for admission: ethnicity is right at the top of the list although this guy was most likely admitted for other reasons. Ethnicity is code for: American Africans and more of that diversity crap that haunts education in this country and has resulted in dumbing down of the curriculum. This guy being an American Asian probably had good grades, good SAT score and paid the full tab.
Posted by: individual | April 23, 2007 12:14 PM
I, too, had questions about how Cho got admitted to VPI. Thanks for answering them, Marc. I have even more questions about how he stayed in the English program exhibiting such poor writing.
I get the sinking suspicion that if the univeristy had held fast to strict academic standards, he would have been kicked out of the English department.
So for me, I think the shooting inadvertantly revealed a "dirty little secret" at VPI: the deteriorating standards of its undergraduate liberal arts program. It might not be the story of the shooting itself, but it's a story about the university as it struggles to regain its reputation.
Posted by: SSpring | April 23, 2007 12:15 PM
I can't believe you are blaming the Korean American community and Cho's family for what he did. You astound me. Anyone can turn out to be crazy, including your own son or daughter. We'd hope the family would recognize the signs, but in this case they clearly didnt and the school was negligent in doing something about it that could have saved 32 lives. Personally I blame you for what happened. How does that feel?
Posted by: AK | April 23, 2007 12:16 PM
"Yes, these kids are legally adults, but perhaps part of the school policy could include requiring people with certain red flags to be treated by a counselor in order to continue as students."
The average age of undergrads at most universities is around 26-27 years old. Can we please stop referring to college students as kids! Many students are in their 30s, 40s and 50s (myself included).
Colleges exist to provide education on general and specified topics, but are not institutes for social engineering, and they are not mental health facilities. But they do provide unprecedented access to those and many other resources.
Posted by: Tom H | April 23, 2007 12:17 PM
Alot has already been written about this sad event. I think there are two aspects of our current society that are obstacles to change: the accessiblity of guns (The gun lobby is way powerful). And new privacy laws that define 18 yr olds as adults. What teen or young adult will go into therapy for a mental problem without being forced to? What about that student at GWU who went for help nad was outed for it?
Posted by: Anne | April 23, 2007 12:18 PM
I'm amazed at how quickly people want to blame people other than the killer. Cho is the only one to deserve 100% blame. Why must there be an excuse for everything? Perhaps he was mentally ill. So are many people who never shoot anyone. Should they be barred from college? How about shear meanness? Is there any way to detect that? There is no label for evil. It just is what it is. I grew up in Virginia and attended a Virginia college. It is very selective and required three essays for admissions. Guess what? We still had plenty of weirdos, loners, losers, etc. I can think of several of them who were very much like Cho, but they didn't shoot anyone. They could have just as easily. I also spent a lot of time at Va Tech visiting friends there. I didn't see anyone as weird as the folks at my own college. I have read that most serial killers and mass murderers have high IQs. In a way, they have to be unusually smart in order to pull it off. So, Mr. Fisher, I suspect that you're more likely to find whackos on the most selective campuses than you are on the less selective ones. Va Tech has super-brainy people in some of its programs (i.e. engineering, architecture, sciences) and more average people in others. Tech was just unlucky, and the only one to blame is Cho himself. He was an evil demon, and it was Tech's misfortune that he ended up there. It could have just as easily been UVA, W&M, Harvard, Middle Tennessee State, or some other fine (or not so fine) institution of higher learning.
Posted by: Amazed | April 23, 2007 12:18 PM
Alot has already been written about this sad event. I think there are two aspects of our current society that are obstacles to change: the accessiblity of guns (The gun lobby is way powerful). And new privacy laws that define 18 yr olds as adults. What teen or young adult will go into therapy for a mental problem without being forced to? What about that student at GWU who went for help nad was outed for it?
Posted by: Anne | April 23, 2007 12:19 PM
we very well may not disagree. Part of this tragedy is that if Mr. Cho had received the treatment he needed - even if it was involuntary - his life might have taken an entirely different path.
I don't want to "punish" anyone for being mentally ill. On the other hand, no one benefits if a mental illness is left to fester, or if an individual with a mental illess is allowed to harm themselves or someone else.
I really am sympathetic. I don't want to go into it too much, but I've had to deal with a late adolescent who was borderline depressed and very, very angry. We insisted on counseling (we did have to insist, and we were lucky enough to be dealing with a minor so that we could insist), and things have turned out very well so far. It turns out that the situation was not as bad as we were concerned that it might be.
But, we had to know. It would have been irresponsible not to have the child evaluated and treated - and had there been a danger of suicide or harm to other members of the family, we would have had to have dealt with it.
Posted by: Demos | April 23, 2007 12:20 PM
one of my relatives is a mental health professional and works with many college students (privately, not through a university). At times she has been required to submit a treatment/progress note AND a letter stating to the best of her professional judgment, the student should be allowed back at school and is no longer a threat to him/herself. So SOME colleges do take mental health seriously...
Posted by: awb | April 23, 2007 12:23 PM
Cho was a grad student. So what is the point of this dicussion.
Posted by: Karinka | April 23, 2007 12:23 PM
I do not find the fact that Cho got into VT or stayed there despite showing a lack of academic prowess very surprising at all. Read any blog nowadays and you will see that the most high school students can't even use the proper form of "your" or "you're" or spell something as simple as admissions.
This blog http://ahfb.blogspot.com/, maintained by a University of Michigan student, shows you just how intelligent many of the kids who get in to college are nowadays. This blogger takes essays and things left behind at University printers/copiers, scans them, and uploads them. Most are horribly pathetic attempts at writing. It is very alarming to know that people like these graduate from college.
Even my own graduate experience shows that teachers aren't that stringent - I feel that I have been graded FAR too generously in some cases where I put forth hardly any effort, yet still received an A. And I go to private school in DC that I have paid $45,000 for. The professor would rather pass the student and not have to deal with them or their temper tantrums when they don't get the grades they have to expect from our too-lax education system.
Posted by: k8 | April 23, 2007 12:23 PM
Long before there were laws protecting the rights of disabled persons to attend public school, colleges, work, etc, I went to both private and public colleges. In each of them were several very odd students who scared off people or just kept to themselves in an obviously abnormal way. Some were taunted. Some were ignored. None of them killed anyone on campus. Maybe they snapped later, maybe not. You just can't predict every behavior.
Posted by: wingman | April 23, 2007 12:27 PM
Since we are talking about Cho, who was it that filmed part of his video that he mailed to the news station?? If you watch, the camera is hand held and is shaking during one of his communications to us. Why was there a report early on of a second shooter?? It the school is under Federal jurisdiction, why were local police and school security told to stand down until the arrival of federal agents, some two hours after the 1st shooting -- and possible apprehension of "one" of the shooters?? Who was that was arrested and handcuffed after the 1st shooting, and how come he looks so much like Cho?????
Posted by: campus_security | April 23, 2007 12:27 PM
Bob, you are right. NOT! Racial quotas are the culprit.
Posted by: Jas. | April 23, 2007 12:28 PM
"The Cold Splash of Reality, With A Side of Sizzle."
Haha...what an idiot...I can't believe I wasted the 5 minutes to read your article. I mean, it's almost as bad as "Richard McBeef"...
Posted by: fisherisstupid | April 23, 2007 12:31 PM
Seriously? You've found a way blame the admissions department? I think that's stretching it a bit Mr. Fisher. Actually, it's utterly and completely ridiculous because what would have been prevented had Tech had stricter admissions requirements? Nothing. Granted Cho might not have shot up Tech students, maybe he'd decided to just start shooting people in the parking lot outside of a Redskins game. If a guy's going to lose it, he's going to lose it and we shouldn't point fingers just for the sake of finger-pointing, which is exactly what this article does. If you want to write about stricter admissions requirements for colleges and universities, then more power to you, but don't do it under the pretense that it's related to this tragedy because it really isn't.
Posted by: non-finger-pointer | April 23, 2007 12:32 PM
The movement to prevent unnecessary commitment of mental patients coincided with the movement to reduce government spending on social services--with many tragic results. We don't have enough resources for outpatient treatment or monitoring. And sometimes a mentally ill and dangerous person escapes commitment only because of a lack of beds in the local mental facility or because of pressure to keep costs down, not because release is the best option for the patient or public safety. Budget cuts sometimes lead to mental health diagnoses made by undertrained and/or overworked staffers after too little time spent with the patient. I don't want to return to the days when we locked up harmless eccentric individuals too readily, but the homeless persons I see every day at Union Station remind me that our current system is not good for many of our neighbors with mental illnesses.
Posted by: cm | April 23, 2007 12:33 PM
A more relevant question Mr. Fisher might have asked: Why was Cho allowed to obtain guns? A question not for VT admissions office, but directed to politicians. Would this tragedy likely to have happened in Great Britain of Canada with stricter gun laws?
Posted by: Henry | April 23, 2007 12:36 PM
Rediculous point I think. Couldn't Cho have just lied like he did when he was buying his guns? He never showed violent behavior in HS as far as I've heard. How hard would it have been to get a teacher to give a pat answer if his grades were good?
Also whoever rants that universities are supposed to teach young adult how to behave is asking a lot. They aren't supposed to be parents, and neither are any level of schooling. It is kind of rediculous to blame them for not having "do not kill your fellow classmates" seminars.
Posted by: dave | April 23, 2007 12:36 PM
I'm so tired of the media type of Cho's being a Korean - such racism! His being born in South Korea has no brearing on what happened. He was just mentally ill and delusional, that has nothing to do with his race. Are you also suggesting that all mentally ill people should be barred from attending a good college because they are guaranteed to become a mass murderer? Such an over-generalization, on top of a racism.
Posted by: EL | April 23, 2007 12:37 PM
WP is smarter than everyone here. They post a piece of sensationalist crap and everybody responds with indignation. I bet this guy is going to get a big fat bonus for generating a high volume of "clicks".
Posted by: SiNICK | April 23, 2007 12:37 PM
Let's all play the blame game!
Marc, you seem to be blaming the university for not having an adequate admissions screening process. Many of those commenting blame the university, his high school, his family, his ethnic community, the mental health system, so forth and so on.
Why isn't anyone blaming Cho? This lack of personal responsibility is partly what is wrong with our social system.
It seems as though any time such a tragedy happens, we all have to find someone else to act as the scapegoat, especially if the perpetrator is dead. Does that negate his or her responsibility?
Was Cho mentally ill? Who knows -- it seems a moot point now. I read the plays he reputedly wrote. I saw anger and poor writing skills, not derangement. Of course, as a lay person I am scarcely qualified to make such an assumption, but anger does not mean the individual does not know right from wrong.
I believe his careful planning indicates he knew exactly what he was doing and knew that it was wrong. Quit blaming everyone else and put that blame right back where it belongs -- on Cho.
Posted by: Beth Moore | April 23, 2007 12:37 PM
The problem with Mr. Cho would not be solved if Virginia Tech had required teacher references and essays. Assuming Cho would be excluded from admission to Virginia Tech on the basis of a reference or essay, he would likely be admitted to some other school where he would be free to do his horrible deeds there. America needs tighter gun control. Part of that would be a system to prohibit the sale of arms to those suffering from mental illness. We need better treatment for those suffering from mental illness.
Posted by: Nate | April 23, 2007 12:38 PM
I was actually quite interested in this piece and find the responses to it fascinating. I, for one, have very much wondered how this boy made it all the way through a school system that has been described as "excellent" without *ever* speaking, and then, how he ever got into a halfway selective college (though VT, frankly, sounds as if it is not terribly selective at all, or at least, is only moderately so) -- it just seemed bizarre. Every spring the media is full of stories of valedictorians being turned away from their chosen schools, including state schools, as the percentage of people who attend a college of some sort goes up. So I have been curious about this...and was glad to see it. The piece did go off the rails a bit at the end, when it strayed into criticizing VT's admission policy. As others have said, he just would have done this somewhere else, and an admissions policy can't adequately weed out mental illness, if it has been hidden and ignored for so long by so many! Obviously, there is lots of blame to go around here, starting with a school system that did not flag his (apparently) obvious disabilities when he was much, much younger and intervention might have helped and a paralyzed, dysfunctional family unable to deal with him (and I have found the family's statement, that they had NO idea he was so troubled, rather odd. Clearly, they knew all too well how weird he was, including the sister! they obviously just hoped he would miraculously wake up one day and be normal). But I know that many school systems look the other way when children like him come along, as helping such disabled children, especially ones with serious illnesses as autism, can be so incredibly expensive...and they wait for parents to make a stink before doing so. And clearly, these parents were NOT going to agitate on behalf of their son, they were too deep in denial and shame. But still...this whole story really reveals just how inadequate our country's mental health system is. There are probably so many like him out there, who have fallen through the cracks, if they do not have families aggressively fighting for them.
Posted by: beam | April 23, 2007 12:40 PM
I am from VT and just went down there this past weekend to see how my community was doing. Just like suspected the media was not allowed in any Restaurants or local places on campus. People just can't relate to a isolated incident that is trully horrific and very sad. What is sad is that in a Information age like we are in today the media speculates and beats things to death with coverage and stupid articles like this.
What is also interesting is everyone in here is debating on VT acceptance policy, how many of you even realize the amount of student population growth in the past 15 years? They will let anyone in ? Well, go for it and try. The numbers you see for acceptance rates are skewed due to the growth and change of policy over the years.
What I am proud of is to be a Hokie and always a Hokie. My visit to campus over the weekend reassured me why I love VT so much.
Now let people grieve and get on with their life and stop stupid articles like this from being written.
Posted by: WillyD | April 23, 2007 12:40 PM
The first responder at 12:11 who did not leave a name is dead WRONG about Virginia state universities not being very selective. In fact, they are among the MOST selective state universities in the country. The only equivalent system is California and Michigan in terms of selectivity. Some colleges in Virginia aren't as selective as others, but for a school of its size and scope, Virginia Tech is rather selective. UVA and W&M are extremely selective, usually accepting only between 20-30 per cent of applicants. JMU and Mary Washington are also quite selective. Virginia is full of excellent schools of varying degrees of selectivity. There are ultra smart people at all colleges, and there are evil people everywhere. Cho did not want to be helped, and he resisted help at every opportunity. Stop blaming Va Tech, Fairfax Schools, his parents, Koreans, or anyone else.
Posted by: AnonymoustoAnonymous | April 23, 2007 12:41 PM
Fisher: "Why does one of Virginia's premier state colleges not spend the marginal extra money it would take to hire a few more admissions officers so that it can use a more probing application and seek teacher recommendations and personal essays to get a fuller picture of the students it is admitting?" ---------------------------------------- Well, since they are such a great school, what would this accomplish? The "marginal" extra money (there is no such thing as extra money, btw) could be better spent elsewhere. Marc, your entry this time is completely pointless.
Posted by: BdtLR, VA | April 23, 2007 12:41 PM
The issue of greater concern to me is that Virginia's gun laws are so lax that young man who was clearly psychotic had no trouble buying not just one, but two! That, to me, is the bigger public health and safety issue.
Posted by: Selden | April 23, 2007 12:44 PM
EL: "I'm so tired of the media type of Cho's being a Korean - such racism! His being born in South Korea has no brearing on what happened. He was just mentally ill and delusional, that has nothing to do with his race. Are you also suggesting that all mentally ill people should be barred from attending a good college because they are guaranteed to become a mass murderer? Such an over-generalization, on top of a racism."
EL: Being Korean was a big part of the person we call Cho. It's not like he was fifth-generation. It's an important part of who he was. Deal with it. No one other than racist loons is blaming this on Koreans in general.
Posted by: Loudounian | April 23, 2007 12:44 PM
Your article didn't answer the question of how did Cho get in and stay in? You assume failings on the part of the school. Cho was obviously suffering and mentally ill, not able to do his school work and teacher and students were afraid of him and had complained to authorities. How did Cho get in and stay in? When will the newspapers start working on this question? Who was pulling strings to keep him in school and get him admitted?
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 12:45 PM
That was your little brother. Why don't you stop in the office and we can talk?
Posted by: FBI | April 23, 2007 12:46 PM
If you're going to blame Virginia Tech for admitting Cho, you also need to blame Fairfax County Public Schools for passing him year after year. Instead of VT spending extra money on admissions counselors to read essays, maybe Fairfax County should spend money investigating why two of their graduates decided to go on shooting sprees.
Posted by: | April 23, 2007 12:50 PM
Wow! I'm with 'ch'. This article was totally pointless. Perhaps the Post can have an article, without reference to Cho, that focuses on 'why does a student get into college'. Seems that some people are really into this issue ...
Posted by: dmchale | April 23, 2007 12:53 PM
Cho is an "affirmative action killer"?? Unless you know absolutely nothing about the state of college education in the US, Asians are the ones being discriminated against in admissions. It's very interesting that whites always compare themselves to the black and hispanic community and complain about lower standards. However when Asians are thrown into the mix, conservative whites always dismiss the academic achievements by saying "oh those asian kids only study and don't play sports, blah blah blah" Hypocrisy at its best.
Luckily my sister and I both played varsity sports and did well academically (Yale and Duke grads), but do not come to this forum and pretend this is an affirmative action issue. Asians do not get favored in undergraduate or medical school admissions. Not at all.
Posted by: Duke Law | April 23, 2007 12:53 PM
As Joseph Samaha said at Saturday's service for his daughter, it is important to remember that the Cho family "has also lost a son." Debating VT's -- or any other university's admission's policy -- won't bring these souls back or prevent future incidents from occurring.
Posted by: casey | April 23, 2007 12:55 PM
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Kurds Cultivating Their Own Bonds With U.S.
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The 30-second television commercial features stirring scenes of a young Iraqi boy high-fiving a U.S. soldier, a Westerner dining alfresco, and men and women dancing together. "Have you seen the other Iraq?" the narrator asks. "It's spectacular. It's joyful."
"Welcome to Iraqi Kurdistan!" the narrator continues. "It's not a dream. It's the other Iraq."
With Sunni and Shiite Arabs locked in a bloody sectarian war, Iraq's Kurds are promoting their interests through an influence-buying campaign in the United States that includes airing nationwide television advertisements, hiring powerful Washington lobbyists and playing parts of the U.S. government against each other. A former car mechanic who happens to be the son of Iraq's president is at the center of Kurdish efforts to cultivate support for their semi-independent enclave, but the cast of Kurdish proponents also includes evangelical Christians, Israeli operatives and Republican political consultants.
In the past year, the Kurds have spent more than $3 million to retain lobbyists and set up a diplomatic office in Washington. They are cultivating grass-roots advocates among supporters of President Bush's war policy and evangelicals who believe that many key figures in the Bible lived in Kurdistan. And they are seeking to build an emotional bond with ordinary Americans, like those forged by Israel and Taiwan, by running commercials on national cable news channels to assert that even as Iraq teeters toward a full-blown civil war, one corner of the country, at least, has fulfilled the Bush administration's ambition of a peaceful, democratic, pro-Western beachhead in the Middle East.
But elements of the Kurds' campaign run counter to the policy of a unified Iraq espoused by the U.S. and Iraqi governments. Some senior U.S. officials contend that yielding to Kurdish demands for increased autonomy could break up Iraq and destabilize Turkey, a NATO ally that is fighting a guerrilla war with Kurdish separatists -- some of whom have taken sanctuary in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Kurdish leaders cast their self-promotion initiative as a bulwark against attempts to restrict their federal rights. With only 40,000 or so Kurds living in the United States, Kurdish officials insist they have no choice but to pursue the dual strategy of wooing non-Kurdish constituencies and lobbying in Washington.
"We have to use all the tools at our disposal to help ourselves," said Qubad Talabani, the son of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, sent here as the Kurdistan Regional Government's representative in Washington.
Kurds want the sort of "strategic and institutional relationship" that Israel and Taiwan have with the United States, Talabani, 29, said. "It doesn't matter which party is in power in Washington -- the U.S. government isn't going to abandon either of those countries," he added. "We are seeking the same protection."
Talabani, a former Maserati repairman, was raised by his grandparents in Britain and moved to Washington in 2000 knowing nothing about power politics. He soon began dating -- and later married -- a State Department staffer working on Iraq policy. He wears French-cuff shirts and Windsor-knotted ties with pinstripe suits. He lunches at the Bombay Club and works two blocks from the White House.
He has more clout than any other Iraqi in Washington because of his ability to call his father directly and because he represents the collective view of an influential minority -- one that holds enough seats in Iraq's parliament to wield effective veto power over a proposed law to distribute national oil revenue to Iraqis, as well as other legislation sought by the United States. By contrast, Baghdad's ambassador to Washington is a secular Sunni Arab who has limited sway with his Shiite-dominated government.
Talabani is in regular contact with senior officials in the White House. He drops in on members of Congress, and he has met with four of the presidential candidates: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.).
"We've been on the fringes for too long," Talabani said.
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French voters turned out in droves for Sunday's presidential election, but the high number of voters didn't affect the expected results: Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal advanced to a second round of voting.
Sarkozy, who hails from the same center-right party as outgoing President Jacques Chirac, led the 12-way field with 30 percent. Royal, a relatively new face on the political scene, took 25 percent. Francois Bayrou, who had called for an end to the right-left ideological division in the country's politics, took 18 percent, while rightist candidate Jean Marie Le-Pen garnered 11 percent. Turnout was estimated as high as 80 percent.
Sarkozy and Royal began the contest as the most likely to advance to the second round of voting on May 6, and despite several notable stumbles -- especially on Royal's part -- managed to fulfill their early promise. European newspapers are already painting the Sarkozy-Royal matchup as a choice with major implications for the future of the country. Both candidates have preached reform but Sarkozy is seen as the more radical reformer -- even extolling an American work ethic and way of life.
For more analysis on what happened Sunday and what it means, make sure to check out the German Marshall Fund's blog penned by Paris resident Amaya Bloch-Laine.
We won't be regularly updating on the French elections but do plan to keep and eye on it as May 6 approaches.
By Chris Cillizza | April 22, 2007; 6:56 PM ET | Category: Odds and Ends Previous: French Style Politics | Next: Global Warming Catches On
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Posted by: yaafibdqsd | May 8, 2007 9:25 PM | Report abuse
The leftist French translator doing the simultaneous translating of the Sarko - Royal debate for US viewers intentionally so grossly and so outrageously mistranslated Sarkozy to make Sarko look as bad as possible. He was promptly (the next day)fired from the Second (leftist) French channel who had hired him after massive complaints from expatriate French viewers who caught on to the manipulations.
Posted by: sara saint helen | May 7, 2007 7:39 AM | Report abuse
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Posted by: fjtw1t3k91 | May 7, 2007 12:20 AM | Report abuse
Posted by: JAZZY | May 5, 2007 2:25 PM | Report abuse
Last night I watched the debate -- Nicolas Sarkozy and Ségolène Royal. Not being a fluent French speaker, I picked up points here and there, but mostly I paid attention to their body language. One thing became extraordinarily clear, there is fear afoot. So for a few hours last night, I looked to see which candidate I would want to see representing a country my family now calls home.
On one hand there is Ségolène Royal representing the socialist party. Socialism, a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community (wikipedia), seems like a great idea. However, I still cannot figure out why a number of people I know very well, and believe in the socialists way, do not feel as though corporations are part of the community too. I have to divert for a moment...
Unless I have my translation totally off (which wouldn't surprise me) Ms. Royal was demanding government programs be put into place such as policemen walking women home at night to remain safe. Of course, an immediate solution came my mind -- the government should encourage BNP Paribas to sponsor a paid group of ex-convicts who would wear these fabulous looking gas station attendant type jump suits, inspired by the famous French rap star K-Mel and designed by Christian Dior with the BNP logo and a tag line: "Keeping You and Your Money Safe" to walk these ladies (or anyone else who might feel fearful) home. A win:win:win:win:win for everyone. It is run privately, gives ex-convicts jobs, gives the convicts an outfit they feel proud to wear, generates a powerful message for BNP, no taxpayers need to flip the bill and who would want to mug someone walking around with an ex-con -- all people are safe. Ah, is this the capitalist in me -- OR the socialist in me as all of these people involved in this plan are a part of the French community! Why is it I feel as though Ms. Royal seems so fearful and so angry towards big business? They are part of the community too. Sorry for the segue.
On the other had there is Nicolas Sarkozy, representing the right-wing party (a more capitalist and conservative approach). Mr. Sarkozy at times raised his voice but mostly kept his cool. I believe I would feel less worried with him being across the negotiating table with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Kim Jong Il.
Over 10 years ago I heard Neale Donald Walsh say "Anger is Fear Announced". At first I thought this was not 100% true until I read the book "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin De Becker and all datapoints I have observed over the past 10 years have proved the statement true. So whenever I see someone who is angry, I ask them or myself, "where is the fear"? It is always there. It can be the fear of not being strong, fear of ridicule, fear of losing, fear of being hurt, fear of looking stupid, etc. etc. The list is long but oh so clear. Anger is a natural reaction of an animal of fear. And, if you are across the table from someone else who is angry and fearful how can you possibly diffuse the fear in them if you are fearful yourself. How can constructive talks about peace and reform take place if both parties are butting heads?
I recently went to Monkey Mountain in Thailand. There my family came front and center with animal anger and fear. My three year old, Alexia, held out a banana for one monkey, when it came too near she shrieked. The monkey got angry as it thought Alexia was about to fight her. Unfortunately the monkey struck first and attacked her. She was ok, very shaken, but not hurt. Anger is an animal's way of defending itself. Look angry and scary and perhaps the other animal will back down and you will not get hurt or die. Why do we forget we are animals as well. Scared of being hurt, in one way or another, and afraid to admit it. Coaching can help.
Getting back to our friends, Ms. Royal and Mr. Sarkozy. Both of them need a coach. They need a coach in order to understand their fears so they can address them head on so these fears do not come out as anger. They also need listening skills. They both come from a place of "listen to me, I know" -- a serious fault of most politicians these days. Perhaps I should send them a little email recommending CoachingCircles.com services :-).
Posted by: Janice Gjertsen-Caillet, CEO CoachingCircles.com | May 3, 2007 8:03 AM | Report abuse
A candidate whose stands on issues are as poorly thought through, knee-jerk reactionary, vague and wishy-washy as Madame Royal's does not do justice to her electorate.
Posted by: sara saint helen | May 3, 2007 4:55 AM | Report abuse
A candidate whose stands on issues are as poorly thought through, knee-jerk reactionary, vague and wishy-washy as Madame Royal's does not do justice to her electorate.
Posted by: dent34 | May 3, 2007 4:53 AM | Report abuse
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Posted by: p44km0c0pz | April 30, 2007 5:47 PM | Report abuse
But Im not comparing Buchanan and Guliani! If anything, sarko is the french version of dick cheney... The Human rights league came out with a report today on sarko's very disturbing tenure as minister of the interior, and analaysed the troubling similarities with Le pen's own program, labeling his past work and his presential program a threat to democracy.
Posted by: Seb | April 26, 2007 5:42 PM | Report abuse
"What do you mean, 'a relatively new face?'"
Sure, Royal was already in the government more than 15 ago but she can be seen as a relatively new "forefront" face. Until the last two years, the socialist forefront faces (aka "elephants") were Laurent Fabius, Mitterrand's poltical heir, Lionel Jospin, the former PM, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a social democrat, and even Francois Hollande, who is in charge of the socialist party and is sharing mrs Royal's life. Since they were seen as the likely candidates, Segolene Royal could be seen as a relatively new face when she decided to run. Thats's how I understand what CC meant.
Seb, I really don't agree with you. Would you compare Pat Buchanan with Rudy Giuliani? Do you think it was a good idea to let Le Pen get all the ballots he had? Sarkozy wants to kill Le Pen's Front National in the same way that Mitterrand killed the Communist Party. You can dislike his ideas, but they are no threat at all to democracy.
Posted by: Pierre | April 25, 2007 5:16 AM | Report abuse
Royal, Royal, a relatively new face on the political scene, took 25 percent.?????
What do you mean, 'a relatively new face?'
She first served as junior minister under her erstwhile mentor, Socialist President François Mitterand.
Ségolène Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy (hopefully the future president of the French Republic) are at par with each other when it comes to presence on the national political scene.
Do you think that being at the forefront of national politics for more than 20 years is 'relatively new?'
Posted by: HILLBLOGGER3 | April 24, 2007 2:20 PM | Report abuse
Au contraire. One of the reasons why Lepen did poorly this time round was that some of his electorat was convinced by sarkozy's ideas, which, I remind you, are tough on immigration. Many political commentators have dissected this. sarkozy is no way a center-right candidate, his ideas are extremely conservative. Le pen even admitted that many of his ideas were taken forth by "other candidates" hint hint. Whether sarko likes it or not, he is pretty close to the nationalist right.
Posted by: Seb | April 24, 2007 2:10 PM | Report abuse
There's absolutely nothing in common between 2002 and 2007 since Sarkozy has nothing to do with Le Pen. How can you compare them?
Posted by: Pierre | April 24, 2007 4:04 AM | Report abuse
I am saddened by the much more remote possibility of cohabitation occurring due to the reforms a few years back that synchronized the French election cycle for the legislature and presidency. It was a neat, intriguing, instructive and controversial quirk among democracies. The French system truly is unique in the world: it is predicated upon the concept of a 'dynamic presidency' where the role and power of the incumbent president changes according to the will of the people. Should the president and legislature ever represent opposing parties, power sharing ensues by virtue of the president having to appoint an opposition leader to the office of premier, to whom he also must cede leadership of many domestic issues. In our nation's system, the role and constitutionally prescribed powers of the presidency are independent of the result of mid-term elections. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a prime minster whose party loses his legislative majorities, simply loses his job, end of story! Anyway, while poly-scientists disagree upon the efficacy and desirability of a system such as France's, I have always been intrigued by it. Maybe the winner of this upcoming election will yet have to endure cohabitation in the future if French voters develop more of an affinity for split ticket voting like we Americans!
Posted by: Too bad that France has synchronized their legislative and presidential elections | April 23, 2007 8:36 PM | Report abuse
I do know what im talking about. Its the exact same problem that was exposed in 2002 against Lepen when he reached the 2nd round, as everyone saw that it was the-sit-back-and-watch-mentality that allowed him to be there in the 1rst place.
Posted by: Seb | April 23, 2007 8:05 PM | Report abuse
"refusing an alliance would do considerable damage to Bayrou's political future, as he will be branded as the man who sat by and did nothing while sarko was elected."
It's really pathetic. Try to know what you're talking about.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 23, 2007 5:04 PM | Report abuse
refusing an alliance would do considerable damage to Bayrou's political future, as he will be branded as the man who sat by and did nothing while sarko was elected.
Posted by: Seb | April 23, 2007 4:30 PM | Report abuse
"This is one reason why i'd have to disagree w/ Mr. Hubbard: a fully mobilized PS was still 5 points behind Sarko."
But it was still the highest PS first-round showing since Mitterand in 1988: even with Jospin's fate in 2002 hanging over the left, it's traditionally more splintered than the right. (It'll be interesting to see if the pollsters can gauge whether the FN's vote just withered away or leaked towards Sarkozy, even as the centre-right leaked to Bayrou.)
Speaking of Bayrou, the chatter about a UDF-PS alliance for the parliamentary election may increase in order to woo his support. Paradoxically, I think this might worsen Ségo's slim (but real) chance of an upset, because it'll be the older generation of PS nabobs doing the talking.
Posted by: Nick S | April 23, 2007 2:32 PM | Report abuse
One of the most interesting parts of Royal's first-round victory is that women could potentially lead the two largest countries in continental Europe! Although I think she's a bit of a longshot against Sarkozy, she does stand a fair chance.
Along with women leaders elected in South America, this potential trend has to give a boost to Hillary on the Democratic side, and, umm, no one on the Republican side.
Posted by: pacman | April 23, 2007 1:19 PM | Report abuse
The unprecedented turnout is likely related to the left's desire to avoid the Socialist Party's disastrous showing in 2002 (in which LePen outpoled Jospin). This is one reason why i'd have to disagree w/ Mr. Hubbard: a fully mobilized PS was still 5 points behind Sarko. assuming Sarko gets at least 80% of the LePen vote and 50% of Bayrou vote (logical assumptions) the numbers are in his favor. Bayrou incidentally will NOT endorse a candidate (the only scenario i could think of is if Royale were to offer him the Prime Miinster's office...) And btw Aussie, a Bayrou victory would have been a disastor for France - his party is much too marginal to have had any chance of effectively governing, although you're absolutely correct - he would have won the 2nd round...
Posted by: Alexis | April 23, 2007 1:01 PM | Report abuse
Pretty underwelming response to the two blogs about the French elections, which I think is a bit disappointing. I genuinely don't want to pick a fight here, but is it fair to say that most Americans don't care what happens outside of US borders unless they are directly affected?
Anyway, thankyou CC, I thought it was a welcome diversion and I hope we can return to the topic closer to the date of the runoff. Judging by some of the posters here, this won't be as easy to predict as the first round was. In a way I would've liked Bayrou to be in the runoff vote instead of Royal because then he would've had the whole of the left to himself...some of Sarkozy's rhetoric does worry me and I'd be happy if he doesn't win.
Posted by: Aussie view | April 23, 2007 12:17 PM | Report abuse
Their campaign was relatively short, kudos the French. The Americans should learn something, what do we gain from having this horribly expensive campaigns drag on two years?
Posted by: ConsDemo | April 23, 2007 9:03 AM | Report abuse
Bayrou will endorse nobody. The thing is, the constituency who voted for him yesterday is not his constituency. Alone, he's nothing ; he did a clever campaign by attracting the center-right voters disgusted by Sarkozy's seduction of Le Pen's electors, and the center-left voters disappointed by the choice of Royal. It's not as if he's a communist leader followed with discipline by his voters ; his voters will be split in two (or in 60% Royal - 40%M Sarko, I think) no matter what he says, so he'll almost certainly keep quiet. The real question for Bayrou is now "how will I manage to keep on existing after May 7th, and especially for next June's parliament election?" His deputies at the Assemblée Nationale (the lower House) will push him to rally the winner of the 2nd round, most probably Sarkozy with whom they feel more confortable, because otherwise (i.e. with no agreement on electoral district split), given the poll system in parliamentary election, they'll get no seat. But Bayrou will only do so after the 2nd round, especially since his 18% might now allow him to have a few token ministers in a Sarko-led or Royal-led cabinet. He HAS to play smoothly.
Posted by: jouflu | April 23, 2007 5:44 AM | Report abuse
Oh God, how good it feels...
Yesterday, we came to the ballot boxes in almost unprecendented turnout. We punished Le Pen by giving him his worst figures since before 1988. We ignored the trostkyites, the communists, the law-and-order anti-muslim pro-church candidate De Villiers. We proved we were a civic, grown up community of people dedicated to the improvement of their future. You cannot realise how good it feels, after the nightmere of 2002, the "No" to the European Constitution, the agony of Chirac. The French are still wary, but we proved yesterday that we hadn't lost our capacity to believe, and to trust mainstream candidates. No let's hope they'll understand the huge responsibility that they've been entrusted with. Even though the candidate I voted for, Royal, will struggle to win the 2nd round because of yesterday's figures, there is a clear sigh of hope in this 1st round...
Posted by: jouflu | April 23, 2007 5:34 AM | Report abuse
Once upon a time, in another century, i another country, two teams of senators went to Vietnam on two separate fact finding missions. On their return to Washington they testified before the same comittee. Their reports were so divergent that at one point, thechairman exclaimed "Gentlemen, are we talking about the same country ?" Reading some comments on France I am often tempted to ask the same question
Posted by: Bodiansky | April 23, 2007 5:07 AM | Report abuse
I live in France, and my views are perhaps skewed by working in an academic environment, almost entirely left-wing, and living in a mainly Arab neighborhood.
Despite the polls, I would put my money on Royal. Sarkozy will undoubtedly get most of the Le Pen vote, bringing him up to 41%. And Royal will, with much less effort, get most of the far-left vote, bringing her up to around 39%.
Of course, the big question is to know how much of the Bayrou vote Sarkozy will get, and I would guess "not much", as those voters are primarily voting for a conciliator, and by no stretch of the imagination could Sarkozy come across as anything but the nastiest sort of divider. Of course, If Bayrou endorses Sarkozy, he will win, but if Bayrou endorses Royal, as I expect, perhaps in exchange for the prime-ministership, then I think she will win.
Posted by: John Hubbard | April 23, 2007 2:54 AM | Report abuse
In the next two weeks, you'll find that certain elements in France will supply the inflammatory material.
Posted by: vanderleun | April 23, 2007 2:31 AM | Report abuse
Les Guignols d'Info have cast Sego and Sarko as Snow White and the Angry Dwarf. Both caricatures are fair.
If I were forced to put money on the outcome, it'd have to go towards Sarko, but the turnout numbers and the surge in registration may complicate predictions. One thing's for certain: Sego needs two weeks without saying something dumb, and Sarko needs two weeks without saying something inflammatory.
Posted by: Nick S | April 23, 2007 1:02 AM | Report abuse
It will be interesting to see what happens with the runoff. One thing that Sarkozy is able to inspire is the kind of visceral hatred from his opponents that Bush does in the US. I've seen really hateful graffiti against him on the Paris metro, while Royal gets a much kinder treatment from the vandal-minded. It really seems that Sarkozy is a true divide and conquer type of politician that will represent HIS faction and no one else. I hope I'm wrong because, as we have seen here in the US, the price of having such a leader is huge for society as a whole. Much of my contact in France extends to the Muslim community and they hate Sarkozy with an intense passion. I don't have feelings one way or the other for Royal, but if Sarkozy wins, I predict riots that exceed those of 2005. Worse still if he tries to turn France toward the US version of capitalism and job security.
Posted by: wharris | April 23, 2007 12:27 AM | Report abuse
All the "left-of-the-left" candidats (Besancenot, Laguiller, Bove, Buffet) as well as the Greens have already pledged tu support Mrs. Royal for the 2nd round. This should give her more maneuvring room as she can look towards the center voters that voted for Bayrou.
These candidats have pretty much accepted that Mrs. Royale needs to attract as many centrist voters as possible to stop Sarkozy, who will have to attract both the far right and the center.
Although Segolene came out 2nd, I definitely think that the presidential post is still very much open.
Posted by: Seb | April 22, 2007 11:45 PM | Report abuse
Chris, although I don't expect the "regular updates" on France, I do appreciate the sheer inclusion of this contest on the Fix. After all, there was something new to talk about during the weekend!
Posted by: jojo | April 22, 2007 11:41 PM | Report abuse
"an 85% turnout indicates more than anything else that they don't want it to continue to drift Left."
A big ol' non sequitur from Gerard there, who seems to want to make the thread his own little echo chamber. Quel surprise.
If there's anything to be drawn from the turnout, it's that it reverses the experience of 2002, in which abstention as an expression of dissatisfaction with the status quo presented the electorate with a choice between the status quo and something worse. This time, they knew their votes counted.
(Who was M. le president in 2003? The Left? And who has been registering to vote? Gosh, those aren't hard questions.)
As Le Monde notes, both candidates now face interesting tightropes to appeal to the supporters of other candidates. Sarkozy will presumably hope that Le Pen's 11 per cent will show up for him: he can't campaign for those votes without alienating Bayrou's 18 per cent. Royal faces a similar problem with the supporters of the 'dwarfs of the left'. And the man in France's most photographed tractor can swing the outcome.
Posted by: Nick S | April 22, 2007 11:16 PM | Report abuse
"Royal, a relatively new face on the political scene."
Sorry to monopolize this thread, but again the quickest check of the Wikipedia entry on Royal shows that there's nothing "new" about her face on the scene.
She's been, for example, "a deputy in the National Assembly for the Deux-Sèvres département (1988-1992, 1993-1997, 2002-)."
She was "she was the minister of Environment under Pierre Bérégovoy from 1992 to 1993, she failed to be elected mayor of Niort against the incumbent Socialist who ran as an Independent when she received the nomination. She first considered a run for President during the Socialist Party's primaries for the 1995 elections but decided against it because only heavyweights were running.[citation needed] When the Left won the 1997 legislative election, she stood for the presidency of the National Assembly; "
There' more, much more, at.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ségolène_Royal#Political_career
Posted by: vanderleun | April 22, 2007 10:14 PM | Report abuse
Posted by: superfrenchie | April 22, 2007 10:12 PM | Report abuse
" Both candidates have preached reform but Sarkozy is seen as the more radical reformer -- even extolling an American work ethic and way of life."
Let's be a little clearer about that. Sarkozy is seen as "radical" because he would reverse many Leftist policies of recent decades. He is clearly to the Right.
Royal is firmly in the Left/Liberal camp and would extend Leftist policies.
The election is a referendum on the direction most of the French want to see their country go. And an 85% turnout indicates more than anything else that they don't want it to continue to drift Left.
Posted by: vanderleun | April 22, 2007 10:08 PM | Report abuse
Considering your belief in a race too close to call of yesterday, it is not surprising that you won't be updating further. You gotta be careful when reading the Washington Post for your poll info. Could be way off.
Posted by: Vanderleun | April 22, 2007 10:04 PM | Report abuse
Posted by: superfrenchie | April 22, 2007 8:26 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
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Chris Cillizza is the author of The Fix, a blog on national politics. Cillizza provides daily posts on a range of political topics, from the race for control of Congress to scrutinizing the 2008 presidential contenders.
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Among Receivers, Johnson's a Catch
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After a one-year break, the love affair between wide receivers and NFL general managers is set to resume in the first round of this weekend's draft.
Only one wideout was selected in the first round of last year's draft, and Santonio Holmes of Ohio State didn't come off the board until the 25th overall choice by the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the two drafts before that, however, NFL teams drafted 13 wide receivers in the first round -- seven in 2004 and six in 2005.
The first round of this year's draft Saturday promises to resemble those two, with talent evaluators around the league projecting that about a half-dozen wideouts likely will be picked.
"As far as we can see, it's very, very deep at wide receiver," San Diego Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith said during a predraft news conference late last week. "We think there are a lot of guys that could come in and contribute to whatever team selects them. I'm very impressed with the group of receivers in this draft."
The raves begin with Calvin Johnson of Georgia Tech. He's big and fast, and many scouts regard him as the best player in this year's draft pool and the top wide receiver prospect to come out of college in several years. Pro Football Weekly reported last week that Johnson admitted to past marijuana use during an interview taped by the league at the scouting combine in February in Indianapolis and distributed to each of the teams. But executives from two clubs said late in the week that the report is unlikely to affect Johnson's draft status.
The Oakland Raiders apparently are considering taking Johnson with the top overall choice. The prevailing sentiment around the league is that the Raiders are more likely to go with Louisiana State quarterback JaMarcus Russell, which could leave Johnson going second to the Detroit Lions or to a team that might trade up into that spot. The Lions are said to be eager to trade down in the draft order, and Johnson might be the one prospect good enough to lead a club to trade up for such a lofty selection.
Even the Washington Redskins, with their dearth of picks in the draft's later rounds, have contemplated trading up for Johnson.
"I think certainly trading back and getting some [additional] draft picks would be great," Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs said at the annual league meeting last month in Phoenix. "I also think if you're sitting there and you're thinking about getting a guy that's got a hole in their game and you're going to be paying that kind of money, you'd better be moving up and get somebody that doesn't have a hole in their game."
That somebody, Gibbs said, might be Johnson.
"I think everybody here would like to have Calvin Johnson," Gibbs said as he looked around at the others in attendance at the NFC coaches' breakfast.
Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin said of Johnson the same week in Arizona: "He seems perfect. You can't find a bad thing. When you're talking about the number one pick, you're looking for a bad thing. Everyone is going to tell you good things. That's why they're up there. So you look for a bad thing. With him, you can't find a bad thing."
Johnson will be long gone by the time the run of other first-round wideouts begins, probably around the middle of the round. Other receivers being mentioned as strong first-round possibilities include Ohio State teammates Ted Ginn and Anthony Gonzalez, Dwayne Bowe of LSU, Robert Meachem of Tennessee and Dwayne Jarrett of USC. Few people in or around the league, though, seem to have a firm grip on how the draft will go after the first few selections.
"The story of this draft is the lack of clear-cut guys at the top of the first round," said Charley Casserly, the former general manager of the Redskins and Houston Texans. "There are enough first-round guys, but there's not certainty at the top. I'm not sure there's so big a difference between the 10th and 20th [picks], or even the 10th and 25th. That means you'll have everyone trying to trade down and no one wanting to trade up."
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Info on Washington Redskins including the 2005 NFL Preview. Get the latest game schedule and statistics for the Redskins. Follow the Washington Redskins under the direction of Coach Joe Gibbs.
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Firms, Families Settle Spinach Claims
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SANTA CRUZ, Calif., April 22 -- The companies that grew, processed and marketed contaminated spinach that led to a nationwide E. coli outbreak last year have settled lawsuits in the deaths of three women.
The lawyer for the families of Ruby Trautz, 81, of Bellevue, Neb.; Betty Howard, 83, of Richland, Wash.; and June Dunning, 86, of Hagerstown, said the women died after eating fresh spinach bagged under the Dole label.
"They just didn't die immediately after eating it, but they got sick," said Bill Marler. "But there's no question that it came from Dole baby spinach, or else there wouldn't have been a settlement."
Federal officials announced a recall of bagged fresh spinach last September, as nearly 200 people were sickened after eating the leafy greens processed by Natural Selections LLC under a number of labels, including Dole.
Inspectors eventually traced the E. coli strain to cattle or wild pig feces found in the San Benito County spinach fields of Mission Organics, which grew the spinach.
Terms of the settlements were not disclosed.
Sarah Brew, a lawyer for Dole Food Co., confirmed that settlements were reached in late March but declined to comment further.
Lawyers for Mission Organics, based in Salinas, Calif., and Natural Selection Foods, based in San Juan Bautista, could not be reached for comment.
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SANTA CRUZ, Calif., April 22 -- The companies that grew, processed and marketed contaminated spinach that led to a nationwide E. coli outbreak last year have settled lawsuits in the deaths of three women.
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Injuries Heal, but Mental Scars May Last Much Longer
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Nearly a week after Seung Hui Cho killed 32 people, dozens of his lesser-known victims, some of whom avoided death by fractions of an inch as the bullets flew, are beginning to heal.
Many of the 30 wounded were shot while crouching under classroom desks, afraid that the gunman's next round would find them. Some were struck when they raised their hands in panicked attempts to stop bullets aimed at their heads. Others jumped from classroom windows and were injured when they hit the ground.
The severity of their injuries ranges widely. Some will require reconstructive surgery and extensive physical therapy; others are healing relatively quickly from superficial wounds and broken bones.
Five of the injured remained hospitalized in the Blacksburg area last night, all but one in stable or good condition, officials said. Sean McQuade of New Jersey is in critical condition, with a bullet lodged in his brain.
Among the Washington area wounded are Kristina Heeger, 19, of Vienna, who was shot in the stomach, and Katelyn Carney, 21, of Sterling, who was struck in the hand. Doctors will not say how many injuries were caused by gunfire.
In the minutes and hours after the massacre, McQuade was among three students shot in the head who were rushed to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, said Sydney J. Vail, its director of trauma. One of the students died; another remains at a Fairfax hospital with a broken jaw.
Vail said McQuade would probably remain hospitalized for six to eight weeks, and a pressure monitor has been inserted in his cranium to guard against dangerous swelling. It was too early to tell whether he would have long-term damage, Vail said.
Some injuries were exacerbated by the 9mm jacketed hollow-point bullets that Cho used, said Vail, a specialist in ballistic injuries. When hollow-point rounds hit the body, they spread into metallic petals "like a flower," Vail said.
"When the bullet opens, it expands, creating a larger wounding channel," he said. "There are leaflets, or petals, that peel back."
The recovery for others will not be so long. Derek O'Dell was hit in the arm when Cho burst into his German class and began shooting. After the gunman left the room, O'Dell and two classmates wedged their feet against the door, straining to keep him out as he shot through the wood.
"I don't even feel like I can complain or anything, considering what happened to some other people," said O'Dell, 20, resting yesterday at home in Roanoke.
O'Dell's father expects his son's arm to be out of its sling in a week or two. The other part of his recovery could take longer.
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Nearly a week after Seung Hui Cho killed 32 people, dozens of his lesser-known victims, some of whom avoided death by fractions of an inch as the bullets flew, are beginning to heal.
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A Trip off the Old Rock
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A Screech-In sounds like something a frustrated ornithologist might indulge in, or a Beltway ritual for stressed-out drivers. But in Newfoundland, it's a traditional ceremony to induct CFAs ("come-from-aways," Newfese for tourists) into the Royal Order of Screechers and thus make them honorary Newfies. I find one in a pub on George Street in the capital, St. John's.
I do not take my decision to be here lightly. To get screeched, I will have to pass several tests that challenge the dexterity of the tongue, the strength of the stomach and the capacity to be grossed out. Not the least will be to gulp down a shot of the potent rum affectionately known as Screech, and also to kiss a dead fish. During my two-week stay in Newfoundland, I keep mulling: Will I? Should I? How badly do I want to become an honorary citizen of this hunk of rock?
Newfoundland (rhymes with "understand"), an island about the size of Virginia at the eastern end of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is nicknamed The Rock by its inhabitants, and for good reason: The coastline is a jagged cragginess of cliffs, and the interior is an uninhabitable rock plateau of alternating ridges and waterlogged troughs. The weather is ruled by the unforgiving North Atlantic and is frequently mauzy (wet and foggy) and logy (oppressively humid), with bone-chilling winters. The population -- concentrated in a few cities and otherwise strung out along the coast in small fishing villages -- is about 600,000, of which 120,000 are moose.
So is this a place I want to call my honorary home? To find out, I plan to immerse myself in some of the best that Newfoundland has to offer: St. John's, one of the oldest and prettiest cities in North America, with its harbor setting and steeply rising streets; the Avalon Peninsula with its whales, birds, historic sites and fishing villages; the historic town of Trinity; and Gros Morne National Park, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its raw beauty and unique geology.
My goal: to become so enamored of the place that I dare to get screeched.
I get my first inkling of what's to come soon after I arrive in St. John's in late June. I am hiking on the cliffside trail on Signal Hill -- the granite sentinel that watches over the city's harbor entrance -- when 60-mph gusts nearly lift me off my feet. I drop to the ground, wedging against boulders for security. Howling headwinds scour my face like sandpaper. Suddenly a jogger runs by. He is holding tightly onto his ballooning shorts, which have half flown off. He grins at me, "How's she cutting, me cock?" Excuse me?
Newfoundland English, as I am rapidly discovering, is a tongue-twisting, colorful blend of Irish and English dialects and sea-lore expressions. The language, which developed as a result of Newfoundland's history as one of Britain's first settlements in the New World as well as its geographical isolation, even boasts a dictionary of more than 700 pages.
I am not the first Marylander who ever contemplated calling Newfoundland home. George Calvert, a.k.a. Lord Baltimore I, tried, too. He gave up. He had founded the Colony of Avalon at Ferryland, Newfoundland, in the 1620s. Until then, Europeans came to these waters only during the fishing season. Lord Baltimore tried to spend the winter here. He hated it. So much so that he petitioned King Charles I to grant him a colony in warmer climes, and he was granted what he named "Maryland."
I spend an afternoon at Avalon's impressive archaeological site and museum. Along the battered headlands, a lighthouse stands defiantly against a mackerel sky. Herring gulls squabble in high-pitched cacophony. A whale's blow sprouts from the sea. I try to imagine the winter here. Isolation. Darkness. The constant threat of starvation. How soothing it must have been to warm the cockles with some fiery rum.
Screech was introduced to Newfoundland in colonial days, when salt cod was traded to the West Indies in exchange for what was then a no-name rum. The nickname apparently is of World War II vintage: It seems that an American officer downed a shot of this Newfoundland hospitality in one gulp and let out a screeching howl when his throat ignited.
Just offshore, the frigid southbound Labrador Current meets with the warmer northbound Gulf Stream. This convergence results in one of the richest ocean brews of nutrients on the planet and, in turn, one of the largest concentrations anywhere of whales, breeding seabirds and, in years past, cod. For centuries, Newfoundland's way of life and economy were based on cod, until the industry collapsed in 1992 from high-tech overfishing.
Remnants of the traditional way of life can be found in rural fishing villages. The road map reads like Gray's Anatomy, with place names featuring heads, necks, noses, arms and other body parts. I focus on Heart's Delight, Heart's Desire and the fascinating village of Heart's Content, the terminus for the first transatlantic cable, which was completed between North America and Ireland in 1866.
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Newfoundland is?nicknamed The Rock by its inhabitants for the jagged coastline of craggy cliffs and the interior?of alternating ridges and waterlogged troughs. Perfect for moose and fowl.
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Bombers Defy Security Push, Killing at Least 158 in Baghdad
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BAGHDAD, April 18 -- Bombs ripped through several mainly Shiite districts in Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 158 people and wounding scores more, police said, in the worst wave of carnage since President Bush announced three months ago that he would deploy additional troops to pacify the Iraqi capital.
In the gravest attack, a car bomb killed at least 118 people across from the busy Sadriya market, a shopping area that the U.S. military closed to traffic and fortified with blast walls after a truck bomb killed 135 people at the market in February, in the single deadliest explosion since the war began in 2003.
The attacks followed brazen bombings that demonstrated the insurgents' ability to circumvent the U.S. and Iraqi security plan for Baghdad, and renewed fears of reprisal killings by Shiites. Last Thursday, a truck bomb collapsed a popular bridge over the Tigris River and a suicide bomber penetrated the fortresslike Green Zone, blowing himself up inside the parliament cafeteria, killing one lawmaker.
"After two months of the security plan in the hot areas of the city, the attacks have moved to the cold, quiet areas to make them hot, while the hot areas burn," said Nasar al-Rubaie, a lawmaker who heads the parliamentary bloc loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. "These target everything that has life in Iraq: universities, schools, neighborhood centers, markets, gas stations and bus stations. But the occupation forces and the government stand still, doing nothing, and let the terrorists play."
Across Iraq, at least 10 other people were killed in bombings and shootings, and 58 bullet-riddled corpses were found, police and news services reported, bringing the day's death toll to nearly 230.
In Washington, Adm. William J. Fallon, the new chief of the Central Command, the U.S. military headquarters responsible for the Middle East, gave a more pessimistic assessment of the situation in Baghdad than other senior officers have offered in recent days. "I believe that the things that I see on a daily basis give me some cause for optimism, but I'll tell you that there's hardly a week that goes by -- certainly almost a day that doesn't go by -- without some major event that also causes us to lose some ground," Fallon told the House Armed Services Committee.
Traveling in Israel, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates blamed the Baghdad attacks on Sunni insurgents, including the group al-Qaeda in Iraq, and said U.S. commanders had warned that terrorists would "attempt to increase the violence in order to make the plan a failure." But he said U.S. and Iraqi forces would "persist."
While execution-style killings have dropped since the security crackdown began, bombings have remained steady. Lt. Col. Christopher C. Garver, a U.S. military spokesman, defended the plan Wednesday, saying it was too soon to assess its results because only 60 percent of the 28,000 additional troops deployed by President Bush are in place. Garver said two additional brigades will arrive in early June to help suppress the violence by shutting bomb factories and killing militants.
But he acknowledged that the military "runs the risk of losing" popular support in the face of continued massive attacks, and said the military was concerned that Wednesday's attacks could trigger a new outbreak of sectarian bloodshed.
Gates told reporters that "we can only hope that the Shia will have the confidence in their government and in the coalition, that we will go after the people that perpetrated this horror."
The Sadriya market bombing devastated a central Baghdad intersection filled with buses and taxis near a famed Sunni shrine. It left a crater six feet deep, engulfed minibuses and cars in flames and shattered the windows of nearby buildings. People ran about frantically, screaming the names of lost relatives.
Sabri Hassan Ali, 36, was in front of his soft drink shop when the bomb exploded about 10 yards away. He saw it blow off the head of a man nearby.
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World news headlines from the Washington Post,including international news and opinion from Africa,North/South America,Asia,Europe and Middle East. Features include world weather,news in Spanish,interactive maps,daily Yomiuri and Iraq coverage.
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Tragedy Beyond The Imagination
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BLACKSBURG, Va., April 17 There was a trivia game Mike Pohle and his fiancee, Marcy Crevonis, liked to play called Imaginiff, where they took turns posing silly questions: Imagine if you were a circus performer, what would you be? Imagine if you were a car, a color, a movie. They had their own version of the game, too, where they imagined the life they planned to spend together. Mike already had named the five children they would have.
He was 23 when he was killed in his Monday morning German class at Virginia Tech.
She is 19, left trying to imagine a life without him.
Michael Stephen Pohle Jr. was due to graduate with a degree in biochemistry in just three weeks, worrying about finding the right job and staying close to Marcy, a freshman who graduated from Langley High in McLean and met him at a mutual friend's party last fall. They argued over their favorite sports teams, and were inseparable from then on. She gave him a Phillies jersey last Christmas, and he slept in it every night. Yesterday she went back to his apartment and put it on, inhaling the lost scent of him as she lay on his empty bed and wept.
"We were the same person. We shared the same thoughts. We finished each other's sentences," she says, standing on the emerald green Drillfield, where they often met between classes, and where state troopers now order Marcy and Mike's grieving family to move back, move back, move back because President Bush is about to arrive to pay respects at the makeshift VT shrine to 31 students and faculty members murdered in Monday's rampage.
Marcy remembers waking up in Mike's arms that morning. "He's a big guy, so it's hard for me to sleep with my head on his chest, but I did Sunday night, and I heard his heart beating."
Go back to sleep, he told her, you don't have to get up.
But they always walked each other to class, so Marcy sleepily got dressed and joined him on the way to his 9:05 Intro to German class in Room 207 of Norris Hall. They had time to stop at Marcy's dorm first -- she needed her book for Russian in an hour -- but a police officer at the door of West Ambler Johnston Hall turned her away. The dorm was locked down, he said without explanation. Marcy thought nothing of it. "People were always pulling the fire alarm, and there had been the bomb threats."
Mike urged her to go back to his apartment. She remembers that it was 9:02. The last time she would ever speak with him.
Marcy headed back to the dorm, determined to get her book. She slipped in unchallenged through a side door, and went up to her room. People in the hallway were talking about a shooting or someone being hurt on the fourth floor. Marcy sent Mike a text message saying something seemed to be going on.
Where are you? Lock your door. I don't want you roaming. Be safe, keep me updated, he replied. He was always protective that way. Marcy felt invincible with Mike beside her. "He could bench-press like 400 pounds," she boasts.
Marcy was watching something stupid on TV, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," she thinks, when a news bulletin broke in reporting a gunman on the loose at Virginia Tech. A girl returning to the dorm from class said police cars were everywhere, that something was going on across campus. "I was panicked," Marcy recalls. She tried to call Mike, but he didn't answer. She messaged him: Call me asap.
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BLACKSBURG, Va., April 17 There was a trivia game Mike Pohle and his fiancee, Marcy Crevonis, liked to play called Imaginiff, where they took turns posing silly questions: Imagine if you were a circus performer, what would you be? Imagine if you were a car, a color, a movie. They had their own...
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Virginia Tech: Campus Security
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What happened at Virginia Tech on Monday has raised many questions about security on campus. Those issues are discussed in Security Watch, a national newsletter and Web site dedicated to safer campuses for students and established by Connie and Howard Clery following the rape and murder of their daughter Jeanne at Lehigh University in 1986.
Alison Kiss, program director of Security on Campus Inc., was online Wednesday, April 18, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss security measures and recommendations for Virginia Tech as well as other colleges across the U.S.
Alison Kiss: Good afternoon. I am the Program Director at Security On Campus, Inc., a National Non-Profit dedicated to safer campuses for college students. We are behind the six federal laws dealing with college campus safety. I am available to answer any questions that you may have surrounding the incident at Virginia Technology Institute and State College that occurred on Monday.
Annandale, Va.: What are the students on campus saying about the police response and how the whole thing was handled? Is this a matter of it all being in hindsight?
Alison Kiss: The students are wondering why they were not alerted of the incident that happened early in the morning until two hours later. Part of the federal law that our organization spearheaded, The Clery Act, requires campuses to issue timely warnings in the event of a current or on-going threat to student safety. With a shooter at large, the campus should have issued an immediate warning to the campus community via text message or by having security at campus buildings. The least secure buildings on campuses are the academic buildings.
Fairfax, Va.: Do you think the response on campus to the shootings from the police between the two locations was insufficient?
Alison Kiss: Absolutely. I believe that the response should have been more immediate and classes should have been cancelled following the first shooting.
Charlottesville, Va.: In your opinion, would outfitting college and university classroom buildings with metal dectectors and other additional security items stop something like what happened at Virginia Tech?
Alison Kiss: No, because the shooter was a student and if someone intends to commit an act such as this and give their life, it is hard to deter them from doing this. I do think that campuses should beef up their security but this generally depends on the budget that is allotted to campus security forces. Many times, administrations will cut their security budgets. More importantly, schools should have thorough crisis management plans in place and those plans should be revisited at least 4 times a year. The institutions should also prescribe to parental notification policies where parents of students are notified in the event that their student is involved in alcohol, drugs or criminal activities.
Baltimore, Md.: Is it true that Va. Tech one of the most "wired" schools in the nation? I've heard that. If so, how can this kind of resource be used in the future to alert students about future possible threats to life on the campus?
Alison Kiss: The warning was issued via internet but because many students were in transit, they did not receive the alert. There are inexpensive text message alert systems in place at around 35 campuses that provide campus security an easy, inexpensive, and highly effective method to notify the campus community in the event of a threat to their safety.
Washington, D.C.: I think this drumbeat of "they should have locked down the campus" after the first shooting is ludicrous and logistically impossible. NO ONE could have predicted that the first incident would have led to the second horrific carnage. I mean when was the last time law enforcment had to secure so many people in such a sprawling area? Here in Washington or anywhere else, can you imagine the outrage if an equivalent area was cordoned off following a killing that was believed to be a domestic dispute? Most people can't even tolerate being inconvenienced at the airport let alone in their own neigbhborhoods. Acting with what they knew at the time, the Tech president and police made the right choice. Do people really expect law enforcement to react as if every shooting could be a precursor to a rampage?
Alison Kiss: Since the shooter from the first attack had not been detained, it is imperative that the campus shut down until the safety of the community is maintained. This year, there was a shooting very close to the campus of Villanova University and the campus, as well as the surrounding community, shut down and postponed classes until they were certain that the shooter was in custody. Although these acts cannot always be predicted, the community could have been better protected with a more thorough warning.
McLean, Va.: How do you feel about gun control and do you think what happened will change the current law in Virginia? Other states? Isn't that a very hard thing to do?
Alison Kiss: There is a law that prohibits carrying a gun on campuses in Virginia but it is simply too easy for an individual to obtain a weapon either legally or illegally. Even though I am personally in favor of stricter gun control laws, legislation alone will probably not summarily deter individuals bent on mass murder. Other steps would need to be taken.
Kassel, Germany: Isn't it true that campus police simply are not trained for so-called "shooters", etc.?
Alison Kiss: No, that is not true, Campuses generally employ either sworn or unsworn police forces. Sworn police forces are in fact similar to those in small cities. In fact, in Pennsylvania, Temple University is the third largest police force next to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Many campus security staffs are very well-trained to handle crime.
Gainesville, Fa.: While lock downs may be better at k-12 schools I don't think they work well at colleges. And they don't work at all if the gunman is already inside a building. Then the opposite would be true which is to run for the hills. Would you agree?
Alison Kiss: I agree that a lock-down is easier to execute in a primary or secondary school. In the event that there is a threat on a college campus, it is important to secure the academic buildings and cancel classes as those are the most vunerable buildings on campus.
Washington, D.C.: How do you balance between closing the university for what could be an isolated incident versus the need for uninterrupted classes? I went to school in an urban setting and people did get shot (and, at least once on campus). The university never canceled classes. Yes, it was a tragedy, but life must go on, and not in a police state. Several of us work in a city where violent crime does occur. Even during the sniper shootings, I still went to work. Do you suggest evacuating the city everytime someone commits a homicide? Can you illustrate the difference?
Alison Kiss: Sure. In this case, Virginia Tech is in fact the size of a small city. After the first shooting, there were reports that the perpetrator "may have been in custody." The school has a responsibility to the campus community to provide a warning to the campus that there may still be a shooter at large. The Clery Act requires that the campus issue a timely warning if there is a current or on-going threat to student safety. This federal law would also mandate your alma mater to do the same when shootings did occur there. Also, the school is responsible to have a crisis management plan in place to protect its students.
Pittsburgh, Pa.: Do you think laws should be tightened to make it easier to commit involuntarily, and hold, the mentally ill? What changes would have been enough to institutionalize Cho? Would a loss of freedoms for others be worth the trade-off? Where is the balance between security and freedom?
Alison Kiss: If someone threatens to take their life or the life of another, then a menatl health professional can involuntarily commit the person. I do not believe that it should be easier to involuntarily commit the mentally ill. I do believe that Cho's parents should have been notified, Virginia Tech does employ a parental notification policy, after he set fires and showed stalking behavior patterns. These are criminal actions and parental notification policies permit schools to notify parents if their student shows signs of criminal behavior.
Washington, D.C.: It sounds like there should be a town meeting on this. Is that a good idea?
Alison Kiss: I think this is a great idea. It is important, especially, for university administration and security throughout the country to revisit their crisis management plans.
Arlington, Va.: Alison Kiss: "The students are wondering why they were not alerted of the incident that happened early in the morning until two hours later."
This is what the media is feeding you, not what the large portion of students and alumni believe. Why is the media not showing the standing ovation that Mr. Steger received at yesterday's convocation? Well, because it doesn't add to the controversy and makes their reports less interesting.
Alison Kiss: We have been contacted by students and their parents regarding concerns around this issue and the delay in warning the community. I think the school is doing a lot to bring students together to mourn this tragedy. I think the media is doing a great job in showing the strength of the students and campus community as they remember their classmates.
Washington, D.C.:"Since the shooter from the first attack had not been detained, it is imperative that the campus shut down until the safety of the community is maintained."
LOTS of shooters get away. The difference, I think, is that most shooters aren't intent on killing several people. Most just want to elude the police and escape the scene. How can law enforcement tell the difference?
Alison Kiss: Law enforcement, in this case, has a responsibility to their campus population. If they were not certain that he escaped or had been detained, federal law requires law enforcement to issue a warning to the community.
Bowie, Md.: I hope people stop looking too much into hindsight and realize that the powers-that-be simply cannot anticipate when someone is determined to cause harm and death. And had there been the lockdown everyone was calling for, he would have just walked into the dorms and started firing.
If guns weren't so easy to obtain, was this guy crazy enough that he would have figured something else out? I doubt it. Don't security people feel that way about their availability?
Alison Kiss: I do personally believe that there should be stricter gun laws but the problem is that guns are easily obtained both legally and illegally.
Washington, D.C.: Considering how this situation was handled should I not allow my child to attend school at Virginia Tech?
Alison Kiss: I believe that Virginia Tech will certainly review their crisis management plans and may in fact be safer then ever in the upcoming years. This is an incident that could happen anywhere. I would not encourage you to not send your child to the school. I believe that all schools should revisit their security protocals and plans following this incident.
New York City, N.Y.: Everyone needs to stop blaming the school and the police. The focus should be on caring and praying for the victims, their families and all those closely affected.
I also find it surprising that not a single story has mentioned the possibility that the shooter might have carried out the first shooting intentionally as a diversion to throw off the police. I don't think this is so far fetched considering how cold and calculated this individual was.
Let the VT school officials and police carry out their investigation and more importantly, let them grieve. Join in helping to heal and unite and not in trying to divide and blame.
Alison Kiss: I agree that we must grieve and pray. Unfortunately, over the past few years we have seen a trend in such violent acts. It is important to be forarmed with a plan to protect campus communities.
Washington, D.C.: If they had gone to lockdown, as some have suggested, wouldn't that have simply ensured that an angry armed man would be trapped in a large dormitory with scores of potential victims? With a small police force, how is a university of that size going to achieve meaningful "lockdown"?
Alison Kiss: We advocate to shut down the least secure building, the Academic buildings, in a lock down and to have students in residence halls lock their doors. Since Cho was a student, he had access to the residence halls so it may have put those students in danger. If a more timely warning were issued, these students would have also been more aware of what had been happening.
Washington, D.C.: So it sounds like you are saying: a lockdown would not have saved any lives, but the university was negligent in not sending out an alert right after they found the first two bodies. That seems reasonable: 26,000 pairs of eyes on alert is better than just the Va. Tech police force looking for a suspicious, possibly blood-stained suspect. But that negligence hardly rises to the level of heinous crime with which the media is charging the Va. Tech president.
Alison Kiss: Yes. A more immediate warning should have been issued and I still believe that the academic buildings should have been secured.
Albany, N.Y.: The New York Times is reporting that university police were told by Emily Hilscher's roommate that her boyfriend (?) had guns in his house, which led the police to look for and find him. Why shut down campus when you have what looks like a solid lead?
Alison Kiss: There was no shooter in custody. It is necessary to be precautious.
Baltimore, Md.: Much has been made of the fact that VaTech is a largely commuter school. Wouldn't it have been possible to contact security near the parking lots and inform commuters as they arrived of the first shooting? A simple flyer near the gates would have put more people on alert.
Alison Kiss: I agree. Also, local radio stations could have been used as a method to alert students.
Washington, D.C.: How much of a say in all this do the students have?
Alison Kiss: I am not aware on how much of a say the students have. There is a lot of mourning that needs to be done and many feelings of sadness, anger, and confusion. Generally, Students should be involved in safety on their campuses since it is their community.
Legal liability?: How much do you imagine Tech will have to pay out in settlements of lawsuits for the deaths and injuries to Monday's victims?
Alison Kiss: I am sure there may be lawsuits involved but not certain if the school will be held liable or not since that is no my area of expertise.
Burke, Va.: Do you have any idea how many students on college campuses around the country carry guns? Do you think more will now?
Alison Kiss: I do not have an idea of how many students carry guns but I hope that less will as a result of this incident.
Washington, D.C.: What will the commission be doing that Gov. Kaine announced?
Alison Kiss: I believe we are still waiting to hear the exact mission of the commission. I suspect that it will investigate the response as well as revisit ideas for crisis management plans for state institutions.
Kalamazoo, Mich.: Many guns rights advocates have pointed to Virginia's law banning concealed weapons on college campuses led to the wider tragedy in Norris Hall and that if students/faculty had been armed they could have confronted/stopped the shooter before he killed so many students. Personally, I find the argument completely ludicrus and would never want to attend a school that allowed people to have guns in their rooms. What's your take on this issue? Could students carrying concealed weapons have prevented this tragedy? Would we have wanted them to?
Alison Kiss: I agree with you and would not want to see students carrying concealed weapons on campuses.
Fairfax, Va.: Is it true that the campus police did not notify the state police when the first shootings occurred? I can't imagine why not. Have they given a reason? Do you think the state police should have been called in those two hours?
Alison Kiss: I do think that the school should have called for assistance from state police given the gravity of the situation.
Alison Kiss: Thank you for your opinions and questions. Although we may not always agree, it is important to mourn and remember the many students and faculty who lost their lives a s a result of this senseless act of violence.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Alison Kiss, program director of Security on Campus Inc., discusses security measures and recommendations for Virginia Tech as well as other colleges across the U.S.
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A Chain of Grief With Links On Facebook
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"Thirty-one individuals. 31 families. 31 sons. 31 daughters. 31 funerals to be planned," a sophomore wrote at 4:38 p.m. Monday:
Three hours later: "Has anyone heard from Reema Samaha? She was in French class in Norris 211 this morning."
At 1:45 yesterday morning, a grad student broke the news: "Professor Kevin Granata and Professor Liviu Librescu died today."
This is what grief looks like on the Internet. And students at Virginia Tech -- one of the most wired universities in the country -- are posting harried, thoughtful, poignant messages that are as pressing as the photographs of the missing that lined the "Have You Seen?" walls of Grand Central Station hours after the 9/11 attacks, just as mournful as the television cries for help from the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Except it's all on the Web.
On Facebook, the popular college directory, Virginia Tech students are creating groups and memorials for their fallen classmates. A friend of Samaha, the dark-haired, long-limbed dancer and singer from Centreville, started a Facebook group called "Bring Reema's face back in the book!" Samaha, 18, died Monday.
A portrait of loss. For this digital generation. Online.
"Everyone was contacting me, asking where's so-and-so, have you heard from this or that person?" says Katie Olson, a sophomore studying communications. The 20-year-old started the Facebook group "I'm OK at VT" Monday morning. Fifteen hours later, at 2 a.m., it had nearly 3,000 members. The group's goal was simple: Let everyone know you're okay today. Because when you die, your Facebook profile dies too. There's no one to update your blog, no one to post photos, no one to okay your "friend request." (If Facebook learns that a registered user has died, the site maintains his or her profile for 30 days, spokeswoman Brandee Barker said. But considering the enormity of the Virginia Tech tragedy, the site is considering extending that.)
About 39,000 Hokies, current students and alumni, are on Facebook, a lot considering that Virginia Tech has around 26,000 full-time students. After the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history -- "our college Columbine," Hokies call it -- students turned to the Web, searching for more information, reading dispatches from the Collegiate Times, their student newspaper, asking questions on discussion forums on VTTragedy.com ("How could he kill so many people? How could he move with guns without notice???") and, most of all, forming Facebook communities that, as of Tuesday night, numbered in the dozens.
For these young people who live on instant messaging, post videos on YouTube and disclose their innermost thoughts in their Facebook profiles, online is as intimate as offline. There is little distinction.
"A lot of people look at the Web as a collection of funny videos, a place to write your own op-ed columns, for the most part a place of fun. They miss the fact that the Web, fundamentally, is about connection through conversation," says David Weinberger, a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School. "Of course there's a difference between typing on a keyboard and talking face to face. In some ways, typing is a less rich experience. But nevertheless, we know that the connections that people make on the Web are often as rich and as profound as their relationships in the real world. That's what you're seeing in these Facebook groups."
Some groups are bitter, their anger directed at the gunman, 23-year-old Cho Seung Hui. A group called "Blame Cho-Seung Hui," which has 610 members, wrote: "Instead of the media playing the blame game, how about they and everybody else do the logical thing and blame the coward that actually shot these students?"
Late Monday, Elliott McGill, a student at Eastern Illinois University, started a group called "A Prayer for VT Students." It had nearly 1,600 members. "You all are in our thoughts, and prayers, and we are all so sorry for your loss God bless, and may God be with you all and help you get through this time," wrote a student from the University of Louisville at 10:37 p.m. On Tuesday afternoon, more groups started popping up, including more memorials. A group called "Remembering Ross Alameddine" -- the 20-year-old sophomore from Saugus, Mass. -- had 629 members, and one post read: "I just learned that Ross died, and I am so saddened by it." The message was from Jennie Kelly, Alameddine's academic adviser. "This is so shocking to me," she wrote.
Randy Jarrett, a 19-year-old from Hagerstown, has joined three Facebook groups so far: "Prayers for VT," "Hokies Together United" and "I'm OK at VT."
At 11:18 p.m. Monday, he wrote on "I'm OK at VT": "I don't know if this has been reported but Mahn Lee is okay, he was the one that reported his brother, Henry Lee . . . not so lucky."
At 12:19 a.m. Tuesday, he typed another posting: "Please wear Maroon, Orange or both . . . in support for Hokie unity . . . Thank You!"
Jarrett considers himself lucky. He hit the snooze button on his alarm four times Monday morning, and though he hurried to get to this computer science class at McBride Hall, which is right next to the building where shots rang out, the sophomore missed the bus.
"You know, at a time like this, everyone wants to feel connected," Jarrett says.
So he goes online, and reads the messages one by one.
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"Thirty-one individuals. 31 families. 31 sons. 31 daughters. 31 funerals to be planned," a sophomore wrote at 4:38 p.m. Monday:
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In an Instant, Bright Futures Become Memories
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Emily, Ryan, Mary. . . . Reema, Caitlin, Juan.
Those were their names. All of them gone. Just like that.
Daniel and Matthew. . . . Jarrett and Austin. . . . Henry and Brian.
Thirty-two victims, students mostly, many in engineering. Some were faculty members: Jamie Bishop and Liviu Librescu, G.V. Loganathan and Kevin Granata. They were focused and driven. They were energetic and bright. They were the promise of tomorrow.
A lawyer. An engineer. A veterinarian. An Air Force officer.
Those were some of the careers -- the lives -- they envisioned.
Their names are emerging now, the roster of the slain. Their stories are emerging, too. People who knew them, people who loved them, search for words.
How to sum up a life?
A "fun-loving 19-year-old." That was Mary Read. Caitlin Hammaren was "a lovely young lady." Both were students. Loganathan was "pure of heart." Another student, Emily Hilscher, was "a caring, thoughtful person."
Who they were in full, what the students might have become -- the totality of what was lost Monday when gunfire erupted at Virginia Tech -- we can never know.
All that's left are remembrances of what was taken.
"He had a great smile. . . ."
"He was one of the kindest, most compassionate people I have ever known. . . ."
"He was very full-spirited. . . ."
"He was a quiet leader. . . ."
What they liked: dancing and drama, photography and horses, snowboarding and travel, politics and literature.
"i am the pixie," Hilscher wrote on her Web site. "my friends are what keep me smiling. . . . i'm into snowboarding riding and music. as for music anything pretty much gets me going. . . . give me something i can bang my head to or dance like crazy and i'm all over it."
"Here's a story about what a sweet, family-oriented girl she is," Karen Kuppinger said of Read, a niece. "The last time I saw her -- a year ago Thanksgiving here at my house -- she kept disappearing while she was here. I finally said, 'Mary, what are you up to? Are you reading a good book or something?'
"She was knitting a beautiful scarf -- a multicolored fluffy scarf like the girls wear -- for her grandmother for Christmas."
Two men, a professor and a lab administrator, married to identical twin sisters, went to work Monday in the same building.
The administrator, Mike Diersing, heard gunshots and helped pull four students to safety in locked offices. On another floor, his brother-in-law, Granata, was among those shot.
Diersing called his wife, Lois, and told her he was fine. Then the two tried to reach Granata. His phone rang unanswered.
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Emily, Ryan, Mary. . . . Reema, Caitlin, Juan. Those were their names. All of them gone. Just like that. Daniel and Matthew. . . . Jarrett and Austin. . . . Henry and Brian. Thirty-two victims, students mostly, many in engineering. Some were faculty members: Jamie Bishop and Liviu Librescu, G.V. ...
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