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Hearings for 14 Guantanamo Detainees to Be Held in Secret, Officials Say
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Military tribunals are scheduled to begin Friday for 14 high-value foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but the hearings to determine whether they are enemy combatants will take place behind closed doors because of the risk that top-secret information could surface, defense officials said yesterday.
The hearings will be the first secret Combatant Status Review Tribunals at Guantanamo; similar proceedings for hundreds of other detainees have been open to news media.
The hearings were to be the first time men such as Khalid Sheik Mohammed -- the alleged architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks -- made public appearances since their arrests and years-long detention in secret CIA facilities.
Instead, the 14 detainees will face separate three-officer panels out of view and without a lawyer. They will each have a government-provided personal representative and the opportunity to address the tribunals. None of the men has seen anyone other than his captors, except for representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross who visited shortly after their arrival in September.
Though President Bush has determined that the detainees are enemy combatants, new U.S. laws require the tribunals. If the detainees are found to be enemy combatants, they will be entitled to annual reviews of their status until they face trial.
Defense officials also announced that a second round of annual reviews for 328 detainees had been completed, with 55 getting recommendations for transfer to their home nations and 273 being referred for continued detention at Guantanamo.
There are 385 detainees at the facility; about 80 have been cleared for transfer to other countries. It is unclear what will happen to detainees who are not cleared for transfer but have not been charged with crimes, although Bush has expressed a desire to close the detention facility.
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Military tribunals are scheduled to begin Friday for 14 high-value foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but the hearings to determine whether they are enemy combatants will take place behind closed doors because of the risk that top-secret information could surface, defense officials said yesterday....
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Lawmakers Scrutinize Fees for 401(k) Plans
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Workers are being overcharged tens of billions of dollars a year in unnecessary and often hidden fees imposed on popular, company-sponsored retirement savings plans known as 401(k)s, financial experts told a congressional committee yesterday.
Mutual funds and other professional investment firms often charge fees totaling 3 percent to 5 percent of the assets they manage, when 1.5 percent would be more appropriate, Matthew D. Hutcheson, an independent consultant on pension fees, told the House Education and Labor Committee.
An excess charge of just 1 percent can seriously erode retirement money, retirement planner Stephen J. Butler testified. A couple investing $10,000 a year over 30 years and earning 10 percent, for example, would have more than $1.9 million for retirement at the end of that time. But that sum would be reduced by $355,395 -- to just under $1.6 million -- if that money earned one percentage point less, or 9 percent a year.
Fees often are scattered across written materials, or sometimes not reported at all, making it difficult for employers and consumers to comparison shop, according to testimony from Hutcheson and others, including an official from the Government Accountability Office, the research arm of Congress.
The hearing comes as the new Congress, now controlled by Democrats, is applying greater scrutiny to the financial services industry, especially to how it charges and discloses fees on a variety of products, including credit cards and home loans.
The hearing was the first of two planned this year by the committee's chairman, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), to determine if the Labor Department is adequately overseeing the 401(k) industry and to help craft legislation requiring money managers to fully disclose what they charge and to manage 401(k) plans to maximize returns for retirees.
"We have to ask whether all these fees are necessary, and we have to examine whether they are undermining workers' retirement security," Miller said.
The mutual fund industry, which manages half of all 401(k) money, and the bank and insurance industries, which manage most of the rest, disagree with those who say their fees are too high, hard to find or hidden.
"We have looked at fees for mutual funds in 401(k)s, and those fees are falling," said Mike McNamee, spokesman for the Investment Company Institute, the lobby group for mutual fund managers. He said that fees typically are "on the order of 1 percent," including commissions. He said all fees are disclosed in each fund's prospectus -- management fees in what is called a fee table, and brokers commissions and trading costs in a separate section.
The hearing follows a GAO report last November that concluded that workers often can't understand, or in some cases can't find out, what fees they pay to have their 401(k) money managed.
The GAO said the Labor Department, which regulates company-sponsored retirement plans, has some power to make the financial industry disclose more and to do so in simpler, easy-to-understand language. But it recommended that Congress amend current law to require the industry to disclose all fees and charges and also potential conflicts of interest.
The issue has become more important as more Americans have come to rely on 401(k)s as a primary nest egg. In the mid-1980s fewer than 8 million workers participated in such plans, which totaled $100 billion. Today more than 47 million workers have more than $2 trillion invested in these plans. To encourage Americans to save more for retirement, Congress passed legislation last year to allow employers to automatically enroll workers in 401(k) plans, a change financial planners say already has accelerated workers' participation.
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor Bradford P. Campbell said in an interview this week that he thinks the agency has all the legal authority it needs to make investment companies provide fuller and more understandable disclosures about fees.
The department, working closely with industry, last year announced a three-pronged plan he said is intended to lead to full fee disclosure by investment firms in their annual reports filed with the government, in their contracts with employers and in publications given to workers. But the first phase of the plan won't begin for several months, and the final phase might not become effective for several years.
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Workers are being overcharged tens of billions of dollars a year in unnecessary and often hidden fees imposed on popular, company-sponsored retirement savings plans known as 401(k)s, financial experts told a congressional committee yesterday.
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Ernest Gallo, 97; Influential Co-Founder of Winery
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Ernest Gallo, 97, who with his brother Julio reaped riches from California grapes, shaping the drinking habits of a nation and creating a wine fortune from a small investment, died March 6 at his home in Modesto, Calif.
A reticent man who was seldom interviewed, Mr. Gallo was the dynamic, hard-driving sales and marketing chief of what became the E&J Gallo Winery, one of the biggest wineries in the world. (Julio, who made the wine, died in a car crash in 1993.)
At 96, Mr. Gallo was No. 283 on Forbes magazine's list of the 400 wealthiest Americans. A self-made man with a high school education, he had a net worth of $1.2 billion.
The company began with inexpensive products (such as Thunderbird and Ripple) but eventually moved into the middle levels and high end of a market that Mr. Gallo did much to create. Although little was known of the two brothers and their lives and personalities, the labels on their bottles brought their names into households, conversations and celebrations across the nation.
Behind the story of the creation of their empire of alcohol was a tragic tale. The Gallo brothers had toiled in their youth with their immigrant parents on a small California vineyard, growing and selling grapes. But in 1933, in the face of Depression-era economic reverses, their father killed himself and his wife.
According to published accounts, that event unleashed the determination, energies and initiative of Ernest and Julio. The brothers decided to make and sell wine. They borrowed $5,900.23, bought used equipment on credit and set about studying a pamphlet from the Modesto public library titled "The Principles of Wine-Making."
If there is a gift for sales, Mr. Gallo had it. As a 17-year-old, he had traveled by train to Chicago to sell grapes from his parents' vineyard. When the brothers began making their own wine, Mr. Gallo turned a $30,000 profit in the first year, according to a profile published by the James Beard Foundation, which gave him its lifetime achievement award in 2001. He sold 177,847 gallons of red table wine that first year, the profile said.
It described Mr. Gallo, a native of Jackson, Calif., as a merchandising whirlwind, perpetually negotiating with bankers, buyers and suppliers and crisscrossing the nation to bargain with bottlers. A few years after starting up, the Gallos were selling 3 million gallons of wine a year.
Wine was once described as a small business; Mr. Gallo was seen as the man who made it a big one. He bought out failing bottlers, designed his own bottles and labels, and adorned them with recipes requiring wine. He created display racks for his bottles and hired a sales force to sell only Gallo products.
If some Americans were uncertain about placing a bottle of wine on their table or of opening one at their parties, Mr. Gallo allayed their fears and stimulated their desires with his advertising, using billboards and later television. From 1948 to 1955, Gallo sales grew almost fourfold.
The brothers' winery, which began with a staff of three -- Mr. Gallo, his wife, Amelia, and his brother -- grew to have more than 4,600 employees and a presence in more than 90 countries, according to a statement last night from the Gallo public relations organization. (A third brother, who operated a cheese business, died this year.)
Mr. Gallo and his brother Julio worked on separate floors of their headquarters, according to a Fortune magazine article. Julio, it said, strove to produce more than Mr. Gallo could sell, and Mr. Gallo aimed to sell more than his brother could produce. Mr. Gallo was said to be active in the business until he died.
A firm believer in family ties, Mr. Gallo once called Julio the ideal partner, the one person "willing to work as hard and as long as I did."
Survivors include Mr. Gallo's son, Joseph, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His wife died in 1993.
"My father died knowing that he had lived life to its fullest," his son said in a statement.
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Ernest Gallo, 97, who with his brother Julio reaped riches from California grapes, shaping the drinking habits of a nation and creating a wine fortune from a small investment, died March 6 at his home in Modesto, Calif.
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Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein was online Wednesday, March 7 at Noon ET to discuss his column about the meltdown in the subprime mortgage market, and will field questions about the recent ups and downs on Wall Street.
Read today's column: Policymakers' Approach to Risk: 'What, Me Worry?'.
About Pearlstein: Steven Pearlstein writes about business and the economy for The Washington Post. His journalism career includes editing roles at The Post and Inc. magazine. He was founding publisher and editor of The Boston Observer, a monthly journal of liberal opinion. He got his start in journalism reporting for two New Hampshire newspapers -- the Concord Monitor and the Foster's Daily Democrat. Pearlstein has also worked as a television news reporter and a congressional staffer.
His column archive is online here.
Bowie, Md.: There's an article in the Wall Street Journal today about increased forclosures outside the sub-prime, market, too, among borrowers who actually have good credit but are in bad products:
Mortgage Defaults Start to Spread
A responsible lender won't make loans to people who can't pay them. How much of the problem is lenders, who should have known better, gave loans to people who can't be expected to?
Steven Pearlstein: Indeed, we haven't seen the end of this string, which is just beginning to play out. The article points ou that the default raTE HAS DOUBLE DIN THE CATEGORY OF MORTGAGES BETWEEN SUBPRIME AND PRIME. And we have yet to hear from prime borrowers who, as you point out, also went in for these exotic mortgages that let [people not pay some month if they find it inconvenient, or reset after two years, or have little money down. If the problem in subprime causes house prices to fall further, this will begin to wash back to prime mortgages that have little equity and/or that reset at much higher interest rates. Anyone who argues that we've seen the bottom in terms of the housing busrft, and its impact on the financial sector and the reeal economy -- these folks are blowing smoke. And for Fed officials to embrace this line, as they seem to be doing these days, is downright irresponsible.
Germantown, Md.: I am concerned that changes in the mortgage market could cause a free-fall in home prices in the D.C. area. The majority of local mortgages made in the last few years were ARMs and option-ARMs. I understand that soon lenders must qualify purchasers based on the final, not teaser interest rate of an ARM. In theory, if borrowers must qualify at rates that are about 3 times higher than before, housing prices would have to drop by 67 percent to maintain the same affordability as today, which is already low.
Add to that (1) a general trend of rising interest rates, (2) more conservative underwriting practices generally, and (3)fewer subprime lenders and products, and it seems local values are bound to drop through the floor. And worse, actions by regulators and legislators are accelerating us toward a crisis, not averting it. Please tell me I'm completely wrong.
Steven Pearlstein: Now, I wouldn't go overboard on the collapse of house prices. That's probably taking it a step to far. But there is nothing to say they can't decline 25 percent from their highs in some submarkets, given the huge increases of the precvious five years. Washington still has some strong job growth, which will cushion things for us. But out in autoland, like Ohio and Michigan, where people are losing their jobs and the economy is probably already in recession, you could have more serious default problems.
I think most people, especially the Federal Reserve, recognize the risks you mention in your article. However, I think you far overestimate the Fed's jurisdiction in these matters. Or at least your article seems to suggest that you do. With regards to derivatives markets, not only are many of these instruments lightly regulated, if they are regulated at all (excepting financial accounting standards that determine how institutions value them), the size of the market is largely unknown. And what would you have the Fed do about this? The Fed's primary functions are to ensure a sound infrastructure for the banking system; even risky business practices of banks are matters for other agencies, such as the FDIC and OCC. Second, the monetary policy mandate specifically points to the real side of the economy--jobs and income. Financial markets and the long list of things that can affect consumers income because of wealth effects, but nowhere is the Fed charged with babysitting Wall Street.
I don't know where this idea that the Fed existed to keep Wall Street on track comes from. I guess Greenspan certainly did not discourage it. In many of the matters you cite, Fed officials can at most offer opinions, not take any direct action. Why don't you call out the chief financial regulators in this country, like the heads of the SEC, FDIC, and OCC if if you are worried about underlying instability in financial markets, especially the obvious "wild west" culture in complicated derivatives instruments. Nobody even knows who these people are. It is naive to think that the Fed's tweaking of the Federal funds rate really matters that much. And I think it is a good idea for the media to wean the public--and maybe Congress will catch on--that the Fed is all-knowing and all-powerful.
Steven Pearlstein: This has nothing to do with the federal funds rate. It has to do with the Fed'as role as prudential regulator of bank holding companies, including most of the large Wall St. banks and investment houses that are the originators of much of this credit -- in the subprime market, in the takeover market, in commercial real estate, in commodity sdpeculation. In short, everywhere that we have seen bubbles (everyone, that, is, except the Fed, which believes you can only see bubbles ex post). And in this role as prudential regulator, the Fed is proving itself once again to be a day late and a dollar short. Here's my irrefutable piece of evidence: loans of tens of billions of dollars for highly leveraged buyouts like Equity Office with few, if any, conditions that would allow the loans to be pulled, or price increaseed, if certain rosy scenarioso n which the loan was made do not materialize. Any regulator, in this environment, who doesn't step in and say this is a problem isn't doing his job. And I don't care what the bank's risk mabnagement system says about it. Prudential regulation is not simply about making sure the bank has enough of its own capital to cover its losses. Its about reigning in a very competitive market so that this kin dof risky lending doesn't become the norm, causing systemic risk that would requres the Fed to step in and arrange a "private sector" workout or bailout. Thweir faith in the self-correcting powers of markets is misplaced -- its there, but it often takes a long time to show up. That's why we have regulation -- something Mr. Warsh et all seem to forget.
Falls Church, Va.: Good column today, but it's worth noting that the biggest financial meltdown in recent history, and the one that cost the taxpayers most dearly, was the savings-and-loan crisis -- a failure of over-regulation, not under-.
It's easy to demonize securitization and derivatives, since they seem so arcane and dehumanized. But overall they do allow a more accurate pricing of risk and better hedging against market volatility. Individual investors who over-indulge (Orange County, LTCM) get burned, but those failures disappear without a ripple in the larger economy. It may not be a coincidence that these instruments haven't faced "a deep recession or global market meltdown;" they may be working to make such events less likely.
It's hard to care that Citigroup may be overextended, because it puts itself in this position every ten years or so. And home builders go bankrupt on a cyclical basis. The sky isn't falling.
Steven Pearlstein: That's right -- the sky isn't falling. But the sun ain't shining, either.
On the S&L crisis, it was indeed a failure of prudential regulation, as those risky loans were piling up on the books of the savings institutions, nothing was done. Then, the mistaske was conmpounded by forcing all those insitutions into receivership at one time, causing the assets to be dumped on the market and driving down pricves to the point that it brought down otheer institutions. Which, to my mind, speaks to the need to intervene early when the pattern of risky lending begins to assert itself -- because if the regulators get there after the fire is already roaring, there are really only bad options left.
Laurel, Md.: When I took out my ARM three years ago, its fully indexed rate was only 3.75 percent because short term rates were only 1.25 percent. Today it would be 7.50 percent, and if I were near lock expiration I'd re-fi tomorrow at about 6% fixed.
Are the sub-prime forclosees people who thought 4 percent indexed rates could continue forever; people who weren't expecting such a severely inverted interest rate curve (7.5 percent fully-indexed short vs. 6 percent long-term fixed available); or, um, people with little knowledge of economics who were put into a complex mechanism they didn't understand.
If the latter, that's why government exists.
As a related question, has there ever been a time when ARMs were a good option for homeowners who expected to hold them long-term into their fully indexed period; or were they always for those who intended to flip, move, or re-fi before the end of the rate lock?
Steven Pearlstein: No, there have been times when interest rates were at hisorically high levels that made it a good time to do an ARM. But doing an ARM in a low interwest rate environment, for most homeowners without much income cushion, is silly. The savings of a quareter or a half of a point isn't worth the risk. If you can't afford the 15 year fixed in that environment, you probably can't afford the house.
Noraville, Australia: How badly will top-of-the-food-chain entities like Goldmann Sachs, J.P.Morgan, etc. fare when the over-leveraged bloated arbitrages of the subprime market explode from the overindulgent and rampant feasting that's been going on since the tech-bubble burst?
Steven Pearlstein: I would only note that the implied rating from the swaps market in the bonds of some of these insitutions are somewhere around junk. These derivativers markets have a tendency to overshoot, soyou shouldn't eread too much into that. But it also means that somebody out there is worried about the quality of credit behind the credit.
Danvers, Mass.: Job number one for the Fed: insure the balance sheets of the big boys against catastrophe (even if it's their own doing)the justification being to prevent a wider system problem.
Job number two: to justify and create a reserve army of the unemployed to preserve the income statements of the big boys by keeping labor costs sufficiently low. (Labor globalization is making this pretty easy.)
So, Steve, how bad does the subprime problem and follow-on consequences have to be before the Fed starts to pay out on its insurance, boosting liquidity, reducing rates?
Steven Pearlstein: Pretty bsad, actually. John, I wouldn't think this a good time for any major central bank to reduce rates absent evidence of a dramatic economic slowdown. Markets are still too frothy, with too many participants believing that the world has changed and many of these assets prices are justifiable.
Chicago, Ill.: How important are financial models to the problems created by subprime mortgages?
I was struck by a paragraph in Warren Buffett's annual letter that didn't get any press coverage. In discussing his need for a younger person to take over the investing for Berkshire, Buffett wrote:
"We therefore need someone genetically programmed to recognize and avoid serious risks, including those never before encountered. Certain perils that lurk in investment strategies cannot be spotted by use of the models commonly employed today by financial institutions."
The February 20 New York Times had a very interesting article on the substantial limitations of models used for scientific issues. It seems equally applicable to financial models.
Steven Pearlstein: Boy, you can say that again. This faith in the models is tautological nonsense. The people who do the models to direct hedcge fund trading strategies are the same very smart people who devise the risk managemernt models at the banks. So it should be no surprise that when something happens that was never forseen by the one set of models, it will also challenge the assumptions underlying the other. There simply isn't enough experience with stress since many of these new instruments and trading strategies became prevalent foer thr models to be relied upon the way they are. We need more old-fashioned common sense added into the regulatory and risk management mix.
Arlington, Va.: Do you think Alan Greenspan realized, a little too late, that he needs to be just as careful about what he says now that he's no longer Head of the Fed as when he was?
Steven Pearlstein: His comments were surprising, and I suspect they have the folks over at the Fed a bit annoyed. But look -- it had to come sometime that his views would differ from that of his predecessor. Now that it has, it probably won't be taken as such a big deal in the future. So its probably just as well we all got over this hump.
Having said that, the difference between the Fed forecast and Greenspans is that Greenspan was always more intuitive that the modelers. And this is precisely the time when intuition trumps models, because by their nature, models cannot predict market or economic turns.
Manassas, Va.: I enjoyed your column "Time for Northern Virginia to Take Road Less Traveled" in that it brought up many "economics of transportation" issues that need to be addressed much more thoroughly than we can ever hope.
However, the weakest part of your column was brushing over the issue of using education funds for transportation. I wish you would expand on the whole economics of that clash.
It was a bit offensive to dismiss well-meaning people wanting to preserve funding for education as part of the "old interest-group hustle by parent and teacher groups . . ." That is just blaming the victims. If they don't see things exactly as you do, maybe it is due to a lack of education.
Yes, transportation raises money for education, but education also raises money for transportation. Educated people earn more salary and pay more payroll taxes. Could you address the cost/benefit analyses of state funded education more thoroughly in future columns?
washingtonpost.com: Time for Northern Virginia to Take Road Less Traveled (By Steven Pearlstein, March 2, 2006)
Steven Pearlstein: Your comment assumes as if this money is the private property of the education estalishment. Look, spending on education has recently gone up substantially. It will continue to do so, All that is being proposed is that, for one year, a portion of the anticipated growth isd used for another vital public service -- one that will allow the NoVa economy to continue growing and producing those annual increases in tax revenue. That is just smart, long-run fiscal policy -- and foer the education establishment not to see it only reveals a terrible short-sightedness on their part.
Rockville, Md.: Mr. Pearlstein: isn't the Fed's utter indifference to the systemic risks posed by the exploding hedge fund industry --- an industry that is utterly opaque and almost entirely unregulated -- a stunning contrast to its obsession with Freddie and Fannie -- two local, monoline companies that live in a political and regulatory fishbowl?
Steven Pearlstein: Yes. The Fed would argue that, because of the implied guarantee of Fannie and Freddie's debt, they require closwer supervision. I agree. But to say that regulators should have zero visibility into highly leveraged intermediaries like hedge funds and private equity firms is also unwise.
Salt Lake City, Utah: I am a wholesale A/E for conforming and Alt-A. My question relates to the Alt-A products. What I have seen is the high LTV Stated income seconds (100 percent) go away. Why is this being affected? Are these prodcuts considered Sub-prime?
Additionally I have a comment. With the sucess of Fannie Mae's, "My Community" and FHA's loan program, which are basically a sub-prime loan that is insured, why doesn't the market follow their sucess? This has never made sense to me.
Steven Pearlstein: Not sure I understand the lingo. Sorry.
Rockville, Md.: Better underwriting standards can't cause a free-fall in home prices-- only the evaporation of liquidity can do that. That's why Congress created Freddie and Fannie to serve the middle class, conventional mortgage market back in 1970: when there was a liquidity crunch severely affecting middle class homeownership. Because of their GSE status, Fannie and Freddie have the ability to keep mortgage markets liquid when liquidity gets hard to come by in the general capital markets.
Steven Pearlstein: Precisely. And you can be sure that once the banks decide that mortgages aren't ther things to hold, they'll all sell them off quicker than you can say Resolution Trust Corp. The idea that these guys are careful, deliberate and wise in their investment decisions is laughable. They behave like a herd on the way up and the way down.
College Park, Md.: Shouldn't any credit-worthy person be able re-finance today at about 6 percent fixed?
Are the forclosees people who can't handle even that? Did mortagers really lend to people who needed 4 percent as their permanent rate?
Steven Pearlstein: I'm afraid they did. Pretty neat, huh?
Annapolis, Md.: Has America, culturally, over-rated homeownership? American Dream, and all that?
Other than lifelong singles who live in cities, just about everyone who can afford it WANTS to own; and we encourage it through government-subsidized fixed rate mortgages and interest deductions because home ownership builds stable communities.
Is renting a better option that it's given credit for; and not a sign of failure?
Steven Pearlstein: Yes, I think thwere is a cultural bias, as well as a tax bias toward home ownership that is overdone.
Boston, Mass.: I don't understand all this worry about the subprime lending market. The subprime lending market is a good thing. Everyone that is able to get subprime loans now were simply shut out of the credit market altogether in years past. They have worse credit, perhaps debt, perhaps lower income, but there is an interest rate that reflects that risk and thats what they pay. When we talk about record defaults rates please please note the actual rate, and recognize for the 1 person defaulting there are a few struggling and dozens living happily in homes that they wouldn't have had access to.
Steven Pearlstein: You know, the problem in subprime isn't that people with basd credit hisotirs got loans. Its that they got loans structures in a way that pose big risks down the road -- not because the people have bad credit histories, but because they really didn't have the income and assets to justify a loan of that size. You don't do anyone a favor making them an owner of a home they can't afford.
Alexandria, Va.: What causes an inverted yield curve?
Steven Pearlstein: In this case, too many investors and central banks wanting to buy Treasuries at a time when the Fed is trying to use overnight rates to control inflation.
Do you see any parallels developing between the present mortgage default rate trends and what happened in the late 1980's early 1990's when the economy slipped into recession, banks and S and L's became under capitalized, credit tightened, and home values fell hard resulting in a massive rise in foreclosures. I don't yet sense that those doomsday forces are in play today. The economy seems strong, employment is relatively low and banks liquidity positions seem strong. People who remain employed and don't have to sell can continue to make payments even if their home price is less than their outstanding mortgage amount. Maybe this is just a minor blip from people who took on a more risky loans than they should have?
Steven Pearlstein: Yes, there are some scary parallels. Let's hope regulatorde have learned the lessons from previous mistakes.
Pasedena, Md.: How localized is this? Is it mainly a problem in the urbanized areas where the housing price bubble created pressure for illusionary low-rate mortgages; or is the low-cost heartland in trouble, too?
Steven Pearlstein: Biggest problems now are in Aeriz and Florida, bubble territory, but also the heartland where manufacturing problems have impacted the job market.
Rockville, Md. The great part of today's column is that it lays bare the underlying politcal-economic forces driving Bernanke's shoddy analysis. The Fed loves the hedge funds and the big banks m aking money on these subprime ARMs but the products "work" only because the profits come out of subprime borrowers hard-won home equity. When macro conditions (falling home prices, end of borrowers' ability to use remaining home equity to refi into another bad loan) prevent that from happening, end of free ride. Your point: that's where Freddie and Fannie need to come in and use their government sponsorship to engineer a transfer of those borrowers who can be saved into a transparent, affordable fixed-rate product that entails no further equity-stripping. I think that's your point? Am I mistaken?
Steven Pearlstein: Not exactly, but its a provocative analysis.
Atlanta, Ga.: There are plenty of people who can't afford higher payments - there are tons of people who have refi'd and owe 125 percent or more on their home. (answer to above question).
I'm happy we owe 25 percent or less of what we could sell our home for (that would be a bad market). It's still a large mortgage, but doable. And, I think I saw something about owning vs. renting re: NYC where so many just rent without thinking - one of the drawbacks is that after 20, 30 or more years, most renters have not built up equity, and while their peers have, and can do what they want (includes retirement) they just don't have the savings. This was cited as a negative for the rent control that NYC has (that is a horrible practice, for so many other reasons as well.). No matter what the cost of the house, at the end (if you're responsible) you own it. So even if rent is LESS, over time, you are forced to save.
Steven Pearlstein: Yes, the forced saving aspect of a house is a good thing. Of course it weorks only if house prices rise over time, which certainly has been the case. Not sure, hoever, that the next 40 years will have the same appreciation as the last 40.
Steven Pearlstein: That's it for today, folks. Got to go out and shovel snow!
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 business columnist Steven Pearlstein was  online to discuss his column about the meltdown in the subprime mortgage market, and the recent ups and downs on Wall Street.
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Jenna's Next Venture: A Book & a Tour
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HarperCollins Publishers announced yesterday it has acquired Bush's first book, a nonfiction account of an impoverished 17-year-old single mother in Panama with HIV, whom the president's daughter met while interning there with UNICEF.
Aimed at a teen/young adult market, "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope" will have a first printing of 500,000 copies.
"She's trying to share information about children and young adults who are living with poverty and disease, and trying to reach out to young adult readers to inspire them to get involved," said Kate Jackson, editor of the children's book division of HarperCollins. "We were really impressed by her vision."
Bush's college pal Mia Baxter took the photos that will illustrate the book. The deal was negotiated by Bob Barnett, the D.C. attorney-to-the-stars who has lined up book contracts for the Clintons, Mary Cheney and Alan Greenspan. He wouldn't disclose any amounts other than to say that it's a "very, very good deal." However, Bush does not stand to profit -- all her proceeds, after expenses, have been pledged to UNICEF charities.
Jackson said Bush has completed several drafts: "It's almost done." And yes, she's signed on for a publicity blitz. "She believes in this from the bottom of her heart," Jackson said. "She knows she is going to get a lot of attention, and she wants to direct it to the cause."
Oh, but we always get distracted! Take the author photo, provided by HarperCollins. Gotta ask: What's that on her left ring finger?"It's not an engagement ring, definitely not," said Laura Bush's spokeswoman Susan Whitson. "She's not engaged."
The Man Who's Ann: How to Play Her Now?
outrage! While conservatives and liberals alike howl about the implications of her latest shock-mock rhetoric, we step back and ask the big question: What's the impact on Washington's preeminent Ann Coulter impersonator?
"I play her very tongue- in-cheek," says Bill Pietrucha, who dons a blond wig, leggings and sheath dress to become the right-wing pundit. "She's just so over the top that she's the gift that keeps on giving to a comedian." For the past five years, the 58-year-old actor-writer has been portraying Coulter at fundraisers, comedy clubs and college campuses: "Obviously, my audiences are not neoconservatives."
Professionally, Pietrucha is trying to figure out how to incorporate Coulter's recent anti-gay slur into the act. But personally, he thinks she just needs to chill:"Boy, that girl needs Prozac in her oatmeal."
HEY, ISN'T THAT . . . ?
"I've been teased about it relentlessly. . . . The cameras lie. It's a fraud."
-- George H.W. Bush denying he patted pal Teri Hatcher on her backside last month, despite those intriguing paparazzo photos. The former prez hosted a women's leadership panel that included the actress at Texas A&M on Saturday.
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Jenna Bush has landed a big-deal book deal -- and with it the requisite media tour, which means the 25-year-old super-private first twin will be venturing out into the public eye this fall like never before. Another Ann Coulter outrage! While conservatives and liberals alike howl about the.........
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True Unbeliever - washingtonpost.com
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People come along every now and then, idiosyncratic, opinionated, talented, flawed, impossible. You call them iconoclasts, troublemakers, provocateurs, opportunists, polemicists.
Camille Paglia, of the feminist and anti-feminist perspective, she's one of these. Michael Moore with his satirical film rants, Michael Eric Dyson in his race debates, Germaine Greer and the brand of feminism she called "the Push," and the late journalistic table-pounder Oriana Fallaci, too. Something between artist, scholar, journalist and radical.
So now, ladies and gentlemen, live from Somalia and the Netherlands! Give it up for new-to-Washington Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Muslim heretic, self-proclaimed "Infidel," whose memoir by that name is at No. 7 on the New York Times bestseller list!
It's a popping good story, fascinating, with lots of forward lean to the narrative. She's got guts, brains, looks, talent. She's called the prophet Muhammad a pervert. She says, "Islam is a culture that has been outlived." She has lost her faith, ditched two husbands and been disowned by her family.
She was elected to the Dutch parliament, but resigned in a scandal that brought down the ruling party. She scripted an 11-minute film about the Koran and domestic abuse of women that resulted in the throat-slitting assassination of its director, Theo van Gogh, by a Muslim fanatic.
The killer stabbed a note into the dying man's chest. It was addressed to her.
If you're having lunch with her -- say, at Zaytinya downtown -- a bodyguard employed by the Dutch government will call you a few minutes beforehand, saying, "I have a person to deliver to you."
She's adored by many on either side of the political seesaw: Western feminists, defenders of free speech and the American Enterprise Institute, the neoconservative Washington think tank that now employs her.
But many Muslims regard her as a self-promoting traitor.
"She's just another Muslim basher on the lecture circuit," says Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations, a Washington-based activist organization.
She's tall, black, angular, charming, sparkling brown eyes.
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People come along every now and then, idiosyncratic, opinionated, talented, flawed, impossible. You call them iconoclasts, troublemakers, provocateurs, opportunists, polemicists. She comes into a nearly empty Zaytinya on a recent Saturday afternoon, the bodyguards staying at the door. She's... She...
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Philadelphia's BYO Revolution
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PHILADELPHIA It was the guy with the shiny metal case. He's the one who drove home how much the bring-your-own-bottle aesthetic has profoundly changed this city's dining scene.
We were at Pumpkin, a 28-seat restaurant owned by a young couple in a neighborhood that, depending on your outlook, could be called emerging, marginal or flat-out dicey. The candlelit former deli has a single storefront window and an open kitchen. Gauzy orange curtains hang from exposed fixtures, and the secondhand tables, pushed tight together, are covered in butcher paper. The short, frequently changing menu is printed on a single sheet of paper. The food, such as braised veal cheeks, pan-seared sea scallops or a pork chop served over spaetzle, is admirable and at times approaches outstanding.
In other words, Pumpkin follows the pattern of cool BYOBs all over Philadelphia, where crowds of people with brown paper bags of wine and beer in tow wait patiently for tables. My companion and I had removed a 2004 Turley zinfandel from our bag, while the table behind us had unsheathed a 2000 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino. The table of young people to my left pulled a cheap magnum of Yellow Tail chardonnay and a six-pack of Amstel Light from a plastic shopping bag.
Then the gray-haired gentleman and his date took their seats next to us. He flipped open the metal case and, with a flourish, unpacked a rare cult cabernet sauvignon that would retail for more than $200. But this guy hadn't just brought his own bottle. He also unwrapped two gleaming Reidel crystal glasses. The restaurant stemware apparently wasn't good enough.
It's hard to think of another city where a diner might feel similarly empowered. At a traditional restaurant with an established wine list and the service to go along with it, such an act would be considered heresy. But as David Snyder, who writes the popular blog PhilaFoodie.com, put it, "There's a little bit of rebellion here. You and the restaurant are sort of on the same level."
Over the past decade, Philadelphia has experienced an astounding boom in BYOB dining. When Audrey Claire opened in 1996, it was one of only two fine-dining BYOBs in the city, along with longtime favorite Dmitri's. Now, in the metropolitan region, there are more than 240.
According to a recent survey by the online reservation service OpenTable.com, 63 percent of Philadelphia diners said they had taken their own wine to a fine-dining restaurant within their last 10 meals. That's compared to a national average of 27 percent and more than double the percentages in New York and wine-crazy San Francisco. In the OpenTable.com survey, Washington's diners were the least likely to bring their own wine to a restaurant; brown-bagging to unlicensed restaurants in the District is illegal, and corkage policies at licensed restaurants are all over the map.
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp. promotes the BYOB concept to out-of-towners under the slogan "Brown-bagging is chic." The Zagat guide to Philadelphia is the only one that has its own separate category for BYOB restaurants.
Philadelphia Inquirer restaurant critic Craig LaBan says the prevalence of these no-liquor-license restaurants, which charge no corkage fee, has shifted the balance of power. "One of the biggest flashpoints for diner angst is dealing with a wine," he says. At a BYOB, diners don't have to depend on the advice of a sommelier to help them navigate a wine list or worry about an "incorrect" choice.
A major reason for the rise of the BYOB has been the state-controlled monopoly on wine distribution. Restaurants and consumers must buy their wine through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, which also operates all the retail wine stores. In general, wines are more expensive than through private distributors. That means small profit margins for restaurateurs -- unless they triple or quadruple the price. But since everyone is buying from the same source, diners are extremely price conscious.
Budget-mindedness is a big part of the BYOB appeal. Snyder says he recently found a bottle at a state liquor store for $14 that he'd ordered in a restaurant for $50. For diners with more expensive taste in wine, the same $30 or $40 that wouldn't get them too far in a restaurant can open up whole new categories of quality in a wine shop.
At a state liquor store, for instance, I recently bought a $25 bottle of Nebbiolo that I've seen on several restaurant wine lists for well over $60. With it stowed in a brown bag, I braved an hour-long wait at Melograno, one of the best of the city's many Italian BYOBs. The wine was an especially nice complement to roasted quail stuffed with figs and walnuts.
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PHILADELPHIA It was the guy with the shiny metal case. He's the one who drove home how much the bring-your-own-bottle aesthetic has profoundly changed this city's dining scene.
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White House Talk - washingtonpost.com
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What's going on inside the White House? Ask Dan Froomkin, who writes the White House Watch column for washingtonpost.com. He answered your questions, took your comments and links, and pointed you to coverage around the Web on Wednesday, March 7, at 1 p.m. ET.
Dan is also deputy editor of Niemanwatchdog.org.
Dan Froomkin: Hi everyone and welcome to a special Libby-verdict-inspired edition of White House Watch.
My column today, which should be out momentarily, starts with a call to my colleagues in the media to hold their breath and stamp their feet until President Bush and Vice President Cheney explain themselves.
Well, I exaggerate somewhat. But my point is that the media needs to stop giving any credence to the White House's bogus excuse that the "ongoing criminal investigation" precludes them from answering critically important questions about their role in this sordid saga (from beginning to cover-up) and, more generally, how things operate over there.
So much to talk about today, so let's go.
Bronx, N.Y.: Do you think we will ever know what was in Bush's and Cheney's testimonies to the grand jury?
Dan Froomkin: I'm still hopeful. There are many ways they could become public. It could get leaked (my e-mail address is froomkin@washingtonpost.com). They could be turned over as evidence in the Wilson's civil case. Someone in Congress could (I think) subpoena them.
I'm very, very eager to see what they said. And I think it's in the public's interest to know.
Arlington, Va.: Do you think a pardon is in the cards for Scooter? Don't you think the administration feels they owe him one for taking one for the team? Does the President really have anything to lose by granting him one?
Dan Froomkin: Those are all good questions.
I'll write more about the pardon issue in tomorrow's column, but I think it's imperative on the press to put that potential pardon in context.
Here's one possible context: Is Bush ready to say that it's OK to break the law -- as long as you work in the White House?
When will they ever learn?: Given what we've learned about how this administration (and presumably previous administrations) attempt to use the anonymous quote for their own purposes, why in the world did Peter Baker's front page story this morning include the following:
"A senior official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the president ordered aides not to comment publicly, disputed the idea that Bush has escaped scrutiny in the past."
What does the reader gain from this anonymous spin? Why does The Post countenance this? If the White House wants to spin this issue, let them do it on the record.
washingtonpost.com: For an Opaque White House, A Reflection of New Scrutiny (Post, March 7)
Dan Froomkin: OK, that's a good point. That official wasn't saying anything that merited anonymity. I can understand why Baker might have granted said official confidentiality in the hopes he would say something significant and important. But you're right, there's no need to print anonymous spin.
Madison, Wis.: Hi Dan, in light of the Bush administration's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day yesterday, can you think of anything they can do to turn things around? The only thing that I can come up with is jettisoning Cheney and then doing an about-face on a number of issues, and chalking it all up to bad advice from the former VP.
Dan Froomkin: That would certainly change the dynamics around here. But I'm not sure Bush actually regrets any of the decisions that have led us to where he is today.
New Hampshire: Hi Dan. Do you have any thoughts on the Post's editorial today? (I am still trying to pick my jaw off the floor.)
washingtonpost.com: The Libby Verdict: The serious consequences of a pointless Washington scandal (Post, March 7)
Dan Froomkin: Funny you should ask. Here's what I write in today's column: "Washington's media elites have been against this case from the beginning, seeing Fitzgerald and Wilson as unwelcome interlopers threatening the cozy relationship between the city's top political journalists and their sources.
"So perhaps today's Washington Post editorial shouldn't come as a surprise. And yet it does.
"The Post's editorial grudgingly acknowledges that 'Mr. Libby's conviction should send a message to this and future administrations about the dangers of attempting to block official investigations.' But, making assertions that aren't supported by facts that have been reported by its own news operation and others, the editorial concludes that the guilty verdict is of all things a vindication of the White House and an indictment of the prosecutor.
"'The trial has provided convincing evidence that there was no conspiracy to punish Mr. Wilson by leaking Ms. Plame's identity -- and no evidence that she was, in fact, covert,' it says.
"'It would have been sensible for Mr. Fitzgerald to end his investigation after learning about Mr. Armitage. Instead, like many Washington special prosecutors before him, he pressed on, pursuing every tangent in the case. In so doing he unnecessarily subjected numerous journalists to the ordeal of having to disclose confidential sources or face imprisonment.'"
That said, I also quote at some length several really eloquent and less contrarian editorials from other newspapers today. Well worth reading.
(My column will be up very shortly I promise.)
Dan Froomkin: You left out one "Guilty!"
President's Improved Eyesight: Dan, I'm curious: How is it that the President, after nearly four years, can't tell if there is a "civil war" in Iraq, yet he can spot the progress of his surge after only a few days?
Dan Froomkin: He definitely has selective vision.
Don't forget that just a few days after he said "It's hard for me, living in this beautiful White House, to give you an assessment, firsthand assessment" of whether there's a civil war in Iraq, he flew down to the Gulf Coast and told folks at a cafe in New Orleans: "Sometimes it's hard to see progress when you're living close to the scene."
Rolla, Mo.: I love Dana Perino's statement that the White House refusal to comment on the case is a "principled stand." If only they had been so principled with information on a certain covert agent years ago.
Dan Froomkin: As I write in today's column -- which is NOW AVAILABLE HERE! -- "responding to a question about Bush's avowed adherence to "the highest ethical standards," Perino offered this as an example: 'I think the President has had a very principled and responsible stand to not comment on the ongoing criminal matter in any way, shape, or form, and that has been his position. It's been the -- it's a responsible one, it's a principled one, and that's what he's done.'
"So that's the new ethical gold standard for the White House: A principled refusal to comment on the conviction of a top aide?"
Annapolis, Md.: Dan, I love your column, and thanks for taking the question today. What, after the firings of the U.S. Attorneys, is the next big scandal for this White House? On a different note -- if Cheney resigns for health reasons, who on Earth possibly would want to replace him? I think that if there were a viable option he would be gone already.
washingtonpost.com: Prosecutors Say They Felt Pressured, Threatened (Post, March 7)
Dan Froomkin: One question at a time!
On any other day, I would have written at length about the firings of the U.S. attorneys. Yes, I think this has legs. And I can't imagine the White House wasn't intensely involved.
As for replacing Cheney, it is kind of unthinkable. But unless Bush installed some grizzled caretaker, you'd have to assume that Bush would put in whomever he consider the Republican heir apparent for 2008.
Arlington, Va.: Hi Dan. Reading Peter Baker's chat earlier today, he explained his anonymous quote was included to illustrate, in general, the White House's view. And it makes perfect sense that they think they've been held plenty accountable in the past six years.
That said, I think everyone can agree the "on background" and unattributed quoting has gotten out of hand. Collusion among reporters probably is not in the offing, but isn't it possible to essentially stop using unattributable quotes, and see if it doesn't at least discourage that sort of thing?
washingtonpost.com: Post Politics Hour (washingtonpost.com, March 7)
Dan Froomkin: I hadn't had a chance to read Peter's chat yet. I think it's great that Peter took that question. Go read his answer. Fascinating stuff.
Washington: So, Dan, have you entered Al Kamen's latest T-shirt contest yet? Let's see, it's gotta be a Friday night, after the filing deadlines, on a busy news day ... buried by a story like "Troops Come Home" ... hmmmm...
washingtonpost.com: Guess Libby's Pardon Date, Win a T-Shirt (Post, March 7)
Dan Froomkin: I was both amused and horrified by Kamen's column today.
That's actually high praise; it's the reaction I'm constantly going for.)
On the one hand, it's funny as heck -- and I would put my money on Christmas Eve 2008.
But I really don't want the press to act like a pardon is a foregone conclusion. It shouldn't be. Historically, the prospect of widespread public opprobrium has at least been considered a mitigating factor in the awarding of pardons to presidential cronies.
Minneapolis: Help me with something here, Dan, because I'm worried I'm being a bit dense. I hear in multiple media sources that the fact that Novak's source was Armitage, not Libby, means that the whole Libby trial was a worthless exercise that doomed this noble government servant. But we know that several officials (Libby included) were leaking information. Why does the fact that no one Libby talked to printed the information mean that the leak shouldn't be investigated? To draw a parallel, if I give privileged information to a Chinese spy but he doesn't send the information back to Beijing, I'm still guilty of espionage, right?
Dan Froomkin: Yes. And I thought Fitzgerald was quite persuasive in his response to his critics yesterday. Here's a partial transcript from CNN.
What he said was that by the time he took the case, there was a big whopping lie just sitting out there. So what else could he have done?
"If people would step back and look at what happened here, when the investigation began in the fall of 2003, and then when it got appointed to the special counsel at the end of December 2003, what is now clear is what we knew at that time.
"By that point in time, we knew Mr. Libby had told a story that what he had told reporters had come not from other government officials but from reporter Tim Russert.
"It's also now public that by that point in time the FBI had learned that, in fact, Tim Russert did not tell Mr. Libby that information. In fact, Tim Russert didn't know it. Tim Russert could not have told him.
"And for us, as investigators and prosecutors, to take a case where a high-level official is telling a story that the basis of his information wasn't from government officials but came from a reporter, the reporter had told us that was not true, other officials had told us the information came from them, we could not walk away from that.
"And to me, it's inconceivable that any responsible prosecutor would walk away from the facts that we saw in December 2003 and say, 'There's nothing here; move along, folks.'"
Winnipeg, Canada: Here's the latest conspiracy theory: you used to be second on the scroll-down menu for commentary, and now you are second-to-last. Is this a subtle attempt to diminish your audience?
Dan Froomkin: No. If you're talking about the scroll-down menu on the home page, they made it alphabetical.
Washington: Uh, Dan ... "Historically, the prospect of widespread public opprobrium has at least been considered a mitigating factor in the awarding of pardons to presidential cronies." Who pardoned Caspar Weinberger and the rest of the Iran-Contra gang? Did you forget? Public opprobrium has a short shelf-life.
Dan Froomkin: That would be Bush 41. I didn't say opprobrium was a deciding factor....
McLean, Va.: I agree with your recent observations about Tony "I don't know" Snow. Given that the daily briefing has become such a farce, why is it that the networks keep sending people?
Dan Froomkin: The networks can be somewhat forgiven, as they have an insatiable desire for video. The better question: why do the print people go? And a partial answer is that there does seem to be a gradual trend toward fewer of them showing up.
Prescott, Ariz.: Following up on the "President's improved eyesight," I think it is important to keep in mind that every single year we have been engaged in Iraq, there has been a drop in violence coming in January that lasted through most of the spring. Brookings Institute has a good chart of violence broken down by month (.pdf) where you can see this very well -- it is on page 21 of the document. I don't know why this occurs but I bet it is weather-related. Now, I always have thought they would start the surge in January, throw up some stats that show a drop in attacks from December and say how great their plan was working. I wrote a lot of journalists to warn them of this (some even acknowledged me), but it looks like more work is to be done.
Dan Froomkin: What an interesting observation. Thanks.
Ann Arbor, Mich.: Dan, you are the best thing about The Washington Post in my opinion. Can you comment on the role of bloggers in this trial? Were you very impressed with firedoglake and their coverage? (Yes, shameless plug.)
Dan Froomkin: Thanks. I think what firedoglake.com did with this trial was not just impressive, it was transformative. By offering the public live-blogging of this very important trial, you not only put the MSM to shame, but actually became a must-read for journalists who couldn't attend the trial, but wanted to get a better and faster sense of what was going on than they could from their own colleagues.
I'm not saying that the MSM should emulate everything bloggers do -- far from it -- but the blogosphere's enthusiasm for this story was something to behold, and admire.
Blacksburg, Va.: How can the question of Valerie Plame Wilson's status at the CIA (covert or not) finally be cleared up?
Dan Froomkin: Wouldn't that be nice? Fitzgerald tried to clear it up yesterday, stating quite definitively that her status was classified. Which means that while she technically may not have been covert by the standards of the IIPA, her identity as an operative was secret, and should not have been disclosed. Given the continued debate over what is a fact, it would be nice if it were revisited journalistically and definitively.
Austin, Texas: Judging from their initial responses to the conviction, it looks like Libby's defenders are going to lean heavily on Armitage's leak -- and Fitzgerald's refusal to indict Armitage -- in making the case for a pardon. Do you think they can get away with that?
Dan Froomkin: If the press lets them get away with it, yes. If we remind people that Armitage didn't lie to investigators, but Libby did, then maybe not.
Dan Froomkin: Thanks everyone for all the great questions. See you next week!
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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White House Watch columnist Dan Froomkin takes your questions on the latest White House coverage.
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Bank Chief to Apologize for Overcharges
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The chief executive of Chase Card Services, one of the nation's five largest credit card issuers, will apologize to Congress today for charging a financially strapped customer $7,500 in interest charges and late fees on purchases of $3,200, the company said yesterday.
Richard J. Srednicki's apology before the Senate permanent subcommittee on investigations will follow testimony by the customer, Ohio resident Wesley Wannemacher, on how Chase's penalty fees and interest charges made his initial bill triple over six years.
The hearing by the subcommittee, part of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, will examine credit card industry practices that subcommittee Chairman Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) says are "unfair" and "unethical."
The hearing follows a Senate Banking Committee hearing in January on credit card industry practices. The two are part of a wider focus by the new Congress, now controlled by Democrats, on financial practices that affect rank-and-file consumers, including those in the home-lending and retirement-savings industries.
Wannemacher has paid the bank $6,300 -- nearly twice the amount of his original purchase -- since March 2001. At the end of February, he still owed $4,400.
Last week, after subcommittee staff members called Chase for comment on the situation, Chase officials telephoned Wannemacher to say that he no longer owed the bank the $4,400 and that the bank erred in imposing so many penalties. Bank officials yesterday said they should have put him in a repayment assistance program in 2005, where many penalty fees and charges would have been waived. Chase said that as a result of his case, it will no longer charge additional over-limit fees after a customer is over his or her limit for more than 90 days.
"Clearly, some companies have stepped over the line," the subcommittee's ranking Republican, Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota, said at a briefing yesterday about what subcommittee staffers found after a months-long investigation of credit card industry practices.
Last week, Citigroup, which will also testify today, announced that it would end two policies that consumer groups and some members of Congress have criticized as unfair and abusive -- "universal default," under which a cardholder's interest rate on a Citibank card increases if the holder is late on a payment for another, non-Citibank credit card, and reserving the right to raise a customer's credit-card interest rate at "any time for any reason."
Ed Yingling, head of the American Bankers Association, said the actions by Citigroup and Chase reflect a "recognition in the industry that things have become too complicated and that it's working to address these issues voluntarily." He said, "I think you are going to see more of it."
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher J. Dodd (D.-Conn.) and Levin have told the industry that it must fix such problems or expect lawmakers to take action, either by pushing bank regulators to tighten lending rules or by introducing legislation banning the practices.
In addition to Wannemacher -- whose experience is not uncommon, consumer groups and Dodd, Levin and other lawmakers say -- today's hearing will focus on a practice that subcommittee staff say all major card issuers use: charging interest on balances that customers have paid on time.
A typical example works this way, according to Levin and Coleman: A customer charges $5,020 in merchandise and pays $5,000 of it by the payment-due date after getting the first bill. The next bill will include the $20 that wasn't paid but also $34.78 in interest charges on the entire $5,020.
If the customer had paid the entire $5,020, no interest charge would have been imposed. In short, credit card companies eliminate the grace period in which no interest is charged if the balance isn't paid in full every month. This practice hurts millions of customers who pay their bills on time, the senators said.
Bank of America, which will also have an executive testifying today; Discover; and Capital One, based in McLean, are the other top issuers besides Chase and Citigroup. The five control 80 percent of the credit card market.
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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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Bill Passed to Protect Homeless
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The Senate approved a bill yesterday that would make Maryland the second state to add homeless people to the groups protected under hate crimes laws.
The legislation was approved 38 to 9 after a brief but pointed debate over whether ample evidence existed that homeless people are being targeted for crimes. Some critics also said the measure watered down the original hate crimes law by adding another group.
Under current law, violators are subject to additional penalties if their crime is motivated by another person's race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or national origin.
Sen. Alex X. Mooney (R-Frederick) said he thought homeless people should be included under the law, based on numerous attacks reported across the country. Maine passed a similar measure last year.
The bill goes to the House of Delegates for approval.
"Maryland has made it clear they are going to have the policy of hate crimes [laws]. Going right along with that, it's only fair to include vulnerable groups in our society," Mooney said.
Nationally, attacks on homeless people have been on the rise. The National Coalition for the Homeless recorded 142 incidents last year, up from 86 in 2005 and the most since the survey began in 1999. The group has recorded two attacks in Maryland in the past three years; one resulted in a death.
Critics of the bill said the legislation was not needed.
"There's a cynical side to this bill," said Sen. E.J. Pipkin (R-Queen Anne's), who voted against it. "All crimes are hateful. . . . I just think we could be undermining the original intent of the hate crimes law."
He predicted that next year the General Assembly would consider a bill to add the disabled. The Senate rejected an amendment to this year's bill to include the disabled because it was filed late.
Pipkin said he is not against the idea behind hate crimes laws, but "why are crimes against me less hateful?"
Sen. Lisa A. Gladden (D-Baltimore) said Mooney offered compelling evidence during the bill hearing to warrant passage.
Gladden said she was offended last year when the Senate debated a bill to expand the law to include crimes based on the sexual orientation of the victim and Mooney, an outspoken conservative, offered several amendments to include other groups of people, including homeless people. She and several colleagues argued that Mooney was attempting to kill the bill, which eventually passed.
Gladden said she was convinced after hearing testimony from homeless advocates and watching a video called "Bumfights," in which homeless people are attacked or fight each other for sport.
"The homeless need to be a protected class," Gladden said. "We should get to a point in America where we don't need hate crimes [laws], but we're not there yet."
There have been 614 violent acts against the homeless nationally in the past eight years, including 189 deaths, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless.
Jessica Schuler, a policy analyst at the organization, said the 65 percent increase from 2005 to 2006 was the largest one-year jump in attacks the group has recorded.
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The Senate approved a bill yesterday that would make Maryland the second state to add homeless people to the groups protected under hate crimes laws.
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School Administrators Say NCAA Crackdown on 'Diploma Mills' Is Flawed
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More than a year after the initial published report on the problem, the NCAA on Monday handed down relevant penalties to a prep basketball power with questionable academic practices. In a news release, the NCAA heralded the announcement as evidence of its "continuing effort to better ensure the integrity of academic credentials."
But school administrators across the nation say the NCAA's effort to clean up prep basketball and eliminate schools that serve as "diploma mills" has caused as many problems as it's solved.
Since it announced July 5 that it had found more than 30 problematic private schools, the NCAA impugned schools that never have fielded basketball teams and punished schools that do not exist, administrators said. It confused two sets of schools with the same name. It sanctioned a program for special-needs children in Virginia and an alternative education program run by a California probation department.
This summer, it questioned the academics at two prominent Virginia schools, Oak Hill and Fork Union, and abruptly cleared them a couple weeks later. In at least one other case, the NCAA publicly tarnished a program, cleared it, yet did not announce the change.
Even the bans announced Monday of Lutheran Christian Academy (Philadelphia), Florida Preparatory Academy (Port Charlotte), American Academy High School (Miami) and Prince Avenue Preparatory Academy (Pickens, S.C.) are imperfect. Florida Prep is closed, and there have been two American Academy schools in Miami cited by the NCAA, but it's unclear which school had been cleared.
"The whole thing is a mess," said Cal Woolard, an administrator at Riverview Learning Center in Chesapeake, Va., a temporarily banned school that serves students with learning disabilities. "The NCAA's got the wrong schools. They're confused. They've got a bunch of mistakes, and we had a nightmare of a time getting them to correct it."
Since it started its investigation in April, the NCAA has reviewed 200 nontraditional high schools and sent investigators to visit about 20 schools, said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president of membership services. It continues to investigate schools with perceived academic irregularities.
Lennon said the NCAA investigated only schools that had applied to the NCAA Clearinghouse, an independent organization that certifies the academic records of prospective athletes. But administrators of many of the programs said they never submitted anything to the Clearinghouse. One said that she is such a non-sports fan that she had never heard of the NCAA.
"We're not out there digging up schools that don't have teams and that sort of thing," Lennon said last night. "It certainly wasn't a witch hunt."
The Washington Post reported first on Lutheran Christian, finding that the school had only one full-time employee, the basketball coach, and quoted anonymously a player who said no schoolwork was required to get grades that would make a player eligible in college.
The NCAA's announcement Monday does not change the eligibility status of former Lutheran Christian players, including George Washington guard Maureece Rice, who scored a team-high 16.1 points per game for the Colonials (20-8). Another Lutheran Christian product, Omar Williams, played a key role on last season's NCAA tournament team.
Forward Marc Egerson, also from Lutheran Christian, left Georgetown in January to transfer to Delaware. Three Lutheran Christian players are starters at Texas-El Paso and another, Theo Davis, would have been a part of Gonzaga's run to the NCAA tournament but was injured and then suspended after being arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
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Hearings for 14 Guantanamo Detainees to Be Held in Secret, Officials Say
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Military tribunals are scheduled to begin Friday for 14 high-value foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but the hearings to determine whether they are enemy combatants will take place behind closed doors because of the risk that top-secret information could surface, defense officials said yesterday.
The hearings will be the first secret Combatant Status Review Tribunals at Guantanamo; similar proceedings for hundreds of other detainees have been open to news media.
The hearings were to be the first time men such as Khalid Sheik Mohammed -- the alleged architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks -- made public appearances since their arrests and years-long detention in secret CIA facilities.
Instead, the 14 detainees will face separate three-officer panels out of view and without a lawyer. They will each have a government-provided personal representative and the opportunity to address the tribunals. None of the men has seen anyone other than his captors, except for representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross who visited shortly after their arrival in September.
Though President Bush has determined that the detainees are enemy combatants, new U.S. laws require the tribunals. If the detainees are found to be enemy combatants, they will be entitled to annual reviews of their status until they face trial.
Defense officials also announced that a second round of annual reviews for 328 detainees had been completed, with 55 getting recommendations for transfer to their home nations and 273 being referred for continued detention at Guantanamo.
There are 385 detainees at the facility; about 80 have been cleared for transfer to other countries. It is unclear what will happen to detainees who are not cleared for transfer but have not been charged with crimes, although Bush has expressed a desire to close the detention facility.
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Military tribunals are scheduled to begin Friday for 14 high-value foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but the hearings to determine whether they are enemy combatants will take place behind closed doors because of the risk that top-secret information could surface, defense officials said yesterday....
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Legislation Would Repeal Walter Reed Closure
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Revelations of shoddy facilities and bureaucratic nightmares at Walter Reed Army Medical Center have tarnished the reputation of the renowned military hospital. But they may also have given the 98-year-old facility a second life.
The furor surrounding the treatment of wounded soldiers has prompted some lawmakers, veterans and Army officials to ask: Why is the Defense Department closing Walter Reed -- where more than 6,000 soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan have been treated since 2002 -- in the middle of a war with mounting casualties?
Congress approved and President Bush signed into law the recommendation of the federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission in 2005 that Walter Reed be closed and consolidated with the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, where a $2 billion expansion is being planned.
The debate has been fueled by testimony from Army officials that the problems in outpatient care have been exacerbated, in part, by the planned closure in 2011. Commanders said this has created "instability" at the hospital and made it difficult to keep a good work force, which is two-thirds civilian.
"The BRAC pressure is clear," agreed Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.). "What it does is send the signal to everybody: Go look for another job because we think it's going to close down." Norton said she will introduce legislation seeking to repeal the planned closure of Walter Reed.
The issue also arose at a hearing yesterday before the Senate Armed Services Committee. "I have concerns, as we go through this long war, about taking down capacity that may be needed," testified Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff.
"I think we should take a second look at that decision about Walter Reed," Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) responded.
Appearing on the same panel, William Winkenwerder, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, defended the plan to close the Army hospital, arguing that the problems there were not "in any way related" to the decision.
The BRAC commission recommendation to close Walter Reed was part of a package of base closings nationwide that was adopted by Congress. New legislation would be required to overturn the decision, an unprecedented move that could reopen debate over recommendations to close other bases.
Some area lawmakers say the climate of national outrage surrounding the disclosures at Walter Reed might persuade Congress to overturn or at least delay the closure.
"You can always overturn the law," said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.). "I think on this BRAC in particular, you might see some things. If you're Eleanor, you've got to seize the moment."
"This is something we should be looking at, and looking at right away," Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who represents Bethesda in Congress, said yesterday. "I think everyone would agree that the priority has to be that the soldiers at Walter Reed get the best possible care."
But Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.), the ranking minority member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, cautioned during yesterday's hearing that it would be expensive to reverse the decision. He urged that the committee instead expedite spending on the planned expansion at Bethesda and a new regional Army hospital at Fort Belvoir.
The BRAC process, establishing independent commissions to decide what military bases should be closed to save money, was created by Congress to prevent political interference. Reversing the Walter Reed decision would be complex and unprecedented.
"Congress would have to invalidate the existing regulation and create a whole new law, and once they did that, there would be enormous pressure to include other facilities," said Jeremiah Gertler, a senior analyst for the 1995 BRAC commission.
In reaching the decision to close Walter Reed, the 2005 commission concluded that it was wasteful to operate two major medical centers less than 10 miles apart. The planned consolidation of the Army and Navy facilities into the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is aimed at creating what would perhaps be the nation's premier military facility for treating wounded troops, research and education.
The Navy is moving forward with preliminary plans to expand the Bethesda campus, including the construction of a new hospital building adjacent to the existing facility.
A draft environmental impact study is to be completed in June. Last month, the Navy awarded an $8 million contract to a Virginia-based joint venture firm for architectural and engineering services.
"We have been given a mandate to move forward with the BRAC and we're doing that, because there has been no change that we know of," medical center spokesman Brian Badura said yesterday.
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Guess Libby's Pardon Date, Win a T-Shirt
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The verdict is in! Now it's time for the In the Loop Pardon Scooter Contest! Yes, simply pick the date that President Bush will pardon Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who, according to federal sentencing guidelines, is looking at 18 months to three years in the slammer.
U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton has set June 5 for sentencing. He has discretion to order Libby immediately to prison or let him stay out until his appeals are exhausted. So, assuming that Bush -- who could pardon immediately if he wanted -- won't allow Libby to spend time behind bars, he might need to act then.
If not, the next likely pardon time would be when the U.S. Appeals Court for the D.C. Circuit announces its decision on Libby's appeal. That can take many months. The court recently has been averaging about 15 months from appeal to decision. By that schedule, it could rule on Libby's appeal in September 2008, right before the election.
If Libby loses the appeal, Walton may decide then to order him to prison. This would make it decision time again for Bush. It's not a squeeze the White House wants to be in.
The best hope for the White House would be if Libby stays out pending appeal and the appeals court doesn't rule until after the election. Then a pardon might come along with the Thanksgiving turkey or around Christmas.
Send your entries -- one date only: month, day and year -- to: intheloop@washpost.com. Ten people closest to the pardon date will receive a coveted In the Loop T-shirt. You must include your name and telephone numbers to be eligible. Deadline is March 14, assuming Bush doesn't act before then.
Maybe it's not Tom Cruise jumping the couch, but Justice Clarence Thomas, in a most unusual interview in the current Business Week, angrily denounces "the media" and the idea that he benefited from what some might call "affirmative action."
The magazine's senior writer, Diane Brady, had barely said "hello" in the justice's chambers in January when Thomas launched into a tirade. "One of the reasons I don't do media interviews is, in the past, the media often has its own script. . . . The media, unfortunately, have been universally untrustworthy" -- no exceptions, it seems -- "because they have their own notions of what I should think or I should do."
Brady, after much effort, got the rare interview because she was writing an article about Thomas's beloved college mentor, the Rev. John E. Brooks, the former president of Holy Cross College, who set out in 1968 to recruit African Americans to the Massachusetts school. Brooks had asked Thomas to see her.
Thomas, despite his view of reporters, talked on and on, unburdening at length about his life, his days at Holy Cross and at Yale Law School and his current job. (See a redacted transcript at http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/07_11/b4025080.htm?chan=g1)
Brooks, then a dean at the college, went to inner-city Catholic schools, offering scholarships and even driving some kids from Philadelphia to the Worcester campus to have a look. He saw the number of blacks go up from about two per class of 650 a couple years earlier, to 28 entering in 1968.
The extraordinary group, in addition to Thomas, included Ted Wells, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's attorney who was named 2006 Lawyer of the Year by the National Law Journal; former New York City deputy mayor and investment banker Stanley E. Grayson; and Eddie J. Jenkins, a former pro football player and now chair of the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.
So this recruitment drive, which in no way amounted to affirmative action but miraculously boosted black enrollment, maybe helped Thomas? Brady asked.
"Oh, no," he said. "I was going to go home to Savannah," after he left a Missouri seminary, "when a nun suggested Holy Cross. That's how I wound up there. Your industry has suggested that we were all recruited. That's a lie. Really, it's a lie. I don't mean a mistake. It's a lie," Thomas said.
Had to be intentional. After all, no reporter would have thought everyone had been recruited when only 27 of 28 were. "I was never recruited," Thomas said. "The others were recruited." Thomas said he got there by "total serendipity. I just showed up. But somebody had to recognize it was a good place to be, and it was a Franciscan nun."
Others in Thomas's group don't seem as bothered by the notion that Holy Cross finally reached out to minority students. Noting his unimpressive SAT scores and unexciting high school grades, Edward P. Jones told BusinessWeek: "Five years earlier, Holy Cross would not have chosen me." Jones, of course, is the Washington native and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the bestseller: "The Known World."
Thomas said he is working on his memoirs -- he got a $1.5 million advance from HarperCollins a while back, but it doesn't appear he'll be finishing any time soon.
Loop Fans will be able to read "Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas," by our colleagues Kevin Merida and Michael A. Fletcher, coming out April 24. Former Baltimore mayor and now Howard University law school Dean Kurt Schmoke says the book "is not a collection of preconceived notions in search of supporting facts."
Thomas, who now sits atop the legal world, also complained of "the exhaustion."
What sort of exhaustion? Brady asked.
"Everything," Thomas said. "Mental. Physical. Spiritual. Just constant change. You just want to slow down. You see people take a walk and you want to, too."
Imagine how he'd feel if he'd been on the court in the 1980s, when they had twice as many opinions to write and arguments to hear as they do now. Then there are those exhausting summers off.
Moving On . . .
James Glassman, television pundit, American Enterprise Institute scholar, former editor of Roll Call, former Washington Post columnist and author of books including our favorite -- "Dow 36,000: The New Strategy for Profiting From the Coming Rise in the Stock Market" -- is said to be getting the job of chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, a part-time -- but time-consuming -- gig overseeing the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks and the Cuba broadcasting operation.
Word spread yesterday that Federal Election Commission member Michael Toner will announce his departure today to start an election law practice in town. Toner came to the FEC in 2002 after a stint as chief counsel to the Republican National Committee and as general counsel to the Bush 2000 campaign.
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The verdict is in! Now it's time for the In the Loop Pardon Scooter Contest! Yes, simply pick the date that President Bush will pardon Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby , who, according to federal sentencing guidelines, is looking at 18 months to three years in...
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Fundraising Comes at Van Hollen Fast
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Now, his party is in power, he heads the Democrats' key fundraising arm, and he'll be judged in part by his ability to collect those bundles of checks from lobbyists.
The Democratic takeover last fall fostered change across Capitol Hill, but few are feeling the effects as directly as Van Hollen, the third-term congressman from Bethesda who will guide his party's 2008 House election efforts.
Van Hollen took over the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in December, and the next month he distributed a four-page memo outlining his plans for protecting newly elected lawmakers. Central to that plan is the goal of raising $650,000 to $1 million for those "front line" lawmakers by June 30.
"We dived in immediately," Van Hollen said in an interview. In 2006, Democrats had identified 12 lawmakers in vulnerable districts who needed help from the party to secure reelection. This time, the list includes 29, because Democrats were so successful in districts that usually lean Republican -- and they want to hang on to them. "It's our goal to make sure these members do everything they can to strengthen their position early on, and we want to help them," he said.
At times, that has meant engaging in the fundraising tactics that Republicans employed and Democrats decried. In recent weeks, Democrats enlisted support from their newly minted committee chairmen, who drew on the strength of their leadership posts to collect contributions. It has also meant scouring the terrain for donors as presidential candidates are vacuuming up contributions at a record pace.
Typically, about a third of the money raised by the DCCC comes from member contributions, a third flows from direct mail and Internet solicitations and a third comes from individual donors, records show.
In many instances, that money comes from lobbyists tasked with collecting checks from colleagues, clients, family and friends -- bundlers. It's the same crowd Van Hollen took a crack at last year, when he attached his disclosure proposal to legislation in committee.
"I'm still pushing the legislation," Van Hollen said last week. "And I don't see that it clashes with what I'm doing now."
Van Hollen said he is hopeful the proposal to have lobbyists' disclosure forms detailing what they gave directly, as well as what they raised from others, will have a chance at passage this session. Until then, "we're going to play by the same rules that exist for everybody else."
His Republican counterpart, Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, said Democrats are discovering what it is like to be in control after being out of power for more than a decade. That power has obvious advantages and some disadvantages -- putting Democrats on record in some tough votes on issues, such as Iraq, that the GOP hopes it can use in the next round of campaigning. By his count, Democrats will be trying to protect 61 lawmakers in seats where voters twice went for President Bush.
"I think our people generally recognize that 2006 was a once-in-a-generation election," Cole said. "They won't get two 2006's in a row."
Van Hollen's predecessor, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), said there is no question Democrats will face challenges in 2008. He said his experience working alongside Van Hollen in 2006 has buoyed his confidence for the upcoming effort.
Emanuel recalled confronting a tough choice late in the last campaign, when he needed to choose between two Democrats who needed a quick infusion of cash. (He wouldn't name them because he said the dilemma involved two current lawmakers.)
Van Hollen identified another race where Emanuel could find the money, so he could help both of the vulnerable Democrats.
"It freed up about $1.5 million, so we didn't have to choose between two different candidates," Emanuel said. "Yes, he's got to raise the money, develop the message, recruit the candidates and protect the incumbents. But to do that, he needs judgment. And that's what he showed."
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An Inspiration for Independence
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On a warm, dry evening 50 years ago, thousands of people packed the old polo ground in Accra, capital of the soon-to-be-independent country of Ghana. Ernest Tetteh was in his final year of high school and recalled that the atmosphere turned electric as midnight neared.
"People were very expectant," he recalled, noting the long struggle for independence during British rule in the West African colony. "People from the hinterlands, everybody came to Accra to join in the celebration."
Tetteh stood with his family and classmates waiting for the arrival of Kwame Nkrumah, independence leader and champion of African unity. Tetteh remembered how Nkrumah energized Ghanaians with a slogan of "self-government now" and an appeal "that anybody who does not have a job, anybody who sleeps on somebody else's patio, should come follow him."
Finally, Nkrumah swept through the crowd and climbed a wooden dais. One of several other leaders with him shouted "Attention! Attention!" Tetteh recalled, "and that is when Nkrumah declared that at long last, Ghana, your beloved country, is free forever."
On March 6, 1957, Ghana became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to break from colonial control, inspiring independence movements across the continent. Ghanaians marked the anniversary yesterday with celebrations in the country of about 22 million and in several U.S. cities, including Washington. Events continue this week and through the year under the theme of "championing African excellence."
The festivities have also brought on solemn discussions about Ghana's difficult journey since 1957 and Nkrumah's unfulfilled dreams.
Tetteh, now 69 and a Silver Spring resident, remembered that during the colonial era, "the strings of the administration were totally in the hands of the British government. They controlled finances, social welfare, defenses -- every aspect of government." The system left Ghanaians with "no pride whatsoever," said Tetteh, who served as counselor of information at the Ghanaian Embassy here in the 1970s before retiring and settling in the United States.
Many people thought life would instantly become easier after the British left, he said. "But a lot of people expected that it was going to be really hard work. There was expectation that we needed to harness every energy to build the country."
Ghanaians, especially older people, consider March 6, 1957, the beginning of an era of "euphoric hope," said Kwame Karikari, 60, who heads a nonprofit media foundation for West Africa. He was interviewed by telephone from Accra.
"I was going to school in my village. I remember clearly the cooking, the new clothes, the marches" that were part of that first celebration, Karikari said. "I also remember a number of tense political atmospheres. . . . These were exciting moments."
Karikari said Ghana's successes in recent years include political stability and greater protection of individual rights. But poverty remains "serious, widespread, deep and frightening," he said, and young Ghanaians are streaming out of the country in search of jobs.
Ghana's ambassador, Kwame Bawuah-Edusei, said Ghanaian immigrants are commemorating the anniversary with a focus on "economic emancipation" and programs to encourage development through investment. By official count, about 12,000 people who were born in Ghana live in the Washington metropolitan area, though Bawuah-Edusei said the actual number is several times higher.
"We had a big euphoria 50 years ago with political independence," he said. "But that has really dissipated because we've come to realize that political independence that is not complemented by economic empowerment doesn't really trickle down into your pockets and your lifestyle."
Ghana's economic slide began during the Nkrumah years, as he tried to eliminate the last vestiges of colonial rule with ultimately disastrous economic policies, Tetteh said. At the same time, his dedication to African unity and support of independence movements led him to some questionable decisions on domestic matters.
"We were stretching our hands everywhere, trying to train freedom fighters from other African countries, trying to go into an atomic energy project and other things," Tetteh said. As if to prove that Ghana was truly independent, he said, Nkrumah took several hasty steps, including issuing a new currency bearing his likeness.
Nkrumah was overthrown in 1966 by his military. Coups, repression and deepening poverty followed. Nkrumah died in exile in 1972.
Kevin Gaines, director of the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said some Ghanaians might say Nkrumah was "a bit of a grandiose dreamer, that his larger vision for African continental unity was sort of a quixotic thing. But that is and remains the source of his popularity throughout the black world."
"Africa needed and needs bold leadership," said Gaines, who is to speak today at Howard University about that era. "Nkrumah and his advisers realized early on that small African countries would continue to struggle if there weren't some kind of economic and political cooperation and unity."
"Nkrumah had his own faults," said Tetteh. "But there has not been another leader like Nkrumah. This I can assure you."
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One Chinese Woman's Path From Hinterlands To Top-Tier Athletics
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Liu's village lay at the end of a dirt road not far from the city of Jining, in southwestern Shandong province. Her father, a former soldier, could afford to give her a few cents each morning to buy a steamed bun or flour pancake on the way to school.
Today, Liu is a member of China's national women's soccer team, training day and night and hoping to play in the Women's World Cup that China is hosting this fall. Her journey out of poverty has been marked by single-mindedness and luck.
Not many rural children get a chance to work their way up to a place on a professional team in China, especially in sports popular among urbanites, such as soccer. In fact, Liu is one of the few members of the national team from the countryside. Most of the other women, whose ages range from 19 to 27, are from prosperous cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Dalian.
"I had never heard of soccer until I was 13, when I moved to the county for my fifth-grade studies," Liu recalled. "One day people from the local athletic school came to our school to select new members. The teacher recommended me because I was the fastest runner in the class. I wore a skirt and saddle shoes that day, and I just took off my shoes and ran."
It was her first time on a soccer field, she recalled, and when she was asked to join a group of boys who were already playing, she picked up the ball with both hands and ran for the goal. That blunder aside, she quickly won admirers.
"What impressed me most is her persistence and desire for improvement," said Lin Mo, 46, coach of the Shaanxi provincial soccer team. Lin visited in 1995 and selected nine candidates from the county athletic school, including Liu, then only 14.
At first, Liu was often benched in favor of older, more experienced players. Discouraged, she practiced harder.
"She practiced on weekends when other teammates were out shopping," Lin said. "She played soccer with her brain. She was the only one who kept asking questions until she got the answer and knew how to fix her problems."
Three years ago, Liu was asked to join the national team. Her provincial team had been training in Guangdong province when former national coach Zhang Haitao asked her what she could do.
"I can keep on running," Liu recalled saying, pausing because she was embarrassed about her technique and didn't know what else to say.
"Then it's enough, as long as I have your word," Zhang replied.
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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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Atkins Fares Best in Study Of Four Weight-Loss Regimens
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A year-long, head-to-head study of four widely used diets found that overweight women who followed the very low-carbohydrate Atkins diet had no adverse health effects and lost slightly more weight than women on the other three.
The study by Stanford University researchers compared the Atkins approach with three others: the standard low-fat, reduced-calorie regimen long recommended by many physicians and weight-loss experts; the Zone, a reduced-carbohydrate approach developed by author Barry Sears; and the very low-fat, high-carbohydrate regimen created by Dean Ornish.
The latest findings add to a growing body of evidence that the high-protein Atkins diet does not cause the harmful heart and artery effects long feared by many researchers.
Women who followed the Atkins plan had a significant drop in triglycerides, one of the unhealthful blood fats linked to a higher risk of heart disease. Their blood pressure also dropped the most of the four groups, a finding that the researchers think may relate to their slightly greater weight loss. Those in the Atkins group also experienced the largest increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), a protective type of cholesterol.
Most important, the Atkins group did not develop the soaring levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) that some experts have thought might result from eating a diet rich in saturated fat and cholesterol found in fatty cuts of meat, butter and cream. High levels of LDL are a major risk factor for heart disease. The study found that while LDL rose slightly for those in the Atkins group, their blood levels did not differ statistically from the other groups.
"This is the best study so far to compare popular diets," said Walter Willett, chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, because of its size, duration and the small number who dropped out. The findings confirm, he said, that reducing carbohydrates, "especially those with refined starch and sugar like that found in the U.S. diet, has metabolic benefits." It also shows that replacing these carbohydrates with either fat or protein "can improve blood cholesterol fractions and blood pressure," he said.
The findings "are pretty much in line with what all the other studies have shown comparing Atkins and low-fat diets," said Bonnie Brehm, assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and co-author of two, independent studies of the Atkins diet. "We have found the same thing with all of our trials."
As for weight loss, the goal that concerns dieters the most, none of the groups managed to shed the large numbers of pounds touted by weight-loss programs and television shows such as "The Biggest Loser."
All the participants reported eating about 2,000 calories a day when the study began. All also reported having cut their intake -- some by as much as 500 calories per day at two to six months -- but then gradually adding back many of those calories. But as researchers noted, if participants ate as little as they said, all the groups would have lost much more weight.
At first, the Atkins group lost weight faster. But as in previous studies, the pounds shed began to even out across the four groups. After a year, women in the Atkins group averaged a modest 10-pound loss compared with about six pounds for those in the other groups.
Both the authors and other weight-loss experts were quick to note that the new findings did not answer the question of what is the best way for most people to shed weight.
"This isn't a study testing how well you would do if you followed these diets to the letter," notes Christopher Gardner, assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center and lead author of the study, which appears in tomorrow's Journal of the American Medical Association. "This is a study that shows what happens if you bought the book and tried to follow" the diets, as most dieters do.
The 311 overweight and obese women in the study were randomly assigned to one of the four groups. Each received a book detailing her prescribed diet. For the first eight weeks, the women also attended one-hour weekly group sessions with a registered dietitian trained to explain the diet in detail. Participants received follow-up phone calls and e-mails to remind them of appointments, and they were paid $25 to $75 for each appointment they made.
Reactions to the findings were mixed.
"It's bad science, good publicity," said the Zone's Sears.
"For all practical purposes, the programs all worked about the same," said Kelly D. Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and creator of the Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships and Nutrition (LEARN) program for weight management, one of the diets studied. The extra four pounds lost by the Atkins group are not very meaningful, Brownell said.
"This study is seriously flawed, and its conclusions misleading," said Ornish, clinical professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. A careful read of the study shows "no significant difference in weight loss between the Atkins and Ornish or LEARN diets after one year!" he noted in an e-mail. "There was significantly more weight loss on the Atkins diet after one year only when compared with the Zone diet. This directly contradicts their primary conclusion."
All low-carbohydrate diets are not necessarily created equal, however. A study last year by Willett and his colleagues in the New England Journal of Medicine found that women on low-carb diets who ate mostly animal fat and animal protein did not reduce their risk of heart disease. But those who ate vegetable forms of protein, such as soy, and fat, such as olive oil, did reduce their risk of heart disease. As Willett said yesterday, "lower-carbohydrate diets look like a good option, but if you consider them, eat olive oil and fish rather than butter and sausage."
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A year-long, head-to-head study of four widely used diets found that overweight women who followed the very low-carbohydrate Atkins diet had no adverse health effects and lost slightly more weight than women on the other three.
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HIV Study Raises Caution About Circumcision
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Men with HIV who get circumcised hoping they will be less likely to transmit the AIDS virus may have a greater-than-normal risk of infecting their partners if they resume sexual activity too soon after the operation.
That observation -- drawn from preliminary analysis of a study in Uganda -- threatens to complicate efforts to tout circumcision as a new weapon against HIV in Africa.
Specifically, it suggests that public health campaigns promoting circumcision must also include messages, directed principally at women, warning of the extreme hazard of intercourse with HIV-positive men who have just had the procedure.
The new data were presented yesterday to 75 government health ministers, scientists and policymakers from the World Health Organization and the U.N. AIDS program, and other experts meeting in Montreux, Switzerland, to develop guidance on using circumcision as a prevention measure.
Three studies, including two published last month, show that circumcision lowers a man's risk of acquiring HIV infection by half -- protection roughly equivalent to a moderately effective vaccine.
Researchers hope it might indirectly protect women as well. That could happen because circumcised men are less likely to have genital ulcers, which increase an infected person's risk of transmitting the virus. More broadly, if circumcision reduces HIV prevalence in a whole population, both sexes will benefit.
"The data that we have heard do not derail [the potential usefulness of circumcision] by any means," said Kevin De Cock, director of the HIV/AIDS department at WHO. "What it does do is provide a little more insight about the complexities that face us."
The research covers the Rakai district of southern Uganda, which has been hard hit by the AIDS epidemic. The study is being run by Ugandan researchers and scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
It involved about 1,000 HIV-infected men, half of whom were randomly assigned to undergo circumcision. The researchers looked at the experience of 124 couples in which the regular female partner was uninfected at the time the man had the procedure.
Among 70 men who were circumcised, 11 transmitted HIV to their partners. Of the 54 who were not circumcised, four passed on the infection. Almost all new transmissions occurred in the first six months. Because there were so few cases in either group, the findings were not statistically significant and may have occurred only by chance.
Of 12 men who resumed sexual activity before a physician had "certified" them as healed, three transmitted the virus to a partner. Of 55 men who waited, six transmitted the virus. Healing takes about one month.
An independent panel of scientists overseeing the study recommended that no new volunteers be enrolled because, even though the early findings were not statistically significant, it concluded that the original hypothesis -- that uninfected women would indirectly benefit over the short term from male circumcision -- was unlikely to prove true.
Much remains unknown. For example, some infected women may have acquired HIV from someone other than their regular partner -- a possibility the researchers will now look into by doing genetic fingerprinting on both the men's and the women's viruses.
One leader of the study, Maria Wawer of Johns Hopkins, said that for the moment "the need for extreme precaution and abstinence from sex in the post-procedure period cannot be overemphasized."
David Serwadda, a public health physician at Uganda's Makerere University, said the demand for circumcision, in male infants and in adults, has risen noticeably in his country in recent months.
Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a bioethicist at the National Institutes of Health who has written about ethical issues of circumcision research, noted that "this is not the first public health measure that will require careful education of the population that is being targeted."
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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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Md. School Funding Mandate Is Imperiled
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A plan to require tens of millions of additional dollars a year in state spending on education in Montgomery and Prince George's counties has stalled in the Maryland General Assembly amid concerns about looming state budget deficits.
The bill, part of Gov. Martin O'Malley's legislative package, seeks to make good on his campaign promise to implement a part of Maryland's landmark Thornton education plan that former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) declined to fund.
But even some Washington area lawmakers are questioning the wisdom of mandating new spending when the state faces a $1.3 billion shortfall in its next budget. O'Malley (D) has not identified a way to pay for the initiative, which would send additional dollars to jurisdictions where education is considered more expensive.
"We're trying to put the brakes on anything even with the hint of additional spending," said Sen. P.J. Hogan (D-Montgomery), vice chairman of the Budget and Taxation Committee, who has been a leading proponent of the so-called Geographic Cost of Education Index. Hogan said his panel has no plans to discuss the bill until the closing days of the session.
When fully phased in, the index would steer an additional $43.7 million a year to Prince George's and an additional $34.7 million a year to Montgomery. The annual statewide cost would exceed $140 million.
The bill drafted by the O'Malley administration would require spending to begin in the fiscal year that starts in July 2008. Even so, O'Malley is seeking to lock down commitments from lawmakers this session to make the spending mandatory, like other parts of the 2002 Thornton law, which has dramatically boosted state spending on education.
"We had hoped, in an act of good faith, the legislature would join us in making it statutory rather than discretionary," O'Malley said. "We're still committed to the bill, and if we don't get it this year, we'll go for it again next year."
In 2002, lawmakers passed a bill that implemented recommendations by a commission named for its chairman, Alvin Thornton, that sought to address disparities in educational spending across Maryland jurisdictions. Lawmakers did not earmark a funding source for the $1.3 billion plan, which was to be phased in over five years.
The geographic index component of Thornton aimed to address the higher cost of educating students in the big suburban counties and in Baltimore.
If O'Malley's geographic funding bill fails, some lawmakers say, it would be a casualty of his decision to delay difficult choices required to bring the state budget into balance over the long term.
O'Malley has submitted a balanced budget proposal for the coming fiscal year, which starts in July, by relying heavily on surplus funds accumulated in recent years. But the consensus in Annapolis is that eliminating budget gaps in coming years will require spending cuts and tax increases. Some lawmakers argue that the solution should also require the legalization of slot-machine gambling.
Although a slots initiative is not expected to pass this year, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) and other supporters made a pitch yesterday for a plan to legalize up to 15,500 machines at seven locations.
"This bill is going to be a part of the final solution," Miller told the Senate's budget panel during a hearing on the bill, which he said would generate close to $800 million a year for educational needs.
O'Malley, who supports a more limited slots plan, has said repeatedly that he does not want to address the issue this year, telling reporters this week that "I'm not interested in throwing the session into gridlock."
House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) has said he also opposes debating slots this year.
Miller's appearance yesterday was part of an effort to jump-start a debate on the state's looming fiscal problems that will be unavoidable by next year.
In another acknowledgment of the difficult choices that lie ahead, lawmakers are considering making more than $100 million in cuts to O'Malley's budget proposal for the coming year, even though it was balanced as submitted. Part of the rationale is to create some savings headed into a difficult budget year.
Some of the cuts suggested by legislative staff members would curtail an O'Malley plan to boost state spending on stem cell research and imperil an O'Malley pledge to hold the line on state property taxes.
The fate this session of the geographic funding also remains in doubt. Miller said he is wary of committing to a costly initiative without a plan to pay for it.
"We've explained to the governor there are problems with the bill," Miller said. "It sends the wrong message if we're reckless enough to pass another program without a funding source."
Busch reiterated his support for the geographic component of the Thornton law and said lawmakers might be more comfortable passing legislation this year if a provision were added requiring O'Malley to identify a funding source by next year. "Many legislators feel it should have been funded all along," Busch said.
During last year's campaign, O'Malley harshly criticized Ehrlich for failing to fund the geographic index.
Washington area lawmakers were disappointed when O'Malley did not include any funding for the initiative in the budget he submitted in January. The legislation mandating funding in future years was intended to convey his commitment to the issue, however.
The index allocates additional funds to counties based on a complicated formula that includes housing costs, the percentages of students receiving subsidized lunches, the rates of violent crime and commuting times. By those measures, Prince George's is the most expensive place in Maryland to provide an education, followed by the city of Baltimore and Montgomery.
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A plan to require tens of millions of additional dollars a year in state spending on education in Montgomery and Prince George's counties has stalled in the Maryland General Assembly amid concerns about looming state budget deficits.
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Outlook: Mom, Not College-Bound Kid, Feels the Stress
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Author Susan Coll was online Monday, March 5, at noon ET to talk about her Sunday Outlook article about her real-life descent into the college-admittance madness of her own comic novel, "Acceptance" -- even as her son remained seemingly impervious to the stress.
Helicopter Parenting: Spiraling Out of Control (Post, March 4)
Susan Coll: Hi Everyone. I've thoroughly enjoyed corresponding with some of you via e-mail, and already have had more than a few suggestions that we helicopter parents all just relax and have a drink!
Arlington, Va.: Do you think this is a generational thing? I mean, are affluent Baby Boomer parents more extreme than, say, affluent Generation X parents? Are they equally nutty about raising kids?
Susan Coll: I think this is an excellent question, and one I set out to answer myself. My impression is that while we Baby Boomers frequently are blamed for creating this hysteria, I think we in fact are responding to a lot of changes in society that make us behave the way we do -- traffic, demographics and technology were some of the factors I mentioned in the piece -- but I see the next, younger generation of parents behaving pretty much the same way. I guess we can leave this to the sociologists to answer more fully.
Washington: Hello Ms. Coll. I am very interested in the smoke/fire ratio. Are college admissions that much more competitive (are there more college bound graduating seniors per school slot?) Or is there a shift in the approach to it that is difficult/foolish to ignore? Have you found any demographics one way or the other?
Susan Coll: I don't have the numbers at hand, but there definitely are more college bound seniors for a mostly static amount of slots. Also, as this has all become more competitive for a variety of reasons -- many of them good I think -- there are more students who look good on paper. Having a 4.0 isn't really that big of a deal anymore, especially with weighted GPAs.
Bethesda, Md.: What do you think your son will end up doing?
Susan Coll: Ha! That's a good question, one that surely will involve a family meeting. I'm impressed by his dedication in researching gap-year options. I'm fully in support of the idea in theory, but -- and I don't think he'll really mind my saying this -- the spring semester of his senior year has been something of a gap year, so perhaps Costa Rica can wait for junior year abroad.
Bethesda, Md.: Reading your article made me feel like an unfit parent, as my husband and I pretty much left our kids (and their guidance counselors) to their own devices in choosing and applying to colleges. We did make college visits and regularly talked about their quests -- big school, small school, urban/suburban, great band for the saxophonist, but that's about it. But the oldest two are happily through the University of Chicago and Washington University in St. Louis, while the youngest is a junior at Penn, so we must have done okay. Or maybe we were just lucky, but no one seems to have been harmed by our largely "hands-off" approach. P.S. -- Our kids went to Whitman, about the most intense place around, but they also seemed to get the help they needed without our direct intervention.
Susan Coll: Certainly that's a success story! We are lucky to have schools, such as Whitman, with good counselors and resources. Of course it's a double-edged sword with so much competition and the resources of a large public school system. Not all school systems are so lucky and it's good to remember this is a nice problem to have.
Washington: Nice piece and thanks for taking our questions. My child just started elementary school and I'm afraid my husband is becoming a helicopter parent -- do you have any advice for how to deal with this? Thanks.
Susan Coll: I suppose it's inevitable to have to do a little more "helicoptering" when children are young and need supervision. It's probably a question of where one draws the line -- certainly it seems unnecessary and counter-productive to drive a second-grader to overachieve, and elementary school does seem the one time it's not really necessary to worry so much about results. Of course, I'm speaking to you as a mother and comic novelist, not as any sort of expert!
Washington: Have you by any chance read "Excellence Without a Soul" by former Dean of Harvard Harry Lewis? It is quite interesting and discusses the impact to colleges and the educations they offer of phenomena like helicopter parenting and over-programmed kids ... you might find it interesting because it gets at what the (disappointing) end result is from some of these things and the impact to society.
Susan Coll: I haven't read that but will take a look. There are some good books out there that I came across as I thought about this piece: "The Over-Scheduled Child" by Alvin Rosenfeld addresses hyper-parenting directly; there's a book coming out in a month or two called "Even June Cleaver Would Forget The Juice Box" -- that author blames a lot of the problem of stressed-out parents on driving, pointing out that June Cleaver didn't have to drive any carpools.
Southern Maryland: As I prepare to select a high school for my child, I think colleges and high schools must realize the financial and emotional investment that parents are making. I will spend more on my child's education than I did to purchase my house. I am preparing to not have vacations, few new clothes, dinners out, lavish gifts (more than $100), no flat screen/plasma TV, new cars, etc., for another eight to ten years. Truthfully, many parents are making real sacrifices to do their best for their children regardless of their income. When you listen to the media -- which has preached gloom and doom for the past two decades about education, the No Child Left Behind Act, SOLs, HSA, and other mandatory state testing -- no wonder parents are acting this way.
Susan Coll: Yes, the costs are mind-boggling. As for the doom and gloom, I think there really are two different school systems in this country, and that's something we "helicopter" parents tend to forget -- that we are lucky to have schools that are functioning well. There certainly are far worse problems for public schools to have to contend with than too much competition to get into Harvard.
Washington: Note to Bethesda Parents -- on the contrary, you are the model that should be emulated: Provide wisdom in areas where experience helps and disappear on the mechanics.
Susan Coll: I think this is well-said.
Chicago: I was disappointed to read yet another article in The Post lamenting the stress and agony that the college application process generates among Whitman students and their parents. Why is so much column space devoted to this topic? Is it because so many Washington Post journalists live in Bethesda and send their kids to Whitman?
Regardless of the reason, this and other articles (like " Overachieving Students Hear Another Message: Lighten Up") give a disproportionate amount of publicity to a school that is far from representative of the majority of public high schools in the region. It also sheds undeserved attention on -- and legitimizes the anxieties of -- a relatively small group of people, one that places the highest importance on superficial status symbols. (For an explanation of why top-ranked colleges aren't all they're cracked up to be, see the excellent article published recently in the New York Times on Loren Pope " A Fighter for Colleges That Have Everything But Status".)
As a Whitman graduate (Class of 1997) I remember the panic among a certain segment of students and parents surrounding the admissions season. In fact, this panic often started far earlier -- as early as the freshman year for some. What I also remember is that a good number of us didn't face that pressure from our parents or from ourselves. We went to local public schools, smaller and less recognized private schools, or took time off to (gasp!) travel the world. I myself took a leave of absence in my freshman year of college in order to backpack around Mexico. As a result, I speak Spanish fluently, have held some great jobs that I got through my international experience, and currently am getting my Ph.D at a fantastic (and highly-ranked!) school.
So, two points. First, to The Post: please stop giving these panicky parents and their overburdened children so much attention. Instead, let's talk more about the vast majority of D.C.-area students who either don't have enough support to consider going to college, or are perfectly happy to go to non-Ivy League yet excellent and inexpensive public colleges. Second, to Ms. Coll: I'm glad for you that you've "stopped hovering," and I hope for your and your son's sake that he does indeed go off to Costa Rica. I wish more Whitman parents would encourage their kids to pursue alternative paths. Maybe then we wouldn't have to worry about a new generation of "helicopter parents."
Susan Coll: I don't actually disagree with this entirely, but I do think that these anxieties are more widespread than it might seem -- it's not just parents in very affluent communities that are driving themselves and their kids hard. Consider the success of tutoring companies in middle-class communities both in Washington and around the country. Part of what I set out to explore in this piece is whether we are all just kind of nuts, or whether there are structural changes in society that make us behave differently.
Silver Spring, Md.: Thanks for such a great column. I have a child who will be entering middle school in the fall and I'm trying so hard to resist the temptation to be a helicopter parent. But it's so hard -- everyone else does it, and they make you feel as though you don't care enough about your child if you don't do it too. I'm also constantly amazed at the prestige-college thing here in Washington -- My husband and I are products of small Western state colleges and seem to have made it okay here. But we used to get strange looks when we were younger from our acquaintances who went to the elite schools, and now we're encountering the same thing among other parents who can't seem to comprehend how we're even functioning members of society without the benefit of that kind of education. And when I suggest that my children might end up going anywhere other than the elite schools, I'm treated like some sort of uncaring pariah. This message is entirely too long, but your column really hit home for me.
Susan Coll: Thanks so much. It was listening to these sorts of conversations over a period of years that inspired a comic novel. A lot of these people who name-drop schools will find themselves surprised at how hard it has become to get in these days. I firmly believe that our kids will get a good education wherever it is they wind up. Again, the fact that I believe this -- truly -- and still was behaving like a nut was part of what inspired the essay.
Washington State: I think a lot of the reason parents become helicopters is because of the overemphasis on performance and grades in the lower grades in schools. I never had homework, did have lots of recess and never received a grade until I hit high school (a 7-12 school), and that seems to have worked okay. My kids got grades starting in kindergarten (they're finishing college now) and the teachers expected me to get upset with S (satisfactory) grades. And the reason they weren't E (excellent) was because they hadn't done some brain-dead assignment because we'd gone ice skating. Please, elementary school is not the time to obsess about grades ... it just breeds helicopter parents.
Susan Coll: I couldn't agree more. I once had a teacher complain that one of my kids wasn't properly punctuating his homework, and my response was that he was too busy kicking a soccer ball to worry about periods at the ends of sentences in third grade!
Bethesda, Md.: I just looked up your book on Amazon, and found out you wrote "Rockville Pike"! I liked that book a lot, and I'll be sure to look for this one. Was this book based on your experiences at Whitman? I ask because I noticed in the blurb there's a character named "AP Harry" and I immediately thought of "AP Frank" in Alexandra Robbins's book "The Overachievers."
Susan Coll: Thanks so much for that! AP Harry wasn't based on anyone in particular, but two of my kids were at Whitman the year that Alexandra Robbins was researching her book -- in fact my daughter was on the school newspaper that she tracked -- so inevitably we observed some of the same events. There was a story in the school newspaper about AP Frank and I couldn't resist the nickname.
Austin, Texas: Susan, I really try hard not to be a helicopter parent to my two kids, ages 13 and 11. They are in competitive schools, doing quite well and I have left their grades up to them. I find myself, however, trying to convince my husband that how they do in school really is important -- that the grades they get now for high school credit can impact their college choices later. We have such a generational gap -- things just weren't that complicated when we were in high school. Dad seems to think the kids will end up where they end up and that is that. I think you have to have a map to get where you want to go. Am I crazy?
Susan Coll: Keep in mind that I'm answering this as a mother who has survived the process (no small feat!) and not as any sort of expert, but if your kids are doing well in a competitive school I think you've answered your own question. There are so many good schools out there when it comes to college, and they will be fine. That's what I told myself anyway, and so far it's proven true.
Silver Spring, Md.: Re the smoke/fire question: I advise students in our school re: college applications. There are lots of college spaces available, but everyone applies to the same "select" schools. Also, the ease of online applications, plus undue panic, has caused many students to apply to many more colleges than necessary. I remind students that they can attend only one college.
Susan Coll: That's exactly right. One thing that I didn't mention in the essay when I referred to technology being an enabler is the common application, and also the ease (relative ease!) of online applications. Thanks for mentioning this.
Silver Spring, Md.: The answer is that the parents are nuts. They are trying to live their dreams through their kids.
Susan Coll: That's one way to view it, and surely some of that is true. But I've also become more forgiving on this subject, even as I've viewed some people drive their kids really hard in ways I don't fully agree with -- I do think that everyone just wants their kids to succeed, and that it's not entirely malevolent.
Beltway Insider: I refuse to helicopter-parent (at least on things like grades, although I do want to know where my kids are going, and with whom). So guess what my 14-year-old daughter tells me: "I know you don't care about my grades because you think I'm stupid." Moms just can't win!
Susan Coll: Very funny! Yes, it's a fine balance!
New York: Hi Susan -- in the article you said there are a static number of spots in the country's universities, but doesn't each school take more students each year? What did you mean when you wrote that? Thanks!
Susan Coll: Hi. No, actually most schools do not adjust the number of slots each year. Certainly the class sizes fluctuate and I can't tell you off-hand how much they have changed through the years, but they don't adjust the sizes of freshmen classes each year. In fact some schools have gotten themselves into trouble because they underestimated the number of kids who would accept slots and they've had to, in some cases, rent rooms in nearby hotels or apartments when dorms became too crowded. This is what happens to the fictitious liberal arts college in my novel.
Bethesda, Md.: I have daughters in Pyle and Whitman. My Pyle daughter really wants to handle her own homework, wants me to stay out of her binder, etc. She'd rather get an 85 on a test that is her 85, than have a 95 with assists from me (drilling her in the car, etc.). I have found that the teachers at Pyle actually instruct parents to search their binders at night and check for all their work -- one even told us at a meeting that if your child has no homework, you can drive to school and check the homework boards. So it's definitely been my experience that the school talks one way (relax, parents) and acts another. Also, the kids who get the recognition (names posted in the hallway for all A's, acceptance to Ivy Leagues, etc.) are the ones who didn't relax ... I believe academic achievement is very much the religion at MCPS.
Susan Coll: Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I was the sort of parent who backed off and didn't look in the binder, but at some point you start to feel like you aren't doing your job if you don't look in the binder or log on to Edline. All I can say is that each of my kids had a different style of managing this and I responded accordingly, and they all were fine in the end.
Southern Maryland Follow-up: I live in the other world of schools -- I don't have a Walt Whitman or anything close to it as a neighborhood school. I don't helicopter my child, but I am well aware of the consequences of not mastering SOLs and HSAs and the SAT or ACT. Making sure that a quality education is possible and available takes as much work or more than parents who are in the better school systems.
Susan Coll: Yes, it's true. I think, as I mentioned earlier, that it's easy to forget this is a problem many of us are lucky to have. I think that at some point we parents in extremely affluent schools begin to feel entitled, which was the "road rage" theory I suggested in the essay.
"My husband and I pretty much left our kids (and their guidance counselors) to their own devices in choosing and applying to colleges": That's how my parents were and throughout my entire life I continuously find myself better-prepared for facing challenges than peers whose parents did a lot for them. My parents gave me the self-sufficiency lessons so they didn't have to to a lot for us. Learning to take care of ourselves moved us forward in life and also gave us survival skills we use every day in the workplace.
Susan Coll: Yes, I agree there was a lot to be said for not having hovering parents myself. Yet I do believe that a lot of us are hovering because things structurally are different these days. Also, of course, there's the question of how much hovering is really hovering!
Boston: Rightly or wrongly, my parents paid for my tuition but didn't helicopter. Now as a adult I see a lot of my peers whose parents seemed to do "too much" for them. These folks don't seemed to have mastered basic concepts like when your electric bill is due on the 5th, you pay it on or before the 5th. They seem genuinely surprised to have bad credit and have others view them as irresponsible.
Susan Coll: This comment makes me think of the advice on the college board Web site. Collegeboard.com actually offers a checklist to see if you are a "helicopter parent" and they suggest teaching your children autonomy -- teaching them to pay bills, balance a checkbook, do laundry, etc. Because I can't help but see the comedy in any situation, I thought it was kind of amusing that there also are links alongside the advice on how to help your child gain an edge in the college admissions process by seeking out volunteer opportunities, etc.
Bethesda, Md.: I hope this isn't too personal, but are you a single mom or do you have a partner/spouse? The reason I ask is it must be at least doubly harder as a single parent to be a helicopter parent. Or do you find in your research that single parents don't do it as much simply because they don't have the time and it thus places lower on the priority list?
Susan Coll: I'm not a single mom but I thought I wouldn't implicate my husband in any of this! Good point, though -- at some level you can only do what you can do. And in truth my pronouncement about not participating in travel soccer was a reaction to the reality of our schedules. Not only was it too much, but it simply was not possible.
North Potomac, Md.: I'm the mother of two sons in highly competitive high and middle schools who is trying to teach her kids to take responsibility for their own lives and for the consequences of their actions. But I wonder if I'm putting them at a disadvantage by not spending hours a night "helping" them with their homework or calling their teachers should they -- oh, the horror -- get a "C" on an assignment or test, in true helicopter parenting fashion. Also, the effect of this hyper-competitiveness on kids who aren't quite focused enough to dedicate their lives to basketball at age 8 or mature enough to handle calculus in 10th grade is not often discussed. Without such intensity at a young age, they are hopelessly behind by time they get to high school at 14! Finally, it is clear to me that a lot of the helicopter parents who have spent time and money on their kids' tutors, coaches, travel teams, etc. are expecting a big payoff when it comes to college. They are planning on scholarships and grants to relieve them of much of the responsibility of paying for the kids' educations. What pressure to put on a 16-year old! Thanks for the article.
Susan Coll: I agree it's too much pressure to put on a 16-year-old. There are so many good schools out there -- schools that are happy to have kids with Cs on the transcript! And there's more scholarship money out there than one might think, even for kids with the occasional C.
North Potomac, Md.: Just wanted to let you know that this chat has made me feel less alone! I'm an advocate of "let them make their mistakes and learn to fix things when they're young" school of parenting, so I find these helicopter parents hard to take.
Susan Coll: Thank you -- that's nice to hear. I do think some of this conversation about helicoptering is tongue-in-cheek. There's helicoptering and then there's ... Black Hawk. Although I've been told that Apache would have been the better analogy!
Herndon, Va.: Hi Susan -- how much is this college craze about money? (Another stressor to be sure!) My son is a B-minus junior and very low key about the whole college process. We gets lots of e-mails and mailings from places I never have heard of that act like he is "perfect for their school." The costs are about $30,000-$50,000 per year. The competitive schools over here in Virginia are the ones with lower tuition, which are good -- Virginia, William and Mary, Madison, Virginia Tech.
Susan Coll: I'm not completely sure I understand the question, but you raise an interesting point about how aggressively schools market themselves these days. My son gets e-mails weekly, or so it seems, from one school in Virginia that says his application essentially is complete and all he has to do is hit "send." He's never expressed any interest in this school.
Bethesda, Md.: I like the idea you presented that in some way "helicoptering" happens because in the suburbs we lead very planned lives, and this is a (somewhat unhealthy) extension of the planning. Especially in the D.C. area, where the affluent often live in spread-out planned communities, community interaction doesn't happen naturally: parents start organizing play dates, signing their kids up for sports teams, and getting them involved in other extracurriculars probably at first just to get them interacting with other kids. But then kids have to be driven to each scheduled activity, and if you're going to get your kid involved in activities, they might as well be the "best" ones, and maybe you should research them a bit more carefully, or get involved yourself. I think it's natural that as parents need to become more involved in their younger children's lives, they're unsure of when to step back as the kids get older.
Susan Coll: Yes, pretty much every expert I've spoken to on the subject and every book I've read mentions sprawl as being part of the problem. I don't think it would feel quite so extreme if the kids could take the metro or ride their bikes to half of these activities.
Westminster, Md.: I wish the parents who are working and worrying themselves into a frazzle over their kids' prospects would have shown some foresight when they eagerly were implementing corporate plans for off-shoring, outsourcing, and de-skilling the jobs that now would be awaiting their children. No wonder there's so much competition for name-brand schooling, with so few appropriate jobs waiting for college grads.
Susan Coll: I did speak to one psychologist who said that these sorts of perceptions and fears of diminishing resources are a big part of what drives the frenzy.
Susan Coll: Thanks so much everyone. I've really enjoyed your questions. Let's all relax and have that drink! Big-picture-wise, the kids all are fine!
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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Author Susan Coll will be online Monday, March 5, at noon ET to talk about her Sunday Outlook article about her real-life descent into the college-admittance madness of her own comic novel, "Acceptance" -- even as her son remained seemingly impervious to the stress.
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Washington Post staff writer Ylan Q. Mui was online to discuss the health of the area's shopping malls.
In an article today, she examines the Laural Mall, which is about to get a makeover. That article, part of the Commercial Real Estate Report, includes an information graphic that examines how five enclosed malls built during the 1970s are doing today.
Ylan Q. Mui: Hello everyone! Thanks for joining my chat. I look forward to answering your questions!
Laurel, MD: What are the rumors regarding future tenants of the Laurel Mall?
Ylan Q. Mui: Well, there are lots of hopes and finger-crossing but nothing official yet. I know they want a national chain bookstore -- take your pick, there are only a few! -- and a 16-screen, stadium-seating movie theater. They want to attract national women's and men's fashion retailers. Some that the community has requested include places like Old Navy and Gymboree.
If the new owners, Somera Capital and AEW Capital, can really pull off these tenants, I think it will be a major coup. That's what we're all waiting to find out!
Laurel, Md.: One piece of trivia not in your article -- the outdoor portion of Laurel Center is where Alabama Governor George Wallace was shot while he campaigned for President in 1972.
washingtonpost.com: Ylan, there are conflicting sentiments in the comments area of your article:
One reader, "jhall," writes: "Arundel Mills is a monster. I just dont see this happening. They should have did this before Arundel Mills established develpment in Hanover."
But "mick_wiser" writes: "I find it interesting that there is any doubt as to the future success of Laurel mall given the move of so many jobs to the area i.e. Fort Meade in the not too distant future. Laurel Mall is less than 15 minutes from the front gate at Fort Meade via a single road - Route 198. Its a no brainer to me...."
Ylan Q. Mui: Hah! I think that location is indeed important, but I think the tenant mix will also play a big role. Look at the revamped Rockville Town Square. They are not far from behemoths Montgomery Mall and White Flint, but they are carving out a new niche of upscale independent retailers and service providers like day spas.
The same niche may not be the answer for Laurel Mall, but I think if they can get the right mix and the housing development around them continues to grow, they will have a good chance of surviving.
Laurel, Md.: Just about everything you can say about Laurel Mall today was true of Laurel Lakes (two blocks south) at the turn of the decade. It was full of empty storefronts and was in a difficult location.
That center basically got rid of almost all the small retailers and put up big box stores -- a new Michaels, Lowes, and Staples opened recently (Safeway and Best Buy were already there). So now that Laurel Lakes has refurbished, what's left for Laurel Mall?
Most people in Laurel live conveniently near either the Corridor Center cluster (Wal-Mart, Target, Kohls, Sport Authority) or a 10-minute drive from Columbia.
I don't Laurel Mall as a primary destination for anyone who'd use either the Parkway, I-95 or Route 29 to get there; and if I'm right, it will never be a draw for anyone who doesn't live near it on Route One.
Ylan Q. Mui: That is one "de-malling" option -- to take a mall and turn it into a big-box power center. Most likely the existence of Laurel Lakes and the other strip centers is one reason why the new owners of Laurel Mall *didn't* choose that option. It's already there! They did tell me, however, that they don't expect the mall to become a destination center. They expect it to draw shoppers largely within a 7-mile radius around the mall and are hoping that some of the new housing development going up around it will also feed into it.
Laurel: Laurel Mall is at the crossroads of four counties -- Prince Georges (which it's in), Anne Arundel, Montgomery and Howard.
Considering how retailers avoid P.G., is that a good spot, considering it's not really on the major arteries?
Ylan Q. Mui: Prince George's county has lamented the fact that retailers avoid locating there for a long time. And the fact that Laurel sits in Prince George's has made it a tougher sell to retailers.
Not sure about the major artery part of your question, though, because Route 1 does see quite a bit of traffic. I think the question isn't "Is it a good spot?" but rather "What is it a good spot for?"
Washington, D.C.: How does Pentagon City fit into this discussion? It's always mobbed when I go there. Is it different because it's newer than the malls the article featured? Or because it's on the metro? Or something else entirely? I guess I'm just wondering how you are distinguishing enclosed malls, because clearly some of them are doing fine.
Ylan Q. Mui: Pentagon City is sort of an anomaly, isn't it? It's sort of urban because it sits so close to the city and is literally on top of a Metro line. But on the other hand, it is an enclosed mall anchored by department stores, something that you don't normaly see inside a city.
I think the point of the article isn't that all enclosed malls are dead -- but that we are perhaps overmalled and many of them are falling off the map because of it. And enclosed mall is not the sure bet it used to be. Pentagon seems to be doing fine, and also Tysons, Montgomery Mall, Potomac Mills, etc. It's just these days being an enclosed mall alone isn't enough to be a draw. You need something else to differentiate you and make you special.
City Place - Silver Spring: What's up with City Place in downtown Silver Spring? It has got to be the worst mall in the best location in the metro area. I'd hate to see what increased road traffic in that area would do, but it would be great to have a new/revamped mall in that spot.
Ylan Q. Mui: H&R Retail was doing some of the leasing for the mall and trying to lure some bigger national tenants, but judging by the store directory, they've haven't met with much success. This is from an article by my colleage Chris Davenport that ran last summer:
Downtown SilverSpring's metamorphosis from a moribund ghost town to a thriving city center has been hailed as one of the country's most successful redevelopment projects. After years of neglect and failed attempts to revive it, downtown is bustling day and night, giving Montgomery County officials reason to boastfully dub it "Silver Sprung."
But the renaissance has largely bypassed CityPlace, which for more than a decade was the city's only major retail center. Small discount stores and boutiques have come and gone, and upscale chains stayed away from the indoor mall that largely drew a lower-income clientele.
Now surrounded by Starbucks lattes, art films and the glittering headquarters of Discovery Communications at Colesville Road and Georgia Avenue, CityPlace is an encased island, a vestige of what SilverSpring used to be. It symbolizes the juxtapositions of race and class, old and new, suddenly created by the relentless evolution of a community.
Silver Spring, MD: Why didn't they plan to turn it into a real mixed use development with office and residential added? It just doesn't feel complete. I think these are mistakes that places like Tysons Corner are trying to correct.
Ylan Q. Mui: There are new higher-end apartments going up around Laurel Mall. I'm not sure if there are any office plans in the works. But new owners Somera Capital and AEW are partly constrained by the actual site, the fact that Burlington Coat Factory and the land under it were not included in the sale, and the length of the leases held by mall tenants.
Falls Church, Va.: It's certainly true that the trend in new concstruction these days is back to open-air malls, but have there been any studies as to the sales performance of those malls in cold weather? When the weather is pleasant, I love the outdoor outlet mall at Leesburg, but when it's 18 degrees and windy, I'd rather go to Tysons.
Ylan Q. Mui: That's actually one reason that Somera gave me for why they think there is still a place for the mall. Open air is great, but unless you live in California, there are days when you want a little climate control!
Ylan Q. Mui: One more note to the Pentagon City chatter -- the outdoor Pentagon Row development has also helped drive traffic to the mall as well.
Fairfax Station, Va.: Except for visiting the DMV for a plate transfer, I have not been to a big mall in over 2 years. I do shop at big box strip malls for stores like BJs, PetSmart, etc but I have become very comfortable on the net as well as just buying less. Could be I approaching senior citizen buying habits, but I don't have much hope for growth of the malls. There is nothing unique or any services that great to want me to fight the traffic, parking, and lack of knowledgeable staff.
They definitely need a new value argument.
Ylan Q. Mui: Good points. As a District resident, I rarely make it out to malls when I'm not reporting. If I do, I make a whole day out of it to make it worthwhile!
Annapolis, MD: Interesting. Malls have become the social center of our lives. When my inlaws walk at 8 AM, they walk at the mall, when my daughter wanted to have a party activity, it was a mall scavenger hunt. When my son's chorus sang, it was at mall center court.
Ylan Q. Mui: More interesting points to the general question of whether or not malls serve any purpose. Even though you won't find me up at 8 a.m. walking the mall (or up at 8 a.m. period!), there is still a population for whom the mall is a regular destination.
Springfield, VA: Is there any hope for Springfield Mall? At this point I hope they bulldoze it and put in a park or something. It's scary and dank and awful.
Ylan Q. Mui: I've gotten a couple of questions about Springfield Mall, but this one really sums them all up! The latest update I found in our clips is from my colleague Alec MacGillis from last spring:
Late last year, though, the mall was bought by Vornado Realty Trust, a New Jersey-based retail giant with grand plans to remake the 80-acre site. This summer, the county will consider a proposal for adding a hotel, housing and offices on the mall's vast parking lots. Vornado is planning to keep the existing structure but turn it "inside out" by adding outward-facing stores, including a grocery store.
Ylan Q. Mui: Regarding Springfield Mall, here is a response from my colleague Alec MacGillis:
I haven't written anything on it in a while but I remember seeing the short article below in the Examiner, which makes it sound like things are on track. What isn't on track is the other project I wrote about in S'field, the "Midtown Springfield" mixed use extravaganza by KSI, just across 95 from the mall. It's apparently on hold because of the housing market cooling. Here's the mall story:
Springfield - A long-awaited overhaul of the Springfield mall has taken a major step forward, with a developer filing plans for a new blueprint for the Fairfax County shopping hub.
The mall, owned by Vornado Realty Trust, is widely seen as one of the county's prime targets for redevelopment.
The exact details of the Springfield Mall Town Center rezoning proposal filed Jan. 11 were unclear Thursday because the county has not yet reviewed them and the application itself couldn't be accessed by press time. Vornado did not return multiple phone calls.
Hopes run high, however, that the now-lackluster mall on Frontier Drive can be converted to a more vibrant locale. Another major mall revamp of the Tysons Corner Center saw approval from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this week.
"What we want to see, clearly, is increased retail and a couple new big-box retailers to help anchor them all," said Jeff McKay, chief of staff for Fairfax County Supervisor Dana Kauffman. "We obviously want to see some new office space and a hotel to bolster it as a real mixed-use project."
Kauffman's office has not yet received a copy of the proposal, he said.
Unlike the Tysons Corner project, the Springfield mall does not have simple access to rail, which is a key tenant of the development strategy of the county. The nearest Metro station is Franconia-Springfield on the blue line.
"We've made it clear to [Vornado] that there is going to have to be a significant investment in moving people from the station to the mall," McKay said.
Beltsville, Md.: I know this is subject no one wants to discuss, but, basically, I think of Laurel Mall as having an African-American clientele and stores oriented to their tastes, which means it doesn't have much to interest me.Is there evidence that when a mall becomes "too black" that whites stop shopping there?
Ylan Q. Mui: That question is the elephant in the room, to be sure, and I'm glad that you brought it up. Prince George's officials have said that retailers are "scared" to locate in the county because it is predominantly black -- even though it has a strong median household income. They have spent years trying to convince retailers otherwise.
I think it is fair to say that Laurel Mall is not serving the needs of the community around it, African American or otherwise. I don't think having 16 percent of storefronts vacant and, I believe, three dollar stores serves any communities needs.
Alexandria, Virginia: Isn't one of the "de-malling" options to create "Town Center" developments. It may too much of a challenge to revitalize what were once regional malls.
Ylan Q. Mui: This is definitely an option -- just check out the earlier post regarding Rockville Town Square. They had to tear the mall down first, though.
Silver Spring, Maryland: The age of the enclosed shopping mall has come to an end. They are a dying breed. Malls like Tysons Corner will soon meet the same fate, it's only a matter of time, and it's already attracting an unruly group. I like the concept of National Harbor; it's urban from the ground up and has a mix use like Office space. In fact I wouldn't call National Harbor a mall but a mini city.
Ylan Q. Mui: Good thoughts.
Alexandria, VA: I like malls that aren't too popular. I go to Landmark and will go to Pentagon City early before it gets busy but I will not shop at Tyson's Corners even if my life's dream was only being sold there. Nothing's worth that headache.
Ylan Q. Mui: *LOL* To each their own!
Downtown Silver Spring, MD: Just so you know, there are concrete plans for an office tower on top of City Place Mall in the works. The office tower was planned when the mall first opened in 1992 but market conditions didn't bring it into existence. The office tower will sit on top of the malls Colesville entrance. I have to say I like City Place mall and they have added some new unique stores like Galaxy Billiards and McGinty's Public House. It's not the best mall but people who say they don't like it simply aren't the targeted demographics. It simply needs additional stores with a better variety; not that the stores there now are really bad. I think the mall and the new outdoor open air center of "Downtown Silver Spring" compliment each other well. If it's cold go in the mall, when the weather is nice stay outside on the turf.
Ylan Q. Mui: Thanks, these are good tips!
Alexandria, VA: Do you happen to know what the plan for Landmark Mall in Alexandria is? The mall has been going downhill for years, and despite the fact that it is just around the corner from me, I rarely go anymore. I remember when it went from an outdoor shopping area to the enclosed mall. It was very popular and busy. Now it is very run down, has substandard shops, and many vacancies. A make-over is long overdue!
I had heard that there were plans to make it more like Pentagon Row - a mixed-use outdoor plan. Is that still going to happen? And if so, when?
Also, the west end of Alexandria could really use a movie theater. Skyline theater and the old dollar theater in Bailey's Crossroads used to be the only ones on the west side, but now they are gone. I am sure that is because of all the mega-theaters on the east side.
Ylan Q. Mui: I actually do not know anything about the plans (or lack thereof) at Landmark. Chatters?
And posting your requests in case there are any retail real estate folks reading ...!
Falls Church, Va.: Malls are still the destination of choice for teens in the evenings and on weekends. Springfield Mall may be rundown at this point, but it's still teeming with young people.
Ylan Q. Mui: More on Springfield ...
DC: Which is your favorite mall in this area, and why? What do you think about Eden Center Mall?
Ylan Q. Mui: I've shopped at almost every mall in the Washington area -- I know, tough job. I can't say I have a favorite, but I do like malls for different reasons.
Tysons Corner is without a doubt the area's premier mall. They get a a lot of "first-to-market" and "concept" stores that retailers are testing to see how they will fare. Think Ruehl, Martin + Osa, Janeville. Montgomery Mall has big plans to redevelop into more of a lifestyle center, and I am anxious to see how it will work out. I used to eat lunch at the Mall in Columbia almost every day, so it has a special place in my heart! And I have been really impressed with the redevelopments at Prince George's Plaza -- that is really a good example of a mall starting to find its niche and delivering positive results. Fair Oaks Mall has also seen quite a bit of upgrade over the past two years, and the new Verizon Experience store is amazing. Potomac Mills on Black Friday is a crazy, fun experience. And I go to Eden Center to eat!
Laurel, MD: I am Black and have lived in Laurel for the past 8 years. Laurel Mall doesn't cater to "Black tastes". If anything Laurel Mall suffers from a lack of options for folks over 25. To me, that is the real issue.
Ylan Q. Mui: Good thoughts.
Bowie, MD: Don't buy into the hype that retailers are avoiding PG County b/c they are racists. If you look at the numbers, PG Cty has the fewest number of major companies who have headquarters in the county (with Radio One and Giant leaving soon if not already).
Retailers want to locate in areas that have a strong tax base, not a tax base where a large percentage of the residents have to commute to other counties in order to work. PG generates most of their tax revenue from these out of county workers and real estate taxes. That's not as stable as a major company that has taken root and employs many highly paid professionals.
Everyone on my cul de sac either works in Nova, DC, or Montgomery Cty. Until Jack Johnson can bring in non retail giants like a Verizon, Mobil, Marriot, etc. to establish their headquarters (not just satellite workers) here, and of course reduce crime and improve schools, then don't expect too much high end retail in PG County. It's too risky for retailers.
Ylan Q. Mui: Great points.
Laurel, MD: In parallel to your comments about Laurel Mall, go check out the Prince George's Plaza. It's small, but they must have at least 7 athletic shoe stores there and countless other small time jewelry stores. It's way overkill skewed to a certain consumer.
Ylan Q. Mui: I actually met recently with the management at the mall, and they are planning some tenant changes. They have an interesting strategy, focusing mainly on regional chains with a few national retailers for heft. A Victoria's Secret just opened up there, which was a big deal to get. Plus, they have the Target to draw UMD students.
re: landmark mall: I found this link Landmark mall's website about the makeover, but it looks rather outdated. Not sure if anything is in the works?
Ylan Q. Mui: FYI chatters!
Ylan Q. Mui: Thanks everyone for such great questions! If you have any tips or further comments, feel free to e-mail me at muiy@washpost.com. Have a great afternoon!
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 Ylan Q. Mui was online to discuss the health of the area's shopping malls.
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Critiquing the Press
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Looking Back to '9/10 Rudy,' and Ahead to 11/'08 (Post, March 5)
Brooklyn, N.Y.: Hi -- can Dana Priest write your entire paper? Her articles are so inspiring because she acts like a real journalist. There are so many shameful examples of the current state of journalism and their fear of the Bush Administration. It's so amazing that she's not afraid and actually does her job on behalf. I'm amazed by her because my cousin was wounded on Thursday when his Kiowah helicopter made a hard landing in Kirkuk. He is now on his way to Walter Reed. Because of Dana's work, we are very hopeful that he was be treated properly.
Howard Kurtz: I'm sorry to hear about your cousin. The reporting by Dana and Anne Hull touched a nerve for a number of reasons but one is: no unnamed sources, no bureaucratic leaks, just plain old-fashioned sitting with people and trying to evaluate their stories. How often does reporting like this quickly lead to the ouster of the general in charge and the Army secretary -- as well as congressional hearings, which began today?
Aptos, Calif.: After Ann Coulter's slur at CPAC, Michelle Malkin wrote, "With a single word, Coulter sullied the hard work of hundreds of CPAC participants and exhibitors and tarred the collective reputation of thousands of CPAC attendees." Do you really expect Malkin and other conservatives to shun Coulter after this incident? She has said plenty of other hateful things in the past, and yet few in the movement have made more than cursory efforts to distance themselves from her.
Howard Kurtz: I don't know about the shunning part, but I'm glad that some conservative bloggers have spoken out against that kind of incendiary language. I think it's important for commentator types on both sides to blow the whistle when someone on their ideological side goes too far.
Prescott, Ariz.: Hi Howard -- as one who has always been bothered by the canard that Republicans care more for our troops than democrats, does the Walter Reed Hospital situation finally put that to rest once and for all?
Howard Kurtz: I don't know if I'd blame the substandard care and shoddy conditions at Walter Reed on a Republican philosophy. I think it's certainly fair to question how the Bush administration -- for all its professed concern for our soldiers -- tolerated this awful situation, especially because we now know many families had complained to the Army through the years. If we're going to wage war, don't we owe it to our wounded American servicemen and women to give them top-quality care?
Alexandria, Va.: Re: Giuliani. Do you think one of the reasons the Republicans are interested in Giuliani is because they think he can sort of glide past the usual "liberal media" potholes on his social views? Because your article today suggests that his liberal views aren't going to help him at all when push comes to shove, and the media starts pushing Louima, Diallo, mayoral adulteries, etc.?
Howard Kurtz: I think Giuliani is running as a leader, crime-fighter and tamer of the city's bureaucracy, and simply saying to conservatives that while we don't agree on everything (read: social issues), we agree on many other things. I don't know whether his abortion and gay rights views and his multiple marriages will be a big factor for GOP primary voters; they simply may look at the polls, swallow hard and decide that Rudy represents their best chance of keeping the White House. I do think it's fascinating, as I wrote this morning, that much of the New York press corps can write these stories about the controversies of his mayoral tenure without having to get on an airplane or call up a bunch of experts.
Greenville, Ky.: Is my memory failing, or didn't Clinton fire all federal prosecutor when he took office?
Howard Kurtz: Every incoming president of a different party appoints a whole new set of U.S. attorneys -- indeed, they serve at the pleasure of the president and can be fired at any time. What's at issue in the eight that recently were dumped by the Bush administration is whether the explanation -- that performance-related issues were involved -- was a cover for either wanting to put other political candidates in these jobs (including a former Karl Rove aide and RNC opposition guy) or in response to pressure (as in Sen. Pete Domenici trying to get the New Mexico prosecutor dumped after calling him to ask about the progress of an investigation with a Democratic target).
Austin, Texas: Following up on Michelle Malkin's distancing herself from Ann Coulter: Do you really think it was Ann who sullied the participants at the CPAC or those who so rapturously applauded her sentiments?
Howard Kurtz: I was certainly surprised that she got more than a smattering of applause when she dropped the F-bomb.
Concord, N.H.: Why did you choose to base a Media Notes column around statements made by anonymous posters to the Huffington Post Web site? Yes the posters' comments were hateful, but how is this news? You can go to any political Web site that allows individuals to make comments and find offensive comments of this sort. More to the point, a Google search will lead you to examples of right-wing bloggers and pundits (e.g., Coulter, Malkin, Limbaugh) making similarly hateful remarks. I thought your column lacked perspective and context.
washingtonpost.com: Death Wish (Post, March 1)
Howard Kurtz: And I thought I made perfectly clear that this was representative of nothing but a kooky fringe -- and there are crazies on both sides of the spectrum. I was very careful not to say this was representative of anything larger, and I praised the Huffington Post for taking down those comments. Still, I think the comments -- expressing regret that the Afghanistan suicide bomber had not gotten Dick Cheney -- were despicable.
Ann-ulment: I'm a conservative, and I can tell you that the grass roots is getting pretty tired of Ann Coulter. She's gone through a cycle of (1)can-you-believe-she-said-that giggles of delight, to (2)sticking up for her first real bonehead statements, because she's intelligent and witty, to (3) getting so tired of her attention-grabbing bonehead-on-purpose statements that she's just an embarrassment. So how does this stack up against what Bill Maher said about about how a dead Dick Cheney would save lives?
Howard Kurtz: I'm not familiar with that Maher comment or joke, but I do find the conservative criticism of Coulter's antigay slur to be very telling. Maybe lots of folks have gone through the stages you describe.
Brooklyn, N.Y.: Your column on Giuliani was right on the money -- people also forget the corruption that was exposed after he left office (Kerik, Harding etc.). He even tried to get around the term limits and push himself for another term, once he became "America's mayor."
Howard Kurtz: Giuliani can't be blamed for Bernard Kerik's corruption, though it certainly reflected badly on him when it all came out after Rudy had persuaded President Bush to name Kerik as Homeland Security secretary. Giuliani did raise the possibility of extending his term (by a few months, as I recall) after the 9/11 attacks, but later dropped it. The larger point is that there is a long list of controversies stemming from his two terms as mayor, and all of this will be aired in the campaign -- even more so because the New York press corps is so large.
Plano, Texas: USA Today's redesigned online presence now allows readers to comment on every article and have their comments featured in rotation on the masthead. All of this under the guise of "expanding our editorial mission." How long will it be before we have nothing but Wikinews? Yes, I know that "we" are Time's Person of the Year, but frankly I'm getting sick of us.
washingtonpost.com: It's a new look for USATODAY.com (USA Today, March 3)
Howard Kurtz: Well, I still love "you." Enabling comments on stories (which The Washington Post already does) is good. This is the world we live in, and people who don't care about the masses weighing in simply can choose not to scroll through the comment section.
New York: Anna Nicole is buried; Scott Peterson is long since locked away; as far as I know, no white female twentysomethings have been kidnapped this week. My goodness ... do you think journalists will have to turn their attention to more mundane things like poverty, the war, etc.?
Howard Kurtz: Maybe that explains why all the cable networks today are carrying the House hearings on Walter Reed -- they're just waiting for the next Amber Alert or the next D-list celebrity to kick the bucket.
Oxford, Miss.: Are the comments from Ann Coulter, a featured speaker at the most influential conservative convention, comparable to anonymous blog comments made at the Huffington Post? Do the anonymous comments at HuffPo tell more about liberals than comments from featured speakers at conservative events tell about conservatives? (And Ann Coulter's views and style were known before she was chosen to speak.)
Howard Kurtz: Coulter's comments are more telling because a major conservative conference of the Republican Party invited her to speak. Again, I never said that the nutjobs posting Cheney death wishes on the HuffPost were representative of anything other than the fringe, despite what some bloggers may be saying. You can look it up.
Mayors for President?: No disrespect to Rudy or any of America's Mayors but there is no way in H-E-Double Hockey Sticks that I would consider any mayor to jump straight into the Presidency of the United States. I just know I can't be alone. Has anyone is the media asked that question? I've heard it in regards to a one-term senator's qualifications, but I don't believe I've heard it in regards to a mayor. I can't see how being a mayor (even of a huge metropolitan city) readies anyone for the foreign and domestic responsibilities of our country.
Howard Kurtz: There are lots of reasons to vote for or against Rudy, but that's not one of them. New York City's 8-million-plus population is more than twice as large as that of Arkansas (2.7 million) and almost as large as Georgia (9 million), both of which produced governors who became president. To be a Big Apple mayor is to run the city with the largest police force, school system, hospital system and transit system in the country -- and unlike senators, who basically speechify and vote, it's an executive position. The politics, of course, are far different than in 99 percent of the country.
Helena, Mont.: Do you think it's particularly despicable because Dick Cheney is an elected leader, or do you think that all commentary wishing death on people is despicable? I mean, Pat Robertson as good as called for the death of several Supreme Court justices -- John Paul Stevens and Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- on his show several years back. This sounds to me to be as despicable as some people wishing the bomb in Afghanistan had reached its target.
Howard Kurtz: I'm against publicly wishing that anyone will die, period. There, I've done it. I've taken a very controversial stand.
Richmond, Va.: Hi. What has happened to coverage of President Bush's signing statements? Like Augustus, he seems to be portraying himself as a defender of a free republic, yet is usurping powers that do not belong to the executive branch. P.S. -- Thanks for all your good work!
Howard Kurtz: I don't know that there has been any major legislation passed lately, so that would reduce the opportunities for writing about signing statements.
Just to Clarify:"So how does this stack up against what Bill Maher said about about how a dead Dick Cheney would save lives?"
He didn't just say dead. He said dead or not in power. What he said was "But I have zero doubt that if Dick Cheney was not in power, people wouldn't be dying needlessly tomorrow ... I'm just saying if he did die, other people, more people would live. That's a fact."
Howard Kurtz: Thanks for the clarification.
Re: Coulter's comments: It still won't stop The Today Show, GMA, Hannity and Colmes, The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News Channel (in general), Imus, etc. from having her on their shows now will it?
Howard Kurtz: That is an excellent question -- and the answer is, almost definitely not. In fact it was on the Today show that Coulter launched her attack last year about the 9/11 widows enjoying their husbands' deaths because they have become celebrities.
Boston: Should Edwards sue Coulter for slander?
Howard Kurtz: He's done something much better (and faster): he's using her attack on his Web site as a way of raising campaign money.
Washington: Regarding the Coulter matter, why is the F word she used not the equivalent of the N word? It seems to me that if Coulter, for example, had used the N word to describe Barack Obama, she would not only be criticized, she would be absolutely radioactive -- her career as a pundit effectively over. Her use of this slur doesn't seem to have nearly as much of an impact.
Howard Kurtz: I'm not sure about that. I regard this F-word for gays as in the same category as the N-word for blacks.
Anonymous: Howard: this morning on the Political Chat, Shailagh Murray wrote this about a question on Ann Coulter's remarks:
"Whatever anyone thinks of Ms. Coulter, her entire shtick is the deadpan ridiculous statement. That's how she markets herself."
It seems accurate -- that is indeed how she sells herself. But why cover it? The MSM doesn't cover 5-year-olds having melt-downs in the supermarket or 3-year-olds who use curse words ... yet you (the MSM) cover her? Why? What intellectual, moral, factual insight does she bring to the stage these days -- other than the smirky, gratuitous insult?
Howard Kurtz: I wrote a column last year questioning why television shows continue to give Coulter a platform. But I think the situation is different if she uses that kind of language as an invited speaker of the Conservative Political Action Conference, a major Washington event that was attended by, among others, several Republican presidential candidates.
New York: I concur with those who wonder how Giuliani will survive his past. His bad husbanding and cross-dressing aside, there is endless footage of the Mayor participating in a police rally that turned into a riot, criticizing his own appointees when they had the temerity to do their jobs (in the Police Dept. and especially the Board of Education) and, most egregiously, insulting black citizens or any citizen who disagreed with him. However well he performed on 9/11, his governance before that was unstable and his lavish current lifestyle built on the one good week he gave New York (and the nation) is unseemly.
Howard Kurtz: Okay, I'll put you down as not being a Rudy fan.
Look, there's also the plus-side of the ledger. The Giuliani administration greatly reduced crime, slashed welfare and tamed what had been considered an uncontrollable bureaucracy. In the process, though, he ticked off a lot of people and was not very popular with minorities. The cross-dressing thing, by the way, was for a skit at a press dinner. There's no record of Rudy wearing dresses in everyday life.
Arden, N.C.: Will the media spend 5 percent of the time discussing Giuliani's public adultery that they will spend on discussing Hillary's husband? Rhetorical question, obviously.
Howard Kurtz: Well, there was a story in the New York Times over the weekend about how Giuliani has been estranged from his 21-year-old son because of conflicts with his third wife. Remember, Hillary (and Bill) have been national figures for 15 years, and Rudy is just mounting his first national campaign.
Anonymous Sources: Howard, stories like Dana Priest's and Anne Hull's on the conditions at Walter Reed clearly require the use of anonymous sources, as already evidenced by the consequences these vets have to further suffer for speaking out. But how in the world can anyone justify Cheney's use of "senior administration official" even if the transcript didn't give him away? Were reporters actually prepared to write the story with him as SAO if he hadn't blown his own cover? I realize that it costs these media outlets a ton of money to travel with the Veep and they might need to justify their expense by getting an interview with Cheney, but as an SAO? The story should have read "Vice President Cheney refused to go on the record..."
Howard Kurtz: First, Priest and Hull had almost everyone on the record. Second, when I reported on this absurd Cheney briefing last week, two reporters on the trip told me they had pressed for the vice president to go on the record (which he did only about his reaction to the Afghanistan bombing). But ultimately they went along, and even now could not confirm to me that the SAO was Cheney. So if Cheney had not used "I" several times, it would not have come out, because the seven journalists on the trip were bound by the agreement they made.
Saint Helens, Ore.: The AP said it wouldn't cover Paris Hilton as news, and made it about two days. What will it take to break the fascination of the media with Ms. Hilton, Spears, Smith and the like? War, storms and a crashing home market can't seem to do the trick. Any thoughts?
Howard Kurtz: Just a wild guess: maybe readers like it? Or editors think that readers like it? For the record, the AP ban lasted a whole week until Paris was ticketed for driving with a suspended license.
Washington: Any word on why Congressman Jefferson has not been indicted yet? Are the U.S. Attorneys too busy with other things?
Howard Kurtz: The truth is we don't know, and I'm a bit surprised that the case has dragged on this long. I mean, how good a prosecutor do you have to be to make a case against someone with $90,000 in his freezer?
Crestwood, N.Y.: Hello Howard: I imagine you're getting inundated with blogger questions, so let's forget that and talk about the media that most Americans get their information from.
In all honesty, do you think that the major media gave the voters in the 2000 election a fair and accurate depiction of the qualifications, positions and character of the two candidates, Gore and Bush? Do you think the upcoming election will be covered with a greater concentration on issues of substance, or will there be an undue emphasis by the media on sensational and trivial tabloid issues that have little or no significance to the job that is being filled? So far, it looks like the latter to me.
Howard Kurtz: I think the media in 2000 got sidetracked onto some silly issues along the lines of Gore's sighing and whether he had claimed to visit a disaster with the FEMA director when it actually was the deputy director. But I also think there was a huge amount of coverage about the records and positions of Gore and Bush for anyone who wanted it. As for this campaign, what, you don't consider David Geffen attacking Hillary the most important challenge facing the country?
Washington: When do you think you will the press just might focus on a non-"media darlings" (i.e., HRC, Obama) running for president, such as Bill Richardson -- who has experience and might actually have something of substance to say?
Howard Kurtz: I've been wondering why Richardson hasn't attracted more coverage. I'd say that by the fall journalists will be so tired of the current frontrunners in both parties that we suddenly will "discover" one or two also-rans, declare them to have "momentum," and obsess over them for awhile.
San Francisco: Do we know whether Cheney got jobbed by the reporters, or did he want to be reported with the "I"?
Howard Kurtz: The White House put out an official verbatim transcript with all those I's -- the reporters on Air Force Two had nothing to do with it. And the transcript enabled the rest of us, who weren't bound by any ground rules, to conclude the obvious about the Senior Administration Official.
Re: Anonymous sources: Do you believe that reporters should burn anonymous sources who knowingly and deliberately provide them with misinformation or flat-out lies?
Howard Kurtz: I think a source who knowingly and deliberately lies has broken the contract of confidentiality with the journalist, who then must weigh whether he or she feels free to identify the person.
Thanks for the chat, folks.
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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From Serving in Iraq To Living on the Streets
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It was a bad week for Aaron Chesley. He talked back to the staff at a Baltimore homeless shelter, got into an argument with a fellow veteran and missed an appointment for his post-traumatic stress disorder counseling session.
"Are you still watching the news?" his counselor, Anthony Holmes, asked.
Maybe that's what had set Chesley off. He had been showing progress since he came to the program last fall. But television footage from the war could cast him back in Iraq in an instant, back to fingering the trigger of his machine gun, scanning the horizon for insurgents. And Holmes knew it wouldn't take much for Chesley to land back on the streets.
"No. If the news is on, I turn my back," Chesley said.
In a homeless shelter filled with Vietnam War veterans, Chesley, 26, a former Catonsville High School honors student who joined the West Virginia Army National Guard in 2000 to help pay for college, was the only one in the facility who fought in the country's latest conflict. But across the nation, veterans of recent combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are slowly starting to trickle into shelters, officials say.
The number of homeless veterans from recent wars is hard to gauge. From 2004 to 2006, the Department of Veterans Affairs provided shelter to 300 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan tours, out of the tens of thousands who have served.
That figure "is not even close to accurate," said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, because it doesn't include the "others sleeping in buses, their cars or on the streets."
In New York City alone, he said his organization has helped 60 homeless veterans since 2004.
As in the Vietnam War era, when thousands of vets ended up homeless, there are already signs that the recent conflicts are taking a traumatic psychological toll on some service members. Many veterans' advocates said that despite unprecedented attempts by the military and Veterans Affairs to care for veterans, increasing numbers of the new generation of warriors are ending up homeless.
"This is something we need to be concerned about," said Cheryl Beversdorf, president of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, a Washington-based nonprofit.
Not everyone agrees, however, that the wars will spark a significant uptick in homelessness. Peter H. Dougherty, director of Veteran Affairs' Homeless Veterans programs, said that the administration is "light years ahead" of where it was during the Vietnam era. Without a draft, today's all-voluntary military is "better physically and mentally prepared" for combat, he said. The department now also provides free health care for two years after Iraq and Afghanistan vets get out of the military, and it's focusing on preventive services that help veterans and their families cope.
"We are continuing to expand services, but we don't see any influx yet," he said.
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A Senator's Railroad No-Brainer
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The Federal Railroad Administration handed a rare victory to the American taxpayer last week by denying a questionable $2.3 billion loan application by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern (DM&E) Railroad. What makes this news of special interest is the paramount role Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) played in boosting the loan. Here is a cautionary tale of political life in Washington and how it corrupts.
Thune guided through Congress legislative changes that made the loan possible. But an assessment that DM&E was a poor credit risk was shared by two other conservative senators -- Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Jim DeMint of South Carolina -- who took the extraordinary step of advocating rejection of a colleague's pet project. Making matters worse, Thune worked as a paid lobbyist for the South Dakota-based railroad before his election to the Senate and has received political contributions from company executives.
Thune entered the Senate in 2005 as a rising GOP star after defeating Democratic leader Tom Daschle. He declared himself eager to rein in spending in a Republican-controlled government. But instead of aligning with his party's reformers, Thune has been energetic in promoting pork for South Dakota. After the embarrassment of the DM&E loan rejection, a Republican Senate source who did not want to be identified said: "One can hope this episode helps Thune recover his revolutionary zeal."
DM&E applied for the loan guarantee under the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) program to build and renovate a railway from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming, across South Dakota and into Minnesota to carry coal, ethanol and other agricultural products. This area is already served by two railway giants, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
The fact that RRIF still exists is testimony to Thune's energy and skill. The program was zeroed out of President Bush's 2005 and 2006 budgets, but it was saved and revised behind closed doors under Thune's leadership as part of the 2005 transportation appropriations bill (which contained the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere"). Indeed, Thune took credit for it, traveling through South Dakota in November 2005 to spread the good news.
Whether this qualifies as an earmark is a matter of opinion. Coburn and DeMint contend that the loan is about policy. Normally, when senators dislike a colleague's protected project, they follow the chamber's politesse and swallow their objections. Not Coburn and DeMint, who since their election in 2004 have waged war on pork.
On Jan. 23, without telling Thune, they wrote Transportation Secretary Mary Peters: "Because the applicant could not secure private funding, we are concerned that a loan of this size unnecessarily puts taxpayers at risk." Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), the leading House opponent of earmarks, opposed the loan for the same reason, as did the conservative National Taxpayers Union and Citizens Against Government Waste.
Last Monday, Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph H. Boardman indicated he agreed, denying the loan application because there was "too high a risk concerning the railroad's ability to repay."
None of these critics mentions Thune's connections with DM&E. Since 2001, the railroad's executives have given him $21,750 in contributions (all but $2,000 before his election in 2004). In 2003 and 2004, when Thune was a private citizen between service in the House and Senate, he received $220,000 as a lobbyist for DM&E. (Thune says he never worked on the loan application as a lobbyist.)
If he had it to do over again, I asked the senator last week, would he still advocate the loan project? Thune replied: "I don't know what else I could do. I was strong for my state. It was a no-brainer."
The DM&E loan cannot prove a cautionary tale for Thune unless he knows he went in the wrong direction and admits it, at least to himself. If he has not come to terms with this, he is not alone. Well-meaning conservatives such as Thune get caught up in procuring the benefits of the federal leviathan for their states and their constituents. It is much of what ails the Republicans.
© 2007 Creators Syndicate Inc.
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The Federal Railroad Administration handed a rare victory to the American taxpayer last week by denying a $2.3 billion loan that had the support of a senator who had once worked as a lobbyist for the railroad seeking the loan.
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Shareholder Control and Corporate Boards
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Professor Lucian Bebchuk of Harvard Law School is a tireless promoter of "shareholder democracy." In an article about to be published in the Virginia Law Review, he continues his quest to paint shareholders as the helpless victims of greedy, incompetent managers by arguing that shareholders cannot control who sits on the boards of public corporations. The solution, Bebchuk argues in "The Myth of the Shareholder Franchise," is to breathe life into shareholders' voting rights by changing the rules of corporate law to allow disgruntled shareholders to vote out directors more easily.
In the same issue of the Review as well as in the spring issue of the Cato Institute's journal Regulation, I respond to Bebchuk by first conceding that shareholder voting rights in public corporations are, indeed, mostly useless. In fact, this has been true at least since 1932, when Adolph Berle and Gardiner Means observed in their famous book, The Modern Corporation and Private Property, that shareholders in the typical American public corporation are "subservient" to a board that is "a self-perpetuating body."
The important question isn't whether shareholders are powerless. The important question is why shareholders are powerless, and have been powerless since the public corporation first arose as a business form. After all, there are many myths -- vampires, alligators in the sewers of New York City -- we would not want to make real. Why assume, in the face of a century of American business history, that it is suddenly desirable to make shareholder control of the boards of public corporations a reality?
In fact, increasing shareholders' influence over corporate boards could end up harming shareholders themselves. Board governance creates the problem of "agency costs" (that is, directors doing a poor job of running the firm). At the same time, however, board governance provides at least three important economic benefits to shareholders:
There is ample reason to suspect that shareholders benefit from corporate law rules that leave control of the firm in the hands of a board of directors largely insulated from shareholders' own control. At the same time, board governance has its costs, especially when a board "falls asleep at the switch." This makes it impossible for academics like myself and Professor Bebchuk to determine, at the level of theory, whether shareholders would benefit from making it easier (or harder) for them to oust directors. We need evidence to decide.
And there exists such evidence, but it does not support Professor Bebchuk's proposal. Empirical studies of shareholder proxy contests have failed to provide any reliable evidence that those contests leave shareholders better off. In fact, there is some suggestion that when challengers succeed in replacing an incumbent board with their own candidates, corporate performance suffers. At the same time, studies also find that when firms "go public," public investors do not avoid buying, and some cases even seem to prefer, stocks of companies with weak shareholder rights. In other words, when investors are called upon to put their money where their mouths are, they prefer to invest in firms with strong board control.
Why then do so many observers -- including, but hardly limited to, Professor Bebchuk -- so vehemently argue that shareholders need more power over boards? Contemporary calls for greater "shareholder democracy" seem to have great appeal not because they are based on evidence, but because of emotion. My article traces the emotional appeal of the idea of shareholder power to at least three sources:
There is danger in making policy on the basis of emotion rather than evidence. In the 1990s, despite a lack of empirical support for the change, Congress amended the tax law to encourage corporations to pay executives with stock options as a means of "incentivizing" better corporate performance. The result is now widely perceived to have been something of a disaster. We risk similar disaster if we allow the emotional appeal of "shareholder democracy" to triumph over evidence, careful analysis, and the lessons of American business history
Lynn A. Stout is the Paul Hastings Professor of Corporate and Securities Law at UCLA School of Law and principal investigator of the UCLA-Sloan Research Program on Business Organizations. Her article "The Mythical Benefits of Shareholder Control" will appear in the spring issue of the Cato Institute's Regulation Magazine.
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Why assume that it is suddenly desirable to make shareholder control of the boards of public corporations a reality?
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When Being Green Puts You in the Black
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Are America's capitalist titans really going green?
This week's announcement that two of the country's largest private equity firms, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Texas Pacific Group, will purchase the Dallas-based utility TXU made headlines, and not just because the $45 billion deal represents the largest private equity transaction in history. The even bigger news was the environmental dimension of the takeover proposal. It calls for scaling back construction of new coal-fired power plants, ramping up commitments to wind and solar power, supporting mandatory controls on greenhouse gas emissions and promoting energy efficiency.
One can overdo the hyperbole here, of course. Henry Kravis -- allegedly the model for the 1980s bestseller "Barbarians at the Gate" -- isn't just a Green Knight riding into the Lone Star State to save it from a polluted future. He's a smart businessman who wants to make money. And that is just the point.
This deal shows that we are in the midst of a revolution. Environmental progress no longer depends on hundreds of bureaucrats at the Environmental Protection Agency mandating what piece of pollution-control equipment will be on each smokestack. Government must continue to set standards. But the burden of innovation and technology development will shift to the private sector.
Moving from "command and control" regulations to a market approach to environmental protection means that there will be real costs for pollution -- including a price to be paid for greenhouse-gas emissions -- for every business. But these costs sharpen the economic incentives for pollution control research and development, and create big opportunities for companies that come up with solutions for society's environmental problems.
At the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, CEOs fell over one another stepping up to the issue of climate change. Companies large and small are redoubling their environmental efforts in the face of Wal-Mart's demands that its suppliers reduce waste and improve energy efficiency. Billions of dollars of venture capital are flowing into alternative energy and pollution control technology. Leading companies -- call them "WaveRiders" -- have begun to fold environmental thinking into their corporate strategies.
They recognize that we face a carbon-constrained future. While the Bush administration remains opposed to the emissions limits of the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union has imposed greenhouse-gas-reduction obligations on its industries and set up a carbon market to facilitate cost-effective implementation of these requirements. Dozens of American states have likewise taken action in response to the threat of climate change. In fact, five Western states, following the lead of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, announced plans last week to set up their own system for trading carbon emissions. And more than 400 U.S. mayors have committed their cities to emissions-reduction targets.
The next U.S. president is almost certain to bring the nation back into climate-change negotiations and commit to a "beyond Kyoto" set of greenhouse gas reductions.
With the prospect that carbon emissions will soon bear a price -- and perhaps an escalating one -- the decision by the new owners of TXU to steer away from a focus on carbon-intensive coal-based power makes good business sense. In fact, leading-edge companies nationwide are factoring in carbon charges and thus higher prices for burning fossil fuels into their business planning models. This new approach has several important implications. By making companies pay for every increment of pollution, society puts an economic premium on vigorous environmental effort, and forces executives to make pollution control and management of natural resources a core part of their strategy.
Companies that fail to grasp this point put themselves at competitive risk. Ford Motor Co. teeters on the edge of bankruptcy because it did not spot the public's emerging desire for more fuel-efficient and less-polluting vehicles. At the same time, Toyota reported record profits last year because it put these issues at the center of its design strategy, which includes hybrid engines, "lightweighting" of its vehicles through the use of carbon fiber and other advanced materials, and "smart systems" that use computer power to improve efficiency and performance.
The environmental imperative on business arises not just from tighter regulation, but also from the reality of higher energy costs, shortages of natural resources and pressure from environmentally oriented stakeholders, such as those who shaped the TXU deal. With energy costs rising, an expanded focus on conservation and efficiency will pay off in many areas. From high-efficiency LED lighting to smart appliances and green buildings, opportunities to link information-age technology to environmental challenges abound.
A growing number of companies are finding their business plans pinched by limits imposed by nature. For example, Coca-Cola's ability to sell soft drinks depends on access to water, something that cannot be taken for granted in markets such as India. Today, many companies are operating in communities that care deeply about the environment. And employees increasingly want to work for companies that have good environmental records in line with their values. Top corporate leaders recognize that environmental issues represent more than a set of regulations to follow or costs to bear. There are enormous profit opportunities for companies that respond to climate change, water shortages, air pollution and other problems. Jeffrey Immelt, chairman and chief executive of General Electric Co., for example, is selling off his plastics business to focus on high-growth, high-margin environmental goods and services, such as more efficient jet engines, wind power, solar energy and water purification.
This new approach to environmental progress has several important implications. By making companies pay for every increment of pollution, society puts a premium on vigorous environmental effort and forces executives to make pollution control and natural resource management a core part of their strategy. So KKR and TPG have most certainly have not gone soft. The masters of the universe have not given in to greenmail in a fit of political correctness. To the contrary, they are super-sophisticated business people who have learned that success in the marketplace now depends on getting corporate environmental strategy right.
Daniel C. Esty is the Hillhouse Professor at Yale University and the co-author, with Andrew Winston, of "Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage" (Yale University Press).
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Environmental progress no longer depends on the EPA. It's good business.
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Spiraling Out of Control
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A recent e-mail from Amazon.com made my heart start racing. My order had been shipped, it said, and "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" would arrive any day. I had never heard of this book. Had someone hacked into my computer? I thought of identity theft, credit card fraud -- and then of my 17-year-old son, who was deep into high school senioritis. He confessed to placing the order, defensively reminding me that I allow him to buy books with impunity as part of a mostly unsuccessful campaign to encourage him to read. He didn't seem to get that my concern had shifted from the $12.74 on my credit card to his college plans for next fall.
After shepherding three kids through demanding schools, countless extracurricular activities and then the Byzantine college admissions process, I feel like I could use a gap year in Costa Rica myself. While the impulse to engage in a world with more urgent concerns than front-loading résumés and fine-tuning test scores is one that in theory I applaud. The irony here, however, is that my mellow, guitar-strumming kid has remained miraculously impervious to the pressure that surrounds him. He's the first to point out that his last years of high school, and the stressful endgame of applying to college, have taken a toll not on him, but on me.
I consider myself a relaxed -- and by way of comparison, even something of a slacker -- parent. As long as my kids showed an interest in learning and made a genuine effort to succeed, I didn't obsess about their grades. The culture of overachievement at their notoriously competitive Montgomery County school set the bar too high, and I felt that my job was to tamp things down, to assure them that there was life outside the Ivy League.
Still, the process of helping my son apply to college this fall left me unhinged. I had just finished writing a novel satirizing the hysteria of the college admissions process, yet there I was, poring over guidebooks and compulsively checking the rankings, notwithstanding the fact that these mostly irrelevant numbers served as the basis of a central joke in my narrative. I found myself up late at night, scrutinizing an online program that visually plotted my son's likelihood of acceptance at any given school, then hovering over him, chasing him out the door waving teacher recommendation forms, shoving requests for transcripts through the slit in the car window as he tried to drive away. I had become my own lunatic protagonist, only more tightly wound than any character I'd been able to invent.
The way we parent these days in middle- and upper-middle-class America has become ripe not just for parody, but for frequently ugly debate. We are portrayed as a generation of meddling, micromanaging and over-scheduling parents who are so hyper-involved in our children's lives that we have earned our own lexicon. We are so-called helicopter parents, and some of us have even crossed the line to Black Hawk -- swooping and attacking, seemingly oblivious to the privileges enjoyed by our kids.
Stories of extreme parenting and our overachieving, overscheduled kids are so ubiquitous that it's hard to shock anymore, or to separate the issues from the hype. It seems that there's a new angle each week: Kids are loading up on too many AP classes, they are cultivating passions to impress college admissions officers, they are exhausted, and yet they are competing for bragging rights over who is the most stressed. Math tutor Anthony Maida tells me that he frequently works until 11 p.m. to accommodate kids in Montgomery County whose extracurricular activities keep them busy as late as 9, by which time they are too tired to absorb information. He tutors one girl who has taken the SAT four times already -- and she's only in 8th grade. Her parents want her to get a perfect score.
As remarkable as the persistence of these sorts of stories is the absence of any consensus about where this is coming from and who is to blame. Posturing on the subject begins to sound a bit like the "mommy wars," with everyone rushing to defend their choices. But as with debates about whether mothers who work are somehow harming their kids, we glide right over the structural changes in society that have created a new culture of child-rearing, and some of the ways we respond are not entirely within our control. In other words, there may be something in the water supply that is turning us into nuts.
How much hovering does it take to qualify as a helicopter parent, and how many extracurriculars does it take to land you in the realm of the clinically extreme? It seems that at least part of the answer has to do with sprawl. Our suburban existence and our car-centric culture means that a disproportionate amount of time and energy is devoted to each activity: The joy of watching your kid kick a soccer ball is eclipsed by the dread of an I-270 commute to the Germantown SoccerPlex; the drum lesson becomes a logistical nightmare of rush-hour traffic and no place to park. And then, when lacrosse practice runs late, the already fragile scaffolding collapses as someone is stranded at a flute lesson, and dinner becomes an afterthought around the time that stomachs begin to growl.
Even with a conscious plan to not hyper-parent, it seemed I was always in the car, as my kids did stints in just about every activity imaginable, including ballet, gymnastics, soccer, ice hockey, street hockey, lacrosse, baseball, rugby, football, tennis, golf and racquetball. They have played violin, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, flute, double bass, guitar, drums and piano, as well as a lot of novelty instruments, including a lap guitar and a didgeridoo. Something had to give, and travel soccer was among the earliest casualties: In what felt like a true moment of reckoning, I sat my kids down and explained that while there was much that this family could provide in the way of support, love and even some of the finer luxuries of life, a ride up and down the Pennsylvania Turnpike on Sunday mornings was not on offer.
Even though I'd insist that their participation in these myriad activities did not involve crude calculations about how their lives would translate onto a college application, it's hard to ignore the daunting numbers. Schools are receiving more applications than ever for a mostly static number of slots. Not only is the demographic bubble coming to a head, but kids are now counterintuitively hedging their bets by applying to even more schools -- as many as 15 or 20. University of Vermont had a 36.6 percent increase in applicants last year, according to the College Board Web site, while Boston College's early applications rose 20 percent and its regular ones went up 15 percent. Pretty much every selective college reported an increase in the number of rejections.
If helicopter parenting is a disease, then perhaps technology can be viewed as a toxin, or at least an enabler. Nowadays, there are software programs that provide real-time information about how many students from your kid's senior class have applied to any given school, plotting them on a scattergram according to their scores and grades. It's a bit like studying the Racing Form, and just as addictive. If 56 students with the same general profile are applying to one school, it takes a lot of magical thinking to assume that your child can count on it for safety. With a graduating class of more than 450, it's hard for your child to be original in college choices, but with new technology, you, as a parent, can stay up all night, trying on his behalf.
Even more potentially corrosive is Edline -- a hovering tool extraordinaire now used by Montgomery County schools. We are, on the one hand, mocked for being overly involved parents, and then given a code to log onto a Web site to view every test, quiz and piece of graded homework. We can watch every recalibration of our child's grade-point average, then e-mail the teachers to complain. Gone are the days when a kid could lose a physics test, then make up for the bad grade on the next go-around with no harm done -- and no parent the wiser. Edline feels a bit like spying (although compared with the proposal to tag truants with ankle bracelets in Prince George's County, it's probably relatively benign).
Conducting a sociological study based on nothing but anecdotal evidence gleaned over the years at bus stops, grocery store aisles and dinner parties in one of the most affluent suburbs of America, I'm in the preliminary stages of adding a new term to our lexicon. A sub-genre of helicopter and Black Hawk parenting, some of our less-attractive behavior sometimes seems like displaced road rage. As long as our frustrations are channeled in the direction of improving our kids' lives, my theory goes, all complaints about schools and teachers and curriculum, no matter how minute, are considered socially acceptable. That's what I found myself thinking a few weeks ago as I listened to one young mother disparage her highly regarded neighborhood elementary school for not focusing enough resources on her child's particular grade level, while another parent chimed in with complaints about recess rules at her kids' private school. Undoubtedly their concerns were legitimate, but what I really found myself thinking was that maybe someone had just cut each of them off on the Beltway, and they'd been too polite to respond.
For better or worse, I'm mostly finished hovering, and my kids now drive themselves. I've found that there are more amusing pastimes than plotting my kids' futures on a scattergram, and consequently I have more time to read. "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" is proving pretty compelling. Perhaps when I inform my son that his parents may be joining him on a gap year -- and that incidentally, he'll have to find a way to pay -- college may start looking pretty good.
Susan Coll is the author of "Acceptance" (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), a comic novel about college admissions.
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Naked Came The Passenger
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Psssst. Want to see Susan Hallowell naked? Look at the Feb. 24 New York Times. She's on page A10.
Hallowell runs the Transportation Security Administration's research lab. Four years ago, she volunteered to be scanned by a backscatter X-ray machine, which sees through clothing. She was wearing a skirt and a blazer. But in the picture, she's as good as naked.
Last week, TSA began using backscatters to screen airline passengers for weapons. The first machine is up and running in Phoenix. The next ones will be in New York and Los Angeles. The machines have been modified with a "privacy algorithm" to clean up what they show. But even the more cartoon-like images they now display tell you more than you need to know about the people seated next to you.
Are you up for this? Are you ready to get naked for your country?
This is no joke. The government needs to look under your clothes. Ceramic knives, plastic guns and liquid explosives have made metal detectors obsolete. Carry-on bags are X-rayed, so the safest place to hide a weapon is on your body. Puffer machines can detect explosives, but only if you're sloppy. Backscatters are different. They can scan your whole surface, locating and identifying anything of unusual density -- not just metals, which have high atomic numbers, but drugs and explosives, which have low ones.
Why isn't this technology in lots of airports already? One reason is fear of radiation. That's a needless worry. You get less radiation from a scan than from sitting on a plane for two minutes. If that's too much for you, don't fly.
The main stumbling block has been privacy. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Privacy Information Center have fought backscatters, calling them a "virtual strip search." But the purpose of a strip search is the search. Stripping is just a means. Virtual inspections achieve the same end by other means. They don't extend the practice of strip-searching. They abolish it.
When American Science and Engineering, which makes the backscatter machines, introduced the technology in prisons nine years ago, the point was to replace strip searches. "The scan requires no physical contact between the operator and the subject, thus vastly reducing the threat of assault against law enforcement personnel and the spread of communicable diseases," the company argued. The rationale, like the machine, conveyed not an ounce of human warmth. The inmates preferred to be seen rather than touched. Better to be depersonalized than degraded.
Because of terrorism, the rest of us now face the same choice. Under TSA policy, if you set off an airport metal detector or are chosen for secondary screening, you're subject to a pat-down inspection that "may include sensitive areas of the body," such as your chest and thighs. Unless, that is, you're lucky enough to be in Phoenix, where you can choose a backscatter instead.
The impersonality of machines can also filter out racism. Five years ago, the ACLU objected to body scans because they were administered selectively, "based on profiles that are racially discriminatory." But the best way to remove selection bias would be to scan everyone. In Phoenix, the TSA has put the backscatter monitors in a room 50 feet from the security checkpoint, so the officers who staff them can't see you. All they can see are X-ray images, which capture density, not pigment.
The key to reconciling airport security with privacy is that the officer who sees you on the monitor never sees you in the flesh -- never sees your face, never knows who you are. In Phoenix, the TSA hasn't just put the monitors in a separate room. It's laying cables to put them in an entirely different terminal. Likewise, the officer who sees you in the flesh never sees you on the monitor. It's like the blind men and the elephant: Nobody has the whole picture.
That brings us back to Susan Hallowell. The Times did not name the naked woman in its Feb. 24 photo. It did, however, mention that the machines were made by ASE. On the company's Web site, I found a news release complaining that pictures circulating in the media were obsolete, because they had been taken in 2003. Then I ran across a 2004 article that said Hallowell had demonstrated the technology the previous year. I typed her name into a search engine, and up came a 2003 wire story with a photo of her, fully clothed, next to a monitor showing her essentially naked except for a bomb and gun she had hidden under outfit. It is the same image that appeared in the Times.
Hallowell volunteered for this publicity. But this sort of easy identification is exactly what must not happen to others. In the age of body scans, privacy means keeping your name, your face and your nude image apart. That job doesn't end at the security gate; it begins there. Will your scan leak? "Images will not be printed, stored or transmitted," TSA swears on its Web site. Directly above that assurance, the agency has posted four nude pictures -- "actual images shown to the Transportation Security Officer during the backscatter process." And you thought airport screeners had no sense of humor.
Enough with the fairy tales. We lost our innocence when the planes hit the twin towers. Now we're losing our modesty. If we're going to be ogled, at least protect us from being Googled.
William Saletan covers science and technology for Slate, the online magazine at www.slate.com.
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Tripping Over the Inevitable
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In the 1920s, the Brooklyn Dodgers finished in sixth place seven times in eight years. Late in that unfortunate period, a droll sportswriter, noting the team's listless play, wrote, "Overconfidence may yet cost Brooklyn sixth place."
Hillary Clinton's campaign did not display overconfidence when it directed the recent fusillade at Barack Obama. Her campaign's rhetorical megatonnage was in response to a prominent Obama contributor saying rude things about her. Her overreaction was one of several developments that have clarified the Democratic contest.
Bill Clinton has said, regarding presidential candidates, that Republicans like to fall in line and Democrats like to fall in love. Which explains the Clinton campaign's palpable panic: Democrats have fallen in love, but not with her.
Republicans tend to nominate the next person in line: Vice President Richard Nixon, not Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, to follow President Dwight Eisenhower in 1960; Vice President George H.W. Bush, not Sen. Robert Dole, to follow President Ronald Reagan in 1988; Dole rather than Lamar Alexander or any other contender in 1996; Gov. George W. Bush, whose dynastic lineage propelled him past Sen. John McCain in 2000.
There is a Republican tinge to Sen. Clinton's campaign: She is next in line. That fact -- combined with the Clintons' (how often the plural is pertinent) money machine, combined with the Clintons' earned reputation for ferocity -- is supposed to impart to her an aura of inevitability.
But such an aura annoys voters by telling them that they really have no choice. And that can provoke them to play the game that G.K. Chesterton called "Cheat the Prophet": The players listen politely to explanations of what is inevitable, then they make something else happen, which defeats boredom.
Boredom, the sociologist Robert Nisbet wrote, is among the universal and insistent forces driving human behavior. Mankind's nervous system evolved during millions of dangerous years (saber-toothed tigers, etc.). Now, however, mankind has suddenly, in a few millennia, encountered the monotony of orderly life, which bothers human brains formed by and for hazardous circumstances.
Among the cures of boredom that Nisbet listed are war, murder, revolution, suicide, alcohol, narcotics and pornography. He might have added presidential politics. Memo to the Clinton campaign: Inevitability is boring.
So is a narrow range of choices. Democrats have many interesting candidates, but governors often are the most plausible candidates to be the nation's chief executive and only one remains in the Democratic race -- New Mexico's Bill Richardson. Three former governors -- Virginia's Mark Warner, Indiana's Evan Bayh and Iowa's Tom Vilsack -- have left the field.
Vilsack said the demise of his candidacy was determined by " money and only money." Well, yes, but there were reasons, political and ideological, why he could not find buyers for what he was selling. Nevertheless, his statement triggered the usual laments about the determinative role of money in politics. This year we are told to be horrified by the fact that by November 2008 the presidential contest will have cost $1 billion. Which means that the two-year process will cost half as much as Americans spend every year on Easter candy.
Candidates do have to spend too much time raising money. But that is because the government, by banning large campaign contributions, has transformed a huge American surplus -- money -- into an artificial scarcity. The government began to do this for anti-competitive purposes.
The modern drive for campaign finance "reforms" is usually said to have been initiated by Democrats in response to Watergate. Democrats did start it, but before Watergate, in response to their traumas of 1968.
That year, Sen. Gene McCarthy's anti-Vietnam insurgency disturbed the Democratic Party's equilibrium by mounting a serious challenge to the renomination of President Lyndon Johnson. McCarthy was able to do that only because a few wealthy people gave him large contributions. Democrats also were alarmed by former Alabama governor George Wallace's success in 1968, and they mistakenly assumed that Wallace, too, was mostly funded by a few very large contributions.
According to John Samples of the Cato Institute (in his book " The Fallacy of Campaign Finance Reform"), congressional Democrats began the process that culminated in criminalizing large contributions -- the kind that can give long-shot candidates, such as Vilsack, a chance to become competitive. Yes, the initial aim of campaign "reforms" was less the proclaimed purpose of combating corruption or "the appearance" thereof than it was to impede the entry of inconvenient candidates into presidential campaigns. In that sense, campaign reform is a government program that has actually worked, unfortunately.
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Democrats have fallen in love, but not with Hillary.
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Basra Raid Finds Prisoners With Signs of Torture
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BAGHDAD, March 5 -- Iraqi special operation forces and British troops swept into an Iraqi intelligence ministry building Sunday morning in the southern city of Basra and found prisoners with signs of torture, British officials said.
All 30 prisoners escaped during the surprise raid, which was triggered by information gleaned from suspects arrested hours earlier in another sweep, a British military spokesman said Monday morning.
"It is unclear how it occurred, but what is clear is that the Iraqi forces did not let them escape," said Maj. David Gell, who called the escape "regrettable."
In a statement, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called the raid an "unlawful and irresponsible act." He ordered an investigation of the raid, but did not comment on the allegations of torture at the facility that was the Basra headquarters of the National Iraqi Intelligence Agency. The spokesman for the Shiite-led Interior Ministry, which controls the agency, could not be reached.
A British military statement said its forces acted quickly because it had gained information hours earlier that presented a high threat. "It was therefore not possible for either the Iraqi units or multinational forces to pre-warn the relevant provincial authorities," it said.
The operation began at 12:45 a.m. when Iraqi special forces and British troops entered the Basra neighborhood of al-Puwaysa, where they arrested five suspects allegedly involved in car-bomb attacks against British forces, as well as kidnappings, torture and murder. Information from the suspects prompted the raid on the intelligence agency compound, Gell said.
The raid highlighted the insecure conditions in Iraq's Shiite-controlled south at a time when Britain has announced a significant drawdown of its forces. It was the latest instance of U.S. and British forces finding evidence of torture in Iraq's Shiite-dominated security and intelligence facilities that has raised questions about human rights and the rule of law in Iraq.
The operation came as more than 1,100 U.S. and Iraqi troops pushed into the Shiite militia haven of Sadr City on Sunday, the largest operation in nearly three years in the sprawling, turbulent slum. Control of the area is viewed as pivotal to stabilizing the capital and preventing Iraq's slide toward civil war.
Riding in Humvees and armored personnel carriers, the troops put up checkpoints and conducted door-to-door searches for illegal weapons and militia fighters. They met no resistance, according to U.S. military, Iraqi officials and residents. No weapons caches were found and no suspects detained, the military said.
The operation represented the most serious effort yet by the government of Maliki to neutralize the Mahdi Army, which is headed by firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and is the country's largest and most violent Shiite militia.
Maliki, a Shiite, has for months faced intense U.S. pressure to send troops into Sadr City and assert the government's authority. But he has long avoided doing so because Sadr, who controls six ministries and 30 seats in parliament, is his political benefactor.
Sunday's push occurred only after Sadr had agreed to support Maliki's new Baghdad security plan, Iraqi officials said, and after negotiations with civil leaders and Sadr's representatives on the role of U.S. troops in Sadr City.
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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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Bush Prepares for Trip to Latin America
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He talked of grinding poverty and called it "a scandal" that democracy and capitalism have not delivered more to Latin Americans. The working poor need change, he declared. He invoked Simon Bolivar, the "great liberator," and vowed to "complete the revolution" and bring true "social justice" to the region
Hugo Chávez? No, George W. Bush.
As he prepares to embark on a six-day trip to Latin America this week, the president is launching a new campaign to compete with Chávez for the region's hearts and minds, employing language mirroring the Venezuelan leader's leftist populism but rooted in traditional American conservatism. After six years of focusing elsewhere in the world, Bush in his final two years wants to convince the nation's neighbors that, as he put it yesterday, "we care."
But he faces an enormous gulf between ambition and reality, analysts say. While Bush cited John F. Kennedy's effort to help lift up the region through the Alliance for Progress, the president has limited tools at this point. He offered some modest initiatives on education, housing and health care yesterday; but the new Democratic Congress has shown no eagerness to ratify three new free-trade pacts he has brokered with the region. And many in Latin America have already rendered their judgments about Bush and are awaiting his successor.
"It's a visit after six-plus years of neglect," Sidney Weintraub, a longtime U.S. diplomat and specialist in the region, said at a forum sponsored by the Inter-American Dialogue center yesterday. "There's little that the Latin Americans expect from him anymore."
Bush wants to counter that perception with a message of empathy for Latin Americans who have not seen much benefit from free markets and elections -- the core constituency that has fueled the rise of Chávez and other leftists in the region, such as Evo Morales in Bolivia and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua. One in four Latin Americans lives on $2 a day or less.
"In an age of growing prosperity and abundance, this is a scandal -- and it's a challenge," Bush said yesterday in a speech previewing his trip to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "The fact is that tens of millions of our brothers and sisters to the south have seen little improvement in their daily lives. And this has led some to question the value of democracy."
Bush never used Chávez's name but cited his hero, Bolivar, and implicitly seemed to offer an alternative in an address spiced with Spanish phrases. "The millions across our hemisphere who every day suffer the degradations of poverty and hunger have a right to be impatient," he said. "And I'm going to make them this pledge: The goal of this great country, the goal of a country full of generous people, is an Americas where the dignity of every person is respected, where all find room at the table and where opportunity reaches into every village and every home."
Bush announced an additional $75 million over three years to teach more Latin Americans to speak English and help them study in the United States, and an additional $385 million to help underwrite mortgages for working families in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Central America. He also said he will order the USNS Comfort, a U.S. Navy hospital ship, to make port calls in 12 Caribbean and Latin American countries to treat 85,000 patients and perform 1,500 operations.
"The president wants to show a rededication to Latin America," said Peter DeShazo, who was deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere in Bush's first term and is now a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "This comes at a time when there's a widespread sense that the administration hasn't paid a lot of attention to Latin America, which is understandable because of Iraq. . . . This is a signal. They're trying to show they're committed to the region."
National security adviser Stephen J. Hadley disputed the premise that the administration has neglected Latin America, but he agreed that the government's efforts have been overshadowed by the Middle East and other issues. "It's not gotten the attention it deserves," he said. "That's one of the reasons we're doing this trip."
Hadley and other White House officials said it is not an anti-Chávez tour, but the Venezuelan leader may yet haunt the president along the way. Chávez, who called Bush "the devil" during a U.N. speech last year, has suggested that he would send sulfur to Brazil and plans to lead a protest in Argentina when the president arrives in neighboring Uruguay.
Bush will leave for Brazil on Thursday and will then travel to Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico before returning March 14. In Sao Paulo, he will seal a deal with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to help Central American and Caribbean nations develop ethanol, an alternative to oil that has become a big focus of Bush's energy plan. Although Bush has been to Colombia before, he will be the first U.S. president since Ronald Reagan in 1982 to visit Bogota, a decision intended to showcase improvements in security in a country torn by civil war and cocaine trafficking -- although he will not spend the night.
When he visits Mexico, he will bypass Mexico City, where his presence would surely generate large protests, and instead meet with President Felipe Calderón in the Yucatan city of Merida. It will be the first meeting between the two since Calderón was inaugurated, and the session is bound to be marked by tension over the U.S. political debate on immigration. Bush has pushed for easing rules for illegal immigrants but has also signed legislation calling for more barriers along the border.
The itinerary will put Bush in the same room with both leftist and rightist leaders, a schedule intended to show that he can work with any "right-thinking governments," as Hadley put it, that support democracy and reasonable economic policies. To further make that point, Bush plans to host Lula at Camp David at the end of the month, making him the first Latin American leader at the presidential retreat in 16 years.
In some ways, the trip will bring Bush full circle from his days as a candidate in 2000, when he cited his experience as governor of Texas and vowed a robust engagement with the region. "Latin America was going to be more than just an afterthought -- remember those days?" said Michael Shifter, a vice president of Inter-American Dialogue. "I think he's going to try to repair some of the damage. . . . There has been a lot of damage in terms of distrust with the region over the last couple years, and I think he wants to keep that in check."
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He talked of grinding poverty and called it "a scandal" that democracy and capitalism have not delivered more to Latin Americans. The working poor need change, he declared. He invoked Simon Bolivar, the "great liberator," and vowed to "complete the revolution" and bring true "social justice" to the region...
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Cheney Treated for Blood Clot in Leg
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Vice President Cheney is being treated for a blood clot that his doctor discovered in his left leg, his office announced yesterday.
Cheney's doctor at George Washington University discovered the clot during an examination yesterday after the vice president experienced mild discomfort in his calf, spokeswoman Megan McGinn said. The doctor prescribed blood-thinning medication, which Cheney is to take for several months, she said.
Cheney, who may have developed the clot during a recent trip to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Australia and elsewhere that involved extensive air travel, saw his doctor after delivering a speech yesterday morning to the national legislative conference of the Veterans of Foreign War. He then returned to the White House and continued to work.
"He's right here now working," McGinn said. "He's fine."
Cheney, 66, has a long history of heart problems. He has suffered four heart attacks and has had quadruple bypass surgery, two artery-clearing angioplasties and an operation to install a pacemaker.
Cheney, who became vice president in 2001, had his last heart attack, which doctors described as slight, in 2000. He was hobbled briefly in late 2005 after having surgery to repair aneurysms behind each of his knees.
The kind of blood clot Cheney developed is known as a deep venous thrombosis, which forms in a vein deep in the body. Most deep vein clots occur in the lower leg or thigh.
Sitting for long periods of time, such as on long plane flights, can increase the risk of such clots. Cheney returned last week from his trip.
"He spent over 60 hours in the air," McGinn said.
A clot that breaks off and travels through the bloodstream can cause a deadly pulmonary embolism by lodging in a lung, a heart attack by lodging in the heart or a stroke by traveling to the brain.
A blood clot in the thigh is usually more likely to break off and cause a pulmonary embolism than a clot in the lower leg or another part of the body, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Staff writer Michael Abramowitz contributed to this report.
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Vice President Cheney is being treated for a blood clot that his doctor discovered in his left leg, his office announced yesterday.
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9 Afghan Civilians Reported Killed in U.S. Airstrike
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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, March 5 -- U.S. forces killed nine Afghan civilians Sunday night while bombing a house where two Taliban insurgents had taken refuge, Afghan authorities said Monday.
Sayed Mohammed Daoud Hashimi, deputy governor of Kapisa province in northeastern Afghanistan, said the insurgents fled to the house after firing rockets at a base used by the U.S.-led coalition. The house belonged to relatives of one of the fighters, and nine of them -- three children, five women and an elderly man -- were killed when U.S. forces dropped bombs on it, Hashimi said. The two Taliban members were injured in the blast but managed to escape.
U.S. military officials later acknowledged having dropped the bombs but said they could not confirm reports of civilian casualties.
The deaths followed by hours the killing of at least eight Afghan civilians outside the eastern city of Jalalabad on Sunday morning. In that incident, U.S. Marines engaged in a firefight with insurgents after their convoy was hit by a van packed with explosives, according to U.S. officials. Afghan witnesses later said the Marines fired indiscriminately at bystanders as they sped away. The deaths remain under investigation.
The incidents, while separate, underscore the challenge facing coalition forces as they confront insurgents who, according to military officials, are trying to provoke battles that lead to civilian deaths. Both the coalition and the Taliban, the Islamic militia that ruled most of the country until the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, have indicated that they are preparing for a violent spring as conditions for fighting improve.
The deaths of the civilians near Jalalabad sparked angry protests Sunday, with hundreds of people taking to the streets, throwing rocks and chanting anti-American slogans. Authorities in Jalalabad said there were no additional protests Monday and described the situation as calm.
Hashimi said that in contrast to the Jalalabad incident, the reaction to the airstrike in Kapisa was muted because local residents knew that the bombed house was being used by the Taliban.
"The people knew these men were constantly attacking security and coalition forces. The people asked them to stop, because we don't want any problems for our village," he said. "But they didn't listen to the people. They kept attacking."
The provincial police chief, Gen. Raz Mohammed, said his forces had also come under attack from the Taliban on Sunday. He called the U.S. response justified.
In a statement, the U.S. military acknowledged dropping two 2,000-pound bombs on the building where the insurgents were believed to be hiding.
"Coalition forces observed two men with AK-47s leaving the scene of the rocket attack and entering the compound," said Lt. Col. David Accetta, a coalition forces spokesman. "These men knowingly endangered civilians by retreating into a populated area while conducting attacks against coalition forces."
The U.S. military said its forces suffered no injuries in the initial rocket attack. The incident was under investigation Monday night.
John Sifton, a senior researcher with Human Rights Watch, said the advocacy group was calling for independent investigations into whether U.S. forces reacted disproportionately in either incident. "The insurgents are regularly carrying out illegal attacks, but these responses are also extremely destructive," he said. "Whenever a mistake or, worse, recklessness, occurs, it sets back the effort."
Special correspondent Javed Hamdard in Kabul contributed to this report.
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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, March 5 -- U.S. forces killed nine Afghan civilians Sunday night while bombing a house where two Taliban insurgents had taken refuge, Afghan authorities said Monday.
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For One Oboist, a New (and Unwanted) Record
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From an early age, H. David Meyers had a talent for coaxing sweet, swirling notes from the oboe. At 15, he was performing at Carnegie Hall. Eventually he had a dozen solo appearances with the National Symphony Orchestra. Last year, at 61, he collaborated with musicians of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, one of Russia's most prestigious orchestras, as the soloist on a recording of a Beethoven concerto whose score had been lost for almost 200 years.
Today, however, Meyers will face the music in a courtroom in Greenbelt. Having pleaded guilty in November to three counts of operating an illegal gambling business and money laundering, he awaits sentencing by a federal judge. Meyers could receive up to 20 years in prison. Even one year away, he says, would surely spell the end of his music career.
Those who knew Meyers for his musical achievements likely had no idea of his other pursuits. Between early 2001 and 2004, according to his plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Meyers operated a business called Sports International 2000 that solicited and helped place thousands of bets on college and pro football and basketball games from gamblers in Montgomery County, Northern Virginia and elsewhere.
Working with his brother-in-law, Robert Levine, and Levine's son Steven, Meyers gave prospective bettors individual passwords and code numbers, plus access to a toll-free telephone line that connected them to a wire-transfer room in the Caribbean nation of Dominica. Bettors placed wagers through the offshore wire room or through a Web site that apparently operated out of Dominica as well.
Official documents in the case spell out the businesslike operation of Meyers's organization. Losing bettors paid up, and winners were paid off, on Thursdays and Fridays at a series of regular locations, including Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Timpano's Italian restaurant in Rockville, and at a liquor store on Seven Locks Road in Potomac, near where Meyers formerly lived.
The Levines have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing; Meyers's brother, Harold, was indicted last year as well.
The precise extent of the operation is not detailed in Meyers's plea agreement, but prosecutors clearly believe it was substantial. The agreement, for example, notes that Sports International set up toll-free numbers to provide gamblers with updated betting lines on games. During one six-month period, these phone numbers received more than 50,000 calls, according to the agreement. Meyers, it notes, personally collected $10,010 from one losing bettor in Olney on April 16, 2004.
The money-laundering count stems from Meyers's efforts to transfer some of the gambling proceeds into his former girlfriend's bank account, in an effort to disguise their source.
The case is unusual, even bizarre, in several respects, not least of which is Meyers's elite status as a classical musician.
Meyers not only had no prior criminal record when he was arrested and handcuffed at his Potomac home last year, but he also had a long history of good works. For more than two decades, he organized charitable concerts at Lincoln Center in New York and at the Kennedy Center, benefiting such organizations as Children's Hospital in the District.
Meyers also had a long business career. After graduating from George Washington University law school in 1971, he started a business in Rockville called Timesaver Inc., which helped low-income people establish credit lines with banks. The company, which advertised nationwide with Mickey Mantle as its spokesman before going bankrupt in 1984, required customers to deposit a fixed sum with a bank, which then issued a card permitting the depositor to make purchases. "I am the inventor of the debit card," declared Meyer, who sat for a lengthy interview on Saturday. "It's not open to dispute. I invented it."
What's more, Meyers is the rare confessed felon with a New York public relations firm promoting his story. The company, Ken Sunshine Consultants, which represents the record company that issued Meyers's Beethoven CD, contacted The Post on Meyers's behalf.
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Science and Medicine: Antibiotics
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The government is on track to approve a new antibiotic to treat a pneumonia-like disease in cattle, despite warnings from health groups and a majority of the agency's own expert advisers that the decision will be dangerous for people.
Read the Story: FDA Rules Override Warnings About Drug ( Post, March 4)
The drug, called cefquinome, belongs to a class of highly potent antibiotics that are among medicine's last defenses against several serious human infections. No drug from that class has been approved in the United States for use in animals.
The American Medical Association and about a dozen other health groups warned the Food and Drug Administration that giving cefquinome to animals would probably speed the emergence of microbes resistant to that important class of antibiotics, as has happened with other drugs. Those super-microbes could then spread to people. Read the rest of the article here.
Washington Post staff writer Rick Weiss was online Monday, March 5 at Noon ET to discuss this story.
Rick Weiss: Hello readers and viewers. I see we already have a long queue of questions and comments lined up. People seem to care a lot about animals, medicines, and human health, all of which come together in this tale. So here we go ...
Washington, D.C.: As a former food and drug industry attorney, I am appalled but not at all surprised by these developments. How likely do you think it is that Congress will step in and intervene before the FDA is able to take this action?
Rick Weiss: I don't know what Congress may do with regard to this particular drug or approval, but I do know that Sen. Ted Kennedy and others are pushing once again (for something like the fifth year in row) to get legislation passed that would phase out the now widespread use of antibiotics in HEALTHY farm animals -- a common and controversial use today, for growth enhancement. His bill would also beef up (no pun intended) the reporting requirements for companies, so epidemiologists would know how much of these drugs are being used and where and how. That can help track any untoward effects on public health.
Oklahoma City, Okla: Since Cefquinome is cephalosporin, will people who are allergic to cephalosporin antibiotics have any adverse reactions if they eat the meat of cows given the drug?
Rick Weiss: No, and in fact cephalosporins (older ones) are already being used in animals. The drugs break down in the animals, and even more so during cooking, so I know of no risk of allergic reactions in consumers.
NYC, N.Y.: It appears that every time the FDA has approved a drug that is used for humans for use in the animal industry, microbes resistant to the drug in humans appear at some later point in time. Is this commonsense idea simply not part of the risk analysis at FDA, or is it more subtle?
Rick Weiss: Well, it's not that simple. Yes, resistance is virtually certain to arise at some point from use of these drugs in animals. But let's remember that these medicines have their benefits too. Animals do get sick -- and not only because of intensive farming practices. It is good to be able to treat them, both for humane reasons and for economic reasons. The question is how to balance the animal care concerns with the human public health concern
Gaithersburg, Md.: Why doesn't the FDA consider common-sense steps that could be taken to improve the way animals raised for food are housed and transported to reduce illness and injury, thus the need for antibiotics? Wouldn't that be a logical first step in slowing the development of antibiotic resistance?
Rick Weiss: It seems like a loogical integration on its face: To blend "best practices" with the regulation of veterinary drugs atc. But in fact, that is not how the government is organized. The FDA is not authorized to tell farmers how to raise their animals (the USDA has some authority there, but that is limited too, unless you want to earn the increasingly coveted "organic" label. There are probably some good reasons for FDA to focus on the difficult and complicated work of judging safety and efficacy of drugs and related matters. But it does mean we end up with a fragmented oversight system -- and one that defers in large part to market forces, for better and worse.
Cheverly, Md.: What's really going on. A few months back it was cloned animals were safe; now we want to make a sick cow safe versus the potential effects on humans. Is this the tail wagging the dog as the industry runs the FDA now or what? Can pressure on Congress reverse this decision? I have been needing a reason to go vegan, and this may force the change.
Rick Weiss: It's never as simple as "money running the show," but there are longstanding concerns in some corners about the possibly topheavy influence of drug companies on how the FDA works, especially in the past decade or so when FDA became monetarily dependent on "user fees" paid by the drug companies. The same is true in the veterinary drug division at FDA. It has helped speed things up, but does raise issues of independence for such an important regulatory agency. Of course, the money is playing out on both sides. Opponents of the way things are going today are in some cases funded by organic food interests, which can only benefit from grorwing public distaste for conventional, commercial meat. Welcome you to my country!
Washington, D.C.: How likely is it that the drug will pass to humans through cow's milk?
Rick Weiss: There are rules in place with regard to how long a cow must be off antibiotics before its milk is allowed to be included in the food stream again. I don't know the details, and have not looked at the science to see if those rules are widely appreciated as adequate, but if they are followed by farmers I suspect there is a reasonable safey margin there.
Falls Church, Va.: What options remain for citizens wishing to stop this from being approved? Is there an open public comment period? Thanks.
Rick Weiss: The FDA already heard public comments last fall. It is now in period of internal deliberation. Late yesterday it sent out a rather angry response to my story, emphasizing that they have not yet made up their mind (I didn't say they had -- just that all signs are pointing in the direction of approval). So perhaps the end result will still be something you are pleased with.
Washington, D.C.: Just a comment. I read this article with disgust. The FDA has not been in the corner of the everyday person for a long time; but in the pocket of the big corporations who pay them. We are already suffering the effects of antibiotics and hormones in the food supply; the evidence is in the hormonal health problems of women in particular; we are already seeing incidences of resistant strains (i.e., necrotizing fascitis(sp?), etc.) in hospitals and in people who contract these illnesses. I don't know what can be done, other than patronizing and buying meat/dairy from farmers who do not use these damaging medicines, which not everyone has a choice to do because of the cost. When are we going to wake up and smell the coffee!?
washingtonpost.com: FDA Rules Override Warnings About Drug ( Post, March 4)
Rick Weiss: I have seen a few surveys in the past 6 months or so that indicate FDA has fallen considerably from its old levels of public trust, which used to be among the highest in the federal government. This is important because trust is what keeps the economic and social mandala turning in this country. Our food can be the safest in the world (it probably is) but if people don't trust the FDA -- which regulates something like 25 percent of the GDP in this country -- then everything becomes precarious.
Washington, D.C.:"But it does mean we end up with a fragmented oversight system -- and one that defers in large part to market forces, for better and worse."
By market forces, I presume you mean drug companies. How do we get better oversight -- and oversight that doesn't rubber-stamp anything drug companies want?
Rick Weiss: Well, I don't mean only "the drug companies" when I say "market forces." You and I are market forces too. We like meat, many of us. We like inexpensive meat. There are some data from Europe -- touted by the drug industry and unchecked by me at this point -- that in places where routine antibiotic use has been banned (as in some parts of Europe)the animals get sick more often, adding to costs (and to animal suffering). All this is part of the market equation. As for better oversight, I have to say from my interviews with people within FDA and other agences, I mostly get the impression that these agencies are almost entirely staffed with dedicated scientists and others who really care. It is a complicated, inefficient system. There certainly are political and economic forces at work, but there is a dedicated work force of people trying to keep this process scientific. It is these people who probably need to be further empowered. they know better than the politicians, the lobbyists and -- yes -- better than most of us.
Lorton, Va.: Doctors are now being told to not prescibe antibiotics for mild childhood ear infections and other things that should clear up on their own. Is this related at all to the use of antibiotics in meats? It seem, on the surface, a dumb question, but yet both uses contribute to resistant strains. Would we be able to use antibiotics more on ourselves if they weren't in our meats?
Rick Weiss: The overuse of antibiotics by people is a big problem, as is overuse of them in farm animals. Both contribute to resistance. I'm not sure how to rank the problems. Some stats suggest that the majority of antibiotics in this country go to animals, not people -- many of them to healthy animals, as I alluded to earlier. Then again, there are more farm animals in this country than there are people. But if antibiotics cut just one day off the course of an avergae ear infection (I think that is the latest finding) then we all have to ask ourselves: Is it worth it? Is it worth the expense, and is it worth the extra contribution to resistance. It strikes me as a global warming kind of issue: Can we each drive a little less? Sometimes that day of no ear pain will be important and worth it (flying to Calif. at the end of the week? It's worth it!) Sometimes not.
Washington, D.C. : FDA and USDA have had funding cuts over the years that have caused serious damage their abilities to perform their duties.
Veterinarians are key players in both branches -- large animal vets inspect meat, and they also are responsible for making certain drugs do not cross into the human food supply. We use FARAD (Food animal residue avoidance databank Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank that helps us to know when it is safe to take milk, meat, etc.
I am a vet, and my opinion is that antibiotics are, as they have always been, a double-edged sword. They can cure, but misused, they can do real harm.
Rick Weiss: Thanks for that.
Washington, D.C.: What are the chances that if the FDA approves this, that farmers -- who have more common sense than bureaucrats -- will choose not to use it?
Rick Weiss: That's an interesting question. Farmers often say they are the country's first environmentalists. Maybe they will decide to become public health advocates too, though they have other, more pressing concerns. They will have a lot to balance. As a new drug, I suspect cefquinome will be a little expensive. And I don't believe there has been any head-to-head comparison of effectiveness between cefquinome and older, still useful drugs (FDA does not require that -- you only have to show it's better than nothing). But if the pattern holds, the drug's maker will pitch it as the newest and "best." And ironic as it may seem, it's not unusual for drug companies to emphasize their new drugs by making the point that bacteria are becoming resistant to the older drugs.... never mind why.
Rockville, Md.: Dear Mr. Weiss,
Thank you for this important piece. It might be useful to ask ourselves why we (or our government) often choose to err on the side of serious risk to human health rather than to err on the side of caution in cases such as this. One side of the debate on these cattle drugs includes medical doctors and consumer advocates, while the other side includes groups representing the drug company (or companies) involved in veterinary medicine. Clearly, the latter is driven by the profit motive. Does anyone else beside the pharma company benefit from introducing these important (to human health!) antibiotics into the cattle population? Is anyone else better off for this potentially dangerous choice? We should be clear on these answers before we proceed with down this road: it may not be possible to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
Rick Weiss: Again, as I mentioned above, we live in a society and an economy that says, If you make a new medicine, and it works, and is safe, then you can sell it. If people buy it, you're in business. Arguably, that process wiuld be wiser and more holisitic if the definition of "safe" were to include a broader array of issues than the short-term toxicity that is generally considered. And in fact, that is exactly what Guidance for Industry #152 was created to accomplish. Part of the problem is that the science of drug resistance is more complicated and less mature than the science of standard toxicity, so scientists and regulators are still feeling their way through it. FDA's veterinary chief Sundlof has said that the Guidnace is a work in progress, so perhaps what you are seeking in your question will gradually come to pass.
Lexington, Ky.: I agree with you that the FDA is by and large made up of talented and dedicated scientists with the interests of the general public in mind. In this case, it looks like drug companies are putting pressure on the politicians to whom they've contributed heavily, who are in turn putting pressure on the politically-appointed FDA administration to do something that is NOT in the public interest.
I'm not in any way suggesting that it would be a good idea to let animals suffer. But when there are other medications that are effective against the diseases they want to treat with this class of antibiotic, I think it borders on criminal to approve this for use in animals knowing that other antibiotics that have been used prophylactically in animals end up less useful to both animals and people because they encourage drug-resistant bacteria.
Rick Weiss: I'll just post this as a comment.
Alexandria, Va.: Why would treat products, and the companies that sell them, like individuals and assume they are innocent until proven guilty? There is ample reason to conclude that this new antibiotic will lead the evolution of resistant strains of bacteria, some of which will find their way into humans. Evolutionary theory and plenty of examples tell us this is a stupid thing to do. But, wait! Let's just take the recommendation from those who sell the antibiotic. They'll take care of us because human well being is their overriding concern ... NOT!
Rick Weiss: I knew a reporter at the New York Times who had a bunch of post cards printed up to deal with the many opinions and commentaries he received -- like yours -- that he (and I) just cannot speak to, in the interest of maintaining some objective neutrality as we pursue our stories. His post cards said simply (and I say to you):
San Antonio, Tex.: If Sen. Ted Kennedy and a like-minded group of senators have been pushing for these changes (as outlined in your first response this noon) in reporting and regulations for five years running, then why has no legislation been passed? Until recently, a Republican-controlled Congress? Powerful drug lobby? Lack of interest by federal agencies involved? Why?
Rick Weiss: I can't tell you why the bills failed to get sufficient traction in years past. I was not covering the issue then. I plan to pay attention this term and will tell you all what I learn, as completely and fairly as I can, as the story unfolds on Capitol Hill.
Washington, D.C.: Thank you for a great article; I only wish it was not so depressing. The scientific link between the non-clinical use use of antibiotics in cattle, poultry and pigs and the spread of microbial resistance in humans is well-established. Our food supply has become a major, if not the major source of resistant micro-organisms. Why can't the FDA and USDA work together to establish rules that will protect the public health?
Rick Weiss: Again, you may be right, but the Animal Health Institute, which represents veterinary drug makers, points to science that it says shows that routine use of low-dose antibiotics as growth promoters does not increase the rate or risk of drug resistance in humans. I have not investigated this evidence (it was not the topic of Sunday's story) but it seems worth looking into.
Re FDA money and politics: Through the course of this administration's efforts, hard science has taken a back seat to political expedience and ideology. Has this been the case in this effort? Has the FDA leadership been changed in such a way that the FDA has lost credibility in the scientfic community?
Rick Weiss: One part of the letter that I mentioned in my story, which was sent from Rep. Louise Slaughter (Congress's only microbiologist!) to FDA commissioner von Eschenbach, made the assertion that FDA is increasingly being seen as a politicized agency. As I mentioned before, such an impression, whether true or not, is potentially very damaging. These things are hard to measure (the actual amount of politicization; the impression is easy to measure, and is clearly increasing. Short of catching a political appointee actually intervening in crucial decisions (as happened at NASA last year, when that politically appointed aide was caught making changes in documents about global warming and the Big Bang)it can be pretty hard to prove.
Upper Marlboro, Md.: Isn't the FDA worried that this approval will antagonize foreign customers? The foreign customers already worry about Mad Cow and nvCJD. Why make it worse?
Rick Weiss: Actually, Europe is already using fourth generation cephalosporins in their cattle. It's a decision they made before the World Health organization came out with its recommendations, which, by ranking risks differently than the FDA does, would make it difficult for such an approval to go throough. The good news is that this means we have an experiment going on. Europe has been using these drugs in animals and we -- so far -- have not. Scientists are comparing patterns of resistance in these two regions and hopefully this will gradually tell us a lot about how the dynamics of drug resistance work.
Rochester, N.Y.: I wrote to my congressional delegation after reading your story yesterday. Is there anything that Congress can do, or is FDA approval entirely up to the executive branch?
Rick Weiss: Congress could give the FDA the authority to demand certain kinds of data from drug companies, which could vastly help the FDA and the CDC understand better how resistance emerges and then impose limits, where apropriate, to minimize that problem. Right now, for example, companies have to tell FDA how much of a drug they sold. But not how much of it was sold domestically vs internationally; not how much went into which different animals and in what proportions,or what the dosing was -- all of which would help a lot as CDC people watch for emerging patterns of drug resistance in poeple and try to figure out any possible links to the drugs' use in animals.
Washington, D.C.: My early training in microbiology makes me very sensitive to these important questions. But relative to a previous comment, experts widely agree that the overwhelming percentage (estimated at 95 percent or so) of infections that are resistant to antibiotics are the result of human overuse and misuse of these medicines. The comment that most are due to agricultural use of antibiotics simple is not accurate. That doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything we can to be sure antibiotics are used appropriately across the board (and in some cases NOT approved at all), but we should do our best to base these decisions on the best science that's available.
Rick Weiss: That does not surprise me, since the meat we eat is mostly cooked, which alone does a lot to kill the resistant bacteria we might otherwise get colonized by.
Rick Weiss: That was a quick hour. Obviously an infectious topic.
Thanks for the feedback and interesting questions.
Now I need to get back to work!
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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'Game of Shadows' Authors Discuss Barry Bonds, BALCO
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Fainaru-Wada and Williams were online Monday, March 5 at 2 p.m. to answer your draft prep questions.
Rockville, Md.: One question that I have been wondering for some time is, why are athletes still using steroids when HGH is not being tested for? Is HGH less effective or just less accessible? You hear players in the NFL and MLB getting caught with steroids, why not just use HGH?
First, let me say on behalf of Lance, thanks so much for having us and for all your questions. Regarding HGH, indeed, it seems many athletes are using HGH, in part because there is no test for it. The feds raided the home of a pitcher, Jason Grimsley, last year, and he noted that he was using HGH since baseball began testing. That said, we're told that using HGH in conjunction with steroids is most effective, and there remain plenty of steroids that can be used without being caught.
Bellingham, Wash.: Thank you for devoting so much time and effort into the "Game of Shadows." Perhaps an article, movie, college course, or another book could focus on MLB's lack of action on Bonds and others. Why is he still allowed to play? Isn't there enough evidence out there to lock him up? Or, would we have to lock up a lot of the baseball execs who have turned their back on this issue? Thanks again for your fine work.
A new federal prosecutor in San Francisco must decide whether to ask for an indictment of Bonds on perjury charges. Bonds told a grand jury in 2003 that he never knowingly used banned drugs, and investigators have obtained significant evidence that in fact Bonds has knowingly used them. Whether the government can sustain a conviction is a lawyer's question.
Even if he is indicted, it's likely Bonds will play out the season. Baseball allows players to play while facing criminal charges -- after all, they're innocent until proven guilty.
Bethesda, Md.: It seems to me that baseball is trying to paint the steroid and performance enhancing drug problem as an isolated incident effecting only a few players. Do you have any idea how widespread the use of performance enhancing drugs were in baseball during the "steroids" area?
Lance Williams: In 2002, Caminiti said 50 percent, I believe. Canseco put the percentage at 80. When baseball tested for the first time in 2003, the equivalent of two full teams tested POZ. So the drugs are widely used in the game.
Olney, Md.: I haven't had a chance to read your book yet although I intend to:
If Bonds did steroids, but the proof isn't made conclusive until after he breaks Aaron's record, should the record books then read:
Most Home runs career -
Wouldn't this be the ultimate punishment?
I guess the question becomes what will be proof. If it's a positive test you're looking for, not sure we'll be seeing that. But, as we've learned from BALCO, the point of the deal is to avoid being caught by using substances that either can't be tested for or have been designed to avoid detection. It seems there is ample evidence to show Bonds used; so, the question for baseball is what to do about that. I think much remains to play out -- namely, do the feds end up indicting him on perjury charges, and what becomes of the Mitchell investigation.
Harrisburg, Pa.: Barry Bonds states he let someone inject needles into him but he never asked what was being injected into him? Now, without getting into the specifics of Mr. Bonds, does anyone out there know anyone who lets someone inject them and they never bother to ask what's inside the needle?
Lance Williams: Bonds hasn't acknowledged being injected or injecting himself, I don't believe. On the Orioles at the time of the Palmiero scandal, some players said they were getting shots for Vitamin B-12.
Sacramento, Calif.: I think what irks most folks is the obsessive attention to Bonds, as if he is the only one you guys are after. In fact, baseball in general seems intent on destroying him while ignoring other high profile players such as McGwire, who many felt came into the league using steroids. Sure Bonds is surly rude and egotistical, but he is without a doubt the most talented player since Mays and arguably the best ever at any position. It appears from reading accounts of your so-called investigation that he is the only one you've ever really focused on and would be the most prized pelt displayed on your barn door. Hate him that bad?
Lance Williams: We don't have any personal feelings about Bonds. He's one of more than two dozen elite athletes featured in "Game of Shadows." But certainly he is the most prominent, chasing the most hallowed record in all of sports, and he gets scrutiny as a result.
Washington, D.C.: Undermining the secrecy of grand jury testimony is a greater threat than the alleged use of steroids by any ballplayer. The legal system is not worth damaging so you two could make a buck. Neither is the field of journalism. Chalk one up for the triumph of the almighty dollar over journalistic integrity.
Mark Fainaru-Wada: Dear DC: Thank you for your question, and while I respect the concerns you express, I don't necessarily accept the premise. Among other things, in this case, indictments had been handed up, the grand jury had completed its business regarding four men indicted on distribution charges, and then thousands of pages of grand jury testimony and evidence were handed over to prosecutors and defense attorneys as discovery material to be used to prepare the cases. As to the value of the stories, I would respectfully disagree, based on what we've been told by others -- that is, folks have said that the value of putting a name and a face to steroid use was critical in exposing the problem. For our purposes, we were trying to cover a story as best we could and do what reporters do: Provide the public with information that it is being shielded from; in this case, the athletes were being protected. As for the $ issue, not sure what you're point is.
Albany, N.Y.: Thank you both so much for your good work and congratulations on staying out of jail.
My question is this: I support severe punishments for steroid use in baseball, I have no problem with a lifetime ban. But I am concerned about the reliability of the testing. Can we be virtually certain that those who test positive are in fact guilty?
Lance Williams: Experts say the tests are reliable. One issue that arises is whether an athlete unknowingly used banned drugs -- say, by using an over-the-counter substance that is contaminated.
State College, Pa.: In some of the lesser-covered congressional hearings there were discussions regarding the future of performance-enhancing substances. HGH may be mild in comparison to the drugs of the future.
During testimony, they directly mentioned that genetic alteration was a possible issue, and I thought that was a long-term, kind of "my grandkids-grandkids" issue. However, when I found out that in the most recent winter Olympics, the Olympic Doping Agency was looking for a drug called "Proxygen" in the Austrian cross-country ski team's accommodations, and that drug apparently is a genetic-altering drug that makes your body start producing red blood cells like crazy, I realized the future is now.
Can you comment on the future of performance-enhancing drugs? Is what we are seeing today just the beginning of a dramatic shift?
Mark Fainaru-Wada: State College: Indeed, this is what frightens the testers and others interested in cracking down on doping. The question remains: Will the cheaters always be ahead of the testers. I'm cynical about this and believe they always will be. That said, it seems we're witnessing the one way the problem can be addressed most significantly: With law enforcement kicking down doors and forcing people to testify under oath. I think the anti-doping agencies see that as their greatest hope. Amy Shipley of The Post had a very good story about that the other day.
Alexandria, Va.: How has working on the book changed how you feel about baseball? Were you both fans before starting on it? Are you still now?
Lance Williams: I'm not a sportswriter. I was a second-deck baseball fan, if I can put it that way -- I followed the sport, read the sports page, and thought I knew what was going on. It turned out I didn't have a clue, at least when it comes to steroids. They are far more prevalent than I ever thought.
Certainly it's difficult for more to enjoy the game right now. But in part that's because it's become my job, and your job can't really also serve as your amusement.
Silver Spring, Md.: How are people in San Francisco treating you? I get sick when I see Giants fans standing and applauding Bonds.
I thought that you should have been the Sports Illustrated Sportsmen of the Year as nobody else made more of an impact on sports than you did. The book was excellent. (I also enjoyed "Love Me, Hate Me" as a supplement to your book to learn more about Bonds's life.)
Mark Fainaru-Wada: Dear Silver Spring,
Thank you very much for your kind words, they are much appreciated. As to the reaction from fans, as Lance likes to point out, the further you get from home plate at Pac Bell park, the more people are nice to us. We get plenty of very, very, very nasty e-mails and calls from people who are fans of the Giants and of Bonds. But we get that, they're fans. I always wonder what it would be like if Bonds were playing in L.A. Would Dodger fans be hating us, while Giants fans celebrate the stories?
Albany, N.Y.: Bonds admitted using steroids to the grand jury. Why shouldn't that be sufficient proof to ban him from the game.
Lance Williams: Speaking legally, or legalistically, his drug use in 2003 would get him only a suspension, not a ban, assuming baseball could prove it. And Bonds didn't admit using banned drugs before the grand jury -- he denied it despite being presented with significant evidence -- doping calendars and so forth. And of course baseball doesn't have access to his testimony anyway, except via our reporting in the San Francisco Chronicle and in our book.
Arlington, Va.: Can you talk at all about your legal battles? Are those behind you know or are there likely to be more lawsuits over the book? Would you still have written it if you knew it was going to cause you this many problems?
Knocking on wood, it seems our legal problems are mostly behind us. At least as it relates to the subpoenas we faced. Bonds sued us at the time the book came out, but it wasn't over the accuracy of the material, but rather the question of how we obtained the material. That suit was quickly dropped by him. ... As to whether we'd do it all over again, I'd have to say yes. I would love it if we could have done these stories and avoided our "little legal entanglement," as I like to call it, but, well, I guess that was just part of the deal.
Washington, D.C.: Do you think Bonds's trainer will ever talk?
No, I don't believe Bonds's trainer will ever talk. He has been sitting in jail for some time now, and I've heard nothing to indicate that he would come out and talk. ... I always find it interesting when people still question the accuracy of the reports on Bonds, they can't seem to answer this question: If Bonds didn't use, why is his trainer sitting in jail not answering questions?
Rockville, Md.: What do you expect the reaction to be, from fans and from MLB, if Bonds breaks the HR record this season?
I think it will be very much a mixed bag. Again, in San Francisco, he likely will be hailed. But I can't imagine there will be huge celebrations in other cities. I think the most interesting thing will be looking at how baseball chooses to react. The commissioner was out here recently and told reporters he might treat it like any other record, might not necessarily be there, maybe there would be a phone call. That speaks volumes about baseball's dilemma. The commissioner is very close friends with Hank Aaron, so this can't be easy for him or the game.
Texas: If you were running a MLB team, how would you address possible banned-substance use by the free agents you were looking to sign?
That's a great question, and a complicated one, for sure. I think this is the thing that scouts and teams are grappling with right now. The LA Times had a good story about this a while back, and it's clearly an evolving issue. I don't know that I have a good response. My guess is teams, if they are concerned about this, perhaps will begin to do more due diligence on this issue; still, it's not as if players or agents or anyone is volunteering information about this. It's certainly an interesting issue to look at in light of the evolving steroids case on the East Coast and Gary Matthews Jr. getting tied in with it.
S. Rockville, Md.: Once you saw comments from your source calling for sanctions because of the leaks, did you feel like you were being used to manipulate the judicial process or did you expect him to behave as he did?
Lance Williams: Mark and I cannot comment on anything in connection with the identity of any of our confidential sources -- we promised not to betray our sources, and we will keep our promises.
In general, we would have been delighted to rely on the public record to write the true story of the BALCO scandal and the role of the elite athletes in it. Unfortunately, the government refused to make information about Bonds et al public - affidavits were redacted or rewritten to remove the names of the elite athletes, the indictments didn't mention them, and so forth.
And so to get the story, we had to turn to confidential sources, who provided us with true information, including transcripts. Without their assistance, the truth would never have been known.
Is the Fainaru that writes for The Post your brother?
Mark Fainaru-Wada: Dear Silver Spring,
Indeed, that's my big brother, the vastly more talented of the Fainaru duo. I'm biased obviously, but he is an amazing reporter and I have spent many years doing the little-bro-tagging-along-in-big-brother's wake deal. He was an incredibly supportive force for us, particularly on the book. He even edited a significant part of the manuscript while in Iraq. And I must say, though I hated him being in Iraq, I was selfishly glad he was there because there was a point earlier where he was working BALCO, too -- and I thought, "Oh great, we're gonna get crushed by my brother."
Washington, D.C.: How do you think the public feels about steroid use in baseball? Are they outraged or pretty much resigned to it at this point? People talk about the owners turning a blind eye in the late '90s, but fans did, too.
I was a baseball fan in the '90s, and I can tell you I had no idea about steroids in baseball -- not a clue.
I think the prevalence of the drugs in the game makes many fans uncomfortable. Fans are still processing this information, but I believe that unless the game gets a handle on the drug problem, it risks alienating many people who care about the game.
Arlington: Gentlemen, to what do you attribute the emphasis on Barry Bonds, rather than on other enhanced miscreants of the present and the recent past (Giambi, Caminiti [RIP]; possibly McGwire, Dykstra, et al.)? Is it simply because Bonds is chasing a hallowed record, or is it something else? Thanks for your insight.
Lance Williams: Bonds is the biggest star caught up in the drug scandal, chasing the most hallowed record in all sports. And he's defiant -- recently in Scottsdale, he challenged the government to continue investigating him. Those elements combine to make him a continuing focus of the scandal.
Washington, D.C.: What was the most surprising thing you learned while working on the book?
There have been a lot of surprising aspects to the reporting, which began more than three years ago at the Chronicle. I think the two biggest things to me were:
1) The extent of the use in many sports. There is a point in the book in which we talk about the US Anti-Doping agency trying to cut deals with athletes who have cheated. And during the conversations with those athletes, one female sprinter tells USADA that in a field of 8 elite 100-meter runners, she believes 6 are juicing. Another sprinter says she believes all 8 would be juicing. Clearly there is a cheat-or-lose mentality that persists.
2) I was surprised by the willingness of the athletes to cocktail an array of substances, particularly ones that either have undergone no FDA testing or were designed primarily for animals. And, of course, even where some of these substances have legitimate medical uses, they're not at all designed to be used by extremely healthy athletes to be able to perform better.
Bethesda, Md.: How much can performance enhancing substances improve the game for a baseball player and if a majority of players were doing them does that diminish the effect? Both pitchers and hitters have been suspended.
Lance Williams: The drugs can make an athlete stronger and faster, and help him recover from injuries far more quickly. There are major health risks, but there is no question the drugs are a big advantage to an athlete's performance. An athlete on steroids has an advantage over a clean athlete, all other things being equal. But some drugs are more effective than others, and some athletes are more dedicated drug cheats than others. Lance
What's next?: Are you going to continue pursuing this story, or go work on something completely different?
Mark Fainaru-Wada: Dear What's Next?: Well, for the first time in ages, we've both been working on stories that have nothing to do with steroids and sports; I have to admit, it has been quite refreshing. And I think we're hopeful that, eventually, as much as we've loved covering this story, we'll be able to move onto other things. That said, there remains an ongoing perjury investigation into Bonds and, perhaps, others who were part of the BALCO case. There is a new US Attorney here in San Francisco, and I think/hope we'll know in the coming months which way this thing is going to go. Also, there is the matter of the Mitchell investigation, and we're likely to be part of covering that, too.
Greencastle, Ind.: Re: Greg Williams sitting in jail -- I'm not a fan of his, I don't think I'd do it myself, but he apparently believes he's in a lose-lose situation with the feds... He claims they've reneged on agreements... he can apparently tolerate prison life... look at the stuff Jason Grimsley talked about, being pressured to wear a wire and get "dirt" on Bonds and others... as long as he can take it, he'll do this to spite the feds. Whether Bonds "did it" or not (cough, cough).
Indeed, Greg Anderson is in a pretty bad situation, sitting in jail even after having done the time he was hit with for his role in the steroids case. He did three months in prison, and then three months of house arrest. His lawyers have argued that the government reneged on its deal -- that is, they asked him to name names, he wouldn't do it, and then he was sentenced. Now, they have argued, it's unfair to come back to him and force him to name names or go back to jail. The courts, though, have been unwavering on this. It appears, barring something unusual, he will remain in prison until the grand jury expires, which we believe is July.
I understand a journalist's desire to protect his/her sources. But when that source is a felon, and the journalist has full knowledge of the crime (for example, leaking grand jury information), why is it okay to withhold that knowledge from law enforcement? As citizens, if we have knowledge of a felony, we are bound to report it.
Lance Williams: Mark and I cannot comment on anything in connection with the identity of any of our confidential sources - we promised not to betray our sources, and we will keep our promises.
But speaking in general terms, do you want true information about what your government is up to? Or would you prefer to rely on what the official spin doctors tell you, and allow them to throw anybody in jail who might try to inform the public of what's going on? Lance
Balcomore, Md.: You gave a couple of percentages as estimates for how many players use steroids, but it seems like Oakland, San Francisco, Baltimore and Texas have much higher percentages of implicated players than others. Have you done any research on how steroid use is spread from team to team with player movement?
Lance Williams: We know more about drug use on teams where Jose Canseco played, because Canseco has confessed his own drug use and implicated his teammates. We also know more about the teams whose players went to BALCO, because of the investigation, and we know about the O's because of Palmeiro's suspension. But I expect drug use in the game isn't localized to those teams.
Lance Williams: Thanks for having us on the forum -- we're going back to work now.
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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Two Theaters Bank on Bigger, Better Venues
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In a major turning point for the presentation of classical plays and contemporary musicals in Washington, two of the area's premier companies are substantially increasing the number of productions they offer next season -- at a time when theater attendance in the region is dropping off.
Shakespeare Theatre Company is expanding its season lineup from six productions to nine for 2007-08, coinciding with the opening this fall of its new $85 million, 775-seat main stage on F Street NW.
At the same time, Signature Theatre, which recently moved into a new dual-theater complex in the Village at Shirlington, is increasing its traditional roster of five productions to eight. (In its current transitional season, Signature presented one work in its old garage space and is staging six others in its new spaces.)
The broadening of their programs indicates how successfully each company has built on its local identity -- and how hungrily each wants to develop its profile beyond the region.
To that end, the Shakespeare Theatre for the first time will run shows in repertory in its two theaters, meaning a visitor can see as many as three of the company's productions during selected weeks. And Signature is reaching out ever more aggressively to nationally known artists; among those scheduled to work there next season are Chita Rivera, performer/choreographers Christopher D'Amboise and Ann Reinking and the Broadway director Frank Galati.
"We feel we're institutionally and structurally ready to take on the responsibility of being a destination classical theater for the U.S.," said Michael Kahn, Shakespeare Theatre Company's longtime artistic director. "There's a big country out there."
"We're trying to make this a national center both for new work and for the American musical," said Eric Schaeffer, who has run Signature since its inception in 1989.
As an indicator of how seriously he means that, Schaeffer said he is negotiating to stage the world premiere of a new musical by a young, highly regarded Broadway composing team that he could not yet disclose. "And if we don't do this one," he said with a laugh, "I've got two others in the hopper."
With their distinct, well-defined missions, Shakespeare and Signature might be especially well-positioned to widen their influence in the theater world. Still, the aggressive expansions of these companies are coming at a particularly challenging time.
Attendance at the area's theaters, while robust, has declined each of the past two years -- an indication that theatergoing in Washington might be at a saturation point. In its annual survey, the Helen Hayes Awards released figures last week that show a 2 percent drop in attendance at area theaters last year. (A total of 1,904,826 seats were filled at 53 theaters last year, compared with 1,952,405 at 56 theaters in 2005.)
Although attendance at Shakespeare and Signature has held steady, officials at both companies said they're aware they can't rely solely on their traditionally loyal audiences to fill seats.
Nicholas T. Goldsborough, Shakespeare's managing director, said the company has been ramping up a national marketing strategy -- part of it tied to hotel packages -- to attract more patronage from outside the region. Twenty percent of the company's audience comes from beyond the metropolitan area, he said. The theater is also instituting a policy that will make $10 tickets available to 20,000 young adults during the season.
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In a major turning point for the presentation of classical plays and contemporary musicals in Washington, two of the area's premier companies are substantially increasing the number of productions they offer next season -- at a time when theater attendance in the region is dropping off.
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Gene Weingarten - Oh, Shoot - washingtonpost.com
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Neither Dave Barry nor I recalls for sure when and where we first had this discussion, which is not surprising inasmuch as beer was involved. But it came down to my assertion that basketball free-throw shooting takes no particular athletic ability, followed by Dave's contention that I am an imbecile, followed by my declaration that if I took a year off and practiced all day, every day, I could then defeat the NBA's best free-throw shooter in head-to-head competition, followed by Dave's assessment that we definitely needed another beer.
(Ladies, you may wish to relocate to another section of the Magazine. Because it's only going to get worse over here.)
Most guys are familiar with this sort of idiotic sports debate, which tends to be lengthy and spirited, even though -- or possibly because -- it is not only un-resolvable, but insane. Could Pete Rose beat Annika Sorenstam in water polo? Would an all-Jewish hockey team defeat an all-Samoan one? Could Rudy Giuliani fight Thomas "The Hit Man" Hearns to a draw if Hearns wore a Darth Vader helmet and couldn't see?
Dave often revisits our free-throw conversation in the presence of others to demonstrate what an egomaniac I am. I respond that it is not about ego at all, that it is logical that, with exhaustive preparation, a moderately coordinated person who is good under pressure (ahem) can reach near-perfection in a physical skill requiring no extraordinary strength, speed, size or dexterity. We are not talking about threading eyes of needles -- we are talking about putting a ball that is 9.4 inches in diameter through a hoop that is 18 inches in diameter, from pretty close range, competing against players who don't focus only on that.
Then, a year ago, I got an e-mail from an author named Todd Gallagher. Through writerly channels, Todd had learned about my boast. He dared me to put up or shut up.
Todd was writing a book that empirically answers idiot sports bets like mine by actually staging them. The working title is Andy Roddick Beat Me With a Frying Pan, and, yes, Roddick really did beat him in a tennis match armed with a frying pan instead of a racket. The book is due out this summer.
If I did the training, Todd said, his publisher would hook me up with an NBA star for an official shootout.
It was definitely tempting: On the one hand, I would have to leave my job, endure a year of lonely, mind-numbing, repetitive, non-toning non-exercise at zero pay for some other guy's book. On the other hand, I could shut Dave up for good.
In the end, I declined. But I invited Todd to find a surrogate. He scoured the planet with his beguiling offer for endless drudgery culminating in no bucks and possible humiliation and finally came up with Jed Donahue, his editor at Crown Publishing.
So there I was one day last month at the practice court of the Washington Wizards, watching my proxy -- like me, Jed never plays basketball and can't even palm one -- compete against DeShawn Stevenson, the Wizards' starting shooting guard.
It was not exactly my stated scenario. DeShawn is hardly the best free-throw shooter in the NBA; he was chosen because Jed did not practice nonstop every day, all day, for a year -- he shot 100 free throws a day for three months. Jed's lack of elite training and DeShawn's lack of elite skill were supposed to cancel each other out.
My contention was that the trained amateur will win so long as he doesn't choke under pressure, a possibility I'd flatly ruled out in the case of me. Alas, right at the start, Jed began heaving bricks, missing eight of his first 10. But then he started bearing down. When it was over, he had drained 33 of 50 shots. DeShawn hit 35, though I must report that at the very end, when it was clear he had won, DeShawn began hot-dogging a little, trying for one-handed fadeaway jumpers off the glass and such.
If you think I have to admit I lost, you are not thinking like a real guy: Eliminate the choke factor, give the amateur a few more months' practice, and DeShawn or any other NBA big shot is toast. I proudly e-mailed the details of my stirring victory to Dave Barry, who wrote back:
"So, as I understand it, you are encouraged because a guy who practiced 'only three months' got beat by a mediocre NBA free-throw shooter who was not taking it seriously. Okay! My feeling is that you could practice for 10 years and still not beat a good NBA free-throw shooter who was trying, any more than you could practice pole vaulting for 10 years and beat a good pole vaulter. Also, you are -- let's not kid ourselves here -- a loser."
The debate lives on. Dave and I have resolved to discuss it further, over a beer.
Gene Weingarten's e-mail address is weingarten@washpost.com.
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Neither Dave Barry nor I recalls for sure when and where we first had this discussion, which is not surprising inasmuch as beer was involved. But it came down to my assertion that basketball free-throw shooting takes no particular athletic ability, followed by Dave's contention that I am an...
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Finding a Hook in Silver Spring
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Where coils of fire hoses once rested, pints of ale will soon be poured.
The historic Fire Station No. 1 on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, which has been eyed by more than a dozen developers and hundreds of potential buyers since it went up for sale in July, will become a restaurant and brew pub with a firehouse theme. A firefighter and part owner of Hook & Ladder Brewing has a deal pending to purchase the property from the Silver Spring Volunteer Fire Department.
The deal, expected to close in May, will end months of speculation about what would become of the building, which was built in 1914 and doubled as a National Guard armory until 1927. When its firefighters moved into a brand-new station across the street, some community members feared the old station would be torn down as new developments inch toward the southern end of Georgia Avenue, known as Silver Spring's historic main street.
But the property's soon-to-be owner Jeremy Gruber, a beer enthusiast and retiring captain with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, said he plans to preserve the red brick, two-story building. Gruber is an investor in Hook & Ladder, which was founded in 1999 by Bethesda natives Rich and Matt Fleischer, who were also attracted to the station's place in Silver Spring's past.
"It's not every day that a fire station becomes available for sale in the town where your brewing company is based," said Matt Fleischer, 31, president and chief operating officer. "We want to continue the tradition of firefighters in the area."
Rich Fleischer, 35, started Hook & Ladder while living in California, blending his love of beer and his years as a volunteer firefighter with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. Matt soon signed on to help run the business. Even though their home-brewed ale was a hit at parties, it never earned a profit.
So the brothers moved back to Maryland. Rich worked to recoup costs and Matt went to business school. They relaunched the company in June 2005 in Silver Spring and captured part of the growing market for microbrewed beers, which jumped 11 percent last year and 29 percent since 2003, according to figures released last month by the Brewers Association.
Small brewers are becoming more popular in the northern half of the country as consumers look for more diverse flavors, said Paul Gatza, director of the association.
Today Hook & Ladder's American-style beer flows through the taps of about 140 local restaurants and bars. The Golden Ale is a best-seller, and Backdraft Brown is gaining popularity. Mix the two to get Ember Amber, a personal favorite of the brothers.
They plan on partnering with a restaurant operator who will sell their beer, keeping the station's original decor and adding memorabilia such as old helmets and coats. Gruber said he doesn't plan to alter the building, which is listed in Montgomery County's Locational Atlas and Index of Historical Sites.
Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Brokerage, which handled the sale, did not disclose the selling price. The suggested minimum bid was $2.5 million.
Jerry A. McCoy, president of the Silver Spring Historical Society, said he hopes an independently owned restaurant in the firehouse will help revitalize Georgia Avenue between Wayne Avenue and the District line, which has been neglected since new development in downtown Silver Spring, near the intersection of Colesville Road.
"You can go to that section of Georgia Avenue and it looks like one big party. Then you walk south and it's like no-man's land," said McCoy, who said he is worried that high-rise condominiums will replace the two-story historic storefronts.
"Now they're primed for an incredible comeback," he said. "A restaurant in that firehouse would really help that end of the street."
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Where coils of fire hoses once rested, pints of ale will soon be poured.
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Md. Bill to Provide Muslims End-of-Life Alternatives
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Muslims bury their dead with neither flourish nor casket, but a ritual cleansing before the body is quickly returned to the earth, cocooned in a white shroud. But this tradition handed down over centuries has eluded Muslims around Washington, who, like Jews, do not practice embalming -- and are served by just one licensed mortician.
That's changing, though. Virginia licensed its first Muslim-owned funeral home last month, in Woodbridge. And Friday, a committee of Maryland lawmakers approved a bill that would open the industry to Muslims by exempting them from embalmings as they learn the trade.
If the General Assembly approves the bill, Muslims say they would be spared long trips to find mortuaries that will perform a last ablution.
The Maryland legislation is the work of two state delegates, Saqib Ali (D-Montgomery) and Samuel I. Rosenberg (D-Baltimore), who have formed a politically deft partnership: a freshman and the legislature's first Muslim, and a Jew who says he is drawn to issues of religious freedom.
"These are two religions that grew out of the same desert," said Rosenberg, a lawyer in his sixth term. "When people feel their religious rights have been violated, they should stand up and say, 'Give me redress.' "
A simple solution would have been for Muslims to break into the trade. But as with other industries that, over time, have been closed to immigrants by circumstance or design, so it is with funeral homes: Maryland law does not acknowledge the difference between a Christian burial and a Muslim one. Anyone who applies for a mortician's license must embalm and perform cosmetic work on at least 20 dead bodies as an apprentice, a practice banned by Islamic law.
"For us, a person dies in the morning, and the body is in the ground the next day," said Farooq Marfani, funeral director for the Islamic Society of Baltimore, which also serves Muslims in Montgomery and Prince George's counties.
"For Christians, someone dies today, the funeral is next week. We are saying, 'Give us a break and we will put someone up to become a mortician.' " While some funeral homes reserve space for ritual washing, plenty make no space at all.
The bill asks the state Board of Morticians to issue a permit to religious leaders, who would take care of the body from death to burial instead of licensed morticians. Muslims say they pay thousands of dollars for embalming, caskets, flowers and other services they don't use, creating an urgent need for morticians who follows their custom. But several who testified at a hearing last week said the mortuary industry, which could face new competition, has shut them out.
The bill rankled funeral home owners, who said they oppose giving one group special treatment, on the grounds that public health could be compromised.
"You're going to have chaos in the regulatory system for handling dead bodies," said Jim Doyle, lobbyist for the Maryland State Funeral Directors Association, which represents half the state's 270 mortuaries. The state board "would become the board of religious clerics," he said. "There are 1,000 religions out there. . . . The board would be required to just accept that they're legitimate on its face?"
Jewish morticians in training have long endured the embalming requirement. But with several well-established Jewish mortuaries in the region, once the morticians are licensed, they don't have to practice it.
The bill's language does not use the word Muslim, as did a similar measure that failed twice in recent years. The delegates said they tried to make their legislation palatable to those who might bristle at a law designed for one community. But now, as many as 300,000 Muslims live in the District and its Virginia and Maryland suburbs.
"I heard from many Muslims throughout Maryland," Ali testified last month before the House Health and Government Operations committee. "There is an impediment to getting a mortician's license."
Even if Muslims would agree to perform embalmings, he said, no one in the industry would take them as apprentices. "The funeral industry is insular and family-owned. They have their own people in the pipeline."
The state's leading mortuary owners say that entrusting dead bodies to religious leaders who lack training in how to handle the bodies could expose them to HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis or other diseases.
"There could be leakage from bodies that are autopsied in hospitals," said Earl Canapp, executive vice president of Ruck Funeral Homes in Baltimore, a member of the state board. "It's not that we're trying to prevent anyone from being involved in the business."
Abdul Mateen, owner of the Washington area's only Muslim mortuary, Universal Mortuary on Kennedy Street NW, agreed that health concerns are an issue, but said the industry needs to be more inclusive. "A Muslim burial is a simple burial. There are no high expenses to it. But you have to learn the process," he said.
Universal charges about $1,800 for washing, transporting and burial. The average cost of a funeral in Virginia is $7,000 to $9,000, said Elizabeth Young, executive director of the state Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers. "It's enormous," she said.
Ira Levinson, a fourth-generation owner of Levinson Funeral Home near Baltimore, said his son is preparing to enter the business. "He would prefer not to embalm [in training], but that's the law."
After the committee hearing, Chairman Peter A. Hammen (D-Baltimore) told the sponsors, the Muslim advocates and the funeral directors to work out a compromise that could pass his committee. He suggested creating two licensing tracks for morticians, those who embalm and those who don't. Maryland and Virginia issued so-called dual licenses until the 1970s, when regulators sought to make the system more professional, discouraging embalmers for hire, who offered their services like traveling salesmen.
The compromise approved Friday represents an acknowledgment of Muslims' growing clout in the Washington area. Said Del. Nathaniel T. Oaks (D-Baltimore), a member of the health committee: "The whole immigrant community is growing. Service is not being provided for a segment of the community. We're trying to remember that."
In Virginia, Muslim leaders are anxiously awaiting the opening of Aden Muslim Funeral Services in Woodbridge.
Rizwan Jaka, director of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center, a mosque and community center in Northern Virginia, said funeral homes of other faiths "have been very accommodating" to the region's large number of Muslims. "But a home run by Muslims will be welcome."
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Muslims bury their dead with neither flourish nor casket, but a ritual cleansing before the body is quickly returned to the earth, cocooned in a white shroud. But this tradition handed down over centuries has eluded Muslims around Washington, who, like Jews, do not practice embalming -- and are...
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Open Call From the Patent Office
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The government is about to start opening up the process of reviewing patents to the modern font of wisdom: the Internet.
The Patent and Trademark Office is starting a pilot project that will not only post patent applications on the Web and invite comments but also use a community rating system designed to push the most respected comments to the top of the file, for serious consideration by the agency's examiners. A first for the federal government, the system resembles the one used by Wikipedia, the popular user-created online encyclopedia.
"For the first time in history, it allows the patent-office examiners to open up their cubicles and get access to a whole world of technical experts," said David J. Kappos, vice president and assistant general counsel at IBM.
It's quite a switch. For generations, the agency responsible for awarding patents, one of the cornerstones of innovation, has kept its distance from the very technological advances it has made possible. The project, scheduled to begin in the spring, evolved out of a meeting between IBM, the top recipient of U.S. patents for 14 years in a row, and New York Law School Professor Beth Simone Noveck. Noveck called the initiative "revolutionary" and said it will bring about "the first major change to our patent examination system since the 19th century."
Most federal agencies invite interested parties to weigh in on proceedings, and even the patent office allows some public comment, but never to the degree now suggested .
Until now, patent examiners rarely sought outside opinions, instead relying on scientific writings and archived records of previous patents. For security reasons -- in particular, out of concern that examiners could inadvertently reveal proprietary information if their online searches were tracked -- patent officials have at times even been barred from using the Internet for research.
But their mission has grown increasingly unwieldy. Last year, the agency's 4,000 examiners, headquartered in Alexandria, completed a record 332,000 applications. The tremendous workload has often left examiners with little time to conduct thorough reviews, according to sympathetic critics.
Under the pilot project, some companies submitting patent applications will agree to have them reviewed via the Internet. The list of volunteers already contains some of the most prominent names in computing, including Microsoft, Intel, Hewlett-Packard and Oracle, as well as IBM, though other applicants are welcome.
Brigid Quinn, a spokeswoman for the patent office, said the program will begin with about 250 applications from the realm of software design, where it is especially difficult for examiners to find related documentation. Unlike specialists in many other fields, software designers often forgo publishing their innovations in technical journals and elsewhere.
Anyone who believes he knows of information relating to these proposed patents will be able to post this online and solicit comments from others. But this will suddenly make available reams of information, which could be from suspect sources, and so the program includes a "reputation system" for ranking the material and evaluating the expertise of those submitting it.
With so much money riding on patent decisions -- for instance, a federal jury ordered Microsoft last month to pay $1.52 billion for infringing two digital-music patents -- the program's designers acknowledge that the incentive to manipulate the system is immense.
"I'm sure there will be a degree of gaming. There always is," Kappos said.
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The government is about to start opening up the process of reviewing patents to the modern font of wisdom: the Internet.
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New Prosecutor Revisits Justice in Dallas
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DALLAS -- Craig Watkins is still settling into his 11th-floor office overlooking the city skyline, hanging up pictures, arranging his plaques -- and revolutionizing the criminal justice system he oversees.
Sworn in as Dallas County district attorney on Jan. 1 -- he is the first elected black district attorney in Texas -- Watkins fired or accepted the resignations of almost two dozen high-level white prosecutors and began hiring minorities and women.
And in an unprecedented act for any jurisdiction in the nation, he announced he would allow the Texas affiliate of the Innocence Project to review hundreds of Dallas County cases dating back to 1970 to decide whether DNA tests should be conducted to validate past convictions. At 12 in the past five years, Dallas has more post-conviction DNA exonerations than any county in the nation and more than at least two states. A 13th exoneration, of a Dallas County man, is expected to be announced within days.
By his own estimate, Watkins should not be occupying what he calls a "ten-gallon-hat, cowboy-boot-wearing, dip-chewin', lock-'em-up-and-throw-away-the-key" post in the ninth-largest city in the country.
He's black, he's a Democrat, he's young, he was a defense lawyer with an office in a southside neighborhood, and he has no prosecutorial experience -- unless he counts a year-long internship handling misdemeanors in the city prosecutor's office. His two previous applications to work as an assistant district attorney in Dallas County were rejected, in fact, by an office in which a prosecutor once produced a manual on how to exclude minorities from Texas juries.
In November, Watkins, 39, was elected as part of a Democratic sweep in Dallas in which the party took 42 judgeships and six other countywide offices. He is the first Democratic district attorney in 20 years. During the campaign he promised to be "smart on crime," not just tough on crime; to ask for the death penalty when appropriate but also to advocate for better rehabilitation programs and post-release support services for ex-convicts.
"You know what people call it? 'Hug-a-thug,' " said Watkins, imposing at 6 feet 5 yet soft-spoken, as he sat in his office after his latest "guest of honor" appearance, at a local high school's Black History Month assembly. "People say I'll coddle these criminals. But it's not about coddling criminals; it's about being smart."
That, he believes, means ensuring that the right people are behind bars.
Post-conviction DNA analysis in certain cases has been allowed in Texas since 2001. Since then, 354 people convicted in Dallas County -- most were in prison, but some were on parole or probation or were done with their sentences -- have asked for the DNA testing. The Dallas district attorney's office agreed to 19 requests; trial judges, who reviewed the district attorney's recommendations, ultimately granted the requests of 34 people.
That, said Watkins, tells him a "get a conviction at all costs" approach "utterly failed us."
"The question becomes: Do you stand in the way of justice or do you be the wind behind it to make sure that justice gets done?" Watkins said. "We're not being soft on crime. We're being sure we get the right person going to jail."
Most of the exonerations date to cases tried in the 1980s under Dallas's legendary law-and-order district attorney, Henry Wade. Attempts to reach Watkins's predecessor, Bill Hill, were unsuccessful.
This time, the screenings of cases to determine whether they are eligible for post-conviction DNA testing will be done by Texas Weslayan University School of Law students. They will work under Mike Ware, an adjunct law professor and board member of the Innocence Project of Texas, who believes that prosecutors and judges may have previously taken an overly stringent view of the Texas statute and denied testing that might have led to exoneration.
"I have to respect [Watkins's] willingness to certainly take his oath of office to heart and be dedicated to true justice, which is what his oath of office requires," Ware said.
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Get Washington DC,Virginia,Maryland and national news. Get the latest/breaking news,featuring national security,science and courts. Read news headlines from the nation and from The Washington Post. Visit www.washingtonpost.com/nation today.
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In Canada, the New Rush Is for Diamonds
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LAC DE GRAS, Northwest Territories -- Gold opened this northern land, attracting a rush of prospectors and miners who splayed the earth, built up towns and then, after seven decades, closed up the last exhausted gold mine two years ago.
The first were found by a stubborn geologist who financed years of searching with money borrowed from neighbors. That prompted the biggest rush to stake mining claims in North America. Today, three mines are open and more are planned, bringing a flush of cash to northern Canada and making the country the third-largest producer of diamonds by value, surpassing even South Africa.
The booming industry is replacing the stigma of "blood diamonds" mined in conflict zones with images of polar bears and maple leaves engraved on snow-pure gems.
The riches have brought a juggernaut of men and machines to the remote tundra. They came to a place with no roads, towns or electricity, and brutal winters. Now giant machines screw into the permafrost, moving and sifting tons of rock 24 hours a day.
The territorial government is cheering them on. "Diamond mining is critical for us," Brendan Bell, the local minister of industry, said from the capital, Yellowknife. "We don't want to be a one-trick pony. But if you have to be reliant on one industry, diamonds are perfect."
In 2005, even before the Jericho mine opened in the adjoining territory of Nunavut, Canada's first two big diamond mines in the Northwest Territories unearthed 15 pounds of the gemstones, worth $4 million, each day.
At the Diavik Diamond Mine site here, Justin Wedawin, 29, sits in a cab 30 feet above the ground, steering a 240-ton dump truck.
"It's a bit like driving a ship," he said of his huge vehicle. It shudders as an even bigger machine loads it with ore in the dim light at the bottom of the open mine pit. He then begins the slow, 22-minute drive up the circular road carved into the side of the pit.
"When I come out of the pit, it's like going from night to day," he said.
Diavik's engineers have drained part of the lake here, Lac de Gras, diked it with 6 million tons of rock and corkscrewed 500 feet beneath the lake bed. They have built a sprawling complex to house hundreds of workers and an airport to get them here, brought machines the size of a house to rework the land, and erected towering structures to crush and sift the rock -- all to find diamonds.
Like most of Diavik's 735 employees, Wedawin works 12-hour shifts for two weeks straight, then goes home for two weeks. His home is in the native community of Rae, 200 miles away. Thirteen air routes serve workers who commute from as far away as Edmonton, 750 miles to the south.
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LAC DE GRAS, Northwest Territories -- Gold opened this northern land, attracting a rush of prospectors and miners who splayed the earth, built up towns and then, after seven decades, closed up the last exhausted gold mine two years ago.
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Mass. Health Care Plan Moving Forward
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BOSTON -- The average uninsured Massachusetts resident could obtain health care coverage for as little as $175 a month under the state's insurance law, less than half of earlier estimates, officials said Saturday.
The plans are a critical piece of the state's landmark insurance initiative, which requires all state residents to have health coverage by July 1 or face tax penalties. Some insurers had suggested earlier that the premium would be $380 a month.
We can help you find the right work environment with competitive benefits.
"This is a big improvement from the first round of bids and a big step forward for health care reform," Gov. Deval Patrick said as he released the results of negotiations with health insurers in the state. "The health security that was the point of health care reform will be delivered at an affordable price."
The panel charged with overseeing the law is expected to give its seal of approval Wednesday to the seven health care plans that met the affordability goals. On March 20, the board is scheduled to vote on whether the insurers will be able to offer lower cost versions without drug coverage.
The minimum plan detailed by Patrick would cover the average uninsured Massachusetts resident, who is typically around 37 years old. It includes prescription drug coverage and covers basic medical care, such as emergency room visits and outpatient medical care.
Lower cost plans would be available to young adults. Prices would also rise and fall depending on the age of the person seeking insurance and where they live.
The plans must include coverage for preventive doctor visits and an out-of-pocket limit, after which the plan would pay everything else, said the board's executive director, Jon Kingsdale. They must also include coverage for emergencies, mental health, substance abuse, rehabilitation, hospice and vision.
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BOSTON -- The average uninsured Massachusetts resident could obtain health care coverage for as little as $175 a month under the state's insurance law, less than half of earlier estimates, officials said Saturday.
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A Killer Obsession
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Robert Graysmith is like a character from one of his true crime thrillers. That would be the eccentric, obsessed writer, your classic archetype, the brilliant nutter who lives in a studio apartment filled with 2,500 pounds of notes and doesn't answer his own phone. Leaning into the wind, head cocked, Graysmith is now scuttling through downtown, giving a quickie tour of the macabre, his Greatest Hits of the Zodiac.
"Zodiac" being the real 1968 serial killer who was never caught (though he was portrayed as a deranged hippie freak in the 1971 "Dirty Harry" vigilante film), which then became "Zodiac," the 1986 Graysmith book that sold 4 million copies, which then became "Zodiac," the movie about the killer (and Graysmith) that opens nationwide on Friday and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr.
"Here's the St. Francis," Graysmith says. He points to the hotel on Union Square. "That's where Stine was idling in his taxi." That would be Paul Lee Stine, then 29 years old, working for the Yellow Cab Co. as he pursued a graduate degree in English lit at San Francisco State. Married. No kids. Graysmith ticks off these facts as if they were from a police blotter. You want to know the cab number? Graysmith could tell you it was 912. Significant?
"LeRoy Sweet, the dispatcher, sent him to Lake Street." He gives us the exact address, but we can't take notes fast enough to keep up. Graysmith is a speed talker. Stine was flagged down right here, in the theater district. Graysmith points. The Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera "Mikado" was playing. Another clue? "This was Harold's News Stand." Now it's not. "Here's where the killer got in, rear, driver's side." He can go on like this forever.
The Zodiac shot Stine in the head at the intersection of Cherry and Washington in the posh Presidio Heights neighborhood. Oct. 11, 1969. "That's Columbus Day," Graysmith says. "Hey, I never thought of that before. Another holiday." Zodiac murdered two teenagers on the Fourth of July. Another teenage girl right before Christmas. Hmmmm.
Careful. You are in danger of falling down the rabbit hole with Graysmith on perhaps the greatest cold case ever, the bizarre and theatrical and still-unsolved serial murders by a real-life ghoul who called himself Zodiac, who claimed in letters to have killed 37 people (though police have focused on five homicides and two attempted murders in the greater Bay Area in 1968 and 1969).
How bizarre? He wrote taunting letters to the police, like Jack the Ripper. He claimed his victims would be his slaves in paradise. He mailed a Happy Halloween card to the Chronicle reporter covering the case. He sent cryptograms to the newspapers. The FBI could not crack them; a high school teacher did.
Creepy? He wore a costume. In broad daylight, at Lake Berryessa in Napa County, Zodiac stabbed a couple while wearing a medieval executioner's outfit, all in black, with a hood and his trademark insignia -- a circle with a cross -- neatly sewn onto his chest. The woman died.
Graysmith was a new editorial cartoonist working at the San Francisco Chronicle when the first Zodiac letter arrived at the paper in Aug. 1, 1969, and Graysmith just happened to be in the meeting when the envelope was handed to the editor. The letter accurately described two murder scenes and promised more if the cipher was not published.
"I looked at the small printing on the letter," Graysmith wrote in "Zodiac." "Primarily, I felt rage at the coldness, arrogance and insanity of the murderer." Rage -- and fascination. "Irretrievably hooked, immediately obsessed, I wanted to solve what I felt was to become one of the great mysteries."
Obsessed? Boy, he is not kidding. In the beginning, Graysmith was only peripherally involved with the Zodiac case. The story belonged to veteran crime reporter Paul Avery, played in the movie with flamboyant verve as a hard-drinking, drug-snorting hotshot by Downey. Zodiac sent him a card, "PEEK-A-BOO -- YOU ARE DOOMED!," and his colleagues at the paper donned campaign-style buttons that read "I Am Not Paul Avery." You can't make this stuff up.
The San Francisco investigator assigned to the case was already famous: Dave Toschi (Ruffalo), with his .38 Cobra in its quick-release shoulder holster and his black turtlenecks, was the model for Steve McQueen in "Bullitt."
But Graysmith? He really went deep into the Zodiac wormhole. The cartoonist spent a decade researching and writing his first (of two) Zodiac books. He kept his job at the Chronicle until 1983 -- he was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize six times by the paper for un-Zodiac-related cartooning -- but Zodiac consumed him. He'd sit in the front window of the Owl and the Monkey cafe. "They let me sit there for 10 years," Graysmith recalls. When the place closed (it's now a health food joint), the owners gave him his table, chair, coffee cup and tray, as mementos.
Graysmith has written seven books, including one about the murder of "Hogan's Heroes" star Bob Crane, which became the movie "Autofocus," and another about the Unabomber. In his two Zodiac books, Graysmith is barely present as the narrator. But in the film, he is a central character. When James Vanderbilt, the screenwriter, pitched the movie to Mike Medavoy of Phoenix Pictures, he says, "I asked him to imagine what it would be like if Garry Trudeau had decided to crack the Son of Sam case. Robert isn't a cop hunting a killer. He's a cartoonist hunting a killer."
When Vanderbilt met Graysmith, "he was nothing like I'd expected from reading the books. He was much more incredibly quirky. And kind of heroic." Like how? "Well, he's got this great mind, right? But here he is chasing around the real suspect, the guy he thinks is the Zodiac killer, while driving this bright orange VW rabbit, which is probably not the smartest thing to do."
Between 1973 and 1983, Graysmith interviewed hundreds of people about the case, and reviewed their police statements, including two of the survivors of Zodiac, one who had repeatedly been shot (and became a vagabond) and the other repeatedly stabbed (who became a lawyer). By the late 1970s the Zodiac case had gone cold. There were 2,500 suspects. Eventually his studio apartment contained more than one ton of material. Boxes to the ceiling. The police let him examine files, he says, hoping that he would turn something up, that he could do things as a private citizen that they couldn't do without probable cause and warrants.
Among his investigative techniques? Pure will. Once, Graysmith came across a phone number in a victim's handwriting. Instead of just dialing the number, wary of tipping off whoever would answer, Graysmith went through the Vallejo phone book. The entire phone book. Number by number.
Graysmith's first draft was 12,000 pages long. As he wrote, he edited not with a pen or pencil, but by cutting words out of the page with an artist's Xacto knife. What then? "I'd sweep them up, sort through them and throw most of them away," he says. Most? "Some I'd keep for later use."
With his editor, Graysmith went through 13 drafts. It took three years. His daughter Margot remembers spending weekends with her father in the apartment. "We'd watch cartoons, and he would type," she says.
Graysmith's first marriage ended before his obsession with Zodiac began; the case helped end his second. Graysmith remembers typing his first drafts on the backs of flea-market circulars to save money (for alimony and child support). Daughter Margot recalls gathering 350 pennies to go to the movies with her dad. Margot and two sons by his first wife are close. His ex-wife, who watched him lose it during the Zodiac case, remains a friend and attended the film premiere in San Francisco.
The "Zodiac" director David Fincher ("Fight Club" and "Se7en" ) recalls sending a copy of the script to Graysmith, "who read it, and said, 'Wow, so that's why my wife left me.' He could finally see himself as he was." Says Fincher, "I don't know if the Zodiac was made for Robert or Robert was made for the Zodiac."
In his books, and in the film, Graysmith identifies who he believes the Zodiac is -- a man named Arthur Leigh Allen. The police had interviewed Allen and searched his residences. He kept live squirrels. The evidence, though powerful, is circumstantial. Allen died of a heart attack in 1992. "I truly believe that we have the Zodiac," Graysmith says. "But there are some other good suspects." (If you're curious -- and have three weeks -- draw your own conclusions from Internet sleuthing.)
So what if he is wrong? "Let's assume we're all wrong, and he's not the guy," Graysmith says. He is sitting at a table, his two Zodiac books in front of him. He pushes them away. "If he's not the guy, I don't want to get near it." Why? Because Zodiac will suck him right back down the hole.
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Search movie listings, reviews and locations from the Washington Post. Features national listings for movies and movie guide. Visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/movies today.
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The Myth of the Middle
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The story of 2006 was that regular Americans were sick of partisan divisions in Washington. The vast and consensus-hungry middle asserted itself in November, the narrative went, finally ordering the parties and their childish politicians to stop fighting and to work together.
After the vote, bipartisanship was all the buzz, and moderation the wave of the future. But something happened on the way to the evening campfire and s'mores. House Republicans started complaining about Democrats riding roughshod into the majority, refusing to consider their amendments to legislation. President Bush announced that he wasn't going to let the opposition of congressional Democrats stop him from sending 21,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq. Meanwhile, Democratic leaders trashed most of Bush's domestic policy proposals as soon as they were announced in his State of the Union address.
One explanation for all this is that politicians are acting against the will of their compromise-loving constituents. Another is that Republicans and Democrats are simply being good representatives. We think the evidence supports the second interpretation.
The Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES) surveyed more than 24,000 Americans who voted in 2006. The Internet-based survey compiled by researchers at 30 universities produced a sample that almost perfectly matched the national House election results: 54 percent of the respondents reported voting for a Democrat, while 46 percent said they voted for a Republican. The demographic characteristics of the voters surveyed also closely matched those in the 2006 national exit poll. If anything, the CCES respondents claimed they were more "independent" than those in the exit poll.
The CCES survey asked about 14 national issues: the war in Iraq (the invasion and the troops), abortion (and partial birth abortion), stem cell research, global warming, health insurance, immigration, the minimum wage, liberalism and conservatism, same-sex marriage, privatizing Social Security, affirmative action, and capital gains taxes. Not surprisingly, some of the largest differences between Democrats and Republicans were over the Iraq war. Fully 85 percent of those who voted for Democratic House candidates felt that it had been a mistake to invade Iraq, compared with only 18 percent of voters who cast ballots for Republicans.
But the divisions between the parties weren't limited to Iraq. They extended to every issue in the survey. For example, 69 percent of Democratic voters chose the most strongly pro-choice position on the issue of abortion, compared with 20 percent of Republican voters; only 16 percent of Democratic voters supported a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, while 80 percent of Republican voters did; and 91 percent of Democratic voters favored governmental action to reduce global warming, compared with 27 percent of Republican voters.
When we combined voters' answers to the 14 issue questions to form a liberal-conservative scale (answers were divided into five equivalent categories based on overall liberalism vs. conservatism), 86 percent of Democratic voters were on the liberal side of the scale while 80 percent of Republican voters were on the conservative side. Only 10 percent of all voters were in the center. The visual representation of the nation's voters isn't a nicely shaped bell, with most voters in the moderate middle. It's a sharp V.
The evidence from this survey isn't surprising; nor are the findings new. For the past three decades, the major parties and the electorate have grown more divided -- in what they think, where they live and how they vote. It may be comforting to believe our problems could be solved if only those vile politicians in Washington would learn to get along. The source of the country's division, however, is nestled much closer to home.
Alan Abramowitz is a political science professor at Emory University. Bill Bishop is a journalist in Austin who is writing a book on political segregation.
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It is easy to blame Washington politicians for the country's division, but the true source is nestled much closer to home.
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âThe womenâs cleavage displayed in the film âCurse of the Golden Flowerâ has sent ladies rushing to plastic surgeons for breast enhancement,â writes the Shanghai Daily. In 1999 Shanghai had hardly any plastic surgery hospitals. Today there are more than one hundred. Women in China are racing to get their eyes double-lidded, their waists slimmer, their breasts enlarged in the pursuit of beauty and sexuality with dangerous consequences.
According to Xinhua news agency, Chinaâs beauty industry now accounts for 1.8 percent of the countryâs GDP, providing some 20 million jobs. And it keeps growing as China gets richer. The speed at which the industry is expanding in a developing market that struggles from lack of government oversight and regulation has resulted in countless horror stories.
Late last year, Beijing had to warn its image-conscious citizens against leg-lengthening surgery after ten people who had responded to a hospital advertisement for âheight without painâ ended up disfigured. The operation involved breaking the patientâs legs and then stretching them on a rack.
And itâs not just cosmetic surgery thatâs causing irreversible damage. Women who recently opted to avoid the knife by injecting hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel or PAAG to enhance their breasts found themselves with infections -- even cancer. The toxic gel left many victims without breasts at all.
A centuries old notion of Chinese beauty holds that white skin stands for beauty and status while dark skin represents manual labou and poverty. Not too long after a survey by a Shanghai-based internet research company found that half of Chinese women between 21 and 33 agreed that skin-whitener was their favorite product and on average used at least 3 creams, health officials found that many skin-whiteners in China had excessive quantities of mercury that could lead to skin deformation.
The suffering from the string of scandals to hit Chinaâs beauty industry has led to a gradual realization of the physical consequences of âoversexualizationâ in an unregulated market. China hasnât even begun to weigh the psychological repercussions of all this.
Meantime China's obsession with beauty has an unusual wrinkle. It's not limited to women. The Shanghai branch of China Hairdressing and Beauty Association says that roughly 30 percent of the industry's procedures are for men and their share of the market is growing. A Shanghai plastic surgeon claims more than half of his patients are now men between 18 and 26 who typically want thinner faces, pointed chins and straight noses. If nothing else, the obsession with beauty, sex, and gender in China may be moving towards a curious -- and dangerous -- gender equality.
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Kyoko Altman at PostGlobal on PostGlobal; blog of politics and current events on washingtonpost.com. Visit http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/kyoko_altman/
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"It is not natural for "me"."
Here is the evidence of your delusional state and lack of understanding.
Nature is not relative. Does a tree all of a sudden start acting like a bird? Or does a ape begin to act like a dolphin ... it is not in it's nature to do so. If nature was relative than we wouldn't have medicines, technology, or anything.
You keep speaking as if you know that our sexual inclinations cannot be changed, controlled, and harnessed. Please don't tell these lies to recovering pedophiles, or to those who practice bestiality and want to change.
You provided an example of a person who almost committed suicide out of pressure from his family. What does this have to do with hmsxlty? This happens to people who do drugs, who have a baby out of wedlock, etc. That is a family issue.
No one said that anyone wants to make people change. Change comes from within. It is a choice. Just like an alcholic decides to stop drinking, or any criminal decides to reform, or a parent decides to start paying attention to their children. But the truth is self evident - your sexuality is associated to your nature, your gender. I embrace every kind of person but if someone is a lier or a thief I cannot turn a blind eye to this. I must let them know that this is wrong for them and for others. It is the same with hmsxlty.
Hmsxlty is against nature. It is a lie. It can be overcome, and doesn't need to be feared by anyone. It is the same as any weakness of character anyone else has.
"People that are born the way they are"
You are abolutely right. A human male is a male. A human female is a female. Your gender is a attribute of your nature and it dictates how you can behave - sexually, physically, etc.
You cannot refute any of my points. I hope that others that read these posts understand that they can be free, it is their choice.
Just because this young man couldn't change when he tried doesn't mean that he can't change.
I know of others who have changed and feel all the better being true to what and who they are.
When buddha was trying to overcome the flaws of his character he fasted, meditated, and prayed. Try this.
There are various venues to elevate yourself and overcome weaknesses. To reach your full potential as a human being, behaving according to your nature. EVERYONE CAN BE HAPPY, but happiness has a specific nature!
I know that through Jesus Christ we can become better and receive the power and conviction we need to face the challenges and inclinations we have in our lives.
This nation is built upon the principle of choice. The right to choose. It is the greatest lie on this earth that you can choose to change what you already are. Sadly humans are the only ones that make this mistake.
This nation is embracing license not tolerance, where everything is acceptable. This will only lead to the decay and eventual dissolution of society.
What ever happened to self mastery, self dominion, self sacrifice, self control, self discipline. We in this country only want to indulge ourselves.
I leave you with this quote:
"In vain do they talk of happiness who never subdued an impulse in obedience to a principle. He who never sacrificed present to a future good, or a personal to a general one, can speak of happiness only as the blind speak of color." -Horace Mann
PS Russle D, Your post does not address any of the points that I made.
I am open to a discussion but your statement has no meaning, it is like a child entering a room where adults are having a conversation and shouting some nonsense.
If you want to join the conversation then please provide some substance as to your point of view.
Posted February 28, 2007 11:29 PM
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A conversation on religion with Jon Meacham, Sally Quinn and Desmond Tutu. Visit http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/desmond_tutu/
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Army Fires Commander of Walter Reed
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The commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center was fired yesterday after the Army said it had lost trust and confidence in his leadership in the wake of a scandal over outpatient treatment of wounded troops at the Northwest Washington hospital complex.
Army Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, who assumed command of Walter Reed in August, will be temporarily replaced by Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley. But the appointment of Kiley, who had earlier been the facility's commander, surprised some Defense Department officials because soldiers, their families and veterans' advocates have complained that he had long been aware of problems at Walter Reed and did nothing to improve its outpatient care.
The action came 10 days after a Washington Post series exposed the squalid living conditions for some outpatient soldiers at Walter Reed and bureaucratic problems that prevented many from getting the care they need.
"The care and welfare of our wounded men and women in uniform demand the highest standard of excellence and commitment that we can muster as a government," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said in a statement. "When this standard is not met, I will insist on swift and direct corrective action and, where appropriate, accountability up the chain of command."
A senior Defense Department official said Gates had demanded quick action to show that the Pentagon was serious about improvements at Walter Reed. But the official said that Gates was not involved in the appointment of Kiley.
Now surgeon general of the Army and commander of the U.S. Army Medical Command, Kiley will take over temporarily as commander of Walter Reed "until a general officer is selected for this important leadership position," the Army said in a statement.
Kiley was commander at Walter Reed until 2004. He has called the Post stories a "one-sided representation" of conditions at the facility. "While we have some issues here, this is not a horrific, catastrophic failure at Walter Reed," he said.
Weightman, an easygoing, open Army leader, is well respected in the military medical community and well liked among the staff at Walter Reed. He took command in August and instituted some changes to improve outpatient care. The defense official said his firing and replacement by Kiley are likely to be demoralizing to the staff at the medical center.
The Army is already cracking down on some staff members after the reports of poor care. A number of soldiers have been reassigned from their duties at Walter Reed, including a captain and several sergeants, according to an Army official. More than 100 soldiers will arrive at Walter Reed later this month to permanently reinforce the medical brigade responsible for overseeing outpatient care.
Yesterday, an independent review panel appointed by Gates to investigate outpatient care at Walter Reed and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda held its first meeting at the Pentagon.
The group will "identify any critical shortcomings and opportunities to improve the rehabilitative care, administrative processes, and quality of life for injured and sick members of the armed forces" at Walter Reed and -- though there have been no complaints of poor care there -- at the Navy hospital, said William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.
The Army said the decision to relieve Weightman was made Wednesday after several days of consideration. Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey consulted with Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, and Gen. Richard A. Cody, the vice chief of staff, according to Paul Boyce, an Army spokesman.
"Maj. Gen. Weightman was informed . . . that the senior Army leadership had lost trust and confidence in the commander's leadership abilities to address needed solutions for soldier-outpatient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center," the Army statement said.
Weightman, a West Point graduate, served with the 82nd Airborne Division during the invasion of Panama and the Persian Gulf War. During the early stages of the Iraq war, he served as command surgeon for coalition land forces. As commander of Walter Reed, Weightman also headed the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command.
Last Friday, Weightman published an open letter in the hospital newspaper responding to the Post series, "The Other Walter Reed," disputing its criticisms.
"First and foremost, I want to assure all the staff that I do not believe that there is the 'other' Walter Reed," Weightman wrote. "I firmly believe that we deliver the same level of world-class healthcare to all our patients and their families, regardless of whether they are inpatients or outpatients."
Shortly after noon yesterday, Weightman sent out an e-mail to the entire Walter Reed garrison announcing his relief. "I am confident that you will continue to do a great job . . .," he wrote. "You're a great team and I have been honored to work with you."
Staff writer Dana Priest contributed to this report.
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The commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center was fired yesterday after the Army said it had lost trust and confidence in his leadership in the wake of a scandal over outpatient treatment of wounded troops at the Northwest Washington hospital complex.
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New Doubts On Nuclear Efforts by North Korea
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The Bush administration is backing away from its long-held assertions that North Korea has an active clandestine program to enrich uranium, leading some experts to believe that the original U.S. intelligence that started the crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions may have been flawed.
The chief intelligence officer for North Korea, Joseph R. DeTrani, told Congress on Tuesday that while there is "high confidence" North Korea acquired materials that could be used in a "production-scale" uranium program, there is only "mid-confidence" such a program exists. Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher R. Hill, the chief negotiator for disarmament talks, told a conference last week in Washington that it is unclear whether North Korea ever mastered the production techniques necessary for such a program.
If the materials North Korea bought "did not go into a highly enriched uranium program, maybe they went somewhere else," Hill said. "Fine. We can have a discussion about where they are and where they've gone."
The administration's stance today stands in sharp contrast to the certainty expressed by top officials in 2002, when the administration accused Pyongyang of running a secret uranium program -- and demanded it be dismantled at once. President Bush told a news conference that November: "We discovered that, contrary to an agreement they had with the United States, they're enriching uranium, with a desire of developing a weapon."
The accusation about the alleged uranium program backfired, sparking a series of events that ultimately led to North Korea's first nuclear test -- using another material, plutonium -- nearly five months ago.
In 2002, the United States led a drive to suspend shipments of fuel oil promised to Pyongyang under a 1994 accord that froze a North Korean plutonium facility. The collapse of the 1994 agreement freed North Korea to build up a stockpile of plutonium for as many as a dozen nuclear weapons. Pyongyang conducted its test with some of that plutonium -- while the alleged uranium facility faded in importance.
Plutonium and highly enriched uranium provide different routes to building nuclear weapons. The North Koreans were able to reprocess spent fuel rods -- which had been monitored by U.N. inspectors under the 1994 agreement -- to obtain the weapons-grade plutonium for a nuclear test last year. A uranium-enrichment program would have required Pyongyang to build a facility with thousands of uranium-spinning centrifuges to obtain the highly enriched uranium needed for a weapon. Iran's nuclear program, which the United States alleges is intended for weapons, involves enriched uranium.
When Bush took office in 2001, a number of top administration officials openly expressed grave doubts about the 1994 accord, which was negotiated by the Clinton administration, and they seized on the intelligence about the uranium facility to terminate the agreement. The CIA provided an unclassified estimate to Congress in November 2002 that North Korea had begun constructing a plant that would produce enough "weapons-grade uranium for two or more nuclear weapons per year . . . as soon as mid-decade."
David Albright, a respected former U.N. inspector and president of the Institute for Science and International Security, issued a report last week in which he likened the intelligence on North Korea's uranium facility to the discredited intelligence before the invasion of Iraq that Baghdad was building a nuclear program. "The analysis about North Korea's program also appears to be flawed," he wrote.
In the upcoming issue of the Washington Quarterly, Joel S. Wit, a former State Department official who, with Albright, recently met with North Korean officials in Pyongyang, also raises questions about the intelligence estimate.
Administration officials insist they had valid suspicions at the time about North Korean purchases -- including 150 tons of aluminum tubes from Russia in June 2002 -- to halt any possible cooperative talks with Pyongyang. Officials also say that a senior North Korean official admitted to the program in October 2002, when Hill's predecessor, James Kelly, confronted North Korean officials over the U.S. intelligence findings at a meeting in Pyongyang. North Korea subsequently denied that any such admission took place.
Kelly told reporters at the time he had informed the North Koreans that "this was a big problem and that they needed to dismantle it right away, before we could fully engage in a whole range of things that might well be mutually beneficial."
U.S. participants at the meeting said in interviews there was little dispute at the time North Korea appeared to be admitting the program, though one said the admission was more "tonal" -- such as the North Korean official's belligerent attitude -- than would appear in the transcript of the discussion.
During the early years of the crisis, the United States took a firm stand that North Korea must first admit to the uranium facility, rejecting proposals from other nations that it was more important to freeze the plutonium facility in order to halt North Korea's production. In May 2004, DeTrani -- then with the State Department -- was dispatched to give the North Koreans a detailed, 90-minute presentation of all the materials that Pyongyang had procured overseas, including aluminum tubes, chemicals and even a centrifuge kit from a Pakistani nuclear smuggling network, a U.S. official said.
The North Koreans have consistently denied having a uranium-enrichment program, and U.S. officials say suspected procurement activities have largely ceased in the past two years for unknown reasons. Some speculate that Pyongyang found a uranium program too difficult, especially since the plutonium facility was active. Others say DeTrani's presentation spooked them and they either ended the purchases or became more discreet.
Hill has said he has raised the uranium program at every meeting with the North Koreans, but the recent deal struck with Pyongyang focuses on the plutonium program. Under the agreement, North Korea will close and "seal" its plutonium nuclear reactor at Yongbyon within 60 days in return for 50,000 tons of fuel oil.
Pyongyang must eventually disclose and dismantle its programs in order to receive significant aid and other benefits, including normalizing relations with the United States.
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The Bush administration is backing away from its long-held assertions that North Korea has an active clandestine program to enrich uranium, leading some experts to believe that the original U.S. intelligence that started the crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions may have been flawed.
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N. Korea Reasserts Pledge to Denuclearize
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SEOUL, March 2 -- North Korea's No. 2 leader reiterated Thursday his country's pledge to abandon its nuclear weapons, as the impoverished nation sought a resumption of aid in its first high-level talks with South Korea since conducting an atomic test.
Kim Yong Nam said denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was "the dying wish" of the country's founding president, Kim Il Sung, who died in 1994. North Korea "will make efforts to realize it," he told South Korean Unification Minister Lee Jae Joung in Pyongyang, the North's capital.
Lee pressed North Korea to follow up on its breakthrough Feb. 13 agreement with the United States and four other countries to shut its sole operating reactor in 60 days and eventually dismantle all its nuclear programs.
Kim Yong Nam also called for the two Koreas to work together to reunify the peninsula, which remains officially at war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty.
As talks resumed Friday, the two sides agreed to go on with reunions of families divided by the border. A South Korean official said on condition of anonymity that reunions over a video link would be held this month, with face-to-face meetings set for May.
The North had been expected to agree to restarting the reunions, which it halted last year after it conducted missile tests that led the South to suspend aid.
South Korea has been one of the North's main aid sources since leaders of the two nations held their first and only summit in 2000. This week marks the 20th cabinet-level talks since then.
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SEOUL, March 2 -- North Korea's No. 2 leader reiterated Thursday his country's pledge to abandon its nuclear weapons, as the impoverished nation sought a resumption of aid in its first high-level talks with South Korea since conducting an atomic test.
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Some Lawmakers Want to Fund Civilian Projects Through War Bill
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As House Democrats wrangle over details of a $100 billion war spending bill -- including whether restrictions should be placed on troops sent to Iraq -- some members want to add significant money for agricultural relief, Hurricane Katrina reconstruction and other nonmilitary projects.
Rep. Collin C. Peterson (D-Minn.), who chairs the Agriculture Committee, said yesterday that rural states hit hard by floods, droughts and snowstorms in the past two years need $4 billion in emergency farm relief. And attaching the request to the war bill is the best way to insure they get it, he said.
Members from Gulf states want funds for improving levees in areas devastated by Katrina. And lawmakers from across the country say their states need federal help to cover deficits in a children's health insurance program.
As of yesterday, Rep. David R. Obey (D-Wis.), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, had agreed to add about $3 billion to the war bill to help close military bases and relocate troops as part of the Base Realignment and Closure process. And he approved an additional $750 million for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, a joint federal and state program that provides health care for six million poor children.
Obey has not agreed to the farm-relief request, according to Democratic aides familiar with the discussions. But Peterson made it clear that conservative Democrats and some Republicans from farming communities would be inclined to support the war bill if it included disaster aid. "A lot of these guys are farm guys," Peterson said. "Disaster relief is important to them."
Even though the details of the bill are still in flux, Republicans lost no time yesterday attacking Democrats for fattening the already hefty war bill. "Our focus ought to be on supporting our troops in harm's way, not in porking up this bill with everyone's latest ideas of how we ought to be spending the taxpayers' money," said Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), the minority leader.
The bill is a response to President Bush's request for $100 billion in supplemental funds to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of the fiscal year. Democratic aides said the details of the bill are likely to be finalized and released next week and will be debated by the Appropriations Committee sometime within the next two weeks, before it is sent to the House floor for a vote. Although it is highly likely that the bill will be approved by the committee, the outcome on the floor is more difficult to predict.
Rep. John P. Murtha (Pa.), the Democrats' most celebrated war critic and chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee on defense, is trying to use the bill as a vehicle for exerting congressional control over Iraq policy. Murtha wants to include language that says troops must meet certain readiness and equipment standards before they can be deployed. Some liberal Democrats oppose any legislation that would further fund the war. Some senior Democrats want to include a provision that would allow the president to dispatch troops that do not meet readiness standards, as long as he formally notifies Congress that he is doing so.
Republicans and some conservative Democrats have said that they will oppose such restrictions, even if it means voting against a bill that is fundamentally designed to pay for the war. "We will not support a bill that inhibits the president's ability to win this war in Iraq," Boehner said.
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As House Democrats wrangle over details of a $100 billion war spending bill -- including whether restrictions should be placed on troops sent to Iraq -- some members want to add significant money for agricultural relief, Hurricane Katrina reconstruction and other nonmilitary projects.
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Iraqi Troops, Tribesmen Kill 50 Suspected Insurgents
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BAGHDAD, March 1 -- Iraqi security forces backed by Sunni tribesmen killed dozens of suspected Sunni insurgents over several hours of fighting Wednesday in a village in western Iraq, Iraqi police officials said Thursday.
The fighting was unusually fierce for an Iraqi-led operation and was also notable because of the collaboration of tribesmen in volatile Anbar province. In recent months, the U.S. military has aligned itself with dozens of tribal sheiks who are collaborating in an effort to drive the Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq from the vast desert territory.
The clashes on Wednesday began about 1 p.m. when insurgents attacked a village near Fallujah, about 35 miles west of Baghdad, and ended about six hours later when Iraqi soldiers, police and the tribal fighters killed 50 suspected insurgents and captured 80 others, according to Abdul-Karim Khalaf, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry. Khalaf declined to say how many Iraqi security personnel were killed or injured.
"This is part of the Interior Ministry strategy to support the Baghdad security plan in targeting terrorism in the areas surrounding Baghdad," he said. "The tribes in this area refused to join al-Qaeda."
Two U.S. Marines died in apparently unrelated fighting in Anbar on Wednesday, the military said. The Marines' names were not released.
In Baghdad, a U.S. military commander said American and Iraqi forces would launch "full-scale operations" inside the expansive Shiite district of Sadr City, according to the Reuters news agency. U.S. forces do not maintain a visible, full-time presence in the militia stronghold but have increasingly used targeted raids to capture leaders of the Mahdi Army, the thousands-strong band of gunmen led by anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The district is highly sensitive politically, both because Sadr is a supporter of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and because the Mahdi Army, which fought U.S. forces in two major battles in 2004, has the capability of amassing a formidable force.
"We have conducted special operations in Sadr City for some months, but this will be the first time we will launch full-scale operations there and the first time we will have a permanent presence there," Col. Billy Don Farris, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade, told Reuters.
"We are going to go to every building and every house and incrementally clear the area," he said.
A U.S. military spokeswoman in Iraq, Lt. Col. Josslyn Aberle, declined to comment about future operations.
A spokesman for Sadr, Abdul Razak al-Nadawi, said the Mahdi Army would not react with force to U.S. operations because Sadr has asked his followers to "calm down and to show self-control against what is done by the occupation."
As the Baghdad security plan entered its third week, an additional 3,100 U.S. soldiers from the 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Riley in Kansas, arrived in the capital, bringing the total number of new U.S. troops to nearly 6,000. President Bush is sending 21,500 troops to Iraq in an attempt to stem rampant sectarian fighting.
Also Thursday, two U.S. military pilots were injured when an Army OH-58 Kiowa helicopter endured a so-called hard landing south of Kirkuk, in northern Iraq. The military said the helicopter did not appear to have been shot down and instead landed because of mechanical problems.
A resident of a nearby village said he heard a loud crash about 1 a.m. and saw the helicopter on the ground later that morning. The damaged helicopter was taken by truck to the main U.S. air base in Kirkuk.
Special correspondent Saad Sarhan in Najaf contributed to this report.
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BAGHDAD, March 1 -- Iraqi security forces backed by Sunni tribesmen killed dozens of suspected Sunni insurgents over several hours of fighting Wednesday in a village in western Iraq, Iraqi police officials said Thursday.
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Australian Detainee Is Charged Under '06 Law
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Pentagon officials announced yesterday that David M. Hicks, an Australian detainee in U.S. custody for more than five years, will face two counts of providing material support for terrorism, the first time anyone has been charged under the U.S. law passed last year governing military trials for some foreign terrorism suspects.
The case against Hicks marks the first use of rules established by the Military Commissions Act of 2006, enacted when Republicans controlled Congress and after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down earlier rules for the military trials.
Some Democrats, with their party now in control of Congress, have been outspoken about wanting to revamp the Military Commissions Act to provide suspects with more rights and to eliminate the use of evidence obtained through coercion. Sens. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) have introduced legislation that would restore the rights of detainees such as Hicks to challenge their detentions via habeas corpus petitions. A federal appeals court in Washington recently ruled that such challenges are prohibited.
The filing of charges could also prompt Hicks's attorneys to initiate a legal challenge of the law. Defense attorneys for a group of foreign nationals at the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, including Hicks, have filed lawsuits stating that the law's provisions are unconstitutional, but they recently lost at the appellate level.
The detainees' lawyers said they plan to file a petition Monday for an expedited Supreme Court hearing. Another Guantanamo detainee, Salim Ahmed Hamdan, filed a petition with the Supreme Court this week alleging that the Military Commissions Act is unconstitutional.
Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), who has long supported the Military Commissions Act, said yesterday that he believes that Hicks will receive a fair trial and that if he is found guilty, the U.S. judicial system will properly review the commissions process as part of an automatic appeal.
"After four years of starts and stops, I am pleased to see this trial is going forward," Graham said. "Mr. Hicks deserves his day in court."
A defense official familiar with the military commissions said yesterday that the department expects legal challenges but will go ahead with a mandated arraignment of Hicks within 30 days.
Australian officials have protested the length of Hicks's captivity without trial and have been pressing the United States to try him swiftly and send him back to Australia to serve any sentence. Prime Minister John Howard said he raised the issue with Vice President Cheney when Cheney visited Australia last week.
U.S. officials said last year that they would be willing to transfer Hicks to Australia after he faces a military commission, and the entreaties by a close ally could have spurred U.S. officials to move his case forward.
Hicks, 31, a former kangaroo skinner, is among 10 Guantanamo detainees who were designated to face military commissions in 2004, before legal challenges stopped the process. He is not accused of crimes related to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States or of having attacked U.S. troops or anyone else.
"The first thing out of the chute has nothing to do with 9/11, and I think that raises a lot of questions," said Jumana Musa of Amnesty International. "Is this a practice military commission?"
Susan J. Crawford, the convening authority for the military commissions, referred two charges of providing support to terrorist groups against Hicks but did not find probable cause for a charge of attempted murder levied against him by military prosecutors.
According to charging documents, Hicks spent 1999 through 2001 working and training with extremist groups in the Balkans, Pakistan and Afghanistan before joining up with al-Qaeda. Military prosecutors wrote that Hicks provided information to his captors that linked him to conversations with Osama bin Laden and to several training camps in Afghanistan.
Hicks allegedly "collected intelligence on the American Embassy" in Kabul in 2001, and after the Sept. 11 attacks he went to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he received an AK-47 rifle and guarded a tank as U.S. forces began their bombing campaign, according to charging documents.
Military prosecutors allege that Hicks later traveled to Kunduz, Afghanistan, and joined al-Qaeda, the Taliban and others "on the frontline outside the city for two hours" before trying to escape to Pakistan in a taxi.
Also yesterday, officials transferred five more detainees out of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, sending two to Afghanistan and three to Tajikistan. That raises the total released or transferred to about 390. Another 385 remain.
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Pentagon officials announced yesterday that David M. Hicks, an Australian detainee in U.S. custody for more than five years, will face two counts of providing material support for terrorism, the first time anyone has been charged under the U.S. law passed last year governing military trials for some...
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Apartment Life Live
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Welcome to Apartment Life, an online discussion of the Washington area rental market, featuring Post columnist Sara Gebhardt.
In her monthly exchanges with the audience, Gebhardt discusses rental issues and lifestyle matters.
Got roommate troubles? Our interactive guide is packed with tips and advice to help you make the most of a group living situation. Check it out: Lessons Learned: How to Survive Living With Roommates.
Check out our special feature: Think Smart: Apartment Hunting Made Easy.
Read Sara's latest Apartment Life column.
Sara Gebhardt: Hello again to all apartment-dwellers and other chatters interested in the world of rental life. I hope you have managed another month of minimal rental-related problems, however I imagine that is not the case. Lately, I've been gotten many questions about bed bugs and pets. Whatever your issue, let's start talking!
I've been a homeowner (townhouse) for 12 years, and as my child-bearing window appears to be closing, I'm thinking about defecting from the ranks of the mortgaged. I'm trying to look into what's it's like to go back to being a renter, which I was in my twenties, but literature is lacking because authors seem to assume homeownership is a one-way street: there are plenty of books on buying your first home, but not on selling your last one.
Could you post this early in your chat, with my question to those who sold their homes in the recent up-markets to move back into apartments: What do you like most and least about apartment life again? What suprizes did you run into?
Sara Gebhardt: This is a great question. For various reasons, there are people who have sold houses and gone back to renting. Usually, people cite as reasons a yearning for less responsibility (i.e. mortgages, lawn care, structural maintenance) and less things. Location change often plays a role too. For all those out there who have opinions, please weigh in. There are usually strong opinions on both sides of the rent or own debate.
Washington, D.C.: Is there a legal definition for normal wear and tear? Our landlord is trying to charge us $300 from our security department for waxing the floor, claiming that we "didn't properly care for it." I'm sort of suprised, since most of it was covered by furniture and by carpet and we swept on a regular basis. There was nothing in our lease that said we had to take any extra measures to care for it and when she came to inspect for damage, the two main areas where there was damage she agreed it wasn't our fault (leaky pipe, and scuffing from workmen). I'm not sure if she is crazy or what. What recourse do we have?
Sara Gebhardt: I cannot answer the question about whether your landlord is crazy. I can say that, legally, 'normal wear and tear' is somewhat subjective. However, landlords must be 'reasonable' in their application of it. That is, if you damage your apartment beyond what is considered "normal" living -- if you have scratched or stained your floor from misuse or accidents -- you will be responsible to fix it. If, however, the floor has simply lost its luster over the course of your tenancy and needs a new waxing, well, it is likely up to the landlord to deal with that sort of upgrade. You can remind her of these rules in a letter and mention your interest in small claims court if the problem is not resolved.
Washington, D.C.: Thanks for the great column!
I have a problem with my downstairs neighbor, which has recently taken a turn for the worse. We live in an older apartment building, with thin walls and squeaky floors. She moved in two months ago, and every night we go through the same ritual. Whenever I move in my bedroom at night (getting ready for bed, getting up for a glass of water, turn on the wall-mounted heating unit) she immediately jumps up and bangs loudly on the ceiling (my floor.) I spoke to management, and this abated for about two weeks. Now she is back at it, with the added bonus of banging on the ceiling at 6am when she gets up!
Management doesn't seem too inclined to help (told me to call the police to report a noise nuisance, which I know won't work) so what do I do?
Sara Gebhardt: Whoever decided banging on floors and ceilings was a good way to deal with neighbors is beyond me. I think you should talk to the jumper herself, and make sure to explain that you hear everything she does, as well as the 6 a.m. noise. Tell her management has suggested you call the police but do not want to go that route. See if this approach works.
Dogtown, N.Y.: Does anyone know about dog-friendly apartment rentals in New York City, preferably Manhattan or close-in Brooklyn? Any pointers would be great -- rental companies that allow pets, where to find dog parks, etc. Anyone?
Sara Gebhardt: I'll just put this out there in case someone can help this person.
Apartment Hunting in NoVa: My lease is up in May and my management company has successfully priced me out of my own home with their rent increase (which was not open for negotiation) and a slew of new additional fees. Any suggestions for finding a new 1 bd/1ba in the Arlington/Alexandria/maybe Falls Church area other than the usual classifieds and Craig's List? Ideally, I'd love to find an independently-owned condo or similar. I need to get moving as I have to provide 60-days move out notice. Thanks!
Sara Gebhardt: Beyond the usual classifieds, you should try the word-of-mouth approach. Spreading the word among coworkers and friends may open up possibilities -- both individual units and buildings you may not know about. Craigslist and newspaper classifieds do a good job of getting you to independent owners, as do managers of condo communities. Stopping by such properties and chatting with an on-site manager may help spread the word to entire communities of owners.
Re: Going from owning to renting: I own and I will never go back to renting. I have a three story garage townhouse with a small yard and garden that is mine to do what I want with it (the HOA is very easy-going with people who actually take care of their property). I have my own driveway so I don't have to put up with door dings and people hogging all the parking. I can decorate and paint the way I want to and if I want to replace carpeting, I don't need to ask permission. I will never give up this freedom.
Sara Gebhardt: Here's one fan of owning. The opposite side would probably argue that mortgages do not equal freedom, but your point is well-taken.
Washington D.C. -- Floors: I have a suggestion for the person with the floors problem. I recently had a problem with my landlord for the same reason. In an attempt to fix the problem and avoid the fine, I tried a hardwood floor cleaner that I got at CVS. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the exact name at the moment, but I believe its called Hamilton something. It comes in a white bottle with green label. I don't know if if would make things a lot better for you, but it might be worth a try. It worked for me.
Sara Gebhardt: A suggestion for the floor issue. It might make things easier, even if the renter is not in the wrong.
Columbia Heights, D.C.: Hi Sara,
Don't know if you have the luxury of having your own washer/dryer, but surely you remember the days of communal laundry rooms.
Well, a girl in my bulding freaked out the other day when I moved her wet clothes to the top of the dryer. Mind you, her wash load had been done for at least 30 minutes before I moved it out to the top of the dryer (the dryers were full, otherwise I'd have put the clothes in the dryer). She screamed at me, saying I'd soiled her clothes, because the tops of the dryers were dirty, etc.
Now, I understand how annoying it is to have your clothes moved -- it somehow feels like they're less clean, lest a pair of underwear drop to the floor in transition or something. But if you're going to get that upset about someone moving your stuff, shouldn't you try to time it so that you can retrieve your clothes from the washer or dryer as soon as their done? And anyway, when you leave your clothes sitting in the wash for a half hour, you mess up the whole rhythm of the washer/dryer rotation.
But that's my opinion. What do you think?
Sara Gebhardt: Ah, yes, the laundry etiquette question. I haven't forgotten communal laundry rooms; I was confronted with a similar problem earlier this week. For the consideration of everyone, renters should always be on time to pick up their clothes. Otherwise, people have no choice but to move them. Personally, I think a 5-minute grace period would suffice and make the laundy room a better place. You could even ask your landlord to post a sign to enact such a policy.
New York: Most building in the city allow dogs, some do openly discriminate (only dogs under X pounds). As for dog parks, almost every park in the city/Brooklyn has some type of dog run.
Sara Gebhardt: For the New York pet owner....(I'm not sure discrimination is the right word for a landlord's pet breed or weight requirements.)
Does the ceiling banging recipient: Have a good thick carpet on the floor? That will muffle a lot of the noise that's annoying her neighbor.
Sara Gebhardt: Yes, carpets and furniture does help absorb the noise. I think the questioner was more concerned about the behavior of the neighbor, but it is a good solution to the problem of noise transmission.
Frederick, Md.: For the person with the witch living below, try putting some talcum powder in the cracks of the squeaky floors to help elminate the squeaks and throw a rung or two down in your most traveled area. I would then tell her that you have done all you could to eliminate some of the noise but she will just have to put up with the rest.
Sara Gebhardt: Another piece of advice for the person with a banging -- by which I mean, literally banging -- neighbor.
For Rockville: Not really an answer to your question, but I've seen lots of discussions on the merits of going from ownership to renting in various "simple living" books and Web sites. I've read about a lot of people who wanted to rent because it allowed them to live in a part of the city they couldn't afford, to wanting a concierge to take care of accepting packages, to just wanting to be able to move on without the hassles of selling. I'd look at some of these types of simplified lifestyle resources for some ideas on that aspect of it.
Sara Gebhardt: Yes, exactly. There are examples of people sell homes in the suburbs and take their profit to live in an expensive, amenity-laden building in the city. These are the people generally featured in such stories, though plenty of other reasons prompt people to make the transition.
As a fellow baby boomer, I'll weigh in on the pros and cons of renting. Carefree living tops the plus list for renting. No worries about shoveling snow, locating and paying for repair folks (an increasingly difficult task), or dealing with general upkeep: painting, lawn mowing, etc.
Of course if you rent, you no longer have as much control to make changes in your environment or grow corn in the backyard, but if you're OK with neutral shade walls, who cares?
I would suggest that the inquirer sell his/her house, temporarily invest the proceeds and then rent for a year or so to determine the next steps. Hope that helps.
Baby Boomer who still loves gardening so will stay put.
Sara Gebhardt: Baby boomer I am not, but thanks for your insight. By the way, it is possible to make an apartment feel like home via painting walls and indoor or patio/balcony gardening. Not that I am taking sides. There are pros and cons for owning as well as renting.
From the other side of the wood floors...: As a landlord with previously gorgeous old hardwood floors in the rental apartment, it's surprising what tenants consider to be normal wear and tear. We had the floors refinished two and a half years ago when we bought our two-family home, and when the first set of tenants moved out last August (after only two years), we seriously considered keeping their security deposit. If you walk around in boots and high heels and have furniture-dragging parties, grinding dirt in the summer and sand, ice and salt in the winter into the wood, you can destroy in two years what ought to have held up much longer. We ended up saying "it's not worth it" and just letting it slide, and our new tenants take their shoes off in the apartment and don't drag the dining room table across the floor. Thank goodness!
Sara Gebhardt: A landlord's perspective on wear and tear....Assuming your expectations are reasonable, it would be good to communicate to residents your expectations of normal wear and tear at the beginning of their tenancy. It would certainly help avoid conflict or surprise at the end.
For the house seller: Maybe look into buying a condo instead of renting. Yes, sell the house but sometimes it is just as cheap to live in a condo as it is to rent an apartment and you would have the best of two worlds. The place would still be yours and you would be able to deduct your interest.
Sara Gebhardt: Another suggestion on the own vs. rent dilemma.
Fairfax, Va.: About the Communal Laundry:
My Sorority house had 54 girls living in it. We had 2 washers and 2 dryers. We instituted a chalkboard system above each washer and dryer. You wrote your name, time you started the load, and checked a box for whether your things could be moved to the dryer or if it was a delicate load. Over the dryers, the chalkboards had names and check marks for whether things needed to be folded or could be laid politely into a basket. The rule was 30 minutes means your things are moved as politely as possible. We had very few issues.
Sara Gebhardt: How neighborly! I bet your sorority house had more commitment than the average group of strangers who live together in apartment complexes, but this is a good model for a solution.
Washer and Dryers: My personal take -- don't move the clothes unless there is an open dryer. She might have been waiting on a dryer to open up.
I see nothing wrong with removing clothes from a dryer that's been done at least 15 minutes. Removing her clothes from the washer just creates more of a back up. (You can't put your clothes in the dryer, until hers are done anyway).
Sara Gebhardt: A comment on laundry room etiquette.
I would suggest that the inquirer sell his/her house, temporarily invest the proceeds and then rent for a year or so to determine the next steps.: Think of the tax implications before you go that route! You have a year to buy a new house without having to pay taxes on the profit. If you wait a year, there could be a big tax bill you wouldn't have to pay if you bought another property within a year (assumeing you'd go over the $250,000) Still keep that in mind before acting.
I'd still like to know why the poster is considering the change, I could better address her assumptions about how the change would affect what she's concerned about.
Sara Gebhardt: Another comment for the homeowner considering renting.
Repairs in apartments -- not really a plus: Locating and paying for repair folks may be a "con" as far as owning, but relying on your apartment manager to get the maintenance done properly isn't fun. I usually have to call about 5 times to get something repaired right. And then it breaks again. It is an older place, but if I owned it I could invest in getting it done right.
Washington, D.C.: Hi there! Hope you can help answer my question -- this sort of goes along with the earlier "wear and tear" question. My landlord is pretty anal about the hardwoods in his condo. Over the past year since I've lived there, they've gotten pretty dinged up with high heel marks. I know he's not going to be happy about this, but can he legally demand more than our security deposit?
Sara Gebhardt: Your landlord may be within reason to consider high-heel dings, assuming they're noticeable, like scratches, which are damage to the floor. If the repair is more than the security deposit, he could potentially ask you for the difference, although it is unlikely.
Cambridge, Ma.: I live in a small apartment building -- 4 units, fairly close to one another. In the apartment next to mine lives a young couple with a toddler, probably around 2 and a half, maybe even 3, years old...I am not exaggerating when I say that the toddler screams and cries all day: a kind of screaming and crying that she should have grown out of at this age (this, according to friends with children and seasoned parents). Basically, she is in a perpetual state of tantrum. This is extremely bothersome: she wakes me up screaming every morning, and she disturbs my work schedule (I often work from home). What can I do about this problem? Obviously, I don't want to offend the couple next door, but there's only so much more I can take.
Sara Gebhardt: You can get to know your neighbors and tell them you are disturbed by the noise. (They probably are too, so they may not be offended.) Perhaps they can install extra carpeting or furniture that acts as noise absorbers. You can/should also report the noise to your landlord, who might be able to enforce carpeting rules, etc. These sorts of situations are often more difficult to handle, since parents probably cannot control the screaming (unless there is abuse or something). A good set of earplugs may be in order for now.
Sara Gebhardt: Well, folks, that wraps up the hour. I'll try to answer the remaining questions in my next column. Feel free to email me at aptlife@gmail.com with any additional comments or questions. And for the homeowner who posed the first question, let me know what you decide.
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Books: Vollmann interviews 'Poor People'
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Vollman was online Thursday, March 1 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss his new book, "Poor People," which is being released today.
Vollmann won a National Book Award in 2005 for his novel "Europe Central" and in 2004 published "Rising Up and Rising Down," a seven-volume examination of violence.
William T. Vollman: I'll do my best to answer any questions I can. I'm not sure I know any more than anyone else, but I've thought about it a bit, so that's all I can say.
Southern Maryland: I have asked myself why am I rich and so many others in the U.S. are rich in comparison to most of the world population. Basic needs met: food, clothing, shelter; stable government; education and literacy; available jobs and transportation to those jobs; health and health care; stable environment/weather. If people do not have their basic needs for survival met or have to expend all resources to meet basic survival needs, it makes for a dire situation.
William T. Vollman: I would say that that's fairly accurate. One of the most common aspects of poverty I see is lack of access to decent water, and we have fairly decent water everywhere in the U.S. A lot of poverty has to do with how it is perceived in the mind of the poor person as well. Marx talks about absolute vs. relative poverty, and I'm not a Marxist but it's a good distinction. Someone with enough to eat but who doesn't have a TV when everyone else does is going to feel a little impoverished, and we can't say it's wrong that the person feels that way.
I don't happen to drive, and I live in a city (Sacramento, Calif.) where most people use cars. If there's any sort of specialty item I want to buy -- a bed or something like that -- I have a great deal of trouble. I have to hire someone with a car to get to the store -- it's not something I can do walking around. A common measure of poverty is how much money you have in relation to other people -- that is useful as far as it goes, but that excludes the case of, say, a hunter in the rainforest who has no money but is not poor. And there can be a number of people with money but who can consider themselves unwanted or invisible or estranged from society. Those are some of the phenomena of poverty that I have noticed.
I remember a panhandler I saw in Portland a couple of years ago -- actually took her photo for the book. She has a sign saying "donate here and get me out of your neighborhood." She wasn't wearing rags, didn't look dirty -- but she knew she was unwanted, people didn't want to be panhandled, and all she could promise was that she could go away and stop bothering them. And that's sad. They know rich people don't want them around. When there's a labor surplus, the people who become unneeded become unwanted and because they're unwanted they're unneeded. So there's a lot of vicious circles in this.
Alexandria, Va.: Do you think Michael Harrington's "The Other America" still relevant today?
William T. Vollman: I think that there always have been and always will be at least two Americas -- the poor America, the second America tends to be in the shadows. Sometimes it's an America of people in a ghetto of color, sometimes it's an economic ghetto, but definitely there is a parallel America which people in the dominant America prefer to ignore if they can.
Gurgaon, India: How can and how will the U.S. eradicate poverty? Poverty leads to all "isms" abhorred by the U.S., the biggest of which is terrorism!
William T. Vollman: In my opinion the U.S. can not and will not eradicate poverty -- no one can eradicate poverty. That being said, I do think that the U.S. could do more and if the U.S. wished to eradicate "isms", we should in addition to military aid where appropriate be funding hospitals, schools, etc. with the name of our country prominently displayed on those. I was in Yemen the year after Sept. 11 and people repeatedly showed me this European school and that European hospital, and their rage against those particular non-Muslim countries thereby was softened.
washingtonpost.com: You took pains in your book to be very nuanced in your approach to poverty -- making sure to examine it from a relative standpoint, avoiding lifestyle judgments, etc. Could you go into the whys and hows of this approach?
William T. Vollman: I guess I would say that the more judgmental I am the more ignorant I remain. It's very easy to disapprove of something or think that I know the answer to something and thereby close off part of my investigation. I think that's especially true with the subject of poverty because I am not a poor person -- if I were a poor person I never could have afforded to do this research. That being said it's incumbent on me to remember that this book cannot speak from the experience of its author, only from the experience of its subjects.
washingtonpost.com: How long have you been planning/working on this book? What was its conception? How many of the anecdotes were gathered from trips made specifically for that purpose and how many were from side excursions on trips made for other reasons?
William T. Vollman: I'd say the book has been in the making for about 10 years and most of the trips are as you would put it "side excursions". When I was writing my long book about violence, "Rising Up and Rising Down", I started asking people why they were poor, and I discovered to my surprise that unlike reasons for violence, reasons for poverty seemed to vary by region. Once I saw that I began asking poor people about their lives frequently. The early chapter about Thai cleaning ladies was conceived for this book. The chapter on Kazakhstan was conceived because I thought it would be interesting to see how workers under communism were adapting to working at a capitalist oil refinery. When I was denied access to the refinery and tried to figure out why, the issue of poverty became dominant in my investigation. So I guess that would be two examples of how chapters in the book were conceived.
washingtonpost.com: Did you have any goal in mind in writing the book? Can/should poverty be reduced, and if so, do you have suggestions to that end?
William T. Vollman: When I started the book I hoped to be helpful. That's always my aim when I write nonfiction, is to somehow be of service to people. I was disappointed but not at all surprised to realize that I had no master plan for solving poverty. I guess what I did also realize was that to the extent that poverty is an experience of the poor person as opposed to an external financial condition then the poor person might have some sort of control over his or her experience, and that if there's some sort of way people can take control over their experiences and make themselves happier, that's all to the good and that's something that no one else in the world can really take away from them. However, all I can do is communicate that and suggest it -- far be it from me as a rich people to tell poor people what to do. And I'm also well aware that most poor people in the world will not have the money or education to read my book.
Whenever we have an opportunity to engage with each other as human beings and to minimize the differences between us based on disparity in resources, then we should do it. Absolute poverty is very possibly intractable and only governments and NGOs can really address it, but relative poverty is something we can work on as individuals by engaging with poor people and trying to understand what in particular makes them sad and bitter -- possibly by listening and communicating, maybe we can make some of these people feel a little bit better.
My afterthought to that is that even absolute poverty can be addressed in a local individual and limited way. Whenever I travel to a poor country I try to help at least one person. Usually that person helps me just as much -- I can find a local poor person to be my guide or my interpreter. That person makes money from me, I make money from him or her, we both learn about each other. It's an equal win-win relationship.
Laurel, Md. : My favorite political line of all time is "the majestic egalitarianism of the law makes in it illegal for the rich, as well as the poor, to beg in the streets, to sleep under bridges and to steal bread"? In your travels, what are the most egregious examples you've observed of laws designed to keep poor people out of an area by making their coping mechanisms illegal?
William T. Vollman: I would say that in most of the places that I've been where there are a lot of poor people, there is no very effective social or legal system -- things tend to be quite ad hoc, so the sorts of legal barriers that you talk about are not particularly common. For instance in Russia, the beggar ladies whom I interviewed told me that the police would let them beg on some days, on others would tell them that they couldn't be there, and that every now and then a policeman would rob one of these ladies. I would say that that is more typical of the situation -- things are more fluid. I would imagine that what you're talking about would be more common in a very organized industrial country where there are regulations to control guest workers or something like that. Unfortunately I don't have direct experience with poverty in those countries. It can be a little bit frustrating trying to help homeless people sometimes. I remember in Miami there was a fairly thriving homeless city under the freeway. A lot of these people had built wooden shacks. It was fairly clean -- not the toilets, but there wasn't a lot of litter around. I went back to that area and found out that the shacks had been destroyed and found some of the same people, who were now sleeping on the street under much worse conditions. In my own home in Sacramento I own a building with a large parking lot where people often sleep, and I looked into putting in some kind of drinking fountain or shelter for those people and I was warned that I could be cited for creating an "attractive nuisance."
Silver Spring, Md.: Apart from the subject matter, I have a question on writing. How hard is it to move back and forth from writing nonfiction to fiction? I know you are a tireless researcher, even when writing your novels, so how does your mindset change between the two genres?
William T. Vollman: I think it's very good for me to do both. It keeps my mind flexible an reminds me of the complexity of reality. I think that if I wrote fiction all the time I gradually would end up just living in my head, and my writing would become stale. If I wrote nonfiction all the time, I worry that I wouldn't be able to exercise my gift with language -- in writing a book like "Poor People" it seemed to me important to keep he language relatively simple because most of the interviewees talk in a very simple style, which further is mediated by the difficulties of translation, often by semiprofessional or nonprofessional interpreters. Therefore to make the language of this book too rich would risk making it more about me than about them. But I do like to write elaborate sentences and feel that sometimes a story that comes to me from the real world deserves to be embellished and retold as fiction, and one of my long-term projects is the Seven Dreams series in which historical encounters between Europeans and Native Americans in North America are retold as fiction, but accurately.
I'm almost finished with a nonfiction book about the California-Mexico border, a very long history of the border. I'm also working on a nonfiction book about Japanese Noh drama, and then I have just started the next of the Seven Dreams, which is about Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce Indians.
Washington, D.C.: How much poverty in America is directly related to people living beyond their means? Meaning you have a nice car, TV, expensive clothes ... but you can't pay for food or health insurance? To me that is the No. 1 problem with America today.
William T. Vollman: I would say that I'm not sure what the No. 1 problem with poverty in America today is, but I do believe that the culture of mass consumption and conspicuous consumption is very harmful, and that the commercial messages that we see everywhere encourage people to get easy gratification, to become addicted to installment payments, to have expensive diamond rings and fancy vacations and fancy cars they can't necessarily afford. I would blame the culture of advertising for that.
Fairfax, Va.: I have not read your book, but having come upon this discussion, would like to. The first poster prompted me to wonder: Why not ask rich people "why are you rich"? Is it the same question? Do you think that because in many places rich and poor people both are privy to certain hegemonic discourses about wealth that their answers would reflect each other? Or did you find individual perspectives to be more nuanced, interesting and independent than that?
William T. Vollman: I think that's a wonderful question and one that I had never thought of. My guess is that if I asked somebody why he were rich, he would reply with a history of his own personal methodology for success -- "I am rich because I invested shrewdly in the stock market, because I saved very very well and then I bought very very carefully." When you ask somebody "why are you poor," the answer is not necessarily the straight opposite of that. People rarely will say "I am poor because my particular method at getting rich failed." A lot of poor people have no plan for getting rich -- they think that it's impossible for them. People like the Thai cleaning ladies think they're poor because they were bad people in their previous existence -- therefore it's their karma to be poor. Maybe rich Thais would say the same thing -- I'm not sure. If I were going to investigate that question, I might start by rereading "The Great Gatsby."
One of the things that we gained from being rich is the leisure to investigate "the other." People who are poor have to spend more time isolated in their own lack of resources at best and misery at worst, so poor people have less opportunity for their answers to be nuanced.
washingtonpost.com: Your seven-volume discourse of violence was an attempt at comprehensive coverage of the topic. Why did you choose a more narrow path for this subject.
William T. Vollman: I feel that most of the time violence is a voluntary act, or at least active. As such it is subject to rational evaluation, whereas poverty is a state as opposed to an action, and therefore it's not necessarily subject to categorization in the same way. You might be able to get someone to say "I was violent because of this and I wouldn't be violent because of that," whereas a poor person can only say "I'm poor because of this and I don't see how anything is going to change." There is no calculus of poverty I could come up with the way I could create a calculus of violence. One of the worst thing I viewed about poverty was the monotony. The room of Sunee, the Thai cleaning lady was just this horrid, dark miserable place that was no fun to spend time in. I'm hopeful a short book can suggest that, whereas a long book would just impose that on people. Poverty is more monotonous than violence, fortunately or unfortunately.
The other Southern Maryland: Here in the U.S. Democrat politicians claim to be the "friend of the poor and working class" but those politicians themselves are filthy rich. Examples: John Kerry who married the Heinz fortune, any Kennedy, John Edwards who owns a $6+ million estate in North Carolina, Al Gore who spends $30,000 a year on electricity for his Tennessee mansion alone, Bill Clinton who earns $9 million a year on speaking engagements. Should I continue or do you get my drift?
Don't you think it's extremely hypocritical for these wealthy fat cats to claim to be on the side of the poor? If they really want to help, why not give some of that moola to social reform? Jimmy Carter seems to be the only one who has done anything for the poor by way of his Habitat for Humanity work.
William T. Vollman: I would agree that almost all of our politicians could do a lot better for the poor, and I think that the Republicans who think that Halliburton is a wonderful, fair company also could do a little better.
Columbia, Md.: Hi. I wondered if you have read Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel," and what you thought about it?
William T. Vollman: I have read it. I think it's a very interesting book. It's actually one of my father's favorite books of all time. I think the idea that our lives can be determined by, for instance, microbes, is a very important and humbling one. Of course that is the case with poverty as well -- that people can be born into a situation that has been predetermined by some external cause -- so what we are left with is the task of accepting these predetermined causes while maximizing our own free will.
Washington, D.C.: How do you maintain the discipline to continually write such expansive, long-winded novels and books?
William T. Vollman: I am naturally a long-winded person, and because I talk very slowly my listener gets to enjoy the agony longer.
William T. Vollman: I would like to thank everybody for the interest in the book and in the subject and I hope that whatever the failures and limitations of this book, that people at least will consider trying to establish one-to-one relationships with people who are poorer than they are.
washingtonpost.com: Vollmann will be in Washington to talk about his book at 7 p.m. March 6 at Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. N.W.
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Indelible Images of a Place Unseen
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How did I end up here?
It's a question most of us ask ourselves at one time or another. But to the Ethiopian-born Georgetown graduate Dinaw Mengestu -- who puts these words in the mind of the Ethiopian-born protagonist of his new novel, "The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears" -- it has always seemed an especially urgent one.
Where is the grand narrative of my life? The one I could spread out and read for signs and clues as to what to expect next?
Mengestu, who is 28, has been asking himself this question since he was old enough to sense his own dislocation. His father fled Ethiopia in fear of his life late in 1977, a short time before Mengestu was born. He, his mother and his sister followed in 1980.
Who was he, this boy from the Horn of Africa growing up amid the white Southern Baptists of Peoria, Ill.? How had he been shaped by the shattering event that carried him thousands of miles from home -- "the central event you never get close to," he says, explaining his childhood sense that part of his identity was missing, "because it's never going to be fully revealed to you by anyone"?
Who Mengestu is right now, on this particular Monday afternoon, is a part-time creative writing teacher at his alma mater. He sits on the edge of his chair in the third-floor conference room of Georgetown's New North Hall, jacket discarded, sleeves rolled up, leaning into a close reading of Marilynne Robinson's "Housekeeping" -- a book published the year he left Ethiopia for the United States.
"Your heart's not going to break for Ruth," he says, referring to the parentless narrator of Robinson's gorgeously written novel, which the 17 undergraduates gathered around the table appear to be finding emotionally opaque. It's not, he adds, as though Ruth is going to rush up to them and say, "Omigod, my mom died!"
Sometimes, Mengestu tells the students, a writer can create more emotion by holding back.
His own book, this day, is poised for publication. (He'll be reading from it tomorrow night at 7 at Olsson's in Penn Quarter.) Like Robinson's, it is a first novel that falls in the "literary fiction" category, but otherwise the two have little in common. Mengestu's characters hang out in a decayed but gentrifying Washington neighborhood rather than the small-town American West. They are vivid and emotionally accessible.
Yet if those Georgetown undergraduates could have an advance peek, they'd see that their youthful professor has followed his own advice. He holds back for more than half his novel before offering a fictionalized version of the "central event" that he has made it his business -- both as an identity-seeking immigrant and as an emerging fiction writer -- to explore.
"From the very beginning," Norma Tilden says, "it was just clear that he was really good."
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How did I end up here? It's a question most of us ask ourselves at one time or another. But to the Ethiopian-born Georgetown graduate Dinaw Mengestu -- who puts these words in the mind of the Ethiopian-born protagonist of his new novel, "The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears" -- it has always seemed an especially urgent one. ...
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A Basement as Bright And Airy as a Loft
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Basement makeovers are often pretty much a matter of new drywall, carpeting, maybe built-in shelves to hold a bigger TV. Then there's the renovation in Marc Pachter's Cleveland Park Colonial.
"People always talk about the wow factor," said Pachter, director of the National Portrait Gallery. "You literally take in your breath when you go down there, because it is so complete a statement."
The space had something of a wow factor before, but not in a good way: stained brick walls, exposed pipes, dangling wires, haphazard storage, hulking mechanicals, grungy floor. Out of this neglected jumble Pachter was hoping to create an attractive, livable space for his son's family when they visit from London, as well as a retreat for himself. What emerged from the renovation, which ended up stretching over two years, is a post-modern playroom, guest apartment, laundry space and homage to how primary colors can grow up.
"It's one of the most challenging problems I have ever had," Washington architect Reena Racki said, "to make something out of this dark hole."
Basement projects are by nature beset by limitations: darkness, bad drainage, low ceilings, musty smells and safety issues -- not to mention the ugly but indispensable mechanical equipment that resides there.
"Many basements were built as cellars, and they don't meet the minimal code for light, ventilation and fire egress," Racki said. "So I won't do the basement unless it can be made habitable."
The first challenge to address in any basement remodeling project is moisture; there is little point in investing in a space prone to flooding or plagued by dampness. If a basement has evidence of standing water, a moldy smell or wood framing discolored by water, the homeowner should consult a waterproofing company before considering renovation. Solutions may include waterproofing walls, installing perimeter drainage inside or out, installing sump pumps and providing dehumidifiers.
For the Pachter project, Racki built in a double layer of protection, designing interior and exterior French drains, essentially trenches around the perimeter, to channel water away.
The architect also went to great lengths to bring in additional light and air, lowering the basement floor slab by six inches and adding a window in the kitchenette area. The existing door to the outside was replaced with a full glass door, to let in more light.
The added height brought the basement into compliance with building codes requiring that habitable spaces have at least a seven-foot ceiling clearance and a certain proportion of window space for light, ventilation and a way to get out in case of fire. Hard-wired smoke detectors are also required.
Light is always a problem in a below-ground space, so Racki boosted the wattage with eight sets of ceiling-mounted track lighting, specifying full-spectrum bulbs that direct bright white light around the room. All surfaces were designed to bounce that light around -- from the translucent polycarbonate partitions that now conceal furnace and laundry areas to the reflective white quartzite flooring and bright white paint.
Now, a larger-than-life canvas photographic portrait of Pachter and his family greets visitors as they descend the open staircase. (A clever design detail: The portrait was hung to conceal the house's electrical panel, which by code must remain accessible but not necessarily visible.)
The furnace, water heater and laundry space -- with stacked appliances and ironing area -- is hidden from the living area, which contains a sofa, chair, television, stereo equipment and a kitchenette. A separate bathroom, painted white with red mosaic tile, has its own window and ventilation.
A metal wall system allows for plenty of book storage. On more shelves, primary-colored industrial-grade storage containers visible from the living area contribute to the overall design. "It looks like what it is," Pachter said, "but because the color is so bold, it has a design quality, too." In January, the space was featured on the HGTV program "Small Space, Big Style."
Pachter declined to be specific on the expense of the project. "I have not actually added up all the separate costs," he said, "because I really don't want to know."
The finished space is so airy, so far from its dark and dank beginnings, that Pachter and Racki refer to it as a "basement loft."
"I always wanted a loft, and I don't have any area on the third floor to do that," Pachter said. "A loft is, by definition, high, and this isn't high, but you could create this pattern. And if you had enough light -- and this is a critical thing that Reena helped make happen -- then you can actually have this open bright space that used to be a basement."
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Aiming for Innovation, HP Fails for Usual Reasons
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For all its public devotion to innovation, the computer industry has been unwilling to break one rule -- it takes a keyboard and mouse to use a home computer.
But Hewlett-Packard is throwing that principle aside -- along with a few others -- in its new TouchSmart IQ770 desktop. This computer's screen responds to the touch of your finger.
This is an overdue development. Science fiction, from "Star Trek" to "Star Wars," has taught us to tap the screen of a computer to make things happen -- a lesson reinforced by the touch-sensitive screens we use daily at ATMs, gas pumps and airport check-in kiosks.
But the $1,800 TouchSmart doesn't just allow its users to do what comes naturally.
It also tries to replace the kitchen bulletin board, as well as the TV and stereo.
And its all-in-one design, thanks to its WiFi receiver and wireless keyboard and mouse, requires plugging in only one cable.
These other capabilities make the TouchSmart an extremely ambitious creation -- the latest in a series of occasional, often unsuccessful attempts to build a computer that doesn't look or act like a regular PC. Many firms have tried this, but only Apple has made a mass market out of it.
HP's worthy but unsuccessful experiment sinks for the usual reasons. It costs too much and runs too slowly. And its surface ease-of-use is not matched by the Windows Vista software underneath.
HP should have stopped with the touch screen.
Unlike the displays of tablet PC laptops, which require you to tap with a special stylus, the TouchSmart lets you use your fingertip.
Strictly speaking, you don't even have to touch this 19-inch LCD because it detects your finger from an eighth of an inch or so away. Even right-clicking works: Hover a fingertip over the screen for a moment, and the right-click menu will pop open.
The whole experience is oddly soothing, even if it does demand regular screen cleanings.
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For all its public devotion to innovation, the computer industry has been unwilling to break one rule -- it takes a keyboard and mouse to use a home computer.
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House GOP Pushes Floor Vote For Rep. Jefferson Appointment
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The decision to put Jefferson on the panel was made by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), and House Democrats endorsed the move at a private meeting Tuesday night, but his appointment must be confirmed by a vote on the House floor. Such an action would normally be a formality, but Republicans said yesterday that they would pursue a rarely used maneuver to force a recorded vote on the matter.
"This is a terrible mistake by the Democratic leadership, to take someone with serious ethical allegations against him and put him on one of the most sensitive and important committees in Congress," said Rep. Peter T. King (N.Y.), the ranking Republican on the committee.
Pelosi ousted Jefferson from his seat on the powerful Ways and Means Committee in June after federal investigators raided his Capitol Hill office. In an earlier search of his home, $90,000 was found in a freezer. The money allegedly was accepted in a bribery sting involving an African technology company. Jefferson, who has not been charged, has maintained his innocence and was elected to a ninth term in December after a runoff election.
"You gotta wonder where Jefferson's gonna store all those homeland security secrets," said Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (N.C.), a deputy Republican whip. Other Republicans said Pelosi's decision contradicted her promise to create "the most ethical Congress in history." Said King: "It shows hypocrisy. Before the election, they made a big point of pulling him from Ways and Means and after the election, they put him on Homeland Security."
A spokesman for Pelosi said she opted to place Jefferson on Homeland Security because the panel oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Jefferson had been a vocal critic of FEMA's performance during Hurricane Katrina, which affected thousands of his constituents.
But his appointment must be formally approved by the House, and Republicans said they would take the rare step of challenging the vote and requiring members to record their votes so Democrats will be forced to go on the record in their support of Jefferson.
Such appointments usually are ratified on the House floor by unanimous consent.
"I have a hard time seeing how the Democrats will vote in the open to put a person with serious ethical charges against him on Homeland Security," King said. "If he was too unethical to be writing tax law, he certainly shouldn't be on Homeland Security where he has access to intelligence materials and ongoing operations. Even with FEMA, we're going to be looking into allegations of corruption related to contracting around Hurricane Katrina."
Brendan Daly, a spokesman for Pelosi, said that if Republicans follow through on their threat, they would set a "dangerous precedent. A number of their own members are under investigation," he said, referring to Republicans allegedly under scrutiny by the Justice Department.
Jefferson called the Republican criticism "politics as usual."
"Speaker Pelosi did the right thing by placing the congressional member who represents hurricane-ravaged New Orleans on this committee," he said. "My district desperately needs a voice on this panel."
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War Debate Keeps the House's Only Iraq Veteran Front and Center
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Fresh-faced and young, Patrick Murphy normally would have fallen into the category of unknown freshman legislator elbowing to make a name for himself.
But attracting attention has been no problem for Murphy.
The Pennsylvania Democrat happens to be the only member of Congress who is a veteran of the war in Iraq, a distinction that has swiftly catapulted him to Washington's front lines of politics and policy with little effort.
Senior members turn to the 33-year-old for policy guidance. Generals are eager to brief him one-on-one. Murphy delivers moving speeches on the floor about the 19 paratroopers he served with who died in Iraq. And he stood shoulder to shoulder with Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a news conference, emotionally talking about flawed U.S. policy.
"Sometimes I feel like the weight of the United States military in Iraq is on my shoulders," Murphy said in an interview in his office this week. "I really have to push myself to focus on my district, this is so consuming."
On Monday, he returned from his first trip back to the Iraq since his 2003-2004 tour, and he said he found conditions there painfully similar or worse. "It feels like Groundhog Day all over again there," he said. "Before it was like, 'It'll take time, it'll take time.' Well, now we're four years later and everyone was unanimous: We need a political and economic solution, and all we have is a military solution."
Murphy was among a dozen veterans of the Iraq war who ran for Congress last year, but only he won a seat. Murphy, a captain, was a paratrooper with the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. He has co-sponsored legislation calling for a 12-month timeline for redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq and allowing for some troops to remain to provide basic force protection and training of Iraqis.
He said he repeatedly heard from officers and soldiers that the United States isn't doing enough to get the Iraqis to step up and assume more responsibility for their country's defense and for combating insurgents.
"I asked one of my former students what's going on, and he said, 'Sir, if the Iraqis don't get off the sidelines, we'll be here forever,' " Murphy said. "They are frustrated because they know what it takes to win there. We are not putting appropriate pressure on the Iraqis."
Asked whether any of the troops were skeptical of him because of his stance on the war, he said those he encountered were nothing but encouraging.
"I'm not necessarily antiwar. I'm anti-failure," he said. "There's a difference."
Lose a Member, Gain $5 Million?
There's much chatter in the House halls these days about the possible departure of Rep. Marty Meehan, an eight-term Massachusetts Democrat who is on a list of three finalists to become chancellor of his alma mater, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
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Fresh-faced and young, Patrick Murphy normally would have fallen into the category of unknown freshman legislator elbowing to make a name for himself. There's much chatter in the House halls these days about the possible departure of Rep. Marty Meehan, an eight-term Massachusetts Democrat who is......
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Sudan Opposition Leader Speaks Out
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CAIRO, Feb. 28 -- The main Sudanese opposition leader said the government is refusing to allow U.N. peacekeepers into the violent Darfur region because it believes the troops would help hunt down war crimes suspects for the International Criminal Court.
Former prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi said the government's other reason for rejecting U.N. forces is that it still believes it can defeat the Darfur rebels.
In an interview while visiting Cairo, Mahdi challenged the government's official line in the standoff with the U.N. Security Council -- that it supports the May peace accord and that U.N. forces in Darfur would constitute a "colonialist" attempt to subjugate the country.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is still waiting for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir to reply to a Jan. 24 letter that put forward specific proposals for the deployment of 22,000 U.N. and African Union troops to Darfur, the vast western region of Sudan where more than 450,000 people have died from disease and violence and 2.5 million have fled their homes in four years of fighting.
The Security Council initially ordered the deployment in August.
In a report to the Security Council on Wednesday, Ban called on Sudan to stop aerial bombings in Darfur that have killed innocent civilians. He also highlighted escalating violence against aid workers.
On Tuesday, the chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court accused Sudan's state minister for humanitarian affairs, Ahmad Muhammad Harun, of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, saying he paid and recruited militiamen responsible for murder, rape and torture.
The prosecutor also said the militia concerned, the Janjaweed, was armed and financed by the government -- an accusation that officials in Khartoum have always denied.
The government rejected the prosecutor's remarks and reiterated that it would not surrender anybody for trial at the court.
Mahdi, whose Umma Party traditionally wins the plurality of votes in Sudan's elections, dismissed the sovereignty argument as inapplicable to gross abuse of human rights. "Atrocities have been committed and those who committed them have got to be brought to book," he said.
Mahdi, whose government was toppled in a 1989 military coup led by Bashir, is known to have influence in Darfur. In the 1986 elections -- the last to be considered free and fair -- the Umma Party swept Darfur by a landslide.
He is also the great-grandson of the Mahdi, the 19th-century nationalist who ousted Egyptian colonial forces under the British general Charles Gordon. Darfur played a major role in that rebellion, and many of its tribal elders today revere Sadiq al-Mahdi because of his illustrious ancestor.
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CAIRO, Feb. 28 -- The main Sudanese opposition leader said the government is refusing to allow U.N. peacekeepers into the violent Darfur region because it believes the troops would help hunt down war crimes suspects for the International Criminal Court.
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Oh, to Be Born in The Year of the Pig
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BEIJING, Feb. 28 The Year of the Pig has turned into the year of the baby.
Chinese hospitals have been submerged in recent months under a tide of pregnant women; newborns are arriving in droves; and companies that manufacture diapers are upping their advertising budgets.
The reason is simple: The Year of the Pig, which began Feb. 18, is a good year to be born.
Since time immemorial, prospective parents have been told, children born under the pig's patronage will benefit from the animal's image as fat, happy and prosperous. Now, couples who schemed to have their babies in these blessed times are hoping for good fortune.
"My family already has two pigs, including my father, and I want to add one more pig," said a pregnant 28-year-old Beijing secretary who identified herself only as Ms. Lian.
"I guess three pigs will also bring luck to us," she explained. "Also, I believe people who are born in the Year of the Pig are honest, because my father is such a person."
The number of couples who calculated to have their babies in this auspicious year has provided a vivid reminder that, however fast China may be transforming its economy and merging with the modern world, the pull of an ancient culture has remained strong among its 1.3 billion people. Physicians say couples who planned to have their children during the Year of the Pig include well-educated urban professionals, as well as farmers' wives who might be expected to be more traditional.
The government's family planning department said it has not yet established a nationwide estimate for how many extra babies will be born in the Year of the Pig. But Beijing hospital officials surveying busy birthing and prenatal care wards predicted a 20 percent increase. Extrapolating that to the 16 million births recorded annually across China in recent years would mean a jump of about 3 million babies.
The birthrate has long been a carefully watched number in China, where the government enforces a one-child policy for most urban families. Premier Wen Jiabao recently declared that the sometimes controversial policy must continue to allow Chinese to benefit from economic progress. But Year of the Pig families did not appear to be contravening the rules -- just choosing this year to have their babies.
Many couples were acting on a belief that 2007 is not only a Year of the Pig, which comes along once every 12 years, but a Golden Year of the Pig, which comes along once every 60 years and showers extra-powerful blessings on those born during its passage. But Ye Chunsheng, a culture researcher at Guangzhou's Sun Yat-Sen University and deputy secretary general of the China Folklore Society, said that belief was mistaken.
"This year is not golden," he said. "It is earthen. The last Golden Year of the Pig was 1971, and the next one should be 2031, with 60 years as the full cycle."
In Chinese tradition, one of 12 animals is assigned as a patron for each year. Besides the pig, there is the dog, which held sway over 2006, and the monkey, snake, horse, dragon, sheep, rooster, mouse, ox, rabbit and tiger. Each animal is supposed to endow children born during its year with special characteristics.
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New Doors Open for Students In District
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Phyllis Percy grew up playing with tape measures and helping her father as he handled the repairs in their Northwest home, everything from hanging windows to coping with plumbing emergencies.
Now the senior at Cardozo Senior High School in the District is poised for more formal training at the school's new construction academy -- a brightly lit renovated wing with hands-on learning stations and new equipment that will give more students throughout the city a chance to study heating, ventilation and air conditioning, carpentry and electrical trades.
"I can't wait to get in here so we can build nice stuff that I can put in my room," said Percy, 18, looking around yesterday at a jigsaw, a band saw and other tools.
After more than three years of planning with the city's leading developers and construction businesses, school and city leaders officially opened the doors yesterday of the Cardozo Academy of Construction and Design, a $2 million public-private partnership that represents the first construction of new classrooms for those disciplines in 40 years.
The goal is to have a technology-focused program that trains students to meet industry needs.
"It's not the same type of courses that students . . . are in now, that their parents associate with vocational education," said Alisha Hyslop, assistant director of public policy for the Association for Career and Technical Education. "It's a much more rigorous, challenging environment that's very relevant to their futures."
The poor state of vocational education in the city was a point of discussion during last year's political campaign for District and school board positions. The construction academy is designed to prepare students who may not go to college for jobs connected to the city's economic development.
Most D.C. public school students don't graduate from high school, and less than 10 percent graduate from college, according to a report released in October by the State Education Office.
The Cardozo program is supported by the nonprofit District of Columbia Students Construction Trades Foundation Inc., whose members include construction companies Miller & Long and Donohue, developer PN Hoffman and United Bank.
The effort also grew out of the JOBS Coalition, led by the Rev. Anthony J. Motley, which challenged industry leaders such as John McMahon, chairman of Miller & Long and president of the foundation, to hire more District graduates for local jobs.
"We're not putting young people on the street with employable skills," McMahon said yesterday. "We realized it was not an unemployment problem but an unemployable problem."
The academy students still take core classes in English and math to prepare for college, and they also receive certification in their areas of specialization. If students decide to search for work right after high school, business officials say that they will be competitive for industry jobs.
The academy started in 2005 with 43 students, and last year there were 60. By 2009, it anticipates serving 150 students in grades 10 through 12. Students throughout the city can apply for admission.
When the academy first opened, students of three disciplines -- HVAC, carpentry and electrical trades -- were crammed in an old biology lab on the school's first floor. Director Shellie Morrison said students mostly learned from books in the classroom and worked with Habitat for Humanity to get construction experience.
"Now we'll have state-of-the-art equipment, computers, and they can get hands-on training every day."
Carpentry teacher Marshall Janifer recalled yesterday how he was sometimes hesitant to turn on the noisy saws in the old lab for fear that they would disturb students in nearby classrooms.
At other times, the equipment was unreliable, or when it broke down, it was difficult to get replacement parts because some machines were more than 30 years old.
Senior Joseph Gunter, 17, is focusing on electrical courses. Standing before an empty wiring simulator yesterday, he said he couldn't wait for the teacher to put in switches, plugs and light fixtures so he could figure out how to make everything work.
"It's like a puzzle," he said.
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Phyllis Percy grew up playing with tape measures and helping her father as he handled the repairs in their Northwest home, everything from hanging windows to coping with plumbing emergencies.
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In Hawaii, She Sees Sea Glass On the Seashore
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I'm the kind of person for whom a beach vacation is not complete unless I've scored a piece of sea glass, one of those shards of broken bottle that have been tumbled by water, sand and time into a state of smoothness that renders them treasure.
But a beach full of the stuff? Somehow, despite the fact that I'd been visiting in-laws in Hawaii for 16 years -- spending more time eating, shopping or watching my kids windmill off surfboards than collecting bits of old Vicks jars -- the existence of Kauai's appropriately named Glass Beach had escaped me. Until recently, that is.
Even learning from locals that the beach had been picked over, that there were days you could show up and find nothing but pieces so small they were almost sand, didn't dampen its allure. On my family's next Pacific fling, I resolved, we would take the girls to Kauai.
And somewhere between visits to its majestic canyons, cute towns, idyllic bays and crowded pools, we would find time for my sea glass obsession. Even if the payoff was likely to be minuscule.
Sea glass was once mostly ignored as trash, although, according to Richard LaMotte, author of the collectors' bible "Pure Sea Glass," it at one time may have served as a status symbol in Philadelphia, where residents would place a jar of it in their front windows to illustrate their affluence. Now people collect it, sell it and make things out of it -- from fine jewelry to sun catchers, frames and mosaics, even stained-glass windows.
Part of its newfound appeal is its increasing scarcity. Glass bottles and containers have given way to plastic, shipwrecks have become more rare and people have stopped dumping trash in the oceans, all of which means there is less raw material for sea glass. Further compounding the problem, says LaMotte, one of the founders of the North American Sea Glass Association, is the fact that much of the sand brought in to replenish beaches buries whatever glass is on the shore.
I've certainly never had much luck finding sea glass in Hawaii. The kids and I once collected a cupful on Oahu, but it was mostly pedestrian browns and greens, the color of beer bottles, which makes sense when you consider it: Body surfers, beer and rough waters would conspire to toss back that kind of common stuff. (LaMotte says it can take 10 to 30 years to create sea glass, depending on the "wave action.")
I had higher hopes for Glass Beach, but first we had to find it.
Glass Beach isn't mentioned in most guidebooks, and there are no signs directing drivers to it. The beach turned out to be in the middle of an industrial zone not far from the popular tourist area of Poipu on Kauai's southern end. To get there, you take the Port Allen exit off the highway, then turn down a street past some warehouses, then follow a very rutted dirt road to the water, wondering if you're going to owe money to the rental car company.
You won't know whether you've gone the right way until you walk onto the probably deserted beach and look down. If you're lucky, stretches of the black sand will be paved with glittering glass.
We hit what we considered a bonanza that day: not just your average white and brown and green, of which there were plenty, but amber and blue and aqua. There were shards of smoothed pottery and a few pieces of well-worn trash (the sea glass comes from a nearby dump), including an earpiece from some eyeglasses and what looked like engine parts. But mostly there was lots and lots of glass -- on the beach and stuck between the rocks.
The beach wasn't suitable for anything other than combing; the rocks would make swimming suicidal, and, when we were able to tear our gaze from the sand, the view wasn't impressive: Several gas tanks overlook one side of the beach.
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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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PBS Frontline: 'News War: What's Happening to the News'
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Producer and co-writer Stephen Talbot was online Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the third part of the PBS Frontline series " News War: What's Happening to the News." The film looks at how blogging, citizen journalism and other Internet developments are both enhancing and undercutting traditional journalism, and at the economic underpinning of and pressures on the media.
Frontline's " News War: What's Happening to the News" airs Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).
Talbot has been producing and writing documentaries for Frontline since 1992, when he made "The Best Campaign Money can Buy" about that year's presidential race. Since 2002, he also has been the series editor for Frontline/World, Frontline's award-winning international news magazine and Web site. Some of Talbot's other recent Frontline documentaries include "The Battle Over School Choice" (2000), "Justice for Sale" (1999) with Bill Moyers and "Spying on Saddam" (1999).
Boston: Do you believe that deregulation and corporatization is killing the news industry?
Stephen Talbot: Killing the idea of news as a public service, yes.
Washington: Thank you, thank you for finally using airtime to show the steady demise of original reporting. I hope your story has some effect particularly for the reporters at the Los Angeles Times. Wall Street says we all want "info snacking" and local news -- we don't.
Stephen Talbot: Thank you very much. That's encouraging to hear.
Pepperell, Mass.: Hello -- last night's Frontline was excellent. Your program suggested to me that when newspapers participate in the stock market, they are making a deal with the devil: in return for possible upside of increased share value, you must compromise your journalistic principles. We are led to wonder why this deal is made, especially if your newspaper (such as the Los Angeles Times) is a cash cow? Do you think the solution is for newspapers to go private? Is a problem that "going private" is a very difficult thing to do?
Stephen Talbot: There is no perfect ownership model, as former L.A. Times editor Dean Baquet told us. A paper can have a "bad" private owner. But it does seem true these days that ownership by a publicly-owned company brings enormous pressure on a paper from Wall Street investors demanding higher profits -- that's why a lot of papers are looking to a "white knight" owner, someone like Eli Broad in Los Angeles. There's also the "benevolent family" ownership model like the Grahams at The Washington Post. And there's the non-profit St. Petersburg Times model in Florida, a very unusual arrangement set up by a former owner, Nelson Poynter.
Watching the program right now!: So ... the audience for "serious, investigative reporting" is aging. "60 Minutes," for example, tries to combat this by "chunking," to adjust to the younger generation's "info snacking." This makes me nervous -- very. While I'm a part of that generation, I love my Frontline. No chunking, please. No softening. No "church bulletin-ing." Aaaaggghhh!
The Daily Kos writer said people are becoming too educated to be passively fed traditional journalism. I doubt that people are becoming too educated. Narcissistic, sure. What the blogosphere has accomplished I'm not discounting -- no one can. It's this "red state-blue state" epic war label being fitted to "traditional media vs. citizen journalism" that makes it utterly ridiculous. Coexist, collaborate, and collectively the public can only benefit.
P.S. -- Kevin Sites's "pretty face" -- this is what Yahoo! News thinks would appeal to my demographic, young women? Yuck!
Stephen Talbot: Frontline got into Web journalism early, more than ten years ago, and has a fine Web site, which I urge people to visit if they want more information on this or any other Frontline documentary. You can watch the program online in its entirety. Frontline also has experimented with an international news magazine, Frontline/World, which airs about 4-5 times a year and has its own vibrant web site.
I agree that much of the blogosphere is motivated by partisan politics.
Boston: I find it very interesting that young people basically are turning exclusively to the Internet (blogs, etc. for their news. I'm 21 years old and have never sought my daily news online -- I buy a print copy of the New York Times most days of the week and watch 60 Minutes almost every Sunday night. An observation I've made is that my peers don't seem that interested in really reading the news. Rather, they skim they headlines for the general idea. I guess that is the impression that online news gives me, a kind of "skimming" as one is engaged in other activities, instead of actually reading the stories. I knew that news was changing but I had no idea just how rapidly.
Stephen Talbot: Thanks for your question. I am glad to hear that you read the New York Times and watch "60 Minutes." My son is 26 and is a devoted NPR listener. Not all young people are completely attached to the Internet. But like you, I hope that people of all ages do more than skim headlines -- it's worth diving into a story you care about.
New York: Good show. Do you think it should have been disclosed that Lowell used to work for "60 Minutes" and was the producer of the tobacco piece that caused all that consternation at CBS News ... and also that Lowell wrote investigative pieces for the New York Times? I don't mean to imply that there's any ethics conflict, but it would offer some added context and perspective on his work on this fine series.
Stephen Talbot: Good point. We did say this in a press release and other materials, and at one point we considered telling this more as Lowell Bergman's own story. But we opted for a broader approach.
Alexandria, Va.: I am a writer/photographer at a newspaper in Va. With many newspapers downsizing, do you think there is a growing role for writer/photographers? Will these sort of positions start to dominate the newsroom?
Stephen Talbot: I think the more solid skills a journalist has these days, the better off he or she will be. I started out as an English major concentrating on my writing, but also learned how to become a documentary filmmaker. That's how I ended up producing for a series like Frontline.
Localization: What is wrong with me? I cannot stand local news, in any form.
Stephen Talbot: Personally, I think "hyper-localization" is being over-hyped. I do like local news, but I would never want my city newspaper to be focused entirely on backyard stories.
Hermitage, Pa.: Do you think that new technologies make it more difficult to win support for wars?
Stephen Talbot: Interesting question. New technologies certainly make it possible for more voices to be heard, so in that sense perhaps there is more opportunity for dissent. But in the run-up to the war in Iraq in 2002 and 2003, I'd say most of the media supported the war and in some cases failed to ask critical questions.
Austin, Texas: Mr. Talbot, do you think newspapers are doing enough to combat the perception that their news coverage is slanted in either a "liberal" or "conservative" way? It seems that many readers are discounting a lot of good journalism because of these perceptions.
Stephen Talbot: I think that's an important point. In some ways, in the hyper-partisan politics we've had in this country in recent years, the whole idea of even attempting to be objective has suffered. Yes, I think newspapers could do a better job reminding the public of their role.
Silver Spring, Md.: Fascinating series! One of the things that wasn't mentioned when discussing the relative health of NPR is that it received a huge endowment a few years ago from Joan Kroc ($140 million if memory serves). Perhaps similar acts of generosity could save U.S. journalism. Serious news gathering operations like the Times and The Post should be insulated from the whims of Wall Street. Maybe that's where community-minded philanthropists like Eli Broad could put their money. I know ... easy for me to say.
Stephen Talbot: You absolutely are right about the huge Joan Kroc donation to NPR. Good journalism on PBS also long has depended on grants from public-minded foundations. I do think philanthropists can play a role -- our very series was made possible by a grant from the Goldmans in San Francisco, people concerned about the state of journalism in this country.
Muncie, Ind.: What's it like producing a Frontline? Does one person produce the show, or is it done in a more a ad hoc sort of way?
Stephen Talbot: It is a very collaborative process, as you might imagine. That's the nature of filmmaking and doing news documentaries on TV. In this case, our correspondent, Lowell Bergman, was also a co-producer and very involved in all the decisions that go into creating a TV report. Generally a producer for Frontline is a kind of ringmaster -- reporter, writer, director and often (in my case) the designated van driver on location. There also are many fact-checkers, talented camera people and creative video editors. I can't say enough about the editors on this program -- Andrew Gersh, Steve Audette and Peter Rhodes, some of the best in the business.
Washington: Great program! Do you think the reporters on shows like "Dateline" and "Primetime Live" aspire to do more serious journalism and are co-opted into doing the tabloid pieces they produce, or do you think that these journalists have decided to just abandon serious journalism in the public interest?
Stephen Talbot: That's a question I often have asked myself. I think the answer varies with the individual, but there are many talented and dedicated people who work for the network news shows.
I will say this. I interviewed Connie Chung for this program -- it was one of many interviews we could not squeeze into the final show -- and she got very excited describing the good enterprise reporting she did as a young, pioneering Asian-American woman reporter in the Watergate era. After reminiscing about her work back then, she stopped and said "why did I ever give that up?" I responded, "maybe because of the money?" (which she was offered to become an anchor and host). And she smiled and said "oh yeah, the money."
Greensboro, N.C.: Everyone criticizes the media. For decades, however, it's been a Republican strategy to undermine the media's credibility by dismissing critical reporting as the work of a biased, liberal media. Should the media do more to defend its own credibility? I'd say yes, including critically reporting more critically on each other. I wish other outlets would fact-check rather than simply repeat misinformation.
Stephen Talbot: I do think that the serious news media can do a better job reminding the public of its vital role in a democratic society -- the role of the press even is enshrined in the Constitution. But remember, there's a long history of people wanting to kill the messenger.
Gulf Shores, Ala.: I am amazed that 20 percent isn't enough profit for the owners of the LA Tribune. I think the most important task a newspaper can to is investigative reporting. I fear the shareholders, i.e. the American people, one day will wake up and will wonder why the only news they get is Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears and the like. I fear that indirectly has been alluded to in your documentary.
Stephen Talbot: You are correct, that is definitely a fear I have. Personally, if I never hear about Ms. Spears ever again in my life, I will be a happy man.
Silver Spring, Md.: The LA Times/Chicago Tribune story was crazy. The big issue is the fact that if you run a news operation (of any type) with the purpose of maximizing profits, you end up with a newspaper that doesn't have the staff to really do the cutting-edge stories that can make a real difference -- not just locally, but nationally. Kudos to the editors who drew a line in the sand at the expense of their jobs. P.S. -- they are so right about washingtonpost.com. Your Web site is so superior to others in terms of content and breadth ... I take it for granted until I use another newspapers Web site.
Stephen Talbot: Thank you for your kind words about our Frontline Web site. A great team of people puts that together.
In the process of our reporting, I have come to admire both John Carroll and Dean Baquet for the fine work they did at the Los Angeles Times. Late in the game, we also did an interview with the new editor, Jim O'Shea, and I must say he sounds like a really dedicated newspaperman himself. I wish him the best at the Times and hope that he can help keep it a great newspaper. It's going to be a tough battle, I suspect.
Washington: Why is there no major newspaper in America offering a progressive, liberal point of view showcasing what we read online on the "left-wing" blogs? When I want to understand what The Post article yesterday about oil in Iraq really means, in terms of the connection between our invasion of Iraq and our efforts to take over Iraqi oil, I have to go online to find out (Alternet, etc.) because The Post hides the information in plain sight through omission and by distracting the reader with competing stories in the same story: yesterday's article for example also was about an attempted assassination and how oil would be divided among Iraqis -- with only one paragraph only vaguely hinting at how foreign powers like us will get our hands on the oil. The role of oil in motivating Bush to go in to Iraq may be huge but The Post is highly unlikely to give its readers a clue about it. Doesn't this amount to censorship by The Post?
washingtonpost.com: Iraq's Cabinet Backs Contentious Oil Measure (Post, Feb. 27)
Stephen Talbot: I think if a business person or foundation decided there was enough of a readership for an American newspaper with a decidedly progressive, liberal slant to its reporting and editorial positions, such a newspaper would be created. In Europe, such papers are supported by political parties or movements. Online, as you say, there is more opportunity for a variety of publications with different politics because it is cheaper to produce and distribute.
Washington: Hasn't the advent of the "24 hour news cycle" forced credible news organizations to fill the time available, thereby leading to the notion that if we don't have any news to report, we'll just create a story?
Stephen Talbot: Yes. The constant demand for news -- all the time, anytime -- puts enormous pressure on editors and reporters to publish or broadcast first and fact-check later. Also, on cable, the impulse always is to go for a soap opera kind of story that plays out over time, where you can hook an audience and keep them coming back for more. I think of it as the equivalent of serving junk food in fast-food style.
Kettering, Ohio: I have enjoyed your programs thus far, and greatly appreciate its viewpoint, particularly the hyper-sensitivity to Wall Street scrutiny by management. I worked in the trust banking industry and it has been ruined by this same symptom, which is ironic with a business that used to be focused on the long term. I think a part of the problem that has received short shrift is erosion of the perception of pure reporting and the inclusion of opinion in how news is reported. It's a shame, and I suspect you are tired of hearing all about bias, but whether is it from the left or the right I spend too much time considering what is between the lines. Would this news be reported differently if it was about a Dem or if it was about a Repub?
Stephen Talbot: It's always good to hear from people with a financial background question the Wall Street (and sometimes management) obsession with short-term goals and profits. Great enterprises and businesses need long-term goals and investments.
Washington: Stephen, Do you see network news going the way of radio? Also, what do you think of the trend where media companies -- in an effort to reduce costs -- are using staffing companies to employ people to do critical editorial functions without paying them benefits, and in order to avoid possible lawsuits these staffing company hires only are permitted to work a maximum of 52 weeks. In effect -- guest workers; after this the company must find new staff to train.
Stephen Talbot: Great institutions usually are not based on "guest workers" with no job security.
Anonymous: Hi Stephen. Your series has been fantastic -- thanks for Frontline. Do you think that the decline in "hard news" is at all related to a larger zeitgeist -- a sort of widespread loss of faith in the certainty of objective knowledge and values? It seems commonly accepted that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everyone's outlook on life turns on the particularities of their background. Are people more suspicious today of spin and interest? Is this what is affecting journalism?
Stephen Talbot: That's an excellent question, very provocative -- something I've pondered myself. I think you may be on to something. But I will say that at Frontline my executive producer, David Fanning, and my colleague and senior producer on this documentary, Ken Dornstein, always tend to put a premium on reporting and facts. It's part of their "zeitgeist," which is one reason I like working for Frontline.
Chicago: Through the years, have you observed any changes in the motivation of young people choosing journalism as a career? My niece reports for the Yale Daily News and is headed for an internship at the right-wing Manhattan Institute this summer. Her interest in journalism stems more from her desire that public policies conform to her ideology than from a view of news as essential to public discourse in a democracy. She definitely does not see journalism as public service. How typical is this?
Stephen Talbot: Sorry to hear that about your niece. I do think of journalism as a public service, regardless of one's politics.
Frontline has an office at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley and I co-teach a course there one semester a year with my colleague Sharon Tiller. I must say I am impressed with most of the students there. They come from diverse backgrounds but they seem to share a sense of mission about their work as journalists. I'd call most of them idealists.
Arlington, Va.: I grew up in L.A. on the Los Angeles Times. When I go back and pick up a copy, I'm disheartened at what a thin paper it has become -- there are fewer pages, but they seem covered in ads with tiny slivers of stories. This is a real shame because the paper covers some issues really well, especially Latin America and business/trade. To think that this devolution, a planned corporate strategy, is sad. But I must say that whenever I travel, I'm always thrilled to come back to The Washington Post, which seems to have managed to create corporate success without sacrificing journalistic excellence.
Stephen Talbot: For me there's nothing quite like settling down with a great newspaper to read. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and I still vividly recall how the Los Angeles Times transformed itself, under the guidance of publisher Otis Chandler, from a parochial, partisan paper to a great national paper with award-winning coverage -- of the war in Vietnam, for example. I am a strong believer in newspapers as a civic institution. At their best, as others have said, they can be the soul of a city.
Seattle: How concerned should people be over private equity groups, wealthy individuals and large corporations taking over newspapers and others media outlets? How worried should we be that these people are simply trying to buy media at the source, to report on their own priorities?
Stephen Talbot: It is a legitimate concern. Just because an owner says he or she wants to run a paper in the public interest and do great journalism doesn't mean they will in practice. But these days, with Wall Street being so negative about the future of newspapers, and with shareholders demanding profits at all costs, it's easy to understand why many reporters are hoping some enlightened individual or family will come along and bail them out. In the old days of American journalism, the general rule was that papers were the private fiefdom of owners who used them to enhance their own interests.
Philadelphia: My question on war coverage is not necessarily about bias or slant, but that there does appear to be a basic difference in how different news agencies present war. Would I be correct to assert that American news agencies report more on the aspects of military actions whereas Middle Eastern news agencies report more on the damages within Iraq resulting from the conflicts? Might there be more an issue of perspective: we are concerned more about our troops and other news reporters are more concerned about how the country is affected?
Stephen Talbot: On March 27, Frontline/World will devote a full hour to the issue of Mideast news coverage. Our lead story will be a look at the battle for hearts and minds in the region between the competing satellite news networks.
Washington: Re: The question about technology effecting public support for war -- of course it does. We were winning the Vietnam War until the media started using pictures to demoralize our country. In WWII, we went door to door and told people we would carpet bomb cities. They left, and we arrested who we wanted. This couldn't happen today because the media thinks it is their job to fight wars and alter policy ... not report on news. Two perfect examples of this -- all the false reporting on Katrina, the fake horror stories and murders, rapes in the dome, and the way the media was given tours by Hezbollah during the conflict this summer.
Stephen Talbot: As I recall from my history books, William Randolph Hearst helped start the Spanish-American War. And, having lived through the era of the Vietnam war, I know that the media -- in general -- first promoted U.S. intervention in a big way. The tide began to turn in 1968.
Gaithersburg, Md.: Thanks for an excellent program, Mr. Talbot. As we watched it, we were wondering whether there is some way to force the Los Angeles Times sale. If it were a radio station, listeners could comment during relicensing hearings. Certainly, it is clear that the shareholder-driven model doesn't serve the public good, as can be seen playing out in the "Net Neutrality" debate as well. When does this become a First Amendment issue?
Stephen Talbot: Hard to know how people could force a sale, but community leaders in Los Angeles have made the battle over the L.A. Times a public issue. As we mentioned in our documentary, last summer a group of leaders, organized by a prominent attorney, George Kieffer, wrote a public letter to the Tribune Company urging them to stop cutting the newsroom at the Times. The letter was signed by former secretary of state Warren Christopher, among others.
Kieffer and others argue that a city as large and diverse and geographically sprawling as Los Angeles needs all the help in can get in uniting the citizenry, and that the Los Angeles Times can and should play a major role in doing so.
Washington: Thanks for a interesting series. I really believe that there still is an audience for real news consumers -- young and old alike. The packaging has to change, yes, the and the business model has to change, but people really value content. However, everyone who is considered an "authority" on the subject seems to be talking about the end of news as we know it. I don't believe this is the case -- and I believe that in the 1950s journalism was in a worse place than it is today. Entrepreneurs and techies are striking out all around us with new ways of delivering quality content. Why is it that old-school journalists are not open to their ideas, business models, and the idea that a "long tail" audience is a viable one?
Stephen Talbot: I appreciate your optimism, and even someone like John Carroll, the former LA Times editor who is so concerned about threats to serious news, acknowledges that he sees some hope in the Web. The Internet does open vast possibilities. The bottom line is that a democratic society needs a well-informed citizenry, and news and investigative reporting are essential to that.
Ann Arbor, Mich.: How long did it take you to put this together?
Stephen Talbot: I have been working on this third episode of the series since May 2006. The producers of the first two episodes began in 2005. Frontline, Dean Orville Schell of the journalism school at Berkeley and reporter Lowell Bergman were contemplating this series long before that.
Attitudes:: I'm a 33-year-old freelance journalist. I personally am extremely excited by all the changes going on the media right now -- even though it puts huge stresses on me to "keep up." I am discouraged by the gray-haired moralizing about how people no longer care about important things like "serious news." That sounds like a lot of "things were better in the old days." What the media industry needs is an attitude change: stop it with the Evil Wall Street vs. Our Saviors the Serious Journalists. It's not either/or.
Stephen Talbot: OK, enough "gray-haired moralizing" -- go get 'em!
Nashville, Tenn.: Ted Koppel pointed out that the FCC had no teeth because the paragraph requiring television to carry out their business in "the public good" had been gutted, during a "Kalb Report" interview shortly after 9/11 when ABC was contemplating replacing Nightline with Letterman. Have you considered a business model where the FCC would force the TV stations to do real news? They then could subcontract this obligation to newspapers in much the same fashion as DOD subcontracts much of its work.
Stephen Talbot: The issue and role of the FCC is a long, fascinating and important story -- I don't have time to go into it now. But clearly the FCC once had enforcement authority that, for a variety of reasons, it has not chosen to exercise. That's an issue for public discussion and something the media itself might report more about.
Stephen Talbot: Thanks for all your questions -- sorry I could not get to all of them. I am pleased that many of you seem to have found the series and last night's episode enlightening. We try. For more information, I urge you to visit the Frontline web site.
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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Producer and co-writer Stephen Talbot will discuss the PBS Frontline film, "News War: What's Happening to the News," a look at how blogging, citizen journalism and other Internet developments are both enhancing and undercutting traditional journalism and its economics.
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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.
Paul Kane, washingtonpost.com's congressional blogger, was online Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the latest news in politics.
Read Paul Kane's blog, Capitol Briefing
Political analysis from Post reporters and interviews with top newsmakers. Listen live on Washington Post Radio or subscribe to a podcast of the show.
Paul Kane: Hello gang, it's the last day of February 2007, so I assume you're all concerned about the legislative issues of the day, the upcoming baseball season and the fact that Tiger Woods will be on Capitol Hill next week to hype his new DC-based tournament. Right? No one cares about the presidential campaign that is still 11 months away before a single primary vote is cast. And no one cares about the war still raging half-a-world away. Yep, as usual, I'm wrong, based on a quick sampling of the questions already filed. Let's have fun, I've got the Starbucks coffee sitting by my desk, the iPod's running and I'm not being paid a single dime for product placement. Let's get started!
Houston: Paul, I don't know if you watched Bob Woodruff last night on "To Iraq and Back," but I went to bed crying. Then I woke up to Don Imus this morning interviewing John McCain regarding the horrible situation with the VA in the way our troops are being taken care of -- where is the outrage!? Don Imus was very light, to say the least, with John McCain stumbling around how they will have "hearings" -- and we all know where those "hearings" will go - absolutely nowhere! John McCain being a Vietnam vet should be banging doors down around there. Where is his outrage? His "Maverick" status is long gone with his Presidential wishes! How do you see this?
Paul Kane: I didn't see the entire Woodruff piece last night, but did catch the first 15 minutes and last 15 minutes. It was raw, it was moving, it was powerful. What made it so moving was the latter half of the show, where he transitioned it into a contrast -- of how he received such incredible care and how, in many ways, he had access to better care than other just-as-injured veterans suffering brain injuries, because they and their families live in somewhat remote corners of the nation. While it was on a slightly different topic, it was for TV as moving a portrait of the care of our veterans as the pieces written recently in The Washington Post by Dana Priest and Anne Hull on Walter Reed.
Sen. McCain is in a tough bind as a war supporter, but as someone who relied on the VA to heal his own wounds from 30-some years ago, let's all hope for the sake of today's veterans that McCain leads a charge to make sure they get the best care possible, politics be damned.
Rolla, Mo.: The Post article accompanying the new poll results on the 2008 race noted Mitt Romney at 4 percent, then said nothing else about him. I guess that speaks for itself?
washingtonpost.com: Washington Post-ABC News Poll Data (washingtonpost.com, Feb. 27)
Paul Kane: Romney's not worried about this early polling because he knows his name recognition is not widespread across the nation. He's trying to gin up support solely in the early primary states and with conservative grassroots -- if and when his numbers surge in those states, then they believe folks in the remaining corners of the national GOP primary electorate will pay attention. Think about what John Edwards did in 2004: at this time in 2003, he probably was at about 4 percent, and he ended being the last guy standing next to John Kerry. Romney hopes for a similar -- but better, obviously -- performance.
Louisbusrg, N.C.: In reading your blog I see that Nancy Pelosi has a very high favorable rating despite the fact of Cheney's continual attacks on her patriotism. Hmmm -- all of the Dem presidential candidates will be lining up to see when it is their turn. "Hey Dick -- over here, Dick." "My turn, Dick." "Dick, you got a minute?" "Dick, Carl Levin isn't even running for office, how about me?"
washingtonpost.com: Among Liberals, Pelosi More Popular Than Congress (washingtonpost.com, Feb. 26)
Paul Kane: (Note: I'm a sucker to take any question in which you actually reference my blog!)
The recent Post-ABC News poll was so chock-full of information it's insane. Because I'm a Hill-o-phile (as in the Capitol, not the N.Y. Senator), I picked off the Pelosi numbers to see where she stands now. Last year the GOP spent a lot of energy trying to demonize her, to make candidates scared to run with her as their future speaker, to divide the party.
Quite simply, it hasn't worked. Pelosi is at 50-31 fav/unfav in terms of her job performance. At this point 12 years ago Newt Gingrich already had 48 percent of the nation disapproving of his performance. Things could change, but for now Pelosi remains favorable to all corners of the country, and attacks like those by Cheney simply have yet to take hold.
Baltimore: John McCain's presidential campaign seems to be floundering -- every day brings another "McCain is toast" story, while Rudy rides a wave of public support. Do you expect McCain to change his ways?
Paul Kane: John McCain is basing his entire candidacy on one inherent value: his authenticity. He came out of his 2000 campaign saying his only regret was that he didn't truthfully attack the South Carolina flag issue and instead went with political expediency. If you start to see McCain waiver on issues -- issues that truly are essential to his campaign -- then expect to see his campaign to head into a downward spiral.
Atlanta: A month ago I sent a comment to Sen. Hagel's Senate Web site. I don't live in Nebraska, so wasn't expecting reply. In the past two days I've received four e-mails from his PAC with excerpts from interviews with Hagel framing his positions. I think Hagel has a major announcement coming soon.
Paul Kane: Hmmm, very interesting. Hagel's in a very interesting spot. I personally believe there is a large chunk of conservative voters out there who are highly opposed to the war -- just look at the makeup of the districts of the 17 Republicans who voted with Pelosi and Co. on the surge disapproval resolution. We'll see with Hagel. The dynamics of today's primary system make it very difficult for late-breaking insurgency campaigns that hasn't been mapped out methodically. In a GOP primary, I'm not sure Hagel could navigate those waters to the nomination, but he could play a huge spoiler role. ... Now, on the other hand, there's that Unity '08 group that David Broder wrote about this past Sunday. That'd be fun with Hagel.
Indiana: Paul, what is going to happen with Rahm Emanuel? Can he become Speaker before he turns sixty or after it?
Paul Kane: Rahm is 47, I think -- that gives him 13 years to become speaker. I'm taking the under on that bet, folks. My personal expertise is in the Senate, but the past 2 months I've covered the House very closely. Assuming Nancy Pelosi has a reasonably long run as speaker -- four, five years or more -- her most likely successor becomes Rahm. One more reason to be jealous of him: he made something like $16 million in investment banking in a couple years from the Clinton White House to the people's House. He can afford to this politics stuff the rest of his life. It's his world, we're all living in it.
Matawan, N.J.: Mr. Kane: Why do you think the coverage of the battles raging in Iraq and Afghanistan is so limited regarding the images we see? The gruesome devastation seems sanitized to avoid strong public awareness. I mean this is about young Americans willing to sacrifice their lives and limbs, not about political posturing and pundit predictions, isn't it?
Paul Kane: I can only guess this based on what I know from reporters who've been to Iraq. They simply aren't in a safe enough place in order to venture into the battlefields to film and document the "devastation" you're talking about. Unlike most previous wars, this one makes no distinction between actual soldiers and journalists -- we are targets as well. And I'm not talking about folks like Bob Woodruff, who was riding with soldiers when they got hit with an IED. Jill Carroll was set up by insurgents, pulled out of a car, watched her friend/interpreter get shot and killed in front of her, then was held hostage for more than 80 days. Faced with those conditions, it's difficult for my journalist brethren to show what's truly going on over there. I'm sorry, but our lives and limbs are on the line, too.
RE: Byrd To Take Center Stage...: On a recent blog you reported that Byrd was about to take center stage. Indeed, as reported by The Washington Post, Byrd did. While Byrd gave a speech saying the Bush Administration did not want even to try diplomacy, as The Washington Post reported, the Bush Administration announced it was going to indeed try diplomacy. Do you think this was deliberate to get Byrd off the center stage?
washingtonpost.com: Byrd to Take Center Stage in Iraq Debate (washingtonpost.com, Feb. 24)
Paul Kane: I doubt that was done to specifically trump Byrd, but the timing of the announcement -- in front of a high-profile Senate panel -- certainly was a well-thought-out message strategy. I was out sick yesterday so, sadly, I missed the hearing. (If I'd signed up for Comcast digital, I probably could have watched it on C-SPAN-19 or however many they offer now, but that's another story. Anyone with DVR -- tape "Lost" for me tonight, in case I miss it, please.)
Midwest: Kudos to Sen. Kerry for confronting Belgian ambassador nominee Sam Fox regarding his $50,000 contribution to the Swift Boat ad campaign. Fox's answers were less than adequate. And good for Sen. Obama for following up on Kerry's tough questions.
washingtonpost.com: Kerry Puts GOP Donor On Defensive (Post, Feb. 28)
Paul Kane: This is an issue Kerry isn't letting go away. Clearly, he wishes he handled this differently in his '04 campaign, but, even more clearly he realizes he wants to completely refute these allegations to ensure his own lasting legacy as a war hero who deserved his awards. That's why there is pending litigation on this matter still. Keep watching.
Washington: Can you tell me where the minimum wage increase bill is right now in the legislative process? My recollection is it passed House then Senate (with tax cuts attached) and then the House then passed it with the tax cut attached. Where is it now and what is the means that likely will be used to get it passed? Will a straight up/down vote with the latest House small tax cut make it past the Senate (where it passed with large margin 80-plus if I recall correctly)?
Paul Kane: Ah, a domestic policy question. Think this is the only one in the field. The questioner is right in terms of the process so far, each chamber has passed the bill -- the House passing two bills, the min wage and the tax portion. The bill must go to a House-Senate conference, but my expectation is that it should emerge sometime in the early spring and go to both chambers for final passage. Unless there's a major hiccup, I think you should expect this to pass overwhelmingly just before the spring recess (March 30-April 9) or sometime in April. Look for a post next week on Capitol Briefing updating where the minimum wage bill is.
Rolla, Mo.: I am pleasantly surprised that the public seems to be ahead of the MSM and Congress over the past few months. The latest example is the media and congress dumping on the "Murtha Plan" when a public opinion poll that doesn't mention his name shows significant support for its provisions. Why do those inside the Beltway not grasp the desire to get out of Iraq in the rest of the country?
Paul Kane: This is a fascinating question, because right now 56 percent of the House and 56 percent of the Senate have voted against the surge -- 246 members of the House equals 56 percent and change, and 56 senators have voted in procedural votes in favor of a resolution disapproving of the surge. Yet, as our poll showed yesterday, an even stronger percentage of the public -- 66-67 percent -- oppose the surge. In economics, this would make Congress a lagging indicator of public opinion. And I think, in reality, that's probably what the Founding Fathers intended.
Wilmington, N.C.: Please give me your thoughts on Unity08.
Paul Kane: Unity08 is a fascinating concept about finding a nonpartisan figure to run for president -- or to create a bipartisan ticket of a Democrat and a Republican. The problem with this and previous efforts at third-party movements is that it's a top-down mentality, not something that is building from the ground up. Lincoln and the Republicans actually had members in Congress, got them elected in 1852, '54, '56, '58, before they put one of their own in the White House. True-blue third-party movements need to start from the bottom, or else they become the captive of the cult of personality of whomever that one presidential nominee is. (Does anyone even remember that Pat Buchanan actually ran on the general election ticket in 2000 on Ross Perot's Reform Party? No. Because that party was seen solely as Ross Perot's and no one else's.)
Anonymous: The fair and balanced folks at Fox News, at least those on Fox and Friends, seem to be attributing a lot of progress to the troop surge. What are the numbers now versus before? Are others also crediting the surge with noticeable progress already?
Paul Kane: I think most reporting you've seen the past few weeks has been that things on the ground are in fact better now than they've been in a long, long time in Baghdad. To attribute this all to the surge is something that even Dr. Rice and Gen. Pace probably wouldn't agree with, as the Sadr Army generally is standing down in the hopes that the U.S. troop surge will come in and wipe out their Sunni rivals.
Anonymous: Pending litigation on Kerry vs. Swiftboaters? Do tell.
Paul Kane: Here's an AP story on Kerry's defense fund. Fun stuff.
Philadelphia: Right now, the Republican Party is a conservative party without a clear conservative choice for president. Huckabee and Brownback don't seem likely to become top contenders. McCain and Giuliani poll well, but both have problems that may make them impossible for many conservatives to support. Romney seems barely viable, and is being hammered as a flip-flopper. Who are conservatives on The Hill backing?
Paul Kane: OK, I'm also a sucker for "Philadelphia"-based questions. I'm surprised anyone in the City of Brotherly Love has any time to think about politics globally, what with a mayoral race going on there as well as the ongoing Andy Reid family saga.
The conservatives on the Hill so far are completely dividing up across the spectrum. The Fix and Capitol Briefing have been documenting the endorsements so far, so check out those blogs. McCain's getting the most support among Senators, but Romney's pulling the most on the House side.
Washington: Hi Mr. Kane! Any update on Steny Hoyer's five-day work week? Has the House actually met for a full five-day week so far this year?And where does the 100-hour agenda stand right now? Are all those House bills stranded in the Senate? Thanks!
Paul Kane: Um, yeah ... five days ... well, um, let me speak for the tired and overworked press corps of the Capitol: we never signed on to any five-day-a-week pledge, so we have nooooo problem if he isn't living up to the pledge. No problem at all, Steny!
We'll keep writing glowing profiles of you if you don't do the five-day thing, I swear! (That was a joke, folks, a joke.)
So far there's been one five-day week, and that wasn't really a five-day week -- it was the week of the Iraq resolution debate. There was a vote on Monday night, then generally three days of debate, and a vote on Friday.
Vienna, Va.: Are there any other controversial votes that HRC has been involved in, besides her war authorization vote, that could get her into trouble?
Paul Kane: HRC has plenty of votes that can be used against her, for her, or all over the map regarding her. She's voted on the Patriot Act -- once its inception in '01, and again in '05. She's voted on stem cell research. She's voted on flag burning. Depending on where you are on those issues, there's plenty to be used for or against her. That's the danger of being a U.S. Senator and running for the White House, folks.
Paul Kane: Alright, folks, my clock says 12:01 p.m. Time for me to sign off and get back to work. The blog kicks off a new, semi-regular feature tomorrow: Meet the New Bosses. With all respect to The Who, that's what I'm calling it -- not sure if that's the official name or not -- but it's a semi-regular, probably every-other-week look at the new chairmen of the committees. First up: John Spratt, chairman of the House Budget Committee. He's the guy responsible for infuriating everyone in the Democratic Party by balancing the budget in five years -- and cutting lots of programs favorable to Democratic constituencies. Check in, it'll be a fun feature. Look forward to our next chat.
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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Paul Kane, washingtonpost.com's congressional blogger, discusses the latest buzz in Washington and The Post's coverage of political news.
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The Mayor and the Schools
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D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty was online Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m. ET to discuss his proposal to take over public schools in the District.
Fenty's Overhaul Plan Echoes Janey's ( Post, Feb. 27)
Washington, D.C.: Mr Mayor, I am very glad that you have the courage to take on such an enormous challenge and I wish you all the best. However, my question to you is; What plans do you have to get the parents and guardians of these children in Washington, D.C., to play their own vital roles in their education? Keeping in mind that the school system is not going to be the panacea of raising these children and providing for their education.
Adrian M. Fenty: Thanks for the support. Among other things, I plan to adopt the "Parent Academy" model chartered in Miami-Dade, which is nationally known for getting parents more involved in their children's education.
Washington, D.C.: Please give a time frame for when the community can expect to see increases in student performance.
Adrian M. Fenty: During yesterday's hearing before the Council, Paul Vallas, who head's the Philadelphia Public School System said that in Chicago and Philly they were able to show dramatic improvements within two years, and some much sooner than that. New York and Miami have also shown such a turnaround in the same period of time.
I have no problem with much of your plan, but I hope you and the Council will consider giving the reconstituted "state board of education" some real authority. The people of the District are disenfranchised enough as it is, and nobody will take an "advisory" board seriously. They'd get less respect than our shadow representatives!
Adrian M. Fenty: I do believe that the State Board of Education has a role that's meaningful, as we have sent it to the Council, however, there may be some additional state-level responsibilities that the Council recommends, which I will approve.
Chevy Chase, D.C.: What will the roll of the school board be once a takeover is implemented?
Adrian M. Fenty: We have recommended converting the elected school board into a State Board of Education which would be responsible for high-level policy recommendations. More information, including the legislation, can be found by reading the legislation at dc.gov and clicking on "Mayor's Education Initiative"
SE Washington, D.C.: Good Day Mayor Fenty,
Do you think that if you used your "political currency" to greatly increase job training, greatly increase drug treatment, increase low-income housing, decrease minor and mid-level crimes, and greatly increase the net income of the lower classes, you may affect school performance and attendance on a greater scale than taking control of the school system?
Adrian M. Fenty: I believe, and intend to, use my political currency to do both. One without the other is unsatisfactory to me.
Washington, D.C.: My concern is that my youngest daughter, who has a learning disability, attends Coolidge Sr. High. I was appalled by the condition of the school and the state of the educational system. What can you do IMMEDIATELY to improve the condition of our schools (instead of closing down the schools which are in dire need of repair) and to improve the educational program our kids are currently receiving? These standards need to be improved so that our children may be effective in meeting this world and their competitors when they graduate from high school.
Adrian M. Fenty: My legislation creates a separate "Facilities Authority", whose director reports directly to me (confirmed by the Council). This Authority will be focused exclusively on facilities, leaving the Chancellor to focus on classroom education, which should lead to better academic performance and faster facility improvements.
Washington, D.C.: I think Mayor Fenty's proposal to have the DCPS under his direct supervision and management is an excellent idea. The school system has been a disgrace to our city for entirely too long. Our recent inclement weather conditions exposed fundamental maintenance concerns, such as no heat in some schools. These conditions are inexcusable and reprehensible. And we wonder why our city youth are lagging behind their suburban counterparts? The superintendent and current administration can't even provide the basics for our students, let alone the foresight, leadership and determination required to raise the standard of education. I think a major reorganization is long overdue and Mayor Fenty may have just the right amount of concern, leadership and persistence to make a difference for our youth...a.k.a...our future.
Adrian M. Fenty: Thanks for your message of support.
Washington, D.C.: Dr. Janey, in my opinion, has failed to clean house. I have heard that the Assistant Superintendents, instead of supporting high-performing principals, actually hinder them by, for example, failing to give them time to complete voluminous paperwork and focusing on inane minutiae. I also heard that one asst. sup. told a principal that she would write her up if parents from the school called downtown to complain about anything. Don't these people know that they WORK for the parents of children in DCPS, because they are taxpayers? Are you aware of the problem with the mid-level bureaucracy and, if so, do you plan to address it if you take over the schools?
Adrian M. Fenty: I believe that the enormous amount of money that we spend on public education does not get to the classroom. I am committed to changing the entire culture of DCPS, including streamlining central administration. During Council testimony yesterday, Paul Vallas testified that he was able to shrink central administration by more than 35 percent.
Washington, D.C.: Mr. Fenty, When I moved to D.C. in 2001, I shopped around for a public school for my then 13-year-old son. I found the experience very disheartening. I finally gave up and placed him in a private school. I was a single parent, military enlisted person. I'm not rich. The schools we visited were without exception in terrible condition and I believe strongly that children deserve a decent environment to learn in. Six years on and nothing has changed. What's the problem? I can only believe that despite all the rhetoric, schools are just not a priority in the district.
Adrian M. Fenty: I think you have touched on two of the central problems. 1) the schools need to be made much more of a priority. That is why we recommend having the same structure of accountability that you find in other agencies like Public Works and the Police Department. 2) That under the current school board structure, years have passed with no measurable progress in the system. That is why I believe that we must change the system right away.
Rockville, Md.: There is no doubt that this is the most important issue in the District. But the chance of success are not certain. I can only wish you good luck! I would suggest that you have someone pay close attention to day-to-day events and that you get the best advice you can find.
Adrian M. Fenty: Thanks for the support and suggestions.
Washington, D.C.: Good Afternoon Mayor Fenty. Could you please speak to changes in the delivery of special education under your plan?
Adrian M. Fenty: In short, we have recently released a "strategic plan" that focuses on "inclusion", increased professional development and support for teachers of children with special needs and earlier intervention. The complete "plan" can be found at: http://ec.rrc.dc.gov/ec/lib/ec/special_ed_action_plan.pdf
For the record, what do you perceive to be the key problems facing D.C. public schools and how does your restructuring plan better address these problems?
Adrian M. Fenty: I believe that the key problems are a lack of accountability and a lack of a structure that keeps the superintendent distracted by non-academic issues. I believe that the legislation addresses both of these issues comprehensively.
Falls Church, Va: Good luck Mayor. Bureaucratic inertia and school board political fighting compounded with corruption and inefficiency destroy the school system in D.C. It is criminal the effect that it has on the public schools. They will fight you every step of the way to keep their power and even if you win, they will proclaim how you took their elected rights away from them. The good fight is never easy. Along the way, try to sustain some discipline in those schools. If they become safe, then more people will entrust their children to them.
Adrian M. Fenty: Thanks for the support and suggestions.
I have confidence that you have the will to make sure effective change takes place but how soon will you act to destroy the bureaucracy that is currently destroying our schools; to remove the entrenched from power in order to add accountability from the top down; to make sure that the schools are about the children and not the politicians whether from your office, the council, or the dysfunctional school board. Thanks!
Adrian M. Fenty: Immediately after the Council votes to approve the legislation, I will perform a top to bottom review of the bureaucracy and, as discussed in an earlier response, I am committed to increasing the efficiency of central administration as has been done in other jurisdictions where the Superintendent reports to the Mayor.
Laurel, Md.: Good Afternoon Mayor Fenty,
Do you have any plans for attracting the best and the bright teachers, and administrators to the DCPS? If so what are they?
Adrian M. Fenty: Enacting more creative compensation programs; a school culture that encourages professional development; facilities that are desirable to work in and educate children and classrooms that have the supplies and materials and support services for the teachers to do their job.
Washington, D.C.: I have heard more than once that D.C. spends more money per student than anywhere else in the nation, yet we are ranked at the absolute bottom for facility and educational quality.
Where is the money going? How will your proposal ensure the students get what we are paying for?
Adrian M. Fenty: I believe that the more than $20,000 average we spend per child (driven by the extremely high per pupil special education spending) is inexcusable and one of the key pieces of evidence as to why the system we have in place is not working and needs to be changed.
Adrian M. Fenty: Thanks to everyone who took time to send questions this afternoon. This issue is the most important issue facing the District of Columbia and I am committed to making our schools great. Best, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty
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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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Justice for Darfur
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BAHAI, Chad -- Here, at this refugee camp on the border of Sudan, nothing separates us from Darfur but a small stretch of desert and a line on a map. All the same, it's a line I can't cross. As a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, I have traveled into Darfur before, and I had hoped to return. But the UNHCR has told me that this camp, Oure Cassoni, is as close as I can get.
Sticking to this side of the Sudanese border is supposed to keep me safe. By every measure -- killings, rapes, the burning and looting of villages -- the violence in Darfur has increased since my last visit, in 2004. The death toll has passed 200,000; in four years of fighting, Janjaweed militia members have driven 2.5 million people from their homes, including the 26,000 refugees crowded into Oure Cassoni.
Attacks on aid workers are rising, another reason I was told to stay out of Darfur. By drawing attention to their heroic work -- their efforts to keep refugees alive, to keep camps like this one from being consumed by chaos and fear -- I would put them at greater risk.
I've seen how aid workers and nongovernmental organizations make a difference to people struggling for survival. I can see on workers' faces the toll their efforts have taken. Sitting among them, I'm amazed by their bravery and resilience. But humanitarian relief alone will never be enough.
Until the killers and their sponsors are prosecuted and punished, violence will continue on a massive scale. Ending it may well require military action. But accountability can also come from international tribunals, measuring the perpetrators against international standards of justice.
Accountability is a powerful force. It has the potential to change behavior -- to check aggression by those who are used to acting with impunity. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has said that genocide is not a crime of passion; it is a calculated offense. He's right. When crimes against humanity are punished consistently and severely, the killers' calculus will change.
On Monday I asked a group of refugees about their needs. Better tents, said one; better access to medical facilities, said another. Then a teenage boy raised his hand and said, with powerful simplicity, "Nous voulons une épreuve." We want a trial. He is why I am encouraged by the ICC's announcement yesterday that it will prosecute a former Sudanese minister of state and a Janjaweed leader on charges of crimes against humanity.
Some critics of the ICC have said indictments could make the situation worse. The threat of prosecution gives the accused a reason to keep fighting, they argue. Sudanese officials have echoed this argument, saying that the ICC's involvement, and the implication of their own eventual prosecution, is why they have refused to allow U.N. peacekeepers into Darfur.
It is not clear, though, why we should take Khartoum at its word. And the notion that the threat of ICC indictments has somehow exacerbated the problem doesn't make sense, given the history of the conflict. Khartoum's claims aside, would we in America ever accept the logic that we shouldn't prosecute murderers because the threat of prosecution might provoke them to continue killing?
When I was in Chad in June 2004, refugees told me about systematic attacks on their villages. It was estimated then that more than 1,000 people were dying each week.
In October 2004 I visited West Darfur, where I heard horrific stories, including accounts of gang-rapes of mothers and their children. By that time, the UNHCR estimated, 1.6 million people had been displaced in the three provinces of Darfur and 200,000 others had fled to Chad.
It wasn't until June 2005 that the ICC began to investigate. By then the campaign of violence was well underway.
As the prosecutions unfold, I hope the international community will intervene, right away, to protect the people of Darfur and prevent further violence. The refugees don't need more resolutions or statements of concern. They need follow-through on past promises of action.
There has been a groundswell of public support for action. People may disagree on how to intervene -- airstrikes, sending troops, sanctions, divestment -- but we all should agree that the slaughter must be stopped and the perpetrators brought to justice.
In my five years with UNHCR, I have visited more than 20 refugee camps in Sierra Leone, Congo, Kosovo and elsewhere. I have met families uprooted by conflict and lobbied governments to help them. Years later, I have found myself at the same camps, hearing the same stories and seeing the same lack of clean water, medicine, security and hope.
It has become clear to me that there will be no enduring peace without justice. History shows that there will be another Darfur, another exodus, in a vicious cycle of bloodshed and retribution. But an international court finally exists. It will be as strong as the support we give it. This might be the moment we stop the cycle of violence and end our tolerance for crimes against humanity.
What the worst people in the world fear most is justice. That's what we should deliver.
The writer is a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
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White House Talk - washingtonpost.com
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Cheney's Rules for the Press (washingtonpost.com, Feb. 28)
Dan is also deputy editor of Niemanwatchdog.org.
Dan Froomkin: Hi everyone and welcome to another White House Talk. Laughable? Insulting? Both? My column today leads with Vice President Cheney's insistence on being quoted as a "senior administration official" at the end of a nine-day trip during which he assiduously avoided the poor reporters who had chosen to tag along with him. But he "outed" himself pretty thoroughly by also insisting on referring to himself in the first person. It's laugh or cry, folks. So much else to talk about. Iraq, Iran, Cheney's trip, Valerie Plame, you name it. So let's go.
Palo Alto, Calif.: Love your work. Thanks for taking my question. Considering the fact that Cheney has been exposed by testimony in the Libby trial as a liar -- and time proves he is just plain wrong -- why is his opinion ever asked or printed?
Dan Froomkin: It takes an awful lot for the media to decide not to pay attention to the (first or second) most powerful man in America. In fact, even I wouldn't suggest he should be ignored. I think that everything he says should be reported -- it should just also be put in context. And refuted, when it obviously is contradicted by the evidence.
As I wrote (perhaps somewhat hopefully) in my January 29 column, The Unraveling of Dick Cheney: "While Dick Cheney undoubtedly remains the most powerful vice president this nation has ever seen, it's becoming increasingly unclear whether anyone outside the White House believes a word he says."
But that was written in the wake of Cheney's very combative and bizarre interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN. Since then, the wave of media skepticism, such as it was, may have receded again.
Memphis, Tenn.: Doesn't the total policy reversal of not engaging Syria and Iran (or tangentially North Korea) to suddenly engaging them all speak to the ineptitude, clumsiness and erratic mindset of this Bush administration?
washingtonpost.com: U.S. Will Join Talks With Iran And Syria (Post, Feb. 28)
Dan Froomkin: Too soon to say for sure. My head's still spinning. I have a section on this in today's column. And I've got to tell you that what blew me away the most were two observations in Helene Cooper and Kirk Semple's New York Times story:
One: "Iraqi officials had been pushing for such a meeting for several months, but Bush administration officials refused until the Iraqi government reached agreement on pressing domestic matters, including guidelines for nationwide distribution of oil revenue and foreign investment in the country's immense oil industry, administration officials said. The new government of Iraq maintains regular ties with Iran."
So it's all about the oil?
And two: That the administration's recent "accusations of Iranian meddling in Iraq," along with the continued confrontation over Iran's nuclear program are now being characterized by administration officials "as part of a larger diplomatic strategy for dealing with Iran that verges on a high-level game of chicken. One senior administration official said that while some Bush officials have advocated looking for ways to talk to Iran and Syria, they did not want to appear to be talking to either country from a position of weakness. By ratcheting up the confrontational talk, the administration official said, the United States was in more of a driver's seat. He asked that his name not be used because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the issue."
Cleveland: Dan, please talk about the Libby trial -- why do you think it is taking so long? What about the dismissed juror? Thanks.
Dan Froomkin: That would be pure speculation on my part. But okay.
1. I think the longer the jury takes, the worse for the prosecution. What the prosecution wants is for the jurors to get together and say "okay." Especially in a case where the defense didn't actually put up a competing narrative -- they're hoping for one or more jurors going: "But wait a minute..."
And yet it's a complicated case and both sides asked jurors to look over the evidence carefully, so I'm not sure it's really been that long yet.
2. The juror who was dismissed (and I'm dying to know the details of why) was also the one juror who refused to wear a red T-shirt on Valentine's Day. I think the dismissal of a potential lone wolf/holdout juror is good for the prosecution. But you really shouldn't have encouraged me to speculate.
Utica, N.Y.: What's the annual utility bill for the Crawford ranch? How much of it is paid by the Secret Service?
Dan Froomkin: I don't know. But you may be pleasantly surprised to hear that Bush had his Crawford estate built to be environmentally friendly. Here he is giving the press a tour of the place in January 2001:
"Q So this is environmentally friendly --
" THE PRESIDENT: Yes, very much so for a couple of reasons. One, it's got a natural water collection devices all around it, and it's got a heater and cooling system that takes water and circulates it and transfers the cold water to the heat and the heated water to the cold, because the ground temperature -- the subterranean temperature stays constant....."
And the White House even has solar panels.
Elkton, Va.: Dan -- I believe the American public is more polarized now than ever before in my 55 year lifetime because of the policies and actions of the Bush administration. The Red State and Blue State people have so much animosity toward each other they can't even speak civilly. How does the present situation stack up historically? Could this be the greatest domestic divisiveness since the Civil War?
Dan Froomkin: You know, I would have agreed with you entirely about six months ago -- but since then, Bush's pursuit of the war in Iraq has had an incredible effect. There now is a large majority of Americans who share the same belief on the number one issue before us: They want out of Iraq. See yesterday's column, What Is Mainstream?. I think we've definitely reached a tipping point (at least outside the Beltway) that is inexorable and will find Red Staters and Blue Staters joined in the mission of getting our troops out of Iraq.
San Jose, Calif.: Mr. Froomkin, -- it really is frustrating to see a lack of progress in bringing an end to the war. The Democrats have the ability to defund the war and thus bring home the troops -- why won't they do that? What's the harm in defunding the war? The public could care less how we bring our soldiers home, they just want this to end.
Dan Froomkin: Bush has two things going for him:
1. The chronic lack of unity and discipline (and some might say guts) within the elected representatives of the Democratic Party.
2. The fact that things are so bad in Iraq, there are no good solutions -- so any plan, whatever it is, ceasily an be second-guessed.
Pittsburgh: With Prince Harry now serving in Iraq, when will the U.S. leaders do what leaders in past wars have done? That is, either get involved themselves or send their offspring? Even the Queen apparently drove ambulances in WWII. At least the Prince has it right ... don't send anyone else to do something you would not do yourself. Any of the Bush, Rumsfeld, or Cheney offspring planning on joining the Prince?
Dan Froomkin: I am quite sure that if we offered to make Bush or Cheney king, they willingly would send their progeny into battle -- not sure that would be worth it, though.
Baltimore: Wow, it just seems that the more time passes the less stable and grounded-in-reality the VP appears. Dan, If Fitzgerald is successful in the Libby case do you feel that he will then go after Cheney? Thank you for your answer.
Dan Froomkin: I think there is an outside chance, as Murray Waas has reported, that if Libby is found guilty, Fitzgerald will try to "flip" him and turn him into a prosecution witness against Cheney. There's little doubt that Fitzgerald thinks Cheney was at the heart of this matter. (See my Feb. 21 column, The Cloud Over Cheney.)
But it's also clear that at least thus far, Fitzgerald has lacked either the political will or the evidence -- or both -- to charge Cheney, and I'm not sure either of those will change. For example, I can't see Libby flipping if that means he loses the support of all those people who've been contributing millions to his defense fund -- which one observer has called legalized hush money.
Lone Juror: I didn't realize that. Is it possible she accidentally-on-purpose watched some news coverage to get out of uncomfortable jury deliberations ?
Dan Froomkin: Who knows? If I had to guess, I would say she might have been doing a little research ... which is not okay.
New York: Dear Dan: Isn't it frustrating to your White House Watch that the occupant of the White House seems to have vanished from view? All the political action seems to have moved to Capitol Hill, or the campaign trail, or wherever Cheney pops up next ... do you agree that Bush is a terminally diminished figure and will remain so for the next two years? So what's to watch at the White House? (Love your column.)
Dan Froomkin: Thanks. I'm not worried -- although I wrote the other day that Bush had vanished from view, I'm quite sure that's a temporary phenomenon. In fact, even if he didn't want to, he remains the central figure on the central issue of our day as the commander in chief of the armed forces during our war in Iraq. Plus, I'm betting that Congressional oversight will keep me well stocked with retrospective discoveries, even as the man drifts into full (at least domestic) lame-duck status.
Pittsburgh: Dan, thanks for your candor. I noted in one of your previous online chats that I would not be surprised to see the Republicans running Tony Snow as their future golden boy candidate. Well ... last week in Greensburg, Pa., he appeared here to do just that (not as a representative of the government, but as a Republican fundraiser). They announced him as "the future successor to John Warner as Senator from Virginia." After that, they read a list of names of the war dead from Pennsylvania. Wasn't that something that ABC Nightline was called traitorous for doing previously? And why is it now okay for Snow to do so? And ... do you think they'll run him in Virginia (list of war dead faux pas or not)?
Dan Froomkin: I believe the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story to which you refer also reported that Snow issued a "Shermanesque" denial ... but you never know.
Rolla, Mo.: While it wouldn't be the first time, I am getting the sense that the American public is ahead of the MSM and Congress when it comes to ending the war in Iraq. While Murtha's plan summarily is dismissed by the MSM and Congress (not rolled out professionally enough, blah blah blah arguments of style over substance) a majority of the public support its provisions according to recent polls. Why are those in the Beltway behind the curve on this one?
Dan Froomkin: The inside-the-Beltway elites often are behind the curve on such things, especially when opinion on important issues is changing. Beltway types, especially those who have made their views clear, don't much like to change those views -- it feels almost like admitting they were wrong, and they hate that. So, for instance, your average person has come to the conclusion that the war was a mistake and we should get out -- but all those enablers out there who let Bush go to war and cheered him as he went about it are still in denial.
Something else the public was way ahead of the Beltway on was deciding, around the time of Katrina, that Bush was not an honest man. For Beltway folks, that's a really difficult concept to swallow and live with -- and act on -- even to this day.
Arlington, Va.: I was somewhat surprised by Cheney's reaction to the bombing/assassination attempt in Afghanistan yesterday -- when asked he pretty much tried to downplay the whole thing and seemed to think that because he was not harmed it was no big deal. Try telling that to the families of the poor people who were killed. Unless it just wasn't reported I can't believe that he didn't even stop to take a second to acknowledge the loss of lives.
Dan Froomkin: You know, I was going to mention that.
I did find it odd that neither he nor any of his people expressed sadness for the people who were harmed. No one in a million years would suggest this was his fault -- but it would have been appropriate for him to express his condolences. I'm not sure why that didn't occur to him.
But no, I've not read anything about his lack of a statement.
Denver: Do you intend to continue this column after the Bush Administration leaves? I love your work and think that no matter who is in office, your column serves a critical purpose regarding the motives and actions of the Oval Office.
Dan Froomkin: That's my intention at this point. I have some worries -- this column's voice has become so Bush-centric, it's hard to imagine what it will be like once he's gone. Plus, all presidents get a honeymoon period, so what will I do those first few weeks/months? But I do believe that any president can and should be held rigorously accountable, both to their promises and to common sense, and I'm trying to psych myself up for my second POTUS, whoever he or she may be.
Bethesda, Md.: Maybe it's too obvious to state, but the flat-basketball episode yesterday seems like one big metaphor for the Bush administration.
Dan Froomkin: Here's the story for those who missed it: Ben Feller writes for the Associated Press: "Everything was going fine until President Bush dropped the ball. Bush honored the Miami Heat championship basketball team on Tuesday, joking with the team in his usual manner. But Shaquille O'Neal got the last laugh when Bush tried to bounce a basketball while standing next to the 7-foot-1 star.
"It thudded flat on the stage. Bush looked startled as O'Neal and his teammates laughed."
Long Beach, Calif.: Dan: Thanks for your tremendous work. With Cheney's grip on the government presently what do you foresee as his post-VP role? For myself I would find it hard to see him fade away to the lecture circuit.
Dan Froomkin: Thanks. The thing to watch for is if his legion of loyalists, now spread out in key positions throughout the executive branch, will be retained by the next administration. Of course, his loyalists spread out in key position throughout the judiciary aren't going anywhere.
Baltimore: Dan! You must continue your column no matter who is voted in -- we would miss you too much and every White House deserves and needs your scrutiny.
Ithaca, N.Y.: All the talk about Cheney this week reminds me of this article from Rolling Stone. My question is, how has he been able to get away with evading accountability for so long? That seems to be at the core of his constant grasp for power -- namely, to cover up and avoid accountability for the disasters that inevitably result from his own incompetence.
Dan Froomkin: Cheney has never let a little reality get in his way, and that has served him well -- which probably says more even about our political and media climate than it says about him. Thanks for the link.
Alexandria, Va.: Do you want America to win in Iraq? If so, why are you seemingly incapable of ever writing anything that is positive about our President or our military?
Dan Froomkin: Like pretty much every American, I sure wish we could "win" in Iraq. I just don't think that's necessarily possible anymore. Asserting that it is possible, if it isn't, isn't doing anyone any favors, including our fine military.
Washington: The American people, as polled, want out of Iraq. Generally speaking, should polls dictate policy? The American generals, as reported in the U.K. press, are against the surge. Generally speaking, should the military dictate policy?
Dan Froomkin: I don't blindly trust either the polls or the military. Common sense should dictate policy.
Huaraz, Peru: On February 16 and 17 The Post published two major opinion pieces, by Rich Lowry and Victoria Toensing, both defending Scooter Libby and criticizing his prosecution. Do you think this was appropriate, considering the jury was about to hear closing arguments and begin deliberations?
Dan Froomkin: I found those two pieces (and I believe you mean Byron York and Victoria Toensing) sadly reflective of the Washington media elite's contempt for this very important and eye-opening case. I do not think it was an attempt at jury tampering.
Chicago: It really burns me up when some of your colleagues hold up folks like yourself as some kind of liberal activist. There just seem to be so many professional journalists who can't see the difference between practicing traditional adversarial journalism and being a partisan hack. Do you think we're headed to a point where the actual practice of journalism is considered a "liberal" pursuit? (Heck, science and academia have already been thoroughly discredited for the folks on the far-right. Why do you think they call it "Liberal Arts"?) Do you think real journalism ever will be "rehabilitated" in the eyes of conservatives? And if not, why do the temples of modern journalism, such as The Post and the Times bend themselves into pretzels to avoid telling these guys unpleasant truths?
Dan Froomkin: Well thank you. I certainly don't think what I'm doing is partisan -- I think it's in the best traditions of Washington Post journalism.
But answering your questions would take the better part of the afternoon, so I'll just say that while I'm distressed at the current media environment, I remain an optimist. I have great faith in journalists and journalism -- and the Internet.
Washington: Hi Dan -- great, as always, to be able to chat with you. Thanks for including the Jon Stewart bit on Laura Bush's comments on the "one bombing a day shown on TV" being discouraging. I guess she also would take issue with the five to six vets shown last night during Bob Woodruff's program as discouraging too -- she'd be right. What makes me mad about these implications is that she has continued to repeat, as well as others in the administration, that if they have good news, why don't they tell us about it? You know, why doesn't she go over and do a profile about a success story. Or -- and I really mean this one -- why doesn't Tony Snow open his daily briefing with a quick blurb about some good news out of Iraq?
Dan Froomkin: That's an interesting idea. But keep in mind: Nobody's saying there's no good news in Iraq; the question is whether it is appropriately lost in the sea of the much larger and more significant body of bad news.
I was most taken aback by Laura Bush's description of the war as "wearing" and "wearying." It's similar to what her husband has said ... but from her I expected some acknowledgement of the horror of the war, and the suffering, and the losses. I don't think the worst part of the war is that it bums people out. Stewart, as usual, was cutting right to the heart of the matter.
Milwaukee, Wis.: Dan, thanks for your response on the York and Toensing op-eds. What can we do to get others besides you at The Post to understand that op-eds such as those are tantamount to The Post publishing that the earth is flat? FYI, in honor of GOP operative Barbara Comstock, some have nicknamed the Post the ComPost.
Dan Froomkin: I hadn't heard that. Thanks for sharing.
But the good news is that there are an increasing number of ways to make yourself heard, both officially and unofficially -- write a letter to the editor, write to the ombudsman, post a comment, post a comment on a popular blog, write your own blog. I don't think the exponential growth in ways for members of the public to express themselves has been matched by a similarly enormous growth in the elite media's willingness to listen, but I do think the latter has grown somewhat.
Brooklyn, N.Y.: Hi Dan - In your column and elsewhere, there has been speculation about two possible directions after the Libby trial (assuming he's found guilty, of course): a pardon from the President, or a "flip" that would make him a prosecution witness against the VP and others. Which option (assuming he has a choice) do you think would be more beneficial to him?
Dan Froomkin: More beneficial to Libby? A pardon, undeniably. Typically, a pardon in a controversial, political case comes with a downside: The relentless opprobrium of the media. But as I've pointed out many times, the media elite has no love for this case, and probably would welcome a pardon. The bloggers, and certain columnist/bloggers, would flog the issue for a while, but that would pass, I'm afraid.
Washington: Your thoughts on the new look of the White House Web site?
Dan Froomkin: I think it's better -- but in this day and age, we appropriately expect great things from a redesign, and this wasn't all that. I think the Internet offers officials unparalleled new avenues to escape the media filter and communicate directly to the public. I don't understand why they're not taking more advantage of it, for better or for worse.
I want online video of Bush's conversations with experts. I want Bush to take unfiltered questions directly from the public. I want an online log book of everyone who comes and goes from the People's House. That sort of thing.
Seattle: Dan, in response to Alexandria, Va. ... how would writing something positive about President Bush, regardless of whether it is your personal opinion, help us "win" in Iraq?
Dan Froomkin: There are some folks who believe that undermining the commander in chief of the armed forces in a time of war is flatly treasonous, regardless of whether he's right or wrong. That's one way of looking at things.
Dan Froomkin: OK, I've got to go. Thanks everyone for the great questions and comments.
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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White House Watch columnist Dan Froomkin takes your questions on the latest White House coverage.
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Markets Recover As Calm Prevails
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NEW YORK, Feb. 28 -- Just like the previous day, the opening of the U.S. markets Wednesday was preceded by disappointing economic news.
The markets did not blink, however, as the federal government reported that the economy was growing at a slower rate, and that sales of new homes plunged more than 16 percent in January, the biggest monthly percentage decline in 13 years.
Investors, analysts said, were instead more focused on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke's congressional testimony and signs of stabilization in global markets, as the benchmark stock indexes in Shanghai and Shenzhen rose about 4 percent after their dramatic 9 percent drop Tuesday.
The Dow Jones industrial average, which fell 3.3 percent Tuesday, regained ground in fits and starts before closing at 12,268.63, up 52.39, or 0.43 percent.
The Nasdaq composite index closed at 2416.15, up 8.29, or 0.34 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index closed at 1406.82, up 7.78, or 0.56 percent.
The relative calm was palpable on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, where traders watched the Dow inch up in early trading.
"So far so good," a trader said, flashing a colleague a smile before dashing off.
Others monitored screens that were no longer flashing bright red as the did the day before, and took a wait-and-see approach as prices fluctuated.
"It seems to be okay. But things can change any minute," said Doreen Mogavero of the brokerage Mogavero, Lee & Co., who placed orders on a transportation stock for a client who wanted 25,000 shares. "When we open like this, I want to wait to see if they come back a little bit."
Outside, a cluster of traders taking cigarette breaks grumbled about the technological difficulties in making trades quickly. They said that for about a 20-minute span Tuesday, from 3:40 to 4 p.m., the orders they had placed for customers were stuck in a queue.
It was unclear Wednesday whether the delays were related to a technological glitch that caused the Dow to plummet 200 points in a matter of minutes shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday. The drop was caused when the system that calculates the average recorded a backlog of trades after the process was switched to a backup computer.
Down the street, traders at the American Stock Exchange complained of similar problems, and large brokerage firms also said they had trouble executing trades.
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NEW YORK, Feb. 28 -- Just like the previous day, the opening of the U.S. markets Wednesday was preceded by disappointing economic news.
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New Light Shed on CIA's 'Black Site' Prisons
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On his last day in CIA custody, Marwan Jabour, an accused al-Qaeda paymaster, was stripped naked, seated in a chair and videotaped by agency officers. Afterward, he was shackled and blindfolded, headphones were put over his ears, and he was given an injection that made him groggy. Jabour, 30, was laid down in the back of a van, driven to an airstrip and put on a plane with at least one other prisoner.
His release from a secret facility in Afghanistan on June 30, 2006, was a surprise to Jabour -- and came just after the Supreme Court rejected the Bush administration's assertion that the Geneva Conventions do not apply to prisoners like him.
Jabour had spent two years in "black sites" -- a network of secret internment facilities the CIA operated around the world. His account of life in that system, which he described in three interviews with The Washington Post, offers an inside view of a clandestine world that held far more prisoners than the 14 men President Bush acknowledged and had transferred out of CIA custody in September.
"There are now no terrorists in the CIA program," the president said, adding that after the prisoners held were determined to have "little or no additional intelligence value, many of them have been returned to their home countries for prosecution or detention by their governments."
But Jabour's experience -- also chronicled by Human Rights Watch, which yesterday issued a report on the fate of former "black site" detainees -- often does not accord with the portrait the administration has offered of the CIA system, such as the number of people it held and the threat detainees posed. Although 14 detainees were publicly moved from CIA custody to the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, scores more have not been publicly identified by the U.S. government, and their whereabouts remain secret. Nor has the administration acknowledged that detainees such as Jabour, considered so dangerous and valuable that their detentions were kept secret, were freed.
After 28 months of incarceration, Jabour -- who was described by a counterterrorism official in the U.S. government as "a committed jihadist and a hard-core terrorist who was intent on doing harm to innocent people, including Americans" -- was released eight months ago. U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism officials confirmed his incarceration and that he was held in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They would not discuss conditions inside black sites or the treatment of any detainee.
By Jabour's account, and that of U.S. intelligence officials, his entrance into the black-sites program began in May 2004. In interviews, he said he was muscled out of a car as it pulled inside the gates of a secluded villa in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
In the week before his arrival, Jabour said, Pakistani intelligence officers had beaten, abused and burned him at a jailhouse in Lahore, where he was arrested. There two female American interrogators also questioned him and told him he would be rich if he cooperated and would vanish for life if he refused. He said he was later blindfolded and driven four hours north to the villa in a wealthy residential neighborhood.
The house in Islamabad, which U.S. intelligence officials say was jointly run by the CIA and Pakistani intelligence, had been outfitted with jail cells. When Jabour arrived, he saw as many as 20 other detainees, including the 16-year-old son of an Egyptian sheik, who had been captured in Pakistan. Dozens of al-Qaeda suspects swept up in the years after Sept. 11, 2001, have been through the house, according to accounts by former prisoners and U.S. intelligence officials with knowledge of the facility.
Jabour spent five weeks there, chained to a wall and prevented from sleeping more than a few hours at a time. He said he was beaten nightly by Pakistani guards after hours of questions from U.S. interrogators. Then he and others were whisked off to CIA-run sites. Some sites were in Eastern Europe; Jabour went to one in Afghanistan. Interrogators -- whom he described as Americans in their late 20s and early 30s -- told Jabour he would never see his three children again.
Human Rights Watch has identified 38 people who may have been held by the CIA and remain unaccounted for. Intelligence officials told The Post that the number of detainees held in such facilities over nearly five years remains classified but is higher than 60. Their whereabouts have not been publicly disclosed.
"The practice of disappearing people -- keeping them in secret detention without any legal process -- is fundamentally illegal under international law," said Joanne Mariner, director of the terrorism program at Human Rights Watch in New York. "The kind of physical mistreatment Jabour described is also illegal." Mariner interviewed Jabour separately as part of the organization's investigation.
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On his last day in CIA custody, Marwan Jabour, an accused al-Qaeda paymaster, was stripped naked, seated in a chair and videotaped by agency officers. Afterward, he was shackled and blindfolded, headphones were put over his ears, and he was given an injection that made him groggy. Jabour, 30, was...
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Europe's Runaway Prosecutions
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An Italian court announced this month that it is moving forward with the indictment and trial of 25 CIA agents charged with kidnapping a radical Muslim cleric. These proceedings may well violate international law, but the case serves as a wake-up call to the United States. Overseas opponents of American foreign policy are increasingly turning to judicial proceedings against individual American officials as a means of reformulating or frustrating U.S. aims, and action to arrest this development is needed.
The Italian case involves a 2003 CIA mission to apprehend an Egyptian cleric named Osama Mustafa Hassan Nasr. Suspected of terrorist ties, Nasr was seized in Milan and transported to Egypt, where he claims he was tortured. This was, of course, an "extraordinary rendition" -- a long-standing and legal practice that generally involves the cooperation of two or more governments in the capture and transportation of a criminal suspect outside of normal extradition proceedings. It was through such a rendition that the terrorist "Carlos the Jackal" was delivered for trial to France from Sudan in 1994.
The United States has used extraordinary renditions as part of the war on terrorism, but the continuing value of this tactic, particularly in Europe, is questionable. One of the primary European objections to the concept of a "war" on terrorism is the fear that U.S. forces will treat Europe as a battlefield. Although this fear is specious -- international law has long provided that, even in wartime, a nation cannot pursue its enemies into the territory of friendly countries without their express permission -- extraordinary rendition gets uncomfortably close to U.S. military operations on European streets. Moreover, unlike many other aspects of U.S. policy, extraordinary rendition can probably be abandoned without severely undercutting the war effort. That being the case, and given the obvious and increasing hard feelings the policy has prompted in Europe, extraordinary renditions should end.
Yet the United States must still vigorously resist the prosecution of its indicted agents. If they acted with the knowledge and consent of the Italian government (as The Post's Dana Priest reported in 2005), they are immune from criminal prosecution in that country. Although foreign nationals traveling abroad are ordinarily subject to local judicial authority, international law has long recognized an exception for government agents entering another country with its government's permission. As Chief Justice John Marshall explained in The Schooner Exchange v. McFaddon (1812), an early Supreme Court case involving the immunity of a French warship in American waters, "[o]ne sovereign being in no respect amendable to another . . . can be supposed to enter a foreign territory only under an express license, or in the confidence that the immunities belonging to his independent sovereign nation, though not expressly stipulated, are reserved by implication."
Because of this general rule, elaborate Status of Forces Agreements are negotiated before the troops of one state are stationed in another. These agreements usually narrow the jurisdictional immunities to be enjoyed by American troops stationed abroad, although under the NATO Status of Forces Agreements, to which Italy and the United States are both parties, America retains primary jurisdiction over offenses committed by individuals on duty -- as would have been the case here. If the Status of Forces Agreement does not apply -- as it might not, because intelligence agents are involved -- then the general rule applies. In either case, it is up to American, not Italian, authorities to determine whether any offense was committed in the capture and rendition of Nasr.
Unfortunately, the effort to prosecute these American agents is only one instance of a growing problem. Efforts to use domestic and international legal systems to intimidate U.S. officials are proliferating, especially in Europe. Cases are pending in Germany against other CIA agents and former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld -- all because of controversial aspects of the war on terrorism. These follow Belgium's misguided effort to pursue "universal jurisdiction" claims for alleged violations of international law, which also resulted in complaints against American officials including Vice President Cheney and former secretary of state Colin Powell. That law was amended, but the overall problem is unlikely to go away. The initiation of judicial proceedings against individual Americans is too attractive a means of striking at the United States -- and one often not subject to control by the relevant foreign government.
Accordingly, Congress should make it a crime to initiate or maintain a prosecution against American officials if the proceeding itself otherwise violates accepted international legal norms. Thus, in instances where there is a clear case of immunity, U.S. prosecutors could answer proceedings such as the Italian indictments with criminal proceedings in U.S. courts. By responding in kind, even if few overreaching foreign officials are ever actually tried, such a law would create a powerful disincentive for these kinds of legal antics.
The authors served in the Justice Department under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and have been expert members of the U.N. Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
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The announced Italian indictment and trial of 25 CIA agents charged with kidnapping a radical Muslim cleric should serve as a wake-up call to the United States.
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S. Africa Moves to Resume Culling of Elephants
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KAMPALA, Uganda, Feb. 28 -- South African wildlife officials on Wednesday proposed new elephant management rules that would allow burgeoning populations to be culled, a practice banned since 1994 as unnecessarily cruel to the beloved but destructive animals.
The proposed policy, which now enters a public review process, suggests that future elephant culls would be limited and rare. The minister of environmental affairs and tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, said priority would be given to other management options such as contraception, relocation and expansion of migratory routes to ease pressure on the most heavily impacted areas.
"Where lethal measures are necessary to manage an elephant or group of elephants, or to manage the size of elephant populations, these should be undertaken with circumspection," he said in announcing the new rules at Addo Elephant National Park, near the southeastern coastal city of Port Elizabeth, according to a text from the ministry.
Of the new rules, he added, "Their adoption will not be a 'victory' for any given position; nor will it immediately lead to the wholesale slaughter of elephants anywhere."
The proposal did not entirely quell debate over an issue that has pitted animal rights activists against wildlife officials who argue that only culling can reduce elephant populations to levels low enough to prevent the devastation of vulnerable habitats for animals and plant species.
Photographs taken over several decades show that parts of Kruger National Park -- a sliver of land the size of New Jersey along South Africa's eastern border -- already have begun shifting from woodlands to grasslands. Kruger's elephant population has grown from 8,000 when culling stopped in 1994 to 12,500 today. At current growth rates, the park would have 34,000 elephants by 2020, officials say.
Elephants often live to be 60 years old, while eating more than 300 pounds of grass, bark and leaves every day. Even a few of Kruger's massive baobab trees, some thousands of years old, have succumbed to the tusks and voracious appetites of elephants, as have countless marula and acacia trees, which can be consumed in a matter of hours.
Elephants rarely attack humans but increasingly crash through the park's fences, terrorizing nearby villages and wiping out fields of crops.
Culls typically are conducted by trained sharpshooters, often from helicopters. The bodies of the elephants are butchered into meat, and the tusks saved for possible sale into the highly restricted global ivory market. Entire families generally are killed at once to lessen the grief for survivors. Between 1967 and 1994, Kruger culled more than 14,000 elephants.
Kruger's top elephant researcher, Ian Whyte, said the park will probably seek permission from Van Schalkwyk to resume culling after its management plan for the park has been completed, perhaps even this year.
"He needs to be convinced that the culling is necessary," Whyte said, speaking from Addo elephant park.
Kruger's plan seeks to create some zones where elephants are plentiful and others with lower populations, so that plants and other animals such as giraffes and antelopes could thrive. Elephants remain a top draw for Kruger, which has 1 million visitors a year.
Activists and some scientists say South African wildlife officials have relied on outdated management practices that do little to reduce the impact of elephants. International animal rights groups have urged boycotts of South Africa's popular national parks -- a major attraction for the country's lucrative tourism industry -- if elephant culls resume.
These critics favor closing man-made water points and expanding parks to encourage seasonal migrations. That process already has begun, and Kruger's elephants have begun wandering over to an adjacent national park in Mozambique, officials say.
Rudi J. van Aarde, a zoologist at the University of Pretoria who has called culls ineffective, said the proposal reveals a shift in emphasis toward nonlethal management options. Culling would become less likely if the rules were adopted, said Van Aarde, who was on a scientific panel that consulted with wildlife officials on the plan.
"I don't think we are moving closer to culling whatsoever," said Van Aarde, speaking from Pretoria. "Let's concentrate on those other solutions."
Van Schalkwyk also announced $700,000 for research into elephant management, a move that the International Fund for Animal Welfare, a vocal critic of culling, praised as a sign that South Africa was embracing new management tools.
"While culling as a method of population control has not been ruled out altogether, we are very pleased that the minister has decided to depend on the help of the scientific community in eventually making his decisions," Jason Bell-Leask, the group's southern Africa director, said in a statement issued from Cape Town.
South Africa's handling of the issue is being closely watched across the region, which has a rapidly growing elephant population of 270,000. In other parts of Africa, elephant populations are dwindling as poachers try to meet soaring demand for ivory despite the international restrictions on sales, according to a study released Monday.
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KAMPALA, Uganda, Feb. 28 -- South African wildlife officials on Wednesday proposed new elephant management rules that would allow burgeoning populations to be culled, a practice banned since 1994 as unnecessarily cruel to the beloved but destructive animals.
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Being Young and Having Cancer
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Photo Gallery: Generation X Meets Breast Cancer
Emily Wax: A warm hello to all my fellow cancer vixens and those who love us! Thanks for logging on.
Washington, D.C.: Thank you so much for sharing your story. I was wondering if you could talk about your thoughts on fertility and cancer at a young age. It seems like there are a lot of options for people, from storing eggs to implants, to help people have children post-cancer treatment. Have you thought about this aspect of it and would you mind sharing your thoughts?
Also, on a related note, are there techniques for keeping a strong marriage going during all of this?
Emily Wax: Hi- this is a great question.
We will post a link shortly, that has some good information:
And I know there is a lot medicine can do these days to preserve eggs before chemotherapy.
As for the good marriage, I think the reality is just what the t-shirts say, "Cancer Sucks." It's not easy at all and not something I choose by any stretch. But it can also bring you together and make fights over the remote seem a lot less harrowing! My husband, Raymond Thibodeaux, treated me with the same love and humor as he always did. He once held me still during one of the many painful sticks I had to go through during a bone scan. When I completely bald, we both laughed when we together changed the words to James Blunt's song,"You're Beautiful," into "You're head's a bowling ball. And you're beautiful. " I have had friends whose boyfriends bailed. And that can be horrible. But I think the bottom line is getting the right support.
Emily Wax: I also think there are some wonderful routes for adopting. We are thinking of going the bradgenlina route.
Austin, Tex.: Thanks for the article and sharing your story.
Breast cancer tore apart my world five years ago. I have to say that while I'm glad that the "deny and never take off your wig world" is gone, there are some new attitudes that I find similarly irritating.
One is the "kick cancer's butt" thing ... it seems to include a belief that if you are tough and aggressive you'll beat the cancer, and if you aren't, you won't. Maybe that helps some people but I think it is discouraging to others. Some people aren't the "kick butt" types, but they are expected to act like they are. Or, they are, and the cancer comes back anyway. I wish people would understand that there's no one right way to deal with cancer emotionally.
The other thing that bothers me is the idea that cancer is somehow a good thing, that it makes us stronger. Maybe for some people cancer is a wakeup call, but for most of us it is just a horror that tears apart our lives, takes away hope and happiness and the ability to plan for the future, and replaces them with fear.
Finally, the idea that cancer, especially breast cancer, is something that is "over" after the initial treatments are done is a complete falacy IMHO. Once you have cancer it is something you live with in one way or another for the rest of your life. Friends will think you are "cured" and assume things have gone back to normal but there are long-term effects from the treatment, and, worse, long-term fears about the cancer coming back.
Thanks, and best of luck to you.
Emily Wax: I am so glad you wrote. You make some wonderful points.
I have known so many wonderful women who were emotionally strong, ran marathons, even and the cancer still came back. I also felt like all anyone can do is show up for the chemos and hope it all works.
Also, I agree that no one needs cancer to make them a better person. I think, though, that whatever way you feel you can get through this is the only way for you. I was in a total state of rage sometimes. I guess that's why I loved Breast Cancer Barbie and Cancer Sucks pins. That way of thinking somehow gave me energy. Best of luck to you.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience with breast cancer. I would like to say that I believe that you are one of the finest Africa reporters in the world, and I admire the depth and perspective of your reporting. You have the rare ability to portray Africa's problems in real, human terms without dehumanizing the people in Africa who live with, and negotiate, those problems as part of their daily lives.
How has your experience as an Africa reporter shaped your perspective on your personal experience with breast cancer?
Emily Wax: I think about Africa all the time. The women I met in Darfur, in Kenya, in Congo were all with me as I sat in the chemo room. There are so many ways humans suffer in this world. They suffer from wars, they suffer from personal loss, from physical pain. In Africa, suffering is an honest and accepted part of life. It's not hidden and it's not something to be ashamed of. Loss is something people share. I think realizing that everyone suffers in their life, in different ways, really helped me through.
Frederick, Md.: I'm sorry to spoil all your fun, but I'm currently watching my beloved mother-in-law die of breast cancer, and the dying is pretty horrible. I find this party hearty attitude really inappropriate and an insult to the pain and horror suffered by those afflicted with this disease and their families. Nobody "kicks cancer's butt," sorry. And, yeah, it is a disease. It is not a marketing opportunity and it is not a whole bunch of fun. So now, I guess if you have cancer and you aren't willing to dance on a table exposing your scars, you're considered a party pooper and a "bad" patient for not having fun with it? Jeez, can't you let grieving people just have a little dignity?
Emily Wax: I am very glad you wrote. I think your point of view is very important and the reality for many women. It's very unfair and very hard. Some of us party because we don't know what else to do. I am very sorry for your pain and I can only hope you have some pockets of relief as you and your mother-in-law go through this.
Mt. Rainier, Md.: What's the best thing a friend can do for someone going through this? I mean, besides saying really stupid stuff like "I know how you feel" (gag me).
Emily Wax: You can give her a gift certificate for a massage! Just kidding. I think just being there is great, offering to go to chemos, calling, emailing. Just let your friend know that she is not some freak with CANCER. But still the same old friend she always was.
Alexandria, Va.: I finished up with treatments for Hodgkin's Lymphoma in November. I will continue to have scans every few months for the next year. How do you deal with the constant fear that your cancer will return?
Emily Wax: I find the total fear of it coming back to be the worst part of all of this. Friends and family just want to believe you are fine and you should, well, shut up about it already! I can see there point. But I guess there is a long, really hidden journey for those of us who must go through those scans every few months. I have acutally felt my heart come out of my chest during recent blood work. And that was right after chemo!
I think that cancer has to recede after a while. There has to be a very clear choice to not let it define you. I think that takes a while. Sometimes, even now, I just have cancer burn out! Other times, I can devour information about it endlessly. Anyway, thank you so much for writing and I am thinking good thoughts for both of us.
Alexandria, Va.: I hope you'll post my story ... I'm 33 years old, single and healthy but am in the process of taking a radical step towards "cheating" breast cancer. On August 1st I'll be having a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy. That means both breasts will be removed and replaced with implants as well as a new nipple and areola. It will take approximately six months before I'm back to "normal."
Why am I doing this you ask? My family has a history of breast cancer and I've tested positive for the BRCA-1 Gene and currently have an 85 percent chance of developing breast cancer. Once I've finished the surgery I'll have a 95 percent chance of NOT developing breast cancer. I'm willing to do this for that reason alone and hey, I'll have fantastic breasts afterwards! Okay, I have to keep this a bit light for my own sanity. Thanks for letting me post my story.
Emily Wax: Bring on the backless shirts! The telling thing about our beauty-crazed society is that there are now many ways to make perfect breasts. If only there was a cure for cancer! But meanwhile, enjoy. One doctor once told me that the only good part of cancer was "Getting to have the chest of an 18-year-old for the rest of your life."
Bethesda, Md.: Hi Emily --
Thank you so much for bravely sharing your story. You and the women you wrote about are an inspiration. I have a 37-year-old friend who was just diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer and is just beginning chemo and radiation. I'd like your advice: I wanted to send her your story but am worried about timing. Would you have wanted to read something like your story in the early stages, or does the "kick cancer's butt" attitude take more time and perspective? Thanks again. All the best to you in your continued recovery.
Emily Wax: Hi- thanks so much for writing. I think it's really important to be honest and anger with some humor can be very healthy that way. Anger actually motivated me to rebel against all the "you are so strong," types out there. Best of luck!
I'm 28 and recently finished chemotherapy and radiation. My hair is finally growing back but not quickly enough for me. I just might have to get extensions for my September wedding.
I also find that the months since finishing treatment have been some of the hardest. I think that it is so far removed from everyone else's lives but still a very real part of my life. I never felt like I needed a support group until recently. Is the one that you mention in your article appropriate for someone who has finished treatment?
I also wanted to say thank you for a great article. Everyone told me that when you are diagnosed with cancer it's like being inducted into a club you never wanted to be in. I feel like I just missed the club meeting!
Emily Wax: I totally understand, ie the hair. I am currently just past the chia pet phase! Give Georgetown a call about the support group, there are women from every stage of cancer that join us. We always go out to dinner at cute cafes afterwards! And never feel bad about feeling angry or laughing when you need to. The group has plenty of both!
Thanks so much for the online chat! I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She is going through chemotherapy right now and will have to have radiation treatment soon thereafter. She has always been an upbeat and positive person and continues to have a miraculous spirit. I, on the other hand trying to be the supportive friend find myself angry and depressed because this has happened to her. I have accompanied her to her treaments and will be there for her for whatever she needs. How do I be supportive without showing my anger and sadness?
Emily Wax: I think it's really important to show her all your emotions. She will appreciate your honesty during a time when most people are trying to go the smiley, "you'll be fine," route!
Washington, D.C.: What surprised you most about how people reacted to finding out that you had cancer?
Emily Wax: I think most Americans just wanted to say, "You'll be Fine," or "You are so strong," and be done with it. That made me miss Africa, where many people experience loss - almost everyone by age 30 has lost a close friend or family memeber, for one reason or another - and emotions tend to be more raw and complex, more searching and honest, maybe. But I guess I was in double shock. I had just been told I had cancer and also I had not lived in the U.S. for four years.
Washington, D.C.: What a great article, Emily! I attended the conference and really enjoyed it! My question is, how do you deal with friends who still don't get it -- who still want to party it up when that's the last thing I feel like doing. I try and communicate my needs (minimal traveling and budgeting time because of chronic pain, doing something fun but relaxing, not drinking and being around smoke which some seem not to understand) without being preachy but every time it ends up a disaster, with me feeling physically and emotionally worse off than before.
Emily Wax: Hi- thanks for your question. I struggle so much with that! I try my best. But a lot of times I use humor and my "Cancer Card," to get out of certain bar crawls and freezing nights waiting outside clubs that were most likely torture anyhow! I think you start to have your cancer friends. There is only so many times you can talk to your non-cancer friends about, hum, constipation! But after a while, after your treatments your feelings will change and it will be easier to connect to the non-cancer crowd again.
Chevy Chase, Md.: Hi Emily,
I am a big fan of yours and admire how you balance your rage at cancer with finding the beauty of life. It's not easy to do -- as the mother of three young children, diagnosed at 38 with breast cancer, I know how debilitating having breast cancer is, both physically and mentally. Some of the people commenting misconstrue the vision of bald women smiling with partying with superficiality, as if they don't know how terrifying the disease is. First, if it is superficial, who cares. Second, just because they are laughing doesn't mean they don't also fear terrified. Having cancer is not a gift, and it sucks when people say that. But to survive, you have to learn to live with a complexity of feelings. Each person lives in a separate world of their experiences and feelings, and unless you take the time to go there, one shouldn't judge.
Did you/do you feel like people treat you differently now and how do you deal with this?
P.S. I love the picture of you in the paper -- you're awesome!
Emily Wax: I like your comments. Having joy amid cancer, kinda reminds me of what it's like to find yourself laughing when you are in mourning or at a funeral. Life really does not seperate into blocks of horror and blocks of happiness. Real life happens as one huge messy soup of emotions.
On that note, I think a lot of people want to treat me like I am frail, or give me pitty looks. When all I want to do is move on with my life. Life Sucks sometimes. Cancer really sucks. But the world is complex. We can't only expect Disney World. Fake life is sometimes worse than really living.
Emily Wax: Hi - I'd like to thank everyone for logging on. And I want to dedicate this to all those who lost their lives to cancer and equally to those struggling to find their way after treatment! Thanks so much for your wonderful and thoughtful comments. Emily
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The Reliable Source
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2007022819
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In today's Reliable Source: Vanessa Williams gets the D.C. star treatment; Angelina Jolie hopes to join the wonk elite on the Council of Foreign Relations; Bill Clinton goes shopping on Chelsea's birthday; and Antonella Barba's best bud SWEARS those X-rated photos aren't of D.C.'s own "American Idol" contestant.
Amy Argetsinger: Good morning everyone! Trivia question: What noted writer described what famous celebrity as "a tone-deaf hottie mom." No Googling allowed. And please, bring us your questions.
Near Hollywood: Any sore losers (openly or not)at the Oscars this year? Anyone with an 'I-cannot-believe-I-lost' look on their face when the winner was announced? Martin Scorsese certainly seemed happy he finally won, even if the film he won for was not all that great. I did not stay up late enough to see whether Peter O'Toole's reaction when he lost again.
Amy Argetsinger: Sadly, we didn't have any truly great Faith Hill "what?!?" moments, like at the CMAs a couple months back. However, the New York Post reported yesterday that Eddie Murphy supposedly left his seat shortly after Alan Arkin upset him in the Best Supporting Actor category and never showed up to the gala or any of the Oscar parties. Said an anonymous source, "He was furious and just went home."
Somewhere in the quadrant of my brain devoted to Oscar trivia, there's an anecdote that some well-known actor (or writer?) used to tell on himself about how when the envelope opened, he heard his first name and started walking towards the stage before realizing that someone else (with the same first name) had been called instead. Can anyone help me remember who that is?
Washington, D.C.: If anyone wrote in to say they saw Vanessa Williams in D.C. and on Capitol Hill yesterday, they were correct.
Ms. Williams was in town Tuesday and Wednesday morning to lobby for and support Special Olympics. She is a board member for the global organization that helps over 2.25 million people with intellectual disabilities worldwide and participated in a Capitol Hill Day event where athletes and leadership of the Special Olympics movement lobby for appropriations from Congress.
Ms. Williams met with several members of Congress, including Senator Barrack Obama (D-Ill.), Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), Assistant Majority Leader Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Minority Leader Representative John A. Boehner (R-Ohio).
Amy Argetsinger: Hello? Did you read our column today? We talked to her last night at her Special Olympics reception/movie screening. Big picture of her and everything in the paper today. But thanks anyway!
Washington, D.C.: Have you heard about Eddie Murphy's snit over being passed over for best supporting actor? Grapevine has it that he left after the announcement and didn't stick around for Jennifer Hudson's award or the Dreamgirls' performance. Disgraceful behavior.
This story seems seriously underreported.
Roxanne Roberts: Plenty of news reports about that little display of diva-ness. The official version of events: Murphy left after losing the Best Supporting Actor Oscar to Alan Arkin because he "had to get home to his family" and the departure was planned all along. What? His babysitter charges overtime? Not to mention it was 8 p.m. Pacific Time. Lame.
He didn't bother to stick around to see Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce perform or see Hudson win her Oscar. Rumor mill has it that he's not especially well liked among his fellow actors, and that contributed to the loss.
Va Beach, Va.: Have they started filming the new season of "The Wire" yet? I ask because I read today that Simon and Burns have a new project in the works for HBO, and I don't want them to get sidetracked too soon. Two years is Two Long between seasons.
Amy Argetsinger: I'm am told by a source close to one of the young actors (okay, his dad) that they are due to start filming very soon -- maybe as soon as March, even. Supposedly the fifth (and, apparently, final) season will focus on the role of the news media in the life of the city. One would think that there would be plenty of opportunities for Simon and Burns to tap into the talent of actual local reporters for cameo roles. Hint. Hint.
And yes, two years is too long.
Silver Spring, Md.: Amy -- I think you're thinking of Zoolander ... one of the funniest movies ever.
Amy Argetsinger: No, it was an actual person, sometime in the '40s or '50s, if I remember the anecdote correctly.
washingtonpost.com: Talk About Your Serious Roles ( Reliable Source, Feb. 28)
Feeling older in Maryland: Little Chelsea, with her frizzy curls and braces, is 27? I gotta go take some Centrum Silver.
Amy Argetsinger: No kidding -- time flies, huh?
Maryland's referring to our sighting in today's column of Bill Clinton browsing through Georgetown Park Mall.
Falls Church, Va.: This question may border on naive/rude. When Angelina Jolie publishes a column, does she go through the same writing/editing process as anyone else? Or does she have more "assistance" along the way? And why do I assume that just because someone became famous for her acting/beauty/sex appeal, she isn't that intelligent? Thank you.
washingtonpost.com: Op-Ed: Justice for Darfur ( Post, Feb. 28)
Roxanne Roberts: Tricky. The chatter is talking about Angie's op-ed on Darfur in today's Post. Hard to know exactly how much she wrote herself or was helped by her advisors, but her name is going to attract plenty of attention.
As for the smarts question: She's only got a high school degree, but she's spent a fair amount of time in Africa and is quite serious about these issues. I've also heard her speak on international refugee issues, and she's quick to admit what she doesn't know, but has strong feelings about what she has seen and what should be done about it.
Germantown, Md.: If you don't post this comment, I have to leave the chat early to be with my family.
Springfield, Va.: Has Catholic University released any statement on the Antonella Barba photos? if they are her, would the university take any action? wasn't there something last year with photos of their girls lacrosse team?
Amy Argetsinger: Catholic University has said, in effect, that this whole darn thing is sad. They also drew a distinction between the ordinary crazy-girl-spring-break photos ("Girls Gone Wild Lite," Lisa de Moraes called them) and the X-rated ones. Of the first set of photos, CUA spokesman Victor Nakas said, "They're not the most flattering but not the most earthshaking in their significance."
Beyond that, he told de Moraes: "The second set of pictures, the ones that are more explicit -- and I want to underscore that it has not been proved those are actually of Ms. Barba, the ones that are purported to be of her -- are sad and unfortunate regardless of the person being depicted.... We're saddened for Ms. Barba and her family and friends in these circumstances that have turned an exciting opportunity into an embarrassing moment in their lives."
I think it's apples/oranges with the girls lacrosse team photos, which, if I recall correctly, showed photos of the entire team whooping it up with male strippers, which got them into trouble because it appeared to be part of a team initiation, raising questions about hazing, etc., relevant to the school's oversight of an official sanctioned activity. A world apart from what one student does in her personal life.
Kensington, Md.: I really hate to be catty, really, but Jennifer Hudson's little jacket on Oscar night had me humming the theme to "The Jetsons." Was there a bigger wardrobe blunder y'all can think of?
Roxanne Roberts: Sure: Bjork's swan dress. Seriously, plenty of bad dresses show up (Kirsten Dunst, white courtesy phone) on the runway every year, and Jennifer's Oscar de la Renta jacket was a misstep---no matter what Vogue has to say.
washingtonpost.com: 39.9 Mil, but Who's Counting? ( The TV Column, The Post, Feb. 27)
Washington, D.C.: Hey ladies. Here's another piece of evidence that supports the view that the X-rated pix are NOT Antonella. Looking at the the 'Happy New Year' and 'basketball jersey' pix, she has a very noticeable birthmark between her nose and left eyebrow. It's not there on the X-rated pix. Check it out.
Amy Argetsinger: Honestly, I do not want to look at those photos anymore... but yeah, it does appear as though it's very possibly a very different girl.
Exburb: Does this mean that we can expect the military to christen an aircraft "The Spirit of Al Sharpton"?
Amy Argetsinger: We can only hope.
Washington DC: It was the first Oscar awards in 1934. Will Rogers, presenting for Best Director, said "Get up here, Frank" or something like that, and Frank Capra started towards the stage. The actual winner was Frank Lloyd.
Amy Argetsinger: Hey, I think that was it! Very very good. I'm quite impressed.
What do you win? You would have won my undying admiration, and we would have showcased you in tomorrow's column -- EXCEPT that you had to push it too far and by asserting, totally gratuitously, that the first Oscars were awarded in 1934. Everyone knows it was 1929.
Washington, D.C.: If Peter O'Toole sat down next to me on the Metro, I'd get up and move. That dude is seriously creepy looking.
Roxanne Roberts: He used to be so handsome---amazing eyes. Age and what looks like some plastic surgery caught up with him.
Seattle, Wash.: Re: the girl on "American Idol" with the pics on the Web. I am stunned by how these college kids, who can find anything on the net, nevertheless think they anything posted about them on the net is invisible. This seems to come up a lot.
Amy Argetsinger: I know, I know, I know -- it drives me crazy...
It's worth noting (as we have already in this chat) that some friends and close scholars of the X-rated pics think that the girl in those pictures is NOT Antonella Barba.
Hartford, Conn.: As one who admits to enjoying a train wreck as much as the next person, I have visited said Web sites purporting to discuss Ms. Barba's photos ... unless she had some cosmetic surgery on her ears -- before and after the X-rated photos were taken -- they are of someone else. Just my public service for the day.
Roxanne Roberts: You wanna talk creepy? Someone who would post those pictures to harm her reputation. Ick.
Beyonce: How's Beyonce holding up during all the attention Jennifer Hudson is getting? I saw "Dreamgirls" and was surprised at how little screen presence Beyonce actually had. She was utterly forgettable in the movie, beautiful though she may be. I've heard she was having a some trouble handling all the attention Jennifer is getting, which seems pretty human to me.
Roxanne Roberts: I read that she was envious of all the attention Jennifer was getting, but I have to say that she was nothing but gracious and professional on Oscar night---plenty of praise for her co-star on the red carpet, said she thought Jennifer deserved to win, and lots of congratulations for her afterward.
Plus, she is drop-dead gorgeous with one hell of a voice. She'll be fine, if never a great actress.
Amy Argetsinger: Yeah, I heard that too, and I think it's total catty speculation. She seemed completely gracious at the Oscars -- at the Golden Globes she even looked teary-eyed with joy over Hudson's win -- and they had no trouble performing together. Clearly, the role of Effie (Hudson's character) is a much better, much more interesting and dynamic role than that of Deena (Beyonce's character).
Plus, the net attention that Beyonce receives across the popular culture so vastly exceeds what Jennifer Hudson gets. I'd have a hard time believing that this is burning her up.
Washington, D.C.: I can't believe I'm asking this, but who is Antonella Barba?
Amy Argetsinger: She's one of the top 24 (well, currently, top 20) finalists on American Idol, a New Jersey girl who is an undergraduate here in D.C. at Catholic University. Over the past week, a bunch of risque-and-then-some photos of her have been popping up on the Internet.
Falls Church, Va.: Submitting early due to an overwhelming workload that will keep me from participating in the chat.
A few weeks back I was visiting a family friend in Baltimore who told me that Nancy Pelosi used to babysit him. He said he always had a bit of a crush on her, and that she was a great babysitter.
Amy Argetsinger: That's very charming. Have him drop us a line, okay? reliablesource@washpost.com
Arlington, Va.: I was at a Wizards game last week, and saw a man that looked very much like Mayor Fenty. I wasn't sure if it was him though. Does he dress trendy? This man was very fashionably dressed in expensive jeans and shoes. He was sitting two rows back from courtside, which is why I thought it was possible that it could have been him. Do you guys know if he was there last Tuesday?
Amy Argetsinger: I don't know off the top of my head if he was there. He does dress very well. I think you'd know if it was him, though -- for one, he's very recognizable, and for two, he's generally mobbed by fans and hangers-on whenever he's out in public... Did he have a fedora? Cause he wears a fedora a lot.
Re: Oscars: What did you guys think about Alan Arkin's opinion that how he hoped his co-star Abigail Breslin would lose in her nominated category? I understand his point, but still he said it with such seriousness. The little girl wasn't going to win given the other nominees, but hearing that from your co-star would be hurtful to someone that age, don't you think?
Roxanne Roberts: I think he wasn't very diplomatic---but then, he's never been very diplomatic. I hope she didn't hear any of that until after the show and that Abigail's parents prepared her to lose and explained what Alan meant.
Washington, D.C.: Eddie Murphy, why didn't he perform at the Oscars?
Amy Argetsinger: None of the nominated songs from "Dreamgirls" were songs he sang in the movie.
Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: Roxanne wrote: "He used to be so handsome -- amazing eyes. Age and what looks like some plastic surgery caught up with him."
Yup, that was it. The age and the plastic surgery.
Roxanne Roberts: Well, probably booze, too.
Nah, that's okay. Your admiration is quite enough prize for me. Does Roxanne admire me a little bit too? Cause that would be icing on the cake.
Roxanne Roberts: How could I not?
Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.: Oscar coverage included photos of Simon Cowell at the Elton John AIDS Foundation gala. Did Jennifer Hudson make it to the party (after Elton's defense of her following her dismissal, she certainly should have)? And, if she did make, did she talk with Simon?
Amy Argetsinger: I wish I could get you a quick answer on this, but those sleepy-head correspondents of ours out in L.A. don't seemed to be logged on to our system yet. I think if she had been there and if they had seen her talking with Simon Cowell anywhere that night, they would have mentioned it.
Arlington, Va.: Clooney! Yes, the Oscars were long and sort of boring, but George looked good and really, that's all that matters. And Jennifer Hudson must have been totally out of it as she ditched him as they walked backstage.
Roxanne Roberts: George! My honey bun! And yes, I think Jennifer was a little bit in shock---despite all the predictions---because she really won the Oscar, so she probably wasn't really focusing on George. I forgive her. Besides, she got a boyfriend already.
Washington, D.C.: C'mon, Beyonce must have the most difficult to stomach voices out there. I take it you've never really listened to any of her songs. She sounds like she's either talking or whining to annoying jingle/music in the background that almost drowns our her singing, which is good and bad.
She's no Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston, so please stop with the "unbelievable voice." She gets by with the beats in her songs. When was the last time anyone tried to sing one of her songs on "American Idol"? Never.
Amy Argetsinger: Sorry, man, I am totally Team Beyonce. She's responsible for three of the best songs in the past two years: "Soldier," "Check On It," and "Irreplaceable." (Granted, Lil Wayne, Slim Thug, T.I., and the other two Destiny's Child chicks can claim some credit on the first two.) Saw her do her Tina Turner tribute at the Kennedy Center Honors last year, and she sounded as great as she looked. And even though I'm a fan, I was still surprised by how well she held her own singing next to Jennifer Hudson at the Oscars.
If someone sings "Check On It" on American Idol this year, I will die of happiness.
Washington, D.C.: Wasn't the Dreamgirls song "Patience" nominated? Murphy did sing that one in the film.
Amy Argetsinger: Was that his song? I forgot that.
Well... maybe his voice live doesn't hold up well next to those of Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce. Good thing he wasn't scheduled to sing, assuming he wasn't, since it allowed him to duck out early...
Eddie Murphy: Was he mad or just disappointed? I mean, it was an OSCAR after all and prolly his only chance to get one. Why do the peanuts assume he was "furious"?
Roxanne Roberts: Maybe both---especially since all the buzz gave him a good chance at winning. But he displayed a big case of "it's all about ME" by not staying to cheer on and congratulate his co-stars. Bad form.
Arlington, Va.: Has anyone spotted Bono today?
Amy Argetsinger: He hasn't stopped by my desk, that's for sure.
Arlington, Va.: Hi Ladies: So where do you think the Washington power core will be celebrating St. Patrick's this year?
Amy Argetsinger: Uh, Nanny O'Brien's? The Four Ps? The Post Pub?
Washington, D.C.: Have you heard what Hot 99.5 is doing regarding Bobby Brown? They've offered to pay his child support debt so he can get out of jail. In return, he has to spend a week at their station, doing events and stuff. It's brilliant.
Amy Argetsinger: How generous of them!
Fairfax, Va.: The story about the first-name Oscar thing was a scene in a movie about a narcissistic actor. His first name was Frank, and when Frank Sinatra won, it created a disjunct. I can't remember the movie, but the actor was that Irish guy who died a long time ago
Amy Argetsinger: This is very helpful.
Oscar confusion: Hmmm ... when Catherine Zeta-Jones won an Oscar for "Chicago," wasn't Kathy Bates also nominated? I seem to remember the presenter simply yelling the winner, "Catherine!" without a last name, leading to a "Huh?" look by Kathy Bates because she didn't know who exactly won.
Amy Argetsinger: Did that happen? I think I would have remembered that.
Kensington, Md.: Hey ladies. I think Eddie Murphy is trying to pull a Will Smith. But the Fresh Prince left before his category was announced because his kid was sick. Lame-o sore loser.
Amy Argetsinger: That was a couple years ago, right? When he was nominated for "Ali."
Anonymous: I am personally happy to hear that Eddie Murphy is such a devoted family man that he left the Oscars early to be with them. Which reminds me, is he still denying he is the father of the Spice Girl¿s baby?
Amy Argetsinger: He hasn't been very forthcoming, last I heard.
Norfolk, Va.: Just had to weigh in on the whole photos ending up on the Internet thing. It doesn't even have to be pictures taken this century. A friend of a friend posed for "art photos" in the mid-90s for much-needed money while in college. Last year a co-worker of her husband showed him pictures of his wife currently available on the Internet. It's scary.
Amy Argetsinger: A teaching moment for all of us -- thanks.
Helena Mont.: Re: Antonella Barba -- I will never be famous and most likely will never be in any media other than my obit in my local paper (if my family pays for that), but I think I will forego my 15 minutes of fame if it's going to be as humiliating as what Ms Barba has.
Washington, D.C.: Go ahead, break my heart. Just how short is George Clooney? Would I, at 5'8", tower over him in heels? Sigh. Why can't I be 5'2"?
Roxanne Roberts: Have faith! Keep hope alive! I stood next to him---even chatted---and he looked me in the eye. I'm 5'11 in heels (his height) so you'd be fine.
That being said---I saw him first. And yes, he's a total charmer in person. Dangerously charming.
Chicago, Ill.: Re: Eddie Murphy,
I think he deserved to lose. First off, I am still seething over the Scary Spice debacle. Second off, he is stuck on himself and always has been. All anyone had to do was watch his Barbara Walters interview. I am glad he left early. I hoped he washed some of his makeup off when he got home.
Washington, D.C.: In Eddie Murphy's defense, it has been reported that he left the Golden Globes right after he WON. It may be that he really doesn't like the awards shows and would rather spend time somewhere else -- and, honestly, after this year's Oscar telecast would you blame him.
Antonella Barba: I can't believe "A.I." hasn't kicked her off! Seems hypocritical after they got rid of Frenchie for a similar deal. That said, I feel pretty bad for her. It stinks that her friends would do that to her. Honestly I don't think she did anything wrong, just naive and stupid. I'm surprised that the advertisers haven't forced Fox to get rid of her. I wonder if they're just hoping she'll get voted off quickly because she can't really sing.
Amy Argetsinger: Apples/oranges, once again. Frenchie Davis (a semi-finalist in 2003 with D.C. connections) was kicked off the show when she disclosed that she had worked for a porno Web site, striking poses ordered up by paying customers. The dirty-dirty photos that may or may show Antonella Barba *appear* to be pictures that some guy took in a private moment and now has (directly or indirectly) shared with the world.
What she's doing in the picture isn't exactly against the law, nor is it something that would get one disqualified from a TV talent show, if there weren't photos of it.
Angelina's education: I've got a great idea: Angelina emulates the late, great Pearl Bailey and enrolls at Georgetown University. Seriously!
Roxanne Roberts: In our dreams. Angelina the co-ed. Wouldn't that be fun for Washington?
Alan Arkin: I missed his comment about Abigail Breslin. What point was he trying to make? I like him, but I was surprised he won the Oscar. His role in the movie seemed slight to me -- the movie was cute but I just don't understand what was so Oscar-worthy about it. I felt the same way about "Sideways."
Amy Argetsinger: I think he was trying to make the point that too much early success and fame messes with a kid's head. Things didn't exactly go great for Tatum O'Neal after she won an Oscar at age 10.... It was a slight movie, but funny, and he was one of the highlights. It's "supporting" actor, after all -- Judi Dench won some years back for a role in "Shakespeare In Love" that lasted all of about 4 minutes.
Washington, D.C.: Tom Shales is showing his age. Saying that Johnny Carson had more presence as an Oscar host than Ellen DeGeneres -- or whatever he said to demean her performance -- was really quite sad.
He should have been awarded full retirement.
Roxanne Roberts: To be fair: A number of critics thought Ellen's performance had moments, but was overall too light-weight for the show. The five-minutes Jerry Seinfeld was on stage made me wish they'd asked him to take the reins. Maybe next year?
Washington, D.C.: Amy, I think a rat would be charming to you if he had George's money and his Italian Villa.
Amy Argetsinger: Huh? Where'd that come from?
Roxanne Roberts: I'm the one who was charmed. And no---I've met plenty of big-money types with villas. No comparsion.
Memphis, Tenn.: Isn't Katherine Heigl a D.C. native? Is she now becoming her own diva -- saw this morning that she walked out on contract negotiations for "Grey's Anatomy" because other actors are more highly thought of? What could she do if she came back home ...
Amy Argetsinger: She was born here but spent all her growing-up years in Connecticut, I believe.
Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: No Britney updates! I just won a bet with my fiance on her staying in rehab all weekend, it looks like she's going strong in her cushy Promises beach front suite. And visits from K-Fed and the babies too! Dare I wonder if the Chaotic twosome will get back together once Brit has worked out her "issues?"
Amy Argetsinger: I know! Things surprisingly quite on the Britney front now, after her week horribilus. Six days in rehab and counting.
Baltimore, Md.: Is it me or is Clooney channeling Cary Grant these days? Any comparisons to movie stars of yesteryear?
Amy Argetsinger: He's got a similarly shaped face and similar comfortable-in-his-own-skin vibe, and both look good in tuxedos, but otherwise I've never quite gotten the Clooney/Grant comparison.
Washington, D.C.: So why did Jack Nicholson shave his head?
Roxanne Roberts: He's in a movie with Morgan Freeman---something about cancer patients on a road trip. That's why the cue ball--not his best look, I might add.
Bethesda, Md.: The movie in which the wrong Frank stood up to receive an award intended for Frank Sinatra was ... (the envelope please) ... The Oscar.
Stephen Boyd played the wrong Frank. (But I don't think he left early after losing.)
Amy Argetsinger: Oh, so this happened in a movie? I never saw that one. Worth netflixing? But it also happened in real life, as you can see from our helpful-but-slightly-inaccurate trivia expert above.
Kensington, Md.: Seinfeld's "people" are quoted in one of the New York papers as saying he can't host next year. His movie, "Bee Movie," comes out this year, and it's hoped that it will be nominated.
Roxanne Roberts: I don't think that's a dealbreaker if he really wanted to do it. Bully Crystal hosted and acted in movies when he was at the helm.
Washington, D.C.: Wondering what you thought of Ellen DeGeneres's performance as host. I thought she was great and refreshingly down to earth. So tired of the Billy Crystal types ...
Amy Argetsinger: I thought she was pretty good. But Billy Crystal had his moments over the years... I think it's best when they switch up the lineup regularly.
Amy Argetsinger: Oh, back to the Clooney comparisons to Golden Age Hollywood stars... He reminds me more of a non-singing Sinatra than Cary Grant.
Washington, D.C.: Well, last night's "American Idol" started with a cheezy congrats to "our very own Jennifer Hudson." Talk about being a hanger on ...
Amy Argetsinger: Hey, she did quite well on American Idol -- there can only be one winner -- and she would never have been in the running for that role if it weren't for her AI moment. They have the right to crow a bit.
Washington, D.C.: George Clooney, Mr. Classic looks ... how vain and pitiful of him to get an eye lift procedure.
Roxanne Roberts: Not so fast---that was probably a joke. While George has had Lasik surgery to improve his sight, there's no evidence he had an eye lift. He was joking around with Julia Roberts on the Oprah special last week, and asked her if she's had any work done. When she said no, he said, "I had my eyes done. Can you tell? I think it's important to look awake." Sounds like a joke to me, because he doesn't look any different.
Clooney comparison: Clark Gable. They both claimed to be lumberjacks.
Amy Argetsinger: Oh, okay. I can see what you mean. But Clark Gable -- wow. I mean, I love Clooney and all, but that's a hard comparison for anyone to stand up against.
Yup, that was it. The age and the plastic surgery. : Booze and drugs was right. Ever seen an interview with O'Toole? He was very wild and "experimental."
Arlington, Va.: Not a big "A.I." fan. Was Jennifer Hudson the one who sang "Over the Rainbow" like 19 times?
Amy Argetsinger: No, that was beautiful, boring Katherine McPhee.
Amy Argetsinger: So, no guesses as to who coined the phrase "tone deaf hottie mom" or to whom the writer was referring?
Okay, it was the Post's own Lisa de Moraes, way way back in 2002, a far more innocent time, talking about first-season American Idol runner-up Nikki McKibben. She also called Justin Guarini "a narcissistic wedding singer who talks to his hair." For some reason that always cracked me up -- just thought I'd share.
New York, N.Y.: I'll never understand this country's fascination with awards shows and parades. Those have to be the two dullest events any group can put on.
Amy Argetsinger: I don't even try with parades. With awards shows, I need tons of reinforcements (alcohol, guacamole, text-message, large groups of friends, glossy magazines) to make it through the night.
Seattle, Wash.: I remember when "A.I." was short for 'artificial intelligence.' Talk about the decline and fall of Western Civ
Clooney/Grant comparison. : Also, not afraid to go gray; silver fox and all.
Wild and experimental: Carey Grant dropped acid. So there.
Amy Argetsinger: He was The Man, was Cary Grant.
Sure: Bjork's swan dress: Sorry, but J. Lo's dress looked like she was an extra in a community theater production of Cleopatra. Most unflattering and tacky.
Amy Argetsinger: I loved that dress. It was completely insane, and the most interesting gown there.
Washington, D.C.: Anna Nicole and the Godfather of Soul.
They'd be turning in their graves, if they had one.
Amy Argetsinger: Ah, nicely put.
Roxanne Roberts: Unless we hear from Eddie Murphy in the next two seconds........nah, we're outta here. Back to the Anna/Britney/Angelina sagas. Keep your eyes open (important to look awake!) for hunky celebs in our midst, and write us at reliablesource@washpost.com. Next week, gang.
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Free Range on Food
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A chat with the Food section staff is a chance for you to ask questions, offer suggestions and share information with other cooks and food lovers. It is a forum for discussion of food trends, ingredients, menus, gadgets and anything else food-related.
Each chat, we will focus on topics from the day's Food section. You can also read the transcripts of past chats. Do you have a question about a particular recipe or a food-related anecdote to share? The Food section staff goes Free Range on Food every Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. Read about the staff of the Food section.
Joe: Welcome to the chat, food fans. Thanks for joining us on a day that's finally looking like spring. What's on your mind, and what's in your pantry, fridge, freezer, shopping list?
Did today's section tempt you to try any Spanish products, make a rice pudding, or whip up a hollandaise? Throw your questions and comments our way, and we'll try to field them as quickly as line cooks during service.
And for those with our favorite posts, we have giveaway books: Roland Mesnier's "All the President's Pastries," which Linda Kulman wrote about today; and "A Year at Ballymaloe Cooker School" by Darina Allen, the same chef that provided today's Dinner in Minutes recipe for Linguine with Chili, Crab and Cilantro.
Adelphi, Md.: I have some wonderful memories of rice pudding. My Mom is deceased and never used an actual recipe to make her rice pudding that we so loved. Other than the wonderful taste, I remember that she would not make rice pudding unless her cooked rice was at least one day old and it had to be cold (right from the fridge) before adding the other ingredients. She used the same method as provided in "Sis's Rice Pudding," to cook it, but not all the same ingredients - no honey, or lemon zest. Maybe I'll give it a try now.
Joe: Some of the best recipes are from cooks who, indeed, never used one. Sounds like your mom was so comfortable and confident in her rice-pudding magic that she did it all by feel, which is a beautiful thing.
Washington, D.C.: A follow-up to last week's section. What would each of you choose, the pressure cooker or slow cooker?
Joe: I'd go for the pressure cooker, every time. It's partly for the speed, natch, but also because I have such a prejudice against things that take up non-stove counter space. Why should I plug something in for heat when I have those four burners? Besides, I'm not so good at the "set it and forget it" mentality. I can't forget anything, as much as I try.
Leigh: I would choose a slow cooker, but admittedly that's because I already own one and think along those lines. I enjoy the way the smell of mellow cooking fills the house with no effort.
Bonnie: Count me among recent pressure cooker converts. I grew up having to tend to the jiggler when my mom made tongue (insert flashback to reducing pressure, then skimming gray foam), and now I use it do regular things like making chicken stock and boiling potatoes -- in much less time. And 18-minute rice pudding, speaking of the section's dessert du jour. I think Stephanie Witt Sedgwick's article/tip on how it can tenderize in a hurry would be worth the price of 1 pot, alone.
Walter: I have to admit that I've never used either device. But that said, after reading the story, I'd like to give pressure a try. Speed has an appeal.
Richmond, Va.: I'm excited to try your Miss Essie Brazil's Three-Layer Coconut Cake, posted on 2/14/07. One point of confusion, though - the ingredient list includes "8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened." If I'm not mistaken, 1 stick of butter is 8 ounces. Should I use 1 stick or 2? Thank you!
Joe: Indeed, you're mistaken: 1 stick of butter is 4 ounces, so use 2 sticks. I have several ways of remembering this easily: 1 tablespoon of butter is 1/2 ounce, each stick has 8 tablespoons, and the whole package of 4 sticks is a pound (16 ounces). So whichever way you decide to multiply -- half of 8 (tablespoons) is 4, or 1/4 pound is 4 ounces -- you can keep it straight.
If worse comes to worse, we HOPE you can trust us to get this right! Let us know how you like the cake...
Capitol Hill, D.C.: why would anyone make rice pudding from scratch when there is kozy shack???
Joe: Because it's better! Don't get me wrong -- I'm a Kozy Shack fan. In fact, believe it or not, I'm eating one right now, because Bonny Wolf brought me some when she visited yesterday. Not too sweet, not overly artificial tasting. But certainly not as deeply flavored as ones I've made from scratch, and gummier, too. In a pinch, though, you bet!
Bethesda, Md.: For the person looking for Wheatena, it's sold at Balducci's in Bethesda. I just picked up a supply myself! I mix a few tablespoons in with oatmeal, microwave for a few minutes, then top with a tablespoon of pure Vermont Maple syrup and skim milk. It makes a quick and delicious breakfast.
Frederick, Md.: If I buy a box of cake mix and use rum in lieu of the water that it calls for, will the cake still turn out ok?
Leigh: Yes, your cake would be fine, dare I say better, with rum in place of water. The nice thing about cake mixes is that in addition to all the artificial stuff they throw in acting as stabilizers, they also act as insurance when you tinker with throwing things into the mix. So have fun and keep it away from the kiddies!
Joe:... and be careful about opening your oven door too quickly, because the rushing air could cause, well, let me tell you a little story. Years ago, I was baking a chocolate cake for a friend that included coffee as an ingredient. If coffee's good, Kahlua's better, right? Was about a cup, if I remember. Well, when I opened the oven door to check on it, whoosh! The cake caught fire! I thought about renaming it "Smoky Birthday Surprise," but the alcohol burned off pretty quickly and the thing tasted great.
Fairfax, Va.: Do any of you have any tried and true favorite recipes for pork tenderloin? I'm having friends over for dinner next week and want to do something suitable for guests, but not too time consuming on the prep end. Thanks!
Bonnie: Just tested a pork tenderloin recipe last night. At home I do a very simple Nathalie Dupree pork tenderloin that's marinated in cranberry juice. Send an email to food@washpost.com and I'll send you the recipe tomorrow.
In the meantime, this Stephanie S. recipe got good reviews:
In this recipe, the maple syrup balances the cloves and mustard, rounding out the pork and its accompanying sauce.
Serve with rice and a green salad that includes cubes of avocado and apples for taste and texture.
2 pork tenderloins (1 package, a total of 1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup
About 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Remove the tenderloins from their packaging, rinse and pat dry. If desired, remove the silvery skin that covers the meat at the fat end of each tenderloin. Set aside.
Combine the cloves, salt and pepper and rub the mixture over the two tenderloins.
Mix together 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mustard with 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup. Set aside.
In a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the tenderloins and cook until the meat is nicely browned on at least two sides, about 2 minutes each side. Add the diced onion to the pan, brush the mustard-maple mixture over the tenderloins and transfer the pan to the oven.
Roast until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the tenderloins reads 160 degrees. This should take 20 to 25 minutes, depending on their thickness.
When the tenderloins are done, remove them from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
Blot out any excess fat in the skillet and return it to the stove top. Over medium-high heat, heat the skillet and add the chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits that adhere to the bottom. Over high heat, let the broth reduce slightly while whisking in the remaining 1 teaspoon of the mustard and 1 teaspoon of the maple syrup. Add the butter cubes 1 or 2 at a time, whisking in the butter to slightly thicken the sauce; it will still be thin. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.
Slice the tenderloins and serve with the sauce drizzled over the sliced meat.
Recipe tested by Stephanie Witt Sedgwick; e-mail questions to food@washpost.com
Per serving: 372 calories, 39 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 20 g fat, 103 mg cholesterol, 6 g saturated fat, 291 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber
Silver Spring, Md.: It seems that most recipes requiring brown sugar ask it to be packed. I packed my last quarter-cup of brown sugar, weighed it in grams, recorded it, and now use that measurement so I can forgo the packing every time. However, my husband is afraid that the packing "does something" and might be necessary to the outcome of the food. So, is he right? Do I have to keep packing the brown sugar? Thanks! (And yes, I do intend to try the rice pudding with the rice left over from tonight's chicken tikka!)
Leigh: You win! Packing the brown sugar is just to ensure somewhat consistent volume results, a problem you've solved by weighing it. You can even buy granulated brown sugar (an odd creature)that some people prefer because you can pour it out for measurement.
Palo Alto, Calif.: My wife and I need help settling a baby carrot dispute. Are baby carrots - the kind we buy in bulk, pre-bagged at supermarkets - whole carrots that have been pulled from the ground early, or are large carrots harvested and then reprocessed and shaped into baby carrots? Thanks!
Joe: Since I don't know which one of you voted for which, I can't say who won, but the pre-bagged baby carrots you see in major supermarkets are indeed cut down from larger ones. It was the brainchild of a California farmer who wanted to find a way to make better use of misshapen carrots he was discarding. Some farmers certainly do sell truly immature carrots, but most of the "babies" are no such thing...
Capitol Hill: I was very skeptical that leigh lambert's man-catcher brownies would be better than my boxed ghiradelli brownies (which have won taste tests in my house) but i went ahead and gave them a shot. Holy cow!! They are so delish!!! and easy to make, too!....Next time, I'll add nuts, just for texture, but they definitely do not need more chocolate. thanks!
Leigh: That's great to hear I won a virtual arm-wrestling with Ghiradelli. If you throw nuts in to the brownie batter, toast them first for depth of flavor.
cake mixes: PLEASE PLEASE - try baking one yourself. The difference is unbelievable. And I can't believe the food section advocates taking the time for homemade pudding but is ok with box cake mixes. There is a REASON those things are foolproof - read the list of ingredients some time.
Joe: Calm down, and stop screaming at us! Yes, indeed, we all advocate baking cakes from scratch, but that wasn't the question. And there are some mixes out there -- like by King Arthur Flour -- that don't use any additives or artificial anything and to which you add milk, butter, eggs, etc. They just weigh everything for you. All mixes aren't created equal.
Chesapeake, Va.: My mother used to make rice pudding when I was a child. I remember coming home from school and smelling the sweet pudding as I walked through the door. She passer her recipe down to me and I modified it to be made in a crock pot. Very little effort and just as tasty! I love to mix in dried fruit but that is optional.
This recipe makes 8 servings and is perfect to keep on hand when you have a hankering.
2 qts. (9 1/2 cups) vanilla soy milk
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries (optional)
1/4 cup chopped, dried apricots (optional)
--Combine all the ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring every hour, until the desired consistency is reached.
Joe: Not to tinker too much with Mom's recipe, but I'd be awful tempted to use good old butter sted of margarine, and milk for the soy, but that's just me!
Baby Carrots: Real baby carrots have a different taste than the baby-cut ones. If you've never had the real ones, they're certainly worth hunting down and tasting, particularly if you're a raw carrot fan.
Spanish products: Chorizo is so versatile, i always have some on hand.
A few nights ago, i took some chorizo and removed the casings, and cut it paper thin. I than took a 4 inch cod filet and dipped one side into a egg yoke on a plate. I than took the chorizo slices, and placed them on the filet, like scalles. I took some parchment paper and pressed the flesh side down so the chorizo sticks add a little salt and pepper, than put in the fridge for 30 minutes. A little olive oil in a non stick pan over med heat, chorizo side down until brown around the edges flip over and cook another 2 or 3 minutes.
Very easy and it makes for a great presentation, my wife loved it.
Joe: Nothing beats fried meat.
Washington, D.C.: I really enjoyed Kylie Kwong's chicken with cashews recipe from last week's food section. I am interested in trying more Chinese recipes and would like to buy a wok. I have a gas stove but had some questions--does a flat bottom wok work as well as a round one? Do you recommend carbon steel? Also, where should I go to buy one?
Bonnie: That's great to hear, DC. I plan to buy one, too. Flat-bottomed woks are designed for electric stoves. Better to stick with the rounded bottom, which is tailor-made to do the best stir-frying. Kylie suggested I get a nonstick or electric wok. You have to season the carbon-steel ones -- but the latter are cheaper than the first two. You can find woks at the big-box home goods stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond, at Asian markets, at kitchen stores. Be sure to pick up a pair of those extra long chopsticks -- they're fun to cook Chinese with. Fun, I tell you!
Arlington, Va.: Thanks for your article on mail-order Spanish ingredients. While I would consider ordering from La Tienda, I'm hoping that more supermarkets in the area will start stocking Spanish ingredients, which of course, depends on people's demand for such products. Right now, it's hard to find them.
Case in point, I recently went on a wild goose chase for real Spanish chorizo (which, I just discovered, is different from Mexican / South American versions in that it is fully cured and ready to eat) and piquillo peppers -- two ingredients that I naively thought would be easy to find. When I finally found the chorizo at Balducci's, I couldn't afford it...it was $9 for a tiny link, and I wanted a large quantity for a party. I did splurge on a tin of piquillo peppers (also $9), and I'm so glad I did. After stuffing the peppers with tuna salad seasoned with smoked paprika, they have become a frequent indulgence in my household.
Which leads me to a few questions...are there any supermarkets in the DC area(besides Balducci's and Whole Foods) that are a safe bet for finding at least a few specialty ingredients...and more specifically, where can boquerones (white vinegar-cured anchovies) be found? (Surprisingly, La Tienda doesn't sell them.)
Walter: Arlington, You may want to try A & H Seafood Market in Bethesda (4960 Bethesda Ave.; 301-986-9692) The Martinez family stocks many products for their customers of Portuguese and Spanish descent. And yes, they carry boquerones.
Joe: I love those triangular red, sweet piquillo peppers so much. I don't even bother making a tuna salad, though -- I just stuff them with amazing spears of Spanish tuna packed in olive oil. I buy Ortiz brand, which leads us to...
In my pantry and on my bookshelf: In my pantry I have marcona almonds from Trader Joe's, manchego cheese, pimenton, and piquillo peppers, all in anticipation of making a few tapas from The New Spanish Table. None of these ingredients (except pimenton) is something I've ever tried before. I am interested in buying the canned tuna mentioned in the book also, but am not sure where to find it.
Walter: Another job for A & H Seafood. They carry several brands of the tuna you desire. And this shop has an amazing collection of paella pans in 15 sizes.
Joe: And if you want to mail order, then La Tienda is also a good source.
Silver Spring, Md.: What is it about Spain? I was there twenty-one years ago...did I just say that? Yikes!
Anyway, I'm not a globe trotter by any means, but I've been to quite a few places in Europe and N. America. Spain really had the best eats on a consistent basis of any nation I visited. Seriously.
Perhaps it is because their style of cooking hasn't been as influenced by trends over the years--at least outside of Barcelona. Perhaps it is because of the blend of North African, latin and celtic cultures. Perhaps it is those accessible, easy to make and enjoy tapas. I don't know. All I know is that Spain makes my favorite cheese (Manchego), wine (Rioja) and liqueur (Jerez).
The two standard Spanish recipes in my repertoire are gazpacho and Spanish tortillas (a flipped in the pan variation on the frittata, with potatoes and onions.)
After five weeks in Spain, walking close to a mile and a half a day, I still gained ten pounds. I warn everyone when they go.
Joe: When I finally made it there a few years back, for a glorious two weeks of nonstop eating, I couldn't stop fantasizing about ways to get back ... for much longer. Would they let me edit the Post Food section from an apartment in the Born, though? Sigh.
Pomegranate Molasses: I bought a bottle of pomegranate molasses for an eggplant and lentil stew recipe. Any ideas on what to do with it other than use it in salad dressing? The only meat I eat is seafood, so a lot of the chicken recipes I've seen don't work. I am looking for both savory and sweet suggestions. Thanks!!
Walter: Pomegranate molasses fan and cookbook author Paula Wolfert writes: "It blends well with walnuts, adds a tart and pungent flavor to beans, sharpens the taste of poultry, gives a clean, tart taste to fish, gives an astringent edge to salads and vegetables, and is a great tenderizer for lamb and pork. It can also be diluted and used for sharp drinks and tart sorbets." I might use it as a glaze for salmon or, perhaps, pour a little over vanilla ice cream or over pancakes. In the mixed drinks department the possibilities are endless.
Dairy and Wheat free cooking: Joe: I read the crock pot rice pudding recipe to mean that either they are vegan or are dairy allergic. Wonderful to see that a dairy dense dessert like rice pudding can be made with soy (soy and cow milk are not 100% interchangeable).
Second question: Does the White House Chef's cookbook contain dairy and wheat free recipes that he created for Bill Clinton?
Joe: Yep, I hear you, which is why I said "for me" -- but if it works, by all means! As for Roland Mesnier's book, there are only a couple dozen recipes, organized by president, and, interestingly, the ones for Bill include carrot muffins made with regular flour, and cream cheese frosting!
Chesapeake, Va.: The vanilla soy gives the pudding a creaminess that milk doesn't. Plus it is great for our lactose-intolerant friends. Rice milk can also be used but the soy seems to do the best in this application.
If you want a super creamy pudding try non-dairy creamer. I've done that on several occasions with much success. Sub 1/2 non-dairy creamer for the soy milk.
Arlington, Va.: The article about hollandaise sauce and the accompanying recipes were great! I will have to try the blender version - it sounds much easier than the first and only time I've made hollandaise, which was during a cooking class where we had to whisk by hand until the sauce emulsified.
I thought the addition of blood orange sounded interesting and was wondering what other variations of hollandaise are worth trying. Also, what foods are particularly good with either the original or variations of the sauce? Thanks!
Bonnie: Arl, here's a mini-treatise from author David Hagedorn --
Hollandaise is the "mother" sauce of that classification of French sauce, meaning that using acid other than lemon juice and/or adding additional ingredients transforms it into another sauce with a different name.
* Orange juice instead of lemon makes it Sauce Maltaise.
* Tangerine juice = Mikado Sauce.
* Lime juice is a good substitute. A reduction of white wine, vinegar, shallots, and tarragon makes Bearnaise Sauce.
* Tomato paste/reduction is Choron Sauce.
* Whipped cream folded into hollandaise is sauce mousseline.
The lighter citrus versions go well with fish or steamed vegetables, such as broccoli and asparagus. Adding herbs to the equation, such as chopped scallions, rosemary or tarragon, accompanies chicken nicely. The more robust additions, such as the Bearnaise or Choron (with tomato) flavorings, go well with grilled meats, especially lamb or beef. For lamb, adding harissa, a piquant North African red pepper paste, and chopped cilantro is particularly good. As Asian twist with lime juice, chopped cilantro, grated ginger, and a drop of sesame oil would hold up well against less delicate seafoods, like scallops or shrimp.
Bethesda, Md.: With dinner and takeout leftovers, I have about 5 cups of cooked white rice on my hands. Besides rice pudding or stuffed peppers, do you have any suggestions of how I can use the rice? Thank you!
Joe: My first thought is fry, fry away. If your rice is sticky and flavorful enough -- that is, if it's leftover risotto -- you're well on your way to the fabulous Italian croquettes called arancini or suppli al telefono, but sounds like you're dealing with plain old white in this case. So take a cue from China with this fried-rice recipe we ran years ago. You could certainly substitute other sausages, or leave them out entirely and double the shrimp to make up for it.
1 cup chopped scallions, green part included
1 cup bean sprouts, plucked of heads and tail-like roots
Break up the rice into grains and set aside. Peel and cut the shrimp in half lengthwise and set aside. Cut the sausages on the bias into slices no more than 1/4-inch thick.
Heat a wok or skillet. When hot add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring just until they curl and turn pink. Remove with a slotted spoon. Most of the oil should be left; if not, add a teaspoon or so and turn the heat to high. After a pause add the eggs. Scramble rapidly and remove while still soft.
Wipe out the pan and heat again. Add the remaining oil. When hot, add the sausages and stir over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the scallions and stir briefly, then add the rice. Stir for 30 seconds. Add the oyster sauce, salt and pepper, and return the shrimp and eggs. Stir this rapidly for 2 minutes until well blended and piping hot. Turn off the heat, stir in the bean sprouts and serve.
Tysons Corner, Va.: Two questions for Ben Gilberti.
1. Thanks for the reminder about Rioja. We bought several bottles from the region after your earlier recommendation several months ago, and the wine was delicious. However ...
2. When we called with your specific recommendations, we were told that no place in Virginia, where we live, would carry the wines listed in your recommendation column. Something about D.C. wines not being available in Virginia. This sounded ludicrous, but when I carried the list into another Virginia wine store, the person helping me seemed to confirm this detail. Still, there were plenty of other Riojas on the shelves, several of which we bought and enjoyed. But why couldn't I buy the specific bottles mentioned in your column? Or did I misconstrue what the store employees were telling me?
2. I didn't hang on to the earlier list, and probably won't have today's list handy by the time I get back to the wine store to restock, but are there any Rioja reds that you would NOT recommend? Ones to avoid? It sounds like most of them of recent vintage are nice and drinkable, whether they be from the top rung or middle rung. Sorry, can't remember the exact designations for the differences between the two. Reserva? Was that the top rung?
Bonnie: Wine columnist Ben Giliberti says --
Most of the time the wines that are available in Virginia and Maryland are also available in D.C., and vice versa. I recommend using winesearcher.com or wineaccess.com to locate the wines. For example, by using wineaccess.com just now, I found that today's wine of the week, the Marques de Riscal Rioja, is carried by several of the Total Wine and More stores in suburban Virginia. You should call first to verify availability.
All of the wines that I list in my columns are recommended, whether at the top middle or bottom of the list. That's because I don't list the ones I do not recommend, and in the case of Rioja, that was a fair number. The ones I didn't list weren't horrible, but some of them were a little stringy and certainly nothing I would go out of my way for. In this case and in general, if your retailer vouches for a particular wine that is not in my column, I would not hesitate to try it however.
Regarding the types of Rioja, I would stick with the reservas and the crianzas, as the majority of the more expensive Gran reservas still seem to be over-oaked to me.
I have such a prejudice against things that take up non-stove counter space. Why should I plug something in for heat when I have those four burners?: That is exactly why I don't want to get a plug-in griddle. But my husband says he'll make pancakes if I get one--...I'm ...so ...torn! We're in a galley kitchen with such limited counter and storage space. Can I convince him a stove-top skillet is just as good? What is the best surface for cooking pancakes? (cast iron is awfully heavy...)
Joe: Heavy is good! If you want to make (lots of) pancakes all the time, I'd look into one of those griddles that spans more than one burner. Either cast iron or stainless steel.
Frederick, Md.: Good Grief! I didn't for someone to bust a vessel when I asked about the cake mix/rum question. I think we need to give that person a virtual Long Island Ice Tea.
Joe: Made from scratch, of course.
Rockville,Md.: I love love LOVE the Food Section,but wish you'd do more for vegans/vegetarians. Are any of you staffers vegetarians?
Joe: We're omnivores, it's true. But that doesn't mean we don't want to try to get good stuff in the section that will appeal to those who aren't. We'll keep it in mind...
Baltimore, Md.: I have some salmon roe I opened for a party Saturday. Do I need to toss it by now?
Walter: We asked James Tan, owner and chef of Uni A Sushi Place in Dupont Circle. James said that it would depend on how fresh the roe was when you bought it and how well you have stored it in the fridge. Were clean spoons used at that party? But all and all, it should last a week.
Frederick, Md.: For the leftover rice person - head over to Giant (or other source) and get yourself a rotisserie chicken. After you eat the chicken and rice, make some chicken rice soup. It freezes nicely.
Joe: Many of the world's what-to-cook-right-now issues have been addressed by the good old rotisserie chicken, haven't they?
Ice cream question: So I haven't used my ice cream maker yet cause I've been watching my diet. Do you think I could use skim milk, equal, and frozen berries and it would turn out okay? Any other suggestions?
Joe: Leave out the skim milk altogether, and go for a sorbet. It would be better with fresh-squeezed juice (like some good winter citrus), sweetened in your favorite manner. Or, what I think is a better strategy is to use real sweetener (unless you're diabetic) and just eat less of it, less often.
I'm confused...: Poster for slow-cooker rice pudding said 9.5 cups of soy milk or 2 quarts. But 2 quarts is 8 cups...what to do?
Joe: Oh, no! If I had to guess, I'd go with the cup amount since it's more exact, but pudding poster, are you still with us to clarify?
Chorizo seeker: Wegmans carries authentic Spanish chorizo, although sometimes they do run out, so I buy as much as I can!
Joe: A hoarder. I like it.
Chorizo: Make it yourself! The sausage stuffer attachment for Kitchenaid costs less than 20 dollars. And with good smoked paprika, it's a snap to make. I make chorizo once or twice a year - had some last night in a variation on Caldo Verde.
Joe: You can even fill casings with a pastry bag...
Washington, D.C.: I once broke up with a boyfriend for whom I made rice pudding, his favorite. He took one bite and said, "Not as good as Kozy Shack."
Joe: You made a very wise decision.
Lothian, Md.: Regarding cooking/baking without a recipe -- I had an Aunt that made homemade (delicious!) biscuits for all 3 meals each day. One time when we were visiting (in Southern Virginia), my sister wanted to know how to make her biscuits, so as my Aunt scooped shortening and flour with her hands, my sister was scraping her hands of each ingredient into a measuring cup so she could duplicate those wonderful biscuits -- it never happened. I would give anything to be able to make those scrumptious biscuits, or even to taste them somewhere else.
Joe: So many writers who work with instinctive/non-measuring cooks on cookbook projects can identify with you and your sister. And there's nothing like a good biscuit. Email me at food@washpost.com, and I'll send you my sister Teri's fluffy Southern biscuit recipe, which I love.
Washington, D.C.: OK, having run the church's Pancake Supper last week, I've got a jug of leftover buttermilk in my fridge. Other than cornbread, more pancakes, and biscuits, what else can I do to use up the buttermilk? Thanks.
Bonnie: Marinate chicken, make a buttermilk salad or coleslaw dressing, create a crema for your next batch o' quesadillas, use it in mashed potatoes, substitute for a few tablespoons of the mayo in tuna salad, use it instead of milk in omelets, or pretend it's already summer and make this soup, from Elinor Klivans:
Makes 6 cups; 6 first-course servings
This soup is in no way a gazpacho, but is similarly light and refreshing. The three versions of celery: stalks, leaves and seeds, combine to give an amazing amount of flavor.
2 medium bunches celery (about 4 1/2 pounds), trimmed (leaves reserved), peeled and cut across into 1/2-inch lengths
6 medium scallions, trimmed and cut in 1-inch lengths (about 3/4 cup)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Scant 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
In a blender, puree half of the celery leaves and stalks with 1 cup of the buttermilk. Add half of the scallions, salt and pepper and puree. Scrape the celery mixture into a large metal bowl. Repeat with the remaining vegetables and buttermilk. Stir in the ice water. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold. Top each serving with a few celery seeds and a little pepper.
Per serving: 89 calories, 5 gm protein, 17 gm carbohydrates, 1 gm fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 1 gm saturated fat, 1092 mg sodium
Thank you for that tool! I've been looking for a wine I had in a restaurant for weeks and now I've found a source. Yipee!
Joe: Our pleasure. We've been running that web site's address in the section for a few months now, so if you forget, just turn to the Wine page.
Cooking with Booze: As was pointed out, if you bake the goodie with the rum mixed in you'll get the flavor, but the alcohol will cook off. My mom uses Kahlua instead of water in her brownies, yum. When she makes rum cake (with "supermoist" mix, because sometimes you just want something reliable and don't have lots of time), she puts rum in the cake mix before baking, but then uses a mister to spray rum on after the cake comes out of the oven so that the cake will be extra good. You gotta love a cake that gives you a buzz from more than just the chocolate.
Heavy is good! : not if you have a herniated disc and overhead storage. i got rid of cast iron years ago. Sorry to offend the purists, but I have to use realistically use this stuff myself every day
Joe: My apologies; of course, if you can't physically lift it, that's another story. And there are many metals that work well, not just cast iron.
Washington, D.C.: For the person looking for a quick & easy pork tenderloin recipe, here's my standard--beyond simple, more than the sum of its parts, and has been adopted by many of the folks for whom I've made it:
Salt and Pepper Crusted Pork
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 12-ounce (about) pork tenderloin
Combine pepper, salt, rosemary and garlic in small bowl. Rub over pork. Let pork stand at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Heat oil in heavy medium ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add pork and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer skillet with pork to oven and roast until pork is cooked through, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Slice and serve.
2 servings; can be doubled or tripled.
Friendship Heights, D.C.: Just wanted to pass on a tip for a yummy butternut squash topping I discovered. I briefly sauteed an inch or so piece of ginger (minced), 2 cloves of garlic (pressed), and about 1/2 tablespoon of butter and put it on top of roasted butternut squash. I thought the flavors went very well together.
Arlington, Va.: With March almost here, I'm starting to think about St. Patrick's Day fare. Are you by chance going to feature any Paddy's Day recipes in the paper? In particular, I'm brainstorming ideas for an entree for a dinner party, something other than corned beef. My ideas so far include Guinness-braised short ribs and sauteed cod on braised leeks, but I'm open to other ideas on Irish-inspired dishes. Thanks!
Joe: We have a cabbage take coming up next week that I think you'll find interesting...
Olney, Md.: I haven't read Mesnier's new book yet, but I'm looking forward to it, based on everything I've read that seems to describe it as memoir/narrative as much as cookbook. I love this kind of writing! What other books do you love as good food reading (fiction or non-fiction)?
Joe: There's so many to list, but a current (revisited) favorite is "Alice, Let's Eat," by Calvin Trillin, reissued in conjunction with his new "About Alice." It's on my nightstand even as we type.
Pancake mix : Can I make a pot pie crust out of Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix? I have a HUGE bag of it and could use some ideas about what to make - one can only eat so many pancakes. Thanks!
Bonnie: A biscuit-y topping, at least. Visit Krusteaz.com's "Recipe Central."
Question about jamon: I'm just perusing the web site of the man featured in your article today, and I was wondering how you store a cured ham of this variety once it's been sliced into. I love jamon serrano, but it's not something you could eat every day. Does it need to be refrigerated once opened, after the intensive curing process it goes through?
Walter: We could not get Don Harris on the phone this morning. Instead we called Calhoun Ham House in Culpeper. They tell us that a cured ham does not need to be refrigerated, rather you can keep it in a cool place, covered with a light cloth and "away from critters."
San Francisco, Calif.: My absolute favorite pork tenderloin recipe includes a Cranberry Balsamic sauce - http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/100314
I routinely double and triple the sauce recipe - cut down a bit on the broth or thicken the sauce with a bit of cornstarch stirred into water. The sauce can be made ahead of time, making it perfect for a dinner party. My kids love the sauce over mashed potatoes.
Silver Spring, Md.: Do you or your readers have a good source for hamburger buns? I'd like to buy some good buns to go with BBQ pork. They are for a family reunion and I'd like something a step above supermarket brands. Thanks!.
Bonnie: Not exactly handy for you, but I like the ones from Best Buns Bread Co. in Shirlington. Maybe check bakeries near you -- how about the knot rolls from Upper Crust?
Joe: Whew! That hour flew by, didn't it? Thanks for all the great questions and comments. Sorry that we couldn't get to everything, but our fingers can move only so fast, and it's actually pretty fast, but you chatters are faster by far.
Now for our giveaway winners: Roland Mesnier's book, "All the Presidents' Pastries," goes to the chatter who asked about our favorite food memoirs. And Darina Allen's "A Year at Ballymaloe Cookery School" goes to the chatter who asked about St. Patrick's recipes -- maybe you'll get some ideas in time!
Until next week, happy cooking, eating, and reading.
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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Defending His Country, but Not Its 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy
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Once a Marine, always a Marine. That pretty much sums up the life of retired Sgt. Eric Alva, who was sworn into the Marine Corps at 19, stationed in Somalia and Japan and lost his right leg when he stepped on a land mine on March 21, 2003, the first day of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
As the war's first injured soldier, Alva was an instant celebrity. He was on "Oprah." President Bush awarded him the Purple Heart. Donald Rumsfeld visited. And strangers in Alva's native San Antonio still insist on paying for his dinner at Chili's. Last fall Alva, 36, contacted the Human Rights Campaign, the gay rights group, and asked to be involved in its lobbying effort. Today he'll stand alongside Rep. Martin Meehan (D-Mass.) when he introduces a bill to repeal the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy on gay, lesbian and bisexual military personnel.
Q. Why didn't you come out sooner?
A.Eventually my notoriety -- "the injured soldier" -- will wear off. And I can almost hear it now -- "Oh, yeah, he's that gay Marine." I'm okay with that. The truth is, something's wrong with this ban. I have to say something. I mean, you're asking men and women to lie about their orientation, to keep their personal lives private, so they can defend the rights and freedoms of others in this country, and be told, "Well, oh, yeah, if you ever decide to really meet someone of the same sex and you want the same rights, sorry, buddy, you don't have the right." That's one factor. The other factor is, we're losing probably thousands of men and women that are skilled at certain types of jobs, from air traffic controllers to linguists, because of this broken policy.
You come from a military family?
I come from a family of servicemen. My dad, Fidelis, is a Vietnam vet. My grandfather, also named Fidelis, was a World War II and Korean War veteran. I was named after them. My middle name is Fidelis. Fidelis means "always faithful."
What does sexual orientation -- gay, straight, bisexual -- have to do with being a soldier? A Marine?
First, thanks for recognizing that I am a Marine. Second, to answer your question, I have tons and tons of friends that were in the military at the time who knew I was gay because I confided in them. Everybody had the same reaction: "What's the big deal?" . . . The respect was still there. Your job is what you're doing at its best. Your personal life, your private life, is something you do after work. What's funny is, when I was based in San Diego, Calif., people would go to a gay club and everyone would have a haircut like mine. They had their dog tags on. But come Monday morning, nobody talked about it, nobody dealt with it, everybody was back to work.
So when you were applying to be a Marine in 1990, before "Don't ask, don't tell" was implemented, the application asked for your sexual orientation?
What did you put down?
I lied, I lied. The lying is what I hated most -- why I had to do it, why I had to keep on doing it, the toll it took on me.
You're wearing a wedding band. What do you tell people when they ask you about your wife?
That happens all the time. It just happened on my way here to Washington, waiting on the plank as I boarded a plane. This very nice woman next to me said she recognized me. She looked at my ring and asked about my wife. I told her I have a partner. His name is Darrell. She paused and said, "Good for you."
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Once a Marine, always a Marine. That pretty much sums up the life of retired Sgt. Eric Alva, who was sworn into the Marine Corps at 19, stationed in Somalia and Japan and lost his right leg when he stepped on a land mine on March 21, 2003, the first day of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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Gibbs Showing He's 'Willing to Change'
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Last season, when the Washington Redskins were 2-5 and a season of high expectations began to unravel, key veterans, led by defensive end Phillip Daniels, met after an October loss to Indianapolis to question why they were losing games they believed they should have won.
Following the Oct. 29 bye week, Daniels, along with defensive end Renaldo Wynn and running back Clinton Portis, believed they knew the answer: the Redskins' offseason conditioning program was too extreme. As a consequence of having to return to Redskins Park to train so quickly after the season ended, the players were breaking down physically. That breakdown, they believed, explained why they struggled in the second half of so many games.
On two occasions, Portis, Wynn and Daniels met with Coach Joe Gibbs to ask him to consider making changes to the offseason workout schedule. Wynn believed the meetings to be a risky step considering how much emphasis Gibbs had placed on having them work and train together, even during the offseason.
A 5-11 season -- his worst percentage over a 16-game season in his pro coaching career -- altered Gibbs's convictions and on Friday he relented, allowing veterans to train away from the team facility in Ashburn for the first time since his return.
Gibbs informed players of the change in a letter outlining new ground rules that allow them to arrive as many as seven weeks later than in previous years -- approximately mid-May.
"I'm willing to change everything this year, and that's going to be part of the change," Gibbs said last week at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. "I think the first year, you look at it and you say, 'This makes sense.' Start early, get everyone together, which is what we did. The second year carries over and into the third year, but after that they didn't think it was necessary. And I can see that.
"I asked the guys and said, 'Tell me what you think,' " Gibbs said. "We haven't had a problem with our group anyway. We haven't had a bunch of fat guys. They said, 'Let us handle this.' "
Gibbs's concession is significant, given that when the team earned a playoff berth in 2005, Gibbs pointed not so much to the five-game winning streak that propelled his team into the playoffs as to the offseason conditioning program as proof that the work he demanded in March would eventually prove beneficial.
"I felt like what we did last year made absolute sense," Gibbs said. "We started early. I think what they felt, the ones who were real leaders on our team, was that they wanted to be more on their own from a conditioning standpoint further into the offseason. What I said to them was they're on their own, but to check in with their position coaches to give us an update on where they are."
That Gibbs was motivated to change by veterans is ironic on one level; the players most vocal about its necessity were Wynn and Daniels, both of whom are in something of an uncertain state with the team.
Wynn, 32, was a backup who lost his starting job last season when the Redskins signed Andre Carter to a six-year, $30 million free agent contract. After starting on the 2005 playoff team, Wynn played sparingly last year and is in jeopardy of playing less this season.
But Wynn's value extended beyond the field. A former representative for the NFL Players Association, Wynn was approached by Portis earlier in the season to meet with Gibbs on behalf of Portis, Sean Taylor and Santana Moss, the players from the University of Miami who preferred to be part of a tradition of offseason training sessions with other former Hurricanes in Miami.
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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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New Profiling Program Raises Privacy Concerns
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The Department of Homeland Security is testing a data-mining program that would attempt to spot terrorists by combing vast amounts of information about average Americans, such as flight and hotel reservations. Similar to a Pentagon program killed by Congress in 2003 over concerns about civil liberties, the new program could take effect as soon as next year.
But researchers testing the system are likely to already have violated privacy laws by reviewing real information, instead of fake data, according to a source familiar with a congressional investigation into the $42.5 million program.
Bearing the unwieldy name Analysis, Dissemination, Visualization, Insight and Semantic Enhancement (ADVISE), the program is on the cutting edge of analytical technology that applies mathematical algorithms to uncover hidden relationships in data. The idea is to troll a vast sea of information, including audio and visual, and extract suspicious people, places and other elements based on their links and behavioral patterns.
The privacy violation, described in a Government Accountability Office report that is due out soon, was one of three by separate government data mining programs, according to the GAO. "Undoubtedly there are likely to be more," GAO Comptroller David M. Walker said in a recent congressional hearing.
The violations involved the government's use of citizens' private information without proper notification to the public and using the data for a purpose different than originally envisioned, said the source, who declined to be identified because the report is not yet public.
The issue lies at the heart of the debate over whether pattern-based data mining -- or searching for bad guys without a known suspect -- can succeed without invading people's privacy and violating their civil liberties.
DHS spokesman Larry Orluskie said officials had not yet read the GAO report and could not comment.
Another DHS official who helped develop ADVISE said that the program was tested on only "synthetic" data, which he described as "real data" made anonymous so it could not be traced back to people.
The system has been tested in four DHS pilot programs, including one at the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, to help analysts more effectively sift through mounds of intelligence reports and documents. In another pilot at a government laboratory in Livermore, Calif., that assessed foreign and domestic terror groups' ability to develop weapons of mass destruction, ADVISE tools were found "worthy of further development," DHS spokesman Christopher Kelly said.
The DHS is completing reports on the privacy implications of all four pilot programs. Such assessments are required on any government technology program that collects people's personally identifiable information, according to DHS guidelines.
The DHS official who worked on ADVISE said it can be used for a range of purposes. An analyst might want, say, to study the patterns of behavior of the Washington area sniper and look for similar patterns elsewhere, he said. The bottom line is to help make analysts more effective at detecting terrorist intent.
ADVISE has progressed further than the program killed by Congress in 2003, Total Information Awareness, which was being developed at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Yet it was partly ADVISE's resemblance to Total Information Awareness that led lawmakers last year to request that the GAO review the program. Though Total Information Awareness never got beyond an early research phase, unspecified subcomponents of the program were allowed to be funded under the Pentagon's classified budget, which deal largely with foreigners' data.
The Disruptive Technology Office, a research arm of the intelligence community, is working on another program that would sift through massive amounts of data, such as intelligence reports and communications records, to detect hidden patterns. The program focuses on foreigners. Officials declined to elaborate because it is classified.
Officials at the office of the director of national intelligence stressed that pattern analysis research remains largely theoretical. They said the more effective approach is link analysis, or looking for bad guys based on associations with known suspects. They said that they seek to guard Americans' privacy, focusing on synthetic and foreigners' data. Information on Americans must be relevant to the mission, they said.
Still, privacy advocates raise concerns about programs based on sheer statistical analysis because of the potential that people can be wrongly accused. "They will turn up hundreds of soccer teams, family reunions and civil war re-enactors whose patterns of behavior happen to be the same as the terrorist network," said Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Cato Institute.
But Robert Popp, former DARPA deputy office director who founded National Security Innovations, a Boston firm working on technologies for intelligence agencies, said that research anecdotally shows that pattern analysis has merit. In 2003, he said, DARPA researchers using the technique helped interrogators at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, assess which detainees posed the biggest threats. Popp said that analysts told him that "detainees classified as 'likely a terrorist' were in fact terrorists, and in no cases were detainees who were not terrorists classified as 'likely a terrorist.' "
Some lawmakers are demanding greater program disclosure. A bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) would require the Bush administration to report to Congress the extent of its data-mining programs.
Staff researchers Richard Drezen and Madonna Lebling contributed to this report.
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The Department of Homeland Security is testing a data-mining program that would attempt to spot terrorists by combing vast amounts of information about average Americans, such as flight and hotel reservations. Similar to a Pentagon program killed by Congress in 2003 over concerns about civil liberties, the new program could take effect as soon as next year....
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Justice Dept. to Revisit Civil-Rights-Era Killings
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The Justice Department announced yesterday that it is partnering with civil rights groups to pursue the killers of scores of black men and women slain by white vigilantes in the South decades ago.
At a news conference, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III said the federal government's interest in 40 unsolved murder cases was renewed after several successful prosecutions of civil-rights-era murder suspects in recent years.
Gonzales said that witnesses who had been silent are now prepared to come forward and that technological advances can help authorities link suspects to crimes. Gonzales and Mueller said their agencies will soon open investigations into 12 cases, but they would not name the cases or give their locations.
With so many years gone by, the lawmen said, the task of closing the cases will be daunting as witnesses die and evidence disappears.
Yesterday's announcement came on the heels of news that a grand jury in Leflore County, Miss., declined to indict Carolyn Bryant, the wife of one of two men who admitted to killing teenager Emmett Till in 1955 after an all-white jury acquitted them.
In the Till case, federal authorities could only assist state authorities, because a five-year statue of limitations on federal investigations had expired. Federal officials said the statute does not apply in cases where a criminal enterprise such as the Ku Klux Klan was implicated in a crime and continues to exist.
Gonzales said he could not guarantee that cases would be solved. "In some cases, perpetrators may already be dead," he said. In others, he said, the federal government may have no jurisdiction to investigate.
"Many individuals have quite literally gotten away with murder," Mueller said. But the government has a message to killers who remain alive, he said: "You've not gotten away with anything. We're still on your trail."
The NAACP, the National Urban League and the Southern Poverty Law Center will share information with federal authorities as partners in a new Civil Rights Era Cold Case Initiative, Mueller said. The Southern Poverty Law Center has compiled a list of 76 unsolved cases, mostly in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
Cases cited by the law center include those of Izell Henry, who was beaten to death in Greensburg, La., in 1954, a day after voting; James Brazier, who was beaten to death in front of his wife and children by police officers in Dawson City, Ga., in 1958; Sylvester Maxwell, whose castrated and mutilated body was found on a Canton, Miss., road in 1963; and Maybelle Mahone, who was killed in Molena, Ga., in 1956 by a white man who said Mahone had "sassed" him.
Similar unsolved lynchings were a Southern tradition well before the civil rights murders. Over a half-century starting in 1882, about 2,500 black people were killed, mostly by white men, for suspicious reasons, according to the book, "Festival of Violence," written by E.M. Beck and Stewart E. Tolnay.
"The history of lynching . . . has left a stain on the fabric of this country," Stephanie Jones, executive director of the National Urban League's Policy Institute, said at the news conference. "Removing that stain means working with law enforcement to bring justice."
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The Justice Department announced yesterday that it is partnering with civil rights groups to pursue the killers of scores of black men and women slain by white vigilantes in the South decades ago.
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Padilla Was Deprived, Not Abused, Court Told
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MIAMI, Feb. 27 -- During his 3 1/2 -year detention as an "enemy combatant," accused al-Qaeda operative Jose Padilla was at various times deprived of a clock, windows and a Koran, and forced to sleep on a metal bed frame without a mattress, according to testimony Tuesday from an official at the Navy brig where he was held in Charleston, S.C.
The account of Sanford E. Seymour, the brig's technical director, was narrow in scope and offered only a glimpse of Padilla's incarceration, which Padilla and his attorneys have said included torture that renders him psychologically unfit to stand trial.
Limited by a court ruling to what he had discussed with a psychologist evaluating Padilla's competence for trial, Seymour's testimony was sketchy but ran contrary to some of Padilla's most serious allegations.
"I told him I knew of no physical abuse," Seymour testified.
Seymour's testimony marked the first time any official from the brig had publicly described conditions of Padilla's incarceration.
While Padilla has asserted that he was injected with LSD or a truth serum, Seymour indicated it may have been a flu shot, and while Padilla said he was subject to noxious odors that made his eyes and nose run, Seymour said a nearby paper mill sometimes makes the brig stink.
U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke is expected now to decide whether Padilla is competent to stand trial, as prosecutors assert, or whether, as the defense contends, he is incompetent to stand trial because torture and isolation at the brig have rendered him unable to recall basic details about the case for his attorneys.
Padilla is not expected to take the stand in the competency hearing. At times he has seemed engrossed in the proceedings and engaged in apparently earnest conversations with his attorneys. But during the hour-long appearance of the brig officials, Padilla sat rigidly and did not look up.
A forensic psychiatrist and a forensic psychologist hired by the defense last week testified that when asked for information about the brig or the subjects he may have been interrogated about there, Padilla gets tense, exhibits facial tics and "shuts down."
"He would say, 'Please, please, please don't make me do this,' in a very plaintive manner," Angela Hegarty, the forensic psychiatrist, testified.
One of the lawyers, Andrew Patel, testified that even "softball" questions about the case could elicit pop-eyed revulsion from his client, and that he has been unwilling even to listen to the taped conversations at the core of the case against him.
"We tried everything we could imagine" to get him to help them review the evidence, but Padilla refused, Patel testified.
The window in Padilla's cell to the outside was painted over, Seymour testified, and another window to the interior was covered up in a way that allowed others to look in when they wanted. He was fed through a slot in the door.
Brig workers who interacted with him covered their name tags when dealing with Padilla, Seymour testified, and at various times his clock and Koran were taken away.
While defense lawyers have argued that the isolation and other aspects of his treatment have made Padilla unable to help his attorneys, a brig psychologist who talked to Padilla at the beginning of his detention in June 2002 and then again nearly two years later, noted "no remarkable changes" in his demeanor.
"He was responsive to me," said Craig S. Noble, a brig psychologist, who spoke with Padilla through openings the cell door. "He smiled."
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MIAMI, Feb. 27 -- During his 3 1/2 -year detention as an "enemy combatant," accused al-Qaeda operative Jose Padilla was at various times deprived of a clock, windows and a Koran, and forced to sleep on a metal bed frame without a mattress, according to testimony Tuesday from an official at the Navy brig where he was held in Charleston, S.C....
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South Africa Replaces Health Minister
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KAMPALA, Uganda, Feb. 27 -- South African President Thabo Mbeki on Monday named an interim health minister, replacing the ailing Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, whose reluctance to embrace lifesaving AIDS drugs provoked international rebuke and the derisive nickname Dr. No.
Transport Minister Jeff Radebe was appointed interim health minister, but South African officials would not say whether Tshabalala-Msimang would return to her job.
AIDS activists said they believed that her tenure as health minister -- which dates to the beginning of Mbeki's first administration in 1999 -- had ended.
"I hope that we're in a position to have a more scientifically focused HIV policy going forward," said Francois Venter, president of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, speaking from Los Angeles, where he was attending a conference.
Mbeki has steadily decreased Tshabalala-Msimang's authority over AIDS policy since a disastrous appearance at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto in August, when a booth she sponsored initially included elements of her widely criticized dietary remedies -- including garlic, beets and lemon -- but no antiretroviral drugs. After the conference, dozens of scientists signed an open letter calling for her removal.
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka took control of national AIDS policy in September, at about the same time Tshabalala-Msimang was hospitalized for what officials described as a lung infection.
She was discharged after several weeks, but the South African press has chronicled the continued decline in her health. At a press briefing in Cape Town this month, she appeared confused and had lost substantial weight. She reentered the hospital soon after, and there is little public hint that a recovery is likely to come soon. The government announced her removal quietly in a statement Monday evening.
Joel Netshitenzhe, Mbeki's top policy adviser, declined to comment on whether discussions have begun on a permanent replacement for Tshabalala-Msimang.
"I don't want to speculate on that at all," Netshitenzhe said from Cape Town.
The early years of Mbeki's presidency were marked by frequent controversy over AIDS, and though he has largely withdrawn from public debate on the issue, Tshabalala-Msimang has remained a focus of anger among activists and a favorite target of editorial cartoonists. Her criticisms of antiretroviral drugs, which alone relieve the debilitating and generally fatal symptoms of AIDS, made her a pariah among international health leaders.
She was the subject of frequent lawsuits by activists demanding more aggressive expansion of the nation's AIDS treatment program. In a population of 46 million, an estimated 5.5 million South Africans have HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, one of the highest rates of infection in the world.
Radebe is widely seen as a caretaker in the job. Under South Africa's constitution, only a current minister can serve as an interim replacement for another minister.
The Treatment Action Campaign, South Africa's most prominent AIDS activist group, which has repeatedly called for Tshabalala-Msimang's firing, issued a statement Tuesday welcoming the move and wishing her well. But it urged that Radebe, who has little record in public health, quickly be replaced by a permanent health minister.
"The public health system is in crisis and requires dedicated leadership," said the group's general secretary, Sipho Mthathi.
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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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What Matters About Mitt Romney
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In 1967, a moderate governor of Michigan ran for the Republican presidential nomination and, for a time, was a favorite among many in the party. His support for the civil rights movement also gave him valuable crossover appeal. But after reversing course on the Vietnam War, his campaign fizzled.
What did not ruin George Romney's aspirations was his faith.
Like his son Mitt, George Romney was a devout Mormon. Religion, as the truism goes, is far more influential in American politics today than it was in the 1960s. Forty years after his father ran, Mitt Romney's faith has elicited a cover story in the New Republic, a front-page feature in the New York Times and obligatory mentions in otherwise standard coverage of the formal kickoff of his campaign this week. Romney, it seems, might be the first presidential candidate since Al Smith whose campaign suffers seriously because of his regular attendance at Sunday services.
Writers often note that evangelical voters, now considered consequential in Southern Republican primaries, distrust Mormons. It is too easy, however, to claim that the two Romney candidacies' differing challenges simply reflect the altered composition of Republican primary voters since 1968. In a recent Post-ABC News poll, 35 percent of respondents said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who is Mormon.
Regular cover stories in news magazines, such as Time's "Mormons, Inc." in 1997, highlight the role Mormonism now plays in the popular imagination and reflect a widespread fascination with the church. Having grown up Mormon in West Los Angeles, I know that many Americans outside of evangelical communities are uncomfortable with Mormonism. Somehow, my particular religious identification, hardly my defining characteristic, was adequate grounds for my high school nickname -- Stormin' Mormon -- and the basis for seemingly endless grilling on the faith's eccentricities. The church's history of polygamy, for example, is off-putting to many. But Mormonism can provoke extreme reactions for deeper reasons.
After decades of explosive growth, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is no longer a relatively small, quirky, American-bred offshoot of Protestant Christianity but an increasingly influential institution that erects large temples in major cities, sends most of its young men on two-year proselytizing missions and operates big businesses across the country. The Mormons, critics say, are secretive and strange, and they are controlling more and more of your world.
The church's growth in power and prominence reflects its highly organized structure -- headed by a prophet who Mormons believe speaks for God -- that not only encourages but demands unusually active participation from congregants. To some outsiders, this can make it seem conspiratorial. On the lower- and middle-management levels, the church does not employ a professional clergy. Instead, everyday members are integrated into the institutional hierarchy and balance this responsibility with their professional lives. Romney himself has served as a stake president, an office loosely akin to that of a Catholic bishop. This fusion of laity and clergy means that rank-and-file Mormons are bound to the pronouncements of church leaders in a way that Catholic parishioners are not -- indeed, rank-and-file Mormons often are the ones implementing church policy.
Mormon culture also precludes the sort of passive association with the church that many Christian denominations in the United States tacitly allow. Members are either "active" or "inactive," and to remain in the former category, one must regularly attend Sunday services -- which run for three hours -- and accept a role such as choral director or Sunday school teacher or stake president. To be Mormon is to be an exceptionally committed participant in the community. This demanding communitarian streak strikes some as cultish, leading to the fear that Romney would be a tool of the church's First Presidency.
But regardless of how uncomfortable some of these characteristics make some feel, it is unproductive to focus on Romney's Mormonism. A candidate's faith, like that of an L.A. high school student or anyone else is ultimately a complex and personal phenomenon, even in the context of a highly centralized religious organization. My experience in Mormon congregations across the country has taught me that it is impossible to tell precisely how individual Mormons will apply their religious principles to their professional lives. And beyond encouraging hard work and honesty, the church itself is hardly definitive on the subject. Consider the divergent examples of other well-known Mormons -- those of Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), say.
No one but Romney can know how his beliefs might affect his judgment. Instead of focusing on his faith, it would be much more worthwhile for voters to judge Mitt Romney on his evolving political agenda -- as Republicans did when George Romney ran in 1967.
The writer is a member of the editorial page staff. His e-mail address isstrombergs@washpost.com.
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Instead of focusing on his faith, it would be much more worthwhile for voters to judge Mitt Romney on his evolving political agenda.
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President Lincoln's Secret
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Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is celebrated February 12, never kept a diary, and never lived to write an autobiography. He was so utterly private a man that even his best friends frequently admitted that there were regions of his mind to which they were never granted access. He was a âterribly reticent, secretive, shut mouth man,â said his law-partner of fourteen years, William Henry Herndon, âand close-minded as to his plans, wishes, hopes, and fears.â
That was particularly true about religion. âI don't Know anything about Lincoln's Religion,â grumbled David Davis, Lincolnâs personal attorney and his first appointee to the U.S. Supreme Court, and âdonât think anybody knew.â
Herndon, however, had been around Lincoln long enough to hazard a few guesses. First, the Lincoln he had known did ânot believeâ¦as a rational manâ¦that the Bible was the peculiar, only, and special revelation of God.â As an ambitious young lawyer, he acquired a reputation for mocking religion, and even wrote âa pamphlet attacking the divinity of Christ special inspiration revelation &c.â Lincoln never joined a church, was never baptized, and never made any profession of belief.
And yet there were secrets about Lincolnâs religion about which even Herndonâs guesses failed. Lincoln had been raised in a family of pious, ultra-Calvinist Baptists, soaking up a substantial amount of sermons, hymns, and Scripture. He might not have believed âas a rational manâ¦that the Bible was the peculiar, only, and special revelation of God,â but according to Herndon, Lincoln remained âsuperstitious, believed more or less in dreams, consulted negro oracles, had apparitions and tried to solve them.â And as he grew older -- and wiser about things that antagonize voters -- he agreed with the âabsolute necessity of some form of Christianity, and never did, after reflection, attempt to disturb any manâs opinion,â his law partner wrote.
Lincolnâs election to the presidency, just in time to see the country fall into civil war, presented him with a different set of challenges to his meager stock of religious belief. Lincoln expected a quick and direct restoration of the Union. But in battle after battle, the Union armies were handed humiliating defeats. The president could make no logical sense of this apparent contradiction of progress. After a year-and-a-half of seemingly fruitless bloodshed, he concluded that God had taken a direct hand in events to stymie the warâs progress so long as it was waged for purely political purposes, and to force Lincoln to recognize that the war must be turned in a moral direction that spoke directly to the crime of slavery.
This insight is what eventually drove Lincoln to depart from the policy direction with which he had begun the war, and to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. To the astonishment of his Cabinet, Lincoln explained that his decision to issue the Proclamation was a âvowâ he had made âto myself, and...to my Maker.â
In his Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln came as close to preaching a sermon as any U.S. President has ever dared utter. The war, he said, was not a struggle between a righteous Union and evil slaveholders â both North and South had been complicit in the crime of slavery, and the war was a judgment that God had chosen to bring on the entire nation âuntil all the wealth piled by the bond-manâs two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword.â Only by submitting to that national judgment, Lincoln told his audience, could âmalice toward noneâ and âcharity for allâ follow.
Lincolnâs public role as president embodied a profound struggle to preserve a âgovernment of the peopleâ that nevertheless still respected a core of moral truth which not even âthe peopleâ could repeal. And in that role, he reminds us that religion is neither alien to public life (to be locked up in private) nor a jack-in-the-box (ready to jump into every situation). It is, instead, a reminder of the feebleness of our own wisdom, and of the costliness of truth.
Allen C. Guelzo is Director of Civil War Era Studies and the Henry R. Luce Professor of the Civil War Era at Pennsylvaniaâs Gettysburg College
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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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PostGlobal: PostGlobal on washingtonpost.com
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This is ridiculous. To summarize the thoughts of some of the posters here: âUSA is a threat to global peace.â
How to put this delicately? How about: youâre a bunch of morons.
Donât get me wrong. The USA has made countless errors in its foreign affairs decisions over the past 200+ years. We have a tendency to make mistakes concerning domestic issues, as well. Why? Probably because this country is made of people who elect other people into decision-making positions of power. That these kinds of decisions are made by human beings - who are prone to mistakes â is no small thing. So we have people who do their best to make the right choices, and if they screw it up â whether it be malicious or simply due to incompetence â Americans vote them out, and someone new gets a chance to do it right.
But a funny thing happened on the way to superpower status: all of a sudden, we are now strapped with the burden that many of our decisions also now affect the entire globe. Its unimaginably difficult to balance the needs of America with the needs of the world. When we intervene in the worldâs problems, weâre meddling. When we do nothing, we are accused of selfishness.
This nation was built by numerous people of different ethnic, religious and social backgrounds. It truly is a melting pot, taking races and religions from all of the globe, and integrating them together. It hasnât always been smooth sailing for this country (slavery anyone?), but we eventually learn from our mistakes.
Therefore, it annoys us that the rest of the world canât resolve their own issues. We did it, on a smaller scale admittedly, but the challenges are the same. Whatâs wrong with the rest of you? Because of this failure of the planet to be accepting of each other, weâre forced to engage on the international scene in messy situations. Americans just want to spend time with their families, provide shelter and food for loved ones, and enjoy what little time we have outside of work in our pursuit of happiness.
So you can imagine when 3,000 innocent Americans get murdered by a bunch of disillusioned psychopaths, the other 250,000,000 Americans get pissed. Afghanistan has something to do with 9/11? Bury them. Iraq may have played a part? Ruin them. Iran and North Korea might be thinking about supplying more criminals with nuclear weapons, and they wonât negotiate them away? Iâm pretty tempted, personally, to approve their destruction, as well. And Iâm as non-violent as they come. Now its personal, however. Iâm more inclined to shoot first, ask questions later these days.
This is what terrorism has wrought: an angry, engaged America. I hope Bin Laden is enjoying himself, hiding behind his 12 wives like a coward in some hole. And the Chinas, Russias, and other hypocrites of the world find themselves bonding together not because they share the same ideas or beliefs, but simply to oppose American hegemony. So they support â directly or indirectly â those who wish to bring us pain. Its quite obvious to us, and donât think for a moment Americans donât see through them. Meanwhile, OUR allies work with us because we have the same goals: peace and prosperity for all of mankind.
So when I see Putin crying about America, or China building bigger armies to âprotectâ itself from us, or any of the other weak reasoning we get exposed to ever singe day, Iâm not sympathetic.
By the way: Lost the Iraq war? Ask Saddam how heâs enjoying his victory, then. Iraq was the fourth most powerful military in the planet before we showed up back in 1991. The country is now destroyed, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are dead, and the military â whatâs left of it â is incompetent and weak. Insurgents rarely get into firefights with US troops because they get slaughtered. They use IEDs so they donât have to face our men and women in close quarters. Itâll be another 50 years before Iraq is ever a formidable foe again, and I guarantee you the last country theyâll pick a fight with again is the US. Yeah, we completely failed. If you donât want democracy, and enjoy life without electricity and security, please continue to kill each other. Weâre tired of holding your hands. Our point has been made.
Iran, North Korea, China and the rest of you SHOULD feel threatened by us. Weâre tired of these games. Contribute to the international community in a positive way, or expect to stay in danger of tasting Americaâs might.
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Masha Lipman - PostGlobal on PostGlobal; blog of politics and current events on washingtonpost.com. Visit http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/masha_lipman/
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In Baghdad, Rice Acknowledges Frustrations in U.S.
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BAGHDAD, Feb. 17 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed support for a nascent Baghdad security plan during an unannounced visit to the capital Saturday, but she reminded Iraq's leaders that Americans were growing increasingly frustrated with the unyielding lethality and cost of the war.
Rice spoke approvingly of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's leadership, urged Iraqi officials to enact laws to fairly administer the country's vast oil reserves and acknowledged widespread disapproval of the Bush administration's policies in Iraq among many Americans and U.S. lawmakers.
She arrived in the capital a day after the U.S. House passed a nonbinding resolution rejecting the administration's troop increase in Iraq, where violence has become the norm in the streets and squabbling dominates the political process.
"The American people want to see results and aren't prepared to wait forever," Rice said during a 30-minute conversation with reporters in U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad's living room. "But we're also not saying to the Iraqis: Get it done by X-date, or else. That's not the way one treats a partnership in these difficult circumstances."
Rice met with Maliki and President Jalal Talabani and later had lunch at the U.S. ambassador's residence with a group that included the Kurdish deputy prime minister and the country's foreign minister. She said the Baghdad security plan, which was formally launched this week, was bringing "new hope and a new optimism" to the besieged Iraqi capital. A spokesman for the security plan said attacks have fallen 80 percent since it was launched Wednesday, and there were relatively few reports of violence Saturday.
Ten people were killed and 90 injured in two car bombs in the northern city of Kirkuk, police said, and an improvised explosive device killed one person in Baghdad. The U.S. military announced that a Marine was killed Friday in combat in the western province of Anbar. His name was not released.
Rice praised Maliki for vowing to target lawlessness across sectarian lines.
"Thus far, they seem to be carrying through with the rules of engagement that would suggest that justice and law enforcement is going to be evenhanded," Rice said. "These are the first days of the security plan. It's not going to be one day and then everyone can declare victory . . . There are going to be bad days in the Baghdad security plan when violence is up."
Rice asked insistently about the progress of legislative bills that would regulate the exploration and revenue sharing of the country's oil reserves, according to Iraqi officials who spoke to her.
Iraqi officials tasked with creating a draft law have failed to present a bill to parliament. At stake is the extent to which the central government will control exploration and management of oil fields and whether revenue will be distributed equally across the country.
Iraq's oil reserves are concentrated in the northern Kurdish area and provinces in the predominantly Shiite south.
"I did hear it's almost complete," Rice said about a status report she received on the draft of the bill. "I've heard that it's complete before. And this time, I hope it really is almost complete -- as in complete."
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BAGHDAD, Feb. 17 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed support for a nascent Baghdad security plan during an unannounced visit to the capital Saturday, but she reminded Iraq's leaders that Americans were growing increasingly frustrated with the unyielding lethality and cost of the war.
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Democrats Signal a Wider Battle Lasting the Rest of President's Term
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After enjoying great deference in the conduct of national security for his first six years in office, President Bush now faces an assertive opposition Congress that has left him on the defensive. The nonbinding resolution passed by the House yesterday on a largely party-line vote seems certain to be the first of a series of actions that will challenge Bush for the remainder of his presidency.
At stake is not just Bush's decision to send an additional 21,500 U.S. troops to Iraq, the plan specifically renounced by the resolution. By extension, the 246 to 182 vote passed judgment on Bush's overall stewardship of the war in Iraq and, more broadly, on his leadership in the world. At a time when the president is confronting Iran over its nuclear enrichment program, the House vote demonstrates that he has far less latitude to take aggressive action than he might have had in the past.
"This is an important moment," said Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was President Jimmy Carter's national security adviser and is now a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "And it's an important moment not only about what's in the past, or even in the present, but also what might be happening in the future."
The resolution, he said, "tells the president that the country's increasingly tired of the war and the country's reaction to his provoking a new war would be even worse."
Both sides recognized that the House vote, along with a Senate vote scheduled for today, represents the opening salvo in a more protracted struggle. "To me, this is kind of a baby step. It doesn't have teeth," said David J. Rothkopf, author of "Running the World," a book on the making of modern foreign policy. "The real question is going to be whether the Democratic leadership goes further and challenges funding, because that's where Congress historically has been able to show its influence."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her close adviser, Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), are devising a strategy to tie Bush's hands by placing conditions on future funding for the war, such as requiring any units sent to Iraq to meet certain standards for training, equipment and rest between deployments. Because those conditions might be hard to meet, they could slowly constrict Bush's ability to keep up troop levels.
But yesterday's vote signaled peril for the Democratic congressional leadership as well. Despite deep Republican discontent with the course of the war, Democrats were unable to persuade more than 17 members of the president's party to register that dissatisfaction with their votes. If Democratic leaders could not build a broader bipartisan coalition for a symbolic vote, it may prove much harder to attract Republican support for proposals to limit Bush's options in Iraq.
Many Democratic strategists remain allergic to repeating the finale of the Vietnam War, when Congress voted to cut funds for the South Vietnamese government and the nation fell to the North in 1975. For years afterward, Democrats have struggled to shed the image of being soft on defense, which is why they were so eager to bring along more Republicans yesterday.
The White House privately pressed that point with wavering Republicans. Even as Bush resigned himself to certain passage of a resolution with no substantive force and publicly made little effort to oppose it, aides such as national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley lobbied GOP lawmakers to stick with the president to avoid emboldening Democrats down the line. "If Republicans go along with this," an administration official said, "it sends a message to Murtha about what he might be able to do with the supplemental" war-spending measure.
Administration allies warned about the precedent beyond Bush as well. "If Congress proceeds to throttle the president's strategy, then it will seriously undercut the ability of future presidents to do what they need to do to protect the nation in a time of war," said James Phillips, a foreign policy scholar at the Heritage Foundation. "It's a mistake to think you can effectively run a war by committee."
The president and Congress have wrestled over national security since the founding of the nation. The first congressional investigation back in 1792 when George Washington was president looked into a bloody military defeat inflicted by Native Americans. Congress challenged the White House during the Mexican-American War and the Civil War, rejected the Treaty of Versailles negotiated by Woodrow Wilson after World War I, and tried to keep Franklin D. Roosevelt from aiding allies facing threats from Nazi Germany.
The clash between branches came to a head during the Vietnam War, when Congress rescinded the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution that Lyndon B. Johnson had used to justify an escalation. A measure to cut off money for the war was rejected in 1970 but increased pressure on Richard M. Nixon to turn the fighting over to the South Vietnamese. As Nixon withdrew U.S. forces, Congress in 1973 cut off funding for "offensive" operations, in effect ratifying what by then was the president's stated course. A 1974 vote cut aid to South Vietnamese forces by 50 percent after U.S. forces were already gone, leading to the fall of Saigon.
Tension between the executive and legislative branches over national security has percolated since then. Congress restricted Ronald Reagan from funding the contra rebels in Nicaragua, and the Senate rejected the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty submitted by Bill Clinton. But the tension had not reached the Vietnam War level until yesterday.
"There's always been a lot of dissent in wartime," said Senate historian Donald A. Ritchie. Sometimes, as in Vietnam, it takes a while to build, he added: "There's a certain point when everybody marches together. They were very much united with Johnson in '65 and '66. But when the war turned bad, that's when they broke away. The same was true in the Civil War, and the same was true in any protracted war when things didn't go well."
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After enjoying great deference in the conduct of national security for his first six years in office, President Bush now faces an assertive opposition Congress that has left him on the defensive. The nonbinding resolution passed by the House yesterday on a largely party-line vote seems certain to be...
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Judge Orders Padilla Jail Personnel to Testify
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MIAMI, Feb. 16 -- Officials at the Navy brig where terrorism suspect Jose Padilla was held for 3 1/2 years as an enemy combatant were ordered Friday to testify at a hearing to determine his psychological competency, a ruling that allows the defense to press its claims that sensory deprivation and torture in confinement have rendered the alleged al-Qaeda operative unfit to stand trial.
The ruling marks one of the few times since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that officials responsible for the jail conditions and interrogations of terrorism suspects have been called to testify, and it is the first time in the Padilla case.
Federal prosecutors objected strenuously to allowing the testimony, arguing that the focus of the competency hearing should be on Padilla's psychological state, which they believe is adequate, and not necessarily on what past events might have caused post-traumatic stress disorder, as defense attorneys allege.
During a hearing Friday, U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke grew tired of the government's objections.
"The only thing that comes to mind is: 'Methinks the lady doth protest too much,' " she told prosecutors.
Cooke ordered four people to appear at a hearing scheduled for Thursday: Sandy Seymour, who was technical director at the brig; Craig Noble, brig psychologist; Mike Reheuser, a Defense Department attorney; and Andrew Cruz, a brig social worker.
Joanne Mariner, counterterrorism director at Human Rights Watch, said the ruling is significant because while complaints of mistreatment from terrorism suspects have been frequent, it is rare that officials knowledgeable about their confinement have been called to testify.
"This could provide official confirmation of prisoner accounts of abuse," she said. "If they confirm elements of his story, it would have enormous credibility with the public."
After he was arrested in 2002, Padilla was considered so dangerous that he was held without charges at the Navy brig -- a so-called "enemy combatant" accused of plotting a radiological "dirty bomb" attack and later of conspiring with al-Qaeda to blow up apartment buildings with natural gas.
After more than three years at the brig, he was transferred to the civilian legal system, where he faces charges of conspiring to commit murder, kidnapping and other violent acts in the name of Islam. The trial is scheduled for April.
Padilla, 36, and his attorneys have claimed that while incarcerated at the brig in Charleston, S.C., he was forced to stand hooded in painful stress positions, given a drug as a "truth serum," subjected to noxious odors that made his eyes and nose run, and forced to endure sleep deprivation, extreme cold, and harsh lights.
He told a psychologist that at the brig that he sometimes begged his guards not to put him in "the cage," but he would not say what went on there. The conditions of his incarceration have rendered him unable to assist in his own defense, his attorneys said.
"When approached by his attorneys, he begs them, 'Please, please, please' not to have to discuss his case," according to psychiatrist Angela Hegarty, who interviewed him for 22 hours.
A Bureau of Prisons psychologist has found Padilla competent to stand trial, and prosecutors argue that by relating his claims of torture to his attorneys, Padilla has shown his psychological competence to assist in his own defense. But the court-appointed psychologist from the Bureau of Prisons, Rodolfo Buigas, did not interview Padilla, who refused to cooperate. Instead, Buigas talked with brig officials and others about Padilla's behavior.
Staff researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report.
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MIAMI, Feb. 16 -- Officials at the Navy brig where terrorism suspect Jose Padilla was held for 3 1/2 years as an enemy combatant were ordered Friday to testify at a hearing to determine his psychological competency, a ruling that allows the defense to press its claims that sensory deprivation and torture in confinement have rendered the alleged al-Qaeda operative unfit to stand trial....
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The Inventor Who Deserves a Sitting Ovation
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Robert Adler, a prolific inventor, received more than 180 U.S. patents during a lifetime of dreaming and tinkering. But only one of his creations revolutionized an industry, changed the face of modern life, and supplied stand-up comedians with a never-ending source of material.
Adler, who died Thursday at the age of 93, was the co-inventor of the remote control, the device that has bedeviled, edified and otherwise sustained a grateful nation of couch potatoes ever since its introduction. Along with inventor and fellow engineer Eugene Polley, Adler helped bring the first commercially successful wireless TV remote -- the Zenith Space Command -- to market in 1956.
Is it even possible to imagine operating a TV set, or watching one, without a remote control? It isn't, not with television having metastasized from a few flickering channels to a 500-channel mutant (just try getting from Channel 47 to Channel 470 without the clicker). It isn't, now that modern televisions have been redesigned to reflect the triumph of the remote, shorn of the knobs and buttons that once sprouted like warts from the face of a TV set. You know you are of a certain age if the phrase "Don't touch that dial!" means anything at all to you.
Adler and Polley were, at bottom, the fathers not just of channel surfing but of eternal sedentary empowerment. As the columnist Ellen Goodman once noted, the remote control had to have been invented by men because there is nothing more male than the concepts "remote" and "control."
We could blame Adler (but we won't) for the death of TV show themes and intros, and for making TV programs so much faster in general. Because the remote handed viewers the power to switch away from whatever displeased them in an instant, the networks had to respond. So they eliminated commercials between some shows, resulting in the so-called cold opening, and introduced multi-plot dramas to make viewers fearful that they'd miss a key twist.
Contemporary remotes seem to breed like fruit flies; they end up in heaps on the coffee table. They are intimidating things -- all those buttons: What are they for?
The original remotes were simple devices, albeit the size of a piece of carry-on luggage. Before Adler and Polley made the remote wireless, Zenith produced a device called "Lazy Bones, " which performed on/off and channel-changing functions via a cord attached to the set (this soon proved to be a safety hazard). A forerunner of the Space Command was the Flashmatic, which was indeed wireless but ran on photoelectric cells embedded in the TV cabinet. The Flashmatic had a fatal flaw, however: The cells reacted to sunlight as well as the remote.
Adler and Polley's refinement was ingeniously simple. When a viewer pressed the buttons on the Space Command, tiny hammers struck lightweight aluminum rods to produce high-frequency sounds. The sounds triggered vacuum-tube receivers inside the TV set that moved the power, channel-change and volume controls up or down. The system raised the cost of TV sets by about a third, but it was nevertheless a popular feature. Besides its simplicity, the Space Command retained one key advantage over its descendants: It required no batteries.
The way in which the remote invited viewers to sink into TV's never-ending narcotic haze was easy to satirize. In "Being There," the 1979 film of Jerzy Kosinski's novel, the dimwitted gardener Chance attempts to fend off a mugger by aiming a remote at him and clicking (this shtick was expanded to full feature length in the recent Adam Sandler film "Click"). If only reality were so malleable!
In some ways, Adler and Polley's triumph was the gateway to wirelessness in general. Didn't TV remotes teach us to expect similar ease and practicality in almost everything? The remote is the direct ancestor of automatic garage-door openers, wireless phones, remote keyless entry in cars, even laptops.
As triumphant and pervasive as his vision was, Adler's mission was incomplete. If only he had invented a way to find the darn thing.
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Robert Adler, a prolific inventor, received more than 180 U.S. patents during a lifetime of dreaming and tinkering. But only one of his creations revolutionized an industry, changed the face of modern life, and supplied stand-up comedians with a never-ending source of material.
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Who Gets Last Shot? Hibachi!
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LAS VEGAS, Feb. 16 -- Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan said his main goal for Sunday's game is to make sure that the East all-stars "play the right" way by sharing the basketball and keeping everyone involved.
"I'm just hoping that it's not a close game so I'll be scrutinized over who takes the last shot," Jordan said. "I hope it's a blowout either way."
The East squad is stocked with go-to scorers such as Cleveland's LeBron James and Miami's Dwyane Wade. But if Sunday's game comes down to the final possession, Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas left little doubt about who he thinks would get the ball.
"Hibachi, c'mon," Arenas said. "They know who's taking that last shot. I mean, who is coaching? You know the play."
Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, who will become the first European player to start in an all-star game on Sunday, laughed Friday when someone asked him if he would be able to catch David Hasselhoff while he is town this weekend. Hasselhoff is starring in the hit musical "The Producers" at Paris Las Vegas.
"I don't think so," Nowitzki said, chuckling. "There are a lot of things going on. We're practicing tomorrow and the game is Sunday, so I don't think I'll have a lot of time."
Several players were asked about the controversy surrounding former player Tim Hardaway's homophobic statements about John Amaechi, a former player who recently revealed that he is gay.
Arenas had the following take: "You are teammates, and teammates should accept one another for who they are," he said. "That's how I look at it."
Former star and six-time NBA champion Scottie Pippen created some buzz when he announced his intention to come out of retirement for the final 2 1/2 months of the season. Pippen, 41, who last played during the 2003-04 season with Chicago, said he would like to join a team like the Miami Heat or San Antonio Spurs for a run at another championship.
Knicks forward David Lee was 14 for 14 from the field and scored 30 points, leading the sophomores to a 155-114 victory over the rookies in the rookie challenge. The sophomores shot 74.7 percent (68 of 91) in winning for the fifth straight time.
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Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan says his main goal for Sunday's game is to make sure that the East all-stars "play the right" way by sharing the basketball and keeping everyone involved.
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Google Moves To Checkout Line
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Last June, Google launched a service offering a one-click method of paying for purchases that minimizes the risk of credit card information being stolen off a Web site.
The service, called Checkout, links to credit card accounts, but is more secure and faster than, say, typing in 16 digits off a card.
Checkout is used on 100 of the top 500 online shopping sites, including those of Toys R Us, Linens N Things and Buy.com. But the new service faces an uphill battle fighting its more-established rival PayPal, a similar payment service owned by eBay.
Google is marketing the service aggressively, trying to lure shoppers to Checkout. It offered discounts such as $10 off initial purchases during the holidays and around Valentine's Day. To attract more merchants to sign up, it is also waiving the normal 2 percent fee charged on each sale through the end of the year -- freebies have cost Google about 1 percent of its revenue, or $32 million during the last three months of last year.
Consumers stand to benefit from the rivalry with more options for making online purchases. And for PayPal, what's at stake is its near-ownership of the online payment market, a lucrative business that contributed 25 percent of eBay's revenues on $11 billion worth of transactions during the fourth quarter. Nine-year-old PayPal boasts 133 million account holders. Checkout handles only one transaction for every 70 that PayPal does, according to Hitwise, a firm that measures online traffic. And neither eBay, the largest auctioneer, nor Amazon, the biggest retailer, allows shoppers to use Checkout on their sites.
EBay said it doesn't allow use of Checkout on its sites because it lacks a proven track record of security. PayPal differs from Checkout in that it can also be used to draw funds from a bank account, so people can use PayPal to make payments between individuals the way they use checks. Since eBay bought PayPal in 2002, it has become a lucrative business for the auctioneer.
The tension between eBay and Google highlights the complicated relationships among Internet companies looking to expand their audience for customers. Web-based companies frequently advertise with one another, but also offer a vast array of services -- everything from shopping to Internet calling -- that compete with each other. Until Google entered eBay's turf, the two were primarily customers, not competitors.
Google focused almost entirely on products that would boost its online-advertising revenue. The two companies have a multi-year advertising deal where eBay's advertisements appear alongside Google's search results and Google places ads on eBay's overseas Web sites. EBay makes money on Web-based sales and auctions as well as through the 2-to-3 percent fees it collects from every PayPal transaction.
"In this day and age, especially in this industry, it's getting harder and harder to put labels on other companies . . . like competitor and partner," said eBay spokesman Hani Durzy, explaining the firm's relationship with Google. "Sometimes we look at them as competitors and sometimes we look at them as partners. Both are equally legitimate, depending on the situation."
Some analysts say Google's move into Checkout is part of the company's bigger push into e-commerce, a move that could further encroach on eBay's market. Google has a comparison-shopping site called Froogle, for example, which competes with eBay's Shopping.com. It also has a service called Google Base, an online classifieds site similar to eBay's Craigslist.
Other analysts, like Charlene Li with Forrester Research, said Checkout is less about competing for e-commerce dollars than collecting more data about how online shoppers respond to advertisements. According to Google, 37 percent of online purchases begin with an Internet search; information that proves a shopper closed a sale after clicking on an ad it will help the company's advertising business, she said.
For merchants who sell their wares on eBay, Checkout's biggest virtue is that it is free, and some are clamoring for an alternative to PayPal. Checkout initially faced some problems that resulted in customer and merchant complaints and delays in processing orders, but Google said it has since made improvements. Now on message boards, some merchants are petitioning eBay to allow Checkout on the site.
"We want a grass-roots effort to let eBay know this is something the sellers want, and what the buyers want," said John Lawson, who started the online petition last month and garnered 287 signatures in the first three weeks.
Lawson does a $25,000-a-month business selling "bling" necklaces, do-rags and other urban fashion accessories on eBay, and said he wanted to take advantage of Checkout's free service, so he set it up on his company's own site, http://www.3rdpoweroutlet.com.
EBay spokesman Durzi said Checkout does not meet the company's standards, noting that eBay accepts other online payments besides PayPal. "It's our responsibility to encourage payment systems that have a historical track record and desire by community to use it," Durzi said. "Google Checkout has very little historical track record . . .we see a very low level of interest."
Google disagrees and said Checkout is secure and customers are satisfied. "We'd be happy to work with eBay and have it accepted on eBay," said Benjamin Ling, product manager for Checkout.
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This is your source for news on personal technology. Find info and reviews on the newest technology that affects your life. Read our latest features on new tech gadgets.
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Urban Retreat - washingtonpost.com
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Mitch Cope, an artist from Detroit, is standing in front of an elegant bench that is rough-hewn and sleekly contemporary. The light-colored wood has a tendency to crack, but still, it's a bench anyone with an eye for design would be happy to own.
Cope's bench was made from a tree known locally as "ghetto palm," a fast-growing species native to China that has taken on opportunistic new life in the many open spaces of Detroit's lost neighborhoods.
"By how old the tree is, you can tell how long the land has been abandoned," says Cope, a soft-spoken man in his 30s. The bench is part of an art project known as "Detroit Tree of Heaven Woodshop," in which Cope and his collaborators, Ingo Vetter from Sweden and Annette Weisser from Los Angeles, show how an arboreal nuisance, a.k.a. Ailanthus altissima, can be harvested, milled, dried and fashioned into benches -- suitable for use in the newly opened Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), where it is on display.
It is also part of a dazzling and provocative new international exhibition, "Shrinking Cities," which is so big it occupies two of Detroit's premier museums, the fledgling but edgy MOCAD (which opened in October) and the established and respected Cranbrook Art Museum in the suburbs.
It's rare for an exhibition to feel so dense and elemental and important all at once. But "Shrinking Cities," which originated in Germany, explodes the notion of an art and architecture show by expanding it to include sociology, history, city planning and demographics alongside video, photography, conceptual art, poetry, music and just about every other kind of currently fashionable artistic production. In one gallery you find charts and maps and animated graphs that show how many cities have expanded and imploded over the past century. In another, there's a video about how people in the areas outside Detroit are exhuming their dead relatives from urban cemeteries for reburial, closer to home, in the vastly expanding suburbs.
Holding it all together is not so much an overarching thesis but a theme: how cities shrink, sometimes unto death. Despite its sprawling and sometimes contradictory content -- some artists exult in decay while others seek to mend it -- the tone is consistent. If this show could talk, it would sound like the prose of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, the author of "On Death and Dying," whose willingness to simply observe and document the terrifying process of death somehow undid so much of the mystification and panic it inspires in us.
It may seem odd, when newspapers are full of stories about desperate urban overcrowding, sprawling slums and shantytowns, and the environmental devastation of our planet's exploding population, to devote so much attention to "shrinking" cities.
But as cities in Asia, Africa and South America are overwhelmed by growth, others are getting smaller. "Shrinking Cities" focuses on the 25 percent of world cities that are losing, rather than gaining, population (according to the curator's statistics). Over the last century, that amounts to 350 of the world's largest urban areas (defined as cities with populations of 100,000 or more). The project was funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation, and is focused on four regions where the change has been precipitous: Detroit, the Liverpool/Manchester area in the United Kingdom, Ivanovo in Russia, and the Halle/Leipzig region in Germany.
Detroit and Liverpool/Manchester lost population as their industrial economies fell into disarray. Ivanovo, a textile city some 150 miles northeast of Moscow, went to seed after the breakup of the Soviet Union, when its long-stagnating but subsidized industry simply collapsed under the pressure of competition from Turkey and East Asia. And the Halle/Leipzig region suffered huge population losses and horrendous unemployment as East Germany hemorrhaged 9 percent of its people between 1989 and 2000.
But cities shrink for many reasons, as a haunting animated map in the Cranbrook museum makes clear to visitors as they enter. The map's glowing lights, which represent loss, not growth, show that it isn't just industrial or political winds that scour the urban landscape. Disease, war and natural disasters do their work, too, in places such as Bangladesh, where 1970 floods from a monsoon killed some 300,000 people. In this country, shrinking cities became much more than a Rust Belt phenomenon in the late summer of 2005, when Hurricane Katrina displaced hundreds of thousands of residents.
While shrinkage is a fact of life for many cities, it is a foreign idea in metropolitan areas such as New York, where artists, like everyone else, must struggle to find an affordable niche in the vast, bustling warrens of humanity.
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DETROIT Mitch Cope, an artist from Detroit, is standing in front of an elegant bench that is rough-hewn and sleekly contemporary. The light-colored wood has a tendency to crack, but still, it's a bench anyone with an eye for design would be happy to own. Cope's bench was made from a tree known locally as "ghetto palm," a fast-growing species native to China that has taken on opportunistic new life in the many open spaces of Detroit's lost neighborhoods. ...
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The Sins of the Father
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Early in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the boys in Tom Sawyer's gang pledge to kill the families of any member who reveals their secrets. But one of them objects that Huck "hain't got no family."
"Well, hain't he got a father?" asks Tom Sawyer.
"Yes, he's a got a father, but you can't never find him."
Jon Clinch's haunting first novel not only finds Pap, but in the life of this violent alcoholic it finds the spirit of a nation torn apart by conflicting racial passions. Clinch, who runs an advertising agency in Philadelphia, relies on Twain's details, sometimes borrowing whole scenes and patches of dialogue, but he reorders the characters completely, setting that eager little boy and his unconscious irony far into the background and forcing us to concentrate instead on the anguished man who sired him. Admittedly, part of the dark thrill here is "finding out" the back story that fans of Huckleberry Finn have long wondered about -- Who would ever have had a child with Pap? How did he end up naked and dead on that floating house? -- but this isn't just a creative appendix to an American classic. Clinch reimagines Finn in a strikingly original way, replacing Huck's voice with his own magisterial vision -- one that's nothing short of revelatory.
The novel begins, as such a story must, on the Mississippi River, that incalculably powerful current that's both cradle and grave, giving life across 2,000 miles while carrying away the nation's detritus and death: "Under a low sun, pursued by fish and mounted by crows and veiled in a loud languid swarm of bluebottle flies, the body comes down the river like a deadfall stripped clean." A series of horrors glide into this story just like that: slowly, often beautifully, letting us catch the scent of evil before we suddenly see it. This body in the opening paragraph continues its graceful passage down the river on a glorious morning, until it's spotted by boys "inured to dead things." It's a woman, but she won't be identified. Before tossing her in the river, Huck Finn's father carefully cut away all her skin.
Skin is an obsession with Finn, as it is for the rest of his country, and the tragedy of how he came to love and murder Huck's black mother is the spellbinding story that unravels in this novel.
Yes, Huck is half black -- a daring invention, to be sure, but also a brilliant embodiment of the liminal spot in which he lives, that chaotic Missouri boundary between freedom and slavery. Twain never suggested that Huck is a mulatto, but Finn cleverly explains the mystery of Huck's mother in perfect harmony with Twain's original. Clinch's real interest, though, is a deeply flawed, dangerous man who lurches for redemption between actions so vile he can't sleep.
From the opening discovery of the murdered woman, the story moves backward and forward in alternating chapters that reflect Finn's tangled relationship with the past. Night after night, deep in the woods, drinking with a blind moonshiner, Finn ruminates "upon the course of his life and the various hurtful influences upon it and how they have conspired to bring him to such a sad destination as this." Clinch never absolves him, but Finn comes from a family that would send anybody to the bottle. His mother is a bitter, dissatisfied woman. His father, known to everyone as the Judge, is an unyielding, loveless man who projects an enervating aura of disapproval. Disgusted with Finn's lack of interest in academics, the Judge consigns his son to a shack behind the barn, and there he might have spent the rest of his life, contentedly fishing and hunting and catching odd jobs, had he not come into possession of a young slave named Mary.
This impossibly complicated relationship is the heart of the novel and a testament to Clinch's sensitivity, his willingness to trace the threads of passion no matter where they lead. Naturally, Finn thinks of Mary as his property; he keeps her locked in his shack and orders her to cook and clean for him and eventually sleep with him. But he also appreciates her on a higher level that has no sanction in this racist society. Finn senses that "there is about her a grace and an ineffable sadness that conspire to retard her movements and make them thereby into something almost musical, transforming every act into a kind of prayer or languorous meditation." They fall into the habits of an old married couple. Despite "his shameful devotion," "his own untoward preferences in women," Finn eventually defends her with his life -- and even kills for her. "He is faithful to her," Clinch writes, "as to nothing else in this world," and she cares for him in return, without ever losing sight of the precarious nature of her position. When baby Huck comes along, the three of them, though desperately poor and completely outcast, seem genuinely content.
But try as he might, Finn is too weak, too proud and finally too racist to preserve what he later recalls as "the old paradisiacal days in his cabin." And that's the real curse that Clinch describes so powerfully: Finn is fully aware of what he's lost. "He is tormented to distraction by a kind of desperate unholy vigor," Clinch writes, "by the inescapable conviction that he has abandoned something that he must now restore unto himself." It's a poignant echo of Huck's description of his father in Huckleberry Finn: "A body would a thought he was Adam -- he was just all mud." And what, Clinch asks with unblinking honesty and sympathy, is an angry, remorseful man of mud to do with himself?
In one of the novel's most frightening, incantatory scenes, a grotesque allusion to Tom Sawyer, Finn madly whitewashes the entire interior of his shack -- the walls, the floor, the windows, everything -- desperate to be white, to be clean, to be pure, to cover the blood. But no sooner has it dried than he's drawing on those walls with the grime of his own fingers, creating a vast canvas "of his urge and of his longing and of his despair over the fate of his poor doomed immortal soul." Here, trapped in a squatter's shack hanging precariously over the river, is the madness of a whole country that will soon tear itself apart in a war over race.
Twain had a grim side, too, of course, but throughout much of his career, he was constrained by writing for the young boys' market. While working on Huckleberry Finn, he wrote in his journal, "I can't say, 'They cut his head off, or stabbed him, etc' describe the blood & the agony in his face." A decade later, already troubled by the depression that would eventually overtake him, he told a friend that he couldn't write all the things he wanted to: "They would require . . . a pen warmed up in hell." I don't know where Jon Clinch has been, but with Finn, he's grabbed hold of that searing pen. ·
Ron Charles is a senior editor of Book World.
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Search Washington, DC area books events, reviews and bookstores from the Washington Post. Features DC, Virginia and Maryland entertainment listings for bookstores and books events. Visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/print/bookworld today.
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Critiquing the Press - washingtonpost.com
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Howard Kurtz has been The Washington Post's media reporter since 1990. He is also the host of CNN's "Reliable Sources" and the author of "Media Circus," "Hot Air," "Spin Cycle" and "The Fortune Tellers: Inside Wall Street's Game of Money, Media and Manipulation." Kurtz talks about the press and the stories of the day in "Media Backtalk."
He was online Tuesday, Feb. 20, at noon ET to take your questions and comments.
Rolla, Mo.: On CNN's Saturday morning show, I saw what I thought was a "Daily Show" send-up of media coverage of the Anna Nicole Smith death -- the question of the day was, with no sense of irony, "Why are Americans so obsessed with celebrity?" My question to you is, how do you see this chicken-and -egg scenario, is it the MSM, particularly cable news, just giving the people what they want, or is the MSM putting these stories out there (maybe because they are easy) and Americans get hooked on them?
Howard Kurtz: SATURDAY morning? My video reel of the Anna Nicole coverage on Sunday morning was MUCH more "Daily Show"-like. I don't believe the country is rising up and demanding to know more about this woman's sad life (well, maybe just the involvement of Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband), and it's not much of a newspaper story. But the dynamics are classic cable TV. In a Pew survey, 61 percent say the Anna Nicole saga is being overcovered, but 11 percent say they are following it very closely. Cable is catering to that 11 percent. (In fact, MSNBC has been covering the BREAKING NEWS of the latest court hearing pretty much continuously today.) In cable, you only need an extra half-million or million viewers to produce a serious spike in the ratings, and that's why Anna Nicole, nearly two weeks after her death, is still sucking up plenty of cable oxygen.
Anonymous: On your Sunday CNN show, a clip of Barack Obama was shown in which he stated that information regarding his positions was available, but that the media was reporting how he looked in a bathing suit.
One reporter felt that Obama would have to become less thin-skinned if he wanted to survive the campaign. Isn't it really the press who is thin-skinned? News media appear to reject criticism as mere partisanship.
Howard Kurtz: Well, the press IS thin-skinned, but I don't think this is a great example of it. Barack Obama has gotten perhaps the most glowing coverage of any presidential candidate in four decades. Even his swimsuit coverage (this is the paparazzi shot that ran in People) has been positive! I think political writers have given Obama his due on the policy front, but it's also true that the senator, as much as any candidate I've seen in my professional lifetime, is running on his persona and his life story.
Teaneck, N.J.: Regarding Mitt Romney and how his Mormon faith might affect his run, it seems like the media is questioning the Mormon faith by just running polls on the subject. What doesn't seem to be talked about is who is questioning the Mormon faith and why. From my experience, the divide is primarily an Evangelical-Mormon divide. Most people in this country don't care, so right now it looks as if the media is encouraging prejudice against Mormons by asking people who don't care what they feel. (Romney's faith makes no difference to me.)
Howard Kurtz: I think the media have really been lazy in the knee-jerk reporting on Romney=Mormon=political problems. For one thing, there's more to Mitt Romney, like him or not, than just his religion. But somehow it's okay to depict Mormons as strange creatures. If we are going to delve into whether that is a significant obstacle -- as it didn't seem to be for his father, George Romney, whose 1968 presidential bid was derailed by his "brainwashing" in Vietnam -- I'd like to see a lot more nuanced reporting on the subject.
Murtha under attack: Howard: I hear the orchestra tuning up to play the "Knock down Murtha" symphony. Brit Hume practically calls him senile, Bob Novak terms his previous career "undistinguished" and all the talk show blowhards are saying he's ready to leave the troops naked and unarmed on the streets of Iraq. All of which means Murtha's on the right track. His proposed legislation actually points out that we've already been sending unprepared and under-equipped troops into combat for some time now. We're not only not winning over there, we're shredding our military in the process. Any chance we can get the media to actually focus on the state of the military to some degree, say the same paid to Anna Nicole Smith's will or Britney's head?
Howard Kurtz: Whoa -- that's tough competition.
The fact that some conservatives are attacking Jack Murtha in personal terms doesn't mean he's right. It does mean that his proposal -- to in effect restrict Bush's ability to deploy troops by requiring consideration of such factors as adequate training and home rest -- has touched a nerve. I'd sure rather see the debate fought out on the merits of the subject than on the personality and sharpness of this ex-Marine. After all, the only reason his plan would have any weight is that it may attract lots of support from other Democratic lawmakers.
Minneapolis: Hi Howard -- What do you make of the media's coverage (or lack thereof) of the president's stunning (and in my view, outrageous) comment last week that "living in the beautiful White House" he doesn't really pay attention to what's happening on the ground in the Iraq. Maybe I just missed it, but it doesn't seem to be getting much play, given its arrogance and hypocrisy (who's not supporting the troops now?) Thanks.
Howard Kurtz: Here's what the president actually said, in response to a question on whether there was a civil war in Iraq:
"I can only tell you what people on the ground, whose judgment -- it's hard for me, living in this beautiful White House, to give you an assessment, firsthand assessment. I haven't been there; you have, I haven't. But I do talk to people who are and people whose judgment I trust, and they would not qualify it as that. There are others who think it is. It is, however, a dangerous situation, thereby requiring action on my part."
That's a little different from saying he doesn't pay attention.
Follow-up to your first answer: So your answer is that the ANS coverage IS being driven by the people and not the MSM -- it's just that it's only 0.5-1 million people driving the coverage?
Howard Kurtz: Yes. Which is another way of saying that it's been driven by television, mostly cable and the morning shows. I avoid MSM here because, at least after the day of her unexpected death, Anna Nicole has not become a newspaper obsession. It's TV that is treating her as though she were Princess Di.
Chicago: Opinions polls show that voters are less likely to elect someone who has been married three times or someone who is in their 70s than they are to elect a woman, a Mormon or an African American. Why isn't there more coverage about the potential political liability of divorce and age, when there is so much coverage about Romney's religion, Obama's race, and Hilary's gender?
Howard Kurtz: I haven't seen those polls, but I'm sure we'll get to those issues. I don't know to what extent McCain's age will be a factor in the race. I'm a little skeptical of the married-three-times business, an obvious reference to Rudy. It used to be conventional wisdom that a divorced man could not be elected president, but Ronald Reagan disproved that. So is having taken a third wife that much more disqualifying than having taken a second?
How about having been cheated on? The New York Post reports today that Hillary's decision to stand by Bill after the Monica unpleasantness is viewed as a sign of strength by 56 percent in a Siena College Research Institute poll. One in five said it was a sign of weakness.
Boston: Last week, after Mitt Romney formally announced his presidential ambitions, most newspapers ran at least one story about his religion. But I saw no stories covering his record as governor. Some casually mentioned his success in Massachusetts. Others referenced his landmark health care bill. But Romney's one term in office was hardly a success. After suffering setbacks in the mid-term elections, he pretty much hung it up and started focusing on the White House. Neither of his two Republican predecessors is endorsing him, and his health care bill may never be implemented. Is it too much trouble for reporters to check a few of the candidate's references?
Howard Kurtz: Whether it was a success or not, Romney's term as governor of Massachusetts -- including his bipartisan health care plan, which now appears to be faltering on the basis of lowball cost estimates -- is his principal qualification in running for president. I don't put his management of the Salt Lake Olympics in the same category. I would have thought that by now we'd see major journalistic inquiries into his record as governor, beyond the Boston Globe. So far, all the media attention has been on Mormonism and Romney's move to the right on abortion, gay rights and gun control -- an important area of inquiry, but not the whole story.
New York, N.Y.: With regard to the the press asking whether Romney's Mormon faith will hurt his presidential prospects, you asked, "Try to imagine a headline that said, 'Will Jewish faith hurt bid for White House?' "
Is your memory really that poor? Six years ago, there were dozens of stories asking if Lieberman being Jewish will hurt the ticket.
Howard Kurtz: Actually, my not-so-poor memory mostly recalls a spate of stories saying that Lieberman would be a huge asset to the ticket. When he ran in 2004, there was a brief flurry of yes-but-would-he-work-on-Saturday stories, but his candidacy didn't last long enough for a serious inquiry.
Washington, D.C.: Can you explain why The Post's Peter Baker would ask President Bush a Plame trial question when he clearly knew Bush would not answer it? Was it simply designed to embarrass the president or draw attention to Baker? And why didn't he offer another question when Bush gave him the option?
Howard Kurtz: Peter Baker may be the least flamboyant reporter covering the White House, so he certainly wasn't trying to call attention to himself. He was trying to find a formulation that would draw Bush into commenting on some aspect of the Scooter saga by trying to put the trial itself off limits. It was a gambit that obviously didn't work.
Virginia Beach, Va.: Okay, cracked me up...."the Monica unpleasantness" I always appreciate someone with a flair for understatement. That was great!
Howard Kurtz: I used up all my other formulations in 1998.
Brookline: Regarding last week's op-ed by Byron York, followed by Victoria Toensing's ill-informed screed on Sunday. Is The Post trying to tamper with the Libby jury?
Howard Kurtz: The last time I checked the First Amendment, we're still allowed to comment on trials that are under way. The judge has not sequestered the jurors but has asked them to avoid all coverage of the trial. I'm keenly aware of this because there was a brief uproar when one juror saw my Style section piece on Tim Russert's testimony that federal marshals had somehow failed to excise from the morning papers, and the judge had to question the jury before the trial was allowed to proceed.
Rochester, N.Y.: What do you think of all the "McCain's got his groove back" type stories that have appeared in the press the past couple days (here and in The Politico, for example)? Does the press have to be careful to let its obvious affection for McCain not color what should be fair, objective coverage?
Howard Kurtz: Having written at great length about the media's dalliance with candidate McCain in 2000, I have to report that the romance has cooled. There has been a steady drumbeat of stories for months now about McCain abandoning his maverick ways, McCain flip-flopping on the likes of Falwell, McCain hiring political gunslingers he had once denounced, and how McCain's pro-war position is hurting his candidacy. A couple of color pieces saying he seemed to discover some of his old verve during one campaign swing hardly amounts to a new swoon.
Re: Plame: Do you think the press will push further about the Plame story after the trial? There's been a bunch of interesting news in the testimony.
Howard Kurtz: I don't think the trial has suffered for lack of media attention, and I'm not sure how long it lasts after the verdict, especially since a large number of Americans find the whole case incomprehensible.
Boston: Howard, what is your reaction to the Citi - Bartiromo hubub? I remember that you wrote that good book about conflicts in financial journalism. Thanks.
Howard Kurtz: Thanks for remembering "The Fortune Tellers", which dealt in part with CNBC and Bartiromo. Without going into chapter and verse, I'm still not positive what Maria has done wrong. She spent time appearing at Citigroup functions and cozying up to one executive who lost his job, but journalists at all levels try to develop high-level sources. She hitched a ride with said executive on a Citigroup jet back from Asia, but CNBC reimbursed the company for the flight (albeit at much cheaper rates). No one has yet pointed to an example where Bartiromo pulled a punch or put a positive spin on a Citigroup story. She has, however, made one major error, and that is retreating into no-comment mode as all these questions have swirled. That's not the way a journalist should act.
Ballston: Bravo for your earlier answer regarding the media's lust-fest over Obama. He really does seem to be getting the JFK treatment thus far. Any chance the press will want to have someone else's baby before November 2008?
Howard Kurtz: It's a long campaign. We'll eventually get tired of Obama and briefly fall in love with someone else.
Boston: Where are you getting that a large number of Americans find the case incomprehensible. The only poll I've see says 70 percent of Americans find the Libby trial to be very important. It seems it's the D.C. media that wishes it would go away.
Howard Kurtz: I'm the first to argue that the reputation of Washington journalism has hardly been enhanced by this trial. But the major MSM outlets have covered the trial every day. Outside of the media/political world, though, I believe there is very little interest in a former vice presidential aide who was hardly a household name and who is accused not of outing a CIA operative but of lying about what he did with reporters. I wish there was more public interest in the case, but as I watch Fox and MSNBC continuing wall-to-wall coverage of the latest Anna Nicole hearing this afternoon, I just don't think there is. Maybe if federal trials were televised, the situation would be different.
Alexandria, Va.: As a reporter, I wish you would ask a fellow reporter like Diane Sawyer what kind of conditions she agreed to for access to Mr. Ahmadinejad. And isn't it weird for a female reporter to put on headgear and interview a man that won't even shake her hand? I would have liked to see her reactions to that in your article.
Howard Kurtz: She agreed to no conditions, which is standard for news organizations, and that's why it wasn't worthy of mention. And I don't think you should let your distaste for Ahmadinejad -- there is, of course, plenty to be repulsed by -- cloud the importance of journalists obtaining interviews with foreign leaders and skeptically questioning them. It is important to understand our enemies.
Adams Morgan, D.C.: What has been the genesis of these stories about Barack Obama being authentically "black enough"? I first heard this question raised on CNN in a puff piece last year that was more about asking African Americans on the streets of New York if they knew of Obama or could even pronounce his name. On Feb. 2, I read a story in the NY Times that black essayist Debra J. Dickerson questioned Obama's black authenticity and that blacks favor Hillary over Obama. Last week's opinion piece in The Post by Marjorie Valbrun should have put the issue to rest.
Personally, this African-American thinks that these articles spark journalistic interest because whites are shocked that blacks would challenge the racial identity of someone who is obviously "phenotypically" black. From reading some of the response's to Valbrun's article, many whites are happy to point out what they perceive as sheer prejudice of blacks against one of our own. And then whites can trumpet the canard that Obama's race doesn't matter! When I heard Brit Hume expounding on how the country is ready for a black candidate like Obama, I started to see that Americans really like to believe that we are a race-neutral society, willing to give anyone a chance. It's as if Obama's candidacy is our latest racial Rohrshach test, and we are more than willing to believe of ourselves that we are ready to give a black man the chance to be president.
Howard Kurtz: I think that whole issue has been overhyped by the media. Sure, there is some interest in a biracial candidate who has a serious shot at a presidential nomination and where he fits into the African-American community. Essays like Debra Dickerson's "not black enough" piece in Salon helped stoke the debate, along with the arm's-length approach of folks like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton (as if they spoke for all of the black community). Some white journalists can't figure out why Hillary is polling higher in the African-American community than Obama and conclude there must be a "problem." It's an interesting debate, I suppose, but has been somewhat simplistic in my view.
Avon Park, Fla.: I'm concerned with the way the national press covers presidential politics, especially primaries. They base their decisions on who to cover based on national polls which don't mean anything. There are states in which lower candidates could be doing relatively well but don't get coverage because their national numbers aren't good. Should fewer national primary polls be conducted in favor or more state polls?
Howard Kurtz: The answer isn't fewer polls, it's reporting that ranges beyond the numbers and examines candidates beyond the so-called top tier. Howard Dean was at 1 percent when he started, and Bill Clinton wasn't much above that. By contrast, Joe Lieberman was the early front-runner in the Democratic polls last time around, and John Kerry was written off by November of '03 because he was sinking in the surveys. We make the same mistakes every cycle and then have to play catchup when someone not initially anointed as one of the front-runners catches fire.
Aspen, Colo.:"The only poll I've see says 70 percent of Americans find the Libby trial to be very important."
Okay, I'll bite. Who was doing that poll and what was asked. The Libby trial is the biggest fiasco in Washington D.C. special prosecutor jurisprudence. There was no crime and I'm sure the jury will find there was no intent to perjure himself. This trial -- and the "much ado" the left wingnuts who love to hate George Bush are making of it -- is a joke. It makes the law look bad. If anyone should be on trial it should be the Special Prosecutor for abusing his office.
Howard Kurtz: I guess feelings are still running strong on this.
There was an alleged crime -- lying to a grand jury. But such coverup cases are obviously a far cry from trials in which someone is charged with the underlying offense, that is, whatever was allegedly being covered up. I think it's a bit harder to paint Patrick Fitzgerald as an out-of-control special prosecutor, whatever the flaws of this case, in that he has a day job as the well-regarded U.S. attorney in Chicago, so is not someone who needed to bring charges here to justify his existence or boost his ego.
I don't understand why you constantly say that Obama gets such glowing coverage that others do not get. For example, Rudy gets a pass on things since he became "America's mayor" on 9/11. Please. Meanwhile Obama coverage implies that he is radical Muslim, a relative of Saddam's, and not quite "black enough." Also people in the media obsess about Obama's lack of experience - but how is his experience less than someone like Rudy's?
Howard Kurtz: It's absurd to suggest that MOST media coverage "implies" that Obama is a radical Muslim or relative of Saddam's. People can make up their own minds about two years as a U.S. senator (and eight years as a state senator before that) versus two terms running New York City. I would agree that Giuliani's record in that job has not gotten anything close to a full-blown media examination, but until recently many political reporters weren't convinced that Rudy was actually going to run.
Thanks for the chat, folks.
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Post media columnist Howard Kurtz discusses the press.
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Outlook: Libby Trial Participants Indicted by Association
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If You're Going to Charge Scooter, Then What About These Guys? ( Post, Feb. 11)
Toensing was an assistant deputy attorney general in the Reagan administration and now helps run D.C. law firm DiGenova & Toensing.
Victoria Toensing: Greetings from the courthouse. I've been sitting and watching the Libby closing arguments.
Washington: You were sitting at the defense lawyers' table at this morning's session of the trial, were you not? Does that mean you are part of the defense team? Shouldn't that have been mentioned with your Outlook article?
Victoria Toensing: I'm not a part of the defense team -- there was an overflow, we were in the overflow room and lawyers can sit at that table. There were other lawyers there who were not part of the defense team, like Jake Stein.
Virginia Beach, Va.: Interesting article ... one thing struck me though regarding your point that someone should point out that Wilson was using the media to make his assertions, just as the administration was by "planting" stories to make their points. You don't think that someone writing an op-ed with their name attached is just a little different from administration officials anonymously leaking to further their aims?
Victoria Toensing: He also leaked a series of stories prior to that op-ed, and did not have his name attached to them.
New York: Ms. Toensing, if no government official is willing to discuss Plame's job or covert/classified status how can you state with certainty that she wasn't covert? Has any government official told you what her status was? What position would you take if you were shown, by someone you trust, that she was covert?
Victoria Toensing: Well, if I had evidence that she was covert I certainly would respect that, but she did not have a foreign assignment within five years of publication. Wilson stated that in his book -- he states that they returned to the United States sometime in 1997, so six years. The definition of "covert agent," a person whose identity is to be protected, is someone who has been overseas in the past five years. The five years were added to protect sources the person would have worked with.
Alexandria, Va.: Congratulations on excellent journalism and law. If defendant were acquitted, could he seek redress through through civil litigation? Prospects for success in a civil suit?
Victoria Toensing: He cannot. Prosecutors have immunity from such litigation. It would be a very rare situation that a person would be able to sue.
Milwaukee: Ms. Toensing, I was always so impressed when you and your husband explained the importance of holding defendant's accountable during President Clinton's impeachment. Imagine my disappointment when I read this from your: "Trial in Error."
"...There's a reason why responsible prosecutors don't bring perjury cases on mere 'he said, he said' evidence. Without an underlying crime or tangible evidence of obstruction (think Martha Stewart trying to destroy phone logs), the trial becomes a mishmash of faulty memories in which witnesses can seem as guilty as the defendant..."
President Clinton's lying about consensual sex does not begin to compare to lying the U.S. into war and then trying to cover it up by outing a CIA agent and Brewster Jennings. Bob Novak and the Chicago Sun Times are not part of the declassification process. The "underlying crime," as I think you are well aware, is the Intelligence Identities Protection Act. In order to prosecute under the IIPA, Fitzgerald must prove intent. That's why the perjury and instruction trial comes first. Apparently, you, however, only want to prosecute Democrats for perjury.
Victoria Toensing: Where do I begin ... the tangible evidence in the Clinton perjury was a blue dress with a stain. In the Libby charge, there is no evidence outside of witnesses' testimony differing from Scooter Libby's testimony. It's pure he said/she said.
Boston, Mass.: Do you believe Brewster Jennings remains a good cover for American intelligence efforts around the world? Do you think it might be in America's best interests to protect our cover operations for our intelligence agents? Have you ever put your country above your party?
Victoria Toensing: I was chief counsel of the Senate Intelligence Committee under Barry Goldwater. I believe strongly that we need a vibrant CIA and intelligence methods. However, we should not prosecute somebody when no law has been violated. Plame was not covert.
Prescott, Ariz.: It has been said that you are a well-known attorney in the D.C. area. One of the big themes in this case is how the personal and professional entwinement between media and government had tainted much of the Iraq war reporting at the time this story started and continued as it evolved. That said, as a well-known attorney as well as a media pundit, do you have any personal or professional ties to people involved in this case that we should know about in order to assess the motives of your opinions and judgments on this case?
Victoria Toensing: Without question, I know people on the defense team. Most white-collar crime lawyers know each other in Washington, so that's not unusual. Actually both of Libby's lawyers are Democrats.
But let me tell you why I became quite interested in this case. About the time that this matter was evolving my husband and I were threatened with going to jail by a U.S. Attorney who abused his powers. He threatened to put us in jail if we did not testify against our own clients -- he saw that issue as the same reporters' privilege. And by the way, we won -- but it took more than a year and many sleepless nights.
Colorado Springs, Colo.: Could you please elaborate on the different treatment of media figures by Fitzgerald's office. That is, why were some afforded the opportunity of counsel (e.g., Russert) while others were not (e.g., Novak)? In your opinion, did Fitzgerald present sufficient evidence to prove the required elements of perjury?
Victoria Toensing: I have no idea why Fitzgerald treated reporters differently. As for the second question -- perjury requires materiality; in other words, two people differing is not enough, and it can't be a mistake or a bad recollection. I think there's a serious legal problem in fulfilling that requirement.
Ballston, Va.: Your indictment of the media is well placed and actually didn't go far enough. When it appeared possible that Rove might be indicted, the press could barely contain their zeal, and this drove the story for months. When Fitzgerald later said Rove wouldn't be indicted, the smiles turned into thuds. I remember poor Charlie Gibson looked like his cat had just died when he was forced to deliver this news. To what degree do you think this story has been propelled into the stratosphere as a result of a "blood-in-the-water" eagerness on the part of the press? It always seemed to me that the actual substance of the story didn't justify the press hysteria.
Victoria Toensing: First, The Post permitted me around 2,000 words and I think we exceeded it. So I did not get in every point I would have liked to have made. The media always loves a good story -- my fault with the media was that journalists were misstating the law.
Peaks Island, Maine: If the CIA did not consider Plame a covert employee, why did they refer the disclosure to the FBI? Do you believe that the CIA, FBI, Department of Justice and Fitzgerald all are in error in stating that Plame was a covert employee of the CIA?
Victoria Toensing: My point in the piece was that the CIA did not send over a request for investigation based on the requirements of the covert law being broken -- it sent a boilerplate classified information link form. It's not against the law to reveal the identity of someone whose position is classified at the agency. That's why we wrote the covert law in 1982. I don't know that she was even classified.
Minneapolis: You are old pals with Barbara Comstock, who is spearheading Libby's defense fund and the public relations effort on his behalf; for instance, you've drawn attention to the fact that in 2001 the two of you did the book tour together upon the posthumous publication of a book by Barbara Olson. Did you communicate at all with Comstock or others working on behalf of Libby about your Washington Post piece before it was published? If so, could you detail those communications?
Victoria Toensing: I did not talk to Barbara Comstock about this op-ed. I've been writing op-eds on this matter for two years, prior to Comstock or anybody being hired by Scooter Libby. But I am friends with her socially, and I'm not going to stop seeing her socially for three or four months.
Montclair, N.J.: Do you hope the jurors read your column?
Victoria Toensing: No, I would hope they would follow their instructions not to do so. That's the way our justice system works.
Louisville, Ky.: Thanks for doing these exciting chats. My question involves the administration's answering of important questions about the Libby trial. Let's hypothesize that Libby is convicted. That will certainly be appealed. The appeal could take years. Would that lead to the White House statements of "we can't comment because the case is on appeal"? What are your thoughts about when, if ever, we will get some answers to what Fitzgerald discovered?
Victoria Toensing: I doubt if anyone will talk about it until the process is over -- that's the usual stance during the course of litigation. The public has all the evidence that was presented at trial -- it shows the entire investigation, and what it shows is a whole lot of memories that conflict with each other. First of all, the president didn't talk to anybody. If somebody called you up and said, "did you hear X about your neighbor," and you had heard it from a third party, and who said "I heard that too," would you think you'd leaked the information?
Washington: To be considered covert does one actually have to live outside the U.S. in the previous five years or would trips outside the U.S. on CIA business constitute "serving" and therefore make the person's status covert?
Victoria Toensing: When we first drafted the legislation we covered people on foreign assignments only (meaning living abroad). The reasons we added the five years: number one, covert officers get rotated back through the United States from time to time, usually for two to three years. Second, to protect former sources, even if someone retired we wanted a reasonable time to protect anyone with whom they had had contact abroad. We all agreed that five years was sufficient time, and that's what was put into the final bill.
A trip abroad does not make a person covert. "Covert" only is applied to people specifically assigned to live abroad.
Minneapolis: You seem to have touched a nerve with those on the left, the vitriol and personal attacks on you in the comments section were intense! Do you read those comments, and what is their impact on you?
Victoria Toensing: Look, I'm a lawyer, so I'm used to an adversarial situation. They just didn't bother me. I only get upset when people do not get their facts or the law correct.
Victoria Toensing: I'm delighted that so many people took the time to read the article and agreed with it or disagreed with it.
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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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Nicole Richie Charged With DUI
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LOS ANGELES -- Nicole Richie was charged Friday with misdemeanor driving under the influence. In addition to the single count, the case contains an allegation that Richie had a prior misdemeanor DUI conviction in June 2003, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said.
The California vehicle code specifies that if convicted of DUI twice within 10 years, a person can be sentenced to between 90 days and a year in jail, fined between $390 and $1,000, and have driving privileges suspended.
The complaint alleges Richie was under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and an unspecified drug when she was arrested Dec. 11, said prosecution spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons.
Arraignment was scheduled for Feb. 21 in suburban Glendale Superior Court. Richie, who starred in the TV reality show "The Simple Life" with Paris Hilton, does not have to appear because it is a misdemeanor case.
Richie's attorney, Howard L. Weitzman, said he had not yet reviewed the complaint.
"Nicole will deal with these charges in the appropriate forum," he said in an e-mailed statement.
Richie, 25, was arrested after 911 callers reported her car headed the wrong way on a freeway in Burbank about 12:30 a.m. She was found alone in her SUV, stopped in a car-pool lane.
Richie was arrested after she failed a field sobriety test, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP Officer Todd Workman said at the time that Richie, the daughter of pop singer Lionel Richie, volunteered information that she had smoked marijuana and taken the prescription painkiller Vicodin, but no drugs were found on her or in the car.
Last month, Hilton pleaded no contest to alcohol-related reckless driving stemming from her Sept. 7 arrest in Hollywood and was sentenced to 36 months probation, alcohol education and $1,500 in fines. That case was reduced from an original charge of driving under the influence.
Associated Press Writer Solvej Schou contributed to this report.
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LOS ANGELES -- Nicole Richie was charged Friday with misdemeanor driving under the influence. In addition to the single count, the case contains an allegation that Richie had a prior misdemeanor DUI conviction in June 2003, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021602109.html
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https://web.archive.org/web/2007022219id_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021602109.html
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'Ghost Rider': Hells, um, Devils
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2007022219
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"Ghost Rider" is a compelling image in search of a movie.
The image is, I suppose, every bad-boy biker's idealized vision of himself: a slinky, hellish black-leathered and jeaned knight on a gleamy chopper with angel-wing bars and a teardrop fuel tank. He looks like a chromed angel of death or a cowboy gunslinger in the key of motorcycle as he churns across plain and through city, leaving a ribbon of flame in his tracks.
And -- here's the best part -- his head is on fire.
I haven't seen a good "his head is on fire" movie in a long time, maybe never, but now I'm aching to see some more. Anybody got any suggestions? Do I have to wait for the sequel, "His Head Is on Fire 2," before I get my wish? Darn, I hate it when that happens.
Anyhow, "Ghost Rider" is on somewhat shakier ground as a narrative. Nicolas Cage, who should know better, plays Johnny Blaze, an Evelish Knievelish stunt jock who makes a nice living punching his bike so hard off a ramp it leaps not tall buildings but rows and rows of trucks and even helicopters, with swerving rotors ready to grind him to cornflakes, at a single bound. He's a second generationer in this line of work, having learned the flying trade from his dad who one day tried to fly too far and was brought low for it.
But that was after Johnny inked a contract with Old Scratch, in order to save his dad from the cancer that was eating his lungs. It was the Devil's trick to get Johnny to sign, then take the old man via different means! And this was a devil you thought you could trust, too. He looks just like Young Mr. Lincoln. (How many of you kids get the joke? Don't raise your hands at once.)
In any event, many years later, with Johnny grown up, the Devil (Peter Fonda, get it?) wants the due Johnny cheated him out of in the first place; though a fraud, the contract is still binding. It seems that there's trouble in Hell. The Devil's evil son Blackheart (Wes Bentley) and three pals (angels of air, water and I couldn't figure out the last guy, maybe just ugliness) want to take over the ranch. Politics, politics, everything's politics! Thus the Devil commissions Johnny as a "Ghost Rider," which means his job is to take down the bad boys; if he does that, he gets his soul back; if not, he goes on the rotisserie until the sun turns into a popsicle.
Hmm, what follows are a lot of loud, chaotic action sequences for an audience acculturated more to NASCAR, tractor pulls, demo derbies and that show on Discovery in which the father curses his adult sons while they build custom choppers. Over and over, director Mark Steven Johnson returns to the image of the ghost rider, head blazing, roaring hellishly through the darkness, trailing gossamers of oxidation. Johnny has to fight each of the bad guys in various heavy-metal ways -- chains seem to be the weapon of choice -- and the effects, though hardly believable, are quite energetic.
I suppose there's some resemblance to a plot, even if I could never quite figure out where Sam Elliott fit in. He seemed to be a graveyard attendant and religious eschatology adviser, an odd confluence of occupations, even by Hollywood standards. Also along to pose dramatically in silhouette to show off the more salient aspects of her talent is Eva Mendes, who pouts and flirts as the inevitable TV reporter and ex-girlfriend.
Mainly the movie's about riding a bike at the speed of sound while your head is burning. They can do anything these days, which isn't quite the same as saying they should do anything these days.
Ghost Rider (105 minutes, at area theaters) is PG-13 for stylized violence and random fire.
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Search movie listings, reviews and locations from the Washington Post. Features national listings for movies and movie guide. Visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/movies today.
| 31.68 | 0.48 | 0.56 |
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021601828.html
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https://web.archive.org/web/2007022219id_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021601828.html
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Johnson, Nats Have No Idea on Return
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2007022219
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VIERA, Fla., Feb. 16 -- Nick Johnson still walks with a bit of a hitch in his step, can't jog at all and won't be swinging a bat with the rest of the Washington Nationals next week or next month. In fact, as Johnson arrived at spring training Friday, his return from a broken right leg seemed as uncertain as ever.
Asked when he might return, Johnson casually offered June as a target, one which would represent a delay from doctors' assessments last month. But the club said it won't have a better idea until at least Monday, when team physician Benjamin Shaffer will look at Johnson's latest X-rays. The overall message: No one knows when the player Manager Manny Acta called "the most productive hitter we had here last year" will again take to a major league field, and no one ruled out the possibility -- however slight -- that Johnson could miss the entire season.
"We can't put a time on Nick's return," Acta said after consulting with the team's medical staff. "You heard May. You heard June. We just can't put a time until the X-rays get evaluated and he shows progress in the rehab program."
General Manager Jim Bowden has been consistent in his predictions about Johnson all winter: He won't make any. Bowden reiterated Friday that he won't know anything about a possible return "until we see him on the field."
"Right now, there is not enough information or data to put a timetable on it," Bowden said.
Johnson said a June return "is in my head" but admitted, "I just threw it out there. I don't know." Asked if he could miss the entire season, he said, "I hope not." Acta, asked the same question, said, "We're going to miss him whether it's for a month or for six months."
Johnson suffered the injury in a violent collision with right fielder Austin Kearns on Sept. 23 at Shea Stadium in New York. He had surgery that night, and Shaffer originally predicted a swift healing process, saying the next day, "Do I think spring training is realistic? Absolutely."
But Johnson healed slowly. When he failed to gain flexibility in his hip and leg late last year, he underwent a pair of surgical procedures to remove scar tissue and screws from the leg.
Thus, the Nationals' first baseman for the first two months of the season likely will come from a group that includes prospect Larry Broadway, slick-fielding veteran Travis Lee or newly signed Dmitri Young. Robert Fick, a utility man who can also catch and play the outfield, would be a possibility if the others don't come through.
"Larry Broadway gets the first shot," Bowden said, an indication that they would prefer the 26-year-old -- a third-round pick from Duke in 2001 who hit .288 and drove in 78 runs for Class AAA New Orleans last year -- to develop into a major league hitter.
"It's time to do it," Broadway said. "I feel like it's about time. I feel like I'm coming into spring training trying to be even more prepared."
Lee, 31, is a .256 career hitter over nine seasons and could be the best defensive option. Young, a 33-year-old with a recent history of legal and substance-abuse problems, signed a non-guaranteed minor league contract on Wednesday and won't participate in major league camp unless he impresses against minor leaguers.
"The good thing is we have options now," Acta said. "The depth that we have over there, we didn't have before."
Still, even if Broadway develops into a competent major leaguer or Lee rebounds from a season in which he hit .224 for Tampa Bay, the Nationals' lineup is in part built around Johnson's ability to get on base. Last season in the National League, only St. Louis's Albert Pujols and Florida's Miguel Cabrera had a higher on-base percentage than Johnson's .428. His OPS (on-base plus slugging percentages) of .948 was eighth in the NL, buoyed by his 46 doubles.
"He's a guy that gets on base," Kearns said. "He's going to hit, but he takes a lot of walks. . . . He's going to drive in runs."
For a bit of irony, it is Kearns who will slide into Johnson's normal spot as cleanup hitter. The two have maintained close contact since the injury, frequently text messaging each other over the winter, whether the subject was fantasy football or the NFL playoffs. But they have a different take on the accident. Johnson has watched it.
"I just wanted to see it," he said. "I just looked at it a couple more times, just watch the leg flop."
Kearns hasn't. "Didn't really care to," he said.
With or without Johnson, the Nationals are expected to struggle this season. Because of the rebuilding effort, team officials said they would be cautious about Johnson's return.
"We're not going to jeopardize 2008 and years beyond 2008 just to get Nick Johnson over here two, three weeks earlier," Acta said. "No, not at all. Nick is not going to be on the field until he is 100 percent ready to go."
Johnson seemed to endorse that approach -- whenever he returns.
"When the bone heals, I should be ready to go," Johnson said. "I don't want to come out and be limping and do something where I might hurt my back or blow out my knee. [I need to] just get things strong, because once I get out there, I just go."
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| 26.860465 | 0.604651 | 0.837209 |
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