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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/13/AR2006101300169.html
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https://web.archive.org/web/2006101419id_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/13/AR2006101300169.html
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Ney Pleads Guilty to Corruption Charges
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Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio) pleaded guilty yesterday to corruption charges arising from the influence-peddling investigation of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, becoming the first elected official to fall in a scandal that may damage his party's chances in next month's elections.
Ney, 52, emerged from a month of alcoholism treatment to appear in federal court in Washington, where he admitted performing official acts for lobbyists in exchange for campaign contributions, expensive meals, luxury travel and skybox sports tickets. Ney also admitted taking thousands of dollars in gambling chips from an international businessman who sought his help with the State Department.
House Republican leaders, still struggling to blunt the impact of a scandal involving House pages, immediately vowed to expel Ney in a post-election session if he has not resigned by then. Ney's attorney said in court that the congressman will resign his seat in the coming weeks but wants to first take care of pending constituent matters and see that his staff is settled.
Ney, a six-term House member from a conservative district in eastern Ohio, appeared before Judge Ellen S. Huvelle and calmly acknowledged his guilt as Huvelle read a long list of favors Ney and Abramoff had done for each other. "That's accurate, Your Honor," Ney repeated again and again.
Ney made no statement to the court, but afterward he issued a written statement saying he was "ashamed" that his long career in public service has ended this way.
"I never acted to enrich myself or get things I shouldn't, but over time, I allowed myself to get too comfortable with the way things have been done in Washington D.C. for too long," Ney said. "I accepted things I shouldn't have with the result that Jack Abramoff used my name to advance his own secret schemes of fraud and theft in way I could never have imagined."
Ney is the eighth person convicted in the continuing federal investigation into Abramoff's activities. A federal task force that includes a dozen Justice Department prosecutors is investigating Abramoff's dealings with other congressional offices, including those of Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) and Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.), according to lawyers and witnesses involved in the probe.
Last month, Ney agreed to plead guilty to one count each of conspiracy and making false statements. His formal plea was delayed while he was in rehab. Yesterday, Ney was accompanied by a young staffer and a friend, Ellen Ratner, who told reporters that he did not want to drag his wife and children into court. "He's very happy he is sober," added Ratner.
Huvelle set sentencing for Jan. 19. The government has recommended that Ney be given 27 months in prison.
But Republican and Democratic leaders said they are prepared to move against him in November when the House returns from its recess. "Bob Ney must be punished for the criminal actions he has acknowledged," said a joint statement by House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Republican Conference Chairman Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio). "He betrayed his oath of office and violated the trust of those he represented in the House. There is no place for him in this Congress. If he chooses not to resign his office, we will move to expel him immediately as our first order of business when Congress resumes its legislative work in November."
Ney announced in August that he would not seek reelection and resigned as chairman of the House Administration Committee; the head of that panel is known as the mayor of Capitol Hill.
The Ohio Republican had been a target of the investigation for a year and came under increasing pressure -- first in January with Abramoff's guilty plea and agreement to cooperate in the investigation, then with the guilty plea in May of his former aide Neil G. Volz, who admitted conspiring to corruptly influence the congressman and others. Ney admitted encouraging Volz to violate the one-year ban on lobbying by former staffers.
Ney accepted a stream of valuable things from Abramoff and the lobbyists he hired from Capitol Hill, among them Volz. The gifts included luxury vacations that prosecutors valued at more than $170,000. Ney, for his part, sought to insert four amendments into a 2002 election overhaul bill to benefit Abramoff's clients. He also admitted helping another client win a multimillion-dollar contract to provide wireless communication services to the U.S. Capitol.
The congressman admitted that he twice inserted comments in the Congressional Record aimed at bolstering a bid by Abramoff to buy a casino cruise line in Florida in 2000.
Abramoff is scheduled to report to prison next month for his conviction on bank-fraud charges in the Florida case. His partner in that deal, Adam Kidan, is slated to report soon to a minimum-security prison camp at Fort Dix, N.J.
As of August, Ney had spent $296,000 in campaign funds to pay for legal expenses this year, according to newly filed campaign reports.
By age 62, Ney could be eligible for a pension worth about 20 percent of the $165,100 congressional salary, or about $33,000 a year.
Earlier this year, Ney's committee passed ethics legislation to strip convicted lawmakers of their pensions, but the bill died in the House. Ney championed the provision, saying it was designed to hold "members of Congress and those they work with to the highest standards in order to ensure that those who abuse the public trust will be dealt with accordingly."
Research editor Alice Crites contributed to this report.
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Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio) pleaded guilty yesterday to corruption charges arising from the influence-peddling investigation of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, becoming the first elected official to fall in a scandal that may damage his party's chances in next month's elections.
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At U.N., U.S. Pushes For Vote on N. Korea
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But Russia raised new concerns that the resolution fails to adequately define what weapons-related goods would be covered by the embargo. And China, backed by Russia, insisted that the United States include greater assurances that the resolution could not be used to justify the armed seizure of North Korean ships traveling in international waters.
The Security Council's five permanent members -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France -- and Japan said they would continue negotiations Saturday morning and convene a meeting of the 15-nation council at noon.
The impasse came several hours after John R. Bolton, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, announced that the resolution enjoyed the "unanimous agreement" of the council's key powers. "I'm still ready to go for a vote. We'll just have to see what the instructions are, particularly from Moscow and China," he said Friday evening.
The U.S.-backed draft text urges states to enforce the embargo by inspecting cargo entering or leaving North Korea. It would also ban travel and freeze the bank accounts of North Korean officials linked to the country's most lethal weapons programs.
To secure Chinese and Russian support for the resolution, the United States, Japan and their European allies have already agreed to include explicit assurances that the resolution could not be used as a pretext for military action. They also dropped other strong measures, including a U.S. proposal to give Pyongyang a 30-day deadline to suspend its nuclear activities or face additional penalties. Japan withdrew a series of controversial proposals to ban all North Korean exports and to prohibit North Korean aircraft and vessels from arriving in foreign ports.
But Bolton said that Russia raised concerns late Friday about four new problems with the text. The most important, according to Bolton, involved the "question of how we will define nuclear, biological and chemical and weapon-related materials and ballistic missile components."
China's U.N. ambassador, Wang Guangya, said Friday morning that many of the chief obstacles to an agreement had been cleared but that the council would "bridge a few final points" where some minor differences remained. But Wang told reporters that Chinese officials had discovered other problems in the text.
China's chief concern involves a provision calling for international inspections of North Korean cargo. China expressed concern that some states could invoke the provision to justify the seizure of North Korean ships in international waters, an act that Wang insists would be a violation of international law.
Bolton countered that there are existing international and national laws "that allow the boarding of ships in international waters." He said that those laws provide the authority for the U.S.-sponsored Proliferation Security Initiative, an agreement among 16 states to coordinate interdiction operations on the high seas. Bolton described the resolution as "a kind of codification" of the Proliferation Security Initiative and said that there is nothing new or different in the current resolution on North Korea.
Bolton also differed with Wang over the importance of a ban on luxury goods, which he said had been crafted to prevent North Korea's rulers, primarily the leader, Kim Jong Il, from spending lavishly on expensive foreign goods. "I think, you know, the North Korean population's been losing average height and weight over the years, and maybe this'll be a little diet for Kim Jong Il."
Wang said that a ban on luxury goods was unnecessary and too vague. "I don't know what luxury good means, because luxury goods can mean many things for different people," Wang told reporters.
U.S. officials believe it is essential to pass the resolution this weekend, before Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice embarks next week on a trip to Japan, South Korea and China. Rice plans to meet with senior officials on implementing the provisions, including restricting North Korea's arms trade, the State Department announced.
"We'll be looking for ways to increase our cooperation with other countries and to make it clear to North Korea that it's going to have to figure out another way to earn its living besides this type of activity," Assistant Secretary of State Christopher R. Hill said yesterday at the National Press Club.
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UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 13 -- The United States and Japan pushed for a Saturday vote on a Security Council resolution that would condemn North Korea's reported nuclear test and impose an embargo on the communist government's trade in weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missiles, most conventional...
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U.N. Nears North Korea Resolution
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Peter Beck , Northeast Asia director for the International Crisis Group , was online Friday, Oct. 13, at noon ET to discuss possible next steps in the international response to North Korea's nuclear test claim. The U.S. is asking the United Nations Security Council for a quick resolution as well as economic sanctions. Russia and China have expressed reservations, while Japan has announced a ban on imports from North Korea. In response North Korea has promised "strong countermeasures" if the sanctions are enforced.
Beck, who is based in Seoul and fluent in Korean, directs the ICG's project in South Korea. He is also an adjunct professor at Ewha University and a member of the Ministry of Unification's Policy Advisory Committee.
Peter Beck: Good afternoon! Actually, it is already early Saturday morning here in Seoul. This has been one of the longest weeks of my life, but what better way to end it than to have my first chat with my fellow Washington Post readers! There's lots to discuss. A new UN Security Council resolution could pass within a matter of hours. Beijing and Seoul just held a summit, which can only make Pyongyang more nervous. What should the world do about the North's alleged test? As if the test were not enough, we will likely see a new exodus of refugees into China this winter. The International Crisis Group will publish a report on the looming refugee crisis on Wednesday!
Arlington, Va.: Who can blame the North Koreans or the Iranians for that matter for pursuing nukes? Bush lumped them all together in his "axis of evil" and sent the military into Iraq. Surely they realized after that that the way for them to survive would be to get nukes now as a deterrent. If they have the know-how why should they be precluded from having such weapons when so many other countries have them? Why do countries like ours assume we have the right to tell the North Koreans "you can't have nuclear weapons, but we get to keep ours"? It seems rather arrogant.
Peter Beck: I agree that President Bush's "Axis of Evil" speech was the start of our long spiral downward. I wrote a column at the time that basically said, "If the Bush Administration would like lessons in name-calling and brinksmanship, the North will be happy to provide them." The Iraq invasion did teach the North that they need to be as deadly as possible to avoid the same fate. But shouldn't we do everything we can to prevent horrible regimes like Iran, Pakistan and North Korea from possessing the ultimate weapon? Ooops, our good friends in Pakistan already have some!
Honolulu, Hawaii: It has never been a secret that the current administration's policy towards the DPRK is to seek the conditions for it's implosion. Like in Iraq, the administration has no plan for the consequences.
That China and the Republic of Korea are concerned about an ensuing flood of refugees is also no secret. Both are concerned that in the aftermath the "German problem" will revisit the Korean Peninsula, retarding their growing bilateral economic ties.
Would it be safe to say that had Washington constructively addressed these concerns of the DPRK's neighbors, the dynamics of the current situation would have more flexibility?
Peter Beck: Aloha! You are quite right that the Bush Administration seems unconcerned about the consequences of a North Korean implosion. Is there any way for the US to reassure China and South Korea about this, other than to say, "Just send us the bill!" I don't think that is going to happen!
Washington, D.C.: What is the mood like in Seoul? Are people anxious? Or just angry? It seems like they have the most at stake in this, being a neighbor and adversary. What would be their ideal outcome? Obviously a collapse would burden them overwhelmingly, but a strong regime is bad also...
Peter Beck: The huge gaggle of reporters who have been flying in all week tell me that they are surprised that they do not see signs of fear on the streets of Seoul. It is true that people are going about their daily lives and it is not the first topic of conversation, but if you ask, people are a bit anxious. Unlike the missile test three months ago, this has gotten everyone's attention. You are right that the South has the most at stake, but most South Koreans just ignore the North. They are focused on their families and jobs and would like a very gradual unification in the distant future.
Honolulu, Hawaii: The Seoul Times ran an article this week that referred to reports that the PLA was beefing up the border. Can Jilin and Heilongjiang be effectively cordoned off if the need arose?
Peter Beck: Beijing is also said to have started building a fence along the border too. I have read the same reports, but I have not been able to independently confirm them. The border is more than 700 miles long, so I don't see how China can seal its border, any more than the US can seal the US-Mexico border anytime soon.
Munich, Germany: I've noticed that many of the punitive measures being suggested for North Korea were also imposed on Zimbabwean President Mugabe and his entourage, and those measures had absolutely no effect on changing Mugabe's political behavior. What makes people think that Kim Il Jong will give up the bomb if Mugabe wouldn't rein in his oppressive regime?
My other point is that, although China and probably Russia have more leverage on North Korea, Kim Jong Il wants unilateral talks with the U.S., and the Bush administration refuses to be blackmailed into talking with Pyongyang. In some ways, it seems like the rest of the world are bystanders in a dispute between North Korea and the United States, that at times, resembles a bad marriage.
Peter Beck: I agree that sanctions are not likely to bring Kim Jong-il to his knees. The reaction of the United States and Japan was entirely predictable. Given that the Bush Administration refuses to talk to the North bilaterally, the country to watch is China. They are the ones that could make life really difficult for the North. The bad marriage metaphor is usually used to describe U.S.-South Korea relations!
Washington, D.C.: Do you think it really was a nuclear test, and do think it matters whether or not it was real?
Peter Beck: I think we have to assume until it is proven otherwise that the North conducted a test, however small it may have been. I will be very surprised if we determine that the North did not test. This would be a great embarrassment to the regime.
Arlington, Va.: How seriously do you take North Korea's threat to Japan re: imposing sanctions? Is it just talk?
Peter Beck: Unless Kim Jong-il has a death wish, the threat against Japan is an empty one. Japanese sanctions will hurt the North a bit, but not too much as around 80% of North Korea's trade is with China and South Korea.
Atlanta, Ga.: Is it correct to think that N. Korea's military threat to the U.S. is nominal at best but the threat they pose economically is huge. If a serious disturbance occurs resulting in millions of refugees flooding into China and S. Korea wouldn't this harm the economies of S. Korea, China and Japan? If so,who will buy the U.S. massive debt used to finance the recent tax cuts and the Iraq war? Basically overnight couldn't we see steep rises in interest rates and steep declines in the value of the dollar?
Peter Beck: North Korea is years away from developing a missile that could actually hit the United States and even more years from being able to develop a missile with a nuclear payload. What we do need to worry about first and foremost is a the threat of proliferation. An implosion would create a huge problem for China and South Korea. Stay tuned for our report next week!
Boulder, Colo.: What would you most like to see the Bush administration do in the coming weeks as regards this issue?
Peter Beck: Talk bilaterally with the North, but that seems impossible until we have regime change in Washington. The Bush Administration has painted itself into a corner and needs China or a third party to come to the rescue. That of course assumes the Bush folks want to be rescued...
Washington, D.C.: Follow-up question on whether the test was real: If it was real,why didn't they film it and release the films? Why didn't the let Dr. Sig Hecker use instruments to test the 'plutonium' they handed him? Why didn't they let him meet with nuclear scientists?
BTW, The Guardian just reported "Results from an initial air sampling after North Korea's announced nuclear test showed no evidence of radioactive particles that would be expected from a successful nuclear detonation, a U.S. government intelligence official said Friday."
Peter Beck: Well, they did let Sig into the Yeongbyeon reactor site to prove that they had removed the fuel rods, so perhaps they will let him visit again. I am always careful not to get too close to him...
Richmond, Va.: If the U.S. feels seriously threatened by N. Korea, and decides to fire missiles at suspected nuclear weapons sites. What do you feel the international reaction would be. Especially from the major players: S. Korea, China, Japan and Russia?
Peter Beck: This is the question I am asked the most by the South Korean media. Folks here are scared that the Bush Administration might be crazy enough to launch a preemptive strike on the North, but there are three problems. The quagmire in Iraq means that our military is already being stretched to the limit, and we don't even know where all of the key sites are in the North. Most importantly, we would be risking a horrible war on the Korean Peninsula! Not an option.
Baltimore, Md.: How difficult would it be to simply assassinate Kim Jong-Il? Could his replacement somehow be worse? Couldn't a semi-serious world organization like NATO bless the hit?
Peter Beck: We saw in Iraq that the U.S. is not very good at taking out leaders, but even if we could, the alternative to Junior could be even worse. In a best-case scenario, the North would find its own Park Chung-hee--a military dictator with a vision for developing the country, but a more likely scenario is a military junta like Burma. Not pretty.
Alexandria, Va.: Good morning, NK has had Seoul in the sights of a formidable artillery and rocket arsenal for decades now. Since its stated aim is reunification, the North won't benefit from a radioactive South. The nuclear weapon essentially changes nothing for the ROK. What are its incentives or motivations for punishing the North?
Peter Beck: That is one reason why South Koreans are not as worried as you might expect them to me. So the North has another way of killing us? The fear here is that pushing the North too hard could lead to an even more serious crisis, and no one of any political stripe wants the crisis to get so serious that investors start heading for the door.
Baltimore, MD.: I find it ironic that Bush-bashers are using Iraq and North Korea in the same complaint. He's handled the two situations completely differently; diplomatically multilateral with one, and unilaterally military with the other. If we reconstruct history such that Bush acted on North Korea and not on Iraq in 2003, would we have a better situation today?
A serious 2003 military action against North Korea would have had dire consequences - tens of thousands of Korean civilians dead along with thousands of U.S. troops in the conflict's opening days.
Letting France lead negotiations with Iraq would have given Saddam more time to build a nuke with the program we KNOW he had, and would probably have afforded him more comforts from a Eurocentric carrot-happy approach, while the Shiites under his iron hand would continue to starve and disappear from his secret police.
All said, I like the present better. You?
Peter Beck: A completely predictable quagmire in Iraq with dozens dying everyday? We always need to use a combination of carrots and sticks in any confrontation. Given that the French and South Koreans like carrots, we need to add a few sticks of our own, but in coordination! The Bush Administration pursues unilateraism where it can, and multilateralism where it cannot!
Richmond, Va.: Follow up: If the U.S. does not know where all the suspected sites may be, what is your feeling on US intelligence in N. Korea. Surely the S. Koreans have spies over there and hopefully share some of that information.
Peter Beck: Our human intelligence is very poor when it comes to North Korea. I doubt the South has many spies in the North. If they do, I sure don't know about it! I have had folks in the U.S. intel community tell me how "lucky" I was to be able to visit the North three times as a tourist!
Arlington, Va.: It's easy to say "talk bilaterally with the North," but about what? Remember, NK broke off the six-party talks because the U.S. took steps to prevent it from counterfeiting U.S. currency. Should the right to counterfeit be back on the table? Talking about nuclear energy bought the North ten more years of life last time we did it, but what are we really going to offer them this time that hasn't already been tried? ANY talks with NoKo are destined to fail, and the attempt by other nations to push the US into bilateral talks is just an attempt to make the U.S. bear all of the blame when those talks inevitably fall apart. It's easy to criticize U.S. policy, but when you look around, you see that no one else has any ideas either.
Peter Beck: It is very true that the North may not be interested in making a deal with the United States, no matter what the terms are, but we will never know until we stop the half-hearted and self-defeating approach taken by the Bush Administration. I am told by people in the know that there is no effort being made to try to sort out the accounts that were shut down in Macao. Some were being used for legitimate business transactions. Freeing those up MIGHT break the logjam in the talks.
Munich, Germany: Regarding bilateral talks between North Korea and the U.S., is it possible that North Korea is trying play the U.S. against China?
Peter Beck: No. The North has always wanted to have talks exclusively with the United States. I don't think the U.S. could compete with China when it comes to largesse. What has surprised me is that the North has not done a better job of playing South Korea off of the United States. The North really hasn't given the South Korean government anything to work with. I tell Koreans that "Koreans only" is North Korean code for "Give us more money." For the North, the South is nothing more than a cash register, and they never miss an opportunity to show their contempt.
Washington, D.C.: I was wondering if what we are seeing is an elaborate charade on the part of North Korea? First the missile tests did not go well, and now there is a substantial question whether a nuclear test was in fact carried out. Radioactive material has not been detected. While I cannot imagine why they would want to bluff, I am wondering how measured the U.N. response should be?
Peter Beck: It would be nice if sanctions were undertaken for a confirmed action. But then, Japan is the president of the UN Security Council this month, and the U.S. is all to happy to act first and confirm later. A resolution will only increase the chances that the North conducts another test in the near future.
Baltimore, Md.: I don't like the idea of a military strike that would lead to the deaths of tens of thousands of South Korean civilians, but does that justify letting 200,000 North Koreans suffer in horrible gulags, and many millions more live in abject poverty?
Peter Beck: This is precisely one of the many dilemmas we face when dealing with North Korea. Kim Jong-il has his own people and South Korea hostage.
Arlington, Va.: Is it true that scientists have noted that the seismic signatures from the supposed test were small for a typical nuclear weapon?
Is it true that Kim Jong-Il said size doesn't matter, it's how you use it ?
Peter Beck: The Korean press is reported today that the test does seem to have been very small.
Do you see a regime change in the North any time soon?
Are there any possible heirs to power who might take the North in a different direction?
Peter Beck: Someday, there will probably be a military coup in the North, but who knows when. Son #1's claim to fame was getting caught trying to visit the Tokyo Disneyland. Son #2's claim to fame is that he tried to follow Eric Clapton around Europe last summer. Not exactly residential material. Perhaps after they have joined a fraternity...
Rockville, Md.: How much has the current events changed public attitudes in South Korea? Do more favor the U.S.? Or are they just angry at everyone? Would they favor a military take over of the North if it was quick? Is that even possible? I think it would require some cooperation from Generals in the North to be considered as reasonable.
Peter Beck: The North's provocative behavior has led to even more criticism of President Roh's decision to seek the return of operational control of Korean forces during wartime. The North's behavior only strengthens the position of conservatives in all capitals. Conservatives here tend to like the U.S. more than liberals. Guess which ones are likely to win the next presidential election?
Alexandria, Va.: Regarding bilateral talks - I always understood this request as yet another shot at South Korea in their war of international esteem. That is, the North never recognized SK as a legitimate state (still has South Korean reps in its rubber stamp legislature) but only as a puppet of U.S. masters, so that the only party it would treat with would be the U.S.
If this remains the case, what is the ROK's feeling on bilateral talks?
Peter Beck: Back in 1994, when we signed the bilateral Agreed Framework with the North, the South did feel left out, but gradually came to embrace it, even when the U.S. was ready to discard it. Today, there is almost no anxiety about the U.S. talking bilaterally with the North.
Berlin, Germany: Hey Peter, I'm glad to write to you from not Seoul but from Berlin, where I at moment am staying.
North Korea has built nuclear bombs the last two decades and is no doubt a nuclear state. Do you think that it is still possible for North Korea to renounce the nuclear weapons capabilities, after a half successful or half failed explosion test on October 9, in return of any rewarding compensations from the West?
Peter Beck: We won't know the answer to that question until we make an offer to Kim Jong-il that he shouldn't refuse. We haven't done that yet. This may not sound very appealing, but the alternatives are far worse!
Los Angeles, Calif.: Is the world community basically hoping and praying that the recent flare-up and nuclear test is part of the usual bellicose nonsense and posturing by the North Koreans which will amount to nothing and 'go away'. Or is there real concern that the regime is basically going over the edge, planning to create as much havoc and damage to South Korea physically, and the world economy economically, as possible? Or, is North Korea enabling itself into never being attacked, and the potential for hard currency from Islamic fanatics by creating nuclear weapons?
Peter Beck: That is a question that we really don't have the answer to. We have to hope that the North's leaders do not have a death wish, but at a minimum, they seem to be taking a hunker down attitude, biting the NGO hands trying to feed them, not showing any respect for the South Korean government, etc. Kim may be trying to return to the era of the Hermit Kingdom. All contact with the world, whether it is friend or foe, is problematic for the North. China is the source of information and banned CDs and DVDs. South Korean visitors to the North are a reminder that a better life is possible for Koreans. I still hope we can coax the North out of its shell.
washingtonpost.com: Thank you all for joining us.
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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Peter Beck, Northeast Asia director for the International Crisis Group, discusses possible next steps in world response to North Korea's nuclear test claim.
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South Korean Approved as U.N. Secretary General
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UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 13 -- The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon on Friday as the next U.N. secretary general.
The Security Council's choice of Ban, 62, to succeed Kofi Annan was ratified by acclamation at the General Assembly, consisting of all 192 U.N. member governments.
Hundreds of diplomats and U.N. staffers broke into loud applause when the General Assembly president, Sheikha Haya Rashed al-Khalifa of Bahrain, asked the assembly to adopt the resolution by acclamation. She then banged the gavel and said, "It is so decided."
Ban will become the eighth secretary general in the United Nations' 60-year history on Jan. 1, when Annan's second five-year term expires. The last Asian to run the world body was U Thant of Burma, who held the post from 1961 to 1971.
"It has been a long journey from my youth in war-torn and destitute Korea to this rostrum and these awesome responsibilities," Ban said in accepting the post, in both English and French.
"I could make the journey because the U.N. was with my people in our darkest days," he said. "It gave us hope and sustenance, security and dignity. It showed us a better way. So I feel at home today."
Ban will oversee an organization with 92,000 peacekeepers around the world and a $5 billion annual budget. The United Nations' reputation has been tarnished by corruption scandals, and its outdated practices need reform to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Annan hailed Ban as "exceptionally attuned to the sensitivities of countries and constituencies in every continent."
The choice of Ban for the top job coincides with increased U.N. involvement in the effort to thwart North Korea's nuclear weapon development program. Ban has said that he would like to help mediate the dispute with the communist government in North Korea.
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UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 13 -- The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon on Friday as the next U.N. secretary general.
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GOP Redirects Funds From Faltering Races
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Faced with a deteriorating political climate, Republican Party officials are hoping to keep control of the House and Senate with a strategy aimed at shoring up enough endangered incumbents to preserve their majorities, while scaling back planned spending on races that now appear unwinnable.
In recent days, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has given back television time it had reserved in Democratic-held districts in West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio -- apparently concluding that those races are beyond reach unless something dramatic changes the national political environment in the 25 days before the Nov. 7 election.
The Republican National Committee, which is using its substantial resources to supplement the party's Senate campaign committee, has spent virtually all of its television money in just three states -- Ohio, Missouri and Tennessee -- hoping to build a levee strong enough to save those seats and the Senate majority.
But recent events, among them the problems facing Republican Sens. George Allen in Virginia and Mike DeWine in Ohio, make that task even more difficult, GOP strategists privately concede.
Democrats, meanwhile, are juggling pleas for financial assistance from candidates in House districts once considered second-tier opportunities. The Democrats have ordered up polls in a dozen or more of these long-shot districts and now face a critical choice: whether to place bets on a few of these districts in the hope of expanding the field of competitive seats, or concentrate advertising dollars as planned on the roughly 20 to 25 districts where the odds appear most favorable.
Linda Stender has been pressing party officials to pour money into her uphill race against Rep. Mike Ferguson in New Jersey's 7th District, touting a new poll that shows her within striking distance. So far, those officials are balking.
"The challenge right now is for the DCCC to assess all the information as it is coming that show which races are competitive," Stender said. "If anything, what is toughest is there are so many seats that are competitive now."
Bill Burton, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), said the party will look carefully before jumping in. "We're going to be polling, and we're going to look at the political dynamics and the strength of candidacies," he said. "No decisions have been made at this point."
Democrats need to gain 15 seats next month to recapture the House. Strategists believe the goal is now attainable, because of high disapproval ratings for both the Republican-controlled Congress and for President Bush, as well as public dissatisfaction over Iraq and the fallout from the Mark Foley page scandal.
Some top Republicans privately talk about losing a minimum of 12 seats, leaving them with a barely workable majority, and as many as 25 or 30 seats. Democratic strategists see the range of potential pickups in almost identical terms.
The two House campaign committees are pouring most of their money into independent expenditure ads -- most of them negative -- on behalf of their candidates. As of early this week, Democrats had spent or reserved about $49 million in advertising time; the Republicans had spent or reserved $56 million to $60 million. In some races, there may be no more television time to buy.
A summary of advertising dollars spent to date by the candidates, the national party committees and major outside groups, produced by a media firm called TNSMI/CMAG and obtained by The Washington Post, shows that the bulk of television money has gone into 35 House districts.
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Faced with a deteriorating political climate, Republican Party officials are hoping to keep control of the House and Senate with a strategy aimed at shoring up enough endangered incumbents to preserve their majorities, while scaling back planned spending on races that now appear unwinnable.
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Coroner Says U.S. Forces Unlawfully Shot Reporter
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OXFORD, England, Oct. 13 -- A British coroner ruled Friday that U.S. troops unlawfully killed a British television journalist during the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Coroner Andrew Walker, after an eight-day inquest, also said he would seek prosecution of the U.S. troops responsible for the death of Terry Lloyd, a veteran reporter for British television network ITN. Walker said he would ask Britain's attorney general and director of public prosecutions "whether any steps can be taken to bring the perpetrators responsible for this to justice."
The U.S. Defense Department said in a statement that U.S. military authorities had investigated the incident and determined that the American troops "followed the applicable rules of engagement."
Although it has been "an unfortunate reality that journalists have died in Iraq," U.S. troops have "never deliberately targeted" them or other noncombatants, the statement said.
According to a videotape provided by the U.S. military and testimony from witnesses, including an ITN cameraman who was at the scene, Lloyd, 50, was killed after being caught in crossfire between U.S. and Iraqi forces near the southern Iraqi city of Basra on March 22, 2003.
The British coroner said Lloyd was shot in the back by Iraqi soldiers who had overtaken his four-wheel-drive vehicle. Lloyd then walked to a civilian minivan and was being driven away for medical treatment when U.S. forces opened fire on the van, killing Lloyd with a shot to the head, Walker concluded.
"There is no doubt that the minibus presented no threat to the American forces," Walker said. "There is no doubt it was an unlawful act of fire upon the minibus."
Under British law, coroner's inquests are conducted when a person dies violently or from unknown causes.
A Lebanese interpreter, Hussein Osman, was also killed in the incident, and French cameraman Fred Nerac is officially listed as missing and is presumed dead. An ITN cameraman, Daniel Demoustier, survived the incident.
"In my opinion, the U.S. forces involved should be prosecuted for war crimes," Demoustier said after the ruling.
Lloyd's widow, Lynn, in a statement read by her lawyer, called the incident a "very serious war crime" and said the troops responsible should be tried for murder.
David Mannion, ITN editor in chief, said the network supported the family's pursuit of prosecutions. "All of us want and need to know the truth," he said. "Terry Lloyd was killed in an unlawful act by a U.S. Marine who fired directly at the civilian minibus in which Terry, already badly injured, lay helpless."
No U.S. military officials testified at the inquest, although several submitted written witness statements. Walker ruled those statements inadmissible because he did not have the opportunity to question the troops who wrote them.
U.S. military officials provided a video shot by a serviceman from one of the U.S. tanks involved in the incident. The tape, which was played at the inquest Thursday, shows two burning vehicles, one of which may have been the minibus that was carrying Lloyd. A forensic video expert testified that about 15 minutes of the tape may have been erased before it was provided to the inquest.
Lloyd's daughter, Chelsey, said Friday that "many questions" remain about her father's death, including, "Why is there 15 minutes of film missing?" The family says they believe the missing video would show the attack on Lloyd's vehicle.
Maj. Kay Roberts, the Royal Military Police officer in charge of investigating Lloyd's death, testified that she raised questions with American military authorities about whether the videotape had been altered. She said they assured her that "what we were given was everything that they had."
Lloyd was a 20-year veteran of ITN who had made previous trips to Iraq and had extensive experience reporting from conflict zones, including Kosovo and Bosnia. In his ruling, Walker praised Lloyd and his crew as "that rare breed whose professionalism and dedication in the face of great personal danger is and can only be admired by those they left behind."
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OXFORD, England, Oct. 13 -- A British coroner ruled Friday that U.S. troops unlawfully killed a British television journalist during the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
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Turkish Novelist Wins Nobel Prize
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The Nobel Prize for literature was awarded yesterday to Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, who the Nobel Foundation said has "devoted his life to the study of mixture and plurality."
"This is a flattering recognition of my work as a novelist for the past 32 years," Pamuk said in a telephone interview, and also "a celebration of Turkish language and culture, of which I am a part."
Pamuk's novels, the best known of which are "Snow" and "My Name Is Red," evoke modern Turkey's complex blending of westernized culture and Ottoman tradition. It is a mix, Pamuk said, that puts the lie to the simplistic notion of a "clash of civilizations" between Islam and the West.
"That is a fanciful, very dangerous idea," he said, "and so many people have been killed" because of it. His writing career, he added, is a testament to the fact that East and West can meet rather than clash.
Last year, Pamuk was charged by Turkish authorities with the "public denigrating of Turkish identity" after he spoke to a Swiss newspaper about official silence surrounding the massacre of more than a million Armenians by Turks in 1915 and the death of tens of thousands of southeast Turkey's Kurdish minority in more recent conflicts with Turkish forces.
Pamuk's case was greatly magnified by the fact that Turkey has been seeking to join the European Union, which looks with disfavor on this kind of restraint on free speech. The charges against him were later dropped. But numerous less well-known writers, publishers, scholars and others in Turkey have been similarly charged as part of a what some observers see as a campaign orchestrated by Turkish nationalists to keep the country out of the EU.
Ron Chernow, president of the PEN American Center -- which works to defend free expression worldwide -- said yesterday that he applauded Pamuk both "as an admiring reader" and because Pamuk has been "willing to defy those who would silence free speech."
At a news conference yesterday on the campus of Columbia University, where he is currently a visiting scholar, Pamuk deflected questions about politics. "This is a time for celebration," he said. But in the telephone interview, he said bluntly that "Turkey's future lies in the European Union," adding that its inclusion would be "a wonderful thing for Turkey, for Europe and for the world."
Pamuk was born in Istanbul in 1952, part of a large and well-to-do family, and he grew up dreaming that he would be a painter. But at age 23, he decided to write instead. Although it took him many years to achieve publication, he has never held another kind of job.
He is "a magnificent writer" who "really works hard -- he does tremendous research," said Walter Andrews, a professor in the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations department at the University of Washington. But Andrews, who has known Pamuk since coaching him in basketball in Istanbul ("he was pretty good") when Pamuk was a scrawny teenager, also points to a context for Pamuk's success he thinks most Americans don't understand.
"Turkey is a place full of really excellent writers, poets and literary critics," Andrews says. Compared with Americans, Turkish people are hugely interested in literature and culture, and Pamuk has "pushed to the top" internationally "because there's a base" for his achievements.
Maureen Freely, who has translated several of Pamuk's books, agreed. She called Pamuk "by far the most brilliant writer in that society," but noted that Istanbul is the kind of place where even non-literary professionals tend to read in several languages.
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Orhan Pamuk wins prize in literature for his works dealing with issues of identity, clashing cultures.
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Mirror, Mirror - washingtonpost.com
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A Novel of Marie Antoinette
We'll start with dessert: Marie Antoinette never said, "Let them eat cake." Historians suggest several competing sources for that damning line, but everyone agrees that she wasn't it. As rumors about the young queen go, though, that's hardly the worst. When she came to France from Austria in 1770 at age 14, already married in absentia to the Dauphin, the populace loved her and the streets were strewn with flowers. But within a few years, radical pamphlets in Paris were portraying her in acts of reckless extravagance and outrageous debauchery. By the end, republicans even accused her of conducting a ménage à trois with her son. Amid the fiery chaos of the French Revolution, the veracity of these scurrilous claims made no difference. On Oct. 16, 1793, she was beheaded, using Dr. Guillotin's "humane" new contraption.
For novelist Sena Jeter Naslund, the doomed French queen must have looked irrésistible. Naslund broke on to the bestseller list in 1999 with Ahab's Wife, a spectacular novel spun from a single reference in Moby-Dick. Marie Antoinette would seem to offer Naslund the same rich material for historical reenactment and feminist revision, but it turns out there's a limit to how much you can defend a sweet, spoiled, sheltered woman -- even an exquisitely dressed one. Naslund adds to this difficulty by using Marie to narrate this very long novel in the first person -- a choice that leaves us trapped, literally and figuratively, in the Hall of Mirrors.
That's not to imply that there aren't pleasures to be found in Abundance. Au contraire: They're abundant. Naslund commands historical details to portray the world's most extravagant palace in all its dazzling splendor and inane ceremony. Her study of contemporary memoirs and letters allows her to speak in a voice that conveys the queen's delicacy and earnestness as she strives to be the embodiment of peace between Austria and France. "Fate, as well as my mother," Marie says correctly, "has dealt me a card of Importance."
The opening chapters of the novel describe her extraordinary preparations for the passage from her homeland to France, a transition designed to strip her of anything Austrian and reclothe her in a new identity. In Naslund's richly eroticized retelling, Marie is completely naked at the moment of transfer. And from her first perfectly calibrated pronouncement, she impresses her new countrymen with her devotion: "Don't speak to me in German," she commands. "From now on I want to hear no other language but French."
Because producing an heir was Marie's raison d'être , Naslund concentrates much of the early section of the novel on the queen's dutiful efforts to love (and arouse) the impotent Dauphin. It's an irresistibly intimate and bizarre story. Their wedding night is attended by dozens of servants and ministers, including an archbishop. (I'm not even Catholic, but I think having an archbishop along for the honeymoon would be a mood-killer.) Shy, awkward and phlegmatic, the poor Dauphin also suffers from a "too-tight foreskin" that keeps him from consummating their marriage for years, a political crisis discussed in humiliating detail all over Europe. Given that royal case of performance anxiety, it's a miracle anything ever happens, but seven years after their wedding night, Marie finally gives birth before hundreds of spectators.
Too soon, though, the middle section of the novel grows flaccid, largely because it accurately reflects the narrator's ritualized and isolated life. As France's economic and political condition decays, Marie strolls through her vast gardens accompanied by servants and royal residents of Versailles. She unveils towering hair styles. She sits in her salon and makes a friend who likes kittens. She flirts -- alas, chastely -- with her husband's brothers and a dashing soldier from Sweden. She nurses resentments against a few foes, notably a crafty cardinal and the late king's mistress. But these potentially exciting villains never develop any substance in the novel, which remains focused on Marie's determination to do and say the right thing at all times. "I was never the most talented, the brightest, or the most beautiful of my mother's daughters," she tells us with deadening sincerity, "but I have tried to be good and to do my Christian duty." That's a marvelous quality in a young lady; not so much in a narrator. Naslund recreates Marie so sympathetically that we can't help aching for the queen -- except when we want to slap her.
To be sure, there are intimations of trouble throughout France; after visiting from Austria, her brother writes, "I tremble not only for your happiness, but for your safety. I have seen enough in this country to know that the finances and welfare of the state are in a desperate condition." But immediately after reading his dire letter, Marie tells us, "Sometimes the water in the bath is of such a compatible temperature that it is bliss to submerge my body in the fragrant liquid." Calgon, take me away!
The most telling episodes show Marie slipping innocently into extravagant habits amid an atmosphere of intoxicating praise and ease. While her husband helps finance the American Revolution (which Marie notes might not be the wisest thing for a king to encourage), she grows obsessed with gambling and redecorating -- anything to experience the sensation of risk and change. She buys a 5-year-old boy from a cottage in the woods but quickly loses interest in him. She prevails upon the king to construct an entire faux village for her to play in as an homage to France's peasants, many of whom are starving. Asked to economize, she cuts 173 positions from her household staff -- and you know how difficult that can be.
But despite these spikes of dramatic irony, Naslund remains the queen's most adoring attendant, an attitude that makes her too patient with Marie's narcissism and may also explain the novel's long-windedness. A stray reference to that old rascal Voltaire reminded me just what wit I was missing outside the perfumed air of Marie's boudoir.
In the last 150 pages, the gears of the plot finally catch, and the horrible fate awaiting the royal family rushes at them, but the narrative remains cramped in Marie's narrow perspective. We hear of the king's trial only indirectly. Even her own trial, which could have been such a dramatic episode in the novel, passes in just a few paragraphs -- far less than we've heard about her hair, her garden, the beautiful smile of a friend. "Perhaps," Marie tells us toward the end, "captive animals do not see beyond the grilles of their menageries." Abundance is a moving testament to that limited vision but also a frustrating reenactment of the self-absorption that killed the queen. ·
Ron Charles is a senior editor of Book World.
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ABUNDANCE A Novel of Marie Antoinette By Sena Jeter Naslund
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Weekend Now - washingtonpost.com
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The staff of Weekend , The Washington Post's weekly entertainment guide, covers what's happening in the Washington area. We'll field your questions on everything in the section from performances and new DVDs to weekend getaways and kids' activities. We write about all kinds of fun things to do and we're happy to talk to you about it.
Join the Weekend staff online this Friday, Oct. 13, at 11 a.m. ET to take your questions and comments.
There's a lot going on this week. It's time for Howard University's annual homecoming celebration , which is always one of the big events on Washington's social calendar. Also, the Green Festival is at the D.C. Convention Center; Stephen Wade celebrates the music of Hobart Smith at the Birchmere; "The Bluest Eye," a play based on the Toni Morrison novel, is making its East Coast premiere at the H Street Playhouse; "Reel Affirmations," a D.C. gay and lesbian film festival is taking place; and, of course, there are a ton of new movies, music and DVDs . Got questions? Just ask us.
Read about the staff of the Weekend section.
Curt Fields: Hello, welcome to Weekend's weekly chat. Step right up with any questions or comments you may have. We can offer our opinion on music, movies, theater, art, and other entertainment options in the area. And, even if you don't have a question, offer us your opinion -- tell us what you like and dislike about Weekend.
Let's get to it ...
Leesburg, Va.: So, any of you going to see Streisand? Is she still relevant today?
Scott Vogel: OK, full disclosure -- Mom has flown across the country to see Babs, and somewhere in the Vogel family archives there exists a thoroughly exhausted Betamax version of "Funny Girl" that ought to have been put out of its misery long ago. In short, "relevant" is too weak a word for what Streisand is, at least where the Vogel matriarch is concerned. Tickets are still available, by the way, as are second mortgages, the latter of which are necessary to purchase the former. Concert starts at 7:30 tonight.
Fairfax County, Va.: With some of the Baltimore Museums dropping admission fees, what should we see first?
Michael O'Sullivan: There's one new show at each of the two now-free Baltimore museums I think is worth checking out. As long as you're driving up, why not see them both? DC artist Dan Steinhilber's kinetic sculpture of styrofoam packing peanuts at the BMA is way cool, while the Walters has an "experimental" installation of Gustave Courbet's landscapes involving dramatic "mood" lighting and specially composed ambient music. The pictures are divided into four theme rooms: spring, fall, winter and summer, with corresponding wall paint colors, subtle lighting effects and sound (by students at the Peabody Conservatory). It's a very striking presentation. Both shows are a mix of high and low tech. I'll be writing about for the 20th.
At the cinema: So how does the new Capote movie compare to the first one? Better or worse?
Michael O'Sullivan: Hunter says it's a close second to "Capote." I think "Infamy" is just as good, but that Toby Jones' performance as Capote is even better than Philip Seymour Hoffman's. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that they gave out the Oscar prematurely. As the saying goes, the second mouse gets the cheese.
Curt Fields: Michael meant "Infamous" by the way. He's got "Infamy" on the brain because he wrote about a DVD of that name for today's section.
Baltimore, Md.: Does Joan Jett still rock as hard as before?
Curt Fields: long version: Well, she still rocks hard enough to keep her fans happy. I ran into someone a couple of weeks back at a different concert who mentioned she was a fan and planned to see her this week. This fan said she'd been to several Jett shows through the years and said every one was fun. She even pointed out that at a show with a low turnout Jett cranked it up and rocked for the whole set, making sure the people who were there had a good time.
And reviews of her latest indicate she's sticking to her trademark sound. Short version: yes
Media, Pa.: Fusebox and now Numark Gallery, arguably two of D.C.'s top galleries, have closed or announced closure in 2006. And Fraser Gallery closed its Georgetown space and now operates out of Bethesda, Md.
Is the D.C. art scene in trouble? Why are so many good D.C. art galleries suddenly closing?
Michael O'Sullivan: DC art scene in trouble? Have you been to the 14th Street Arts District lately, as the galleries near Logan Circle are calling themselves? On a recent Saturday night, when they were having their joint openings, many of the galleries, especially in the 1515 14th Street building, were packed to overflowing. Cheryl Numark is closing because of a mix of personal, professional and health reasons, but attributes some of her decision to close her gallery at the end of the year to the rising influence of art fairs (which tend to favor smaller works over large, site-specific installations). Fusebox closed when the owners relocated.
Washington, D.C.: I'd love to go to an event for Howard's homecoming. Which is the can't-miss of the weekend -- I'm too busy these days! Ugh.
Curt Fields: Personally I think any time you have the chance to see the Roots you should take advantage of it. They're amazing live.
Of course, the lineup for Yardfest is looking pretty fine too.
Potomac, Md.: I'm tired of all the usual shopping haunts (Nordies, Tysons, you know). Any suggestions for someplace new I can take my credit card to?
Ellen McCarthy: Yes, but only if you promise to bring us back something nice.... Okay,if you haven't been to the new "Collection at Chevy Chase," which has ritzy stores like Max Mara and Louis Vuitton, you should check that out, if only for the experience. And the U and 14th Streets corridor has lots of interesting (read: non-chain clothing and home decor shops. We had a shopping story a few months back that might offer some inspiration...
Curt Fields: and if you want brand new, there's a boutique that's supposed to be opening this weekend on 14th St NW (near S Street) called Redeem. It's planning to carry some hip brands.
Haunted Houses : Eeekkk, it's Friday the 13th and my husband really wants to go to either a haunted house or a haunted forest. We live in Alexandria. Any good ones in the area that aren't like a two-hour drive and area worth it? I heard of one in Sterling but not sure it's worth it. Suggestions?
Twila Waddy: There are the Alexandria Colonial Tours, Ghost and Graveyard Tours. They have tours on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and 9:00. Some of the these are walking tours. One ends in a graveyard. You can find out more information at this site Also, we ran a story on ghost tours a few weeks ago. Here is the link Alexandria Colonial Tours to the story. I hope you have a good and scary time.
Twila Waddy: I have a small correction the link to the Alexandria tours is here
Alexandria, Va.: Please tell me there's an event or attraction that will distract my kids from wanting to see the Disney Princesses on ice ... Thanks!
Scott Vogel: How about something that will allow you to take advantage of the crisp autumn weather? Which leads me to all the fall festivals, corn mazes, pumpkin patches that are an annual rite of passage for Disney-surfeited parents like yourself. I won't be able to speak from personal experience about the Cox Farm Fall Festival until next week -- that's in Centreville -- but I can tell you that my six-year-old is looking forward to the hay rides, etc., with an anticipation bordering on hysterics. For many more ideas, check our "With the Kids" section in today's Weekend.
Washington, D.C.: New to the area ... I haven't been out at Adams Morgan yet, what are great places to check out for some dancing ... I like House, Latin, reggaeton, Hip-Hop and good cocktails. Are there any nice lounges for chatting and catching up with friends?
Ellen McCarthy: You should find all (at least most) of the above in Adams Morgan. Bossa and Bourbon are both worth checking out when you feel like slow sipping. Habana Village has great music and salsa dancing. Chief Ike's Mambo Room on Columbia Rd. can sometimes feel a bit like a college party, but it's always a riot. Any other favorites out there for our newcomer?
Washington, D.C.: Moving into a new place and need some new furniture -- I've heard that church bazaars are a great place to find bargains. Do you know of any going on this weekend in D.C. that would be worth checking out?
Twila Waddy: If you looking for some good deals try the Fall Bazaar Saints Peter & Paul Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. It is happing on today and Saturday from 11 to 9 and Sunday from noon to 6. The church is located at 10620 River Rd., Potomac. 301-765-9188.
Washington, D.C.: I'm out of the loop -- what Baltimore museums are dropping entrance fees? Any chance the exorbitantly-priced aquarium is among them? It's $27!
Michael O'Sullivan: Alas, no change in the admission policy at the aquarium. The two museums that just became free are the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum.
Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: I need some suggestions for some free things to do this weekend, for either day or evening this Saturday and Sunday. Music and visual art are of the most interest to me, but I'm always open to other ideas-thanks
Michael O'Sullivan: I'll weigh in on the visual art part. Baltimore is place to be these days, with a new policy of free admission at the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum. See my previous answer about the Steinhilber installation at BMA and the Walters's Courbet show, which opens Sunday. The American Visionary Art Museum has a new show too, but it's not free. The Gustave Courbet show at the Walters incorporates visual art AND music, so you get of your sides satisfied. I highly recommend it.
Joyce Jones: The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage is always good for free music. On Sunday it's jazz vocalist Mabel "May" Knott and her band. That's at 6 p.m..
Washington, D.C.: Drumlines! Drumlines! Drumline! It's not about the game but the Marching bands! How does Howard's rate?
Curt Fields: Well, Howard's is good enough that DMX wanted them in one of his videos a couple of years or so ago (the idea got squashed by university officials though) and the band has been in Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.
Of course, the real measuring stick is how many people go to the concessions stands at halftime. The answer: not as many as at most games.
Washington, D.C.: Hello. My parents live in a different time zone so they sleep during the day and go out at night when they come to visit here. Is there a hotel where guests can sleep during the day with no housekeeping interruption?
Christina Talcott: I don't have any specific recs for you, but when I've traveled and wanted a little mid-day peace and quiet, hanging the "do not disturb" sign on the doorknob does the trick. Your folks should also check with the front desk or the manager to arrange a time for housekeeping to visit their room, if necessary. Any chatters have favorite, extra-accommodating hotels?
Halloween: I am a relative newcomer to the Washington, D.C., area and have heard a few stories of people taking their kids trick or treating on Embassy Row. Do you have any detailed information you can provide, or confirm if the embassies participate?
Scott Vogel: First off, this is a great question. I have heard rumors about Embassy Row as well, but have never been able to confirm much information on this (although I can tell you that last year the French ambassador's home featured butlers handing out gold-foiled chocolates!) One thought is to call the various embassies on Massachusetts Ave. Anyone else out there have any ideas?
Washington, D.C.: Any suggestions for a restaurant in Old Town, Alexandria where two couples can enjoy food and conversation?
Michael O'Sullivan: My wife and I like the Majestic Cafe , 911 King Street, for meeting friends.
Washington, D.C.: A friend e-mailed me that O'Sullivan was on the radio talking about the Manon Cleary exhibition. But they didn't tell me the station and I missed it. What radio station? Was it NPR?
Michael O'Sullivan: It's Washington Post Radio, WTWP. 107.7 FM and 1500 AM. Weekend staff members are on the air most Thursday afternoons between 2 and 3.
College Park, Md.: You asked for likes and dislikes ...
like: music interviews, concert tips
Joyce Jones: We sure did. Thank you. Come on, let's have some more feedback, people...
Washington, D.C.: I am confused about the Edison Place Gallery. Is that a museum?
Michael O'Sullivan: No. Edison Place Gallery is a 4,100-square-foot gallery in PEPCO's downtown headquarters building (entrance on 8th Street NW between G and H). The Cleary show there was organized by the Washington Arts Museum, an organization that does not have a bricks-and-mortar presence.
Fairfax, Va.: Hi! Want to check out some costume stores this weekend for a Halloween party ... any "can't miss" places you would recommend in Northern Virginia? Thanks!
Scott Vogel: I hear really good things about Masters Costumes, which has five Northern Virginia locations and has been in the business a long time. And while we're on the subject, Weekend has an upcoming cover story -- which hits newsstands on Oct. 27 -- spotlighting the area's best costume shops. Don't miss it!
Boyds, Md.: Weekend Deities, thanks for all!
I want to go for a long bike ride this weekend on rural country roads, soaking up whatever leaf color can be found, within an hours drive of Germantown, Md. I've ridden the roads around Sugarloaf and have hopped on the canal at the Monocacy Aqueduct, but I'm looking for something new. Any suggestions?
Christina Talcott: It's a little more than an hour away, but the Northern Central Railroad Trail, from north of Baltimore to the Pennsylvania line, sounds amazing. Or the Washington, Annapolis and Baltimore trail could be nice. Go to waba.org for trail maps and inspiration. Have fun!
Rockville, Md.: Many years ago when I was training for intelligence duties my class work included meetings in hotel rooms. I soon found that any time I put the "do not distrub" sign on the door that within 15 minutes someone would be in with towels or something to see what I was doing. Seems that curiosity was the winner every time. I did much better with no sign at all. Since there were several of us training in this southern city, it may have been a local thing. But I never put the sign out if I don't want to be disturbed.
Christina Talcott: Ha! Thanks for the warning!
Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: Hey, how long is the Steinhilber on display at the BMA? Did the Roombas make it into the piece?
Michael O'Sullivan: Through Feb. 18, 2007. Yes, there are about a half-dozen Roomba robotic vacuums in the piece, burrowing around under mounds of styrofoam packing peanuts. Funny and creepy.
Washington, D.C.: Does Toby Jones get that high-pitched southern accent right?
Michael O'Sullivan: Spot on, as his fellow Brits would say. You would never know he's English. He did 90-minute vocal warmups every day, he says, and stayed in the voice, but not in character, all day long during the shoot.
I dislike: the seemingly reduced coverage of local film festivals. You used to write previews of most of the medium to big ones and now it seems like you only give us a dozen lines telling us the time and location.
Joyce Jones: Good to know. We put a lot of effort into our movie coverage because films are popular with lots of readers. That's why we have a review (though short, i know) of every film opening in town each week -- including all the indies. We try to give space to indies and festivals in our Film Notes column. We've also done cover stories from time to time on individual film festivals. However, your comment is noted and we'll do our best.
Washington, D.C.: Are any of the rat paintings for sale in the Manon Cleary exhibition?
Michael O'Sullivan: Check with her dealer, Christopher Addison. Addison/Ripley Fine Art . 202-338-5180.
Love Fall: For the people who want to ride their bikes under the beautiful fall colors, go to the Harpers Ferry, W.Va., area. Or try the Catoctin Mountain area.
Washington, D.C.: Wow. It's looking like a perfect fall weekend. Can you guys suggest some outdoor things that are cheap or maybe free?
Twila Waddy: If you looking for something that is outdoors and free you can check out the autumn leaves this time of year. The leaves are starting to change and can make for some nice viewing. You can hit any park in your area or try out places like the The National Arboretum on New Your Avenue. Also, there is the Wildlife Festival at the National Wildlife Refuge. There is no fee to get in and all of the activities and exhibits are free. You only pay for your food. There will be nature hikes, exhibits, etc.. You can reach them at 703-490-4979.
Likes and Dislikes: Likes: Nature, animals, quiet, outdoors, picnics, and water.
Dislikes: loud music, crowds, obnoxious people and super egos.
Joyce Jones: We're loving this. Keep em coming.
Re: likes and dislikes: Dislike: music interviews, concert tips
(And I'm not doing this just to be difficult. These are my true feelings!)
Curt Fields: Another opinion, the exact opposite of an earlier one. And thus you see our weekly publishing challenge ... how do we make sure there's something in the section for both readers (and all the others). We try. And your feedback does help!
Washington, D.C.: What are your thoughts on the Small Press Expo? I do enjoy reading independent comics, but is the Expo itself worth the trek (and entrance fee)?
Ellen McCarthy: I've never been to this, but the trek doesn't seem so bad. It's at the North Bethesda Marriott and a one day admission ticket is $8, so that might be worth it for a few hours of fun. Anyone out there have a first-hand review?
Joyce Jones: My take is that if you're really into graphic novels, comics and cartoons, you'll be in heaven at this event. If you either are a big fan or maybe want to be a graphic novelist yourself, this is a great event. At the same time, even if you're not a fan and you're looking for something cool and unusual to get into this might be the place for you.
Outdoorsy stuff (we Washingtonians spend all week in windowless federal buildings, we need to GET OUT)
Dislike: Nothing comes to mind. Keep up the good work!
Twila Waddy: I am with you with the outdoors stuff. And if it is free it is even better.
Washington, D.C.: Trick or Treating nirvana can be had in the Mt Pleasant neighborhood. Lamont St is closed to traffic and literally thousands of kids and adults ...it looks like a movie set. And a very good chance of running into local rock stars and artists.
Ellen McCarthy: Thanks for the reminder. MtP is a great spot for trick or treating, and an even better one for people watching.
Anonymous: Good Morning! I'd like to comment on an idea that Toby Jones touches upon in the interview. He said "It seems a weird thing, that if you like something very much, you can't like something else as well. It's like you're only allowed 10 good things, and you have to lose one every time something good comes into your life." In game theory, this framework is known as "zero-sum" and that people in the zero-sum mindset feel justified for increasing or maintaining competitive conflicts. Adherents of a zero-sum mindset have a difficult time genuinely celebrating the successes of others, since if someone else does really well then they figure that probably means, "there goes my chance." We have many cultural systems in place that operate on this zero-sum framework and society is suffering for it. Artists who buy into the existing system come to believe that this suffering is inherent in a creative identity. As John Lennon said in his Playboy interview before his untimely death, many people become enslaved to the image of what the artist is supposed to do and a lot of people end up killing themselves churning out product doing the same thing for x number of years until they either get their reward. Journalist and prize-winning author Robert Wright has written a book on the opposite scenario (see Nonzero ). A zero-sum attitude also seems to produce lazy forms of criticism. It's extremely safe to say that an Academy Award-winning film or actor is better than an unknown, or that an artist who has had a retrospective in a museum is better or more deserving of accolades than one who has toiled away in relative obscurity or that a song on the radio is better than the one that no one has heard from the same disk. I'd love to hear either Mr. Harrington's or Mr. O'Sullivan's comments as to how they feel about giving a winnerloser label to an artist. Is it easier to say something is bad rather than to hunt for what is good? Can't X be good while Y is also good?
Michael O'Sullivan: I strongly resist the mindset you describe and don't like applying the "winner" or "loser" lable. Gore Vidal phrased the attitude well, when he said "It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail." Toby Jones says he loves this quote, but clearly does not agree with it. I don't either. I think saying what's wrong with something is easy. Tell me what's right with it, if anything. Much harder.
Washington, D.C.: Taking my girl to Streisand tonight. Any recommendations on a quick-yet-festive bite to eat in the area? We plan to get down there by 6:15-ish. (No Asian food, please.)
Scott Vogel: You might have trouble getting a table in the main dining room at the District ChopHouse (at 7th and E), but reliable sources tell me that you don't need reservations at the bar. Other favorites among Weekenders are Matchbox (at 7th and H) and Rosa Mexicano (at 7th and F) Enjoy the show -- and remember, you've only got an hour to eat!
SW, Costumes: Don't forget to check out Arena stage, in SW they are having a costume clean-out this weekend!
Scott Vogel: Costume seekers, take note!
Twila Waddy: Anyone interested outdoor fall activities should check out the story we did a few weeks ago. It has information on were to check out the changing leaves if that is your thing or finding the perfect pumpkin. Here is the link
Washington, D.C.: Isn't Joan Jett originally from Wheaton and went to Wheaton High School? She must be pushing 50 if not over already.
Richard Harrington: 48 and we should all have that rock and roll spirit pushing 30, 40, 50 or 60.
Washington, D.C.: I have been told that beginner art collectors should start collecting with photography and emerging artists.
Are there any good photography shows by D.C.-area photographers about to open soon?
Michael O'Sullivan: There's an upcoming exhibition of photographs by Frank Hallam Day that looks good at Addison/Ripley Fine Art .
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.: Dislikes: Hollywood celebrity interviews, reviews of the same movies (or plays) that Style section reviewed the day before.
Likes: Focus on local celebrities, gallery and museum reviews, local events heads-up
Joyce Jones: thanks. a couple of clarifications we don't review plays (we do run a list of capsules of plays that have been reviewed in the Post), and since most movies open on Friday, you aren't seeing a review the day after.
SW D.C.: oh yeah, likes and dislikes -- here's a comment
I totally love when there are local special guests -- I used to worship this chat when Brace did it b/c he was always getting local club owners and musicians on to tell their battle stories. Now Mr. Brace was not well versed in many other arts other than music and carousing. I miss having an opportunity to interact with locals. Adding local artists, gallery owners, actors and other interesting promoters of arts and entertainment would be great! I was always learning fantastic things about the history of culture in D.C. in the past 30 years on that chat because of the guests. I barely ever tune into the chat nowadays because it's usually the same old stuff.
Christina Talcott: You're right, Eric did have some fun folks on his chats. That's something for us to think about for our fledgling chat. Don't forget, our own Richard Harrington's got a bottomless well of knowledge, especially when it comes to the local music scene. And the rest of us have various expertises, from the HU drum line to the Streisand catalogue. In any case, I'm glad you stopped in today.
Curt Fields: That wraps up another chat. Be sure and come back next week with your questions and comments. And don't forget to listen to us on Washington Post Radio on Thursdays at 2pm (1500 AM, 107.7 FM).
Next week's issue will have a cover story on adding a little diversity to your nightlife. And of course we'll have all the other usual bases -- new movies, dvds, music, theater, art and kid-friendly activities -- covered as well.
Washington, D.C.: Since Numark is closing, what horse is Dan Steinhilbur gonna be riding?
Michael O'Sullivan: Contact Numark Gallery .
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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The Weekend section staff discusses Howard University's homecoming celebration, the Green Festival at the D.C. Convention Center, the music of Hobart Smith, "The Bluest Eye," a play based on the Toni Morrison novel and "Reel Affirmations," the D.C. gay and lesbian film festival.
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Appearing every Wednesday and Friday in The Washington Post Style section and in Sunday Source, Tell Me About It offers readers advice based on the experiences of someone who's been there -- really recently. Carolyn Hax is a 30-something repatriated New Englander with a liberal arts degree and a lot of opinions and that's about it, really, when you get right down to it. Oh, and the shoes. A lot of shoes.
Washington, D.C.: Carolyn, thanks for writing about a more-common-than-you-think family drama. I'm 21. Three months ago, my mother told me that I have a younger half brother and sister because my dad had started a second family while my parents were in the middle of a nasty divorce. Everyone in my dad's family knew about this second family but I had to learn about them when I met them at my grandfather's funeral. The mother who wrote the letter should respect her daughter and tell her the truth. Also, respect your daughter's decision if she wants to meet her half sister. Nothing makes a bad family situation even worse than having to lie to your parent about your desire to come to terms with one of the family skeletons.
Carolyn Hax: Thanks for weighing in, and I'm sorry about your epic blindsiding.
The mother should also be prepared to help her daughter if the half-sister doesn't share the desire to make contact--one of many possible outcomes.
Washington, D.C.: The question from the mother who wasn't sure how to tell her daughter about her half-sister really resonated with me. My mom had a child by a previous marriage and I found out when I was in my twenties accidentally through another relative. I would strongly encourage the mom to break the news, without finger-pointing, to her daughter herself so she can tell it in her own way and so that the daughter doesn't have the added question of "why didn't you tell me?" She might be surprised at how understanding her daughter might be. I think that the experience of 'fessing up was more traumatic for my mom than it was for me.
Carolyn Hax: Thanks for the alternate viewpoint. I'm not sure yet whether I agree but it's definitely worth considering. If the mother does forge ahead with the disclosure, though, she should keep to herself the part about the father's wanting to break the news himself.
Too much work? : How much work is too much work in a relationship? We were friends before we started dating. It's been six months dating with of "I feel, you feel" conversations, issues, and some good times. One of my friends commented that I just seem to get more stubborn rather than the relationship bringing out the best in me. When is it time to say when?
Carolyn Hax: When it brings out a side of you that you don't like, that's usually your cue. But to make sure you aren't tossing out a potentially good relationship lightly, you could try consciously being less stubborn, just to see what happens--in other words, don't try to win or be right all the time, just try shrugging instead. Maybe you'll find you like both of you better that way. Since the alternative is probably breaking up with him anyway, you really have nothing to lose.
Dating: I believe that the beginnings of dating should be fun and that marriage should not be at the forefront of your mind. You should be discovering if you enjoy spending time with the person. I don't like to bring up serious lifelong issues at this stage of dating. However, at some point though, I think that more serious issues need to be discussed (ex. religion, children, etc.). At what point do you think these subjects should be brought up? At what point in a relationship do you think you should evaluate whether someone is marriage material and decide whether to get more serious. (I am in my late 20s). Thanks.
Carolyn Hax: What kind of sicko does it make me that the discussion of more serious issues (religion, children, etc.) IS fun?
Sure, that at the exclusion of other topics can be exhausting and dreary, but mix it in with sports, movies, gossip and news, and that sounds like a great conversation. So I guess that's why I don't think there's such a thing as a "point" where you talk about these things. You just talk, and you see how well you talk, and if you always talk without getting to any of the things essential to who you are, then that in itself is probably telling you this doesn't have marriage potential.
Re: "half" siblings: Am I missing something..why would it matter? Sure I would want to know if my parents had other children running around out there, but as far as having a relationship with them after 20 odd years. Does the fact that you share DNA really make that necessary? For me my sister is my sister. If I found out tomorrow that she were not biologically my sister that would not change a thing. To me family is who you grow up with and have in your life, not just DNA.
Carolyn Hax: Almost persuasive, but then I think--what if this sibling you learned about shared both parents? What if this sibling were your twin? Identical twin? That's still nothin' but DNA, right? But you can't tell me then you'd pass on a chance to connect.
Denver, Colo.: After a 10-year marriage that blossomed into a dysfunctional one over time, how does one recognize a good relationship? I have met someone who has all the qualities I loved in my ex, but who also posseses the qualities he lacked. He brings out the best in me, has made me a priority in his life and treats me like a queen without resenting me for it. Granted, the relationship is still very young (1 month) but other than just trusting my instincts how can I know that this is a good relationship for me? I'm introducing him to a couple of friends this weekend (I've already met a few of his) and look forward to their responses.
I mean, okay, what they say might be interesting, and if they all notice he speaks in tongues and carries an ax with him wherever he goes, then you would be wise to heed their warnings. But you've been with the guy one (1) month and you're an inventory of self-doubt. More than anything, you need time to get to know this guy, lots of it, enough to give you and your instincts a chance to get on a much friendlier basis.
And babies make fights: Big sis and I have competed all our lives for our parents' attention. Weddings two months apart, etc.
I was secretly thrilled when I got pregnant first, less thrilled when she announced her pregnancy less than a month later.
That was five months ago. We just found out she's having twins.
Please grow up before you start acting out this nightmare through your kid. Babies are people, not revenge props.
Bethesda, Md.: Do you think it's ever OK for a couple that parted as friends (i.e. no lying, cheating, abuse, or nastiness) to have a second go at things? Or does the very fact that you broke up once mean you really shouldn't be together?
Carolyn Hax: Of course it's okay sometimes. If the fact that brought about the breakup is unchanged, though, the prognosis doesn't look good.
Richmond, Va.: I have to say, hearing from others that I'm not the only person out there with wayward "half" (or whole, or quarter...) siblings/family members is therapeutic in itself. Brings a whole new light to "normal."
Carolyn Hax: Happy to help. The whole "normal" thing strikes me as the love child of denial and wishful thinking anyway.
Roseville, Minn.: A comment -- I generally enjoy greatly your responses, and I realize they are composed on the spot, but please do not label "speaking in tongues" as something weird, like, carrying around an axe. Just a thought, from a "tongues speaker" who does not even own an axe. There are something like 500 million Pentecostal "tongues speakers" in the world today. Thanks.
Carolyn Hax: And there are woodcutters who carry around axes and are perfectly excellent folks. But when the two are combined, aren't we allowed to be concerned?
Queen Schmeen: Maybe it's just a figure of speech, but "treats me like a queen" gives me the heebie jeebies. If you're being treated like a royal, you're not being treated as a real person OR an equal.
Carolyn Hax: Clap clap clap clap
Carolyn Hax: Though it could be "treats me with care and respect," and she just reached for the closest cliche.
Re: Denver, Colo: "...treats me like a queen without resenting me for it."
That sentence alone spoke volumes. I think she might be more damaged than she thinks she is. I agree that she needs a lot of time with this new person, but maybe some of that time should be spent alone, getting to know herself again. I get the feeling that she's waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Carolyn Hax: Excellent point, thanks--one I should have picked up on myself.
"Not manly enough": What's UP with that? An ex-friend took a shot at my boyfriend once, telling me he wasn't "macho enough to be interesting." I tried to get her to explain what exactly she meant, and it came down to the fact that he's polite, he reads books, and he doesn't fart audibly in public. Apparently these "feminine" traits outweigh the football obsession, the black belt in karate, the car lust, the weakness for burgers and fries, and his other stereotypically manly traits, and therefore he's really secretly, you know...a girl. Why can't we all just be the hell who we are?
Carolyn Hax: Rarin. Just stay out of your local library when the Audible Public Farters meet.
No way, no how: Speaking of things you need to tell your kids ... at what point do I 'fess up to my (now teenage) children that I once appeared in a highly publicized magazine half-nekkid? Eesh.
Carolyn Hax: How'd you look?
There's a chance they'll think it's cool, but if you wait till they're late 20s, that chance will have grown significantly.
Washington, D.C.: Carolyn, I am in the midst of post break up depression -- among other reasons for depression. I know I made the right decision, but I miss him. And, I know it will get better with time, but how do I get through this period when it's not better, when I am constantly crying, when the loneliness is palpable. I need to bridge the gap -- any advice?
Thanks. And, for what it's worth, I've got a half brother and he's a real stinker... but I love him anyway.
Carolyn Hax: You're getting the depression treated, I hope ...
And while you wait for time and treatment to show results, you make a concerted effort to do things that make you feel good in uncomplicated ways. I.e., you take meticulous care of yourself (no down side to that); you do nice things for other people (negligible down side); you take intellectual refuge in books, movies, art, music (no down side); you see friends to whom you don't have to apologize or explain yourself. And, you avoid things that give you a quick high followed by a downer--binge eating, drinking or spending; seeing high-maintenance people; calling exes; getting a drastic haircut.
For Bethesda: For the poster thinking about getting back together, I would share my sister's advice to me when I was in the same situation: "Only if you really love him." Unfortunately, I didn't listen!
I got back together w/ex because I thought, "I can try HARDER this time! Being with someone I already know I don't love is better than being alone! Maybe he won't be so annoying this time around! And maybe I'll fall in love with him THIS time."
Though we were friends after the first breakup, I REALLY hurt him the second time, something it's been very hard to forgive myself for doing. Because I should have known better.
Carolyn Hax: My thanks to both of you.
Re: no way, no how: Google yourself if you haven't already! You don't want to make a decision to tell them when they're older, only to have them accidentally stumble upon your pictures on the internet.
Carolyn Hax: Oh duh. Thanks.
Texas: My wife and I are going to her 20-year high school reunion in two weeks. I hate small talk, but I adore my wife. Even more so now that she's given me permission to lie about my job -- with increasing gusto -- to every new person I meet.
Carolyn Hax: You do sound like a fun pair, but why are you even going?
Therapy again: From the person who asked about therapy last week... what do you do when your parents both have mental health related degrees and therefore think that 1. If there was anything wrong with you, they'd see it. 2. They can do any therapy you need. 3. You feel like you'd be letting them down by actually having a problem. 4. You live at home, despite being in your early 20s, and are therefore stuck with them knowing what goes on in your life.
Carolyn Hax: Get out! Get out!
Sorry, that was involuntary. 3. You wouldn't be letting ANYONE down if you had a problem, because EVERYONE HAS PROBLEMS. Usually the people with the most spectacular problems are the ones who think they don't have any and/or think they can handle them all just fine by themselves, thanks. 4. Whatever you can do to nudge yourself toward independence, start doing it. That'll be therapeutic unto itself. 1. This isn't about them, it's about you. Repeat as needed. 2. If you don't want to talk about your parents TO your parents, then you're probably healthier than you give yourself credit for being.
If you have access to a professional opinion that you could seek discreetly, affordably and extrafamilially, please, do help yourself.
From another post break-up depressed person: How do you know when you need treatment for the depression? I am sad about the break up and I sort of got back together with the ex for a physical thing for a while this summer before he moved away. Now I miss him. We still talk. We still flirt. But there is no relationship there. I'm very sad about this. But I don't think treatment would help. don't you just have to feel sad about some things?
Carolyn Hax: Of course. It crosses a line into an illness only when it starts to interfere with your basic functioning--sleeping, eating, working, concentrating--for more than a short period of time.
Excuse Me: Did I miss the memo announcing that it's rude to say "excuse me"? This morning a woman was blocking my way, and I said "excuse me" as I squeezed past her. As I walked by, she called ahead, "Oh, you're in such a big hurry, you're so important." What was I supposed to do? Not go to work today because a person was standing in the path to my building? (Not that I'm working very hard.)
Carolyn Hax: I think you're supposed to wait till the person moves--but most people won't heckle you if you don't. Some people are just angry.
On pettiness and pregnancy : My wife did something terrible (not cheating-terrible, but terrible nonetheless), then by her own admission waited till we were pregnant to tell me about it, so I "couldn't get too mad" at her. I'm by no means abusive, but it was bad, what she did, so she's right to think I wouldn't be an especially pleasant person to deal with were i not afraid of how my anger would affect the baby.
I'm sorely, sorely tempted to use your "Grow up, please," but I know even that'll send her into hysterics.
Carolyn Hax: Picture one of those Anne Geddes photographs with babies as flowers or bees or something (since real men know who Anne Geddes is), except in this one it's 10 babies and they're spelling out C-O-U-N-S-E-L-I-N-G. Please. We're begging.
Martinsburg, W. Va.: Hi Carolyn,
I hope the mother can find a way to tell her daughter the truth. In my case, my mother had a child "out of wedlock" as they called it in those days and put the baby up for adoption. My mom died when I was nineteen, so she never told me. My sibs and I found out after our Dad died, and now there is no one to ask. I know it must have torn her up, because she saved the hospital record, a note with the babys name, and an old advice column about how hurtful it could be for an adopted child to find their birth parents. I can only look at it in the context of the times (early 50's) and know that's the way it was done then. I would like to find a website where adoptees are looking for their birth parents -- maybe by some wild cooincidence she's looking for us too. Do you know of any? thanks, love your column
Carolyn Hax: Thank you. I'm all choked up over here. I'm sure I will hear from a bunch of people who know the protocol and/or Web sites, but I think the fact that you have the hospital record is huge. If the hospital is still around, call the records office; if not, try the city hall where it was located. Dig, and I think you'll eventually find. Good luck.
Columbia and Depression: It is a classic sign of depressed people to think that others might benefit from help but their depression is just beyond help.
Go talk to someone. What can it hurt? Seriously, what can it possibly hurt to go talk to someone who might be able to help you.
Carolyn Hax: Just an ego and a preconception or two, assuming the therapist is qualified. It is important to choose carefully.
Portland, Ore.: I am so upset and could really use some input.
My fiance and I have been "experiencing" home construction for the last four months straight. The home is mine, I bought it last year as a fixer-upper (before we were engaged, but we had dated for a good while). The home's theoretical value skyrocketed in one year, but it was really considered unresellable until some major issues were addressed (and they needed to be addressed relatively soon). I took advantage of the theoretical equity gain and refinanced to do the repairs, but since I was still on a budget, I knew I'd have to do a lot myself. I should note that buying a fixer wasn't really a choice -- this was the best home I could buy for the buck in this market, as I don't have a ton of money.
Anyway, I did not involve my fiance in much of the construction planning, in part because he wasn't my fiance at the time, but mostly because he's not an involved kind of guy. He's really laid back, often expresses that he has no opinion, so I just proceed...
The construction has gone well this summer, the relationship has not. I have done the bulk of the work, which is what I had basically planned on since I knew this was sort of my deal, and because my fiance has a very difficult job that precludes him from being home a lot. He has helped out about 10 days since we started. Each time, I TOTALLY appreciated it, because I bit off more than I could chew and really needed his help in each of those instances, and I knew it was a major time and energy sacrifice for him.
What frustrates me, though, is that he has spent almost the entire summer complaining -- complaining every time he has helped me, complaining about the mess, complaining that his summer has been ruined, complaining that he just wants to relax, and so on. On one hand, I completely empathize, because my summer, too, has been "ruined" by all this work. On the other hand, I feel like this house is a real financial opportunity for us -- one that he not only doesn't seem to "get" and doesn't seem to value, but has the gall to complain about!
I also feel that in the few times he's helped out, he's managed to be pretty damn rude -- once he left me hammering on the roof because he needed to "do a few errands" -- he came back six hours later after spending the afternoon at the bar. His parents are now in town for his birthday and for our open house, which is supposed to be on Saturday. I spent an entire day cleaning in anticipation of these events; last night I came home from work and he had decided to throw himself a birthday party. All of his friends, which were supposed to come on Saturday, were partying in our yard and my house was trashed -- beer bottles everywhere, a kitchen FULL of dishes. His mom freaked that I was upset, and cleaned up for him.
I love the guy and appreciate so many things about him. But I feel like he's got a strong immature streak -- that he's ungrateful for a lot of what he's been given by others. He thinks that I excel at ruining his good times and special moments. I'm strongly reconsidering this marriage after last night -- this broke my spirit totally. Am I out of line, or missing something?
Carolyn Hax: You're missing that at his birthday party, you're the one who got the gift: crystalline insight into his (complete absence of) character. All that, and equity too.
I realize it's hard to recognize a throat-punch as a gift, but you will, when it stops hurting. Love is a precious commodity only when it doesn't make your life worse. Just don't dump him when you're both on the roof.
Indiana: Please answer today, if at all possible. I am in the throes of a giant funk. Two months ago, I lost my job on the one-year anniversary of the date I lost my job last year--both situations out of my control. Last year, I did some contract work, but it took me four months to find a full-time gig and this time, there are no contracts to work, so I am at home feeling worthless while I search and interview. In my field, jobs are not especially prevalent, so I know the search will take a little time. But I am running out of money and just found out my car needs some expensive work. To top it off, also just got dumped by a new BF, but one I really liked in a most unceremonious way. It was the last straw. I am the cheerleader amongst my friends, and so when I had my spectacular 3-hour crying meltdown to my best friend last weekend, she was a bit shocked. I have since cried A LOT and talked to a couple of other sympathetic friends, but no one can really help me. Can you please tell me what to say to them? I know they love me and they want to help, but hearing "it could be worse" or "you aren't the only one this has ever happened to" is REALLY not helping me feel better. I am scared and insecure right now and I just need a hug, not platitudes.
Carolyn Hax: "I am scared and insecure right now and I just need a hug, not platitudes."
It sucks to have to spell it out, but I think you'll feel better when you do. Remember, too, that the platitude-spewers do care, they're just goofy at it. Most people are. Sorry about your bad run of luck.
Excuse me?: Wait a minute. I'm just supposed to wait while someone stands in the way with no sign of moving? I don't think so. I think a polite "excuse me" is fine and prefereable to someone just standing there waiting while someone jibber-jabbers or whatever.
Carolyn Hax: Speaking of angry people. Do you realize there was no indication that the person wasn't moving?
Obviously, if a person is growing roots, you squeeze by. But I think "excuse me" followed by a beat to let people move, vs. excuse me as you plow, is the more polite way to go. Except on the Metro, when all beats are off.
Arlington, Va.: My dad and my mom keep pestering me about not having a boyfriend. I am a happy 26-year-old with several hobbies including piano playing and training for a marathon. Being single never crosses my mind except when my parents bring it up. Should I take my parents advice and try to date people, eventhough I am happy?
No, you should not succumb to parental pressure to date people you wouldn't otherwise be moved to date. Ask them which they'd prefer, no boyfriend or a boyfriend you don't like?; say okay, thanks, will do, and then do nothing; change the subject, the more absurdly the better.
RE: Washington, D.C. (again): Not eating and not sleeping is a normal part of bereavement; what is "a short time"; that's a very individual thing...
I went through this, lost about 15 pounds (ever hear of "the break-up diet"?), lasted about six months, got better. Without Prozac.
This society is very quick to label anything but "happiness" as pathological and unbearable (for anything but "a short time"); the mourning period used to be recognized as lasting a full year! We were more fully human then, in my opinion.
Carolyn Hax: I appreciate what you're saying about letting nature run its course, but the whole "We've pathologized unhappiness" arguments are my red flag for people who are opposed to mental-health care. Define "then"--when we locked up people with perfectly treatable brain-chemistry imbalances? You see "more fully human" (whatever that means--I tried an SSRI when I was depressed and I still felt pretty exquisitely human, thanks); I see "bad old days." You got better, that's what matters--not -how- you got better.
Excuse Me: I think tone of voice can matter a lot here. "Excuse me" can be said cheerfully, implying "just let me squeeze by here", or nastily, implying "why are you taking up space and oxygen and daring to get in MY way"
Carolyn Hax: True, but even "tone of voice" can be affected by the beholder. If it's uttered by someone in a hurry, e.g., it will evoke sympathy in someone predisposed to be sympathetic, and anger in someone predisposed to be snitty. So it seems everyone benefits if we find a way to be predisposed to be sympathetic, don't you think?
OH MY GOD, I DO KNOW WHO ANN GEDDES IS!: And I'm a man! So I have to kill myself now, right? Or is it OK because I couldn't quite place the name until you described her photographs?
Carolyn Hax: No no--the proper response is, "I'm a man, I know who Anne Geddes is, and I won't apologize for that."
Of course this is just the way a woman thinks a manly man should think, but I'll leave that out because I don't want you hurting yourself.
For Portland: Yikes, just read what you wrote and translate it into years of marriage: "his mother cleaned up for him." That will be you. He's a big ungrateful kid and you spoil his fun. It's got to be hard, but listen to Carolyn--run, and be grateful you got the kick now.
Carolyn Hax: Thanks for the his-mother-cleaned-up catch. A couple of you wrote in with it.
www.adoption.com: is a really good place to start - good luck! I'm a birth mom recently reunited with my 34-year old daughter who was looking for me; she is also happily acquainted with her half-siblings, all of whom knew she existed most of their lives, since I always hoped she would be part of my life again one day.
Carolyn Hax: Can't vouch for it myself, but I can post it and let anyone interested do the legwork. Thanks.
Fixer upper: Complete absence of character? I don't understand. Obviously these two are a terrible match, but I don't understand why he is required to support a project that is not his own, and that he did not ask for.
Carolyn Hax: djghkfjg'l kfglqkh dfhakal'jhb'
The office keyboard (vs. home keyboard) feels different against my forehead. Bet the cubicle walls will be a spongy improvement over plaster.
I could argue he did "ask for" the project by getting engaged to her whilst it was already underway--just as you'd probably agree someone "asks for" childrearing responsibilities by getting engaged to someone with kids. This was the bed he was going to lie in, so seems to me anyone of substance would pitch in--even just financially, if the work was such a grim prospect.
But even if we stipulate that he didn't ask for the house mess--he certainly shouldn't spend even a second complaining about it when it's clear his fiancee, the person he supposedly loves, is working like a dog--not to mention, working to make a home--FOR THEM BOTH. And certainly he shouldn't agree to help only to be rude about it and/or abandon the job before it was finished.
And he -threw himself a party- and wrecked this annoying grueling four-month project he didn't agree to take on but was fine with using for his own enjoyment.
Maybe you just skimmed the question--?
Bethesda, Md.: So, how much do you think childhood things really affect a person? I was sort of molested by several people when I was younger. There was no intercourse or anything really bad, just some inappropriate touching. I doubt anyone even remembers it excpet me (I'm still pretty close to the perpetrators), and then only very rarely. But I'm rather averse to being touched now, except by certain people who I know and trust. I'm not even sure if what happened to me would qualify as abuse. Maybe it was childhood sex play? Is that just a normal thing little boys do to little girls?
Carolyn Hax: "Childhood things" can be a gnat to one person and an elephant to another. What matters is, you're averse to touch and you're unhappy about that. Please get some solid referrals and talk to someone about this.
Re: parents and boyfriend...: One day, in my early twenties, my sister said to me: I think you should date more. And I responded: me too. And she was kinda floored - cause, like, what was I supposed to do now? Ask every boy I saw to go for a drink? Take out a billboard at times square? Tell your parents to stuff it - in nicer terms - and do what makes you happy.
Carolyn Hax: If you're smiling when you tell them to stuff it, does that qualify as nicer?
Bathroom etiquette: Anyone else find this wierd?
In men's bathrooms (from what I understand), there is an unwritten rule that men do not use the stalls/urinals directly next to someone else unless they have to. Why is it that in an otherwise empty women's bathroom with 6 stalls, it is not unusual for a woman to set up camp in the stall next to mine? I find it unnerving especially since the bathroom is the one place I can go for a moment of peace and quiet.
Carolyn Hax: That's what I'd find unnerving.
Since there's a visual barrier that isn't there in men's rooms, I figure women just use the one that's closest, that suits their habit, or that isn't gross. But, then, given how many of our deepest, most private weirdnesses probably go into the decisionmaking process, it's probably best if you just think happy thoughts and/or find another peaceful place that isn't so easily violated.
MN: Buying the fixer upper was a choice. She could have rented. It's her boyfriend's choice not to be excited about her project. It sounds like hell to me.
Carolyn Hax: Getting engaged to her was a choice, too.
Plus: "Not to be excited" is not the same thing as constant whining, wrecking the place and getting bailed out by Mommy. Meanwhile, on the marriage trajectory, this doink is going to benefit from, possibly profit from, her hard labor. Don't make me test out my cubicle walls.
Related to today's column: I have a half-sibling that my father told us all about more than 10 years ago, when said sibling was still a baby. My parents' marriage survived my dad's affair; however, my mom was (probably still is) understandably very hurt. I want nothing to do with my dad's former mistress; however, I wouldn't mind reaching out to her child (who's a teenager now; I think). I told myself that I'd contact him when he's an adult, and I wouldn't have to go through his mother -- someone I know my mom can't stand. However, I'm wondering if reaching out to my half-sibling would also hurt my mom. I don't want her to feel more betrayed by my willingness to accept this kid. Should I just give up any idea of reaching out to him for my mom's sake? My loyalty is definitely with her.
Carolyn Hax: Have you talked to her about this? By contacting the child, you'd be reaching out to another member of the party of innocents--and so, rationally, there's no betrayal in that.
I say "rationally" knowing full well that not everyone can be rational in a situation like this. But I'd hate to see your carefully reasoned quest derailed be someone's refusal to set old wounds or anger aside.
Party Dressing: I had this happen and not sure what to make of it. Thought maybe you'd weigh in on this. We were invited to go to a cocktail party at someone's home. My husband asked a woman friend of his who was also going to the same party what she would suggest wearing (on my behalf, since we don't go to many cocktail parties). She said jeans and a nice shirt. I wore black jeans and a nice sweater...I thought I looked appropriate, sort of similar to what the hostess had on. My husband's friend showed up in a beaded, sleeveless top, pencil thin black skirt, hose and beaded slingback pumps. I was a bit floored.
Carolyn Hax: I suppose she could have said, "I plan to overdress but your wife could wear jeans," but that probably would have floored you more than what she did say and do. She gave you accurate advice, so try to resist second-guessing. She could also have had another party after this one.
Seriously?: What is with all the people defending immature house-wrecking sounds-like-he-might-have-a-drinking-problem dude?
Carolyn Hax: I have no idea. Check this one out:
Forget the finger pointing!: Clearly these two are not ready to get married to each other. Whether or not either of them is ready to get married period is sort of irrelevant because they're clearly not communicating effectively and they definitely don't have the same values for building (heh) a life together. Doesn't matter whose fault it is, but it's not going to work.
Carolyn Hax: Granted, there will be a point at which blaming will not be productive and she'll need to move on for the sake of living a life that better suits her. But when she's in the process of assessing what she has in order to decide what does suit her, and assessing her own role in that she does and doesn't have, I think it's just fine to identify and call out lousy character. If nothing else, it'll save her from rationalizing, "Well, he didn't want the house, he kind of had it dumped on him ..." only to realize in 10 years that he's still letting her do all the work, while he's the self-appointed VP in charge of complaining, on projects they took on together, like raising kids.
Washington, D.C.: The DC Rape Crisis Center (www.dcrcc.org) would be a good start for information about childhood sexual abuse. They also offer free counseling.
Fixer-upper: She may be a totally obsessive workaholic nag, too; you're only getting her side of the story. Taking an afternoon off (from a project someone else volunteered you for) to enjoy life doesn't seem like a crime to me; she probably drove him to it. As for "complaining," I say he gets points for at least doing it, even if his mouth gives away his true feelings about being drafted.
Carolyn Hax: This is mind-boggling to me. I've had 9.5 years of reminders that I only get half of the story, if that much, but ... HE SAID HE HAD TO RUN SOME ERRANDS! He didn't say, "I'm burned out, I need a break, can I grab anything for you before I go?"
House-Wrecker:: That woman's fiance didn't even offer to clean up his own mess when he trashed what is soon to be -their- house. Mommy had to step in? I'm floored by that alone. If she wanted to live surrounded by beer bottles she would have bought an old frat house as her fixer-upper.
Time for some bacon pants!!: TO the gal with the ruined house. They'd make a nice parting gift for the dumped fiance.
Seattle, Wash.: Arrrgh. He said he "had to run some errands" and sat in a bar for six hours. He could have said at any point, "you know, this isn't my thing, I don't want to do this." and they could have used it to discuss what each of them wanted. And then his mother cleaned up after him.
Anonymous: Is this chat still on?
Carolyn Hax: No. It's over. Fttt. Done. Thanks everybody. Type to you next week.
Re: Party Dressing: The recommendation of "jeans and a nice shirt" makes me think that the friend misunderstood and told the husband what she thought HE should wear.
Carolyn Hax: Ahhhhh. That makes sense.
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Once Again, Georgetown Is All the Rage
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Shortly after midnight tonight, the Georgetown men's basketball team will trot onto the floor at McDonough Arena. There will be a John Thompson (III) standing on the sideline. There will be a Patrick Ewing (Jr.) wearing jersey number 33 on the court. And there will be expectations and a buzz surrounding the program that hasn't been felt since the first John Thompson and the first Patrick Ewing were winning games for the Hoyas.
As a result, the athletic department will broadcast the Midnight Madness event live on its Web site, so fans around the country can follow it. The audio from the event will be piped into the parking lot at McDonough, so those fans who can't get into the cozy gym will at least be able to hear what's going on.
"It's spread a lot," junior forward Jeff Green said of the attention he and his teammates have received over the past few months. "In the past, it wasn't like it is now. Since us emerging in the tournament, us beating Duke, that was a big thing. D.C. is supporting us now, and we're getting the support that Patrick Ewing and all them had. Everybody is behind us now."
Georgetown, which finished 23-10 overall and lost to eventual national champion Florida by four points in an NCAA regional semifinal, will almost certainly be ranked in the top 10 when the first national polls are released.
"I think you saw a glimpse last year," said junior guard Jonathan Wallace, a returning starter. "I think it opened people's eyes. You got kind of a glimpse of what we could do last year with beating Duke. But that was a regular season game. You still have more tournament games to go, and the ultimate goal is to win a championship. That's what we fell short of. In our minds, that's what we're shooting for, nothing less."
On the court, the Hoyas have significant holes to fill, particularly on the perimeter. Guard Ashanti Cook, forward Brandon Bowman and swingman Darrel Owens graduated; that trio contributed 29.4 points per game, and they accounted for over half of the team's production from three-point range (128 of the 223 made three-pointers). Over their careers, they made a combined 264 starts.
But the Hoyas have one of the best front courts in the nation, with Green and 7-foot-2 junior Roy Hibbert. They have a highly ranked class of newcomers, which includes high school all-Americans Vernon Macklin and DaJuan Summers, as well as junior transfer Patrick Ewing Jr.
"I think this group is extremely hungry," Coach John Thompson III said. "I think this group has the understanding that what other people expect, what other people say and think is in many ways irrelevant. It's our group; it's how much we can now fit the pieces together; it's how much we can now answer the questions that we have; and that's the only thing that's important."
The athletic department has already sold more season tickets than it had in any other season, except for 1982-83, when Patrick Ewing Sr. was a sophomore and the Hoyas were coming off of an appearance in the NCAA final. The number of student season tickets sold has almost doubled from last year's total, according to Georgetown director of marketing and ticket operations Kim Frank. The lower bowl of Verizon Center (the 100 and 200 levels) is virtually sold out, Frank said.
The program is celebrating its 100th anniversary season, and the occasion will be marked with a series of events throughout the year. In late September, Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis, a 1977 graduate of Georgetown, hosted an anniversary kickoff dinner at his house, which gave the juniors and seniors from the current team a chance to mingle with former players such as Ewing (1982-85), John and Lonnie Duren (1977-80), and Jaren Jackson (1986-89).
Green asked them to relate stories about what it was like when they played at Georgetown; they, in turn, told him that the current Hoyas were bringing back the tradition they helped create.
"You hear it from everybody, even from fans who didn't play a lick of basketball," Green said. "You're bringing back the tradition that Patrick Ewing [Sr.] had. Everybody has got your back, and that's a good thing to hear when you're walking around town."
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The expectations surrounding Georgetown men's basketball team have not been higher since the fathers of John Thompson III, above, and Patrick Ewing Jr. were leading the Hoyas.
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Imam Guilty of Aiding Hamas
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ATLANTA, Oct. 13 -- The imam of a northern Georgia mosque pleaded guilty to providing material support to the militant group Hamas in a case in which the agreement, charges and even the plea hearing were handled in secret.
The U.S. attorney's office said Friday that the charges and plea agreement involving Mohamed Shorbagi were filed Aug. 28 in federal court in Rome, Ga., a division of Atlanta's federal court, but were sealed until Friday.
Shorbagi, 42, agreed to a maximum of 15 years in prison, prosecutors said. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 3.
According to prosecutors, between 1997 and 2001, Shorbagi provided financial support to Hamas, a group designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization. He also was accused of conspiring with unnamed others to provide material support to Hamas.
The donations were passed through the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, prosecutors said.
"It was not for a large amount of money," U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said. "But that goes to show you it doesn't take a large amount of money to get 15 years in prison."
He said the prison time could be reduced if Shorbagi cooperates, which he is expected to do. The prosecutor's office said the sentencing is likely to take place in Rome.
Nahmias's office said Shorbagi was a Georgia representative of the Holy Land Foundation and knew money provided to the foundation was actually funneled to Hamas.
He had attended Holy Land Foundation meetings at which high-level Hamas officials made presentations condemning Israel, and had hosted high-level Hamas officials at the Rome mosque where he served as imam, prosecutors said.
Shorbagi's attorney, Michael Trost, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Friday.
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ATLANTA, Oct. 13 -- The imam of a northern Georgia mosque pleaded guilty to providing material support to the militant group Hamas in a case in which the agreement, charges and even the plea hearing were handled in secret.
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Democrats Work to Fill Ideological, Electoral Void
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Former Virginia governor Mark R. Warner's decision to bow out of the 2008 Democratic presidential race yesterday left the remaining candidates scrambling to fill the ideological and electoral void left by the candidate long considered a leading alternative to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid.
The most obvious Democrat to benefit from Warner's surprise announcement, in the view of many party strategists, is Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.). He cleared his schedule yesterday to make phone calls to donors and party activists who had tentatively signed on with Warner for 2008 and are now free agents.
Warner's anticipated campaign was to be built around the notion that in an age of polarized politics, many voters are eager for a leader focused on reaching across partisan barriers for solutions to big problems. The former technology executive talked often about his experience in Virginia; he had won a state where Republicans had easily won the governorship in the previous two elections and went on to persuade the GOP-controlled legislature to pass a tax increase he called necessary to the financial solvency of the commonwealth.
That résumé -- coupled with his personal wealth -- had elevated him as a preferred choice among many Democrats who believe that Clinton (N.Y.) will not be electable in 2008.
"This is disheartening information to Hillary-alternative Democrats," said Thomas F. Schaller, a professor of political science at the University of Maryland at Baltimore County.
Some party strategists suggested that the greatest opportunity for a Democrat seeking to be the anti-Clinton alternative will -- unlike Warner's canceled candidacy -- emerge on the ideological left.
"I just don't think there is any oxygen in this race for the space that Warner was looking to occupy -- that being the moderate, establishment, electable, successful, business-entrepreneur-turned-one-term governor," said Chris Lehane, an experienced Democratic operative.
Clinton has carefully hewed to the ideological center in her six-year Senate career, building a record of working across party barriers. Her positioning is not without risk, however, as exemplified by the resentment toward her among many activists in the party's liberal wing because of her 2002 vote supporting the Iraq war and her unwillingness to set a date for withdrawal of troops.
"The bulk of the people running are going to run to the left of her, not the center," said Douglas Sosnik, a former Clinton White House aide and a personal adviser to Warner.
If Warner's decision shifts the 2008 center of gravity leftward, the candidate best positioned to capitalize on the change may be former senator John Edwards (N.C.), the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2004. Since leaving the Senate at the end of that year, Edwards has apologized for his 2002 vote authorizing President Bush to use force in Iraq and he has called for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces. He has also courted organized labor, which remains a key Democratic constituency in nomination contests.
Other names touted as potential liberal alternatives include Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), who recently made his first visit to Iowa, and former vice president Al Gore.
Many within Warner's own inner circle, however, believe that his message of centrist politics leaves a void for someone with a similar philosophy.
"People responded to his leadership style. This was a different way to think about leadership," said Monica Dixon, the head of Warner's Forward Together PAC and one of his leading campaign strategists.
On paper, Bayh most closely resembles Warner in both ideological profile and governing style. Both are former governors of Republican-leaning states who have spent much of their time in office working with members of the rival party to provide solutions.
In nearly every speech, Bayh emphasizes that he was twice elected governor of Indiana before being elected -- and reelected to the Senate. The not-so-subtle message of those speeches is that Bayh represents his party's best chance of being competitive in Republican-leaning states.
Seeking to quickly capitalize on Warner's decision, Bayh spent the day reaching out to jilted Warner backers -- making the argument that his campaign is a natural landing spot for them. In a statement released yesterday Bayh praised Warner as "an exceptional public servant, a great leader, and an influential voice in the Democratic Party."
Outgoing Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson are also positioning themselves as moderates in the 2008 field. They gain some residual benefit from a Warner-less field, said party strategists not aligned with either candidate.
"Primary voters are all handicappers," said Matt Bennett, co-founder of Third Way, a group of moderate Democrats. "They try to pick the guy who can win."
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In China, Children of Inmates Face Hard Time Themselves
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They are the children of prisoners, and in this country, they belong to no one.
The law is unclear on who should provide for the children of China's more than 1.5 million prisoners. No government department is willing to supervise them. Historically, relatives have taken them in, but in practice, many unwanted children are shuffled from family to family. Sometimes, even the families do not want them.
A small number of children, like the 12 at the home here in Dalian, receive care at "Children's Villages," organizations usually run by civic-minded individuals. But there are no more than nine or 10 such organizations nationwide, serving perhaps 1,000 children, experts say. Prisoners have an estimated 600,000 children under the age of 18, according to Justice Ministry statistics; experts argue that the actual figure is higher.
The reasons for the neglect can be traced to China's bureaucratic system, but also to the scorn with which some Chinese have traditionally regarded criminals and, by extension, their children. In rural areas especially, the stigma against criminals and their families is felt almost as strongly as it was during the Cultural Revolution, the brutal 10-year campaign of terror that pitted youth against parent, wiped out any notion of trust and taught millions of people to shun "bad elements."
"People used to turn pale when talking about criminals in those times," said Zhang Shuqin, 58, director of the Beijing Sun Village Research Institute for Helping Special Children. "Some would argue, 'We can't even help good people's kids, why bother to help criminals or their kids?' "
At Dalian Children's Village, located behind a cornfield just west of this seaside city in northeast China, many of the children arrived after being taunted or beaten in their home villages or towns, and most came from impoverished backgrounds. Their parents, now serving time for robbery, fraud or murder, often earned less than a dollar a day before being incarcerated.
"Most of our kids live below the poverty line. They have relatives, but they're very poor. The more rural the area, the worse it is," said Pan Du, the executive director of the Dalian home. "If you live in a village, everybody knows your business. And kids can be so cruel to each other."
To protect their privacy, the children are given nicknames. "Shitou," 9, was the first child to come to live at the home three years ago. His name means "Stone," because he is considered the founding stone of the home. His previous nickname was "Idiot," given to him by relatives who beat him.
Shitou's mother abandoned the family, and his father is serving six years in prison for robbery. The boy and a sick grandmother bounced from relative to relative each month.
Yang Mei, 29, the home's full-time social worker, recalled seeing Shitou shortly after he arrived.
"I remember that his jacket was not thick enough for northeast China, and his pants were so short and tight they were hard to take off," she said. Yang also recalled Shitou flinching every time she tried to swat at the flies that loop through the home. It was only later that she learned he had once been beaten by relatives with a fly swatter.
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DALIAN, China -- The children answer to nicknames such as "Seagull," "Brightness," "Summer" and "Ocean," but they come with scars that social workers initially mistake for dirt. When they first arrive at the two-story house here, they hoard toothpaste, or they hide new socks and steamed buns in...
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To Curb the Trend, Magic Tells His Story
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On the basketball court, he was Magic, dribbling past defenders, dishing no-look passes and tossing in three-pointers from beyond the arc.
But yesterday Earvin Johnson Jr. came to the District as a man living with a disease and a mission, testifying before audiences hushed by the power of his grim yet uplifting tale. At a high school and a Baptist church, Johnson recounted how his charmed basketball career ended abruptly in 1991 after a routine blood test revealed that he has HIV.
He quit basketball and was shunned by players who feared they could contract the virus simply by touching him. He stopped counting those who predicted that he would be dead in a year. Not a day goes by when he does not think about how sleeping around changed his life. Johnson said his fame made him the "face of the disease," a mantle that he has embraced and run with.
"I'm here so that what happened to me will not happen to you," he told an audience of feisty high schoolers, some giving his words rapt attention. "I had your same mindset, your same mentality. But HIV is running through our community in a big way. And sex among teenagers is up."
Johnson's visit to Washington is part of a 10-city tour focused on HIV/AIDS among African Americans, and it comes amid a District campaign urging residents ages 14 to 84 to get tested. In the first three months of the campaign, nearly 3 percent of the more than 7,000 people tested positive -- more than double the national rate.
The number of new infections -- 40,000 a year -- has not changed since 1990. But African Americans have plenty of reasons to be alarmed, since they account for half of all new infections despite representing only 13 percent of the population.
Fifteen years after learning he had the disease, Johnson, now 47, appears as vigorous and spry as ever. He is accustomed to questions about whether he has been cured and whether getting the virus really was that bad, since he looks so healthy. But Johnson, who works out daily, said no one should be fooled by his appearance.
"The only thing that saved my life was early detection and taking my medicine," he said yesterday in an interview. "In those 15 years, I tell them that a lot of people have died.
"In real life," he added, "I'm not supposed to be here."
But his talk is not all downbeat. Johnson said he grew up poor in a large family, like many of the students in the audience have. And with six sisters and three brothers, he often wore hand-me-downs that did not fit.
"We were very poor," he told the students. "But I had goals and dreams."
He made millions playing basketball, and now the entrepreneur owns a string of theaters bearing his name and 103 Starbucks coffee shops. "I got my education," he said. "The only thing that's going to help us is if you have a good education."
Some of the admonitions were brushed aside by youngsters who fidgeted in their seats and looked at their watches, but others said they were listening.
Johnson is among those who contend that many in the black community are afraid to stop pretending that the issue will magically disappear or that the disease is more predominant -- as it once was -- among gay, white men.
"Many responses to the issue of HIV/AIDS come as the result of abject ignorance of the disease," said the Rev. H. Beecher Hicks Jr., pastor of the 6,000-member Metropolitan Baptist Church near Logan Circle. "There are people who believe that by drawing away, withholding contact, that they are insulating themselves against any possibility of contracting the disease. But that's not the case. We have to have a serious process of education for the general public and for the affected public."
And that is where people like Johnson come in. At Anacostia High School, the auditorium broke out in bedlam as Johnson entered the room. When he initially retired from basketball, most of the Anacostia students were in diapers, and some were not even born. But when Johnson asked how many had visited his theater in Prince George's County, nearly every hand went up.
Later, a few lucky students were given Lakers jerseys bearing Johnson's name. One who got a jersey was Greg Baldwin, 17, a shooting guard on the school's varsity basketball team. He was moved by the event and Johnson's honesty.
"I haven't got tested," he said. "It makes me want to."
The audience at Metropolitan was slightly more subdued and older. Among the hundreds that filled the pews were people who had contracted the virus from intravenous drug use. Gwen Taylor, 50, of Baltimore was among a group of former drug users from Baltimore who were bused in for the event.
She was diagnosed HIV positive while in detox in the early 1990s. But Taylor said she kept using drugs until three years ago. Now, she takes her medicine every day, and she says that she feels and looks better than she has in years.
"I take suggestions now," she said. "I didn't back then."
Johnson's 10-city tour is part of a partnership with Abbott Laboratories Inc., the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the medication Johnson takes, to address health disparities in minority communities.
At Metropolitan, the company made a direct appeal for people to choose their drug, Kaletra, over others that are available.
"If you haven't had it, you're missing a treat," said Willis Steele, an Abbott representative. "They're just dynamite."
But Johnson's appeal at both venues was less about the drug and more about changing behaviors -- including promiscuity and drug use.
"If we've got bad habits," he said, "we've got to stop them. We have got to worry about how we're going to stay here for a long time."
For Johnson, it's 47 years and counting.
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Get Washington DC,Maryland,Virginia news. Includes news headlines from The Washington Post. Get info/values for Washington DC,Maryland,Virginia homes. Features schools,crime,government,traffic,lottery,religion,obituaries.
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Gallaudet Students Arrested
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The president of Gallaudet University told protesting students last night that they had to end the three-day demonstration that has shut down the elite college for the deaf or face arrest.
The ultimatum by longtime leader I. King Jordan was delivered to protesters at the school's main entrance on Florida Avenue NE about 7 p.m. It further raised tensions that have been building at the school for almost a week and smoldering since May, when students began protesting the appointment of incoming president Jane K. Fernandes.
By 9 p.m., campus police had begun arresting protesters.
Throngs of jeering students continued to block the school's Sixth Street entrance.
The demonstration, with students blocking several entrances and camping out on campus, has halted activity at the school and left the campus littered with trash and debris.
Jordan's announcement came as Fernandes met with students to negotiate yesterday, the first time since protesters shut down the school earlier this week.
For several days, students have been demanding that Fernandes come and talk with them.
When she did yesterday, she emerged from a black sport-utility vehicle and, flanked by two security officers, stepped out to a security gatepost at the top of the hill at the Florida Avenue entrance.
"For one week, deaf infants and children and youth up to grade 8 have not been able to go to school," she said, referring to the elementary and high schools for deaf students on the campus.
"For one week, our model high school has been closed. For one week, both undergraduate and graduate students have been denied their education. For one week, we have had no mail delivered. Deaf babies scheduled for hearing tests and audiology exams are not able to get on campus. Senior citizens who are hard of hearing and seek the services of our audiology clinic cannot get here.
"This has gone on long enough," she said. "I am asking a small group of students to join me now for a conversation about reopening Gallaudet University without delay. I hope you will meet with me."
They did that afternoon, but students left disappointed.
Fernandes said she would not step down -- even as the university's alumni association urged her to resign and declared that there is overwhelming support for her removal.
"She is not willing to come halfway," said protest leader Delia Lozana-Martinez, saying Fernandes wanted to talk to the students only about opening campus. "It disappoints and disgusts me. I don't think it was productive at all."
The protest began in the spring with the search for a successor to Jordan. A group of black students complained that not enough attention was paid to diversity, and that a strong African American former board chairman was passed over for weaker candidates. Many on campus objected to Fernandes, who was then provost, and when her appointment was announced, it sparked two weeks of demonstrations in May.
Since then, issues have simmered in the close-knit deaf community, and many people, with a wide range of complaints, have come together to demand a new president. Some say Fernandes has divided the campus; some say she has allowed racism and audism, discrimination against deaf people; some say she isn't a good symbol for the deaf community -- she did not learn American Sign Language until she was in her 20s.
Because Gallaudet is the only liberal arts college for the deaf, its leader has cultural importance far beyond that of most university presidents.
Her supporters, including Jordan and some faculty and staff members, say that she has led the creation of a wide-ranging diversity plan addressing some of the campus's most painful issues, that she has promoted improved academics at the 1,800-student school and that she has met with many on campus since May to talk about issues. Fernandes has said the debate is over deaf identity, as technology has been changing deaf culture, not about her.
Staff writer Hamil R. Harris contributed to this report.
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The president of Gallaudet University told protesting students last night that they had to end the three-day demonstration that has shut down the elite college for the deaf or face arrest.
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Pope Poised To Revive Latin Mass, Official Says
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Pope Benedict XVI has drafted a document allowing wider use of the Tridentine Mass, the Latin rite that was largely replaced in the 1960s by Masses in English and other modern languages, a church official said yesterday.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the pope told colleagues in September that he was writing the document "motu proprio," a Latin phrase for on his own initiative, and that it was in its third draft.
"There will be a document, it will come out soon, and it will be significant," the official said. Benedict "will not let this be sidetracked," he added.
Wider use of the Tridentine Mass is a cause dear to the hearts of many Catholics, for both esthetic and ideological reasons. It was codified in 1570 and remained the standard Roman Catholic liturgy for nearly four centuries, until the gathering of church leaders known as the Second Vatican Council ushered in major reforms from 1962 to 1965.
To some Catholics, the return of the old Latin Mass is symbolic of a conservative turn away from what they view as the "excesses" that followed the Second Vatican Council, said the Rev. Thomas J. Scirghi, who teaches liturgical theology at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif.
He said many churchgoers associate the Tridentine Mass with beautiful Gregorian chants and a dignified service, while they associate the new Mass -- formalized in 1969 -- with guitars, drums and short-lived experiments such as "Pizza Masses" in which pizzas, rather than wafers, were consecrated in a bid to attract young people.
In fact, the new Mass can be celebrated with great solemnity, either in vernacular languages or in Latin, said Nathan D. Mitchell, professor of liturgical studies at the University of Notre Dame. And the Tridentine Mass, he added, "wasn't always celebrated with care, beauty, aplomb and musical finesse."
"There's a lot of romanticizing of the old liturgy. Most parishes celebrated it as what they called Low Masses, with no singing, no preaching, the priest just mumbling something that was inaudible," Mitchell said.
Nonetheless, he acknowledged, the Tridentine Mass has become "an icon for all the things that people thought had been forfeited and lost at, and after, the Second Vatican Council. That includes not only the liturgy but also a church of visible discipline and hierarchical structure, the ancient discipline of the priesthood, the moral authority of bishops and the pope, a way of looking at the human relationship to God."
The old Latin Mass was never formally prohibited, but it virtually disappeared from the 1960s until the mid-1980s, when Pope John Paul II allowed it back into limited usage, permitting parish priests to celebrate it if they obtained permission from their bishops. Some bishops have freely granted such requests, and some have not.
In Washington, new Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl has continued the policy of his predecessor, Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, by making the Tridentine Mass easily available. It is celebrated each Sunday at three local churches -- St. Mary Mother of God in Chinatown, St. John the Evangelist-Forest Glen in Silver Spring, and St. Francis de Sales in Benedict, Md., according to Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the archdiocese.
In the Arlington Diocese, Bishop Paul S. Loverde earlier this year allowed two churches, St. Lawrence in Franconia and St. John the Baptist in Front Royal, to begin celebrating the Tridentine liturgy each Sunday.
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Pope Benedict XVI has drafted a document allowing wider use of the Tridentine Mass, the Latin rite that was largely replaced in the 1960s by Masses in English and other modern languages, a church official said yesterday.
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Counting The Iraqi Dead
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"Not credible" was President Bush's quick verdict on the new study, published this week in the British medical journal the Lancet, calculating that more than 650,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the U.S. invasion and its ensuing chaos. It is understandable that the president would be quick to dismiss such an explosive claim, but the rest of us should take the time to look a bit more closely.
The number of estimated deaths claimed by the study is inconceivably huge and wildly out of scale with any previous figures we've heard. But it's difficult to avoid the conclusion that the human suffering in Iraq has been far beyond our imagining.
The peer-reviewed study's named authors include three researchers from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University -- one of them is Gilbert Burnham, co-director of the school's Center for Refugee and Disaster Response -- and a professor from Baghdad's al-Mustansiriya University. Funding for the project was provided by MIT. These are not shabby credentials.
But academic degrees and prestigious affiliations alone do not establish truth. Bush said the problem is that the study's methodology has been discredited. But the team relied on a "cluster sample survey" technique that is frequently used for public health research, especially in the developing world.
No one should find the basic concept unfamiliar, since it underlies such mainstays of modern life as public opinion polls and market research. The survey team picked what was deemed a representative sample -- in this case, 1,849 households scattered throughout Iraq -- and used that sample to draw conclusions about the population as a whole. That's the same method pollsters employ to predict who will win an election.
Ideally, the selection of respondents should be as random as possible. The process of choosing the 50 widely scattered neighborhoods in which the Johns Hopkins team did its work was not quite ideal, but the Lancet peer reviewers who cleared the study for publication could find nothing that would significantly skew the results. Interviewers went house to house, recording detailed information about deaths before the 2003 invasion and deaths since.
The researchers tallied 82 pre-invasion and 547 post-invasion deaths in those households. The death rate per year nearly tripled after the invasion, they found, and a full 300 of the post-invasion deaths, or more than half, were the result of violence. (By contrast, only 2 percent of pre-invasion deaths were violent.) Of those killed by violent means, more than half died from gunshot wounds; the rest died mostly in bombings and airstrikes. Victims were primarily young and middle-aged men. In more than 90 percent of cases, family members were able to produce death certificates confirming what they told the interviewers.
Those may look like small numbers on which to base such large claims, but that's how survey research works. Pollsters in the United States, a much larger country, routinely predict nationwide trends on the basis of fewer interviews.
Does this prove, as the study asserts, that precisely 654,965 Iraqis have died "as a consequence of the war," and that exactly 601,027 of those deaths were due to violence? No, it doesn't. The Johns Hopkins team reports being 95 percent certain that the true figure lies between about 400,000 and about 900,000 -- a large range of uncertainty that some critics have seized upon as discrediting the whole project.
But the exact number is not the point. Rather, it's the scope and scale of the carnage.
Late last year President Bush gave an off-the-cuff estimate of 30,000 Iraqi civilian deaths -- this after the administration had steadfastly refused to acknowledge even trying to count the Iraqi dead. Now the administration is willing to allow that perhaps 50,000 civilians have died. It is unclear whether any science at all has gone into these estimates or whether they were essentially pulled out of a hat.
But quite a lot of science went into the Johns Hopkins study. Even if you assume that the number of Iraqi civilians killed since the war began is at the very low end of the study's range, that's still a quantum leap from earlier estimates. We now have reputable evidence -- not proof, I'll allow, but science-based evidence from respected scholars, published in one of the world's most prestigious medical journals -- that the humanitarian tragedy in Iraq is much, much worse than anyone had suspected.
If the study's findings are flawed, then its critics should demonstrate how and why. But no one should dismiss these shocking numbers without fully examining them. No one should want to.
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"Not credible" was President Bush's quick verdict on the new study, published this week in the British medical journal the Lancet, calculating that more than 650,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the U.S. invasion and its ensuing chaos. It is understandable that the president would be quick to...
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Coping with a Dying Parent
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Malene S. Davis, president and CEO of Capital Hospice , was online Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. to discuss end-of-life issues and the struggle to come to grips with a parent's mortality.
Read The Conversation: She Didn't Want to Face Her Father's Impending Death. Talking About It With Him Helped Them Both (Post, Oct. 10)
Broaching the Subject of Death Is Not Easy (Post, Oct. 10)
Submit your questions and comments before or during the discussion.
Malene Davis: It's not easy thinking about -- let alone actually talking about --the approaching end of life of someone we love and care about. Still, having that conversation today can save loads of anguish and second-guessing later. I know from that both personal and professional experience. So, let me try to be of some assistance to those of you who would like to know more about the issues and choices that patients and families might want to discuss, particularly before the patient is in a medical crisis.
Falls Church, Va.: It seems that some doctors, nurses, family members and friends of very sick patients don't want to talk about end-of-life issues because it appears that they've given up hope. Can you talk about hope in the context of end of life?
Malene Davis: Hope is a precious "commodity" that should never be taken away, but needs to be redefined throughout the course of any illness. ... Toward the end of life, we need to ask "hope" for what? Hope for companionship, comfort, dignity, preferences, etc., rather than for unrealizable "immortality" at the expense of those other more attainable goals.
Washington, D.C.: Any suggestions for resources on coping after the parent dies? My dad died this spring after a long illness and it's terribly hard not to have him here. Part of the issue is that he did not really accept that he was dying and did not want to engage in those uncomfortable conversations with his adult children before he died. So we're left feeling like we should have done more for him.
Malene Davis: Other than informal resources of family and friends, and community based faith bases groups. The most outstanding hospices in America have bereavement support for not only the families who were in the program, but community bereavement support groups. In unusual situations where there is a prolonged or severe "pathological" grief, then other professional resources (psychiatry/psychology/social work) with specific training/expertise may be required.
Oak Harbor, Wash.: Ms. Davis, I just wanted to comment on how remarkable a job the Hospice of the Chesapeake performed with my mother's terminal cancer. I am active duty in the military and the tremendous support I have received was greatly beneficial during a very difficult time in my life. The Hospice is a wonderful organization and I SALUTE the many social workers and staff of the Hospice. Thank You.
Malene Davis: Encouraging words like yours are extraordinarily helpful and reinforcing. I will share them with my staff who I know will appreciate them as they continue on in this important work. I can only reciprocate by sharing my appreciation for your service and sacrifice. Thank you and best to you always.
Portland, Maine: My father passed away on July 31st from lung disease after an extended illness. Hospice was an invaluable resource for he and my mother. The focus of my siblings and I is to help my mother adjust to her new life after being a full-time caregiver. Are there clear steps to take in doing that other than invitations to outside activities?
Malene Davis: It sounds like you are doing all the right things. The key to staying "grounded" is remembering to be patient. After such a loss, returning to any semblance of "normal" life may take up to two years. However, if there are serious concerns about depression then professional help should be sought. Best wishes to you and your family.
Fairfax, Va.: What would you recommend when the patient refuses to talk about dying, even though her family members might want to? There are things we need to talk about as a family, but the patient won't allow the discussion to happen. What would you do?
Malene Davis: It is important to meet people on their own terms. "Whose issue is this?" is an important question to sort out. It is not uncommon in families for family members to be in very different places with regard to feelings about death, loss, etc. However, and sometimes tricky, you have to distinguish someone's (the dying person's) self-protection from their desire to shield their loved ones from their projected sense of loss. Within families this is probably best dealt with by ongoing reassurance that "we love you," "we will be okay," "we will miss you," and again and again, "we will be okay." Being open and accepting of others' perspectives is particularly difficult when feelings are running high, but there is no more important time to be just that -- open and accepting. This is sometimes the first opportunity that a family has to REALLY come together. I believe that love is the answer, and it will carry you and your family through.
Cleveland: We are dealing with a very active parent who is losing ability to care for herself. She volleys between anger at her predicament, depression at not wanting it to go this way, and keeping a stiff upper lip and being "fine." As I'm the youngest, she still feels a need to hide her condition and feelings from me. Any suggestions for being able to break down these fronts so that conversations can become more real?
Malene Davis: Although this is very difficult for you, take some comfort in the fact that you are not alone. Your mom's struggle is one that most of us will go through and you can probably be most supportive by being authentic with your feelings, working at being patient (which is hard, hard, hard!). Focus on the present, -- what can we do today to be helpful, have some fun (eg. review old photos) and let her know you won't think or feel less of her for becoming dependent. Mostly, though, parents want to know that their kids will be okay. So, remind her of that often. I wish you all the best.
Fairfax, Va.: My grandmother just turned 94 and is quickly declining in her ability to move around, take care of herself, and enjoy life. She's not been diagnosed with any particular disease, and her doctors have not said anything about hospice yet, but she's certainly "failing to thrive". Is hospice appropriate for her? If not, are there other resources available to elderly patients in this situation?
Malene Davis: It sounds like she is eligible for hospice care as defined by the Medicare Conditions of Participation if she is a Medicare beneficiary, under the "Adult Failure to Thrive" or "Debility Unspecified" criteria. The important thing is that her physician understands this and supports admission to hospice. Although a "physician's order" is not necessary -- but certification of prognosis of less thank six months of life expectancy is -- things seem to go most smoothly when the primary care doctor and hospice team are in sync and communicating. I hope all goes well.
Bethesda, Md.: My mother passed away from cancer in 1989 and she and I talked about her dying and our feelings. It was a blessing. My dad is 85 and he has told us how he wants his funeral and where his papers are. He has a DNR and a living will. It has brought us closer together. What resources are available to adult children to get these conversations going? I also think my dad could benefit from hospice although he is not dying right now, he does not have cancer but I see him going slowly. He has heart problems, he has really been declining. I am not sure he will be with us in a year. Does he have to leave a nursing home to get hospice? He is in a VA hospital. Is that a problem to get hospice there?
Malene Davis: It sounds like your dad is eligible for hospice and all the sites of care you mentioned should offer hospice services. I hope things go well.
Silver Spring, Md.: When is the best time to get hospice involved? If you call too early, will your parent (or their doctor) think you are giving up on them or want them to die?
Malene Davis: It's never too early to seek counsel for information, support, or services as the case may be. The best hospice programs will be happy to provide what's most useful to you given your particular circumstances. By doing a bit of research up front, you will be far more prepared to entrust the care of your loved one to a hospice program. I hope all goes well.
Anonymous: Is it okay to cry in front of your dying parent, since she can still see through her eyes?
Malene Davis: I think that the "right" answer is to be authentic and emotionally honest with yourself and those who know and love you. We all (well most of us) come into this world crying, and so our parents are used to it, although it takes on more poignancy as we grow older and become "adult" children. Honor this extraordinary relationship by showing your "true colors." Lastly, and perhaps a bit more difficult, is accepting your parent as they become increasingly dependent (and for them to accept this in themselves) as they progress toward the end of life, and the roles seem to reverse. Trite as it may sound, love is the answer (that and a lot of patience!).
I hope all goes well.
North Potomac, Md.: I had read somewhere that the holidays are a good time to have a discussion with family about health care planning. Doesn't that seem a bit morose for Thanksgiving or Christmas table chatting?
Malene Davis: I actually think this is a good time to talk about it. In my family we reminisce about relatives and how they are missed -- which leads to a healthy conversation about each other's thoughts about our wishes. What doesn't work is when we don't understand our loved ones' preferences -- that is when bad things happen. As Forest Gump should have said "morose is as morose does" so make it light, have some laughs, but make sure it happens!
20009: My Dad died three weeks ago, and as horrible and traumatic as that event was, I'm hanging in and doing okay. My 81-year-old Mom is a different story. Dad was her caretaker -- she doesn't drive, walks poorly, suffers vision loss, has severe memory issues -- so over the past few years Dad did all the running, shopping, cleaning, dog walking -- you name it.
Yet, with his passing Mom is steadfast in keeping the house (which was too large for both to deal with only a month ago) and relies on the generosity of neighbors to get by -- in a sense running all of the errands my Dad did. "They want to do it," she says over and over, but you and I and the rest of the world knows there's a limit to this. And unfortunately, I'm in D.C. and she's in NJ, so it's not like I can get even the tiniest things done with ease from this distance.
I know that this situation isn't uncommon but I am stumped by how to handle, and even just discuss, these issues with my stubborn, still independent-minded Mom who won't even think of selling the (pricey) house, moving here (or any assisted-living facility!) where I have a great job and can do all the things the neighbors are doing at present. It's a no-go.
Any insight or words of wisdom as to how to gracefully reapproach this matter? I've tried every measure of tact and tone and still she won't budge.
Malene Davis: It sounds like you are doing all the right things. I dare say most of us "boomers" will be very much like your mom (God help OUR kids!). All I can recommend is to call often, visit when you can, invite her to your home as often as it works out for you and (trite as it sounds) let nature take its course and know in your heart of hearts that you have respected her dignity by supporting her values and wishes. I hope all goes well.
washingtonpost.com: Ms. Davis has to run. Thank you for your questions.
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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Malene S. Davis, President and CEO of Capital Hospice, will discuss end-of-life issues and the struggle to come to grips with a parent's mortality.
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Dressing Up A New Model
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At first glance, there seems to be little resemblance between the edgy boutique called Cusp that opened recently at Tysons Corner Center and the venerable Neiman Marcus department store at neighboring Tysons Galleria -- give or take a Marc Jacobs bag or two.
Cusp is less than one-tenth the size of Neiman's and carries labels with names such as Morphine Generation. The season's It bags are stacked haphazardly on a wooden table. Deejay events are planned for some Thursday nights.
But Cusp is the rebellious little sister of the Neiman Marcus brand, one of just two pilot stores nationally that company executives hope will help the chain connect with a younger, more casual -- and potentially free-spending -- consumer.
"It's a brand-new baby for us," said Ginger Reeder, vice president of corporate communications for Neiman Marcus Group Inc. "It's going to attract a customer who might not think she is a Neiman Marcus customer. She's fashion savvy and knows about trend . . . but for some reason the look and feel of Neiman Marcus is not for her."
The reason likely has a lot to do with the sales growth slump that has dogged department stores for years. Once considered the biggest draws at shopping malls, department stores have steadily lost customers to such specialty shops as Abercrombie & Fitch and Crate & Barrel.
There have, however, been signs of a rebound. The sector had its best monthly performance since 1997 in September, hitting 8.6 percent sales growth at stores open at least a year, compared with the previous year, according to the trade group International Council of Shopping Centers. At Neiman Marcus, sales rose 7.9 percent for the month, and sales at apparel chain retailers grew 4.6 percent.
Total retail sales at traditional department stores have fallen 13 percent, to $84.1 billion in 2005 from $96.3 billion in 2000, the consulting firm Unity Marketing reported.
"For retailers across the board, we have a lot of formats that are heading toward maturity," said Mary Brett Whitfield, senior vice president of the consulting firm Retail Forward and director of its intelligence system. "Growth is the impetus for all of these initiatives."
Neiman Marcus is not the first luxury department store to create offshoots that mimic the feel of a specialty boutique. Barneys New York has turned its Co-op concept into a full-fledged line of retail stores, including one in Chevy Chase and one in Georgetown. Bloomingdale's downsized its SoHo store opened two years ago and has won praise for its design and merchandise selection.
"The future of the department-store retailer is going to be this model," said Marshal Cohen, chief analyst with the market research firm NPD Group. Department stores "have learned that they have to re-engineer who they are and what they are."
The offshoots tend to carry more trendy merchandise with slightly lower prices than their department store counterparts. Barneys Co-op, for example, carries few items that cost more than $1,000. The stores operate as boutiques, with limited stock and often featuring emerging labels. And retailers can open offshoots in more markets than they could with their traditional stores because of the smaller size and more accessible prices.
Barneys Co-op was born two decades ago, part of the retailer's first women's store that showcased contemporary designers. Spokeswoman Dawn Brown said the company turned the concept into a free-standing store seven years ago and now operates a dozen across the country. Barneys plans to open at least four a year, compared with the annual goal of two traditional stores.
Co-op "is an introduction to Barneys for a lot of people," she said.
Cusp stores, meanwhile, are still in the experimental stage. The Tysons Corner store and the one in California opened in the summer. A third is scheduled to move into Georgetown in February.
Neiman's Reeder said strong growth in sales of the chain's contemporary clothing was the catalyst for Cusp. There was little room to expand the department without infringing on other areas of the store, not to mention possibly alienating core customers. When the company was bought last year by private investors Texas Pacific Group and Warburg Pincus LLC, the new management encouraged thinking outside of the box.
"They need to create this laboratory-type of environment," Cohen said. "It also gives them the ability to engage with a different customer. Are you going to want to shop where your grandmother shops?"
So Joyce Healy, vice president of women's contemporary sportswear at Neiman Marcus, had to begin thinking about a different kind of consumer as she bought items to fill the Cusp shelves: someone who reads fashion magazines and shops eclectically; someone who has a strong sense of personal style and is willing to take a chance on new brands.
That translated into a store format organized by trends, rather than by designers, because Cusp shoppers prefer to assemble their own looks, executives said. The front of the Tysons store, for example, is all about dresses: sheer Chloe dresses, Marc Jacobs baby-doll dresses and Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dresses all hanging next to one another. Nearby is what merchandising store manager Danielle Bastian called the "rocker room," featuring a belt with a glittering skull and a book entitled "Rebel Style," by G. Bruce Boyer.
Nearly all of the store's stock is on the floor. One half-hidden wall is stacked with boxes upon boxes of shoes, which include a pair by Manolo Blahnik in a camouflage motif.
"We have a mental picture in our mind," Healy said. "It's who that customer is, what she's going to want and how we can enhance her closet."
Cusp has a heavy emphasis on denim and carries apparel lines with names that might easily turn off a traditional Neiman Marcus customer: Twisted Heart and Rag & Bone, in addition to Morphine Generation. Employees hand stenciled many of the signs in the store, and they are able to move merchandise around to create their own displays, Bastian said. They change the outfits on the mannequins often, as if they were Barbie dolls.
"We can change things every day if we wanted to," she said.
Cohen said that whether the Cusp concept ever takes off is irrelevant to its success. The goal is to learn how to approach a different demographic and earn credibility, he said. With the department store sector struggling to redefine itself, those lessons should prove useful for the future.
"I think honestly they don't know the answer and they don't care what the answer is," Cohen said. "They know that in either case they're going to gain knowledge of what the future holds for them. . . . There is no wrong result to the experiment."
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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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Study Claims Iraq's 'Excess' Death Toll Has Reached 655,000
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A team of American and Iraqi epidemiologists estimates that 655,000 more people have died in Iraq since coalition forces arrived in March 2003 than would have died if the invasion had not occurred.
The estimate, produced by interviewing residents during a random sampling of households throughout the country, is far higher than ones produced by other groups, including Iraq's government.
It is more than 20 times the estimate of 30,000 civilian deaths that President Bush gave in a speech in December. It is more than 10 times the estimate of roughly 50,000 civilian deaths made by the British-based Iraq Body Count research group.
The surveyors said they found a steady increase in mortality since the invasion, with a steeper rise in the last year that appears to reflect a worsening of violence as reported by the U.S. military, the news media and civilian groups. In the year ending in June, the team calculated Iraq's mortality rate to be roughly four times what it was the year before the war.
Of the total 655,000 estimated "excess deaths," 601,000 resulted from violence and the rest from disease and other causes, according to the study. This is about 500 unexpected violent deaths per day throughout the country.
The survey was done by Iraqi physicians and overseen by epidemiologists at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health. The findings are being published online today by the British medical journal the Lancet.
The same group in 2004 published an estimate of roughly 100,000 deaths in the first 18 months after the invasion. That figure was much higher than expected, and was controversial. The new study estimates that about 500,000 more Iraqis, both civilian and military, have died since then -- a finding likely to be equally controversial.
Both this and the earlier study are the only ones to estimate mortality in Iraq using scientific methods. The technique, called "cluster sampling," is used to estimate mortality in famines and after natural disasters.
While acknowledging that the estimate is large, the researchers believe it is sound for numerous reasons. The recent survey got the same estimate for immediate post-invasion deaths as the early survey, which gives the researchers confidence in the methods. The great majority of deaths were also substantiated by death certificates.
"We're very confident with the results," said Gilbert Burnham, a Johns Hopkins physician and epidemiologist.
A Defense Department spokesman did not comment directly on the estimate.
"The Department of Defense always regrets the loss of any innocent life in Iraq or anywhere else," said Lt. Col. Mark Ballesteros. "The coalition takes enormous precautions to prevent civilian deaths and injuries."
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A team of American and Iraqi epidemiologists estimates that 655,000 more people have died in Iraq since coalition forces arrived in March 2003 than would have died if the invasion had not occurred.
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'Tough' Time in Iraq to Continue, Casey Says
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Violence in the Baghdad region has peaked with a flare-up of sectarian attacks in the past few weeks, leaving U.S. commanders and the Iraqi government "not comfortable" with the current situation there, Gen. George W. Casey, the top U.S. general in Iraq, said yesterday.
Casey, in Washington for regular meetings with top U.S. officials, said at a Pentagon news conference that Iraq is a "tough situation" and that he expects it to continue to be difficult through Ramadan and in coming months, as Sunni and Shiite extremists vie for control of that nation's capital.
"I think it's no surprise to anyone that the situation in Iraq remains difficult and complex," Casey said.
The general tempered his assessment of the Baghdad area by saying that progress exists in Iraq alongside the attention-grabbing violence. Much of the country is relatively peaceful, Casey said, and U.S. goals for the development of Iraqi security forces are on track.
He said the current approach of bringing the level of the insurgency down as Iraqi forces stand up is still "a valid framework for what we're doing in Iraq," and he was dismissive of a wholesale strategic change, as some members of Congress have recently suggested.
Casey said there are no plans to boost the number of U.S. troops in Iraq in the near term, but he said that if he needs more, he'll ask.
"It's a tough nut: Whether or not bringing in more troops . . . will have a significant long-term impact on the violence," Casey said. "There's no question [that] locally, more troops will have some affect on the levels of violence, but whether more U.S. troops for a sustained period will get us where we're going faster is an open question."
Earlier, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, the Army's chief of staff, told reporters at the Pentagon that he plans to be able to provide enough troops to maintain the current level in Iraq through 2010. There are about 140,000 U.S. soldiers there.
"I don't think you should read too much into this," he said, cautioning that "this is not a prediction," but rather an attempt to be prepared for any contingency. The Army provides troops to field commanders, who determine their troop requirements in consultation with the defense secretary and the White House.
Casey and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld met with President Bush yesterday. Casey said he believes the ongoing wave of violence in Baghdad is intensified by the holiday period and the inability of the newly created Iraqi government to handle such a volatile situation. Casey said that although he believes there has been progress on the security front, "this is going to be a long-term process."
Rumsfeld declined to speculate on plans for troop levels or how the U.S. military services might supply troops for a lengthy stay in Iraq, saying that he is evaluating a series of briefings on the matter.
"We're looking around corners, up ahead, and asking ourselves how we would do things," Rumsfeld said.
In his meeting with reporters, Schoomaker, the Army chief, also elaborated on comments made Tuesday at an Army convention that public support for the military is "tepid."
The U.S. public respects the military, he said, but lacks an understanding of how dangerous the world has become and so isn't funding the military adequately, he said. "This is about what's good for America in the strategic environment we're in. . . . I think this is America's choice."
He also insisted that while he strongly desires a sharp increase in spending on the Army, he hasn't threatened to quit over the issue, as has been rumored. "I've never discussed early departure with anybody," he said. "It's not useful to walk around here threatening anybody."
Schoomaker is expected to retire in the next 12 months. Pentagon insiders expect Casey to succeed him.
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Violence in the Baghdad region has peaked with a flare-up of sectarian attacks in the past few weeks, leaving U.S. commanders and the Iraqi government "not comfortable" with the current situation there, Gen. George W. Casey, the top U.S. general in Iraq, said yesterday.
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In Marine's Death, Clues to a Son's Life
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Gilda Carbonaro pulled her car to a stop inside Arlington National Cemetery, stepping out to visit the freshly dug grave of her only child, Alex.
With her was a broad-shouldered Marine, limping from a leg shattered in battle, who towered a foot over Gilda. The Marine hadn't known Alex well but held precious clues about the person he had become.
Gilda had many questions. She and her husband had raised Alex in a world different from the military's -- the protected streets of Bethesda. Alex graduated from a Quaker high school, then stunned them by enlisting in the Marine Corps.
Gilda trusted he would serve out his initial five-year commitment, come home and go to college. Instead, he reenlisted, earning a spot in one of the Marines' elite reconnaissance units, called Recon, which operate deep inside enemy territory. That took Alex on two tours in Iraq, a war Gilda had spent two years trying to end.
On May 1, a roadside bomb tore through Alex's Humvee, setting him and two of his men on fire. He died 10 days later in a military hospital in Germany in the arms of his mom, his dad, his wife of not quite 12 months and his mother-in-law.
Alex remains the only service member listed from Bethesda killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. He was 28.
His grave in sight, Gilda -- a 56-year-old school teacher -- wrestled with unyielding grief, and with a mother's need to understand her son. The Marine walking with Gilda was a sergeant, like Alex. They placed flowers on Alex's grave, doing the same at the nearby grave of one of Alex's men. They walked to a big tree and sat down.
"Have you read the Recon Creed?" the Marine asked. "We live by that."
Alex was a tough read, even as a kid. Private and headstrong, he tended to reveal big decisions only after he had made them.
The world around him couldn't have been more focused on college. In 2000, according to U.S. Census data, Bethesda held more degrees per capita than any place in the country with more than 50,000 people.
Gilda held a master's in linguistics from Georgetown University. She taught Spanish at two of the area's top prep schools, first Holton-Arms, then St. Albans. Alex's father, Fulvio, a native of Italy with a master's in computer science, consulted at financial institutions in developing nations around the world.
The couple tried not to smother their only child. When he was 12, Gilda walked him through their neighborhood, helping line up friends who needed lawns mowed. Alex spent $300 of his earnings on a watch for his dad.
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Gilda Carbonaro pulled her car to a stop inside Arlington National Cemetery, stepping out to visit the freshly dug grave of her only child, Alex. Alex was a tough read, even as a kid. Private and headstrong, he tended to reveal big decisions only after he had made them. Gilda and Fulvio... Closer...
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The Truth Behind Military Inaction in North Korea
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Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday assured the world that the United States does not intend to attack North Korea.
"The United States, somehow, in a provocative way, trying to invade North Korea?" Rice scoffed. "It's just not the case."
Rice sounds downright diplomatic when she dismisses the possibility of an invasion. The truth? Regional powers, namely China, are really in the driver's seat -- not America. What is more, there is no telling how an unpredictable Pyongyang might respond to military moves.
"Rejection" of the invasion scenario also simply reflects the reality of U.S. overextension. Which National Guard unit would the U.S. mobilize to take on the People's Army?
More centrally though, the secretary is rejecting an antiquated impulse: Some might trumpet "war" as a means to punish the transgressor, but war, ground war and invasion that is, is no longer some gold standard. Armies might be able forcibly seize territory, and in total war, they are the anchor of the armed forces. But in limited war, that is, in pursuit of discreet political objectives, armies have severe limitations. We are experiencing those limitations in Iraq; Israel did in Lebanon.
In recognition of this new reality, the American military has built hyper-modern, fantastic, breathtakingly choreographed, post-modern war plans to carry out "limited" missions, applying the U.S. strengths of airpower, special operations and meticulous planning.
Obsessed with weapons of mass destruction, the Bush administration has directed that these efforts first plan for the possibility of preemptive action should a nation seek to develop, transfer or use WMD.
I'm no fan of preemption, and I have my doubts as to whether the Pentagon can pull off a quadruple somersault with a half twist, but as I said yesterday, I wonder what the point of having all of these fabulous options is if they are never used.
And I wonder about the implications of making threats, drawing red lines and then blinking.
The core of the United States capability to implement the national policy of preemption against weapons of mass destruction is CONPLAN 8022 -- "Global Strike" -- a real war plan that is supposed to provide the president with options in the case of an imminent WMD threat.
CONPLAN 8022 choreographs a quick-reaction operation combining pinpoint bombing, commandos operating deep in enemy territory, electronic and cyber warfare and "clandestinely enabled effects" ("non-kinetic" means to disable the workings of modern society).
Work on CONPLAN 8022 began in late 2002. In December 2002, Adm. James O. Ellis Jr., commander of U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), said his command had been charged with developing the capability to strike anywhere in the world within minutes. On June 4, 2003, the "strategic concept" for the CONPLAN was approved by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
CONPLAN 8022 was completed in November 2003, and in January 2004, Ellis certified to Rumsfeld and the president that his command was "ready." At Ellis's retirement ceremony a few months later, Gen. Richard B. Myers, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, lauded Ellis' achievement: "The president charged you to 'be ready to strike at any moment's notice in any dark corner of the world' [and] that's exactly what you've done," he said.
Myers signed the Global Strike "Alert Order" on June 30, 2004, putting the armed forces on notice that they needed to be ready to carry out a strike on the president's order. Six weeks later, on August 17, STRATCOM published the Global Strike Interim Capability "Operations Order" (OPORD), tasking selected bombers, submarines and other warfare units.
Since 2004, the military has fiddled with and improved CONPLAN 8022, developing a set of "Global Strike Planning Documents" for different countries and scenarios, and pursuing new intelligence capabilities, planning systems and weapons to perfect the choreography. The Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff has amplified the global strike concept in an arsenal of classified papers and directives: the Strategic Planning Guidance for fiscal years 06-11, Contingency Planning Guidance, a new Nuclear Weapons Employment Policy, a Strategic Deterrence joint operating concept, a Global Strike Joint Integrating Concept, a Global Strike Functional Solutions Analysis, a Global Strike Functional Area Analysis, Global Strike Support Documents, a Deterrence Effectiveness Assessment.
In 2005, the Joint Staff began an expanded global strike analysis, looking beyond the first generation CONPLAN which had focused on limited duration rapid response strikes against "high-value" and "high-payoff" targets in the early stages of a conflict. The expanded focus included discrete, stand-alone "courses of action" to go after enemy WMD, either in development or in military forces. The "Global Strike -- Raid Scenario" was developed to map out a special operations "rendition" operation against an enemy site. The 2005 "Boundary Step" advanced concept technology demonstration was undertaken by U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to demonstrate techniques for operations against biological warfare production, storage, and weaponization facilities.
And on and on. Planners have developed new software packages and integrating programs to pull all of the pieces together. The weapons developers have aggressively pursued "boutique" capabilities to attack WMD targets with minimal collateral damage. STRATCOM has activated special global strike commands; it has established a "Strategic Deterrence Assessment Laboratory," a Center for Combating WMD, and a WMD Situation Awareness Branch. It hasconducted global strike exercises galore.
In rejecting the invasion scenario yesterday, Secretary Rice also said that the President "never takes any of his options off the table."It is good to know that all of this activity is good for something. But now we have a groaning table.
So what is the use of having fabulous "options" if they are never used? Surely if ever there were a case for preemption, if there ever were a "need" for a quick strike to "stop" a country from doing something, it's in the case of North Korea.
And yet, the political implications, the realities of escalation, the limitations of military force all stood in the way of the Bush administration -- the Bush administration! -- protecting America from WMD. Some will take this as a sign of the weakness, of downright Clintonian behavior. Some critics of the Bush administration are already arguing, "they" wouldn't of let this happen.
The more interesting question is whether our view of the possibility of the use of military force, and particularly of "cost free" enterprises such as global strikes, aren't in need of wholesale revision.
Tomorrow: CONPLAN 8099, another "new" war plan and another invitation to inaction
By William M. Arkin | October 11, 2006; 12:47 PM ET Previous: U.S. Fails at Countering WMD |
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Tracked on October 11, 2006 03:50 PM
In your fifth graf, I think you mean "discrete" as in distinct and separable, rather than "discreet." I think there is little that is less "discreet" than military action.
Posted by: mk | October 11, 2006 05:02 PM
The U.S. has become the ultimate "bully" in the world. It's our way or the highway. We expect complete submission or we'll invade. The story is getting old and it's pretty hard to be a bully when your opponent is nuclear. As much as China may be giving lip service to condeming North Korea's actions, do you really think they will sit idly by while we wipe out their communist ally? Invading North Korea is a sure fire way to get the world involved in another war and complete the isolationist policies of the Bush administration.
Posted by: sonnyjack | October 11, 2006 04:38 PM
I want peace, but, more importantly, if we have to fight another war again, then I would love to see the draft reinstituted so that all citizens of fighting age, rich or poor, can get a taste of the misery we inflict on others around the world.
Posted by: Jah Rastafari | October 11, 2006 04:13 PM
The US should be clear that North Korea is, first and foremost, a South Korean problem, and we should stand ready to help our ally in any way that they need.
The possibility of a North Korean nuclear strike against the western Aleutian islands is not worth risking the lives of millions of South Koreans. But South Korea, and also Japan, face a far more serious threat. US options are irrelevant; South Korea does not have unlimited latitude to allow North Korea to take more and more aggressive actions.
Realistically, a country on the brink of starvation can't maintain an army in active combat for a long period. North Korea's army would not survive months of combat, while South Korea could survive a North Korean strike. If South Korea faces a choice between hundreds of thousands dead versus millions, they will act to protect themselves; they will not wait for the hammer to fall. In a second Korean war, South Korea would call on the United States to keep China's armed forces and supplies out of North Korea.
The US should be working on getting its troops out of Iraq. There are far more serious threats in the world we need to be prepared for than some local sectarian militias that mostly just want to govern their own country.
Posted by: lart from above | October 11, 2006 04:12 PM
Archimedes asks: "What can we do?"
You then rule out talking. Err, thanks. Are you suggesting a US/NK policy of pointed indifference? That could work. After all, it's just 38,000 US troops in Korea and maybe, if the scientists in NK get their act together, the 2nd class citizens of Alaska that are threatened.
Posted by: sm | October 11, 2006 04:08 PM
Republicans don't do diplomacy. They don't understand giving up something to get something. They don't believe in governance, nor that anything good can come of governance.
Clinton made a deal with NK. It worked. NK shut down their plutonium program we had inspectors and cameras watching over the stockpiles.
They were supposed to get light water reactors under international supervision and heating oil. The Republican congress killed that part of the plan, and NK restarted their uranium program. With the help of our Best Friends Forever, Pakistan.
Bush killed the Sunshine policy Clinton and South Korea had worked out, and North Korea claimed they had uranium bombs.
Bush declared North Korea part of an Axis of Evil, and NK restarted their plutonium program. With the help of Pakistan, our best buddies.
The NK agreed to end their program, if the US agreed to a cessation of hostilities treaty. Four days later, the Adminstration began a policy of cutting off NK from all world banking. And North Korea tested a nuke.
There has been an irrational actor in our relations with North Korea. Unfortunately, its not been Kim Jong Ill.
We need adults in charge of our foreign policy, not a party that only understands making the other guy knuckle under. GI Joe was not a geopolitical treatise, but that is how half our country understands it.
Posted by: Mysticdog | October 11, 2006 04:07 PM
Ah the Nutty North, always good for a little excitement. Does amyone else find it ironic that Kim Jong Il's favorite cartoon is Daffy Duck? Well anyway, I wonder when the fourth Estate will figure out that NK can't launch a nuclear attack against the continental US, only our forces in SK Japan or maybe Alaska. Still big-time threats, but not worth nuclear preemption. The real quandry is what can we do. Talking bilaterally with NK doesn't work, Clinton, admirably, tried that and proved it a failure. So now what? How do we deal with a regime that has no interest in international cooperation, only in a selfish hold on power, which it will do anything to maintain, including testing nuclear weapons. That's what this is about folks, power in NK. It's why they restarted their nuclear program in the first place, to get more free stuff out of the rest of the world so they could beef up their military and invest in their only cash crop, military hardware. History shows that Kim has no desire to change NK, only to become stronger and further solidify his hold on power. Some of the people who write on the opinion pages of this rag, Donald Gregg and Sage Harrison for example, sadly cling to the naieve hope that NK is actually interested in talking. They are not, at least not in the sense that other nations are. The NK aren't interested in a dialogue in order to increase their own security and decrease our insecurity, they are interested in negotiations that will result in them getting things from us without their having to give up too much, agreements like the one in 1994. The 'Talk First, Talk Only' crowd should take note that as soon as the thinngs they got from us no longer increased Kim's power, he started up his nuclear program again. People like Gregg and Harrison, and a lot of people here, need to remember that this is not Japan or Australia or even China that we are dealing with. NK doesn't care about social progress or global stature, they are far too small minded to understand the benefits of those things. Kim is concerned with his own survival and his hold over NK, thus dialogue will get us no further than it got Clinton, and we all know how well that worked out.
Posted by: Archimedes | October 11, 2006 03:46 PM
sorry, but things like this in a major newspaper really bother me:
"they" wouldn't of let this happen
it's "wouldn't HAVE". that's not a typo, that's the kind of grammar mistake that should make journalists cringe.
Posted by: grammar | October 11, 2006 03:31 PM
Someone needs to tell Chicken Little that these guys couldn't build a working Yugo, not to mention an ICBM (witness their last test/failure, and the doubts raised by the miniscule yield of their recent "atomic" test). Having said that, assuming that the sites where the weapons are assembled are known (a big if), wouldn't a Tomahawk or Predator strike on the surrounding road network neutralize the weapons' threat? NATO developed runway-cratering bombs: won't these have similar efficacy against an Iranian or Korean roadway, without any risk of fallout or collateral damage? Even if the device is airlifted to its eventual launch point, at some point it has to come out of the mountain/bunker; and if that highway/railroad looks like parts of H Street NE... QED.
Posted by: Lisa Baden-Mahan | October 11, 2006 03:25 PM
The fact of them matter is that NK lied, cheated and will do the same if they achieve this bilateral agenda they keep pushing. We wne down this road in the 90's and look where it got us..I'll tell you it got us here...so why would anyone think about playing the same game. I think we let them cry like spolied kids...let them paint themselves as the aggressor. Clearly no matter what the President says we don't llok like we are gearing up to attack NK. If there is anyone saying this it is the NKs...thats becuase they want to give an excuse for thier inappropiate behavior...but I say we stick to our guns and for right now let the other big players in the game be exposed to what we have been exposed to. If, and I stress if, after all options that make sense are exhausted, if they pick a fight and throw the first pucn by launching an attack then I say we with the allies show them what it means to be in a BIG DANCE. Rememeber no matter what anyone says the amount of military power we have been using has been limited to the fact that we want to play by the rules and respect the lives of innocent people...I'm not saying that we should become barbarians and drop the full nuclear arsenal of the United States on NK..but rather there is more potent potential then what the US leads us to believe. If it ever came down to all, gloves off war...we would wipe the planet with KN!!! Don't be so fast to give up on the USA!!
Posted by: TQ | October 11, 2006 02:48 PM
Certainly, the Bush Administration is capable of any stupidity, but an attack on Iran when we are in over our head in Iraq would guarantee there defeat in 2006 and 2008. The American people would go through the roof. However, I do think they will keep this Korean crisis going through the election in order to justify a missile defense system to the American people and for sales overseas. It is more corporate welfare for the Defense contrators. It is ridiculous that Japan is investing in the system, when the are too close to North Korea for them to work properly, assuming that they will work. Japanese Newpapers need to look and see if American defense contrators make any contibutions to the campaigns of successful candidates in the last election.
Posted by: P. J. Casey | October 11, 2006 02:40 PM
South East and East Asia and all its interests just does not compare to the big 3. O I L . Let Green Peace head the state and imagine the change in priorities. Make the pope president and imagine the priorities. Make an oil man the head...
Posted by: speck o dust | October 11, 2006 02:32 PM
We can't attack a country with nuclear capabilities. It's clear what it would lead to. We could pull off an Iranian attack but that would leave Iraq an open target. We are really stuck between a rock and a hard place. Before anything happens this time, we'll be sure to have the U.N. behind us, unlike the previous.
Posted by: Babs | October 11, 2006 02:13 PM
"....the political implications, the realities of escalation, the limitations of military force all stood in the way of the Bush administration -- the Bush administration! -- protecting America from WMD."
Exactly. Maybe the idea of the US acting unilaterally and pre-emptively to squash any WMD "threat" is an untenable strategy when the "threat" is in another powerful nation's sphere of influence. Maybe that idea should be abandoned.
Stupid idea here: Non-proliferation (and disarmament) would appear to be an international problem. To address the political implications that stymie the US, maybe the US convinces the UN Security Council to pass a Resolution to have CONPLAN 8022 to be one more option they have at their disposal to combat proliferation. The US would agree to be the Council's policeman.
Posted by: sm | October 11, 2006 02:10 PM
They have no beef with Israel.Its all about the prophesy,that is washington policy.
Posted by: goyim | October 11, 2006 01:58 PM
Given that Bush pardoned Pakistan and India for developing nukes, why should North Korea expect any less?
I mean, come on, right now Pakistan is actually the main source of Taliban attackers against US troops in Afghanistan - and the North Koreans aren't actively attacking us, so shouldn't they get a sweeter deal?
Posted by: Will in Seattle | October 11, 2006 01:30 PM
Ground war in Asia is out of the question, huh? How about naval wars then?
"According to Lieut. Mike Kafka, a spokesman at the headquarters of the Second Fleet, based in Norfolk, Virginia, the Eisenhower Strike Group, bristling with Tomahawk cruise missiles, has received orders to depart the United States in a little over a week. Other official sources in the public affairs office of the Navy Department at the Pentagon confirm that this powerful armada is scheduled to arrive off the coast of Iran on or around October 21." (Source, The Nation 9/21/06)
Yes--OCTOBER 21st. Karl Rove promised an "October Surprise" to keep the Congress. I used to think it was too cynical to think this way. Now we know it's naive not to. Last I heard, officers on board various ships are desparately emailing retired admirals & current members of Congress to remind them we haven't declared war on Iran. Apparently those at the front know what the administration is capable of.
Posted by: Sage Thrasher | October 11, 2006 01:10 PM
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U.S. Waits for Firm Information On Nature and Success of Device
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Intelligence and administration officials said they were still working under the assumption that North Korea had managed to detonate an atomic device, but they said they needed additional environmental sampling before they could formally rule out other possibilities, such as the blast being caused solely by conventional explosives. Intelligence officials were concerned that North Korea could conduct another test, either to improve upon the first test or to prove its capabilities.
A U.S. military RC-135, an electronic monitoring aircraft, flew around the Sea of Japan yesterday in an effort to detect nuclear radiation, two intelligence sources said. The same aircraft, based in Okinawa, Japan, was used in July after North Korea carried out a set of ballistic missile tests. The sources cautioned that it could take several days before winds push radioactive particles toward an area where they can be clearly detected.
"Over time, whenever the prevailing winds blow out over the Gulf of Japan, it will be more likely that we get some detection," one intelligence official said yesterday, requesting anonymity because the effort involves classified information.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said officials would use a variety of means besides seismic data to try to draw a conclusion about the explosion, including some he would not discuss. "There is a possibility that particulate fallout is detectable, and then there's a variety of other intelligence means to determine the veracity of the allegation of the tests that they conducted," he said.
North Korea announced Monday that it had carried out its first nuclear test, and seismic readings suggested a blast inside a mountain in the country's north from the equivalent of 500 tons of explosives.
"We ourselves are operating under the assumption that, yes, in fact it was" a nuclear test, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said yesterday. "But I can't confirm that."
The aircraft and monitoring stations on the ground are seeking to detect particulate data that would indicate that a nuclear explosion had taken place. But those efforts will not necessarily determine the nature of the blast, a Defense Department official noted, because the explosion was relatively small and the North Korean government said it was contained.
"There are multiple ways" the U.S. government will seek to verify North Korea's claim that it detonated a nuclear device, the official said. But there is no hard information yet, the official said. Intelligence analysts are also reviewing intercepted communications and other data.
The official declined to be quoted by name, saying that the Pentagon is not playing a lead role in the U.S. response and that he wanted to defer to the White House.
White House press secretary Tony Snow said there is a "remote possibility" that U.S. intelligence will be unable to fully determine whether the test succeeded. Several nuclear tests conducted by other countries, including a number of Pakistani tests in 1998, have never been fully understood by U.S. intelligence. Many intelligence analysts believe a 1979 flash in the waters off the southern tip of Africa was caused by a nuclear test carried out by Israel, with South African help. But it has never been confirmed and remains a mystery.
Snow suggested yesterday that it is possible that the test was conducted with an older weapon from before President Bush's time in office.
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The White House yesterday played down North Korea's nuclear capability as government scientists and intelligence analysts waited for additional data to confirm whether Pyongyang had conducted a successful nuclear test.
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Foley Dredges Up Scandal Problem for GOP
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At the beginning of the year it was all the rage -- the topic that would dominate politics. But by mid-year it seemed to have faded into a non-issue, ignored by both lawmakers and citizens alike. Now in the final days of Election 2006, ethics in government has risen again as key factor in tight congressional contests. And for that, thank former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) for getting embroiled in a sex scandal involving former congressional pages.
Starting in January, Congress became enmeshed in a long series of official misbehaviors. The capstone event was the guilty plea that month by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff for trying to corrupt public officials.
Three of his business associates and then Rep. Robert Ney (R-Ohio) later filed their own guilty pleas.
But lawmakers, sensing a lack of interest among voters, never took the issue to heart and even killed an ambitious lobby reform bill which had been designed to protect Congress from a backlash from back home. Voters did not seem to believe that Congress could clean itself up and did not demand that it do so.
Until October's surprise. Foley resigned and the Republican leadership in the House devolved into finger-pointing over who was responsible for allowing the Florida lawmaker to continue to prey on young pages despite repeated warnings about his activities going back to 2000.
Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) refused to resign over the furor but the damage was done. GOP approval ratings dropped and the ethics issue rose again as an important part of voters' thinking in the midterm election.
One result: candidates for Congress are seeking to win over voters more than ever by hurling the label of lobbyist at their opponents. In close contests from Connecticut to California, Republicans and Democrats alike are attacking each other for being too close to "special interests."
"Voters are tying both of these scandals together," said Paul A. Miller, president of the American League of Lobbyists, a lobbyist trade group in the capital. "First with Abramoff and now with Foley, corruption has risen to play a big role in this election. It disappoints me, but it's happening."
Lobbyists have never been popular. But politicians are betting more than usual that ethical lapses on Capitol Hill have been so pronounced lately that voters will object to congressional candidates who appear to be too involved with professional favor seekers. Candidates and independent organizations have run hundreds of political ads that suggest that the incumbent, the challenger or both have been co-opted by narrow interests or, worse, have actually lobbied themselves. Many more such ads are planned in the nation's tightest House and Senate races, election experts say. And the reason is this: Foley has rekindled corruption as an issue at the top of voters' minds.
Democrats have a clear advantage on the topic, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll this month. When respondents were asked which party they trusted to handle various issues, Democrats led Republicans on ethics by 19 points - 49 percent to 30 percent. The chief reason apparently is that most of the lobbyists and lawmakers caught misbehaving - from Abramoff to Foley - are Republicans.
Republicans say they are in grave danger of losing the seat of former House majority leader Tom DeLay (Tex.), as well as those held by Ney -- who agreed to plead guilty to corruption charges in the investigation into the activities of Abramoff -- and Rep. Don Sherwood (Pa.), who has been embroiled in a scandal over an affair.
In addition, Republicans have largely given up on holding the seat of retiring Rep. Jim Kolbe (Ariz.), and strategists are pessimistic about retaining open seats in Colorado and Iowa and the seat now held by Rep. John N. Hostettler (Ind.).
Some Republicans also said Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (N.Y.), the National Republican Congressional Committee's chairman and one of the GOP leaders who knew about a non-graphic communication between Foley and a former page, could face an even tougher challenge for his Buffalo-area seat. Reynolds and Hastert sniped at each other over the weekend about who knew what and when.
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Latest politics news headlines from Washington DC. Follow 2006 elections,campaigns,Democrats,Republicans,political cartoons,opinions from The Washington Post. Features government policy,government tech,political analysis and reports.
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History of Foley Messages' Release Clarified by Players
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Two of the news media's sources of Mark Foley's sexually explicit instant messages to former House pages said this week that they came forward to expose the Florida congressman's actions, not to help the Democrats in the midterm elections.
But there are indications that Democrats spent months circulating five less insidious Foley e-mails to news organizations before they were finally published by ABC News late last month, which prompted the leaking of the more salacious instant messages. Harper's Magazine said yesterday that it obtained the five e-mails from a Democratic Party operative, albeit in May, long before the election season.
The genesis of the Foley story has become the subject of heated debate, as Republicans try to shift attention away from Foley's misconduct and the slow reaction of House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's office to what they call a political hit just ahead of the midterm elections.
"Are we saying that a 15-year-old child would've sat on e-mails that were XXX-rated for three years and suddenly spring them out right on the eve of an election? That's just a little bit too suspicious, even for Washington, D.C.," Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) said on "Fox News Sunday" last weekend. On the same day, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said he "never saw" the e-mails. "What you guys want to do is take your dirty laundry and throw it over the fence and try to blame other people," he said.
But new information suggests that the story of the release of Foley's communications with male ex-pages is more complicated than either side asserts.
The most sexually explicit material -- the instant messages that forced Foley's abrupt resignation on Sept. 29 and turned his actions into a full-fledged scandal -- appears to be disconnected from politics. The two former pages who revealed the correspondence to ABC News and The Washington Post, however, may never have come forward had Democratic operatives not divulged the five more benign e-mails that Foley had sent to a Louisiana boy.
The communications that would eventually trigger the scandal were written by Foley in 2004. Foley's e-mails asked a former page from Louisiana for a picture and told him he had just finished a long bike ride and was going to the gym.
Those 2004 e-mails -- dubbed "over-friendly" by House Republican leaders -- originally leaked out of the office of Rep. Rodney Alexander (La.), a Republican. But, Republicans say, they still may have come from a Democrat on his staff. Alexander changed parties in 2004.
The timing of the e-mails' release appears to be more of a coincidence than an "October surprise," designed to affect the outcome of the elections. It took more than a year for the e-mails to be published because one publication after another decided not to print them.
The one media outlet that did, ABC News, took them public in late September only because the lead reporter, Brian Ross, had put the story on hold for more than a month as he pursued stories commemorating the anniversaries of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and Hurricane Katrina.
"There was never a plan to undermine the GOP or to destroy Hastert personally, as the speaker has vaingloriously suggested," Ken Silverstein, Washington editor for Harper's, said on the magazine's Web site yesterday. "I know this with absolute certainty because Harper's was offered the story almost five months ago."
Silverstein said his source was a "Democratic operative," the same source that had provided the e-mail exchanges to the St. Petersburg Times in November 2005. Both the magazine and the paper declined to publish a story. But the source "was not working in concert with the national Democratic Party," Silverstein added. "This person was genuinely disgusted by Foley's behavior, amazed that other publications had declined to publish stories about the emails, and concerned that Foley might still be seeking contact with pages."
A second source emerged, however, just last month, peddling the e-mails to several other publications, including The Post. And Ross of ABC News has stressed that his initial source was a Republican.
The instant messages between Foley and two former pages were much more sexually charged. Once ABC News obtained them and confronted the Florida Republican with the documents, Foley immediately resigned.
Two of the primary sources who delivered the instant messages came forward this week to clarify their motives. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear that exposure would leave them open to harassment, especially from bloggers.
One of ABC News's sources, a former page, said he went public with his knowledge of the instant messages on Sept. 29 only after the network, the day before, published the questionable e-mails that Foley had sent to the Louisiana boy. The former page and current college student stressed that he is a "staunch Republican" who "wouldn't vote for a Democrat ever." He also said that he is not calling for the resignation of Hastert or any other Republican leader.
"I in no way knew or intended to have all the brouhaha about what the GOP leadership knew and when they knew it," he said in a detailed e-mail to The Post. "Truthfully, I am very troubled about what it seems has gone on behind the scenes, but that in no way affects my wish to have a continued GOP control of Congress. There are bad apples everywhere."
The Post subsequently received the instant messages from a Democratic college student who had served as a page with the two teenagers who had corresponded with Foley and had shared their instant messages.
Unlike the ABC News source, The Post's source conceded that he would like to see the Democrats seize control of the House in November, but when approached by a Post reporter about the instant messages, he was reluctant to provide them. Days later, he did so.
The two sources said they had conferred about the instant messages, which they had known about for months.
The Republican former page said he had decided it was up to the victims to come forward with them, but once ABC News published the e-mails, "I knew everything I had already known about Foley was finally going to come out. His attraction to young men. His sexual conversations with them, etc."
"I decided that it was in the best interests of kids in general, pages and my friends specifically that Foley be dealt with quickly and swiftly so that he couldn't hurt anyone else," the Republican student wrote in his e-mail. "We've seen how long the Justice department and every other government bureaucracy can take to deal with criminal issues and abuse. I knew the media would be the fastest way to get Foley the justice he deserved."
As for The Post's source, Foley's initial response to the disclosure of the e-mails finally persuaded him to share his information, he said.
"When the first e-mails came out, Foley's campaign came out saying it was all a well-timed Democratic smear. Those rumors were unfounded, and I knew that to be untrue," the Democratic former page said. Before the ABC News report, "we were reluctant to take on Congress as young politicos ourselves, but when first blows were made, there was no harm in coming forward," he added.
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Two of the news media's sources of Mark Foley's sexually explicit instant messages to former House pages said this week that they came forward to expose the Florida congressman's actions, not to help the Democrats in the midterm elections. The communications that would eventually trigger the......
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'Values' Decline As Issue In Ohio
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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two years ago, Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell was a driving force in the triumphant campaign for a state constitutional amendment to outlaw same-sex marriage. That helped cause a surge in turnout of "values voters," who helped deliver this pivotal state to President Bush's successful reelection effort.
As the Republican candidate for governor, Blackwell has been counting on values voters to do for him this year what they did for the party in 2004. But the culture wars are being eclipsed as a voting issue by economic worries and Republican scandals that have altered the political dynamic here in striking ways. Several polls find Blackwell trailing his Democratic opponent, five-term Rep. Ted Strickland, by double digits with less than four weeks to go until the Nov. 7 midterm elections.
The difficulty Blackwell is experiencing winning support for his socially conservative message reflects the anxiety evident this year among voters in Ohio and elsewhere, some pollsters say.
"It is harder to run on wedge issues when voters have huge concerns on their minds regarding war in Iraq, economic issues and a Congress they perceive as doing little," said Michael Bocian, a vice president at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, a Democratic polling firm in Washington.
Strickland, 65, an ordained but non-practicing minister, has built his lead by speaking about the economic distress of this manufacturing state and by painting his opponent as a loyal soldier of a scandal-plagued Ohio Republican Party. At the same time, he is directly challenging Blackwell for values voters in ways that many analysts believe Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry did not two years ago.
"What I call the bread-and-butter issues probably are more prominently on the minds of people today than two years ago," Strickland said in an interview. "I think a lot of Ohioans are feeling economically insecure. Consequently, they are less willing to be distracted by issues that don't involve the economic security of their families."
His observation is borne out by a recent survey by the University of Cincinnati's Ohio Poll, which found that 63 percent of likely voters in the state are basing their choice of candidates on the "issues" rather than "character." The poll found that seven in 10 Strickland supporters were most concerned about "issues," including the economy and education; just over half of Blackwell supporters felt that way.
"Character can be everything from a voters' evaluation of a series of issues as a package, to notions as to whether they think a candidate agrees or disagrees with their values," said Eric W. Rademacher, co-director of the survey. Two years ago, exit polls found that "moral values" edged out the "economy and jobs" to top a list of concerns that Ohio voters said most influenced their Election Day choices. The exit polls found that at least a quarter of voters identified themselves as born-again Christians, and three-quarters of their votes went to Bush.
Leaders of the religious right here promised to build on that success to reshape Ohio's political landscape. They pledged to support candidates determined to "bring spiritual revival and moral reformation to the state," in the words of Reformation Ohio, an evangelical outreach effort.
No one better embodied that promise than Blackwell. An experienced and articulate politician, he is given to quoting Scripture on the campaign trail and is unambiguous about his opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. "I don't know how many of you have a farming background, but I can tell you right now that notion even defies barnyard logic," Blackwell has said of same-sex marriage.
As in 2004, conservative religious leaders have been registering thousands of voters across the state, talking from the pulpit about the need to vote and leading rallies to drum up enthusiasm among values voters.
"Politicians in Ohio certainly are focusing more on economic issues, but our focus is on encouraging members of our church and the Center for Moral Clarity to support the candidates that best reflect their values on issues of righteousness and justice," said Rod Parsley, a Columbus televangelist. Parsley is pastor of World Harvest Church, which has 12,000 members, and leads Reformation Ohio and the Center for Moral Clarity, another outreach group.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two years ago, Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell was a driving force in the triumphant campaign for a state constitutional amendment to outlaw same-sex marriage. That helped cause a surge in turnout of "values voters," who helped deliver this pivotal state to President...
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Report Criticizes Ex-ATF Chief
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The former director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives violated ethics rules by requiring 20 employees to help his teenage nephew prepare a high school video project, part of a wide-ranging pattern of questionable expenditures on a new ATF headquarters, personal security and other items, according to a report issued yesterday.
Carl J. Truscott, who previously served as head of President Bush's security detail at the Secret Service, also took several trips with excessive numbers of ATF agents, including a $37,000 journey to London in September 2005 with eight other employees, according to the report.
The report by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine also finds fault with Truscott's treatment of some female employees, saying that he ordered two female administrative staff members to prepare meals for guests on several occasions. One of the employees was allegedly required to announce, "Lunch is served."
These and other findings follow Truscott's abrupt resignation in August amid growing questions about his conduct. The Washington Post reported in February that Truscott had allegedly authorized or proposed hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of unnecessary plan changes and upgrades to ATF's new 438,000-square-foot headquarters, which is behind schedule and millions of dollars over budget.
Fine's 157-page report confirms these allegations and many more, concluding that Truscott frequently broke regulations or exercised poor judgment in making decisions that had a serious impact on the ATF's operational budget when the agency was cutting back on vehicle maintenance, bulletproof vests and other basics.
The report also says that Justice investigators were "troubled by Truscott's lack of acceptance of responsibility" for his actions and their repercussions.
"From relatively minor issues, such as decisions on how to furnish the Director's Suite in the new Headquarters building, to major policy directives, such as how many new employees to hire, Truscott attempted to deflect responsibility to his subordinates, misrepresented the amount of involvement he had in the actions, or otherwise sought to distance himself from his own decisions," the report says. "We found several instances where Truscott's statements to us about his conduct were contradicted by numerous other witnesses, and in some instances, by documents as well."
Truscott said in a Sept. 25 letter in response to the findings that the report "is negative in tone" and "impugns my character and integrity without basis."
"Your Draft Report also fails to put the allegations made into context, to make mention of the significant progress ATF made during my stewardship and under difficult circumstances, or balance the allegations made against my unblemished professional career," Truscott said.
He said it was important to be involved in the details of the new headquarters to ensure that the building was designed and constructed properly. Truscott conceded that he should have limited the assistance given to his nephew.
Truscott's Washington attorney, Sheldon Krantz, was traveling outside the country yesterday and could not be reached to comment.
Truscott was briefly replaced by the ATF's career deputy director, Edgar A. Domenech, who reversed a decision to include a costly engraved quotation from Bush's post-9/11 speech to Congress at the new headquarters entrance. U.S. Attorney Michael J. Sullivan of Boston has since been named acting head of the ATF; no permanent replacement has been nominated.
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Buffett Waves Ethical Vigilance Flag
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OMAHA -- "Everyone else is doing it" is no justification for unethical business practices, Warren E. Buffett told managers of his company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
In a Sept. 27 memo, Buffett cautioned managers that many corporate scandals arise because questionable activity is accepted as normal behavior.
"Somewhere along the line they picked up the notion . . . that a number of well-respected managers were engaging in such practices and therefore it must be OK to do so," Buffett wrote. "It's a seductive argument."
Buffett acknowledged that it is inevitable that someone among Berkshire Hathaway's almost 200,000 workers would give in to temptation. He called on his top executives to resist improper behavior and head it off in employees.
"Berkshire's reputation is in your hands," Buffett wrote.
The memo comes as the former chairman of Hewlett-Packard Co. is being investigated on charges she violated state privacy laws when probing her board for leaks to the press.
Berkshire Hathaway owns 68 companies, according to its most recent annual report, including insurance, reinsurance, carpet, jewelry, furniture, restaurants and utility firms. And it has major investments in such companies as H&R Block Inc., Anheuser-Busch Cos. and The Washington Post Co. Buffett is on the Washington Post Co. board of directors.
The recent ethics lesson is nothing new for Buffett.
"Every couple of years for the past 15 or 20 years, he has been sending out memos to our Berkshire subsidiaries," Buffett's spokeswoman Debbie Bosanek said Tuesday.
This is necessary, she said, because Berkshire Hathaway continues to acquire new companies and works with new people in top positions.
He said in his Sept. 27 memo, "Let's start with what is legal, but always go on to what we would feel comfortable about being printed on the front page of our local paper."
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OMAHA -- "Everyone else is doing it" is no justification for unethical business practices, Warren E. Buffett told managers of his company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
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'I Pity the Fool': Mr. T's Gas Guzzler
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Mr. T, it's time to quit your "jibba jabba."
For decades, we've embraced the mohawked muscleman as the good-hearted tough guy. He snarls, he finger-points, he fist-mashes, but he usually has delivered a positive message such as "Don't do drugs" or "Stay in school."
But now comes Mr. T in TV Land's "I Pity the Fool," a treacly, overbearing reality show based on the catchphrase he popularized on his 1980s TV hit "The A-Team." The new program, which sends Mr. T on motivational missions, is a half-hour of the star spewing clunky cliches and mind-numbing advice as he and the participants get embarrassingly sentimental.
We won't quite say we pity the fool who watches this show, but we warn potential viewers by quoting Mr. T himself: "You betta watch out, sucka."
Mr. T likens himself to an anti-Dr. Phil, eschewing touchy-feely banter and instead inspiring people in his inimitable style. And that apparently means throwing out words that prominently contain the sound of the letter "T": He tells us in the opening-credit sequence that the show is all about "accountabili-T," "activi-T" and "positive mentali-T."
Reality shows can serve as career comebacks for some forgotten celebrities (paging Danny Bonaduce), but Mr. T has never really exited the pop culture periphery since playing Clubber Lang in 1982's "Rocky III." Since the '80s, when he also had a popular cartoon show and would enter the "WrestleMania" ring, he's remained in the spotlight primarily through his frequent screen appearances -- including late-night talk shows, TV's "Simpsons" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," and such gag films as "Spy Hard" and "Not Another Teen Movie."
Plus, you could find him hawking some product, from Comcast cable to Hanes socks.
On "I Pity the Fool," he now delivers his tough talk to people in need. His first mission is to help a dysfunctional New York car dealership. As the beleaguered sales staff cheers, he arrives wearing a too-tight red sweat suit (where we realize he's no longer at his fighting weight) but not wearing his trademark gold chains. (Mr. T stopped wearing them after Hurricane Katrina. "As a spiritual man, I felt it would be a sin against my God for me to wear all that gold again because I spent a lot of time with the less fortunate," he told TV critics this past summer.)
Unfortunately, the show's painful wordplay is unrelenting. The dealership is "stuck in neutral," the staff is "pretty much asleep at the wheel" and he's there to put "motivation in the tank."
Then there's this groaner after the boss and the general manager (who are in-laws) have a tearful heart-to-heart: "Two things I know were working," Mr T says, his voice lowering. "The windshield wipers in Scott's eyes and the radiator in Mr. Nemet's heart."
Yes, he really said it.
Mr. T never really offers practical advice, but his mere presence does seem to be a motivating factor. In one scene, he even dons a three-piece suit and tries to sell a car -- which he does right away . . . to a fan.
"I liked you since the first moment I saw you on the 'The A-Team,' " the buyer says.
Mr. T might be able to sell autos, but he can't sell this star vehicle.
I Pity the Fool (30 minutes) premieres tonight at 10 on TV Land.
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Supporting Actors Prop Up the Show In NBC's '30 Rock'
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Tina Fey is not Orson Welles -- something that must be obvious to everyone but Tina Fey.
Justifiably praised for her stellar tenure as head writer of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" and for co-anchoring the show's "Weekend Update" segment, Fey was rewarded with the chance to do a prime-time show of her own. So she stretched her imagination and came up with, essentially, this: a show about herself starring herself as herself.
Fey's sitcom -- named "30 Rock" after NBC's address in New York -- probably can lay claim to being the season's most talked-about new series, but not in an entirely good way. It arrives a-wobble with bad vibes. For all the alterations the original pilot has undergone on its way to tonight's premiere, though, there's still one gaping and highly visible flaw, and that's Fey's performance in the lead role.
She plays Liz Lemon, head writer of a sketch comedy series called "The Girlie Show." Fey was just fine reading into the camera on "Update," but called upon to act, she unfortunately tends to fade into the wallpaper. It's not good when the star of the show appears to be just hanging around. The star of "30 Rock" probably could and should be the star of "Girlie Show": Jane Krakowski as a daffy comic actress, nuts and neurotic in funny and forgivable ways.
Fey has additional strong support, most notably a hefty Alec Baldwin as a newly installed corporate executive whose responsibilities to "NBC GE Universal Kmart" include "The Girlie Show" and the new GE Trivection Oven. "You can cook a turkey in 22 minutes," he boasts, as if daring wags to refer to "30 Rock" as a 22-minute turkey, too.
It might last 22 minutes (without commercials), but the show's not a turkey -- at least not yet.
Another thing "30 Rock" is not is a self-important bore like "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," NBC's other "SNL"-inspired show ("30 Rock," executive-produced by Lorne Michaels, has a genuine "SNL" pedigree). Another factor in "30 Rock's" favor is another "SNL" alumnus in the cast: Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan, a high-living movie star brought in by management to beef up "Girlie Show." Morgan has the kind of fun in the role that is embedded in the video signal and unmistakable.
Tonight's plot consists mainly of producer Lemon trying to discourage Jordan from joining her show but getting trampled by his charisma, or something, and appearing to give in. Jordan seems patterned after Martin Lawrence, who irritated many in the cast and crew when he hosted "SNL" years ago (a clip from one of Jordan's films has him in drag as a funky granny, a la Lawrence in the "Big Momma's House" films).
Fey's devices for making her own character likable are klutzy. In the opening scene, Lemon, trying to buy a hot dog from a street vendor, protests the rudeness of a creepy businessman by shelling out $150 for all the hot dogs in the vendor's case. Arriving at the office, she nobly announces, "I hate it when people cheat or break rules."
Actually, as the creative force behind a supposedly irreverent comedy show, shouldn't she be something of a rule-breaker herself? Maybe the line is supposed to be ironic. Lemon lets herself be dragged away with Jordan instead of attending to her own series, even as the countdown to air begins. She's not assertive enough to be believable. The character's wimpiness might be linked to Fey's desire to be liked. Whatever the reason, it backfires.
Others involved in the show-within-the-show include Keith Powell as Twofer, whom a co-worker called the first African American nerd since Urkel; "SNL" veteran Rachel Dratch in a tiny cameo as a cat wrangler (and, next week, as a maid); and Jack McBrayer, endearing as an innocent NBC page who effuses, "I just love television so much."
In an early scene, the page is guiding a tour group through the studios when Liz crosses their path. She's embarrassed that he points her out to the crowd, and later, when he's chastised for having done it, he laments, "I thought they would find it interesting, but they really did not."
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Tina Fey is not Orson Welles -- something that must be obvious to everyone but Tina Fey. There certainly is no hint of innovation in "Twenty Good Years," the NBC sitcom (debuting tonight) that teams esteemed old pros John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor. But there is something brave about the show: It...
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NCAA Basketball - washingtonpost.com
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Can Florida repeat? Can George Mason and George Washington build on their recent successes? Will Maryland get back to the tournament? Is Ohio State's Greg Oden for real? College basketball fans will get their first chances for some answers Friday, as teams across the nation take the court for Midnight Madness practices.
Journalist and author John Feinstein , a regular contributor to The Washington Post, was online Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 3 p.m. ET to take your questions about college hoops.
Submit your questions or comments before or during the discussion.
Feinstein is a former sports and political reporter for The Washington Post. He has worked at Sports Illustrated and at the National Sports Daily, commentated for National Public Radio and Sporting News Radio and has written columns for AOL and Golf Magazine. Feinstein has also contributed to the Wall Street Journal. He is the author of a number of bestselling books, including, "Caddy For Life," "A Season on the Brink," "A Good Walk Spoiled," "A Civil War," "The Last Amateurs," "A Season Inside," "The Punch," "Hard Courts," "Forever's Team," "First Coming," "Winter Games," "A March to Madness," "Play Ball" and "Open."
John Feinstein: Thanks for coming, glad to start another college basketball season.
Baltimore: It seems like the time is ripe for Maryland, George Mason, George Washington and Georgetown to participate in a D.C. Metro tournament. Do you have any thoughts on what it will take to make this happen?
John Feinstein: Georgetown. Period. We've been trying to get Georgetown -- we as in the people who run the Children's Charities Foundation and the BB&T Classic -- have been trying for years to get Georgetown to participate. George Mason, George Washington and Maryland have all been willing participants and have played each other. Georgetown has completely stonewalled us. I agree with the premise, I think it would be great.
Washington, D.C.: How about them Hoyas?! Poised to make a tourney run this year, the Hoyas land Austin Freeman and Chris Wright. How is JTIII running circles around Maryland and Gary?
John Feinstein: Well first, JTIII would have to play Maryland and Gary to run circles around them. But you're certainly right, he's done a great job since taking over, both on and off the court, and with the players they have back, and the recruiting class, they have the potential to have an even better year than last.
Mount Pleasant, D.C.: What's the matter with Kansas? They have been getting great recruiting classes under Bill Self, but haven't been out of the first round of the tourney for two years. Is Self a decent coach? Is it just bad luck?
John Feinstein: Self is a very good coach. He's taken three different teams to the round of eight -- Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas. The danger of the NCAA Tournament is that an entire season can be judged on one bad game. Lute Olsen had a reputation for awhile of not being able to get out of the first round. He's won a national championship and been to five Final Fours. Jim Boeheim had that reputation, and he's in the Hall of Fame, deservedly so.
Washington, D.C.: Can Regis Koundjia of George Washington harness his raw athleticism into a productive season? If so, is this Colonial team tourney bound for the third straight year?
John Feinstein: That's a very good question. Koundjia has nothing but potential. But last year he only had one speed. He needs to play with a little more control, and be a little more consistent. But I do think George Washington, despite all the players it lost, has an excellent chance to be an NCAA tournament team this year. They still have great guards, and guards are the key to success in college basketball.
Washington, D.C.: Is Tyler Hansbrough the leading candidate for player of the
year? If he is not, is it Joakim Noah?
John Feinstein: Well, you have to start with Noah, since his team is the defending national champion. But Hansbrough certainly had a fabulous freshman year. I think Florida and North Carolina probably enter the season as co-favorites for the national championship. Having said that, no one in the world was picking Florida at this time last year, and I doubt if George Mason was on anyone's Final Four list.
Arlington, Va.: Which local team has the best shot at a Final Four run this year?
John Feinstein: On paper, you would have to say Georgetown, given they made the round of 16, given that they gave Florida as hard a game as anybody, given their returning players and recruiting class. But that's the beauty of college basketball. Most of us who attempt to make predictions in October look like morons in March.
Virginia Beach: I follow the CAA very closely and suspect Towson is a team on the way up. Any comments on Pat Kennedy and company (ie Gary Neal) ?
John Feinstein: Well, Pat Kennedy has done a fine recruiting job in his two years at Towson, bringing in a lot of transfers, Gary Neal the most notable, and jucos in an attempt to rebuild quickly. They certainly improved last year, though their first-round lost in the CAA tournament was certainly a disappointment. I would expect them to continue to improve, but with the caveat that the CAA is a much tougher conference, as we found out in March.
Wichita, Kan.: John, how did George Mason's Final Four run change college basketball for the better? Was it a one-time thing, or is it something Mason and all other mid-majors can build upon in the future in terms of scheduling, recruiting and receiving at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament?
John Feinstein: That's a great question. It will takes us probably five years to really know the answer. I think it was great for college basketball and I think it gives hope to every mid-major program. I think the committee was right when it gave more bids to mid-majors than every before. And it was proved it was right not just by George Mason, but by the MVC getting two teams to the Sweet 16, by Bucknell beating a team in the first round for the second straight year. But Jim Larranaga has told me scheduling has become harder for his team, because no one wants to play them. That's the problem. Because the power conferences still hold all the cards. But it was great thing for anyone who loves college basketball. Even Jim Calhoun said that after losing to them in the round of eight.
McLean, Va.: John, last year you consistently refused to follow the Kool Aid-induced hallucinations of your colleagues, and supported George Mason early and often throughout their storied run. Probably you have been asked this a thousand times, but here it is again: Who is this year's George Mason?
John Feinstein: I'm not sure there will ever be another George Mason in the sense of what they accomplished in reaching the Final Four. But I do think there will be teams from the CAA, from the Missouri Valley, from the Patriot League, even from the Ivy, will make an impact in the tournament.
I think one team that will show great improvement this year, is Loyola. I think Jim Patsos, who worked all those years for Gary Williams, has done a really great job rebuilding there, and they may be ready for a breakthrough this season.
Phoenix: John, normally when a team wins the NCAA tourney it leads to a recruiting bonanza. With the Terps it seems to have done the opposite. During the past few years very few top players have committed to Maryland which has led them to slip back in the middle of the pack in the ACC. Do you think this was due to complacency within the program after winning the title or is there another reason?
John Feinstein: Actually, a number of top players have committed to Maryland. The recruiting class that came in after their first Final Four in 2001 was the highest-rated group Gary Williams ever signed. That was last year's seniors. This year's seniors were also highly ranked.
I think all the turnover of the assistant coaches had a bigger impact. Billy Hahn, Jim Patsos, Dave Dickerson left, all for head-coaching jobs. That's the danger of success -- that sometimes the long-time assistants get promotions, and the head coach is left trying to rebuild his staff, rather than on the court.
Silver Spring, Md.: Who are your sleeper picks for the Final Four this year (i.e. not FL, NC, KS, etc.)?
John Feinstein: They are never sleepers once you mention -- I think Virginia will be a very improved team this year. And Maryland. I think St. Joseph's and Xavier have the potential to be very good this year. I think Wichita St. has a lot of its very good players back from what was a very good team last year.
Bowie, Md.: John, can you offer an explanation for what's common among me and most of my friends -- basketball is the only sport we like watching better at the college than professional level.
What is it about the NCAA and NBA games that isn't true in football or baseball?
John Feinstein: I think first of all it's the length of the season. College basketball you get a champion in 35 games. NBA, you're not halfway through what is basically a meaningless season. In college basketball, every game is important, you have the one-done format.
College basketball, the game is played in many different styles. Pro basketball, every team looks essentially the same. And finally, when it's mid-June, I want to go to a baseball game, not a basketball game.
Herndon, Va.: How do you see the ACC shaking out? UNC should be the favorites, but how far will Duke slip? Will Ga. Tech's newcomers push them to the top? Can Maryland rebound, and UVA build on last season's unexpected post-season appearance?
John Feinstein: North Carolina is clearly the favorite, with only one player lost, and another great recruiting class coming in behind last year's group. I think GT's talent is probably the second best in the league. I never expect a Mike Krzyzewski team to slip very far. Remember, two years ago, people wrote their epitaph and they made it to the sweet 16.
I think Maryland and UVa have the most potential for improvement in the league. I have heard very good things about Maryland's incoming guards, and clearly guard play was their Achilles' heal last year.
Herndon, Va.: Mr. F: This is off the "basketball path," but what's your opinion on KC Star columnist Jason Whitlock being barred from ESPN because of comments he made in an interview? If I recall correctly, you've had some run-ins with the ESPN "suits."
John Feinstein: I had had run-ins with the ESPN suits, fortunately the one I disliked the most is now working for Dan Snyder, which I find appropriate.
I think it is very typical of ESPN, which thinks it owns and operates all of sports, to muzzle opinions. Whether I agree with what Jason said about Mike Lupica, who is a friend, Joe Valiero, who is a friend, or Scoop Jackson, who is not a friend, the fact that ESPN would fire him for being critical of any of them is completely outrageous. I've known Jason a long time, and I think he did the right thing standing behind the comments he made.
Washington, D.C.: Not that you've ever been a big fan of Indiana basketball, but what do you think their chances are this year with new coach Kelvin Sampson?
John Feinstein: I'm a huge fan of Indiana basketball. Indiana basketball fans built my house! I think Indiana lost a lot of talent, and it will take at least a year for Kelvin's recruiting to kick in. I certainly hope he will do it within NCAA rules. But he's a fine coach, and I expect them to be back near the top of the Big 10 very shortly. And it's not as if they were terrible under Mike Davis, they just weren't as good as Indiana fans expect them to be.
Richmond, Va.: If George Mason has another successful run in the NCAA's what is the likelihood that Jim Larranaga leaves for another program?
John Feinstein: Good question. Jim just turned 57, I think he's very happy at George Mason. They gave him a new, extended, enriched contract, which he deserved. I think the only way I can see him leaving is if he's offered a lot of money at a school that has a legit chance to win a championship. I don't mean a 2nd-tier team in the ACC or Big East or Big 12, I mean a true power school. Otherwise, I think he retires at George Mason.
What do you make of the Mason-Duke game in December, and will you be going down to Durham?
John Feinstein: I won't be at that game. I will be participating in a swim meet for old people that day. But I think given the experience that Mason's players got last year, they won't be intimidated by playing in Cameron. Obviously they are without three key seniors from last year, but so is Duke. I expect a very competitive game, and I will go out on a limb and predict that Duke will keep it competitive, even though they are facing a Final Four team.
Pittsburgh, Pa.: What are the prospects for Duquesne University, in the wake of the recent hideous shootings of five of its basketball players? Will most of the stricken team members be able to play this season? Do you think the attack will serve to bond the the team psychologically?
John Feinstein: From what I've gathered, at least three of the players will be healthy enough to play this year, but a couple were sitting out as transfers anyway. Duquesne has a long way to go after being at the bottom of the A-10, even without this terrible incident. Lon Everhardt brought in 10 new players, which tells you what he thought of the players who were there. But give him time, he did an outstanding job at Northeastern, and if anyone can turn around a team like Duquesne, it's him. Another Morgan Wooten protege, by the way.
Washington, D.C.: What is the biggest issue or storyline heading into the season?
John Feinstein: I think, there are so many storylines -- can Florida defend with all the kids back? How good is Greg Oden, and how far can he carry the Buckeyes? Locally, can Georgetown build on last season? Can Maryland get back in the tournament? Can George Mason and George Washington build on historic season? Can American compete? Can Navy improve after a couple of down seasons? And of course the story everyone is talking about -- how will the loss of Two Feathers affect William and Mary?
Buckeye Living in Maryland: Is Ohio State a contender? Do they have the level of coaching talent to have a serious chance in the NCAA tourney?
John Feinstein: Ohio State is certainly a contender. How they will deal with the pressure of being a targeted team is going to be a big question. Thad Matta is a proven coach. He took Xavier to the round of 8. I think they have a chance to go very deep in the tournament, esp. since by the end of the year, Greg Oden might be the best player in the country, depending on how quickly he develops.
New Orleans, La.: What do you think of LSU's chances this year since Tyrus Thomas left but Glen Davis stayed?
John Feinstein: Well, obviously losing Thomas hurts. Davis should be much improved coming off his March performance, the UCLA game not withstanding. I think sometimes when you've been to the Final Four when it was not expected, it can be harder to come back with higher expectations and perform again. Remember, LSU could just as easily have went out in the 2nd round as make the Final Four. So time will tell.
Charlottesville, Va.: What does Jeff Jones need to do to win the Patriot League championship and advance to the NCAAs? Do you see him returning to one of the BCS conferences?
John Feinstein: I think the improvement of the Patriot league the last few years -- Bucknell in particular, but the league in general -- has forced Jeff to improve his recruiting. I think the team played much better in the 2nd-half of last season, and I think they'll continue to improve this year.
I think because Bucknell lost both its starting guards, the league is much more wide-open this year, and AU has a good chance to win the conference tournament in March. As for Jeff leaving, I don't see it happening unless he has a chance to go to a school that has a legit shot to win a national championship.
Arlington, Va.: John -- turn your attention farther north. What do you think of Syracuse this year? What about the recruiting job Jim Boeheim and his staff have done? Can they go all the way?
John Feinstein: All the way is a long way to go, esp. from Syracuse. I think obviously, they've lost one key player, but have a lot of returning talent. You can't pick them ahead of Georgetown in the Big East, and the league should be very strong again, but I think you can expect Syracuse to be an NCAA tournament team, and if they're healthy and things go the right way, they could go deep in the tournament. In spite of the last few years, Jim Boeheim is a proven tournament coach, and has been in the finals three times.
Bethesda, Md.: How corrupt would you say college basketball is, on a scale of 1-10?
John Feinstein: 'Bout a 7? It's my belief that the most honest thing I've ever heard a coach say was a few years ago when Mike Krzyzewski, defending his friend Mike Jarvis, then at St. John's, said: "There is no program in the country, including my own, that could survive the degree of scrutiny St. John's has received."
I think every top program breaks rules in one way or another. Some are going 60 in a 55, some are breaking and entering, others are committing crimes far worse.
Morgantown, W. Va.: How bad will it be for WVU basketball? The last two years were fantastic, but is it back to reality for the Mountaineers?
John Feinstein: Obviously, key players have graduated. John Beilein is a fabulous coach, and I don't see them dropping as far as people expect. Remember, when he took over, the program was in shambles, and he had them playing respectable basketball in his first season. And, of course, they just missed making the Final Four two years ago. I think they'll be a solid team as long as he is the coach.
20009: Speaking of Morgan Wooten proteges -- how do you think Sidney Lowe will do at NC State?
John Feinstein: Good question. I think he'll recruit well because of his State background and because people will remember him, not only as part of the '83 championship team, but because of his NBA experience.
The problem he will have is the same problem Herb Sendek had -- he's got Mike Krzyzewski on his left and Roy Williams on his right.
Bethesda, Md.: With the changes to the NBA eligibility rules, we're seeing a bunch of freshmen this year in college who in previous years would have gone straight to the league. Do you think most of these kids will be "one-and-done", or do you think the year in college will reveal flaws in their game, requiring them to spend more time refining their skills?
John Feinstein: Most will be one-and-done, but there will be a couple who find that their draft position has dropped after their freshman year. They might come out anyway. But there will be a couple who might stay for an extra year. Anyone who thinks they will go in the lottery, will be one and done.
Syracuse Alum in Alexandria: Does the Big East look stronger than the ACC?
John Feinstein: Deeper certainly, but that might have something to do with the fact there are now 48 teams in the Big East. ACC could take a dip this year -- last year was a down year too. Only four teams in the NCAA tournament, and none of them reached the final eight.
I think North Carolina has a chance to win a championship, but there's a dropoff after the Tarheels. The best team in the Big East is probably Georgetown, but there are a number of other quality teams, too.
Springfield, Va.: How big a rebuilding job is Jim Calhoun and UCONN looking at this year? Is there anyone left in Storrs?
John Feinstein: Well, a great freshman class. I liken UConn this year to North Carolina last year -- a team that lost all of its top players, a team that will be playing without, for once, high expectations. But they should improve throughout the course of the season, and could be very dangerous by March.
Remember, NC, even though it was upset by George Mason, went into the NCAA tournament as a No. 3 seed. I think Jim Calhoun will enjoy this season far more than last season, when he was clearly feeling the pressure to win an NCAA title.
Columbia, Md.: "Most of us who attempt to make predictions in October look like morons in March."
Speak for yourself, sir. Based on my predictions, I usually look like a moron by January.
John Feinstein: Well, that's why they call me an expert. It takes until March.
Silver Spring, Md.: Big Pitt fan here. With Aaron Gray returning and just about everyone else (except for Krauser), how seriously do you consider this team as a Final Four threat?
John Feinstein: I don't know if they're a Final Four threat any more than a dozen other teams are, but if they can fill the gaping hole left by Krauser's departure, they can be one of the better teams in the country. Jamie Dixon has certainly proved himself to be a more than able replacement for Ben Howland.
John Feinstein: Thanks for all of your questions. I just want to say, going back to the very first question, I think now is the perfect time to have a tournament with Georgetown, George Washington, George Mason and Maryland. I think it would sell out the Verizon Center. If you agree with me and want to see that, send a letter, send an e-mail or give a call to John Thompson III at Georgetown
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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College basketball tips off Friday, as teams across the nation take the court for Midnight Madness practices. Journalist and author John Feinstein takes your questions and comments about college hoops.
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Washington, D.C.: What a wonderful glimpse into this young Marine's life. Thank you to the writer and his family for giving that gift to this reader. I can't image I will again pass by Arlington without thinking specifically of him and his courage. Thank you.
Dan Morse: I have the same reaction now when I drive by Arlington, or go see Alex's grave. When I look at it, I think of the men in his team too.
Dan Morse: Thanks for the nice words as well. I look forward to reading all the comments ...
Anonymous: I just read the very moving story of Sgt. Alessandro "Alex" Carbonaro. While I am saddened by his passing, I am so proud of him for his bravery, strong spirit and undying love to his family, friends and the U.S. Marine Corp. Please give my regards to his mom. I have one son living in New York and the very thought of loosing him cuts to the core. I cannot imagine what she is going through, but please tell her she and her family are in my prayers. I have very strong feelings against the war, but I support the men and women that serve. They too have my prayers.
Mrs. Carbonaro mentioned that there were other soldiers that never receive mail. How can I get an address or two so that I can correspond with them and send packages? Any information you can provided is greatly appreciated.
Dan Morse: Gilda wrote letters to kids in boot camp at Parris Island. I can check into that program, and get back to you. Leave a message for me at 301-934-1196, and I will call you. There are also adopt-a-soldier programs, where you send letters and care packages to those posted overseas. Does anyone know good ones I can pass along?
Washington, D.C.: Thank you for sharing your story. It sounds like you raised your son well since he became a person who wanted his life to have meaning through his own actions. Not everyone turns out that way.
Was it difficult (technically-electronically or otherwise) to communicate with your son when he was on duty? Do you think he received your letters and other communication with him?
Dan Morse: Hi, it's Dan Morse, the writer. Alex's parents aren't on this discussion. I think they had fairly good communication with him in the first deployment - email and telephone. The second deployment - this year - they didn't hear from him as much. I think he was on a lot of missions outside of his camp.
Washington, D.C.: How did you decide to pick this soldier's story to tell and place it on the front page? This area has had several soldiers who lived in the Metro area and died in Afghan and Iraq. Just curious about the other soldiers' stories and have you thought about doing other solders' stories periodically through the year?
Dan Morse: I'd certainly like to write about more soldiers and Marines from the area. I became interested in Alex, for starters, because not to many Quaker high schools produce Recon Marines. Then his family and friends were nice enough to talk to me at length, rounding out all the other interesting details about Alex and his family.
Bethesda, Md.: I think what makes me saddest about the story is that Alex died right around the time the family was learning what kind of man they raised. It just seems like there was so much more for these parents to learn about their wonderful son, as you alluded to in your story. Did Gilda ever get the impression that her son was angry with her about her anti-war activism? Or did he just prefer that she not be really blatant with it?
Dan Morse: Yes, Alex's parents told me words like that: That Alex's life was about to really take off. In their minds, that's hardly a knock against the Marines. In fact, they couldn't have higher regard for the Marines. In their minds, Alex was a 28-year-old with many years of wisdom beyond that, thanks in large part to the Marines, and he was about to carry all that wisdom into the next chapter of his life ... As to his mom's protests, Alex definitely wanted her to keep a low profile. As to his own thoughts about the war, he kept that fairly private, even when pressed by friends he grew up with. I guess, for him, what really mattered was completing his missions and doing a good job commanding his team.
Montgomery, Ala.: Do you think Alex's parents were angry with him for joining the Marines and putting himself in harms way on purpose? I can imagine that their grief would be combined with a certain degree of anger ...
Dan Morse: No. I never picked up any anger that way. They were stunned when he joined, but tried to accept it, and came to embrace the Corps the more they learned about it.
Arlington, Va.: I thank you as well for the very moving piece -- I think that it's so very important that we see these young troops as individuals with pasts and foregone futures instead of "just" as names on a list of other people's sons and daughters who have been lost.
For those looking for ways to support deployed troops with letters and/or care packages, I have two to recommend:
www.booksforsoldiers.com - troops submit requests for care packages/books/letters/etc. that are filled by a national network of volunteers. To become a volunteer, go to the website and download the application (you'll have to have it notarized before you submit it); once your application is processed you'll have access to hundreds of requests each month that you can choose from. Although not a "troop adoption" site, many of the volunteers have continued contact with the troops after they send them a care package or letter. There are currently over 1000 active requests from individuals and groups on the site and the site is in need of additional volunteers given a recent increase in the number of requests.
www.anysoldier.com - This site lists requests from deployed groups (not individuals). Although the requests are visible to all, you have to request the addresses by email (volunteers may request up to 3 addresses per day). If you want to get a sense of what the kinds of things are that troops need these days, take a little time to read some of the posts there.
If you know someone who is deployed, please forward them info about these sites. And, if you are stateside, please think about volunteering! It really does make a difference to those you support, and it's one small thing we can all do no matter what our personal feelings might be about the war itself.
Feel free to contact me at azs.bfs-gmail.com if you have questions about Books for Soldiers.
My deep sympathies to the Carbonaro family and all who loved Alex for the loss of this very special young man.
Dan Morse: Thanks very much for the info.
Washington, D.C.: What is the "Recon Creed" mentioned in your article?
Dan Morse: Type Recon Creed into Google and it will come up. It stresses completing missions, and not letting down what others have done before you. I know one Recon Marine who taped it to the end of his bed at Bethesda hospital, helping him get through his injuries.
Rockville, Md.: Really moving story. I am wondering how his fiancee is doing?
Dan Morse: She is very, very sad. She is also very strong. All four of these people: Alex, Gilda, Gilda and Fulvio are strong people. They opened up to me for hours and hours, and hours, and still kept answering my questions. Alex's Marine buddies, as well, have remarked to me about how strong they are.
Harrisburg, Pa.: I want to thank you for this exceptionally well-written and poignant piece. I'm a grown man who was moved to tears as the story unfolded.
Having grown up in Montgomery County, I can only imagine the shock that Alex's family and friends felt when he decided to enlist. Needless to say, most local high school graduates are not running off to join the military. It seems clear that Alex felt he had a higher purpose to fulfill and was a strong-spirited individual who was confident in his own decision-making abilities. What powerful traits to have at such a young age.
I send my prayers to Alex and his family. He fought for a higher purpose. He was committed to his team. His legacy, even in death, speaks volume for the young man that he was.
Alexandria, Va.: Hi there -- Great article. I got the feeling that somehow their son was always a little distant, or lost, really and "found" himself in the military. I wonder that if he hadn't been so lost (schoolwork problems could have attributed to this), he probably would not have ended up going to the Marines but a totally different path, perhaps college. Pretty much everyone in MoCo that has the grades and can afford to go to college does -- even those who later decide to enlist in ROTC or the military, after they graduate. (I guess, and I don't mean this in a derogatory manner, but something strikes me as a little different about him.)
Dan Morse: Alex could have gone to college and done well. I think that, yes, he was certainly looking for direction coming out of high school, and the Marines offered that. He probably could have studied harder in high school on subjects that didn't interest him, so in that sense he wasn't as college-focused as so many in Montgomery County. Of the many things I find interesting about Alex was he talked about doing something "honorable" as a teenager. I don't recall using that kind of word as a teen. So, while he may have been a little lost about what to do, and could have studied harder, there was something different inside him, I guess, that came to the surface in a meaningful, leadership type way as he advance through the Marines. He was planning on going to college next year, and could have done just about anything.
London, UK: I graduated from Sandy Spring Friends a few years ago and I just wanted to say that I was sad to read of Alex's death (I didn't know anything about him until I saw the articles in The Post). Please tell his family I am thinking of them.
Dan Morse: Thank you. I will pass that along. Quaker schools don't produce a lot of Marines, let alone Recon Marines. Both institutions do preach being part of a larger community, I I guess. I'd like to hear your thoughts on that ...
Dan Morse: We're just about ready to wrap up. Anyone with any last minute comments?
Here is a program to send gear and other goods to service members: www.operationac.com
Washington, D.C.: Getting so involved in a family's sadness must be difficult for the reporter. Was it hard to do the research for the story?
Dan Morse: I continue to feel terrible for Alex's wife and parents. So it's sad, but it relative to what they're going through, well, you just feel bad for them.
Dan Morse: OK, readers, that's it for this discussion. Thank you for reading and thank you for all the great comments and questions.
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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She's a Warrior - washingtonpost.com
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Oh boy, was Jerrard Hunter in trouble. The drill called for him to run a stop-and-go pattern, only the H.D. Woodson High School wide receiver didn't do much of the latter. The pass from quarterback Gabriel Prophet sailed past the 6-foot-2 sophomore, right to the spot to where Hunter should have run, and his coach was seething.
Hunter tried to return to the huddle inconspicuously, but the Warriors' 5-foot-5, 125-pound wide receivers coach wouldn't let him get away. Natalie Randolph grabbed Hunter's right arm, and spun him around to face her.
VIDEO | Prep Gridiron Diva
"What are you doing?" she screamed. "You can't do that, and just stop running."
Hunter turned his head skyward.
"Look at me!" she yelled. "You're running up there blind. You have to run your route and see the ball. Can you do that for me next time?"
Not too many women hear that from boys, much less football players. Randolph, 26, was hired as the Warriors' wide receivers coach before this season, making her what is believed to be the only woman on a varsity football coaching staff in the Washington area. While women have coached boys' high school teams in other sports, football has remained a boys-only club.
"This is football. This is different," said Wanda Oates, who was named Ballou High's football coach in 1985, only to have the hiring overruled by the deputy schools superintendent. Oates, who five years earlier was named the District's first female athletic director, said the move was prompted by the District's other football coaches. "Football is a macho sport. It's the macho of all macho sports -- seek out and destroy. If a woman seeks out and destroys a man, then, oh, my God."
Randolph has no compunction about seeking out players who deserve her attention.
"I see a seven-foot-tall man when she gets mad," Hunter said. "She doesn't have any trouble getting respect."
One of the reasons she gets respect is because she knows the game and has had the opportunity to play it. Not only does she teach environmental sciences at Woodson, she also just completed her third season as a wide receiver for the D.C. Divas of the National Women's Football Association. The Divas went 10-0 to claim the 31-team league's 2006 championship in July.
After Warriors Coach Greg Fuller found out about that just before the start of practice in August, he invited Randolph onto his staff. She had joined the Woodson faculty last October, just before the end of the football season.
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Natalie Randolph has broken into the boys-only club by becoming H.D. Woodson High School's wide receivers coach, making her what is believed to be the only woman on a varsity football coaching staff in the Washington area.
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Maryland-Virginia May Not Be Broadcast on Television
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Maryland's football game with Virginia on Saturday likely won't be on television for the first time since 2000.
Maryland associate athletic director Brian Ullmann said the school is involved in last-minute negotiations with Comcast SportsNet to get the game broadcast live, but the deal is contingent upon ESPN agreeing to sell the broadcast rights to Comcast.
Ullmann said the university should know the outcome by today.
If Comcast can't secure the rights, the game will be shown only on ESPN360, an Internet-only broadcast operation that is not available to Comcast broadband customers. Locally, the service is available only to Verizon subscribers in Washington and Baltimore.
"We're not happy about the TV situation," Ullmann said.
He also said the game likely will not be rebroadcast later in the week.
"We don't have much input into that," Ullmann said about the team's television appearances.
Representatives from ESPN could not be reached for comment.
This season, only the West Virginia-Maryland game, an ESPN Thursday night production, has been available in any form to Comcast subscribers. Last week's game was available on ESPNU, which is also not available to Comcast cable subscribers.
Ullmann said the Maryland athletic department is receiving calls from fans complaining about the lack of television appearances this season.
Comcast spokeswoman Lisa Altman said the company has no immediate plans to carry ESPNU or ESPN360. Comcast, one of the primary cable and Internet providers in the region, has more than 1.1 million cable subscribers in the Washington metropolitan area.
Ullmann said decisions regarding television games lie with the ACC's broadcast partners -- ESPN/ABC and Lincoln Financial Sports, which broadcasts regional games.
But those networks passed on the Virginia-Maryland game. ESPNU passed on the game as well, leaving only ESPN360 to pick up the game. Saturday's game will mark Maryland's third appearance on ESPN360 this season.
Maryland Coach Ralph Friedgen tried to stay positive in the face of the loss to Georgia Tech. After reviewing the game some more, Friedgen said he was happy with the effort during the loss to the Yellow Jackets.
"I have seen improvement," Friedgen said. "Sometimes it's not measured in wins and losses. If we keep the right attitude, keep working, it's my experience it will work out."
As he has since camp, Friedgen said the team is close to a breakout victory.
"We're close; we're very close," he said. "I really believe once we get through this, it's going to make a difference." . . .
Linebacker Rick Costa and tight end Joey Haynos wore noncontact jerseys at practice yesterday. . . .
Friedgen moved wide receiver Terrell Skinner over to safety to provide some depth.
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Maryland's football game with Virginia on Saturday likely won't be on television for the first time since 2000.
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YouTubers Ponder Google
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On YouTube, where members are encouraged to express themselves through amateur video, it took only a few hours before they started chiming in on Google's $1.65 billion acquisition of the popular online video site.
Dozens of YouTubers turned their cameras on themselves to share their opinions on the sale, while thousands responded to a video posted yesterday by YouTube founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen.
The reaction was mixed and displayed a range of emotions, from outrage and accusations that YouTube had sold out to corporate interests to admiration and optimism that Google will improve it.
From his bedroom in Britain, 15-year-old Clive Newstead appeared with his long brown hair hanging in his face, proclaiming that the deal is bad news for video amateurs like him.
"It just wouldn't be quite right. There are people fearing Web sites like Google have way too much influence over the Internet," Newstead said in his video, posted under the screen name "nuodai." He enjoys watching TV shows and movie clips on YouTube and fears that they will go away, he said. "Its good to watch stuff that's been on TV that you can't find anywhere else."
Joel McDonald, 22, of Virginia Beach disagreed, reasoning that Google is a good company that won't mess too much with YouTube. "Google's great at anything they do," McDonald said into the camera at his home. "Google would do a great job at managing YouTube. It would be wonderful and the features would be better."
How things will change has yet to be seen, though Hurley and Chen -- in a video that was recorded outside what appeared to be a T.G.I. Friday's restaurant -- said they were committed to developing a site that remains fun for its users.
"The most compelling part of this is being able to really concentrate on features and functionality for the community," Chen said.
But, in true YouTube fashion, the two founders -- overnight millionaires from a technology deal reminiscent of the late 1990s -- quickly turned silly as they poked fun at a recently posted video featuring hip-hip mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs inside a Burger King restaurant.
"Two kings have gotten together: The king of search and the king of video. We're going to have it our way, salt and pepper," Hurley says, mocking Combs.
Chen walks away from the camera, doubled over, laughing.
"You can't do that. Cut," Hurley says just before the video ends.
Hurley, 29, and Chen, 26, are likely to make tens of millions of dollars by selling their company, which is just over a year old, to Google in an all-stock deal. Sequoia Capital LLC, the sole venture firm to invest in YouTube, is reported to have made $495 million from its $11.5 million investment in YouTube.
Hurley and Chen will stay with the company, Google said.
How the site will change under Google is unclear. Google executives said Monday that they planned to keep YouTube a separate Web site that would run independently of Google and its own video site, Google Video.
Google and YouTube offered vague descriptions of how they might work together to improve features for users and opportunities for advertisers.
When asked whether YouTube would continue to ban "pre-roll" advertisements that viewers are forced to watch before viewing the video they have selected, Hurley said YouTube was "going to be exploring a lot of options."
That prompted some YouTubers to predict that the site will have a more corporate feel in the coming months. After MySpace.com, the social networking site made popular by teenagers, was sold to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. last year, some members of that site complained that it was becoming overrun with ads.
A member indentified as "crashomatic" wrote: "i think we are going to have to watch commercials after every 3 video clips or something, but hey its great -- for the guys who started this whole thing."
Another member, with the screen name "redstripedthinker," warned: "do not let youtube get TOO commercialized like myspace. The audience knows when they're being sold to . . ."
In buying YouTube, Google gains a huge social networking community on the Web, something it has been eager to develop without much success. Google's equivalent of MySpace.com, Orkut, is hugely popular in Brazil but not in the United States. Google Video gets about one-fourth the Web traffic as YouTube.
Jennifer Simpson, an analyst with the Yankee Group research firm, said Google should maintain the YouTube community and let its unique culture flourish.
"The younger audience who traditionally have been attracted to social-networking sites will always be fickle and will switch their allegiances to whatever site fits their needs," Simpson said.
A few members made it clear that they would leave the site if there are too many changes. A member who uses the name "peterhk69" wrote: "I see only a few things in the coming months -- more ads, more fees and less fun. Half of us will look for a new place."
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Medicaid Spending Rises Only Slightly
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Medicaid spending rose by 2.8 percent in fiscal 2006, the smallest increase in a decade, according to a study released yesterday by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.
At the same time, state tax revenue grew by 3.7 percent as the economy continued to improve, the survey of 50 states and their Medicaid directors found.
Together those trends signal that the state-federal program that pays for health care for the poor and disabled is emerging -- at least temporarily -- from a period in which many states limited eligibility, benefits and reimbursement rates for health-care services in a drive to corral costs. For 2007, only five states plan to restrict eligibility, while 26 indicated they will restore benefits, relax application and enrollment restrictions and undertake new outreach efforts.
"The program continues to grow, but it is not out of control," said Diane Rowland, executive director of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.
"We now see that as the economy is improving that the states are looking at how they can best meet the needs of their citizens using the tools they have available to them."
With total annual costs of more than $300 billion, Medicaid serves more than 50 million people and its fortunes rise and fall with the economy. In tough economic times, when more people are out of work and hurting financially, Medicaid rolls swell. But that is when it is hardest for states to pick up their 40 percent of overall Medicaid costs, because a slumping economy also sends state tax revenues plummeting. (The federal government pays the balance of the costs.) The crunch typically leads Medicaid officials to scramble to impose cost-containment measures as part of broader efforts to rein in overall state spending.
Everything tends to turn around when the economy improves, with state coffers more flush and fewer people eligible for Medicaid. While 2002 and 2003 were lean years for states, the past two were better.
The slower growth in Medicaid spending documented by the Kaiser report was a product of both the improving economy and continued cost-containment efforts, Rowland said. Spending growth would have been even slower, but states had to fork over billions of dollars to help pay for the new Medicare drug benefit, which covers about 6 million low-income people who used to get prescriptions through Medicaid, the report found.
Even in good times, there is upward pressure on enrollment as the population ages and an increasing number of people lack health insurance. Medicaid enrollment grew by 1.6 percent in fiscal 2006, the lowest rate since 1999, the survey found. It does not take many people to drive up costs, however. About 4 percent of the Medicaid population, generally the elderly and disabled, accounted for 48 percent of the program's expenditures in 2001, the survey showed.
Anne Marie Murphy, Medicaid director for Illinois, said officials there have combined expansion and outreach in recent years with a new emphasis on prevention and managing health-care services.
"We have been very focused on controlling utilization," she said. "We want people to get health care, but to get necessary health care. We want to spend our money wisely and be a prudent purchaser of care."
Although pressure to hold down costs continues, many states plan to expand coverage in 2007.
In California, about 95 percent of Medicaid-eligible children are already enrolled -- but officials will go after the uninsured 5 percent, said Stan Rosenstein, the state's deputy director of medical care services. "The governor has put in major funding for outreach, and we are making major simplifications to our application and redetermination process," he said.
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Medicaid spending rose by 2.8 percent in fiscal 2006, the smallest increase in a decade, according to a study released yesterday by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.
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In Texas, Getting Away From Y'all
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Nothing personal, folks, but I'm sick of you.
The stuffed subways, the endless traffic, that guy who cut in front of me at McDonald's -- so many people heading in so many directions, usually mine. And any day now it'll get even worse (at least on the psyche), when the population of the United States hits 300,000,000. That's a whole lot of zeroes, and Happy Meals.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, whose Web site ( http://www.census.gov/ ) has a clock ticking up to the disturbing milestone, Washington is one of the country's most densely populated cities, with about 9,316 people per square mile. The surrounding area doesn't fare much better.
To cope with the crowds, evasive action sometimes must be taken. This is why I find myself sitting in a pickup truck in Mentone, Tex., on a recent sunny Monday. Sheriff Billy Hopper, the law in these here parts, is behind the wheel, his cowboy hat balanced precariously on the dashboard.
Mentone is the main town -- the only town -- in Loving County, which has the distinction of being the least densely populated county in the Lower 48. Spread over 673 square miles of dusty, oil-rich West Texas, the county is home to 81 residents. That's 0.12 people per square mile.
Now there's a number I can get used to.
At first glance, Mentone is a disheveled little nothing of a town, a forgettable speck on surprisingly busy Route 302. On second glance, it doesn't change much.
Still, it's a disarmingly authentic chunk of America, the type of place you discover by accident -- or if you're lucky. Every yard appears to have enough scrap metal to build a Sherman tank, but it's hardly an eyesore: September rains have left a bounty of green and, as a result, tiny blooms poke through the junk.
I've gone to considerable trouble to get here, airport-hopping on Southwest Airlines for seven hours to Midland, then driving another 90 minutes -- all for the sole purpose of escaping the mess of humanity in Our Nation's Capital. The effort is well worth it. So far, the only Mentonite I've seen is Hopper, the affable 69-year-old lawman who's eager to show off his town to a visiting reporter.
"It's different here in a lot of respects," says Hopper, who was elected two years ago. Groceries are at least 23 miles away in Pecos, and potable water has to be shipped in. "Everything you do takes a lot of extra time, a lot of extra fuel."
Eighteen people call Mentone itself home, with the rest of the county's residents scattered throughout the desert. Several hundred workers commute each day into Loving, many to service the 15 drilling rigs dotting the countryside, including two just a few paces from the town. Some of the large structures -- think James Dean and "Giant," only with gleaming metal instead of wood and, uh, no James Dean -- have sleeping accommodations and kitchens that, unfortunately for Mentone, make them largely self-sufficient. In addition to the rigs, hundreds of oil and natural gas wells stretch to the horizon, each reached by a spider web of dirt roads.
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Nothing personal, folks, but I'm sick of you. The stuffed subways, the endless traffic, that guy who cut in front of me at McDonald's -- so many people heading in so many directions, usually mine. And any day now it'll get even worse (at least on the psyche), when the population of the United...
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'Values' Choice for The GOP
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It's possible that the Mark Foley scandal could finally end the phony, trumped-up "culture war" that the Republican Party has so expertly exploited all these years -- possible, but not likely. I'm afraid the Foley episode will be remembered as just another bloody battle, one with lots of collateral damage.
The Republicans wouldn't be where they are today -- in control of the White House and all of Capitol Hill -- if they hadn't portrayed themselves as the stalwart defenders of moral standards and painted Democrats as a bunch of anything-goes libertines. Republicans promised social and religious conservatives that the values they treasure would not only be respected but written into law. Even if they didn't deliver on these promises, or even try very hard, Republicans paid enough lip service to moral issues to keep "values voters" inside the tent.
It was a political masterstroke, but it required creating and sustaining an illusion -- that Republican officeholders themselves not only talked the talk but walked the walk, that in their own lives they adhered to these deeply conservative moral standards. Human nature being what it is, there was no way this illusion could be sustained.
So for a party that crusades against gay marriage and welcomes voters that consider homosexuality a sin or a disease, headlines about a gay Republican congressman lusting after underage male congressional pages are a problem. The emerging outlines of a coverup -- allegations that the Republican speaker of the House, or at least his aides, got wind of Foley's little problem months or years ago -- are an even bigger problem.
And it will come as a surprise to some religious conservatives that so many Republicans involved in the scandal are gay -- Foley; his former aide Kirk Fordham; a former clerk of the House, Jeff Trandahl. The Post reported yesterday that Rep. Jim Kolbe of Arizona, the one openly gay Republican congressman, saw "inappropriate" e-mail correspondence between Foley and young pages as long ago as 2000.
It comes as no "October surprise" to the Republican leadership that there are gay men -- and, yes, lesbians, too -- working on Capitol Hill, some in high-ranking positions. Before the Foley scandal runs its course, we will probably learn of other gay staff members on the Hill. These people are good at their jobs, and their sexual orientation is, of course, irrelevant. The understanding, in these years of Republican hegemony, reportedly has been something akin to don't ask, don't tell.
But some conservative activists are irate that the "values" party would allow such an arrangement. Cliff Kincaid of Accuracy in Media, a conservative watchdog, thundered on the group's Web site yesterday that "House leaders permitted homosexuals to infiltrate and manipulate the party apparatus while they publicly postured as friends of family values and traditional marriage. The facade is now in ruins."
In other words, Republican House leaders secretly harbored fairly modern attitudes toward homosexuality. How inexcusable.
The culture war is supposed to be about morality, but really it's a crusade to compel Americans to follow certain norms of private behavior that some social and religious conservatives believe are mandated by sociology, nature or God. Republican officeholders have paid lip service to this crusade, all the while knowing that the human family is diverse and fallible. They know that the gravest threat to marriage is the heterosexual divorce rate. They know that Republicans drink, swear, carouse and have affairs, just like Democrats. They know that homosexuals aren't devils.
Most Americans know all of this, too, by the way. Main Street hasn't been Hicksville for a long time.
But Republicans positioned themselves as our national Church Lady and were rewarded with the support of the staunchest religious conservatives, who now feel betrayed. Faced with the spreading Foley scandal, the party has a choice.
The party can look America in the face and say, "Folks, we're all just human, and while we should strive to adhere to the highest moral standards, this whole idea of writing a specific, narrow, fundamentalist Christian view of morality into law is really not a good idea. Even those of us who thought that way when we came to Washington realize we were wrong. Condemning others just because they are different doesn't make us stronger or better, it makes us weaker and poorer. As Barry Goldwater would have said, live and let live."
Or the party can purge its gay staffers, maybe symbolically burn a few at the stake, and continue to pretend that you can legislate what is permitted to reside in American hearts and minds. Unfortunately, that's where it looks like we're headed.
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It's possible the Foley scandal will end the GOP's phony, trumped-up "culture war." But it's more likely the party will purge its gay staffers and continue to pretend you can legislate American hearts and minds.
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U.N. Security Council Condemns North Korea's Test Claims
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Lynch covers the United Nations for The Post.
U.S. Urges Sanctions on North Korea , ( Post, Oct. 10, 2006 )
Do you think China's condemnatory statements will reflect their behavior in the security council? My impression was that China objected to putting July's Resolution 1695 under a chapter 7 mandate...Do you get the sense today that China is open to a chapter 7 resolution?
Colum Lynch: Thank You, the reader is referring to a Chapter Seven Resolution, a provision in the UN Charter that can empower the council to impose sanctions or use force to compel a state to respond to its demands.
China has been reluctant in previous North Korean crises over the past 13 years to impose sanctions on Pyonyang to get its way. There has been reporting from the region suggesting that North Korea may have crossed a red line that will make China more willing to pursue tough action. We saw a sign of that here about an hour ago when China's U.N. ambassador, Wang Guangya, said for the first time that China would entertain some sort of "punitive actions" against North Korea as long as they are "appropriate." Impossible to gauge what it appropriate at this stage but it seem unlikely China will be willing to go as far as the United States or Japan.
Richmond, Va.: I'm sorry, but I cannot take very seriously China's "anger" at North Korea's testing of a nuclear device. Are we to believe that China, who controls, in one way or another, almost every vital facet of life in North Korea , had no idea that they were going to conduct a test? What I want to know is what pluses did China get out of this testing?
Colum Lynch: I'm not sure that I believe that China has gained much from the North Korean test. It has been a blow to China's prestige as the driver of multiparty talks aimed at persuading North Korea to end its nuclear weapons activities. I don't believe China has as much control of North Korea as some presume. It is true that China has enormous leverage over the North Koreans, and could cause them extreme pain by cutting off fuel supplies that keep the country functioning. But China has been reluctant to do this, in part because it could drive lots of desperate North Koreans across the border into China. China may also be calculating that a collapse of the regime might ultimately bring a pro-western government to its border.
Valley Forge, Pa.: Does anyone honestly think the North Koreans will be punished? The U.N. is uselesss, China has little to no influence and the Russians probably think this is hilarious.
The Iranians will be emboldened by the North Koreans if they aren't collaborating.
Not one country or organization will be able to do anything - it's a time of appeasement and lack of courage.
A nuclear attack somewhere in the world will become a reality and the world let it happen. This isn't just Bush's fault, it's also Clintons and the rest of the world.
Colum Lynch: I can't answer that. It really depends primarily on the Chinese, but also the Russian. The council certainly has the authority to impose painful sanctions on Korea. The US and Japan have proposed a list of measures, including bans on financial transactions, and halt trade on military and luxury goods as a first step. I suspect China and Russia will agree to some of these measures, but I think it is not likely that they will be prepared to go as far Washington and Tokyo.
Arlington, Va.: In your opinion, was Clinton's policy of bi-lateral talks and incentives on peaceful nuclear power programs successful? On one hand, NK did not make the strides toward nuclear weaponry that they seem to have made in the last six years, however, on the other hand, they were by their own admission secretly working on it. I wonder if this was either inevitable no matter what, was it accelerated by our recent foreign policy, or if it could have been avoided with more dialogue and bi-lateral talks as opposed to demands for group diplomacy with China and Russia involved.
Colum Lynch: I think the different approaches pursued by Clinton and Bush underscores how tough an issue this is too resolve. As you noted, President Clinton struck a deal with North Korea that involved the provision of U.S., European, Japanese and South Korean technical support for a light water reactor program that was aimed at meeting North Korea's power needs while providing greater certainty that it couldn't divert fuel to a nuclear weapons program. It turns out that North Korea was in fact violating the terms of that agreement by secretly pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Now, we find that a tougher approach from the Bush administration has also failed to restrain the North. It's worth taking a look at an opinion piece in the Post today by Selig Harrison, who argues that it is time to consider bilateral talks again. Harrison faults the Bush administration for undercutting a deal last year aimed at resolving the nuclear crisis by imposing a series of financial sanctions on North Korea almost immediately after signing a deal that called for ultimately normalizing relations between the North and the US.
Rockville, Md.: If South Korea could invade and take over the North, would it be worthwhile? Or just another mistake? I think if a few regional commanders could agree to stand down, they might be able to do it in a few days. But it is not the best terrain in the world for a war. Certainly anyone who arrived in force who had food and spoke the same language would be welcomed. Or would they?
Colum Lynch: I think if it was that easy it would have happened a long time ago. I'm not a military expert or an expert on east Asia, but I would imagine that the US military, which would likely participate in any South Korean action, is already stretched fighting very tough wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Silver Spring, Md.: Disclaimer, I'm not blaming President Bush, but--- when he said Iraq, Iran and North Korea were in the "axis of evil" in 2002 I cringed. Then we invaded Iraq. If you were one of the other two countries in the same category, wouldn't you be nervous and defensive? If you saw us invade the country with the least amount of nuclear and deadly arsenal, wouldn't you want to build up yours? Do you see the aggressive rhetoric instead of open diplomacy as a catalyst for some current conflicts? I know North Korea has been pursuing this for a long time but do you think that NK and Iran have become more aggressive because of U.S. policy and rhetoric?
Colum Lynch: I can't get into the heads of Iran and North Korea leaders to discern their intentions. But it is true that North Korea has indicated the importance of obtaining security assurances from the US as part of any final agreement leading to its abandonment of nuclear weapons. Key European governments have also urged the United States to consider offering security assurance to Iran as part of a final agreement on their own nuclear program. I think there are a lot of people out their who feel that those countries do have legitimate security concerns. It is also possible that both countries have calculated that a nuclear deterrent is vital to their survival, and that they will pursue that goal despite any security assurances they receive.
Washington, D.C.: I seem to be hearing a lot of mixed messages. Some news clips say it was a nuclear test others that it was not. If it was a test, this is most important for Japan, now they may have just cause to arm, instead of just defensive weapons?
Colum Lynch: Again, I'm not an expert on nuclear tests.
The latest reporting suggests that North Korea, which reportedly provided China with prior notice that it intended to test, conducted a relatively small test, and that it may not have been entirely successful. It is clear, nevertheless, that this has triggered a lively debate in Japan about whether to pursue nuclear weapons. Japan, a technologically advanced country, has the nuclear fuel and the technological know-how to produce a bomb in pretty short order. But the decision to do it remains controversial, particularly in a country that has been the victim of a US nuclear attack.
Washington, D.C.: We're worse off than 6 years ago regarding security and engagement issues with North Korea. The nuclear test illustrates that the multilateral approach taken by the current administration has not worked out.
Bilateral negotiation may be a way to have DPRK back to the table. Neocons are opposed to this approach. How realistic would you see the bilateral relationship be taken by the key players in the White House in order to handle the nuclear crisis with DPRK?
Colum Lynch: It's an interesting question. Here at the UN and in the Treasury department, the US is pursuing a strategy designed to place an economic and technological stranglehold on North Korea. But some influential voices, including the former Sec of State James Baker, have been urging the president to reconsider his refusal to engage US enemies in direct talks. If he's being heard, that could have an impact on a host of trouble spots, including Iran and Syria. It's worth noting that Pres Bush has already agreed to directly engage the North Koreans and the Iranians, but only on the margins of multiparty talks that are stalled in North Korea's case and which have not been fully realized with the Iranians.
Alexandria, Va.: Bolton is still not confirmed as U.N. ambassador, Bush is nearing lame-duck status. Do you think this will undercut U.S. efforts to get China and South Korea to play ball?
Colum Lynch: North Korea may believe that it can ultimately get a better deal from the US after Bush steps down. That could have an influence on its behavior. I don't think Bolton's non-confirmation has much influence on Washington's ability to influence China and South Korea-I think its more important that they know he is close to, and can speak for the president. Though its not clear how long Bolton will survive here as ambassador since his recess appointment will come to an end in January.
Bryn Mawr, Pa.: How come only the U.S. and friends of the U.S. are allowed to have nuclear weapons? Given that we have a recent history of unprovoked attacks against sovereign nations (which both Democrats and Republicans supported), I would think that we should reasonably expect others to develop nuclear capabilities. Why the surprise?
Colum Lynch: Its true that Washington's disinclination to punish close friends, including Israel, Pakistan and India, for going nuclear makes the US look inconsistent. The U.S. argument, which is accepted by many of its allies, is that certain countries, like Iran and North Korea, are too unpredictable and irresponsible to have nukes. I asked Pakistan's UN ambassador Munir Akram Monday how he felt about NK joining the exclusive club of nuclear powers. He said its not a country he'd like to see in the club.
Newark, N.J.: Do you agree that more sanctions on North Korea is the solution? Or will this be seen as an insignificant move, and cause even more defiance from the North and Iran, who is waiting in the wings for a formal reaction.
Colum Lynch: I don't have a crystal ball. The Sec Council has recently adopted a resolution calling on states to ban trade in ballistic missiles and WMD technology. But they require countries to do and they didn't design a program to enforce the ban--and it hasn't had much impact. And I'm sure NK and Iran have taken note/ If the US and Japan are successful in passing a resolution that would empower states to block a significant portion of North Korean trade and to board and inspect any vessel, truck or aircraft entering or leaving North Korea it would most definitely have an impact on the country. And it would be taken quite seriously by North Korean and Iran.
Colum Lynch: Thank you all for taking the time out to post your questions. I'm afraid I haven't had nearly enough time to answer them all, and I've got to get back to reporting on the latest stage of council negotiations.
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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GOP Officials Brace for Loss Of Seven to 30 House Seats
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Republican campaign officials said yesterday that they expect to lose at least seven House seats and as many as 30 in the Nov. 7 midterm elections, as a result of sustained violence in Iraq and the page scandal involving former GOP representative Mark Foley.
Democrats need to pick up 15 seats in the election to take back control of the House after more than a decade of GOP leadership. Two weeks of virtually nonstop controversy over President Bush's war policy and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's handling of the page scandal have forced party leaders to recalculate their vulnerability and placed a growing number of Republican incumbents and open seats at much greater risk.
GOP officials are urging lawmakers to focus exclusively on local issues and leave it to party leaders to mitigate the Foley controversy by accusing Democrats of trying to politicize it. At the same time, the White House plans to amplify national security issues, especially the threat of terrorism, after North Korea's reported nuclear test, in hopes of shifting the debate away from casualties and controversy during the final month of the campaign. These efforts are aimed largely at prodding disaffected conservatives to vote for GOP candidates despite their unease.
Still, GOP leaders privately said that Democrats are edging much closer to locking down a majority of House seats because a small but significant number of conservatives are frustrated with Republican governance, while independent swing voters are turning against GOP candidates.
"If you are a Democrat, you have to like the atmosphere," said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (Va.), a top campaign strategist for the GOP. Davis said Republicans could lose as many as 30 seats if conditions worsen.
With four weeks left in the campaign, GOP strategists, speaking on background, have begun to outline a highly gloomy view of the House election for their party.
They are all but writing off GOP open seats in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Florida (the one previously held by Foley). Party officials said that three GOP incumbents in Indiana are trailing in private polling and that seats thought safe suddenly appear imperiled. These include the open Florida seat vacated by Rep. Katherine Harris, who is running for senator. "It is unquestionably closer than we would like," said Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.).
In a sign that the political environment is getting worse for Republicans, political handicapper Charlie Cook now lists 25 GOP-held seats as a tossup -- seven more than before the Foley scandal broke Sept. 29. Stuart Rothenberg, a nonpartisan expert on House races, has raised to nine the number of GOP seats tilting Democratic or likely to switch hands.
Unlike in most elections, when both parties defend several seats, Democrats are favored to win every seat they now occupy and are spending money to defend only a few. As a result, Democrats are not as vulnerable to the GOP's campaign finance advantage in the final weeks as they have been in past campaigns.
A Democratic takeover of the House is not a foregone conclusion, however. Because of congressional redistricting plans that gave huge advantages to incumbents, fewer than 50 of the 435 House seats are competitive. Democrats said internal polls show that the fallout from the Foley scandal is confined to half a dozen races. Moreover, House elections are traditionally shaped by local issues and personalities, and the closest races come down to which party can turn out its most loyal voters.
The page scandal erupted two weeks ago when Foley abruptly resigned after being confronted by ABC News with sexually explicit messages that he exchanged with a former page on the Internet. Investigations by the Justice Department, the House ethics committee and Florida authorities have ensued.
The GOP's emerging strategy on the Foley scandal is to try to limit losses among conservative voters who are expressing alarm about the scandal and about the apparent failure of GOP leaders to act on early warnings about Foley's behavior.
As part of that strategy, the Republican National Committee is seeking to convince conservatives that the debate is fundamentally centered on politics, not values. The RNC is shipping reams of information to conservative radio hosts, television commentators and bloggers. Those GOP talking points detail the Democratic connections of groups including the Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and American Family Voices, which are working to turn the scandal into an issue with national implications.
The NRCC is highlighting Democratic leaders who supported former representative Gerry E. Studds (Mass.), who was censured by the House in 1983 after admitting to sexual contact with a male page a decade earlier; Studds went on to serve in Congress until 1997. "It is important to contrast how Republican leadership is handling the situation with problems with one of its own, and how Democrats did," said former RNC chairman Ed Gillespie, a close White House ally.
Still, the "Foley factor" has made GOP strategists nervous. Several officials said it has dramatically undermined the reelection prospects of several incumbents, including Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (N.Y.), who was criticized by Democrats for not doing enough to stop Foley's advances on young male pages after learning about them this spring.
Several interest groups with Democratic ties are seeking to take advantage of Reynolds's newfound vulnerability. Majority Action, a group designed to help Democrats retake control of the House, is sponsoring a radio ad in which a narrator says: "Another scandal in Washington, and our Congressman Tom Reynolds is right in the middle." Two public polls show Reynolds trailing his Democratic challenger, Jack Davis, in a race neither side considered very competitive a few weeks ago.
Rep. Deborah Pryce (Ohio), the fourth-ranking GOP leader, is facing the toughest reelection race of her career. She has said she had no prior knowledge of Foley's behavior but has faced criticism for telling a reporter that the former congressman was one of her closest friends in Congress.
"I don't think this is personally sticking to Deborah Pryce, but it is certainly having people have a more jaundiced view of Washington, which is not good for Republicans," said George Rasley, Pryce's spokesman. Pryce had a slight lead over Mary Jo Kilroy in her internal polling before the Foley scandal, an aide said, but Republicans expect Pryce to suffer as much as any incumbent for the renewed scrutiny of congressional ethics.
Scandals are hurting Republicans elsewhere in Ohio, where charges of corruption have rocked the GOP at the local and state levels for the past two years. In the open seat vacated by indicted GOP Rep. Robert W. Ney, Joy Padgett is struggling to lock down a reliably GOP seat east of Columbus, the state capital. Polls show Democrat Zach Space, a liberal critic of the war, on top and GOP strategists agree Padgett is behind.
"It is definitely a challenge to overcome," says Padgett spokesman Morgan Ortagus. "Voters are definitely in a throw-the-bums-out mood."
Space is calling for Hastert's resignation and is asking Padgett to do the same. Padgett canceled a fundraiser with Hastert last week.
In other races where Republican incumbents have been dogged by scandal, Democrats are pushing the Foley story hard.
Former representative Nick Lampson (D-Tex.) is asking Houston City Council member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (R) to call for the resignation of any member of the House leadership who knew about the e-mails and instant messages exchanged between Foley and former congressional pages. The two candidates are competing for the seat from the 22nd Congressional District, left vacant by the departure of former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R), who is under indictment in Texas.
Elsewhere, the political debate is returning to traditional disputes over the war, taxes and health care, according to Democrats and Republicans. The Foley story "is getting a lot of attention now, but I don't think it will have the legs to last four weeks," said Ron Carey, chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party.
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Republican campaign officials said yesterday that they expect to lose at least seven House seats and as many as 30 in the Nov. 7 midterm elections, as a result of sustained violence in Iraq and the page scandal involving former GOP representative Mark Foley.
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Book World Live
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Thomas B. Edsall , author of "Building Red America" will be online to field questions and comments about his book, "Building Red America: The New Conservative Coalition and the Drive for Permanent Power."
A former political reporter for The Washington Post, Thomas B. Edsall is a correspondent for The New Republic and The National Journal, and holds the Pulitzer-Moore Chair in Public Affairs Journalism at Columbia University.
Join Book World Live each Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET for a discussion based on a story or review in each Sunday's Book World section.
Thomas B. Edsall: Good afternoon. I haven't done one of these since I left the Post in June. I look forward to your questions about Building Red America, a book that everyone should buy one or more copies of, the Democrats and the Republicans.
Seattle, Wash: Why would you allow Hugh Hewitt to bait you into stupid questions about mainstream media bias and your personal loyalties? He and his ilk thrive on maintaing the illusion of a vast left-wing conspiracy in the news, and you basically confirming his worst suspicions makes you look like a sap and just serves to worsen conservative distrust of your work and the work of your colleagues.
Really, what were you thinking even answering those types of questions?
Thomas B. Edsall: I think his questions about the ideological leanings of reporters and editors are valid and appropriate. Instead of hiding behind claims of objectivity, members of the press should acknowledge and discuss their leanings. If anything, that will make them better reporters. Transparency is the best policy for almost all circumstances.
Arlington, Va: Right now African-Americans are leading the polls in races for Senate in Tennessee and Governor of Massachusetts. Barack Obama and Condoleeza Rice are among the most popular politicians in America. Republican politicians George Allen, Conrad Burns and Rick Santorum are in trouble for making statements that would have been unexceptionable a generation ago.
Unlike Richard Nixon or Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush seems to shrink from anything smacking of race-baiting. Even on issues where he may have a principled case to make, such as affirmative action, Bush has kept a low profile.
Has something changed in racial politics in America?
Thomas B. Edsall: My own view is that voters are increasingly willing to judge a black candidate on his or her merits, and this trend has been going on for quite a while--Doug Wilder in Virginia, for example, and the re-election of many black members of Congress after they had been redistricted into majority white constituencies.
That said, the politics of race continues to contribute to the larger debate, especially over taxes and social programs. Many whites, including many former Democrats, see their taxes going to pay for programs that disproportionately benefit minorities. Democratic candidates continue to lose by 20-plus percentage points (a landslide) among whites with just high school degrees, i.e. just the working class voters that the "party of the people" ought to carry by a landslide, in theory at least. Race is not the only factor, but it is one of a number contributing to these continuing Democratic problems.
Pittsburgh, Pa: Hi!! How's it going at the new place? My question is what do you think about all this happy talk on the Democrats' chances in the upcoming? I'm deeply skeptical that they will enjoy electoral success until they win on the state level and get to redraw district lines. Who do you think will win the strategy and tactics argument between Rahm Emmanuel and Howard Dean? Doesn't Dean's "Fifty State" approach carry a lot of short term risk but make sense on a longer term basis?
Thomas B. Edsall: I think the Democrats now look very much like they did in 1974 after Watergate. That year, they made huge gains in the House and Senate, and two years later, 1976, took the White House with Jimmy Carter. All of their success, however, was based on Republican scandals and failures, and the Democrats where unable to put together a viable set of policies. Carter, with strong Democratic majorities in both branches, suffered setback after setback, and became a figure of ridicule.
The Democrats now do not look much better prepared for victory than they were 32 years ago.
In the case of the Emanuel-Dean dispute (put money in the contested races vs a long range 50 state investment plan) looks like it may not turn out to be crucial. The GOP has been imploding so rapidly that the Democrats look likely to take the House, and quite possibly the Senate, without living up to Emanuel's call for more targeted use of Democratic National Committee cash.
Birmingham, Ala: May I broaden the question from Arlington about race and politics?
If Lt. Gov of Maryland, Mike Steele, wins the Senate, and if Ken Blackwell of Ohio wins the governor's race, could that be an example of more African-Americans being welcomed into the party of Abraham Lincoln?
As a product of segregation of the 1960's, what is the likelihood of Condi Rice being on the ticket in 2008 as either president or VP?
Thomas B. Edsall: The Republican Party leadership has clearly welcomed African Americans to run at the top of the ticket not only in Maryland and Ohio, but also Pennsylvania. All three currrently are, however, in trouble, especially in Ohio and Pennsylvania where Blackwell and Lynn Swann look like they are going down by solid double digit margins. What this suggests is that the leadership may be supporting more black participation, but Republican voters are not supplying adequate support.
Arlington, Va: You raise an interesting point that "working class" voters favor the GOP by a wide margin. Is the problem that the Dems have failed to make a coherent message to give those voters with regard to economic issues and things like health care? Does it have to do with the Dems shying away from all the god stuff? I suspect that those working class folks probably tend to be more socially conservative and likely more fundamentalist in their religious beliefs. Is that true?
Thomas B. Edsall: Many white working class voters are conservative, but it is a mistake to think, as some Democrats argue, that the Republican Party has suckered them to vote for its candidates, who then just turn around and vote to cut taxes on the rich.
In fact, many "values" issues carry high economic import to voters. Respect for parents, teachers and bosses are, to these voters, important ingredients of getting ahead in life, just as getting married and having kids is. Many parents want orderly disciplined schools with teachers that meet high standards. They often see Democrats and Democratic elected officials in charge of communities where these goals are not met.
Another Pittsburgher!: How should the Democrats proceed over the next few years to prompt a book titled "Building Blue America: The New Progressive Coalition and the Drive for Permanent Power"?
Thomas B. Edsall: Sorry to duck the question, but that requires a book to answer.
Washington, DC: Your answer to Pittsburgh was interesting -- you seem to expect that a Democratic President would get sandbagged the way that Teddy Kennedy dragged down Carter and then Democratic Ways & Means folks like Jim McDermott and Matsui did to Clinton on welfare reform. What makes you think the Democrats are so ill-disciplined and uncoordinated that they would repeat these mistakes? From their voting patterns and consistency on messaging (even if the press ignores it), they seem more united than ever.
Thomas B. Edsall: You may be right, but I don't think so. The Democrats in the face of the Bush administration have found unity in their opposition. During both the Clinton and Carter presidencies, they demonstrated exceptional disunity once in the majority. In addition, when the GOP has ben in the minority, it has blocked Democratic inititives on every front, taxes, labor law reform, regulation, etc. The Democrats have not shown such consistency of purpose.
Washington, DC: "Democratic candidates continue to lose by 20-plus percentage points (a landslide) among whites with just high school degrees, i.e. just the working class voters that the "party of the people" ought to carry by a landslide"
This is the Thomas Frank argument, but is it really so? The kinds of policies advocated by the left are already law in Europe and unemployment is much higher. While many may perceive greater labor market regulation as beneficial for workers, is it really?
Thomas B. Edsall: My argument is not the Thomas Frank argument. 1) I think social conservatives have gotten a lot from Republicans in the way of judges, medical regulation, partial birth abortion laws, etc; 2) as I noted earlier, many so-called "values" issues have very high economic salience to many voters; and 3) Democratic policies like affirmative action convince a substantial number of white voters that they (or their children) are not going to be able to get hired, admitted to a good college or get a government contract on the basis of merit.
In contrast to Frank, I think there is some legitimate logic to working class white voters casting Republican ballots.
New York NY: I find your response to Seattle laughable. Routinely in these discussions reporters insist that they have no "leanings" (except Eugene Robinson the lone truth teller). It's pretty clear to me that most of the WP reporters are center right - i.e. they cling to the establishment and the values that their current paygrade espouses. Yes, they may be "socially liberal" but even that is questionable when you have characters like Newt Gingrich disavowing gay bashing in this climate of hypocrisy. The dems may not be unified but I used to think that Americans valued thinking for themselves.
Thomas B. Edsall: I think you have a strong case to make in terms of the establishment leanings of reporters and editors. In the voting booth, however, they overwhelmingly support the Democratic establishment, not the Republican establishment.
Philadelphia, Pa.: There have been claims that people react more positively to emotional appeals than to rational appeals. It has further been noted that Republicans, in general, has done better at advertising at an emotional level (i.e. wolves representing terrorists) while Democrats ahve tended more towards rational appeals. What do you think of the general manner in which Republicans have attempted to get their messages across?
Thomas B. Edsall: In practice, Republicans have concluded, accurately I think, that voters are most strongly motivated by anger, fear and threats, especially if these emotions can be linked to Democratic policies (on taxes, abortion, same-sex marriage, poverty spending, etc.). In the 2004 campaign, the GOP conducted extensive research to learn the "anger points" of different constituencies and individual voters so specific messages could be sent out directed to these points.
The Democrats have, in turn, used the claim of Republican threats to Social Security and Medicare to motive voters.
San Francisco, Calif: Mr. Edsall, I've been a fan since I read "The New Politics of Inequality". I agree with your answer to an earlier question that transparency is the best policy in reporting. Being human, reporters will inevitably have opinions about areas in which they've done lots of research, as you have. "Objectivity" was an honorable goal, but never realistic.
It seems to me that the builders of red-state America used the theory of objectivity in reporting to advance some of the less honest parts of their agenda. What's your take on that? Also, to what extent do you think those builders are interested in transparency with respect to their motives and their funding?
Thomas B. Edsall: The conservative movement has been very effective attacking the media (broadcast and print) for its liberal biases. The refusal of the media to disclose and discuss the ideological leanings of reporters and editors, and the broader claim of objectivity, has made the press overly anxious, and inclined to lean over backwards not to offend critics from the right. In many respects, the campaign against the media has been more than a victory: it has turned the press into an unwilling, and often unknowing, ally of the right.
Thomas B. Edsall: I want to thank everyone who wrote in and I wish there was more time to answer all your excellent inquiries. Maybe we will do this again soon. Best, Tom Edsall
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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Suspicion Surrounds Retreat In Gas Prices, Poll Finds
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Gasoline prices are down about 75 cents in two months, but whether motorists will see further declines at the pump depends in part on whether the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries can agree to cut production.
Members of the oil cartel have been negotiating to cut the group's output by 1 million barrels a day -- a move that could drive up oil prices and reverse the trend at the pumps. But most oil traders and experts doubt OPEC can achieve more than half the proposed reduction. A failure to cut output could keep supplies strong and oil and gas prices soft.
Pump prices -- now at a national average of $2.28 a gallon for regular unleaded -- already have fallen because of a slowdown in U.S. demand, a buildup in crude oil and gasoline inventories, the end of the summer driving season, a collapse in profit margins at oil refineries and a $17-a-barrel drop in crude oil prices since August.
"The supply was coming back, and I think consumers cut back on use," said Philip K. Verleger, an oil consultant. "The question is how far down it goes."
Though half a dozen countries have talked about production cuts, highly populated countries such as Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela are already producing well below capacity and their old quota levels, and face pressure to produce more because of heavy domestic-spending demands. Kuwait has not cut production since 1998. Saudi Arabia is reluctant to play the role of sole swing producer and has already trimmed output.
"We do not expect any significant production cuts by OPEC at prices above $45 a barrel, the new target price," Fadel Gheit, oil analyst at Oppenheimer & Co., said in a report to investors. Oil markets seemed to agree. The price of crude oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed yesterday at $59.96, up 20 cents.
While motorists have welcomed the drop in gasoline prices, a Washington Post-ABC News poll released yesterday showed that many Americans remain suspicious about the reasons for the recent decline and skeptical about whether it will last.
Three out of 10 Americans think the recent fall in gasoline prices is a result of domestic political factors, including White House and Republican Party efforts to influence the November elections. That's nearly as many as the 35 percent who attribute the recent price decline to market forces or supply and demand, according to the poll of 1,204 adults conducted from Thursday to Sunday.
The survey also showed that suspicions about the steep drop in gasoline prices over the past two months aren't limited to the nation's liberal strongholds. Sixteen percent of people who identified themselves as conservative Republicans, 26 percent of white evangelical Protestants and 29 percent of Southern residents think the plunge in prices is linked to the coming election or other political reasons.
Those beliefs may be blunting the positive impact President Bush and the GOP hoped to get from falling fuel prices. "I think the president's party is lowering the gas prices until the people think the economy is settling down, and then they will raise the price again, blaming it on the Arabs for raising the price on barrels of oil," one respondent said.
"As you may know, gasoline prices have fallen recently in many parts of the country," the survey said before asking: "What do you think is the main reason gas prices have gone down?" The top four answers: increased supply, Bush/GOP efforts to affect the November election, the "upcoming election" and "market forces."
A large number of people interviewed pointed to the absence of disruptive hurricanes or simply "supply and demand," while one respondent said prices were falling "because the gasoline companies got what they wanted, the big bucks; and if they continue there will probably be an investigation."
Gasoline experts said there were some signs that prices were stabilizing. The pace of declines in the prices charged by wholesalers was slowing, and there were some tiny wholesale price increases late last week in the Gulf of Mexico region, said Trilby Lundberg, editor of the Lundberg Survey.
Lundberg warned that the sharp drop in prices could spur a resumption of increases in U.S. gasoline consumption. She also said that the closure of refineries for maintenance, not unusual at this time of year, could lead to a decline in inventories.
"Some analysts expect to see a fairly large amount of refinery maintenance this month, which could lead to product inventories being drawn down a little bit more than normal," said last week's report by the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration. "Large volumes of product inventories are one of the many reasons cited for declining prices in recent weeks, and should they begin to be drawn down significantly, this could stop prices from falling further."
But Verleger said he expected prices to remain weak through Thanksgiving or longer. He said that much of the increase in gasoline prices this year was the result of logistical problems oil companies encountered in adapting new government regulations. The companies have had to reduce sulfur content in diesel fuels and begin to mix gasoline with ethanol instead of methyl tertiary butyl ether, an additive that once made up about 3 percent of the content of gasoline.
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Beyond the Birds and the Bees
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"If we taught driver's ed the way we teach sex education," says the professor, his voice assuming a deep, mocking tone, "we'd be saying things like, 'Stay away from the car. Don't stand next to the car.' Yeah, right."
So it's a perfect time to teach sex these days if you're on a college campus, says Robin Sawyer, a public health professor at the University of Maryland.
At 55, the former soccer striker from Yorkshire, England, has been lecturing students on the perils and payoffs of sex for 22 years. He teaches human sexuality to five sections a year; four of them have more than 200 students. This means about 16,000 students have heard him lecture on everything from crocodile dung (an early recipe for female contraception) to foot fetishes, with anatomy, childbirth, infections and lots of other practical details thrown in.
Students raised on a tell-all media diet are eager to talk about everything, have done a good bit of it, but don't know very much. How strange: They have walked the walk, but they can't talk the talk.
So great is student interest in learning how to talk intelligently about such matters that each semester, Sawyer's course has a waiting list of 100 students or more. This means most of the students are seniors, who get first pick, rather than freshmen, who might benefit more from the course.
The class topic last Tuesday was contraception. Sawyer arrived at the College Park auditorium in khakis and a navy polo shirt and carrying a bag of birth control pills, patches and other props. He scribbled types of contraception on the giant blackboard in order of effectiveness -- Norplant, Depo Provera, oral conception and condoms among them -- knowing that three-fourths of the students there were probably sexually active, half of them since they were 17, and probably fewer than half were using condoms to prevent pregnancy or reduce the possibility of disease.
"The most common form of contraceptive device is prayer," Sawyer says, with the accent that ruled a worldwide empire by its tone of utter authority. Picking up on the students' puzzled faces he adds: "You make a bargain with God. 'Just this once,' you say."
And: "Fifty percent of you aren't using any birth control method except withdrawal. Here's what you say: Sex just happened, it wasn't planned. Or, you broke up with your boyfriend and went off the pill. Or you were so drunk you don't know what happened."
After running through the methods of birth control, he encourages the questions to fly.
Does going off the pill, then on again, affect how well it works? a young man asks. (Short answer: "Yes.")
Some women who have been on the pill say they ended up having trouble getting pregnant later. Is that true? ("There's no scientific evidence to prove that.")
I have these incredibly heavy periods. Will the pill help that? ("Perhaps.")
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"If we taught driver's ed the way we teach sex education," says the professor, his voice assuming a deep, mocking tone, "we'd be saying things like, 'Stay away from the car. Don't stand next to the car.' Yeah, right."
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Chairman Of Sprint Moves Up Exit Date
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Sprint Nextel Corp. executive chairman Timothy M. Donahue announced yesterday that he will retire in December, becoming the second top executive to move on in recent weeks, as the company has struggled to bounce back from falling profits and declining subscriber numbers.
Donahue's departure came on the same day the company amended a previous filing with the government to disclose several business relationships it had with firms connected to members of its board, including transactions with Donahue's brother-in-law.
The relative, Glenn Grella, owns two companies that are authorized dealers for Sprint Nextel and received commissions totaling $18 million in 2005, the company disclosed. The company also bought equipment from North American Wireless and the Customer Center for $14 million.
Sprint spokesman David Gunasegaram said the company did not realize it needed to disclose the detail of such relationships until after earlier amendments to the annual report had been filed March 31. Because companies file documents on predetermined schedules, the disclosure of Donahue's brother-in-law's relationship with the company falling on the same day as Donahue's retirement announcement is "purely coincidental," Gunasegaram said.
As Nextel's former chief executive, Donahue, 57, helped pull together the $35 billion merger that created the nation's third-largest wireless carrier. He originally said he would remain with the combined company until 2008. In a written statement, he said he was leaving to spend more time with friends and family.
"I have poured my heart and soul into Sprint Nextel and I am confident that the promise of the merger will be realized," Donahue said in a statement. "Instead of being in the thick of the action, it's time for me to start cheering Sprint Nextel along from the sidelines."
The Reston wireless telephone company has recently lost customers to stronger competitors as it tries to fill the gaps in its network and integrate operations of the two companies. In August, one year after the merger was completed, the company announced a 38 percent drop in second-quarter profit, prompting chief executive Gary D. Forsee to oust chief operating officer Len J. Lauer, a Sprint veteran.
The company has since cut its annual revenue forecast by $500 million, to $1 billion, and said its adjusted operating income for the year would likely fall $100 million to $400 million short of its $13 billion target.
Sprint Nextel's stock price has declined by about 33 percent since the merger closed in 2005. Shares closed yesterday at $18.04, down 4 cents.
In its separate filing on business relationships involving members of the Sprint Nextel board, the company said it bought $36 million of telecommunications equipment from CommScope Inc., a company run by an outside director, Frank H. Drendel. The filing also outlined Sprint's various investment and commercial banking relationships with Bank of America and noted that independent board member James H. Hance Jr. was Bank of America's vice chairman until the end of January 2005, shortly before he was elected to the Sprint Nextel board. That same month, the company reached a $1.2 billion agreement to lease wireless communications towers in a deal in which Bank of America was an adviser. Sprint Nextel said Hance had no personal involvement in engaging Bank of America to provide services to the company.
The new disclosure involving business deals with Donahue's brother in law had nothing to do with the chairman's announcement to step down, said Gunasegaram, the Sprint spokesman, adding that talks of his retirement had "been in the works for some time."
Under the terms of his employment contract, Donahue's retirement package makes him eligible for two years of his base salary, totaling of about $2.8 million, plus performance-based bonuses of up to $5 million, depending on Sprint's year-end results. He also owns $5 million in stock options, which he has three years to exercise.
Donahue's early retirement announcement surprised some investors who had hoped he would take a more active role in the company, said Michael Nelson, an industry analyst who covers the telecommunications industry for Stanford Group Co.
Donahue, as former chief executive of Nextel Communications, "is extremely well-regarded in the industry," Nelson said.
"It's really what you lose from Donahue's departure rather than what someone else will bring to the table," he said. "Given the recent challenges, this is not a positive announcement."
Donahue has been phasing out his involvement with the company as Sprint's management took the lead after the merger, a move some investors are not happy with, said Joe F. Bonner, an analyst with Argus Research.
Sprint Nextel appointed Robert R. "Dob" Bennett, president of Discovery Holding Co., which was spun off of Liberty Media, as the 12th member of the board of directors. Bennett, 48, served as president and chief executive of Liberty Media from April 1997 to August 2005 and continued as president until March 2006. Before his tenure at Liberty Media, Bennett worked with the cable television firm Tele-Communications Inc. and the Bank of New York.
The company said it would name a new executive chairman at a later date.
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Sprint Nextel Corp. executive chairman Timothy M. Donahue announced yesterday that he will retire in December, becoming the second top executive to move on in recent weeks, as the company has struggled to bounce back from falling profits and declining subscriber numbers.
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Being a Black Man: Dating and Relationships
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At 31, attorney Robyn Thorpe isn't sure she's ready to be married yet. But since she knows she wants to be married someday, she makes it her business to put herself in a places where she can meet black men. However, for every 100 single black women, there are only 70 single black men, according to recent Census figures that do not count the prison population or men living in group homes.
Thorpe, who grew up in Allentown, Pa., and attended Penn State University and North Carolina Central University School of Law, is a panelist for a Washington, D.C.-produced TV show called The Urban Flow.
On Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 11:30 a.m. ET, Thorpe discussed her dating experiences as recounted by Post reporter Krissah Williams in "Singled Out ," the latest installment of the "Being a Black Man" series. You can also hear Thorpe, Williams and author Natalie Hopkinson discuss dating on Washington Post Radio.
Suburban Virginia: Why does the typical black male father kids, then bolt from their responsibilities? I bet you see a lot of black men with kids out there in your dating adventures. Just sayin'
Robyn Thorpe: I do meet men who have children and even though the men are not with their ex-girlfriends or wives, I find that most men I come into contact with are in their children's lives and try their best to be good fathers. What does raise my eyebrows, is meeting a father and him telling me that he only dates women with no children. Oh the irony of the dating game.
Washington, D.C.: I think black men have high rates of dating outside of the race because their mentality can be likened to black kids in the doll experiment. Remember the psychological experiment with black kids, where black kids preferred white baby dolls to black dolls? The same thing goes for many black men and even African men. For many centuries, the African-American woman was treated as if she was not "beloved" or a "Trophy" - but as someone to degrade, whorize, and made to work as a slave, and exploited sexually by the slave master whereas White women were prized.
I've noted that many African men have these same views - and will call a black woman a slave, wench, etc., and a white woman a "prize". This is where I differ from Ms. Robyn and would not look to Africa to find a prince. It's because these men have low self esteem themselves that they are this way. Alot of blue collar black men, who are not college educated often tend to be seen with white girls as well.
Black American women are at a disadvantage in American society because of the social conditioning, and because of the stigma attached to their gender and history at the hands of oppression. That is why I'm thankful that I as a black woman have options still in terms of dating and a mate. I don't believe the hype. Even if the numbers are skewed, I will not settle.
Robyn Thorpe: Black American women are at a disadvantage in American society because of the social conditioning, and because of the stigma attached to their gender and history at the hands of oppression. That is why I'm thankful that I as a black woman have options still in terms of dating and a mate. I don't believe the hype. Even if the numbers are skewed, I will not settle.
Wow great share, so much! You are going into the historical aspects of the color complex and interracial relations and thanks for doing that. I don't agree with your particular perceptive but agree that all these issues can play a part in the dating game.
Also thanks for letting me clarify some things. I have been to Africa before and I am not going to Nigeria and Ghana to find a prince, I am going because I love to visit African countries and interact in my Motherland. I am going there to chill and have fun. It is my favorite vacation destination.
Washington, D.C.: I'm a 35 year old BW who decided to exercise my options and to marry outside the culture (African). My gfs who are in relationships are also coupled with non-Black men. I think more Black women should do the same.
We can't fix what's been broken. We may never have the ole-school love our parents had. It may take a lot of extra work. Our friends may not embrace our choices. That's okay. But judging from the stats and from our own experiences isn't it time that Black women start broadening our own horizons??? I'm sorry but it's sad to see a 45 year old never-been-married sista talking about the virtues of not settling. We gotta start taking risks and finding love in new places.
Robyn Thorpe: I agree but we have to do it our own way. Broadening for me is by economic situation, for you it is by race.
Baltimore, Md.: Robyn, I found your article very interesting. As a single man living in Baltimore I find myself in the same predicament as you and some of your friends. I am haunted by the quote "All of life is a dispute over taste and tasting." It seems as a young professional Black Man I am torn between the variety of women that are attracted to me and the women I am attracted to. I do date but lately I find that the dating scene is losing its luster and find myself thinking if it is all worth it. I know what I want but cannot seem to find her. I am growing weary of the search but I love the chase and I do not want to settle for something less. Couple this with the fact that I am starting law school soon; I don't know how the search, or the chase for that matter, is going to continue. I feel like although I have options those options do not fit my needs. What advice would you have for meeting women, who like you, are seriously looking?
Robyn Thorpe: If you like the chase, then you are not ready to settle down so just be honest about how much you are willing to give to a woman. Also determine if the qualities you are looking for in a woman are not qualities that you should be developing in yourself. If you have it, you will not need it from another person. You are looking for someone to compliment me not complete me.
Also if you are heading to law school then you need to stop chasing anyway. You don't have the time!
And to answer your question, women like me are everywhere, so you will see us at a play, museum concert, lecture, or club, but the only way that you know that we are serious about being in a relationship is by getting to know us and asking us.
I appreciate everyone's different experiences and situations. However, I often hear black women commenting that there aren't any "good" black men out there and often wonder if these women are as "good" as they think they are. I can only comment on what I know, and I do know that some of my single girlfriends who desperately want to be married aren't ready for that type of relationship because of self esteem issues, superficial focuses, etc. Many (not all) of these women also tend to only want to date a man who has a particular status. Nothing is wrong with having standards, but when those standards are superficially based, I think it is detrimental. Who knows, your soul-mate may be the man who drives the Honda rather than the Benz.
I think that many black women think they have "got it going on" because they have the degrees and the nice job. Unfortunately, those accolades do not provide one with the self-esteem, morals and character necessary to be a healthy and attractive partner.
I am 25-years-old, engaged and will be married next year. I never put alot of focus on finding a man, but instead focused on making myself a better human being. I allowed life to take its course and didn't set superficial standards that my future mate needed to meet in order for me to date him.
Robyn Thorpe: You have a great perspective and just share it with your single friends.
Washington, D.C.: What is so wrong with a man not being "into fat women"? Why does that make him shallow? Is it not true that you can tell a lot about someone based on external characteristics such as posture, speech/diction, tidiness, and body fat?
Robyn Thorpe: The poem was suppose to be in praise of all Black women and then it had a disclaimer, just the small ones. I was just struck by the irony that all equated small. If you are not into fat women then don't approach them.
Hampton Roads, Va.: I am the 16th of 18 (yes, 18) Black children, 12 of whom are married to their first spouses and 2 have never been married. We are all very dark. 8 have married other Blacks and the rest married other races, including whites, Hispanics, Asians and mixed. Bottom line, race is only one component of what makes for a good marriage or relationship. I'm a Black woman professional, was open to dating all races, eventually married a White professional whose outlook, interests and goals are similar to my own. For those who call my beautiful children "mongrels," I say, get over it. There's no one size fits all answer. If you cut yourself off from any possibility, you may lose one of your perhaps infrequent chances for a good happy marriage.
Robyn Thorpe: Believe it or not I completely agree with you. Race is only one component of what makes a good marriage or relationship. You decided that marrying a Black man was not a priority, and that is your right. You also decided that your outlook, interests and goals were not intertwined with your being Black and that is your right too.
My choice to not attempt to date white men is not based on any hatred or distrust of the white community. I would never attempt to alienate any human being based on their color and I would never call any person a mongrel, and if that had happened to you, it is a pity that you had to deal with such hateful people. My desire to have a Black mate is based on my love for my people and is not a judgment call on other people. Just as you decided that being Black was just a color, and does not color your outlook on life, your interests and your goals, I have come to a different opinion and that is my right. Being Black is more than my complexion and that I want a Black man who feels that his African heritage does color who he is and does shape his outlook, interests and goals. So what you call cutting off, should really be called settling for what I don't want, which would not be fair to the man or me. Maybe I will change my POV about having a Black man one day but today is not the day. I think we all have infrequent chances for good happy marriages and I am glad that you have one. And I liked your family example of dating and marrying interracially to other people of color. Interracial dating is not a Black man or White man option. I have family members who have married other people of color and are very happy.
Vienna, Va.: I migrated to USA from an Islamic country about 20 years ago.
It saddens me very much that women here in USA do not take the opportunity that this open society provides to them in pursuing or showing interest in opposite sex.
For example, your article, mentions that you waited for this man to make his move at the club and also mentioned that you like to be pursued, feel wanted etc.
I believe that men expect the same. No one should be pursuing any one. It should be a level playing field. A woman should show her interest in men and not just act like an "object". What do you say?
Robyn Thorpe: to each his own, it is not my personality to pursue. If I come up to you, I have decided to put you in the friend zone. Maybe I will change but right now, nope.
Laurel, Md.: Good early afternoon, I am a 29 year old married black man and respectfully speaking after reading the article I was disappointed in alot of the things I read as far as the people's attitudes. There seemed to be a general attitude amongst the Men and Woman(both) interviewed of "you got one chance to make it happen and if you don't fit into my box of education, looks, etc. then you are short". My question is this. What role is faith and spiritually playing in your pursuit of a mate?
Robyn Thorpe: I am a spiritual person, and I talk to God about helping me become a good person in order to attract a good person. I never pray up a man, that isn't me. I pray for spiritual growth every day.
Williamsburg, Ky.: Enough of this "Waiting to Exhale" argument. Those Black women who are unmarried must look inwards and ask themselves why they are still single. Maybe it is because of their fake hair, weight problems, attitudes, or out-of-wedlock children. All of your problems can't be blamed on the Black man. Stop agonizing over the numbers, lose some weight and maybe you can find a good Black man.
Robyn Thorpe: I don't blame Black men for why I am still single, it is because of my relationship choices and still not finding or recognizing the man who will fit me.
Alexandria, Va.: It was alarming to read the article on Sunday. I sent it to several friends across the country...and said, "you know it's an epidemic when it makes the front page of The Post." Do you find dating in the Wash. Metro Area more difficult than other areas in the country? I find that black men here are of a different breed when it comes to dating in this area...maybe the smorgasbord effect is stronger here than in other areas. You are definitely not a lone solider...your experiences are so similar to mine that it's eerie...
Robyn Thorpe: Thanks sister I appreciate that! The reason that it was on the cover of the Post was because it is an aspect of Black life and that is the focus of the series, not because it is an epidemic.
Daly City, Calif.: In the introduction, it says there are only 70 black men for every 100 black women, implying the black women have very limited options. Why are you mentioning race in this context, and why are you segregating society into racial groups; after all, shouldn't black women, for example, be able to date non-black men?
Robyn Thorpe: The way the article reads was the choice of the Washington Post and they can answer that. What I can say is that the series is looking at Black men and so the article and statistics were suppose to address them.
About Black women being able to date non-black men, of course they should if that is what they want. Who am I to tell anyone else who to love and marry, and who is anyone else to tell me who to love and marry.
Alexandria, Va.: I am a beautiful Black woman who truly believes that "Black is Beautiful" and wants to have beautiful Black children with a handsome Black father -- and I'm very flexible in my definition of "handsome"! But for the reasons set forth in your article, I'm starting to wonder if this is ever going to happen. My solution has been to adopt 2 beautiful children and make sure they are exposed to strong Black men to serve as role models, regardless of whom I might eventually marry. Any man willing to take on the responsibility of helping me raise them, regardless of his race, will have demonstrated his "Blackness," regardless of his color, assuming he also meets my other criteria. Regardless, I am now part of a loving family and could not be happier. I realize this may not be an option for everyone, but I make a good living and have a close network of family and friends so, for me, it has worked out very well.
Robyn Thorpe: Great story and thanks for sharing! I can see that you are loving your life and that the family that you created with your children is not a "in the meantime" situation. This is your live and it is rich, and I am sure that it you let that happiness shine through there will be a man who wants to share in it. Gook Luck.
I love children and want a family and if I have not met someone to marry by the time I want children, I plan to adopt too, I just don't have a timeline for that decision.
Washington, D.C.: How could it have worked with the blue collar guy?
Robyn Thorpe: Yes and no, it could have become a marriage but it would have been a marriage full of miscommunication and hurt feelings from both parties. We still love each other but he has helped me learn that love is not enough. Not to knock blue collar brothers, cause I can't, but this relationship was not ideal for both of us.
New York City: One comments about Robyn's last boyfriend. I'm married to a black female lawyer, and guess what, when we're out with her friends (& their spouses) from law school or her firm I act in a similar fashion. The reason being, most of these people I have zero in common with. BTW, I have an MBA from Wharton and earn 4x what these senior associates do, so it's not about the money. I love a good movie, regardless if it's a bootleg or not, and I love a clean home. Let's not get caught up in the small stuff.
Robyn Thorpe: haha! The bootleg comment was based on he bought a bootleg copy of a Black movie I wanted to support by us going to the theater and buying tickets but instead, this movie appeared to be a dud because people like my ex were at home chilling with a bootleg copy.
Baltimore, Md.: I'm a Black woman who turned to dating White men only after I was maltreated by a number of Black men, all of whose wishes for a submissive female bordered on the abusive (this includes those with far inferior education and earning capacities). I have female friends of all races and the interesting thing is, these same men do not seem to desire such submissiveness when they are dating White women! I say, date whoever makes you happy; but also realize that a lot of people are uncomfortable with interracial dating/marriage, so plan accordingly. True love can conquer all but this is easier if you plan ahead on how to deal with potential problems, including the disapproval of other people you hold dear.
Robyn Thorpe: I respect the advice that you are giving me but it makes me pause because the fact that they were Black does not equate abusive and to say that you have cut off all Black men instead of all abusive men kind of misses the boat to me.
Washington, D.C.: Do you think there is a correlation between skin complexion and marriage rates. For example, are fair skinned African American women more likely to be married than their counterparts with darker complexions?
Robyn Thorpe: I think that the color complex in the Black community is an issue that has to be addressed and that a complexion preference of light/ fair skin Black women is still in play in the dating arena. But I find that every man is different, and that while Black men and women may have a complexion that they are immediately attracted to, and I mean dark or fair, because I have just as many friends who prefer dark skin partners, I don't have any friends who have verbalized to me that they ended a potential relationship because of color.
Bowie, Md.: I thought it was a copout excuse for you to say that because of how "the man" separated the black man and the black woman during slavery decades ago, that this is the cause of the situation right now where the black woman has to learn to live and survive without the black man.
This statement has no parallel with your situation with your exboyfriend. He made a conscious decision to forgo his higher education, but instead, become an appliance installer. If he had followed your route of higher education, I'm sure he would not have felt awkward at your white collar/stuffy social gatherings. It was your "friends" who lack the tolerance to go beyond their clique and social circles to embrace someone who's different from them, and this has nothing to do with color or slavery.
Robyn Thorpe: First of all there is not enough room in the paper to explain all the reasons that Black men and women are choosing to live as single people longer. I was asked my point of one I thought one of the historical reasons is and I gave my answer. I do believe that the Black community has behaviors and views that are a legacy of Slavery and Jim Crow.
I didn't make that comment to explain my relationship with my ex boyfriend, my ex and I had several different issues that made us an incompatible match. I admitted that class was an issue that got in the way but it wasn't the only issue, and that fact that my friends didn't embrace him was not enough for me to break up with him. It was our different points of view on many issues that caused our break up.
Class is a serious issue and issues of class are potential minefields in the dating scene because defining class is so subjective.
Forgive me if I sound a bit cheeky, but I need to understand. I am a UK expat, black male, and I don't understand why a woman would think she is more of a "prize" than a man is? African-American women have confused me since my arrival with the idea that they are "worth" more than the men who are pursuing them. I think there would be less single black women if they realized that they are imperfect and approached men with that same aspect. Who wants to wait their entire lives for a man to approach them when you can do the work much faster? Additionally, if there are more single black women and less single black men, wouldn't the man be the prize? Thanks.
Robyn Thorpe: HAHA! it is who I am, and I am worth approaching. and you do sound cheeky but I like it. A good mate is a prize either way around!
Rockville, Md.: Today's black women has, for the most part, learned how to obtain degrees, careers, a house and car, and raise a child. She has not yet, for the most part, learned that it takes a completely different skill-set to attract a good mate, which starts from making good choices (leave the criminals, mamas boys alone, and bad boys). Once they learn this, we'll all be better for it. The bad boys will then realize they're not being selected. As of today, they are.
Robyn Thorpe: Great Comment! I agree with you that degrees and careers do not give a person the skill sets need to deal with a mate.
Maryland: Wesley Snipes once said in an interview that black African-American women are too much troubles. Do you agree?
Robyn Thorpe: Yes, I would agree that Wesley Snipes felt that African American women are too much trouble for him. Do I think he or I can speak to the amount of "trouble" Black women are? No.
Washington, D.C.: It must truly be tough. I talk to a lot of my female friends. Almost all of them tell me that once you subtract the downright undesirables (numerous kids, jail, both), you then have to figure out the brothers on the DL. And since they are on the DL, you can not effectively estimate how many of them there are. I am an early 30ish professional black male. It is absolutely heaven for us. I could marry at least three women tomorrow. But with these kind of numbers on my side, why rush and why settle?
Robyn Thorpe: I feel bad for you because if you have three to pick from, you have no clue about what makes these women special and unique. You are not in the great situation you think you are.
Washington, D.C.: May I offer some unsolicited advice.
Stop trying to find love and marriage in the club scene. You are very unlikely to end up in a happy marriage there.
Robyn Thorpe: Not looking for love in the club, but a great time. But thanks for the advice.
Washington, D.C.: If you want to know why certain black American men date non-black American women; just ask.
One of the greatest myths black American women have created that allows them to avoid any introspection, is to claim that black men who are not interested in dating them lack self-esteem.
Well my self-esteem is just fine. I do date black women and other women of color; just not black American women.
If a male interacted with me the way I have experienced and observed black American women do with their mate or significant other, things would get physical in a heart beat.
With two degrees, travels to Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, fluency in French and knowledge of German, Arabic, Chinese, Amharic; a job that allows me to travel around the world; why in the world would I want to hook up with someone who considers me a member of the canine species.
In the era of globalization, a passport, plane ticket and disposable income opens up a world filled with women of various races, cultures and backgrounds.
Life is too short and I choose not to let disregard the advances of women who treat me with respect me and consider my lifetime accomplishments noteworthy out of some silly notion that I should only date black American women.
Robyn Thorpe: That is your perspective and good luck finding love. Do you Brother, and I never called a man a dog. Reread the article. Never. I Always call my Brothers Men. Your beef is with another type of woman.
32303: Robyn, I'm originally from Atlanta, and there are many of the same problems in Atlanta that there are in D.C.
My main problem is with married men who have taken advantage of the higher ratio of women to men and pursue single women without being honest about their marital status.
Robyn Thorpe: True that, you have to search for tan lines on the fingers!
Baltimore, Md.: Thanks for the chat. I am a single professional Black Man (no kids, never been married). But my interaction with Black Women has been mixed, it's either I am not thuggish enough or I am not making enough. I wish happily married black women would share more of the positive things about their men with their single friends than the usual negatives.
Robyn Thorpe: That is a problem, but some women are told not to brag about their men because if they do, the single women will show an interest...in their friend's husbands.
Greenbelt, Md.: Washington, D.C. wrote "I think black men have high rates of dating outside of the race because their mentality can be likened to black kids in the doll experiment. Remember the psychological experiment with black kids, where black kids preferred white baby dolls to black dolls? The same thing goes for many black men and even African men."
The dolls analogy is not true. I am an African and I do date across racial lines. I date the whites, Spanish, and or Oriental because they respect me more than the black women be it African or African American. The non-blacks are ready to contribute to make it a successful relationship while that is not so for black women, period. That is why we men are running away from black women.
Robyn Thorpe: Such a wide paint brush, it's a pity.
Columbus, Ohio: Are you still hopeful for love/romance with a Black man? My advice is to not give up...it may take a couple of years but I am hopeful that it will happen. I am 34, met an amazing man 6 months ago in Starbucks on a Saturday morning and we've been together since that day.
Robyn Thorpe: Thanks for the advice and your story gives me more hope!
Landover, Md.: Not to make light of what you and your counterparts go through in regards to dating, but is it ever considered what Black men encounter (materialistic women, for example)? Also, not to be so direct, but had I met you, you probably wouldn't still be having this issue. That guy who passed you up is a fool.
Robyn Thorpe: You are a sweetheart, yes I think we both agree that Robert was lacking. Brothers and Sisters have to really focus on what is important to us and not ignore the reality of the situation when we are in a relationship with someone who does not reflect qualities we like.
Ann Arbor, Mich.: Sisters just don't get it. Call it superficial, but, it is your physical appearance that attracts Black men and not your career. Too many Black women believe that once they get a degree and a nice job, they will find a man. Your careers are incidental. If you are unattractive or overweight, you will be passed over. Most Black men would marry a woman who looked like Halle Berry and worked at the mall, instead of a woman who looked like Whoopi Goldberg and was a successful attorney.
Robyn Thorpe: I know that, and when you are struggling with the Halle lookalike who has no character, not because she has no law degree but because you never cared to ask her if she did, does you wrong, don't say Black women did you wrong just say the Halle Look a likes do.
Detroit, Mich.: I read the article and immediately knew why these women were in their 30s and unmarried. Point blank, they are overweight and dark-skinned. Unless a dark-skinned sister has a body like Beyonce, she will likely not get much attention from most Black men.
Robyn Thorpe: Thanks for the advice. Are you for of against color struck morons.
Dundee, Mich.: As a white woman who dates Black men I can tell you that many Black men prefer white women because of the way we treat them. Quite simply, we know how to take care of a man. I have been cursed out by Black women and been been called a white bitch on so many occasions. I am sick of Black women blaming us as the reason Black men choose not to marry Black women. Blame yourself. The Black men I have dated have complained about Black women having sexual hang ups, outside children, being overweight, having hair weaves, and not wanting to fill the traditional female roles within the relationship. If you stopped being so argumentative and negative, maybe you could keep your men!
Robyn Thorpe: I don't blame you darling. I know how to take care of a man too. And if you are doing a better job than me why are we both single?
Halifax, Va.: As a Black man, I have found that many of the Black women are single for two obvious reasons: they are overweight and/or dark skinned. Not many Brothers are attracted to dark women unless they have a voluptuous body. I prefer light skinned Black women, however, I will date a Latin woman or even a white woman before I date a dark skinned Black woman.
Robyn Thorpe: Why do you think it is okay to make such a interracist comment? What is wrong with you. Your mindset is jacked and you need to get some counseling.
Alexandria, Va.: I don't expect this question to be posted, (which is part of the problem, because it's something that that blacks dare not discuss), however, black women need to lose weight. What is the problem? I have not seen such widespread evidence of this phenomenon in any other race, creed, or culture. Stop spending so much time talking so much about what it is that we (supposedly) aren't, and look in the mirror. Do it for your health! There are plenty of gainfully employed, decent fellas out here. Would you recognize one if you saw one???
Robyn Thorpe: Yes, I think that I would recognize a decent man. And yes weight is a serious issue for black women. I am changing my lifestyle and I do work out. I am working on me. You work on you.
It seems like you have options, just that you aren't using them to their full potential. Why can't you meet a man through a mutual contact, like one of the friends that you mentioned you would not date, even though they're your friends? That may be the door of opportunity you might want to use. Hey, you may want to be more aggressive to get what you want. By the way I'm a man born and raised in Chester, PA and spent a year in Penn State in 98. Sorry to here about your friend, alot of my friends from there have been caught up just trying to make money other than the right way and that's what burns us. The article talked about how black men fill the jails, (and I'm not making excuses for us) but some of us get stuck looking for easier options of funding our lifestyles instead of getting jobs or promoting our skills. Anyhow good luck.
Robyn Thorpe: We probably know the same people I graduated in '97. And thanks for the advice!
Boston, Mass.: Halle Berry is twice divorced; Eric Benet cheated on her. She too is looking for a decent man.
Suitland, Md.: Since you have decided to make your relationship a public matter, I would have loved to have heard your ex-boyfriend's perspective.
We reap what we sow and if you are single, that is due to the decisions you have made and has nothing to do with the number of black men in the WDC.
Too many black women in D.C. area wouldn't know a "good man" if he showed up on a lottery ticket.
Robyn Thorpe: I agree with you but he refused several attempts to get him to participate in this article. I wanted him to give his side. My friends who saw our relationship said I was too kind to him, but other friends who didn't know him said I was too harsh. I know it comes off too harsh when I read it but it is what it is.
Istanbul, Turkey: Thank you people for reminding me of one of the many reasons I just left town. This sista is not homesick for this mess at all.
Robyn Thorpe: LOL, I know you are having fun in Turkey.
Alexandria, Va.: I just wanted to comment on another comment that was made earlier about finding love in the club. I believe you can find love anywhere. I met my fiance in a club. My cousin met her husband of three years online dating. While these examples might be uncommon, love could be lingering anywhere...
Anonymous: I'm a 50-plus white woman who has been married for a million years and can't even remember what dating is like! I just wanted to say that I think Robyn is handling some pretty tense/angry questions with an enormous amount of grace. Also, not so sure my (white) husband would think that being married to a white woman is such a thrill!
Washington D.C.: What's wrong with having multiple women ? I live in the D.C. area and I am dealing with four women who all know that they are not number 1 in my life. I am strictly dating and having fun. I am not looking to get married and neither of them want to marry me. In fact, I met one in Church, one at the club, one in the gym, and one at the grocery store. We do what most adults do with protection and it's all good. Maybe you should lower your standards and satisfy your needs and stop hating.
Robyn Thorpe: I wish you had given your name so all these women who you say are cool with being your personal lineup knew how interchangeable they are. I like feeling special and if you can't do that then next!
Anonymous: Thanks for truthful article, and chat responses. I sincerely appreciate your perspective and your communication style. I didn't intend to post, but felt compelled after the Michigan white lady who claims us white women know how to take care of a man. This type of response and "analysis" do the whole topic a huge disservice. Being a white woman, I am of the mindset that love is blind, and especially can be colorblind. Yet, I do not take issue with your choice, in fact I deeply respect it. It reminds me of my choice: do not marry a republican. But please, let's not pretend that one category color knows how to "better take care of our man" -- as if white women, (or any other type) haven't lost a man before.
Anyway, thanks for a very good read.
Robyn Thorpe: Thank you sooooo much and yes for reminding me of another one of my standards,I can't marry a republican either.!
Dundee, Mich. -- follow up: I am still single because I choose to be single. You don't see us white women putting articles in the news papers, crying about why we can't keep our men. Look at the beautiful babies we produce with your men. Later in life, your sons fall over themselves to date our daughters i.e. Halle Berry, Alicia Keys, and Vanessa Williams. I have had words with women like you my entire adult life. I have never had a problem keeping a Black man, but it looks like you do. Lose some weight and take out that jacked up weave and maybe you can get my seconds.
Robyn Thorpe: First of all get your facts straight Vanessa Williams is from a two Black parent home. Second I am single because I choose to be single too. Third of all thanks for showing that racist white women date black man. If sleeping with Black people did not make a white person a racist, then slavery would have been the most unracist time in American history. And let me share something else, I have made Black men dump their white girlfriends to try to date me, because it is all about content of character baby, not the color of your skin.
Halifax, Va.: Contrary to your belief, I am not racist. I simply prefer light skinned sisters. When I look at dating a woman, I look at both her complexion and hair texture. Thinking long term, I want my children to be lighter skinned and have a decent grade of hair that is not nappy. The darker skinned sisters with nappy hair are not given a second look. How is that being interracist? That is a preference.
Robyn Thorpe: Read the Color Complex, you are in denial.
Bowie, Md.: When I saw the headline "Singled Out," I thought to myself "here we go again." I've seen several articles this year in several publications about the dearth of suitable black males, and the challenges faced by educated, upwardly mobile females.
Yet while you can use statistics to argue the point that there's not enough to go around, I also believe that a people's collective consciousness can contribute to the problem. In other words, when we as women focus on lack, talk about it ALL the time (instead of learning how to appreciate our own lives and increasing our own love of self), then we attract just that--the desperate longing remains, because we've been convinced and believe in lack.
There are so many wonderful, capable, loving black men out there, and they're moving into the area every day. I think it's important for us sisters to encourage each other, and understand that we already have the love we seek....and when we really believe that, the soul mate will find you.
Robyn Thorpe: When I say the title Singled Out, I thought about the fact that of all the single Black women in the area, my life was singled out for the limelight. That is all
There are a lot of good black men in this country and this area and I just want one so I think that my chances are good.
Capitol hill: Hey! Not all republicans can be easily pigeon holed, either. I'm a republican that dates on both sides of the political aisle since I look at the person, not the party.
Robyn Thorpe: Sorry but I'm a bleeding heart progressive socialist who would unwillingly get your knickers in a bunch!
Austin, Tex.: First of all, as a black man I want to say that I sympathize with Robyn and I admire her courage. A few points that I will like to make though.
1. I do not disagree with the fact that history has been unkind to black women or that some black men do treat black women disrespectfully. My take is this if you allow yourself to be treated that way, then the trends continues whether it is in the music videos or in real life.
2. Stereotyping is not a bad thing necessarily, in fact it is how we simplify a group of people, but sometimes we make a mistake when we generalize. Are black men more likely to have children out of wedlock? Maybe, but that does not mean every black man has fathered a child somewhere. Are black men likely to disrespect black women? Maybe, but that does not mean every black man disrespects black women. I have dated mostly black women and sometimes outside my race. Never once have I disrespected or mistreated any woman black, white or whatever.
Robyn Thorpe: And you sound like an intelligent good guy. Thanks for the share.
Washington, D.C.: There are truly some ignorant comments being made in this forum!People are commenting about Black women's weight, children, and the way they treat Black men. Some men like thick, healthy women, and as far as children, who do you think helped make these children? I am a single 32 black female who was submissive to her ex-boyfriend, who didn't appreciate it. And for the record I'm not overweight,and I do not have any children. I've just decided to be single until that man comes along whoever he may be.
Robyn Thorpe: I picked these posts because I want to show the drama and issues of other people and how that affects the dating situation. Thanks for the share!
Robyn Thorpe: Just some notes. My friend Emeka wants everyone to know that he is not a playboy. He has become a minor celeb too and just wanted me to clarify that.
Also I love talking about these issues on my TV show The Urban Flow which you can check out at www.theurbanflow.com
Alexandria, Va.: Robyn, I find it funny how many people are telling you you should've stuck with your ex. We have NO idea what kind of person he was, was he stable? kind? would he have been a good provider? Now THAT is a huge issue in black dating. Women willing to put up with ANYTHING rather than be alone.
Robyn Thorpe: Right on the money! I would never break up with someone because my friends don't like him it was the fact that we are at different points in our development.
Austin, Tex.: In the short term, black women really have to consider opening up their options in terms of dating and not feel like they are restricted to dating only black men. Amid the sad history we have with race in this country and I don't want to pretend all is well, we cannot be stuck in the past. We have to move beyond the hurt and shameful history and be able to date outside our race if we feel like. (In general, black people are always going to be more likely to date other blacks, and white people other white people and so forth) One more point, simply because you date outside your race does not mean that you do not like being black or hispanic or white or whatever you are.
Robyn Thorpe: I agree with you that dating outside the race is automatically being a sell out. And if being with a Black man is not a preference for some black women then good, then the ratio is better for me LOL, but seriously, to each his/her own.
Alexandria, Va.: People of other cultures greet each other with love. Kiss, kiss - hug, hug, etc... However, my African American "sisters", (in the D.C. metro area), would rather die than to simply say hello. Why would a brother, (whether he meets your lofty standards or not), even bother? I don't - and I am a legitimate professional, in the technology industry, I have never been married, and I don't have any kids. Admittedly, living in the D.C. area has greatly contributed to that. I simply ignore the black women here in this area, before they turn up their noses and ignore me. No problem, the Hispanic girls will say hello, as will the ones from all other parts of the world. It's not a problem for me. Why do the alleged "one or two" together brothers always gravitate towards non-African American women? You can explain it away via any analogy that you wish, however, you need to evaluate what your contribution is to the current circumstance. Good luck - It's been real...
Robyn Thorpe: I wish you knew me, I always say hi, and try to always have a smile on my face. I agree that you should never approach the unapproachable. So don't paint us with the same brush.
New York City: Very interesting article; thank you for sharing your experiences with us!
A friend and I have been conducting an informal survey (please forgive the source) during our weekly viewing of the ABC show "Wife Swap." We have noticed that black women depicted on the show, who are married to white men, tend to be more dominant and their husbands are more submissive. Often, the white husbands are shown cooking, cleaning, and caring for the children while the wife is lounging in bed. Sometimes the husband is tasked to serve the wife dinner in bed while he eats with the children.
Now some have said that black men date white women because they are "easier;" my friend and I were wondering if there was something similar going on for black women who date/marry white men.
Using my own dating experiences, (I am African-American and have dated Black, Caucasian, Latino and Asian men), I have noticed that the Caucasian men who are attracted to me tended to be a bit more, passive, shall we say.
Robyn Thorpe: No, just what an interest share!
Reston, Va.: Hi - I've enjoyed this discussion. As for me, I'm an employed Black male with a college degree. The trouble I had finding a Black female as a mate is not about my self-esteem, but frankly about some mistakes I myself have made in the past. The professional Black women I'd met sometimes were not quite as forgiving about some of my previous failures which I have worked hard to correct (when I moved here I made a couple bad financial decisions that I'm still paying for). I met a woman outside my race, she saw that I'd made some mistakes but they were not representative of my character. We now own a home, are engaged, travel, and have a great life. A life I gladly would have shared with a Black female. . .
Robyn Thorpe: Don't get a guilt trip about finding someone who took time to get who you are and love you. I'm happy for you.
Prince Georges County, Md.: Hi Robyn,
Just an observation after reading the article and the comments: why do some people think every single woman WANTS to be married and therefore something is wrong with her if she isn't?
I too love Black men, but I just want to have fun dating them. It's funny, I either meet the ones who just want sex or the ones who "just" want marriage. I think that's another issue with dating, nobody wants to do it just to have fun. Maybe I'll start taking all the statistics seriously whenever I think I'm ready to settle down.
(p.s. I went to college with Esther!)
Robyn Thorpe: GREAT SHARE!!!! Not every single woman wants to be married or is a miserable old maid. We are enjoying our lives. Like the article said, I don't think that I'm ready for marriage but I know that I do want to be so I go out and do things I enjoy so that when I meet a guy, he is meeting a happy women instead of a bitter harpy.
Halifax, Va. (continued): I read the Color Complex and Our Kind of People. You are not the only one with an education, which is another problem with sisters. I am not in denial, you are in denial. Looking at your picture it is clear to see why you have no man. You are overweight, dark-skinned, and have nappy hair. The next time you are at the bar, please get off the stool and let a light-skinned sister sit down and watch the attention she gets. Perhaps all of D.C. is in denial because last time I checked, light skinned sisters were in season!
Robyn Thorpe: Wow, you got me, I just can't believe that you would be a prize for any woman.
Beltsville, Md.: My "stats" - I am a 33 year old single black woman, never married, no kids. I am educated and attractive and in a relationship that will become permanent if I choose. My comment is this - I am truly tired of this discussion. I am extremely spiritual and I believe we were put on this planet by God to do His work. We each have a purpose. I am in the midst of pursuing mine and that completes me. If I never get married, I am okay with that. I have had friends through the years who were OBSESSED with finding a mate. You seem to be this way, too. We all need to relax. God will send you your mate if you let Him. Relax.
Robyn Thorpe: I am relaxed! Thanks for the share.
It was sobering to read your story of seeking a good Black man to date and consider building a future with.
I'm a Black man as well, and have seen this so often in college, in my hometown, and in the cities where I've lived. The situation you described makes me wonder yet again how we can make more progress and get things right in our own communities. We simply don't have time to waste.
I know there are many, many decent Black women and men out there regardless of class or education (like a friend of mine in Richmond who's an engineer), and hope you will find a special Black man who can help you build a friendship/relationship built on trust and respect.
$$$$$$: Marriage was not always for love. It was for survival, way out of parents' home, sex, procreation, pregnancy, and many other reasons, etc.
Fast forward to 2006 with marriage-minded women and men: Many people are only looking for love, companionship and someone to share their life. The economic reasons and the parental reasons to be married has changed. Many people in the DC area have the job, the home, the car, the education, etc. The financial stuff isn't in the way anymore so the emotional stakes are higher.
In 2006, we are more independent of than co-dependent on even our friends and family. Family and friends don't fix our cars, homes, take care of our dog/cat, we hire someone. When was the last time you borrowed a cup of sugar or a stick of butter from your neighbor? If we are so independent and relationships rely on co-dependency, we are at odds even in our daily lives must like a romantic relationship.
New York City: Why is it racist to express a preference for complexion or hair? For example, I'm not attracted to blond men or super-skinny men. Does that make me an anti-Swedish anti-thin racist? No, it's just honest about what I turn on to. Why is it wrong to say what you are and are not attracted to, physically?
Robyn Thorpe: the dude told me to get off of a chair so that a women with more European ancestry could sit down. That is racist and I don't care the race or education of the person who said it.
Washington, D.C.: This is Robyn's friend Serge....all of these ignorant people bombarding Robyn with their hate filled vitriol really need to stop and look at themselves. She was picked to do the story people!!!! She didn't ask to have her life intruded on.....all she is doing is showing her experience when it comes to the dating scene especially as it pertains to Black men and Black women. Robyn you are by far the classiest sista I have ever met and I love you more than ever because you have a heart of gold. Brothers take note this girl is the real deal and if you are ever fortunate enough to meet her you better have your stuff together....that is all.
Robyn Thorpe: Love you too Baby. Love you too.
Atlanta, Ga.: Good morning Ms. Thorpe,
I empathize with your situation. Do you think black women are "shooting themselves in the foot" (so to speak) by not being as open to interracial relationships as black men? After all, when's the last time you heard a black man say that he was holding out hope for a black woman and wouldn't entertain the thought of dating a woman of another race?
Robyn Thorpe: I do have Black guy friends who only date sisters.
Glen Allen, Va.: Great remarks, I would expect nothing less from someone in your profession. You offer a point of view that I hear and see a great deal. Once one is really ready to explore the true possibilities of relationships, then one will find that one person they can live with for the rest of there lives. That person people are wrestling with is usually found within themselves. Conquer that one and then the rest will follow! Not saying you have not at this point either. I just keep remembering those words of a Palestinian Rabbi who said, "Love thy neighbor as thy self!" There is no cookie cutter solution to dating any man or woman. Knowing who you are and what you want is always key! Grace and peace to you Robyn, and all who have participated.
Washington, D.C.: I don't think you are a snob or wrong for thinking that there should be at least a bit of pursuit from a man and that you shouldn't have to wait on him or hunt him down to meet up. I believe that that is true at least in the beginning of a relationship. I have always found that if the man doesn't pay for the first date (after that, I want to pay my way or at least part of, he doesn't have to be my daddy) or is bad about calling, then he "just isn't that into you" and you have to move on from there. That said, I am a white woman married to a black man. His aunt didn't come to our wedding because she and his mother "had raised him to marry a black Christian woman" not an older, fat, white, Jew. The funny thing is, I think the part that upset them most was that I am fat (as in really, not just a little chubby). That said, my husband has dated black, latina, and white women and his longest relationship outside of me was with a black woman. He didn't marry me because I am white, it was because we have the same taste in humor, movies, politics, and I love to cook and he loves to eat it. We met in college, his mom is a teacher and so was my dad. When we first started dating, he would always mention, my mom/sister does/likes that in reference to things about me. He is very close to both of them. And yes, I get looks when we are together, mostly from black women. And yes, my husband has been asked if I was always this fat (yep, was actually 10 lbs. heavier on our wedding day). But I love him so much, he helps make me want to be a better person and I do the same for him. I hope that you can find that, it doesn't have to be within your race.
Robyn Thorpe: Thanks for the comment cause it helps me bring up the point that yes, health is important and no one should be happy with weight that risks your health. But if you are looking for LOVE then if that person gains weight during the relationship, you can discuss it without telling her another pound and I'm out the door. The love I'm looking for does not end because I gain or lose a pound. If you are not there, don't approach me.
Silver Spring, Md.: I can't believe the comments some people are making. I can imagine exactly what some people might say about my physical appearance if I had put myself out there like you did, but I just don't think they would because I'm not a Black. Fortunately, you will probably never have to deal with these people in real life because they won't approach you!
Washington, D.C.: All this black female bashing by black men is quite enlightening. Reflects rather poorly on black men in the D.C. area. All these guys saying they don't date black women because of this or that.....is really just their way of showing how insecure they are. And I doubt that most of these guys have relationships with these women.
Robyn Thorpe: Right on, I don't have to bash men, the men reflect their own character be it the good, bad, or ugly.
Arlington, Va.: Dialogue is important. This forum allows for people to share their view points, that they might not otherwise have been able to express - due to being dismissed, or discounted, for one reason or another. I think that everyone needs to review the aforementioned comments, and assess each one for legitimacy. Sometimes the truth hurts, however, in my opinion, many of these comments needed to be stated...
Robyn Thorpe: exactly. I have learned so much today.
Washington, D.C.: As a 52-year old Black Man and widower (my wife died last year) I too find the dating scene somewhat daunting. At times, there just seems to be too much anxiety, expectations and lack of patience from all concerned.
As a father of two teen-aged daughters, ultimately my hope for them is to have faith and hope in their judgment in finding a mate that is respectful, loving, trusting and secure in his relationship with them when the time comes.
I think that too many people (maybe men more so than women) are hung up on finding a "trophy" mate to brag about to their friends.
It's all about the state of the individual's mind, body and soul that can help to make or break the prospects of a good relationship. Before I got married for the third time, I had to do a "cleansing" through therapy and spiritual growth before I met my true soul mate in church.
In spite of her passing, we had a good marriage for over 17 years. We all have to keep the faith.
Robyn Thorpe: Love the share, We all have to keep the faith. That says it all. And I do keep the faith. And I like your comment about therapy and counseling. I think that many people disregard the fact that we may need help on this journey called life.
Anonymous: "The next time you are at the bar, please get off the stool and let a light-skinned sister sit down and watch the attention she gets."
Those words are the reason so many Black American women hesitate to speak to men on the street. Although his words are hurtful, he is actually speaking the views of many men in the D.C. Metro area. I am a cute 25 year old with brown skin and "nappy" permed hair and I often hesitate to look at Black guys when I walk down the street, not because I have an attitude or think I am better, but because more than often they will complement my cute face and nice attitude, but move along to my light skin friends with long hair.
Robyn Thorpe: I hear you. This is the thing, I love my Hair style, I picked it, it suits me and if you don't like it, don't approach because there are three brothers behind you who do.
Washington, D.C.: This is Serge again.......I feel the blame for Black men/women relations falls on both sides.....I happen to like the fact that my sisters are demanding because I am very demanding of women that I deal with. I was raised around many black women and trust me they know how to take care of a man....its just there are quite a few brothers who are lazy and don't want to put in the necessary time and effort into making a relationship work with a sister. They would rather walk all over a white girl who will be totally submissive to his demands....figures. But sisters need to be a little more forgiving to these brothers also....we all make mistakes don't lump all brothers into the same group because we aren't all like that. Robyn you know me personally so you know how I feel about this situation.....there is so much that can be said but I don't have enough space......
Robyn Thorpe: And you help me by giving me a perspective that I can't get on my own. These are issues my show tries to address because there is a communication gap out there. As for me, by being friends with black men I respect I can do nothing but grow.
Washington D.C.: I read your article and have a couple of questions. What do you bring to the table? In the article, it speaks of things that you are looking for but not what you're offering. In today's time, our black woman always speak of what they want and not what they are offering. You are looking for us to inspire you or give you new experiences but what are my sisters offering? When are my sisters going to encourage or lift up the positive black men (whether blue collar or not). Sisters rate success and are intrigued by a black man's wealth or level of education. They love more of what they are rather than who they are (especially in this area). I listen to women all the time in this area when they describe a man (EVEN IN THIS ARTICLE) of being good or successful by his accomplishments, wealth or level of education rather than his character. Women here use that to chose what type of man whom they are going to love. When their girls or other woman say that he's a good man, then they are all in. Vanity and being shallow closes the door on many relationships here. Trust me, it doesn't take long for a man here in this area to know what it is about him that intrigues the women here. And you my dear are like a seal bleeding in a section of the ocean filled with sharks. They smell you and go in for the kill. Stop looking my dear (because you're bleeding and putting out that desperate or hurt seal scent), and inviting the sharks to you. Be confident and content and a good man will find you. I just hope you are in the posture to receive him and be a good woman. Signed: Your N.O. boy who spanks you in spades. One Love.
Robyn Thorpe: Oh boy, now you know me! And you think I'm desperate! Oh boy. Time to regroup LOL. Actually, you bring up a lot of valid issues and we have discussed them and you know that I'm selective so how can I be desperate and selective. I have a lot to offer a Brother the #1 thing being a loving heart and a sense of humor and the understanding that a commitment of love is a beautiful thing. I'm not materialistic and when I mentioned that my guy friends are good men it is because they are charming, intelligent, considerate, funny, and have the kindest hearts in the world once they let you in. I don't care what car they drive, if they own their homes, etc. It is about the person they present to you and the world.
Northeast Washington, D.C.: SO much to say, so little space to say it in...first, I'm a SBW, 36, admittedly overweight (not a Mo'Nique, but neither do I fit the weight requirement for my height), brown-skinned, not very nappy hair, college-educated, world-traveled, career-minded, child-free and debt-free except for my mortgage. I, too, was passed over and overlooked by lots of brothers and based on this chat, it's because I am not thin. Or light. I refused to be bitter about it, I just remained optimistic that the right brother would appreciate me and the outerwrapping. (Yes, there's a point!), this past January, I met the man who will soon be my husband. He loves ME, all of me, fat rolls and all, and I love him. We complement and compliment each other, we communicate well, we respect each other, we show each other EVERY day how much we love and care for the other, we strive toward a great relationship everyday, so if all we get is good, we're still on top of the game...and this is a man who only dated slim dark skinned women before me. That was his preference. And had I generally dated darker and bigger men than he. So, that great relationship is out there, but maybe it looks different than you envisioned. Stay committed to improving yourself Robyn, stay open to the possibilities, and that great relationship will happen. God bless.
Washington, D.C.: Interesting. Seems to ME that the brothers with the least to offer (cause yall KNOW you are fat and short and uneducated and unattractive and baby daddies, don't act like it aint so) STILL think they are entitled to educated Beyonces with cash in the bank. That's what trips me out.
Robyn Thorpe: sometimes it trips me out too.
I really enjoyed your article. I am just dismayed at the comments being made on this forum. Women of all races are having trouble finding and keeping men. Look at Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Jane, etc. Every month, there is another article about where to find eligible men or what not to say in a relationship during the first 3 months.
Why are people harping on skin color and weight? Why are black men so colorstruck? It's funny when black men complain about black women being overweight, but quickly will date an overweight white woman. I see that happening all the time.
Robyn Thorpe: thanks for the share
Arlington, Va.: Why is it that when a successful black women, who owns her own home, drives a nice car and makes a lot of money seeks a black man with the same, she is considered a gold digger or looking for superficial things. I highly doubt that our white counterparts are ever told to "lower their standards" when seeking a mate...
Robyn Thorpe: good question! I don't know, wish I did....
Nashville, Tenn.: These types of stories always sadden me. I know there's nothing wrong with dating interracially -- God made us all and he is no respector of persons. But he also made us all different races and he must have for a good reason. There's something beautiful about that diversity. I like that we're all different with totally different cultures and views on the world. That's my problem with interracial marriage. I fear it'll wash us out. We'll all look alike. The food, the music, the worldview will all combine until there's nothing distinctive or interesting about anything.
I recently became engaged to a brother and couldn't be happier. Neither of us thought we'd be able to find a compatible black mate. We both thought we'd be alone. Reading this story makes me want to run home and just hug and kiss him for the rest of the day!
Robyn Thorpe: So I suggest that you run home, hug and kiss him! I'm happy for you!
You mentioned your spirituality as it relates to dating, have you had much success dating men within your church family? What character attributes do you think we are missing in relationships?
Robyn Thorpe: Great question, I think so many of us are missing depth, the willingness to discover how the other person is unique. My ex would always tell me, you are special. Sometimes he would say it positively, sometimes negatively but he always said it. I will always love him because he got it, there is no one else like me. We are all unique and irreplaceable so how could a man be dating 4-7 irreplaceable women, because he isn't intimate or in love with anyone of them and until you can open you heart, your relationships will suffer
Falls Church, VA: I moved to the D.C. area from N.C. when I was 22 and fresh from the breakup of a 5 year relationship with a white man. I was very excited to come to DC, an area with an abundance of motivated black men. After my breakup, I vowed to NEVER again date a white man -- it seemed like too much trouble. After a couple of years trying to date, I was really discouraged. Most of the black men I met fell into 2 categories: (1) materialistic - judging my character by what job I had and the type of car I drove or (2) only interested in having sex, not a committed relatioship. After really just deciding NOT to look for a man, I met my husband. He is a white man who pursued me relentlessly, even after I told him I didn't want to be involved with a white man. He persevered and won me over. Like many black women, I tried to find a nice black man to make my own - it just didn't work out that way. Today I'm happy my husband was so persistent -- even though I was not the easiest catch in the world. So to all the single women I'd say - it's great to set your sights on something but don't miss the forest for the trees.
Robyn Thorpe: Don't be guilty about being happy with your life choice, I'm happy for you!
Response to D.C.: What amazes me is that a fat sister with a degree thinks she can get an attractive Black man. It isn't your degrees or profession, it is about looks. When a man tells his boys about his woman, they don't ask where she works or where she went to school. They want to know what she looks like and how is the body. It is you sisters that place importance on achievements which is why you fail to understand why Brothers aren't digging you.
Robyn Thorpe: Thanks for the advice! LOL
Robyn Thorpe: I just want to thank everybody for their interest in my story and for sharing their own. It has been real. Bye.
Shocked in D.C.: I'm a white woman, 35 and in a committed relationship. I am appalled at some of the comments being made by the posters to Robyn - ongoing proof racism is alive and well here in the "land of the free." I just wanted to give props to ALL women, black, brown, white, asian, who are strong enough to hold out for what they want and need from a relationship. There are many woman who are not self-examining, self-aware and this holds them back from truly rewarding relationships. While I'd like to think this is less a color issue (and more a human issue), I'm aware of the historical and ongoing systemic issues that might prevent black women (and women period) from seeing their own self-worth. Keep fighting the good fight women everywhere!
It might be too late to get in the conversation but,: My general observation of tons of friends and acquaintances over the years is that when men lose hope about dating, they get angry at women--but when we women lose hope, we get angry at ourselves.
Robyn Thorpe: And I will not, Thanks
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Robyn Thorpe wants to be married someday and only a black man will do. The 31-year-old attorney will discuss her dating experiences in the D.C.-area and how she stays optimistic in a dating market that doesn't swing in her favor.
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Opinion Focus
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Today's Article: 'Values' Choice for The GOP (Post, Oct. 10)
Eugene Robinson is also author of " Last Dance in Havana: The Final Days of Fidel and the Start of the New Cuban Revolution ."
Eugene Robinson: Welcome, everyone. I'll be here at the keyboard for an hour, as usual, to talk about news and views. For reference, my last three columns could be described as "all Foley, all the time." But of course we can also talk about North Korea's nuclear test (which doesn't seem to have produced a very big bang), the continuing carnage in Iraq (something like 60 bodies found in Baghdad overnight), the midterm elections -- whatever you'd like to raise.
Winnipeg, Canada: Thank you for your column today. I think the Foley affair has a lot of traction because nearly everyone can relate it to their daily lives.
In the past few years, most employers have adopted policies and measures to deal with sexual misconduct at work. In most workplaces, no one in their right mind would hear of potential misconduct, as Hastert did, and let it lie. It's SOP to take it straight to HR or superiors; otherwise you look complicit. This is especially true of interns and underage people of either sex and regardless of sexual orientation.
The big liability for the Republicans is that everyone knows what would happen in their lives if a parallel situation were to occur, and the Republican response has been textbook what not to do, other than the Foley resignation. Even here, the resignation should have come several years earlier but didn't, because people in the know did not act responsibly.
This is an issue that every soccer Mom (and Dad) in the country understands intimately. That's why it resonates far more than weightier matters such as nuclear tests in North Korea or increased violence in Iraq.
Eugene Robinson: Well said. Here at the Post everyone has to pass an online course on sexual harassment, and the most important message is that you never just ignore a complaint. You have to investigate and you have to deal with whatever you discover.
Gainesville, Va.: I think it's important to be fair in presenting the position of conservative Christians. One key word is "conservative," in its original sense. So much of what we believe in is conserving the values and behaviors we grew up with. By and large the liberal agenda is change (increase tolerance). Thus we are asked to accept homosexual marriage (a new definition after four millennia of accepted usage of marriage as between a man and a woman), a culture that encourages unbridled sexuality of all types, and abortion, the killing of a fetus or baby depending on your beliefs. We never needed laws against homosexual marriage because prior to the decision of the Mass. Supreme Court, marriage was understood to be heterosexual. It is not conservative Christians who are out to legislate morality, it is liberal secularists who are trying to change the laws to support their views.
Eugene Robinson: I agree that the liberal agenda is one of tolerance. But it is not true that the specific moral standards advocated by conservative Christians have been in place for thousands of years. Nor is it true that all the values and behaviors we grew up with are worth preserving. When I grew up, for example, many people considered racial segregation a "value" worth defending. Our standards do change, and often for the better.
In your column today, you wrote: "Condemning others just because they are different doesn't make us stronger or better, it makes us weaker and poorer."
I see your point, but there is a strong counter argument. Shouldn't society instill strong moral standards about sexual behavior? At one time society frowned on people who committed adultery and engaged in sex before marriage. Now neither one is considered taboo. Is modern society better for this?
Today liberals are pushing to consider homosexuality as normal.
What is next? Should bigamy be deemed OK? How about polygamy? In your view, is there anything that society should deem inappropriate? Or should we just allow everyone to live and let live?
Eugene Robinson: That's the slippery-slope argument, and I don't buy it. Of course society has to draw a line between the acceptable and the unacceptable. But society's view of where that line should be drawn has changed many times in the past and will continue to change. The was a time when we considered women second-class citizens unworthy of the vote. There was a time when we thought smoking was cool. Things change.
Hayward, Calif.: Why do you think American politics is such that we are reduced to discussing politicians sex lives? It's as though the most important issue in the election is which party's candidates will be less likely to prey on congressional pages.
Eugene Robinson: And of course that isn't the most important issue, by a long shot. But the Foley matter, to me, illustrates how dysfunctional Congress is right now.
no Virginia: I'm surprised we haven't heard a thing from the head to the RNC about this corruption, and cover-up on Capitol Hill. I presume he is also advising congressmen how to get beyond this stalking, corruption and child abuse situation and the cover up that has been years in the making. Do you think he also knew about it years ago. What does KEN MEHLMAN have to say about this scandal???
Annandale, Va: Your beliefs seem to be that we would all be better off if Congress was Democratic and the President was Democratic. Last time that happened I remember 17 percent interest rates and about the same with inflation (early 70s). You rail against the president and Congress yet, economically, interest rates are low, inflation is non-existent, unemployment is very low, and the country is going along nicely economically AND I read in The Post that minority house ownership is at an all-time high in the DC area. Yes, we are at war, but I seem to recall Democratic presidents at war also. With the economy at such a boom, why do you press so much for Democratic Congress/president?
Eugene Robinson: You'll notice that while I have been somewhat critical -- okay, bitterly critical -- of the White House and the Republican-controlled Congress on many important issues, I haven't been touting the Democrats. If they get into office and make a huge mess of everything, I'll yell at them too. And for the record, a lot of Americans don't think the economy is doing all that well; and most polls show the war in Iraq is a vital issue for many voters.
Parkville, Md.: Gainesville might want to re-read his Bible. He might find that the idea of marriage as between one man and one woman is a pretty newfangled idea. After all, King Solomon had... what... 700 wives?
We liberals aren't out to legislate morality. We're out to legislate government neutrality. I would never advocate the government forcing a particular congregation or religion to accept gay marriage. But insofar as marriage is a secular, civil contract, gays should have the right to enter into it. Your church can refuse to sanction gay unions, but the government has no business doing so.
Virginia Beach, Va.: I consider myself a liberal, but I believe that conservatives have been successful in associating the word "liberal" with all kinds of sexual and behavioral attitudes and actions, not what the word means in relation to political philosophy. I'm a liberal and I do not believe in nor practice unbridled sexuality of all types, nor do my liberal friends. I can respect conservatives who sincerely believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman only. I'm sorry that these endless culture wars inflame the electorate and feel that we'd all be better off if everyone could agree to disagree and law-abiding citizens should be able to live their lives without discrimination or demonization. But why does someone like me have to put up with people like Gainesville who wants to equate my political philosophy with encouraging unbridled sexuality of all kinds?
Eugene Robinson: One of the great public relations coups, I think, has been the right's success in associating the word "liberal" with any and all manner of depravity. In the real world, political philosophy does not necessarily equate with personal morality. As the Foley case illustrates.
Chicago, Ill.: I think part of the problem is that we all agree on the need to impose societal norms -- we just disagree on which aspects of society need them. Conservatives focus on sex. For example you've just posted two comments from Virginia each complaining that "liberals" are trying to normalize unbridled sexual activity, including adultery and homosexuality. Now whether I (as a supposed liberal) agree with that premise, I think it's also irrelevant. I don't care what people consentingly do to each other in their bedrooms -- I care about whether they're carrying a gun into school, or clear-cutting the rainforest. Conservatives generally oppose the measures I deem important, and vice versa, but we each agree on the need to have them. What infuriates me is when people like those Virginians write in to say, essentially, "it's our society and you are the ones trying to change it."
Eugene Robinson: Society belongs to all of us. And I think there are many issues -- privacy and personal responsibility, for example -- on which even stereotyped "conservatives" and "liberals" agree.
Philadelphia, Pa.: I'd like to point out that the definition of marriage for four millenia has not been between a man and a woman. In most societies, yes, marriage has been heterosexual, but it certainly has not been limited to 'a' man and 'a' woman. Nor has it been limited to adults. Nor has it, in fact, been limited to heterosexuals. Nor has it had much to do, at all, with love until recently - marriages were business transactions, usually to transfer property, between two parties who often weren't the husband(s) or wife(wives). In some societies, marriages existed solely to have children, and if no children were produced there was no marriage.
So, if people are going to be insist that marriage in this country be 'traditional,' they'll need to be a little more clear about what they mean - a love match? an arranged marriage? A man taking on his brother's widow and five children? An 80-year-old 'marrying' a 5-year-old? One man, three wives? One woman, three husbands? Two men? Two women?
Eugene Robinson: A good history lesson.
Baltimore, Md.: Pundits on TV and in print are saying that the Foley mess is going to have a hand in deciding the mid-terms, that conservative Christians will stay home, but every time they interview one of these folks, s/he says that they'll still vote Republican (perhaps holding the nose at the time). It seems to me that it's the independents who are going to swing this thing, not the Christians right. What do you think?
Eugene Robinson: I think the mid-terms are going to be close. The polls showing Democrats way ahead are significant, but you have to look at individual races. My guess is that the Foley mess will have some impact, but if Republicans lose control of either house of Congress it will be because of a whole host of issues -- Foley, Iraq, the general sense that Congress isn't getting much done of any importance.
Washington, D.C.: RE: Annandale: Your memory is as faulty as your reasoning. Actually, the last time we had a Democratic Congress and president was during Bill Clinton's first two years, 1993-1995. Yes, they made mistakes (and paid the price in the 1994 elections) but we had peace and prosperity...
Eugene Robinson: Thanks for setting the historical record straight.
Maryland: So you don't buy the slippery-slope argument? I recall over 20 years ago when the ERA amendment was being debated, and one argument against it, which its proponents denied, is that it would lead to same-sex marriages! I say it's just a matter of time before the NAMBLA crowd starts lobbying against child-protection laws as being discriminatory to their own particular lifestyle - but that's progress to the progressives, isn't it?
Eugene Robinson: But by your logic, women would never have been given full rights in our society, or blacks, or anybody except white men. Just because you decide to take one specific step in the direction of inclusion and tolerance does not mean you then have to take every imaginable subsequent step.
Annandale, Va.: You say, "If the Democrats make a huge mess out of everything you will yell at them too."
I read your columns. Tell me what Democrats you have ever criticized. I don't recall any.
Eugene Robinson: Well of course I've criticized William "Dollar Bill" Jefferson, the congressman who kept $90,000 in his freezer; and I've criticized Democrats who have taken what I consider overly punitive positions on immigration. But the Republicans are in charge of the White House and all of Capitol Hill. It's hard to slam the Democrats for making the wrong policy decisions when they don't get to make any policy decisions.
I've asked you once, I asked you twice, let me ask you a third time to gauge your current opinion: Does Sen. Obama run for Prez in '08?
Eugene Robinson: Odds still against an Obama candidacy. Ask me again after the midterms.
Washington, D.C.: Whenever a conservative says that we should keep something traditional like the definition of marriage, liberals trot out the same tired argument that without change women and blacks would never have gotten their due rights.
What does one have to do with the other? The definition of marriage is a completely separate issue than women's voting rights or blacks' civil rights. Why confuse the issue? Or can't you argue the case on its own merits?
Eugene Robinson: Interracial marriage was once illegal in Southern states. So, no, these are not completely separate issues.
The argument on the merits is simple, in my view. Two individuals are gay and want to make a commitment to each other through marriage. What is bad about that? How does that threaten me, or you, or anyone else? My marriage will not dissolve if gay people are allowed to marry. The world will not cease its orbit around the sun. We'll all be fine, believe me.
Alexandria, Va.: What "values" are we preserving? It's like people actually believe that everyone's lives back in the 1950s emulated those of the Cunninghams. Not even close. Views toward spousal abuse, rape, and race were all very different in the 1950s than today. Thankfully, our attitudes are changing. If by embracing these changes makes me a liberal, then I am guilty as charged. I also think it's what makes me a good Christian.
Eugene Robinson: Values have always changed and will continue to change. It's not always an easy passage, though.
With that, I have to sign off -- my time is up. Thanks for participating, and see you again next Tuesday.
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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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After Plimpton, Onward & Upward
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George Plimpton is dead, alas, but the magazine he founded, the Paris Review, is alive and well and resounding with the voices of Salman Rushdie, Stephen King, Joseph Stalin, a Serb terrorist, a Chinese public toilet manager and an American woman who impersonated a fictitious female impersonator.
Plimpton was, of course, the "participatory journalist" who became famous writing about getting shot out of a circus cannon, boxing Archie Moore and playing quarterback for the Detroit Lions, goalie for the Boston Bruins and triangle for the New York Philharmonic. But for 50 years Plimpton also served as the unpaid editor of the literary quarterly he started in Paris in 1953. When he returned to his native New York a few years later, he brought the Paris Review with him. He finished editing the 50th anniversary issue on the very night he died in his sleep at age 76.
Most literary mags have the life span of fruit flies, perhaps because most literary magazines are about as interesting as fruit flies. But the Paris Review endured, partly because Plimpton was great at raising money from his rich friends but mostly because his magazine was actually worth reading. It published great stories and poems by then young and obscure writers such as Philip Roth, Jack Kerouac and T. Coraghessan Boyle, but it was most famous for its long Q & A interviews with old masters: Hemingway, Faulkner, Vonnegut, Capote, Garcia Marquez.
When Plimpton died, the literary world wondered: What will happen to the Paris Review?
Now we know the answer. It has gotten even better.
In March 2005, the magazine's board hired a new editor: Philip Gourevitch, a New Yorker staff writer and the author of an excellent nonfiction book on the Rwanda genocide, "We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families."
"My mission was to revitalize the magazine, to give it new life for a new generation," says Gourevitch, 44, by phone from the Review's office in New York. "We want to be fresh. We want to be surprising."
No fool, Gourevitch did not mess with the magazine's successful formula. He still publishes good stories and poems by obscure writers and excellent interviews with famous writers, including Joan Didion and Rushdie.
But he did make some changes. First, he reshaped the magazine, literally: "It's a little taller and leaner than it used to be," he says. He also began running a gallery of photographs in each issue. Best of all, he added a feature he calls Encounter, a short Q & A with interesting, obscure people.
One Encounter was an interview with a professional mourner in China. "We used to treat every funeral like a contest," he said. "There were lead wailers and backup wailers, and after the gig was over, members would get together and critique each other's performances."
Another Encounter was with a Chinese public toilet manager. Back in the old days, when human waste was used for fertilizer, he said, it was such a valuable commodity that it was sometimes stolen. "The punishment for stealing human waste," he revealed, "was to recite from Chairman Mao's Little Red Book."
Those Encounters were amusing, but the Encounter with Nikola Kavaja was chilling. Kavaja is a Serb assassin who served 18 years in U.S. prisons for hijacking an American Airlines jet in Chicago in 1979, hoping to fly it to Belgrade and crash it into Communist Party headquarters -- an unsuccessful but eerie precursor to 9/11. Now Kavaja lives in a seedy Belgrade apartment decorated with photos of Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini.
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George Plimpton is dead, alas, but the magazine he founded, the Paris Review, is alive and well and resounding with the voices of Salman Rushdie, Stephen King, Joseph Stalin, a Serb terrorist, a Chinese public toilet manager and an American woman who impersonated a fictitious female impersonator.
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'Liberty Dollars' Can Buy Users A Prison Term, U.S. Mint Warns
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Once upon a time, a "monetary architect" named Bernard von NotHaus decided to make his own money.
He put a beautiful Lady Liberty and a majestic flaming torch on the silver and gold coins, and he named them "Liberty Dollars." On his Web site, http://www.libertydollar.org , he said: "It is fun to use REAL money. Liberty Dollars are a proven and profitable currency that protects and grows the purchasing power of your money!"
True story, phony money. So says the U.S. Mint, which would like to remind Liberty Dollar users that since the United States already has its own currency, the only thing Liberty Dollars buy in these parts is a jail term.
Liberty Dollars were coined by von NotHaus and an Evansville, Ind.-based group called Norfed, which stands for (sort of) the National Organization for the Repeal of the Federal Reserve Act and the Internal Revenue Code. In the late 1990s, the group began hawking its money as a hedge against inflation, and as a way to compete with the Fed. Von NotHaus makes the pitch online, using a raft of statistics and graphs that he says show the greenback is well nigh worthless.
Norfed Executive Director Michael Johnson says the group isn't aiming to overthrow the American monetary system. "We're not locking horns with the Fed. I mean, that's crazy," he said. Norfed simply wants "to offer a solution to the Federal Reserve Note," a.k.a. U.S. dollars.
Norfed struck the first gold- and silver-backed coins -- which, to avoid charges of making its own money it calls "rounds" -- in 1998 at its private mint in Idaho. Today the group claims to have more than $20 million in Liberty coins and notes in circulation, and about 2,500 merchants who accept Liberty Dollars for goods and services from doughnuts to tattoos.
But there's a potentially more sinister side to all this. A 1999 report by the Southern Poverty Law Center calls Norfed a far-right anti-government group that has "long claimed that American dollars are . . . part of a vast conspiracy by international bankers to defraud the rest of the world." The center links some Norfed devotees to far-right hate groups.
"That definitely is not the philosophy of the organization," Johnson said. "I've been a Republican for most of my life. . . . We are focused on the mainstream. . . . I guess we are libertarian. But definitely not anti-government."
The U.S. Mint acted after federal prosecutors around the country began forwarding inquiries about the coins. "We don't take these consumer alerts lightly," said spokeswoman Becky Bailey. "Merchants and banks are confronted by confused customers demanding they accept Liberty Dollars. These are not legal coin."
Norfed responded to the Mint on its Web site. "Here it is in plain sight . . . the Liberty Dollar is not a coin, not legal tender, and backed with inflation proof gold and silver!"
"Goliath just introduced David to millions of Americans as a nationally recognized underdog," the site continues. "Just as Pepsi went up against Coke with their 'take the Pepsi Challenge' campaign, the Liberty Dollar will take it to the people to decide which currency they should use."
Norfed encouraged people to keep doing "the drop," referring to its advice to drop the coin into merchants' hands so they can feel its weight.
That could land the dropper in prison, Bailey warns, for up to five years.
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Piniella Rules Out Nationals
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OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 9 -- In the midst of being besieged by hypotheticals and what-ifs regarding the manager's position of the New York Yankees Monday afternoon, former big league manager Lou Piniella spoke in vagaries -- except when one issue arose. He will not consider managing the Washington Nationals.
"You know, they've got a team that's going to be building for the future," Piniella said at McAfee Coliseum, where he will serve as an analyst for Fox during the American League Championship Series. "That's a situation that's really not for a guy like me. I think they're going to go for a young manager -- and rightfully so."
That pronouncement came on the same day that, according to a source with knowledge of the search, the Nationals interviewed Houston Astros bench coach Cecil Cooper and Chicago White Sox third base coach Joey Cora, two former major leaguers without managerial experience. The Nationals also asked permission from the Yankees, and were granted the permission, to speak with the first base coach Tony Peña, a former manager of the Kansas City Royals.
General Manager Jim Bowden and President Stan Kasten have not commented on the search since Frank Robinson was ousted after five seasons in the position.
Piniella, 63, is at the center of the offseason managerial carousel because he is coveted by at least three of the teams with openings. The Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and the Nationals all have inquired about Piniella's services, and he spoke with Bowden last week about the Washington job.
"It went well," Piniella said. "Jim's a personal friend."
But Piniella's experience with a rebuilding club in Tampa Bay didn't go well. He grew impatient with losing, and it apparently made him wary of other rebuilding franchises. He spoke in platitudes Monday about the Giants and the Cubs; the Nationals' opportunity was the only one he outright shot down.
And now, Piniella may have a chance to manage the team that, year in and year out, has the best chance to win a championship. In the wake of the Yankees' second straight loss in the division series, there is rampant speculation in New York that Manager Joe Torre's 11-year reign will end in his firing by owner George Steinbrenner.
That's where Piniella's future gets murky. Piniella's first managerial job came with his old team, the Yankees, from 1986 to '88, and one source who knows him well said this summer that it has long been Piniella's dream to return to the Bronx.
When asked about the Yankees on Monday, Piniella said, "I don't want to get into that subject." He said he has had no contact with the Yankees, and stressed that Torre is still employed by the club.
It's unclear where Cora, 41, who has three years' experience managing in the minors, and Cooper, 56, who managed two years at Class AAA, fit in the ever-expanding pool of Nationals' job candidates. The leader likely will former Marlins manager Joe Girardi -- who, sources confirmed over the weekend, interviewed last week -- but it also includes strong candidates such as former Cubs manager Dusty Baker and Atlanta Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton, who might be the next to interview.
Peña, 49, managed just more than three years with Kansas City, and while he was widely regarded as doing as splendid job early on, he was roundly criticized for quitting early in the 2005 season. Bowden tried to hire him as a coach for the 2006 season, but the Yankees swooped in.
"I think it would be something I might be interested in," Peña said over the weekend in Detroit, where the Yankees were eliminated by the Tigers. "But I don't know what will happen."
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Google Gambles on Web Video
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Google said yesterday that it will acquire Internet video phenomenon YouTube for $1.65 billion in stock, a deal that leaves the search giant betting on the future of online video as well as tackling some of the risks that come with managing a site built by a homegrown audience.
The deal, which Google called "the next step in the evolution of the Internet," is reminiscent of the late 1990s, when Web companies judged their success by the buzz they created more than by immediate profits. This time, YouTube, an as-yet-unprofitable Silicon Valley start-up with two founders in their twenties, grew a huge audience at a pace outdone only by MySpace.com.
In less than a year, YouTube attracted more than 72 million unique monthly visitors by allowing users to share short homemade video clips. Through word of mouth, the site became an instant Internet phenomenon, providing a huge library of entertaining videos and giving a voice to budding Internet stars every week.
"There's a new class of sites that have really developed very quickly, are very successful and very attractive to users and are obviously delivering value," Sergey Brin, a Google co-founder, said in a conference call. "It's kind of a next generation of Internet sites and companies. . . . It's a whole new ecosystem, and we're excited to be a part of it."
Behind the buzz of the high-priced deal come a number of gambles, including a large amount of copyrighted material on the site that attracted both viewers who shared the videos and lawyers who cried foul on behalf of the copyright holders. Clips of popular shows such as "South Park," "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "Laguna Beach" can be found on the site.
Also a factor is the fickleness of YouTube's online audience, which could migrate elsewhere or become turned off by the large amount of corporate advertising making its way onto the site. A year after online star MySpace.com, a social networking site, was acquired by News Corp. for $580 million, the core audience has shifted from teenagers to people in their thirties.
"The game back in the 1990s to 2001 was to attract as many eyeballs as possible. That hasn't changed," said Tim Bajarin, a longtime technology consultant and futurist with Creative Strategies. "The big difference today is the social network. One of the most powerful methods for spreading information is word of mouth, and the incredible explosion of that use, from spreading information and inviting people, especially within this young age group, is one huge difference."
Several analysts said they were surprised by the nature and price of YouTube's sale, which equates to about $22 per visitor, according to senior analyst Brian Haven of Forrester Research. That's a substantial jump from the roughly $10 per visitor in the MySpace acquisition. College-oriented networking site Facebook, which has about 14.7 million visitors monthly, has been said to be in acquisition talks with Yahoo for $1 billion -- about $67 per visitor.
Haven judged the YouTube price to be "a little high," but said "online video is really exploding. There's a lot of profit for it in the future."
Some analysts had cautioned Google not to purchase YouTube out of concern that online audiences could shift if they didn't like how a site was evolving. Earlier this year, several thousand members of social networking site Tribe.net left to start another site in protest of new restrictions put in place by new management.
"We would be cautions about [Google] paying up to buy a hot video site like Youtube.com because hot sites may fetch bubble-like valuations, and what is a fad today may be forgotten by next year," wrote Guzman & Co. analyst Phil Remek in a research note earlier this year.
After MySpace was acquired by News Corp., the Web site attracted more media companies, music labels and movie studios, which built their own pages as members of the group. But that gave the site a more corporate feel. Before the acquisition, teenagers made up 25 percent of the membership. Today, only 12 percent of the site's members are teens, according to ComScore Networks Inc.
Today, people over age 35 dominate, making up 40 percent of the membership. Overall, MySpace has gained 34 million members in the past year, according to ComScore.
MySpace "got a lot more people in the older age bracket, but not at the expense of losing people in the younger bracket. The buying power of the older people probably exceeds the younger people, so for advertisers, it's a positive," said Gian Fulgoni, chairman of ComScore. "It might turn out that News Corp. got a heck of a deal."
Google said it planned to keep YouTube separate from its own video site, though it would leverage Google search and other technology to enhance YouTube. Google declined to answer questions about how quickly it expected to earn profit from YouTube.
YouTube has received $11.5 million in venture funding from Sequoia Capital and is estimated to be spending at least $2 million monthly to operate the content-rich site. Sequoia owns roughly 30 percent of YouTube, according to the Associated Press. Google also will inherit a copyright-infringement lawsuit filed against YouTube by a journalist who operates the Los Angeles News Service. YouTube has been able to prevent more lawsuits by negotiating with media companies to provide their content on the site in revenue-sharing deals. So far, the site has announced deals with NBC Universal and Warner Music Group. Yesterday, deals were announced with Sony BMG, CBS and Universal Music Group.
Greg Kostello, a former executive at Mp3.com, which was sued for copyright infringement over its music content years ago, said YouTube has not been hit by more lawsuits because it has had few assets. "If you sue them [before they are acquired], you're not going to get much," Kostello said.
YouTube said yesterday that it is developing a technology that will scan keywords and audio in the uploaded clips for potential copyright infringements. YouTube and Google left open the possibility that the site could become more commercial. YouTube chief executive Chad Hurley said he planned to introduce new advertising platforms and ways to integrate search and advertising technologies into the video clips. But he was noncommittal when asked if he would allow "pre-roll" advertisements to run before certain videos begin playing, a move counter to YouTube's current policy.
"We're going to be exploring a lot of options," he said. Google's advertising technologies "present a good experience that benefits our users' experience and helps partners monetize their content."
But it could also upset members, who react when they feel that the site is heading in the wrong direction, such as what happened when rapper and hip-hop mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs was featured in a video.
Shortly after, member Lisa Donovan created her own video that mimicked the rap star's video clip.
"YouTube is very much a community. There's a community voice, and there's a group of people very protective of their space. They were turned off by P. Diddy. It was so apparent they were just being advertised to," Donovan said. "That's what you expect on TV."
Like it or not, though, this sort of site is attractive to larger companies.
For Google, the YouTube acquisition boosts its traction in the online video space, where it hasn't had much success. Google's own video site has consistently lagged behind YouTube. With more than 100 million videos being viewed on YouTube daily, it attracts about four times more traffic than Google Video, according to Hitwise.
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Company Searching for Recalled Lettuce
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SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 9 -- The company that recalled its lettuce after irrigation water tested positive for E. coli scrambled Monday to locate 250 remaining cartons of the greens, which could be scattered across seven Western states.
On Sunday, Nunes Co. recalled more than 8,500 cartons of green leaf lettuce grown on one farm in the Salinas Valley, the agricultural region at the center of the contaminated-spinach outbreak that killed three people and made 199 others sick.
By Monday morning, all but 250 cartons of the lettuce distributed under the Foxy brand between Oct. 3 and Oct. 6 had been located and were being destroyed, Nunes President Tom Nunes said.
The search continued for the remaining cartons, which Nunes said were believed to be in supermarkets or restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
"If we can get it all back, I'll be a happy camper," Nunes said, emphasizing that the recall was precautionary since there had been no evidence of E. coli on the lettuce, or any reports of illnesses.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration commended the company for its action.
"Clearly, the company did the right thing in terms of taking the proper approach in not putting the public at risk and initiating a voluntary recall," said David Acheson, chief medical officer in the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Acheson said the lettuce recall does not appear to be related to the contaminated-spinach outbreak.
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Activist Is Still Fighting for Equal Funding
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Twelve years ago, a young man, passionate about politics, joined the campaign team for a Democrat hoping to become a U.S. senator in Maine. But what David Donnelly saw during that race made him lose faith in the system: Instead of courting voters, both candidates spent most of their time courting potential donors.
Day in and day out, Donnelly realized, the candidates sat in "dark rooms" on the phone, trying to persuade people they did not know to give them money. To Donnelly, this was not what democracy is about: "The communities the candidates came in touch with were those that had money -- a small proportion of the electorate. The people that were not listened to were those who did not have the money. They had no voice in the election."
Contact with the public during that 1994 race between Democrat Thomas H. Andrews and Republican Olympia J. Snowe (who won) was limited to what the money could be spent on -- television and radio ads, pre-recorded phone messages, and fliers. "Maybe I was naive back then, but I felt they were pulled away from the voters themselves," he said.
Donnelly was angry enough to make a career change. "Clean elections," ones that forced candidates to find out what voters actually wanted, were a cause worth fighting for, he decided. He has now spent more than a decade moving around the country campaigning for clean-election laws that do not "force candidates to make phone calls in dark rooms."
He wants to see a system in which aspiring politicians who do not have wealthy donors can have access to public funds. "The candidate that raises a large number of small donations receives funds to keep pace with their opponent," Donnelly said. In his view, only then will politicians need to go out and listen to voters.
Donnelly, 37, has gotten results: clean-election laws in a number of states. He is the national campaign director for the Public Campaign Action Fund, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve campaign finance laws, and is director of one of its key projects -- Campaign Money Watch. Through it, Donnelly has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars exposing politicians and their financial backers.
He was described in the New York Times in 2005 as "perhaps the most famously zealous Ahab in pursuit" of the resignation of Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), the former majority leader, and has been credited with helping end Republican Ralph Reed's campaign this summer in Georgia.
"David is a remarkable political strategist and organizer," said Nick Nyhart, executive director of the Public Campaign Action Fund. "On numerous occasions he has undertaken what people said was impossible and made it happen."
His first feat was in Maine, where in 1995 he became campaign manager for the clean-elections referendum. People headed to the polls the next year and with a 56 percent majority voted for the Maine Clean Election Act -- the first of its kind. The change had quick repercussions.
Deborah L. Simpson was a single mother, waiting on tables at TJ's restaurant in Auburn, Maine, to get herself through college, when she decided to run for the state House of Representatives in 2000. "When people were trying to recruit me to run, the fact it was clean elections influenced my decision," she said. Before, Simpson said, "I would not have known who to call. Instead I was able to go out and talk to people.
She won that race and is serving her third term. "If only people who are well connected to people with money can run for office, then who represents ordinary people like me? Because our interests are different to theirs," Simpson said in a recent interview.
After the success in Maine, Donnelly moved to a campaign in Vermont, where a similar act passed in 1997. From there he led a five-year struggle as director of Massachusetts Voters for Clean Elections. Although 1.1 million voters, a 67 percent majority, voted to pass an act in 1998, the state legislators refused to provide the funding. Donnelly and his team kept up the fight, but the legislators repealed the act in 2003.
He was not ready to give up. In 2004, the Public Campaign Action Fund spent $175,000 to target DeLay with articles on its blog the Daily DeLay and with television and radio advertising. An additional $100,000 was thrown at Reed -- spent on polling, building a voter file, talking to GOP voters, and running television and radio ads pointing out Reed's links to lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Reed -- a former executive director of the Christian Coalition -- lost the GOP primary for Georgia's lieutenant governor in July.
More recently, Donnelly's group spent $235,000 on television commercials attacking Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) and Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio). The ads showed a man from Big Oil thanking the politicians for supporting the energy bill and said Big Oil had given Burns and Pryce $546,000 and $103,000, respectively.
Late last month, Public Campaign Action Fund launched a Web site that showed more than 250 federal candidates had signed a Voters First Pledge supporting its Clean Up Congress campaign that calls for public financing, stronger ethics and more disclosure about fundraising.
There is now movement on a national level. A clean-elections bill, put forward by Reps. John F. Tierney (D-Mass.) and Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), has 40 co-sponsors. "We would like to level the playing field," Tierney said. Grass-roots movements, such as Campaign Money Watch, have been crucial in pushing forward the cause, he added.
Donnelly knows there is still a long way to go to his ultimate goal of a federal law. "Only then," he said, "will races be a competition of ideas and not a competition of who can raise the most money."
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Twelve years ago, a young man, passionate about politics, joined the campaign team for a Democrat hoping to become a U.S. senator in Maine. But what David Donnelly saw during that race made him lose faith in the system: Instead of courting voters, both candidates spent most of their time courting...
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The Rise of the Testing Culture
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Pop quizzes, spelling bees and the three letters that strike dread into high school students across the country -- SAT. We have become a Test Nation, and the results can determine the course of a student's life. Some are beginning to question: Is it all too much? Has our obsession with testing pushed students too hard? Just what do tests really tell us? Over the next few months, The Washington Post will examine the nature of testing and its effects. First in a series:
Along with painting and gluing and coloring and playing, Kisha Lee engages the youngsters in her day-care program in another activity: testing.
Three- and 4-year-olds take spelling tests of such words as "I," "me" and "the," as well as math tests, from which they learn how to fill in a bubble to mark the right answer.
Test preparation for children barely out of diapers is hardly something Lee learned while getting her education degree at the University of Maryland, she said. But it is what she says she must do -- for the kids' sake -- based on her past experience teaching in a Prince George's County elementary school.
"Kids get tested and labeled as soon as they get into kindergarten," said Lee, who runs the state-certified Alternative Preschool Solutions in Accokeek. "They have to pass a standardized test from the second they get in. I saw kindergartners who weren't used to taking a test, and they fell apart, crying, saying they couldn't do it.
"The child who can sit and answer the questions correctly is identified as talented," Lee said. "It hurts me to have to do this, but it hurts the kids if I don't."
Lee's approach underscores the culture of testing that reigns in the United States. Americans like tests so much that they have structured society around them.
Newborns are greeted into the world with the Apgar test to measure activity, pulse, reflex, appearance and respiration. Getting a 3 or below is like getting an F. Soon to follow are assessments -- the first of many -- that will compare them with their peers. Are they crawling, sitting, walking at the correct age?
In no time, kids are facing tests to measure school readiness.
Four-year-olds are tested in literacy and math in Head Start programs, and kindergartners undergo tests to see who is "gifted." By then, they are firmly ensconced on the testing treadmill.
"We are obsessed with tests," said Occidental University education professor Ron Solorzano, who used to teach in Los Angeles public schools.
"We are pretty much preparing [kids] for the SAT at the age of 6," added Solorzano, who also worked at the Educational Testing Service, the world's largest private educational testing and measurement organization.
Americans embrace tests because they are entranced with objectivity -- or at least the appearance of it, experts say.
"Merely having a number associated with something makes it sound worthwhile, even if the number isn't all that valid," said Robert J. Sternberg, dean of Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences and former president of the American Psychological Association.
No topic in education sparks as much debate and division as testing -- especially standardized testing.
Although U.S. students have never been strangers to tests, President Bush's No Child Left Behind initiative has revolutionized the process. Implemented in 2003, the law seeks to hold schools accountable for results. It not only added a national mandate for testing, but also raised the stakes higher than ever. A single test today can determine grade promotion or high school graduation, a teacher's salary or a principal's job.
Proponents say standardized tests are the best objective tool to hold teachers and schools accountable; opponents argue that the tests prove nothing more than that some kids are better at taking tests than others.
"The problem is not the tests themselves," Sternberg said. "They are assigned a value way beyond what they actually have. It has become like a cult."
The testing culture "has a lot more momentum than it should," agreed Harvard University education professor Daniel Koretz, an expert on assessment and measurement. He said a lack of solid research on the results of the new testing regimen -- or those that predated No Child Left Behind -- essentially means that the country is experimenting with its young people.
Tests, experts say, also serve as self-fulfilling prophecies; the most elite schools accept only students with top scores and then brag that it is these students who do well. The current craze of ranking schools also perpetuates the importance of tests, they say.
Ask students what they think about standardized tests and many agree with Leah Zipperstein, a junior at Colorado College. She said she remembers her teachers in Cincinnati spending weeks in middle and high school helping kids practice to pass the tests rather than teaching something more substantive.
"I'm so sick of caring about those tests," she said.
"I think we have probably, as a culture and as a society, gone too far," said Michael A. Morehead, associate dean of the College of Education at New Mexico State University. "We need to really reflect on what these tests imply. They don't really evaluate character. They don't really evaluate persistence of an individual."
Standardized tests also don't measure values or attitude, said Daniel Chambliss, a sociology professor at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y.
"Tests measure very narrow kinds of things under very specific circumstances," he said. "And real life doesn't work that way."
Some polls indicate that a majority of Americans are growing dubious of high-stakes standardized tests; three of the major gubernatorial candidates in Texas, for example, want to de-emphasize the state's high-stakes exam.
Still, nobody expects tests to go away; in fact, the latest wrinkle in the debate is about a national test that would supplant the state and systemwide tests now given.
That is why Pat Wyman, an instructor at California State University at East Bay and author of "Learning vs. Testing: Strategies That Bridge the Gap," says students should just learn how to deal with tests -- of all kinds.
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Pop quizzes, spelling bees and the three letters that strike dread into high school students across the country -- SAT. We have become a Test Nation, and the results can determine the course of a student's life. Some are beginning to question: Is it all too much? Has our obsession with testing...
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Intensity of Gallaudet Unrest Surprised Incoming Leader
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Until about a week ago, incoming president Jane K. Fernandes thought things were going well at Gallaudet University.
Since May, when protests erupted for two weeks after she was named the next leader of the school for the deaf, Fernandes said she has been trying to move forward, working with people on campus and developing a diversity plan to address issues of discrimination that are upsetting many in the community. And things were quiet over the summer. "So I was surprised by the intensity of this," she said.
Instead of her problems being behind her, Fernandes's troubles seem to be escalating.
Yesterday morning, a bomb threat -- the second in several days -- cleared the campus. Hundreds of students have taken over one of the main campus buildings, forcing dozens of classes to be relocated the week of midterm exams, as protesters demand a search for a different president. For more than a week, students have been leading angry, sometimes uncivil protests. Late last month, faculty members had a contentious meeting about the issue; and smaller support protests have occurred in places including California, Texas, Minnesota and Indianapolis.
In a letter to the Gallaudet community, two leaders of the National Association of the Deaf said: "This is, by any definition, a crisis."
Fernandes's supporters say she is the best hope for bringing the university, the heart of deaf culture for many worldwide, back together when she starts her new job Jan. 1.
"I have a huge responsibility . . . " she said, "to be president of a university for . . . all the different kinds of students we have here." She will lead an $800,000 initiative to further the school's diversity goals and, later this semester, to get "some expert assistance on how we can work with each other, to be respectful of each other on campus."
Her opponents say her response thus far proves what they've been saying all along: She's not a strong enough leader for a job that means much more than just directing an academic institution.
Since May, protesters say, the university has only become more deeply divided.
"What is her plan? And, what is she waiting for? She had all summer to bring the community together, but as you can see, [that] didn't happen," wrote Andrew J. Lange, president of the Gallaudet University Alumni Association, which is setting up an independent Web site because it cannot send e-mail to alumni without university approval.
The second wave of demonstrations began last week when the board of trustees met on campus. Protesters say that the way Fernandes was chosen was unfair and that the board has ignored people on campus for too long.
Last night, hundreds of students agreed to spend one more night in the classroom building. They awaited a response from administrators to a proposal that they would leave the building if the university satisfied 24 demands, including guaranteeing their right to protest in specific areas.
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U.S. Urges Sanctions on North Korea
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The White House pushed yesterday for aggressive new sanctions on North Korea, including measures to limit trade in military and luxury items, as Pyongyang's claim that it conducted an underground nuclear test defied the administration's efforts to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
Japan, Russia, South Korea -- and, significantly, China, North Korea's closest ally -- joined the United States in condemning the reported test, giving the Bush administration hope that it might unify the international community against Pyongyang. But U.S. officials acknowledged uncertainty about whether that would translate into strict U.N. sanctions, given China's traditional reluctance to lean heavily on its ally.
There were questions yesterday about the strength and success of the reported North Korean explosion, but there was little doubt among White House officials, lawmakers and outside experts that the action added a volatile new ingredient to an already dangerous world environment.
President Bush, acknowledging he could not confirm that a nuclear test occurred early yesterday in North Korea, said that the claim was nonetheless a "provocative act" and that he is "committed to diplomacy." Noting that North Korea has transferred missile technology to Iran and Syria, Bush also seemed to draw a sharp line that he warned Pyongyang not to cross.
"The transfer of nuclear weapons or material by North Korea to states or non-state entities would be considered a grave threat to the United States, and we would hold North Korea fully accountable of the consequences of such action," Bush told reporters at the White House.
If the test is confirmed, North Korea will be the eighth member of the club of declared nuclear powers -- and one led by a reclusive Stalinist dictator known for cruelty and unpredictability.
Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa), chairman of the House International Relations subcommittee on Asia, said the action could prod Japan to drop its non-nuclear position, encourage Iran to harden its stance in negotiations over its own reported nuclear program and make it difficult to stop North Korea from marketing weapons to "undesirable parties."
The new claim also promised to renew scrutiny of the Bush administration's handling of North Korea and more generally its efforts to confront rogue states, just as crucial midterm elections are approaching. North Korea has ignored repeated warnings from the Bush administration on nuclear and missile testing.
Democrats quickly seized on the new North Korean claim as evidence that Bush has bungled his foreign policy, and even some conservatives voiced concern that the initial White House response yesterday was not stern enough.
"Unfortunately, on the Bush Administration's watch, North Korea's nuclear arsenal has grown to as many as a dozen bombs," Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement. "Distracted by Iraq and paralyzed by internal divisions, the Bush Administration has for several years been in a state of denial about the growing challenge of North Korea, and has too often tried to downplay the issue or change the subject."
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the majority whip, said of the Democrats: "It doesn't make any difference what [Bush] does, they just come out and trash him." McConnell said in an interview that he hopes that China might be encouraged to sign on to a plan for tough sanctions on North Korea, noting a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement that said Pyongyang "defied the universal opposition of international society and flagrantly conducted the nuclear test."
"For China, that's pretty tough language," McConnell said, echoing a statement voiced privately by Bush administration officials.
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The White House pushed yesterday for aggressive new sanctions on North Korea, including measures to limit trade in military and luxury items, as Pyongyang's claim that it conducted an underground nuclear test defied the administration's efforts to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
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North Korea's Political, Economic Gamble
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TOKYO, Oct. 9 -- North Korea may have gained bragging rights on Monday as the world's newest nuclear power, but the pivotal question now is whether the secretive communist government can survive the political fallout.
While the United States and Japan have long pushed for a hard line against North Korea, there were early indications Monday that South Korea and China, the North's chief benefactors, may be reconsidering their support for the government of Kim Jong Il. There were also concerns that Pyongyang's claims of a nuclear test could touch off an arms race in Northeast Asia.
Analysts said any major development would threaten stability in the strategically vital region, in which the United States has long maneuvered diplomatically among friend and foe.
China and South Korea have poured billions of dollars in aid and investment into the North, effectively propping up Kim's government under the assumption that any collapse there would send millions of desperate refugees pouring across the country's borders. The risk of such an economic calamity, they have gambled, has outweighed the risk of a nuclear-armed North Korea.
But the announcement of a test, analysts said, may have represented a tipping point. In a telephone call with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, China's foreign minister condemned North Korea for having "ignored universal opposition of the international community," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The minister, Li Zhaoxing, also stressed that the Chinese government was "resolutely opposed" to the nuclear test.
South Korea, meanwhile, immediately halted delivery of an emergency assistance package to help the North deal with recent floods. President Roh Moo Hyun suggested that his country's "sunshine policy" of engagement -- of which he was a vocal supporter -- had failed.
"The South Korean government at this point cannot continue to say that this engagement policy is effective," Roh said in a nationally televised speech. "Ultimately, it is not something we should give up on, but objectively speaking, the situation has changed. Being patient and accepting whatever North Korea does is no longer acceptable."
Any shift in policy by China or South Korea would be at least partly based on the anticipated reaction of Japan, the nation that today feels most threatened by North Korea's ballistic missiles. Analysts have assumed that a nuclear-armed North Korea would lead Tokyo to accelerate plans to redraft its pacifist constitution and rearm itself with a more aggressive military.
Last week, a U.S. congressional report went as far as to suggest that a test by the North could set in motion a domino effect in which Japan, South Korea and perhaps Taiwan pursue their own nuclear weapons, touching off an arms race that would dramatically escalate the consequences of any regional disputes.
Although some observers were quick to caution that China's criticism of North Korea might not necessarily translate into action, there was little question that the reported test had deeply embarrassed China. The Chinese government has taken the lead in the diplomatic effort to denuclearize North Korea at long-stalled six-party talks in Beijing, bringing the United States, Japan, Russia, and South Korea and North Korea to the table.
"It's a big slap to China," Zhu Feng, a professor of international studies at Peking University, said of the North's test. "It's time for a new approach, because we just got humiliated. For four years, we have been so good to North Korea, trying to make the right conditions for Kim Jong Il to abandon nuclear weapons in exchange for normalization with the U.S. and Japan and a lot of economic aid. China's goodwill has been relentlessly wasted."
Analysts said China will now be faced with heightened international pressure to accept tougher economic sanctions and reduce or even cut its aid -- including oil shipments -- to coerce Pyongyang back to the negotiating table. China's options are limited now, and although analysts say it will probably harden its stance against North Korea, it has in the past drawn the line at any action that would endanger Kim's government.
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TOKYO, Oct. 9 -- North Korea may have gained bragging rights on Monday as the world's newest nuclear power, but the pivotal question now is whether the secretive communist government can survive the political fallout.
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Danish Web Videos on Muhammad Taken Down
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COPENHAGEN, Oct. 9 -- Videos showing anti-immigrant party members mocking the prophet Muhammad were pulled from Web sites Monday as two youths seen in the clips were reported in hiding and the Foreign Ministry warned Danes against traveling in the Middle East.
Muslim clerics from Egypt and Indonesia condemned the video broadcast in Denmark last week showing members of the Danish People's Party youth wing with cartoons of a camel wearing the head of Muhammad and beer cans for humps. A second drawing placed a turbaned, bearded man next to a plus sign and a bomb, all equaling a mushroom cloud.
In a move aimed at defusing tension, the Danish Foreign Ministry invited ambassadors from Muslim countries to discuss the video Monday. It was unclear how many diplomats took part in the meeting or which countries they represented.
Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen condemned the youths in the video Sunday, saying that "their tasteless behavior does in no way represent the way the Danish people or young Danish people view Muslims or Islam."
Citing critical media reports from many Muslim regions, the Foreign Ministry cautioned against travel to the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey.
The video was produced by an artists' group, Defending Denmark. In a message posted along with the video, the group said it had infiltrated the Danish People's Party Youth for 18 months "to document [their] extreme right-wing associations."
"This is not an example of something that is meant to provoke. This is an example to show how things are in Danish politics," artist Martin Rosengaard Knudsen told Danish public radio.
In Jordan on Monday, a powerful umbrella group for about 200,000 professionals including engineers, doctors and journalists called on Muslims to sever relations with Denmark, saying the video "reveals hatred toward the Prophet who came to the world with a message to enlighten the people."
Hard-line Muslims and leftists in these professional associations have repeatedly called on the government to abolish a 1994 peace treaty with Israel.
The episode comes in the aftermath of an outcry across the Muslim world over the September 2005 printing in a Danish newspaper of 12 cartoons portraying Muhammad. For most Muslims, any artistic rendition of Muhammad is taboo.
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COPENHAGEN, Oct. 9 -- Videos showing anti-immigrant party members mocking the prophet Muhammad were pulled from Web sites Monday as two youths seen in the clips were reported in hiding and the Foreign Ministry warned Danes against traveling in the Middle East.
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Activists Take to Prince George's Pulpits To Break a Pattern of Domestic Violence
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Yvette Cade stepped up to the microphone and the church went silent.
"I am a victim of domestic violence. I was set on fire by my estranged husband," she said, head held high, looking out over the 350 or so people gathered inside the main sanctuary at Fort Foote Baptist Church in Fort Washington. "Take a look at my scars. I was burned at 1,500 degrees. . . . One year later, I am here as a witness, a survivor and a soldier on the battlefield for Christ. Stop the domestic violence. Please."
The church erupted in a thunderous ovation. It was more than two hours into the 11 a.m. church service, and Cade, along with other Prince George's County "soldiers" in the war against domestic violence, had come to the church as part of Project Safe Sunday, a program started four years ago to bring the clergy into the effort to fight the problem. Prince George's has more domestic violence than any other jurisdiction in Maryland.
According to statistics from the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, 5,085 cases of domestic violence were filed in Prince George's District Court last year, accounting for more than 21 percent of the cases filed statewide. The county has had the highest number of cases filed for more than five years, statistics show.
The other jurisdictions with the most reported domestic violence cases last year were Baltimore City with 4,152, Baltimore County with 3,780; Anne Arundel County with 1,998; and Montgomery County with 1,712. A total of 23,627 cases were filed statewide.
Joining Cade yesterday were Prince George's State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey (D), who has actively promoted the program, and Debra Williams, who conceived of the program in 2003 after the domestic violence slaying of her sister, Ernestine Bunn-Dyson. Dozens of churches participated in the program.
Through the program, which spread to Baltimore and Northern Virginia this year, victims of domestic violence are encouraged to report their abuse and leave violent homes, and abusers are urged to seek help to stop attacking their victims. A third goal, organizers said, is to work with ministers and other church administrators to change the sometimes antiquated thinking that leads some to believe the Bible justifies a husband's right to abuse his wife.
"Silence has been one of the biggest contributions to the problem," Ivey said in an interview. "The faith community is the place where ministers talk about the private and intimate issues. A lot of women say they turn to the church, but to be candid, some ministers take the view that some degree of [abuse] is permissible. . . . We also wanted to have a dialogue with the ministerial community to address that mentality."
Domestic violence cases filed last year include the September attack on Cade, who was set on fire after a judge dismissed a protective order against her estranged husband, Roger B. Hargrave. Three weeks later, Hargrave went to the store in Clinton where Cade worked, doused her with gasoline and set her on fire. Cade, 33, suffered horrific burns to her face, head and torso. Her estranged husband was sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder.
The issue of domestic violence in Prince George's has been under the microscope in recent days, after the publication of an article in Essence magazine highlighting stories of women in the county who were abused for years and kept quiet.
Headlined "The Secret Shame of Prince George's County," the story was denounced by members of County Executive Jack B. Johnson's administration, who accused the magazine of unfairly painting the county as unresponsive to the issue. Aides to Johnson (D) have marshaled statistics showing that county spending on domestic violence issues has risen from $1.7 million to more than $3 million in the past three years.
"How is it possible that you would paint us as a county that doesn't talk about it when we're doing things every day?" said Jacqueline F. Brown, the county's chief administrative officer and top aide to Johnson. Brown, a former family therapist, said she has counseled abuse victims.
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Yvette Cade stepped up to the microphone and the church went silent.
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Outlook: Time for Rumsfeld to Leave?
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It's Time for Him to Go , ( Post, Oct. 8, 2006 )
Washington, D.C.: What are the chances of Brzezinski ever being asked to be the Secretary of Defense?
New Hampshire: Good morning, Mr. Dallek.
I watched with interest the testimony from the 3 retired officers at the Democratic Policy Committee a couple of weeks ago. All of them heaped a lot of blame for our failure in Iraq on the Sec Def. Will getting rid of Rumsfeld solve our problem, or does the problem go much deeper? I mean, he alone wasn't totally responsible for the torture, kidnappings, or stripping of habeas corpus, was he?
Robert Dallek: The problem goes much deeper, but removing Rumsfeld might force the sort of debate that could improve matters.
Washington, D.C.: Is Donald Rumsfeld successful in reforming or modernizing the Pentagon and the U.S. military apparatus?
Why did not he resigned after Abu Ghraib? or the quagmire in Iraq?
Robert Dallek: I don't know, but the leaders of this administration find it difficult to admit errors.
Fairfax, Va.: Do you believe the reality of Rumsfeld is not Rumsfeld, but the influence and agenda of VP Cheney - who seems to be the one really calling the shots during this and the previous term?
Robert Dallek: I think Rumsfeld and Cheney are both responsible and share a common perspective on what needs to be done.
Sydney, Australia: Is it even plausible for Rumsfeld to leave at this point in time? Wouldn't it be a huge embarrassment for the administration to replace him now?
Robert Dallek: Yes, it would be, but it could have a positive effect on rethinking what we need to do, as in the examples I included in my article.
Cairo, Egypt: I am a U.S. expatriate living and working in the Middle East for the last 25 years. Rumsfeld and the Bush administration long ago lost the battle for the hearts and minds of moderate Middle Easterners. In your opinion, who or what comes after Rumsfeld and will it really make any difference? I basically think were finished in this region until Bush and company are out of office.
Robert Dallek: I agree. We will need a fresh start with a president and an administration that strikes people in the Middle East as more receptive to their concerns.
Bethesda, Md.: Do you agree with Bob Woodward that we need a bipartisan discussion of what steps to take in Iraq (after Rumsfeld is fired) so that it is not a black and white issue (cut and run or continue down the same rabbit hole)? What solutions to you see to the Iraq dilemma?
Robert Dallek: Yes, we do need a bipartisan discussion of what to do. I think we need to press the case with the Iraqis to take responsibility for themselves, but I am not optimistic. Iraq is a society that seems too riven to build a national consensus about anything.
Tacoma, Wash.: I just finished reading Fiasco, and it seems that Ricks puts the fault of the war at the feet of the three major players. Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, and Franks.
It appears that Wolfowitz escaped like McNamara before the problems he created really came to fruition. How much of this was actually Rumsfeld not aware of the problems he was creating, and a product of his attitude not letting dissent be heard?
Robert Dallek: I think they all bear responsibility for the war and the policy errors we are currently burdened with.
Duluth, Minn.: Could you sketch a face-saving scenario which the administration might find palatable for relieving Rumsfeld of duty?
Robert Dallek: A simple honest explanation that things have not been working and that we need a fresh approach to our problems with Iraq. It would I think give Bush an instant boost as someone who finally accepted harsh realities.
Gaithersburg, Md.: If you could advise Bush to replace the SoD, who would you recommend, and why?
I don't think we can make comparisons to Vietnam with Iraq regarding our policy of "as they stand up, we'll stand down." I think there are greater stakes in the ME vs Vietnam.
Robert Dallek: I'm not sure you are right. We were almost hysterical about the dangers to us from losing Vietnam. They proved to be wrong. We won the Cold War in spite of our defeat in Vietnam. We can wins this war against terrorists even if we don't "win" in Iraq.
Karachi, Pakistan: Realistically, given the magnitude of the problem, what are the chances that things will improve in Iraq if Secretary Rumsfeld resigns? Suppose Rumsfeld resigns and things still don't improve in Iraq. Who will be blamed for the mess in Iraq then? Isn't Rumsfeld then acting as a political shield for Bush?
Robert Dallek: Yes, in a way Rumsfeld gives Bush some cover, but not a lot. Bush's approval rating are way down because of the failure in Iraq .I'm afraid it's going to take a new administration to get us out of the mess there.
Austin, Tex.: Do you think that the Bush strategy of "stay the course" is what they'll stick with for the next two years? After he's left office, the next president will probably have to have some plan for withdrawal. Then, the Bush administration can simply blame the next administration for failing to democratize Iraq.
Robert Dallek: I think you are right. This admin. will "stay the course" to no good end. But the country will be so fed up with Iraq by the time Bush leaves, it will be ready to accept any sort of a stand down--as with Vietnam.
Fountain Valley, Calif.: With North Korea testing a nuclear weapon, do you think that Rumsfeld and the rest of the administration may try to "change the subject" from Iraq? It seems to me that Rumsfeld is best when he's acting like a bully and this may give him that chance.
Robert Dallek: I think you may be right but the public is so attentive to the admin's stealth at this point that it will not be easy for them to pull off some diversion of attention from Iraq.
Monroe, La.: Would you agree that while Rumsfeld is, and deservedly so, a focal point of the admin's failures, the problems really extend to the entire foreign policy team? I would really appreciate your insight on whether you feel any member of the current foreign policy team is cutting it.
Robert Dallek: Yes, I think you are right. This is a collective failure and will not be remedied until we change administrations.
Gulf Shores, Ala.: What I don't understand is, why? Why, when it is obvious it isn't working in Iraq, has this administration failed to make changes? Also, I understand some of our best generals are no longer in Iraq? Is that true and if so why?
Robert Dallek: I don't know about "our best generals" being gone from Iraq but it is difficult to understand why the admin, led by Bush and Cheney, are so stubborn about not confronting their shortcomings. It is a disservice to the country.
Alabama: What do you expect to change if Rumsfeld is fired or resigns? If Cheney is still around, I can't see any significant policy deviations over the next two years.
Robert Dallek: I suspect you are right. I'm afraid we may have to wait until we get a new administration.
Anonymous: Did you happen to catch CNN's hour long piece on Rumsfeld this weekend? If so what were your thoughts?
Robert Dallek: I'm afraid I didn't see it.
Madison, Wis.: I've always thought Sec. Rumsfeld would leave when he felt like it, and not before. But if he did decide to leave soon, doesn't the record of this President suggest that his most likely replacement would be someone who already works for the administration -- Dep. Sec. England, for instance?
I understand the reasoning behind bringing in a new guy to implement a new policy, but this President has a long history of not doing this if he can possibly avoid it.
Robert Dallek: I fear you are right and my guess is that we are stuck with the same team for another two years or until we get a new administration.
Dallas, Tex.: I believe Tommy Franks deserves more condemnation than Rumsfeld for his repeated blunders in Iraq and Afghanistan. However he seems to have escaped and struts around like an Eisenhower or MacArthur type general while Rumsfeld gets all the blame. Why doesn't anyone attack Franks?
Robert Dallek: I think the failures are across the board, beginning with Bush and Cheney. There are no participants here who can come off looking good.
Arlington, Va.: Woodward's book discloses a memo from Rumsfeld in which Rumsfeld states that the structure of the U.S. government is antiquated and needs to be changed. Do you know if he is referring to the three branches of government, and if so, what is his preferred structure?
Robert Dallek: I have no idea. My guess is that he was talking about the military but perhaps he had other institutions in mind.
Alexandria, Va.: The administration appears to not care at all about the countless lives lost or about the fact that terrorism has increased. What does the administration care about strongly enough to do something constructive, instead of staying the course?
Robert Dallek: Winning elections and it's reputation, I fear is the answer.
Knoxville, Tenn.: Does Rumsfeld feel any remorse or regret at his arrogance and his catastrophic blunders?
Robert Dallek: I hope so, but I have seen no sign of such.
Fredericksburg, Va.: Rumsfeld has never seemed like someone who was willing to play ball with Congress. In his press conferences, he often gets defensive to the point of irrational anger. So why are not more Republicans, even privately, calling for his ouster? I get the impression that the military doesn't like him, the American people don't like him--nobody but Dick Cheney and the President seem to really like him. Does the president take loyalty so far that he will really allow his allegiance to the Secretary of Defense to sink him?
Robert Dallek: I guess so. But Bush is the "decider," as he says, and he can't admit to being so woefully wrong on Iraq and so he keeps Rumsfeld in place.
Munich, Germany: Through recorded messages from Osama bin Laden, as well as attacks in Europe, Bali, London, Afghanistan and Iraq, I've noticed that terrorists and insurgents have targeted partners of the U.S., in an attempt to isolate the U.S. in its war on terror.
The terrorists must feel that there's something to gain through this strategy.
While much of the original antagonism between the U.S. and Europe over the Iraq War has dissipated, do you see any change in relations between the U.S. and Europe and other countries (Pakistan, etc.) if Secretary Rumsfeld steps down?
Robert Dallek: I hope a new sec of defense and a new administration will give us a fresh start with allies and adversaries. It is difficult to see this admin changing course in the time remaining to it.
Fairfax, Va.: Do you think we would be on a different course had Rumsfeld be ousted instead of Colin Powell? Who has the President's ear more Rumsfeld, Rice, or Cheney and which was most responsible for the departure of Colin Powell? I think the three aforementioned cabinet members are incapable of bi-partisanship or of admitting that they have made mistakes. This seems to be a party (GOP) trait - do you agree?
Robert Dallek: I agree and I think Powell left because he came to understand this.
Minneapolis, Minn.: Wouldn't it be more genuinely decisive - and better for Bush, for the Republican party, and for America - if Bush persuaded not Rumsfeld but Cheney to step down? More of a genuine acknowledgement of being on the wrong course, more of a correction - and better for Republicans, since Bush could replace Cheney with his heir apparent, presumably McCain?
Robert Dallek: You are probably right. But at this point I don't think anyone Bush selected would have much credibility. An association with Bush now, as we see from all the congressional candidates, is not good politics for anyone running for office.
Milwaukee, Wis.: Mr. Dallek, thank you so much for your straight forward answers.
Do you have any idea why the Democrats and Republicans in Congress fail to point out to the President that the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan fails miserably to meet the criteria of the Powell Doctrine for the use of military force?
Robert Dallek: In wartime, people tend to be overly cautious about criticizing a president, but it is more helpful to the nation for people in Congress to speak out than to stay silent. Some of course have and to their credit are continuing to do so.
Hong Kong: I'm an American living in Hong Kong. My guess is that Bush/Cheney haven't replaced the SecDef because they have no idea what to do in Iraq, as scary a thought as that is. Replacing Rumsfeld would require them to acknowledge that.
Robert Dallek: I fear you are right. They have no prescription for Iraq except stay the course, which is not a policy
Arlington, Va.: The maddening thing about Rumsfeld is that he's right about some things, i.e., the need for a larger special forces element in the army and the need to get rid of some Cold War holdover weapons systems, but wrong about what really went wrong in Iraq -- the fact that the regular army simply isn't large enough to meet the requirements of fighting wars simultaneously in two theatres and winning an occupation. How do you think any future SOD or administration is going to address this conundrum?
Robert Dallek: Hopefully, by honestly confronting the problems we have and trying to build a consensus for sensible answers to these problems.
Portland, Ore.: I realize that Mr. Woodward is a colleague and likely enjoys your support. I find that his work has great integrity and has withstood all challenges. Are you aware of any area of the current book that you or perhaps he feels has not withstood the current onslaught from the administration?
Robert Dallek: No. I'm not.
Alexandria, Va.: If this becomes a full-blown civil war will that be the tipping point for Rumsfeld? He seems to offer only excuses or silly examples of progress. Nothing concrete to fix the problems.
Robert Dallek: I think it already is a civil war , but I see nothing on the horizon that will bring a significant change in what the administration is doing.
Carbondale, Colo.: Getting rid of Rumsfeld does not really make me feel any better. Congress needs to send a strong message to Bush that a REAL strategy is needed. $500,000,000,000 in Iraq so far has been squandered, thousands of our troops killed or maimed, tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis displaced, killed or whose quality of life has been taken from them. It's time to get serious about having a real plan! What do you think the plan should entail.
Robert Dallek: I wish I had a good answer other than getting out of Iraq, which is difficult. As Powell said, if you break it, you own it. I think it will take a new administration to find a way out of this conflict.
Albany, N.Y.: We've been hearing a lot of buzz over the past couple of years about the administration considering plans to invade Iran. What do you think are the chances of this happening?
Robert Dallek: I hope very small. It would be another disaster for the U.S.
Stoughton, Wis.: Personally, I would like to have seen Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Bush gone long ago. Rumsfeld's departure would seem to be positive for the Military. But would it change the outcome? Isn't it true that we are exactly where we were in Vietnam during the fall of Saigon?
Robert Dallek: I agree entirely. The parallels to Vietnam are eerie. I'm afraid it's going to take a new admin to get us out of the mess we are in.
Alexandria, Va.: What would Ronald Reagan do? Would he have waged war on Saddam?
Robert Dallek: I doubt it. Reagan was cautious about going to war, as witness his response to the loss of American troops in Beirut.
Arlington, Va.: Following up, while Rumsfeld and the civilian leadership of the Pentagon bear a huge responsibility for the fiasco in Iraq do you not also agree that the top brass have performed poorly as well as witnessed by their complete unwillingness (with several notable exceptions like Gen. Petraeus and Col. McMaster) to train their officers and men to fight a counterinsurgency?
Robert Dallek: I'm no military expert, but our problem has been poor political judgment by Bush and Cheney and all or most of their subordinates.
Utrecht, Netherlands: Better late than never. Rumsfeld has always been the wrong man in the wrong place. But the question remains: is there a decent solution for the mess in Iraq and elsewhere, with or without Rumsfeld? It's probably too late.
Robert Dallek: I fear you are right. I believe it will take a new administration to get us out of the mess we are in.
Thank you for your time: I've been an admirer of your work since my undergraduate days when Professor Sidney Fine assigned your book on FDR's foreign policy.
On the matter at hand, whom would you suggest the President select as Secretary of Defense, were he to come to realize that Secretary Rumsfeld needs to go? Is there anyone with sufficient gravitas who would be willing to take on such a daunting task?
Thank you for your attention.
Robert Dallek: It's difficult to say who could do the job effectively. I'm afraid it's going to take a new administration to get us out of the mess the current one has put us in.
Fairfax, Va.: As a "boomer" growing up during and living through the Viet Nam era, I find many eerie similarities between Robert McNamara and Donald Rumsfeld right down to the look, manner and even the appearance of "I am so much smarter than you, I won't distinguish your question." Do you think we will ever read an "I was mistaken" book from Rumsfeld in the same vein as McNamara at some future date.
Robert Dallek: I suspect not. McNamara is a more thoughtful man than Rumsfeld.
Charleston, S.C.: What did Rumsfeld play in Vietnam?
Is he repeating the same mistakes?
Robert Dallek: He was in the Nixon admin as head of OEO, a domestic agency. But, I agree,he seems to be repeating the same mistakes we made in Vietnam.
Murrells Inlet, S.C.: In its essence the current Iraq policy is and has been the president's - he is the "decision maker." Effectively what difference would getting rid of Rumsfeld make if the "stay the course" policy remains the same as prescribed by Bush ?
Robert Dallek: I agree. It is Bush who must be held accountable--Rumsfeld is more the symptom than the cause. If he fired Rumsfeld, however, it might signal that Bush was ready for a substantive change. I'm not holding my breath.
New Jersey: Mr. Dalleck, you are familiar with Donald Rumsfeld's personality: how will he take being made the fall guy for Iraq? Right now he's on the receiving end of arrows from the military, the neo-conservative movement, and many journalists. Is he likely to allow the attacks to become textbook judgments? Will he be willing to let his name pretty much stand alone with "the Iraq disaster?"
How do you think he will react?
Robert Dallek: I agree. He would not let himself be seen as the fall guy and I believe he would be able to make a strong case for the fact that others from Bush and Cheney down were at the center of this failure.
Fort Myers, Fla.: Since the Sec. of Defense serves at the pleasure of the president, is not the flap about Rumsfeld really about the competence of George W. Bush? Bush could have chosen to sack Rumsfeld at any time during the past few years, after the gross mistakes in Iraq became evident, but Bush kept him in office.
Robert Dallek: I agree. It is Bush who is responsible.
Arlington, Va.: I always enjoyed watching and thought Sec Rumsfeld did a great job tactically at dealing with questions from a slightly hysterical press corps during the initial invasion of Iraq. He is also a strategic thinker, just not a very adept or informed one. Someone like a Sen Warner would make a better replacement for the country, although we would miss him in Virginia. But in any case, the likelihood of Pres Bush removing Sec Rumsfeld seems exceedingly low. Pres Bush has never been one to 'cut and run' on his inner circle or his core ideas (no matter the evidence of their failure) and Rumsfeld embodies both of these, so he will stay.
Robert Dallek: I suspect you are right. Rumsfeld will stay to the end of Bush's term.
Sydney, Australia: At this point in time, is it plausible that Rumsfeld would voluntarily step down or be asked to step down, even if that's what he himself AND George W. Bush wanted? Wouldn't that be seen as a huge embarrassment for all involved? Unfortunately, this seems to be yet another corner the administration has painted itself into.
Robert Dallek: No. I don't think Rumsfeld will step down. And yes, the problems will remain even if he left.
washingtonpost.com: Thank you all for joining us today.
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Science: New Discovery in Tanning
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Washington Post science writer Rob Stein was online Monday, Oct. 9 at 11 a.m. ET to answer questions about his article: Tan From a Bottle May One Day Protect Against Skin Cancer , which looks at new insights about how natural tanning occurs.
Takoma Park, Md.: People who only looked at the headline or otherwise did not read the whole story may think that the tanning creams currently sold are good for you. I see on page two of the story that they do not contain the chemical discussed in the story, but do they actually do harm? Also, within how many years do the scientists predict that the findings might be complete?
Rob Stein: The self-tanners on the market are not harmful per se but are not protective against the damaging rays of sun exposure or skin cancer. So skin cancer experts worry people may expose themselves to the sun mistakenly thinking they are protected.
The scientists don't know how much research they will have to do, but don't even think they'll be ready to start testing anything on people for another two years.
Washington, D.C.: Any chance this discovery could lead to any other cancer protecting products -- for other cancers, not just skin?
Rob Stein: At this point the other possible applications for cancer would be skin cancer, and even for that much more research will be needed to determine whether it will pan out for practical applications.
Washington, D.C.: Your story mentions that UV is actually targeting a different kind of cell than previously thought, so does that mean all the products on the market right now that protect against UV aren't as effective as we think they are?
Rob Stein: No, this does not put into doubt the products that do protect against UV damage. This provides insights into the tanning process, and possibly could lead to new ways to get protection by harnessing the natural tanning process.
Falls Church, Va.: Fisher's quote at the end of the story mentioned they still have to make sure what he discovered is safe. In your interviews, did he mention if they had seen any side-effects or can you speculate what some of the risks for this new cream could be?
Rob Stein: They haven't seen any side effects. But they really haven't done any safety testing. There's no way to know what kind of risks could be posed, but unexpected side effects do occur frequently in early stages of research. That's why they're saying they have to do a lot more work before they can even be sure it's safe to this approach.
College Park, Md.: What else has Forskolin been used for? It fascinates me that a scientist in Boston can find such a far-off ingredient for his studies (in this case, the root of a Hindu plant).
Rob Stein: Forskolin has actually been around for a long time. It's a standard tool that scientists have been use in the laboratory to stimulate cAMP production in cells, which is a fundamental cellular process.
Arlington, Va.: Does the substance in this cream mimic UV rays in the way they affect cells? Did Vitamin E levels change at all, or did the substance just affect pigment?
Rob Stein: The cream mimicked UV's effect on cell only inasmuch as it stimulates pigment production.
Washington, D.C.: Are the scientists on this project working with or for any major cosmetics or pharmaceutical company? If not, are they likely to transform their work into their own product line?
Rob Stein: The lead scientist involved in the work has formed his own small biotech company to try to commercialize this approach.
Silver Spring: Interesting article Rob. In light of the article in last week's Health section, "Quick Study, Prostate Cancer, Hormone therapy may increase risk for other diseases," I suspect this tanning treatment also has the potential to pose an increased risk for other diseases. The reason for this, is that the scientists are using forskolin to activate cAMP, and cAMP is a "second messenger" in many metabolic pathways involving hormones. Thus, there would seem to be a strong potential to also affect pathways other than the intended "tanning pathway," and consequently produce other metabolic effects which could lead to disease. Do you know how the researchers intend to avoid this potential problem, and do you have any thoughts on this issue?
washingtonpost.com: Quick Study , Oct. 3.
Rob Stein: Yes, that's an excellent point, and one of the reasons the researchers are saying no one should try applying forskolin to their skin for tanning. A lot of research is needed to see if this approach is safe. It could very well turn out that this is not safe, but that the research provides insights that lead scientists to other strategies that are.
Pale in Silver Spring, Md.: I have polymorphic light eruptions (hives when skin is exposed to sun) and have tried "self tanners" with DHA to somewhat successfully prevent the horrible rash. Could forskolin help prevent PLE? Thanks.
Rob Stein: The researchers made it clear that no one should try using forskolin as a skin cream for anything yet because it's not clear it would be safe for any purpose.
Baltimore, Md.: Do you think this offers any hope to people who have vitiligo (the skin disorder that affects 1-2 percent of the population where they lose their pigment in their skin)?
Thank you for your response!
Rob Stein: It would depend on what the underlying malfunction is. The approach only bypasses on problem -- a faulty receptor for the MSH hormone.
Falls Church, Va.: Were there other discoveries about Tanning from Fisher's research that didn't make it into your article?
Rob Stein: His lab is working on other related work but this was the most recent findings published.
Rob Stein: Regarding the earlier question about vitiligo. I just got this answer back from Dr. Fisher: "Unfortunately the problem in vitiligo is lack of melanocytes, rather than lack of pigment in viable melanocytes. Therefore it's not clear that our strategy would work. However it is conceivable that there may be strategies in the future which combine growth inducers for melanocytes with differentiation inducers (like ours)."
Vienna, Va.: Dear Mr. Stein,
Do you know if this artificial tanning is likely to reduce the skin's ability to produce Vitamin D?
Rob Stein: Dr. Fisher says any vitamin D issue could be overcome with supplements.
Rob Stein: Thanks very much to everyone for participating. Lots of really good questions.
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 science writer Rob Stein will be online to discuss his Monday science page feature about new insights about how natural tanning occurs.
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'Family Values' for All of Us
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2006100819
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We need to have a long talk about the meaning of "family values."
The "we" here is our country, and the discussion should be encouraged by the shameful behavior of Mark Foley and the reaction, or non-reaction, of the House Republican leadership.
Over the next few weeks the argument will be partisan in nature, because that's what always happens during an election campaign. Democrats will rightly argue that the Republican brass seemed far more interested in ignoring Foley than in doing anything that might endanger their grip on power. The Republicans should pay a price, and I suspect they will.
But in the long run, this episode should be our national opportunity to break free from empty, politically driven rhetoric that has nothing to do with strengthening families and everything to do with electoral
Right out of the box, the widespread reaction to the Foley episode was that it would hurt the Republicans with their "base" of Christian and moral conservatives.
Well, yes, it will. But the implication here is that those of us who are not conservatives might somehow be less affected by what Foley did. Excuse me, but I am a married father of three, and that's more important to me than the fact that I am a liberal. Our kids matter infinitely more to my wife and me than the results of an election, even an election we both care a lot about.
Like just about every parent I know, I was horrified by this episode because I couldn't believe that the politicians involved didn't themselves react first as parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles -- rather than as politicians -- when they learned about Foley's special interest in a page.
"Family values" is more than a political slogan to be pulled off the shelf at election time. Republicans and conservatives do not have a monopoly on the commitments behind the phrase. For too long liberals have reacted against the idea of family values because they wrongly accepted it as a conservatives-only slogan. And many liberals who lead thoroughly old-fashioned, child-centered, family-oriented lives have not been willing to integrate that fact into the way they talk about policy.
Some liberals have been reluctant to embrace the phrase because they see it as implying a negative attitude toward single people or gays or lesbians. But the Foley case should demonstrate that the issue here is not about homosexuality. It is about whether adults, straight and gay alike, behave responsibly toward the young.
That Foley is gay is not the issue. What should upset us are the inappropriate ways in which he expressed his sexuality. We would be condemning him if he had been a 52-year-old heterosexual making similar come-ons to underage girls. And, yes, we should be unapologetically judgmental about such things.
And, by the way, isn't it strange that politicians who expressed moral objections to the desire of adult gays and lesbians to marry seemed to take the Foley matter so lightly when it first came to their attention? Where is the morality here?
I would ask my friends who are Christian conservatives to think about this. But I'd also ask my liberal friends to be more willing to come out as family-oriented people. Same-sex marriage is not the greatest threat to the heterosexual family. Misbehavior and irresponsibility by married heterosexuals do far more damage to families and children. Liberals should be unafraid to embrace the language of personal responsibility. In my experience, there's not a dime's worth of difference between my morally conservative friends and neighbors and me in our attitudes toward the obligations of parenthood.
And let economic liberals and moral conservatives come together to discuss how our society has made it more difficult for parents to do the job right. The family values issues that we can do the most about through government and private-sector policies include how we organize work, how we provide for parental leave, how we schedule the school day, how we guarantee medical benefits -- in short, how we can make it easier for mothers and fathers alike to juggle their
You might say that these questions are far afield from the Foley scandal. They are not.
The issue in the Foley case, at root, is no different from the issues raised by the great array of policy questions Congress faces all the time: When confronted with an issue, do politicians focus on narrow political imperatives or do they care most about the well-being of children and families? The politicians should have asked that question in Foley's case, and they should ask it about a lot of other issues, too.
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We need to have a long talk about the meaning of "family values."
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A's Make a Sweeping Statement
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2006100819
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OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 6 -- Much like communism and a national health care plan, the Oakland Athletics' use of statistical analysis and unconventional logic in building a baseball team had been an idea most successful in theory.
The approach, chronicled in the best-selling book "Moneyball," was not a total flop because Oakland had made the postseason in five of the past seven years. But the flaw was that the Athletics simply could never advance past the first round.
Such a dismal record had allowed "Moneyball" critics, usually traditional baseball men who insisted that scouting was the only way to build a team, to scoff at Oakland General Manager Billy Beane.
A two-game lead in the American League Division Series had done nothing to appease Beane, who had watched two of his previous teams blow such leads in the division series. During the plane ride home from Minnesota after Game 2, Beane and third baseman Eric Chavez spoke of what was yet to be done.
"We were very aware that winning two games accomplishes nothing," Beane said.
But this 2-0 lead was different, because to save their season, the Minnesota Twins were relying on veteran pitcher Brad Radke, whose injured shoulder was as fragile as Minnesota's pennant hopes. Radke, who had been pitching for most of the season with a torn labrum and the final month of the season with a stress fracture in his right shoulder, promised his final pitch of the 2006 season would be the final pitch of his career.
With the Athletics seemingly in command, they finished off the Twins with an 8-3 victory Friday in Game 3, advancing to the AL Championship Series and perhaps finally validating Oakland's "Moneyball" approach.
"I felt it was a curse, the whole first-round thing," said pitcher Barry Zito, who along with Chavez is the only player who experienced Oakland's four previous playoff flameouts from 2000 to 2003. "Whatever demons were present could have started creeping in if we lost today."
Beane had taken the brunt of criticism for "Moneyball." Skeptics wondered if Oakland's fledgling dynasty would crumble after the trades of star pitchers Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder following the 2004 season.
Oakland missed the playoffs in 2004 and 2005, but those trades helped restock its roster. Friday's starting pitcher Dan Haren, who allowed just two runs in six innings, was acquired from St. Louis in the Mulder trade. Chavez said this certainly wasn't the most talented team -- he gives the nod to the 2001 team that had Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada -- but perhaps for the first time, this assembled crew played as a team.
"We've all kind of stuck it out," Zito said. "I'm especially happy for Billy. If we lost this series he might have quit and started managing a soccer team. It would have gotten hot and heavy for him."
Beane laughed when told of Zito's comments and said perhaps he still might go and manage a soccer team.
"It wasn't going to be part of my self-esteem if we got past the division round or not," Beane said.
A towel-waving crowd 35,694 at McAfee Coliseum came to life on Chavez's solo home run, one of two runs in the second inning. Two more runs scored in the third inning on Milton Bradley's two-run home run against Radke, whose bad shoulder might have cost him command of the plate. In the early innings, Radke's fastball reached 91 mph, and his change-up appeared effective. But as the game wore on, the fastball dipped to the high eighties, and soon Oakland's hitters no longer were overmatched.
Radke's career possibly ended in the fifth inning when Minnesota Manager Ron Gardenhire went to the bullpen. On the bench, a sullen Radke sat with his shoulders slumped. It was admirable that Radke had even pitched with such maladies. After the game Radke hedged on retiring and said he would speak with his family before making a final decision.
"He will go down in a lot of our players' minds as one of the best they have ever been around, for the courage and performance and the effort he has given," Gardenhire said. "I thank him."
The final demons lurking in the stadium might have been exorcised by utility infielder Marco Scutaro, whose three-run double in the seventh gave the Athletics an 8-2 lead. Scutaro, acquired off waivers on a whim by former assistant general manager Paul DePodesta, was a typical "Moneyball" player: cheap, short on physical talent, but statistically useful.
A powerful aroma of alcohol hung in the air in the Oakland clubhouse after the game. Several tubs full of champagne bottles had been sprayed, leaving every player soaked. Zito and Chavez planned on stepping onto the field for a photo once the celebration had ceased. For the two holdovers, this "Moneyball" team finally lived up to its name.
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Oakland advances to its first ALCS since 1992, notching an 8-3 victory over Minneosta to complee a three-game sweep of the Twins on Friday.
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Probe of Anthrax Attacks Casts Shadow on Brothers
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2006100819
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CHESTER, Pa. -- On Nov. 15, 2001, Irshad and Masood Shaikh found themselves standing under the darkest cloud imaginable: The brothers had become suspects in the worst bioterrorism attack in American history.
An FBI SWAT team battered down their front door, pointed semiautomatic rifles at Irshad's wife and carried out the first raid on a private home in the federal investigation of the anthrax attacks. Agents in moon suits carted out the Shaikhs' computers, medicines and books and swabbed the television set for anthrax spores.
But the FBI had acted on a bad tip. By every account available, agents found no evidence implicating the brothers, who are widely respected public health experts.
Since then, the Shaikhs have suffered consequences great and small. Irshad Shaikh, 44, who is Chester's health commissioner and has worked on humanitarian missions in Iraq and Afghanistan with U.S. officials, has been blocked by the FBI from obtaining a federal contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Immigration officials canceled his scheduled interview for U.S. citizenship. And whenever Irshad returns to the United States from abroad, federal agents escort him off the airplane and interrogate him for hours.
Masood Shaikh, 46, serves as the Chester city epidemiologist. Like Irshad, he obtained a medical degree in Pakistan and a master's degree and a doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins University. Two years ago, Masood was selected to work on removing land mines from Iraq. But the federal government refused to extend Masood's work visa pending a "security clearance." The clearance never came through, and Masood could not leave the country.
Masood, once poised to apply for American citizenship, now faces the expiration of his work visa and a return to Pakistan after 15 years in the United States.
The brothers acknowledge that they cannot prove that the government is behind every one of these roadblocks, but they point to a pattern.
"Our whole life has been turned upside down since 9/11," Irshad said by telephone from Cairo, where he is working with the World Health Organization. "For God's sake, they are welcome to search my house anytime. I will give them the key."
No one could argue with the FBI's urgency in trying to find the anthrax killers. The mail attacks in September and October 2001 claimed five lives and left 17 people gravely ill. The assailant possessed one of the deadliest bioweapons, and, with the slightest tweak in delivery, the anthrax spores might have caused tens of thousands of deaths. As the years passed and the FBI turned its searchlight on half a dozen people, careers and lives have been shattered.
The FBI designated Steven J. Hatfill, a Washington infectious disease researcher, as "a person of interest," and Louisiana State University dismissed him in 2004. In August 2004, FBI teams searched the home of Kenneth Berry, a New York physician who held three patents related to bioterrorism. He has lost his job and now lives in New Jersey.
Neither Hatfill nor Berry has been charged with a crime. Both vehemently deny any involvement with the anthrax letters, and Hatfill has sued the Justice Department.
But few suspects so unequivocally lack any connection to anthrax research as do the Shaikh brothers. They have never done biowarfare research. Their attorney, former prosecutor Anthony F. List, describes a Kafkaesque maze in which federal officials argue that they cannot be expected to "clear" men who, officially, are accused of nothing.
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CHESTER, Pa. -- On Nov. 15, 2001, Irshad and Masood Shaikh found themselves standing under the darkest cloud imaginable: The brothers had become suspects in the worst bioterrorism attack in American history.
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Bush Balks at Criteria for FEMA Director
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2006100819
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President Bush reserved the right to ignore key changes in Congress's overhaul of the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- including a requirement to appoint someone with experience handling disasters as the agency's head -- in setting aside dozens of provisions contained in a major homeland security spending bill this week.
Besides objecting to Congress's list of qualifications for FEMA's director, the White House also claimed the right to edit or withhold reports to Congress by a watchdog agency within the Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for protecting Americans' personal privacy.
The standards for the FEMA director were inspired by criticism of former FEMA chief Michael D. Brown's performance after Hurricane Katrina last year. Brown, a lawyer and judge of Arabian horses, had no experience in disaster response before joining FEMA.
Bush's moves came in a controversial assertion of executive authority known as a "signing statement," which the White House issued late Wednesday, the same day the president signed the $34.8 billion measure. Congress has assailed the unprecedented extent of Bush's use of signing statements to reinterpret or repudiate measures approved by lawmakers instead of exercising a formal veto.
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the actions, first reported by the Associated Press, upheld the president's right to choose his advisers and control executive branch activities.
"There's nothing new here. The president has the authority to choose which of his subordinate officers he'll rely on," Fratto said. "The president has the authority to determine what the relationship is between them."
Lawmakers in both parties -- Democrats more harshly than Republicans -- said Bush was ignoring precedent and neglecting lessons of the bungled response to Katrina.
"Amazingly, President Bush continues to show more interest in expanding his executive power than in running the government in a fair, effective and competent manner," said Rep. Martin O. Sabo (Minn.), ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations subcommittee on homeland security.
A spokesman for Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), who chaired a House Katrina investigation, said the White House is slighting Congress and ignoring the political toll of Brown's incompetence and ties to GOP cronies.
"Davis hopes the White House isn't saying they don't understand the need for minimal qualifications, or that they might bypass them. If indeed they are, then we haven't come very far from the days of 'Heck of a job, Brownie,' " Davis spokesman David Marin said, in a reference to Bush's early praise for Brown. "Good luck getting someone confirmed who doesn't meet these standards."
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chairman of the Senate's Katrina investigation, said its findings showed that the president needs a principal adviser for emergency management, as he has on military matters in the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Congress sets job requirements for officials from the U.S. solicitor general to the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she said. They are comparable to the five years of management experience and demonstrated emergency-management skills it mandated for the head of FEMA, she said. The director also should be allowed to make recommendations directly to Congress, she said, authority that the White House rejected.
"Congress needs a forthright assessment of the state of the nation's preparedness from the FEMA director," Collins said.
The White House also reserved the right to withhold or alter reports of a unit that monitors DHS use of Americans' personal information in background checks, employment screening and air travel, among other things.
Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, warned against muzzling the office, as DHS emerges as "the central hub for the integration" of government databases containing that information.
The DHS Privacy Office's last report to Congress covered activities up to June 2004. DHS spokesman Larry Orluskie said a new report, updated through this June, will be sent to the White House for review in coming days and is expected to be made public in about a week.
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President Bush reserved the right to ignore key changes in Congress's overhaul of the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- including a requirement to appoint someone with experience handling disasters as the agency's head -- in setting aside dozens of provisions contained in a major homeland...
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'Puppets' Emerge as Internet's Effective, and Deceptive, Salesmen
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2006100819
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Beware the Internet's meat puppets. And sock puppets. And trolls and shills and astroturfing and other forms of dubious online marketing.
The Internet's power for the straightforward marketing of a product, service or personality is evident. But the Internet increasingly is being used to market products in ways designed to be opaque. Some schemes can compromise computer users' security; they live in the Internet's gray areas where savvy marketers can easily hide their identity and seek out naive or reckless users who willingly give up their e-mail addresses and other identification.
One popular marketing ruse is the meat puppet: a fictional person that passes as an actual human being online.
In September, more than 300,000 users of Facebook -- the popular Internet social network for college students -- got meat-puppeted by Ruckus Network Inc.
Herndon-based Ruckus is a legal network for college students to download and share music and movies via a limited, peer-to-peer network. The fledgling service wanted to attract the attention of potential customers -- college-age students, 18 to 24 -- so it created a phony college student named "Brody Ruckus" and set up a Facebook profile page for him, joining the 10 million profiles of real people on the service.
Only Ruckus didn't tell anyone that Brody was fake.
Meat puppet Brody, his page said, was a student in Atlanta. He sought a threesome with his girlfriend "Holly" and another woman. If 100,000 Facebook members joined his page, his girlfriend would acquiesce to the group-sex experience, Brody wrote.
Brody's bold bid caused a mini morality stir in the Facebook world and prompted a flurry of articles and columns in college newspapers. More than 300,000 members signed up.
A few days after Brody's page went up, Facebook discovered he was a fake and pulled the page down for violating Facebook's terms of service.
But Ruckus Networks got access to the e-mail addresses of the 300,000 Facebook users, some of whom began getting unsolicited e-mails about Ruckus products. Ruckus, which is privately owned, is headed by Michael Bebel, the former president of Mashboxx LLC music service and former chief operating officer of the legal version of Napster.
Ruckus would not comment on the Facebook episode, but a source with direct knowledge of the incident said the Brody Ruckus character was dreamed up and launched on Facebook by a zealous young Ruckus employee, who still works at the company. The photo of the fake Brody Ruckus depicted a friend of the Ruckus employee.
The source, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity for fear of harming Ruckus's business interests, said the Ruckus e-mail solicitations did not come from the company and that Ruckus will not use the addresses to directly pitch products to Facebook users.
However, the source said, users did agree to join the Facebook group of "Brody Ruckus," so if Ruckus resurrects the character, users may expect e-mails from him.
Such a fine-line, and potentially confusing, differentiation illustrates the formidable and complex marketing forces arrayed against Internet users. Such ploys are nearly impossible for social networks to prevent. Facebook did not respond to several calls and e-mails seeking additional information about the incident.
"This is happening across industries when someone wants to get a buzz," said Richard W. Easley, professor of Internet marketing at Baylor University. "It's a strategy that a lot companies are using, but unfortunately, it's clearly deceptive."
Meat-puppeting and sock-puppeting are only the most recent, high-tech versions of disguising oneself to gin up some publicity -- a scam as ancient as the art of PR itself. When James Cagney was a struggling young actor, he wrote fan letters to his studio under different aliases, lauding the performance of the fabulous James Cagney. The first big Internet marketing campaign based on deception made the low-budget "Blair Witch Project" a hit in 1999.
Nowadays, interns at record labels sometimes act as Internet "shills, " spending hours in chat groups posing as fans trying to build buzz for their artists and posting things like: Have you heard the new Killers album? It's hot!
Each is an example of "astroturfing," or the attempt to create the appearance of a grass-roots buzz for a product or service. "Trolls" are users who enter online discussion forums solely to bash users or products.
When most people hear "sock puppet," they think "Lamb Chop," the stocking sidekick of the late ventriloquist Shari Lewis. For guerrilla Internet marketers, however, a sock puppet is a false online persona, a virtual sock meant to conceal one's identity. It usually takes the form of a second account set up by an existing user under another name.
Earlier this year, a Web site popped up called iDont.com that criticized owners of Apple Computer Co.'s popular iPod digital music players for being sheep and conformist drones. The site attempted to build up an anti-iPod groundswell. Digging through the Web site, users found that it was put up by SanDisk Corp. to promote its new digital music player, a rival to the iPod.
Recent Internet phenom "Lonleygirl15," a teenager who posted video diary clips on YouTube, turned out to be an actress hired by two Southern California filmmakers hoping to promote themselves.
The Internet has made it easier for businesses and organizations to create advocacy groups -- virtual fronts -- that are not immediately connectable to the originator. For example, the Center for Consumer Freedom -- a lobby funded by fast food and tobacco companies -- has several anti-activist Web sites, such as PetaKillsAnimals.com.
All may be fair in winning hearts and minds, but purposeful deception for the sake of monetary gain, or access to information, could raise legal concerns.
"It becomes an issue if consumers provided information they might not have otherwise provided if they knew it was not the site of a private person," said Heather A. Hippsley, a Federal Trade Commission lawyer. "There's potential problems in all of that if you're getting people to participate in a potential commercial enterprise through deceit."
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Beware the Internet's meat puppets. And sock puppets. And trolls and shills and astroturfing and other forms of dubious online marketing.
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Bearing Witness - washingtonpost.com
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2006100819
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Translated from the Italian by Judith Woolf
A Search for Six of Six Million
And why this particular memory that can only do harm, that can only cast doubt on man and his weaknesses? Why answer its calls and its silences? Why do we struggle to remember, to bring back a past that shames not only creation but the Creator himself? Do we do it to suffer at second degree -- with those and for those who suffered before? Or is it simply to know? To understand? Or, even more, to plumb the depths of a human soul, bloodied and bowed, at a time when evil had usurped the power of gods to judge who lived, who died, and how, and for what reason?
Here are two works: different in style and approach, but joined by the common theme of a nagging memory -- its layers, obligations, traps. Memory's limits, too. One is written by someone who survived the dark days; the other, by a younger writer, who hunts through the dark in order to comprehend it.
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AUSCHWITZ REPORT By Primo Levi With Bernardo De Benedetti
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Folk Music's Living History
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2006100819
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There are no heightened expectations for a folk singer emeritus. Just being onstage oozing all that history and aura means almost everything when you've accomplished as much as Pete Seeger, and you're 87, and your voice has taken to acting its age.
During Thursday's Woody Guthrie tribute concert at the sold-out Birchmere, it mattered little how Seeger sounded (tremulous, if you must know) as he performed a handful of his old friend's songs, including "The Sinking of the Reuben James" and the encore, "This Land Is Your Land," in both solo and group formations. There was great value in simply seeing Seeger one more time, hearing him talk about Guthrie and basking in his powerful presence.
While his voice has seen better days, Seeger remains an expert storyteller who can summon dates, anecdotes and songs with remarkable ease. He has something of an encyclopedic mind when it comes to music and Guthrie's life, and he's also an encyclopedia entry unto himself -- one of the most significant artist-activists in 20th-century American music. No wonder, then, that he received multiple standing ovations, the first simply for showing up.
The concert opened as a hootenanny: 13 musicians crowded onto the stage, performing the rhythmic stomp of Guthrie's "Hard Travelin,' " with Seeger standing at the center, picking his banjo.
But he soon took a back seat, sitting at the rear of the stage as various acts took turns performing two songs apiece, almost all of them from Guthrie's deep catalogue. (It was a sequence that would be repeated in the show's second act, which included a brief onstage interview with Seeger and was highlighted by a wonderful medley of some of Guthrie's whimsical children's songs.)
Sarah Lee Guthrie, Woody's granddaughter, dueted with Johnny Irion on two recently unearthed songs from the Woody Guthrie archives: The lilting "California Stars" and the comedic "There'll Be No Church Tonight." Joe Uehlein and the U-Liners chose the loping "Pastures of Plenty" and the up-tempo "Do Re Mi," the latter about the Dust Bowl diaspora and highlighted by guitarist Avril Smith's country hot licks.
Baldemar Velasquez performed a moving, bilingual version of Guthrie's "Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportees)," with norteño accents added via Jesse Ponce's terrific accordion work. Velasquez, the founder of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, also played an original, about the death of a migrant farm worker in North Carolina. As with Guthrie's populist protest music, its plain language only added to its power.
Two-time Grammy winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer turned in a lightly swinging version of "I Ain't Got No Home," plus another Guthrie rarity, the haunting love song "Birds and Ships."
But it was clear who the main attraction was, and the audience roared when Fink said, "As you know, there's one more singer on the stage." At which point, she introduced . . . a silent auction! (The concert, organized by Uehlein, was a benefit for CultureWorks, a Takoma Park-based arts and activism project.)
When Seeger finally returned to center stage to perform a solo version of Guthrie's "Why Do You Stand There in the Rain?," a protest song about protesters, the audience was absolutely enthralled. Not a bad showing at all for an artist emeritus.
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There are no heightened expectations for a folk singer emeritus. Just being onstage oozing all that history and aura means almost everything when you've accomplished as much as Pete Seeger, and you're 87, and your voice has taken to acting its age.
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Bitter Ironies
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2006100819
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And the Limits of Tolerance
Penguin Press. 278 pp. $24.95
In America, radical Islam is a foreign policy problem. It is, in the Bush administration's familiar litany, the successor to Nazism and communism: an alien ideology, bred overseas, that threatens to bring destruction to America's shores. But in Europe, as Ian Buruma explains in Murder in Amsterdam , radical Islam is something different: less a foreign policy problem than a domestic one. It is alien but also strangely intimate. Islam, as Buruma notes -- following the French scholar Olivier Roy -- has (again) become a European religion. And while Europeans may be horrified by its mutant totalitarian strain, they can hardly view totalitarianism with innocent eyes, given that it too has deep roots in European soil.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, perhaps nowhere has Europe's Islamic question been as fraught as in Holland. First, in May 2002, Pim Fortuyn, Holland's most controversial politician and a fierce opponent of Muslim immigration, was murdered. When the murderer turned out to be an animal rights fanatic, not a jihadist, the Dutch let out a sigh of relief. But then, more than two years later, another flamboyant anti-Muslim crusader, the filmmaker Theo van Gogh, was murdered as well -- this time by a 26-year-old Dutch Moroccan named Mohammed Bouyeri. Bouyeri shot van Gogh repeatedly, cut his throat with a curved machete and pinned a note to the corpse calling for holy war and the murder of other prominent citizens. Walking away from the scene, he said, "Now you know what you people can expect in the future."
Soon after that, Buruma, a prominent American journalist born in Holland, went to his homeland to investigate. The result was a New Yorker article published in January 2005 and now expanded into a book.
For better and worse, Murder in Amsterdam still reads like a New Yorker article. At book length, its lack of a clear structure is problematic. The order in which characters appear sometimes seems random, and, in typical New Yorker style, Buruma's opinions remain somewhat submerged, confined to asides here and there. Despite the book's subtitle, The Death of Theo van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance , Buruma never quite explains what he thinks those limits are. He nicely frames the question: Do Enlightenment values require that anti-Enlightenment values be respected or fought? But he remains frustratingly coy about the answer.
Murder in Amsterdam 's strength is less as a meditation on the limits of tolerance than as a meditation on Holland. When Americans write about Islam in Europe, they often generalize across the continent, and they often lapse into clichés: European society is secular, morally permissive, deracinated, self-loathing. Buruma's portrait of Holland is more granular and more interesting. He portrays a society that may seem bland and proper but has a thirst for vicious satire. When van Gogh, in shocking terms, accused Muslims of bestiality and claimed a Jewish antagonist was sexually aroused by the Holocaust, Buruma argues that he was tapping into a peculiarly Dutch tradition: a blend of venom and irony in which you can say virtually anything as long as you do so with a wink. It is partly that ironic culture -- politics less as persuasion than as theater -- that Buruma argues is being contested in Holland today.
For jihadist fanatics such as Bouyeri and the pursuers of Salman Rushdie, insulting Islam is a crime that merits death. But interestingly, it is not merely jihadists who distrust the Dutch ironic style. So do passionate anti-Islamists, such as the Somali-born feminist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who denounce Dutch society for not taking politics seriously enough, for not acknowledging the life-or-death struggle between Enlightenment values and fanatical Islamism taking place on their soil. Buruma compares Hirsi Ali to an ex-communist such as Arthur Koestler, who struggled to convince easy-going Western liberals to become militants in liberalism's cause -- because evil was real, because he had seen what they could not believe.
But while Buruma knows that certain outsiders (and many on the American right) see the Dutch as happy-go-lucky relativists unwilling to fight for -- or even believe in -- much of anything, his view is richer and more complex. Holland's conversion to secular, values-neutral liberalism, he notes, is a post-1960s phenomenon. And it may be less deeply rooted than it appears. If jihadists such as Bouyeri harbor fantasies about purified Islam, many Dutch secretly harbor purification fantasies of their own, of a "rural, joyous, traditional, and white" country -- a country that replaces anything-goes relativism with cultural and moral certainty. Watching hordes of Dutch soccer fans mocking a rival team known as the "Jews Club" by hissing -- and thus imitating the sound of gas -- Buruma is reminded that brutality and fanaticism are not recent imports to this tidy corner of Northwestern Europe. Hirsi Ali may want the Dutch to stand up for their values, but Buruma leaves the reader vaguely uneasy about what those values really are. ·
Peter Beinart is editor-at-large of the New Republic and author of "The Good Fight: Why Liberals -- and Only Liberals -- Can Win the War on Terror and Make America Great Again."
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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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Dancing For Charity And, Now, For Pride
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2006100819
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It was somewhere between the rapid-fire cha-chas and the cross-body spins that Jim Pebley's dancing feet had a meltdown.
Coming to a halt in the basement of his dance instructor's Falls Church home, his khakis rumpled and his black T-shirt wet with perspiration, the Arlington County planning commissioner and former Navy pilot signaled defeat.
"My poor little brain is fried," he moaned, sweat dripping down his temples. "My feet just won't do it."
Well, they better, and soon, if Pebley has any chance of winning the big dance contest tonight -- the one many favor him to win -- between county officials and other area notables.
The event is a takeoff of the popular television show "Dancing With the Stars" and is designed to help a local nonprofit group, the kind of quirky charity thing that people felt compelled to support. If they couldn't dance, they figured, at least it would be entertaining.
Then things got serious. Playful trash talk among contestants devolved into catty e-mails. Favorites to win were singled out, left-footers were privately derided and bets were taken on who might chicken out.
This was no longer a charitable contest between would-be dancers. No, civic activists and elected officials -- Arlington County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman (D) and Del. Albert C. Eisenberg (D-Arlington) among them -- realized they would soon face off under the disco ball for those ever-coveted bragging rights.
"This has turned out to be more of a fight than the elections," said civic activist and longtime County Board antagonist John Antonelli, who will don polyester, a wide '70s collar and an air of ballroom flamboyance to compete tonight at the black-tie-optional affair in Ballston. "There's no question who's favored to win," he said. "Me."
Pebley, the only contestant with ballroom cred -- he and his wife have taken lessons for the better part of six years -- said he's trying to manage expectations that he's the favorite.
"John Antonelli is the real ringer," Pebley said. "Rumor has it he's taking lessons from Michael Flatley to learn the great Irish 'Great Balls of Your Feet on Fire' dancing showcase."
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It was somewhere between the rapid-fire cha-chas and the cross-body spins that Jim Pebley's dancing feet had a meltdown.
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Golston Has Overcome More Than Just Blockers
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2006100819
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Kedric Golston's senior season of high school began in the hospital, with him in a coma, fighting for his life after being thrown from his vehicle when it was struck by a car. His right femur was snapped, his lungs were filling with fluid and his hopes of a college football scholarship were in jeopardy.
When conscious, his mind wandered to his murky future. On other days, the medications prevented him from making much sense of anything. Suddenly, being one of the top high school defensive linemen in the country was of little importance. Just getting back on the football field seemed improbable. To think that five Septembers later Golston would be the feel-good story of the Redskins' 2006 season -- a sixth-round draft pick turned surprising starter -- still is inconceivable to him.
"I just honestly feel truly blessed," Golston said. "I can't explain it, and I'm not trying to. I just know I have God's blessing on me, and I'm just trying to take full advantage of it and try to stay humble and just get better every day."
Golston, 23, has thrived after entering training camp assured of nothing. He earned playing time in the opening game of the season and has started the last two games with veteran Joe Salave'a injured. Coach Joe Gibbs has said the rookie will become a "great Redskin," and Golston's sterling debut at the demanding nose tackle position has wowed team officials.
But Golston has been exceeding expectations for some time.
As a first-grader, he coped with his mother's murder in a robbery around the Christmas holiday. He moved from his home in South Carolina to be raised by his father and stepmother outside Atlanta after his maternal grandparents declined to do so. He has not heard from them since.
Today, Golston views his mother's death as a valuable life lesson. "God does things and works in ways we don't always understand," he said. "I hated my mom dying when I was younger and it was a tough thing to go through. But I got a wonderful stepmom who raised me and I've got a wonderful family now and it all worked out in the end. I was so young when it happened, but old enough to know what was going on and it was tough transitioning and moving to a new family.
"But I wouldn't trade those people for the world. I love them to death and thank God for everything I've been through, because I appreciate everything I get now, and I don't want to take anything for granted."
Adapting to life in Atlanta took time. Golston towered over his middle school classmates. Some assumed he was a bully. There were struggles in the classroom, too. A learning disability hindered his reading and writing. Golston attacked the disability in high school after realizing he was short of the academic requirements to play Division I football.
"He had to work twice as hard as 90 percent of the other kids," said Winkie Greenhaw, Golston's guidance counselor throughout middle and high school and a confidant to this day. "He had football practice and homework at night, but he'd be in my office at six in the morning to go over his schoolwork and he'd come over at night a lot, too. He's so full of integrity."
Golston was beloved as a gentle giant in high school. He stopped to changed flat tires for strangers. He made sure needy school kids had a small present on their birthday and once, when he saw a young girl at school whose shoes did not fit properly, insisted Greenhaw take $10 from him and pass it on to her anonymously.
The car crash came at a time when Golston was not permitted to have contact with college athletic officials, according to NCAA rules. But Rodney Garner, the defensive line coach at the University of Georgia, eventually was granted a waiver to visit him at the hospital. He was by Golston's side as much as possible, and never mentioned football. "He just sat in there with me for hours, just watching me sleep or do whatever," Golston said. "That really meant a lot to me."
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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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Terps Try to Stay on Ball
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2006100819
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Maryland safety Christian Varner remembers many things from the last time the Terrapins played Georgia Tech.
It was 2004 and Varner, still a freshman, recalls how fast the Yellow Jackets moved that day. He remembers a certain wide receiver who looked way too big and way too good to be just a freshman like himself.
"You don't face guys like that very often," Varner said about Calvin Johnson.
But as is often the case with the Yellow Jackets' offense, Varner had a tougher time recalling then-sophomore Reggie Ball's part of that 20-7 win against Maryland. Outside of a few underthrown passes and some shakiness, Varner's standout memory of Ball involves what happened after the play.
"I'm like, 'You're a quarterback? Why are you talking all that trash?' " Varner remembers asking Ball, who jawed at the Terps after each big hit on the field.
Varner and the rest of the Terps get their chance to see Ball again today as Maryland opens ACC play against No. 18 Georgia Tech.
Plenty has changed for Ball since that encounter two years ago, when his inconsistent ways made him look like the Stumblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and fans were calling for Coach Chan Gailey to pull him as the starter.
But after three years of life as message-board fodder, the much-maligned four-year starter is turning in the best season of his career. Ball, the 2003 ACC rookie of the year, never finished a season with more touchdown passes than interceptions, entering the season with 37 touchdowns and 41 interceptions in his career.
But this season, Ball has tossed nine touchdown passes to just five interceptions.
The rest of his numbers -- 54 of 104 for 768 yards -- haven't been overly impressive, but his decision-making, while far from perfect, has been much better. His improvement, combined with the speed and elusiveness he had even as a freshman, makes Ball difficult to deal with.
"It all originates with Reggie," Maryland defensive coordinator Chris Cosh said about the Georgia Tech offense. "In the first four games leading up, he's been very in command."
While Johnson has drawn all the hype, Ball's improvement as a quarterback has had just as much to do with the Yellow Jackets' resurgence this season.
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Maryland safety Christian Varner remembers many things from the last time the Terrapins played Georgia Tech.
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Six Powers Agree to Take Next Step on Iran
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2006100819
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LONDON, Oct. 6 -- The United States and five other major powers agreed Friday to take the next step toward imposing sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with a U.N. resolution to prevent it from subverting its nuclear energy program to develop a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. and European officials.
But in response to Russian and Chinese wariness about the impact and effectiveness of sanctions, the group also agreed to keep the door open to diplomacy, the officials said. The chief negotiator will remain available for talks if Iran chooses to come to the table and suspend its uranium enrichment program. As soon as Iran suspends enrichment, any U.N. sanctions would also be suspended, they said.
The package of economic, technological, scientific and diplomatic incentives already offered to Iran to surrender control over its fuel cycle -- but not its peaceful energy program -- will still be on offer if the Islamic republic changes its position, Undersecretary of State R. Nicholas Burns said.
The agreement came at the conclusion of talks hosted by Britain and attended by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and top diplomats from France, Russia, China and Germany. But after a dramatic buildup all week to a possible turning point following the collapse of European negotiations with Iran, the tone and scope of the agreement appeared significantly milder than anticipated.
The timing of the talks and the wording of the agreement were affected by mechanical problems delaying Rice's arrival in London from Iraq. The military plane ferrying Rice got stuck in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, the last stop on her five-day Middle East tour, and she attended only the last 45 minutes of the six-nation talks that she had pressed the hardest to hold.
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy described the new international goal as "proportionate and reversible sanctions." U.S. officials said they viewed the agreement on sanctions as a tactic to try to force Iran to return to negotiations.
En route to London, Rice said sanctions would be aimed at convincing Iran that returning to the table was "the best strategy here. Nobody wants to have [sanctions] just to have them. The hope would be that the Iranians recognize that increasing isolation from the international system is not good for Iran or for the people of Iran."
The general agreement comes after years of controversial diplomacy, including a period when Iran suspended enrichment of uranium, only to resume after hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was inaugurated in August 2005. Since then, Iran has missed at least two deadlines, including one set for Aug. 31 by the United Nations, to comply with demands that it halt enrichment.
"The extra innings are over. We're on to a new phase," Burns said. "We have no alternative but to proceed" and raise the cost for Iran's "irresponsible attitude."
Iran, he added, is missing a "major opportunity" in rejecting the package of incentives, particularly the opportunity for the first formal talks with the United States since relations were broken in 1980.
The administration has been pressing hard over the past six weeks to get the six major powers to agree to sanctions. A senior State Department official said Friday's agreement is likely to come as a surprise to Iran, which has calculated that it could continue to divide the international community.
In announcing the agreement, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the six powers were "deeply disappointed" that the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, had to report Iran's failure to suspend its enrichment and reprocessing activities, as required by U.N. Resolution 1696.
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LONDON, Oct. 6 -- The United States and five other major powers agreed Friday to take the next step toward imposing sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with a U.N. resolution to prevent it from subverting its nuclear energy program to develop a nuclear weapon, according to U.S. and European...
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Denver's Trails Stretch From Urban Chic To Rockies Peaks
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2006100819
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Truthfully, there wasn't anyone on my right, but let's just say I was practicing. This was urban biking, after all -- in the middle of Denver, where cars and people throng the streets and sidewalks. Yet the Mile High City's bike paths were hardly a traffic jam of spokes and wheels. In fact, at times it felt more like the New Frontier -- if the pioneers rode hybrids with aluminum frames and 21 speeds.
In annual rankings by national publications, Denver (population 2.6 million) has repeatedly topped the charts as the healthiest city in the country, and an American Cancer Society study recently called Denver the thinnest city, due to its muscle-flexing lifestyle. Of course, the Colorado capital also knows how to cut loose: It's known as one of the best places in the country for singles, as well as one of the most inebriated towns around. But Denver is, without question, a proactive, anti-slothful city. And it has 650 miles of urban bike trails to prove it.
As many cyclists know, to bike in a city you must be as alert and agile as a gazelle in the Serengeti. Hazards pop up on every street corner: potholes, parked cars with doors flinging open without warning, oblivious taxis. Even Rock Creek Parkway is a slalom course of runners, bikers, strollers and wayward dogs. Denver, though, is a different kind of Tour de Colorado. With its widespread bike routes that fan out for miles, you can travel almost anywhere in and around the city on two wheels -- safely. "We don't have a subway, but we do have bike paths," said Meredith Arndt, an outdoor enthusiast and spokeswoman for the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau. "The city was designed with bike paths in mind."
And therein lies the Denver Challenge: Can a weekend visitor tool around solely by bicycle? Though I didn't bring my bike (I rented one on arrival), I was happy to see that I could have cycled straight from the airport terminal to town if I'd so desired: Apparently Pena Boulevard has a shoulder lane for bicyclists. How appropriate.
Since the days of the Wild West, Denver has had a reputation as a pass-through city. In the mid-19th century, many pioneers in wagons crossed Colorado on their trek to California; they set down roots only after getting swept up in the gold rush. In more recent times, vacationers with powder on the brain fly into Denver International Airport before scattering to the ski mountains to the north and west. When out-of-towners do stick around Denver, most wander over to the 16th Street Mall, a 16-block pedestrian strip that runs through downtown and is lined with such national staples as Hard Rock Cafe, NikeTown and multiple Starbucks. Besides shoppers with credit cards to burn, the area attracts the riffraff of Denver, from poser hip-hoppers jamming to a boom box to lost souls napping on benches.
"When tourists come, they often think the only place to go is the 16th Street Mall. It's kind of a tourist trap, though," says Leslie Chadwick, 27, a Denver inhabitant who works for an organic food company. "But if you go left or right, there's quite a bounty of shops and restaurants."
Even more telling, the 16th Street Mall bans bikes. There is, however, a free shuttle that cruises the length of the mall, but in Denver parlance, that's lazy.
Though downtown has its merits, a variety of new neighborhoods have sprouted up around Denver's urban center. Each has its own personality and scene -- and, true to the city's outdoorsy nature, all are connected by bike paths. To be sure, I picked up the Cherry Creek Trail right outside my hotel's front door, in the Cherry Creek neighborhood, where I rented my hybrid for the entire weekend. (The hotel even stashed it for me in the luggage room.)
Armed with a bike map covered in tiny grid marks and interlocking colored lines, I hopped on my hybrid and headed for the D-12, the Massachusetts Avenue of Denver bike paths (albeit without the death-defying traffic). The route altered from smooth bike lanes overlooking enviable homes to a pastoral path through Cheesman Park. Sixteenth Street led to 17th, then to Uptown, a formerly seedy section that is now a Restaurant Row of sorts. Old mixes with new (or new in old) in the blocks-long neighborhood: For example, Steuben's diner moved into a car mechanics shop this summer, while the nearby Bump & Grind Cafe remains a classic -- among the RuPaul set. Some of B&G's waiters, who during the Petticoat Bruncheon prance around in bad drag (5 o'clock shadow with cherry-red lipstick), date to the Bush I era, but others are just babes.
The biggest proof that Uptown is on the rise is the relocation of the legendary Tattered Cover Book Store. In July, the indie bookstore -- one of the country's largest -- migrated from the hoity-toity Cherry Creek area to the former Lowenstein Theatre. No neighborhood is complete without paperbacks, biscotti and a reading room with no limits on loitering.
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Denver has repeatedly topped the charts as the healthiest city in the country and with all of the great biking destinations, it's easy to see why.
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Being a Black Man: Health Care Education and Awareness
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2006100519
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Among the 10 leading causes of cancer death in African American men, prostate cancer is second, behind lung cancer. When compared to all causes of death, prostate cancer is the fourth leading cause of death among African American men over age 45, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (pdf).
Thomas Farrington is president and founder of the Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN), a Boston-based nonprofit organization focusing on the urgent and unmet prostate education and awareness needs of African-American men. Farrington, a five-year prostate cancer survivor, convenes the "African American Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit" on Capitol Hill each year. He is also the author of "Battling the Killer Within," and "Battling the Killer Within and Winning."
Farrington was online Fri., Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. ET to discuss his battle with prostate cancer, the high incidence of the disease in the black male community, and his movement to get black men to visit a doctor and get tested for this and other diseases.
Post reporter Darryl Fears's chronicle of the last months of a local activist's battle with cancer is the latest installment of the " Being a Black Man " series.
Thomas Farrington: Black men in the United States suffer the worlds worst prostate cancer conditions. With an incidence rate 60% higher and mortality rate 140% higher than all other men of any racial and ethnic group, prostate cancer has the highest racial disparity for any type of major cancer.
Helena, Mont.: To my knowledge, on average women live longer than men because men are exposed to more risks, women visit the doctor more often, even unnecessarily, and women's diseases -- like breast cancer -- garner more funding and media attention. That said, are black men likelier to die of prostate cancer than nonblack men because black men visit the doctor less often so the disease is detected less often in blacks, because black men have worse health habits (e.g., diet, exercise), because black men are poorer (e.g., lack of a spouse's income or health insurance coverage), because black men are more fearful of doctors for cultural or historical reasons (e.g., Tuskeegee, homophobia), because black men have a genetic predisposition to get prostate cancer more often, or a combination of some or all of the foregoing factors? I read in Men's Health that regular sex and proper diet all but eliminates the risks of prostate cancer unless it is hereditary -- I wonder if that is true.
Thomas Farrington: At our just completed summit on Capitol Hill we conducted a session titled; "Why The African American Prostate Cancer Disparity?" This session was quite revealing in identifying a number of factors contributing to the disparity. The bottom line is that while all the factors you cite come into play, our medical care system is not as responsive as need be to Black men's prostate health care. Visit our website at www.prostatehealthed.org for more information on this subject.
Mattapan, Mass.: Can you provide any suggestions on ways to encourage black men to get regular visits. I believe that fear is what keeps alot of men out of the Dr.'s office~ as an outreach specialist, how can I convince the Black men in my community to get screened?
Thomas Farrington: Getting men to go to the doctor is a challenge. For prostate health I always let men know that prostate health is important for sexual health. Most men do not understand the connection. Treatment side effects for prostate cancer can include sexual dysfunction. However, early detection of prostate cancer means that your chances of sexual dysfunction can be dramatically reduced.
On our website; www.prostatehealthed.org visit "Dr PSA". We have created this character to help men better understand managing their prostate health.
Thomas Farrington: Tom, I have been supporting your prostate cancer initiative from its inception. How are you doing with your message for men in the church?
Thanks for your outstanding support! PHEN works with churches on an on - going basis. At local levels some churches are actively supportive, however more can and needs to be done with churches. National church leaderships could make a tremendous impact by taking this issue on as a priority. We also use awareness posters that are posted in barbershops and other community establishments that helps with awareness
I was able to attend part of your summit on the Hill, and in the hour I was there, I was most shocked to find that the disparities between white and black men in treatment were often between men who had the SAME access-- they were insured and visiting the doctor, sometimes the same doctor, but getting different care. What do you think accounts for this difference, and how can doctors, nurses, PAs and others do to communicate better with their patients?
Thomas Farrington: Unquestionably there are disparities in health care that impact on the high death rates of Black men from prostate cancer. Because of our higher risk level and tendency to get prostate cancer at an earlier age we need better attention and care. Worst care is a double whammy for us. Better education and awareness at all levels are required to combat this situation. We must be knowledgeable advocates for our prostate health care.
Smyrna, Ga.: What are the early symptoms and is going to the doctor the only way of detection?
Thomas Farrington: Unfortunately there are no early symptoms of prostate cancer. A PSA blood test and eigital rectal exam are the only procedures used today for early detection. These exams are performed by your primary care doctor. According to guidelines Black men should begin screenings by age 45. If you have a family history of prostate cancer screening should begin at age 40.
of prostate cancer can include frequent urination, blood in the urine and others. However, all these symptoms usually occur after prostate cancer has been present for some time.
Thomas Farrington: Unfortunately there are no early symptoms of prostate cancer. A PSA blood test and digital rectal exam are the only procedures used today for early detection. These exams are performed by your primary care doctor. According to guidelines Black men should begin screenings by age 45. If you have a family history of prostate cancer screening should begin at age 40.
of prostate cancer can include frequent urination, blood in the urnine and others. However, all these symptons usually occur after prostate cancer has been present for some time.
Anonymous: Is it possible to have an accurate self examination of prostrate as you can possibly do in testicular cancer?
Thomas Farrington: No!! You must visit your doctor for screening using the PSA test and digital rectal exam.
Washington, D.C.: If you have prostrate cancer and have had surgery and are doing well, will it come back, is there a strong reason to believe that it will return, within those 5 years?
Thomas Farrington: There is always a risk for the recurrence of prostate cancer regardless of the type of treatment. With surgery recurrence is usually caused by microscopic cancer cells that escaped prior to surgery. This is the reason that it is important to have continuous PSA tests after treatment. I am a six year survivor and I get a PSA test every six months.
Washington, D.C.: These high rates of mortality for our people, isn't it a subtle form of ethnic cleansing?
Thomas Farrington: If we ignore these conditions this is a very effective and quiet way for Black men to leave this earth. We must become advocates! PHEN has been effective in getting our US congressional members to become actively involved. This has to be done at every level. This is a political as well as health crisis.
Washington, D.C.: I am 40 years old. What age should I get tested for prostate cancer?
Thomas Farrington: You should meet with your doctor and begin screening test now!
Washington, D.C: I will like to know the early symptoms of prostate cancer. Also,as a black man over 40 years, how do I get my HMO (Kaiser Permanente) to check for these symptoms when I do my annual physical. There is usually no indication that they do. Thanks
Thomas Farrington: You should request that your HMO specifically screen for prostate cancer using both the PSA blood test and the digital rectal exam. After each screening obtain you records and use them for a face to face discussion with your doctor. All Black men are at high risk for prostate cancer and comparison of the results are important in understanding whether your PSA is stable or increasing. If it is increasing the doctor should be able to determine when it becomes cause for further testing.
Boston, Mass.: Please address how the family can help in this battle against prostate cancer.
Thomas Farrington: It is very important for the wife, children and other loved ones to understand the prostate health care needs of the men in their lives and help encourage them to get screened. My wife was very instrumental in pushing me to get screened. If there is a cancer diagnosis men will need the emotional support of their family and friends.
Washington, D.C.: Hi and thanks for doing this chat. I've seen so many studies showing the link between a bad diet and prostate cancer-yet when I go to black neighborhoods I see stores/restaurants with so few-if any-fresh produce.
Mostly I see fast food places and very few places that offer the foods we know reduce the risk of p.c., diabetes, hypertension, stroke, etc. What can we do? I know it isn't a conspiracy but can anything be done? Surely some of the risk of p.c. can be attributed to genetic issues, but how much is based on poverty and the decisions the impoverished are faced with w/respect to food?
I know it isn't some goofy conspiracy but is there anything that can be done to tip the scales in those communities to foster healthier eating?
Thomas Farrington: I have read many reports and seen a number of presentations linking prostate cancer to diet. When I was in treatment, my treatment center had regular sessions on nutrition that emphasized a proper diet for survivors. Prostate cancer survivors are at risk for a cancer recurrence and proper eating habits were emphasized. Diets high in fat content an charred barbequed meats were especially considered risky. You can see that these are considered staples in our communities.
I believe that an awareness of proper and less risky eating habits need to be emphasized much stronger for overall health.
Washington, D.C.: What do the doctor's do to check you for Prostate cancer?
Thomas Farrington: Screening is done using a PSA blood test and a digital rectal exam. Further testing is carried out using a biopsy.
East Brunswick, N.J.: According to Dr. David M. Satcher, if the disparity in health were eliminated in the last century,there would have 85,000 fewer black deaths overall in 2000. How many fewer black men would have died from prostate cancer in 2000, assuming the disparity was in fact eliminated?
Thomas Farrington: Black men die at a rate 2.4 times that of other men in our country. By eliminating the disparity the deaths would be divided by 2.4. I do not know the exact deaths in 2000, but we would have saved an estimated 2000 lives.
Daytona Beach, Fla.: Tom: I was told by a physician that I did not need radiation for my enlarged prostate cancer. Explain.
Thomas Farrington: Clearly I am not aware of your specific conditions. An enlarged prostate that is not cancerous is not treated with radiation. If you had an enlarged prostate that was treated and later found to be cancerous the doctor may decide for numerous reasons that radiation is not advised.
Boston, Mass.: Mr. Farrington, what are the chances of prostate cancer occurring in the offsprings of the cancer patient?
Thomas Farrington: A Family history of prostate cancer increases the risk for being diagnosed. Offspring are at a higher risk level for the disease.
Arlington, Va.: I am just turning 30 years old. There is a history of breast cancer and colon cancer in my family, but no prostate cancer as far as I know. Would now be too early for me to begin screening for prostate cancer?
Thomas Farrington: If there is no history of prostate cancer in your family, most guidelines will recommend that you begin screening at 40 - 45 years of age.
Baltimore, Md.: Any idea whether Black women take better care of themselves than Black men? I'm a Physician's Assistant for a group of family doctors, most of whom and most of our patients are African American women and children. It's harder than pulling teeth to get many of these women to have mammograms (admittedly painful) and pap smears (much less so), or even to get their children immunized unless it's required for school. Many are also extremely heavy and decline our efforts to have them talk with a nutritionist or consider a weight loss program. And my doctors are affiliated with an HMO and the office sees only members, at absolutely no cost to them, so money is not the issue. It's very sad and frustrating.
Thomas Farrington: Overall it is a well accepted fact that women take better care of themselves medically that men. Many prostate cancer survivors, including myself, attribute their survival to pressure to get a medical from their wife or another woman in their life. Clearly there is room for improvement on both sides.
Fairfax, Va.: I don't understand, same insurance and same doctor, and different levels of care. What does that mean? I don't see how it can be possible.
Thomas Farrington: Many studies have shown that Blacks receive inferior medical care when compared to whites. This is characterized as "Health care disparity."
Thomas Farrington: Some studies have shown that selenium and vitamin E in combination reduce the incidence of prostate cancer. There is an on - going large scale clinical trial in the USA to determine the full, if any, effectiveness of these supplements. This is the largest ever prostate cancer prevention trial, known as SELECT. This trial will be conducted over 12 years before we have our answers. Since selenium and vitamin E are available over the counter some men now use them in hopes that they will be effective
Washington, D.C.: With the costs of health care rising so much, many African Americans have had to let that bill go in an effort to stay afloat. How do we encourage our men to seek health care when we cant cover the costs of a routine exam?
Thomas Farrington: This is a political issue that we must address strongly as advocates. There has been legislation introduced in congress by Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Congressman James Marshall (D-GA) to address these cost issues.
Washington, D.C.: A friend of mine had prostate cancer and got all the treatment options, he asked what the doctors chose that had the disease, and the majority had their prostates removed. What's your opinion?
Thomas Farrington: There are a range of treatment options available including surgery. Surgery is not the correct option for a number of men based on their age, health or other conditions. Treatment options should be studied closely by all men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Understand the risk and benefits of each option and then decide.
New Jersey: What kind of approach IS effective in getting a man to a doctor? Appeals to the future don't work, references to family don't work that well. My guess is that consistently portraying doctor visits as fairly routine things that "everybody" does might work.
Thomas Farrington: Different approaches work for different men. This is a challenge that can be overcome through better education and awareness. At PHEN we use prostate cancer survivors as volunteers to help get the message out. I strongly believe that Black prostate cancer survivors are critical in our war to eliminate the disparity. I encourage survivors to join with PHEN across the country. Men can join our campaign by visiting our website www.prostatehealthed.org
Arlington, Va.: Thank you so much for this discussion! I am a white woman, and my mother died at the age of 59 of colorectal cancer. Her death could have been completely avoided if she had kept up with her annual doctor visits. I know that the focus of this discussion is African American men, but the main point is, regardless of race or gender, your responsibility to your family, your friends and yourself, is to make sure that you are proactive about your healthcare. Thank you again for raising awareness about this issue.
Thomas Farrington: Thank you for this important perspective, that I agree should be a guiding light for us all.
Thomas Farrington: Prostate cancer is a curable disease with early detection and proper treatment!
East Brunswick, N.J.: Why do Native American Indians have the lowest incidence rate for prostate cancer, even though their health care system is worse than that of African Americans?
Thomas Farrington: A recent study by the Dana - Farber / Harvard Cancer Institute was published that identified a gene in Black men that they attributed to the higher incidence rate. This study is available at www.prostatehealthed.org
Arlington, Va.: One issue that has bothered me in general regarding health care is that I simply don't know where to begin. I know I need to see a doctor on a regular basis, but I have no clue what type of doctor to see. I don't know what the doctor should be doing when I get there either. Is there a checklist of things that I should have a doctor do when I go to visit? My last visit to a doctor consisted of this:
1. Weighed me 2. Took my blood pressure 3. Told me to stick out my tongue 4. Checked my heartrate 5. Sent me to the cashier.
Honestly it felt like a total waste of time. I know I need to go, but it's hard to justify going when I have no clue what the doctor should be doing when I get there.
Thomas Farrington: Go to my website; www.prostatehealthed.org, and click on "Dr PSA", this will help you understand how to interface with your doctor about your prostate health.
Washington, D.C.: This is an addition to my previous comment about my husband and I having no sex in six years. He is a very healthy man. He exercises, works everyday in home building/renovations. He does have high blood pressure, which he keep under control with medicine. We used to try all types of different things, but now he does not want to do anything since he cannot get an erection.
Thomas Farrington: It appears that this is a physical problem caused by the treatment, unless he is currently undergoing hormonal therapy. I suggest meeting with a specialist that can treat this problem.
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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What Goeth Before the Fall
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"Why, good evening, Brother Bains -- Brother Naylor! This is a pleasant surprise. I was, uh -- Did you ever see this horrible rag? . . . I was thinking of denouncing it next Sunday. I hope you never read it."
-- Sinclair Lewis, "Elmer Gantry"
In life as in literature, Elmer Gantry is a recurring American figure. He is making yet another appearance in the matter of former representative Mark Foley.
Sinclair Lewis's "Elmer Gantry," like most of his novels, is dreadful as literature but splendid as a symptom. Published in 1927, the year Charles Lindbergh flew the Atlantic and Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs and the American craft of ballyhoo was being perfected, the novel was a cartoonish blast of contempt for tub-thumping evangelists who were doing well for themselves while pretending to do good works to redeem this naughty world. Gantry succumbed to temptations of the flesh and the real estate market. The modern twist to the fall of Foley -- public protector and private predator of children -- is the warp speed with which it moved from exposé to therapy: Foley, who has entered alcohol rehab, says he takes "responsibility" for what he has become as a result of abusive priests and demon rum.
Having so quickly exhausted the Oprah approach, the Foley story moved on to who knew what, and when. That drove Speaker Dennis Hastert to the un-Oprah broadcasting couch on which Republicans recline when getting in touch with their feelings. To Rush Limbaugh's 20 million receptive listeners, Hastert, referring to Republicans as "we," said:
"We have a story to tell, and the Democrats have -- in my view have -- put this thing forward to try to block us from telling the story. They're trying to put us on defense."
It is difficult to read that as other than an accusation: He seems to be not just confessing a coverup but also complaining that the coverup was undone by bad manners. Were it not for Democrats' unsportsmanlike conduct in putting "this thing" forward, it would not be known and would not be disrupting Republicans' storytelling.
Their story, of late, has been that theirs is the lonely burden of defending all that is wholesome. But the problem with claiming to have cornered the market on virtue is that people will get snippy when they spot vice in your ranks. This is one awkward aspect of what is supposed to have been the happy fusion between, but which involves unresolved tensions between, two flavors of conservatism -- Western and Southern.
The former is largely libertarian, holding that pruning big government will allow civil society -- and virtues nourished by it and by the responsibilities of freedom -- to flourish. The Southern, essentially religious, strand of conservatism is explained by Ryan Sager in his new book, "The Elephant in the Room: Evangelicals, Libertarians, and the Battle to Control the Republican Party":
"Whereas conservative Christian parents once thought it was inappropriate for public schools to teach their kids about sex, now they want the schools to preach abstinence to children. Whereas conservative Christians used to be unhappy with evolution being taught in public schools, now they want Intelligent Design taught instead (or at least in addition). Whereas conservative Christians used to want the federal government to leave them alone, now they demand that more and more federal funds be directed to local churches and religious groups through Bush's faith-based initiatives program."
To a Republican Party increasingly defined by the ascendancy of the religious right, the Foley episode is doubly deadly. His behavior was disgusting, and some Republican reactions seem more calculating than indignant.
Foley's name remains on the ballot in Florida's 16th Congressional District, which means that Democrats, who needed 15 seats to capture the House, now need just 14. Thirteen, actually: In Arizona's 8th, where Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe is retiring, Republicans used the primary to vent, nominating a probably unelectable fire-breather on the immigration issue.
After the 1936 election, in which President Franklin Roosevelt shellacked the Republican nominee in all but two states, a humorist wrote: "If the outcome of this election hasn't taught you Republicans not to meddle in politics, I don't know what will." If, after the Foley episode -- a maraschino cherry atop the Democrats' delectable sundae of Republican miseries -- the Democrats cannot gain 13 seats, they should go into another line of work.
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Democrats should go into another line of work if they can't retake the House in this climate of Republican misery.
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Rationing Education
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In dire circumstances -- a battlefield, a devastating natural disaster or an overcrowded emergency room -- we accept the rationing of scarce resources as a necessary if regrettable choice. We triage. We divide patients into three groups: the safe cases, those suitable for treatment and the hopeless. And we ration resources in an effort to do the most good for the largest number.
But there are areas of life where we have rejected the idea of triage. Public education, an institution charged with disbursing equality of opportunity for all children, is certainly one of them. In our loftiest moments, we see public education as one place where we dispense with the blunt, utilitarian logic of triage and seek equal treatment for all. But try as we might, deep inequalities persist and belie our rhetoric.
It's ironic that the No Child Left Behind Act, intended to right the injustices suffered by poor and minority children, has in fact caused more rationing of education. Five years ago this law made accountability our nation's educational blueprint. Schools must increase passing rates on annual tests so that all students are proficient in reading and math by 2014. The idea is that what gets measured gets done. If educators are not held to task for helping the most disadvantaged students, their attention will remain elsewhere.
The past five years have proved the law's framers right beyond anything they could have imagined. The problem is a classic case of misaligned incentives. No Child evaluates schools by the percentage of students passing state tests. Imagine that students must answer 70 percent of the questions correctly to pass. Schools get no credit for moving a student from a 15 to a 69, or from a 70 to a 95. Yet if educators nudge a student from a 69 to a 71, the school's passing rate increases.
The stakes for schools are enormous. So it isn't surprising that many educators game the system by reaching first for the low-hanging fruit, the students closest to passing. Dubbed the "bubble kids," because their scores put them on the bubble of the passing mark, these students give schools the biggest bang for the buck. In response to this incentive, many schools have rationed out practically all of their resources to these students. Meanwhile, the lowest-performing students, the "hopeless cases," languish. So do their high-performing classmates, who are relegated to the waiting room while the bubble kids are cured.
One Texas teacher I interviewed poignantly captured this dilemma as we discussed Ana, a low-performing student in her class. "Ana's got a 25 percent," the teacher said. "What's the point in trying to get her to grade level? It would take two years to get her to pass the test, so there's really no hope for her. I feel like we might as well focus on the ones there's hope for."
It would be easy to question the ethics of educators engaged in triage, but they are doing exactly what the No Child Left Behind Act asks them to do. Policymakers, not teachers, must be held accountable for implementing a policy that rewards schools for privileging some students at the expense of others.
The solution is to tweak incentives to encourage educators to improve the achievement of all students. Congress will have the opportunity to revisit this issue as the act comes up for reauthorization early next year. Unfortunately, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings recently scoffed at the idea of making significant changes, saying, "I talk about No Child Left Behind like Ivory soap: It's 99.9 percent pure." Can any law, particularly one that is 670 pages, be so flawless?
We need to look closely at the act's impact on the lives of real kids and educators. Both the co-author of "The Bell Curve," Charles Murray, and the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University (strange bedfellows indeed) have recently argued that the losers in a system based on passing percentages are minority students. It is an approach that not only creates perverse incentives to focus on students close to passing but also underestimates the size of the achievement gap, creating the illusion of progress where none exists. Duke University economists have shown that when schools focus narrowly on passing rates, the gap between high-achieving white students and African American students grows.
Numerous other studies from the trenches reveal the painful compromises teachers make to maximize passing rates. The research substantiates the proposition that unrelenting attention to passing rates turns educators' attention away from the law's intended beneficiaries, the lowest-performing students, and hurts high-performing students as well.
One policy change that would go a long way toward addressing this problem is simply measuring educational growth. When students improve on their previous performance but don't clear the passing threshold, schools still deserve credit. We also need incentives for educators to further improve the performance of students already passing state tests. As it stands, they have no reason to invest in average and high-performing students.
The mechanics of a growth-based accountability system are tricky. But education researchers have spent the past 40 years figuring out how best to measure school effects, and we know enough to devise a better system. Thus far, the Education Department has allowed only North Carolina and Tennessee to test growth models to meet the No Child Left Behind Act's requirements. We need to add more states to that list.
If we don't get the incentives right this time, we face five more years of lost opportunities for America's children.
The writer is a doctoral candidate in sociology at Columbia University.
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No Child Left Behind, intended to right the injustices suffered by poor and minority children, has done the opposite.
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Analysis: Hastert Press Conference
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Washington Post associate editor Robert G. Kaiser was online Thursday, Oct. 5, at 2:45 p.m. ET to discusses House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.)'s press conference and the latest fallout from the Foley scandal. The House Ethics Committee announced it will form a subcommittee to investigate possible impropriety between members of Congress and pages. Hastert has said he will not step down over his handling of the scandal.
Monument, Colo.: How does Hastert's comments and answers to questions in any way solve his problems? I found his press conference and answers to questions to be wholly inadequate. This is especially when he suggests that somehow there were people with this information who leaked it out, i.e. media/Democrats. How does his performance stop the sinking ship? I'm amazed that he actually thought calling a press conference and getting everyone all interested and he basically said nothing.
Robert G. Kaiser: I tend to agree with you on all points. This press conference solved no problem that I am aware of. We know that Hastert had a gimmick in mind, he planned to announce that the former FBI director, Louis Freeh, would conduct some kind of investigation, but Democrats apparently wouldn't go along with that. So he really had nothing to offer.
Washington, D.C.: So many conflicting accounts of what happened here. With all this, it's impossible to believe that someone high up in the House leadership didn't drop the ball here.
I have to wonder if their handling of this would have been so cavalier if Foley had been a Democrat.
As for the argument that they didn't go after Foley because he was gay, that's fairly unsupportable. Republicans actually gain seats the more they beat up on gays rhetorically, so I find it hard to believe they'd pass up a chance to gay bash. Unless, of course, it meant losing a seat in Congress.
Robert G. Kaiser: You said it! But if you keep reading the stories carefully, you'll get the general gist, which I think is somewhat clear already: People in what we might call the chain of command in the House leadership who heard untoward things about Foley didn't do very much about them.
As to the idea that the Republicans held off because they didn't want to be accused of gay bashing--well, ask a gay friend or relation what he/she makes of that.
Long Beach, Calif.: Kirk Fordham along with Republican lawmakers told Hastert and his office about Foley's pedophilic emails - but Hastert's office says that never happened...
Do we need lie detectors? How long before the cover-up is outed?
Robert G. Kaiser: You've gone to the heart of the matter. Fordham's testimony is key. I will take this opportunity to make a journalistic confession of sorts; in today's stories, the NY Times and USA Today got more detail out of Fordham than we did. So both those papers quote him as saying he had talked about Foley's harassment of pages to Scott Palmer, Hastert's chief of staff. When we talked to him yesterday, Fordham only said he had talked to senior Hastert aides. However, the key fact is in our story, and I'll quote it:
"Hastert's chief of staff, Scott Palmer, said in a statement: 'What Kirk Fordham said did not happen.'"
Dallas, Tex.: Does it now make any difference whether Speaker Hastert resigns? In other words, has enough damage been done already that he may become irrelevant to whether the Republicans can control the House in the upcoming elections?
Robert G. Kaiser: I thought about this question walking to work this morning. Can we imagine voters who plan to vote for a Republican candidate for the House today, but would switch to the Democrat if Hastert were to resign? Maybe. What about a non-ideological Republican who wants to believe the best about his/her party, so offers the benefit of the doubt. Then the Speaker resigns (if he WERE to resign) and that person might think geez, there really was something bad going on here at the top, I'm not going to reward these guys with my vote, I'm switching...
Might there be a million such voters? OR a thousand? I doubt it.
No, generally speaking, I think Hastert in office or Hastert out of office -- or, the most likely change really, Hastert announcing he won't stand for reelection to the Speakership next year IF the Republicans win the House -- wouldn't make much difference.
Dupont Circle, D.C.: How does the Republican handling of this "scandal" compare to comparable episodes in the past?
Robert G. Kaiser: This is a good question. We might summarize the Republican response so far as unsatisfying, precisely because of the point raised in the previous question, or the one before that I've already forgotten, sorry. Which is that we all have amazingly conflicting, confused versions of what happened here. Rep. Reynolds, chairman of the GOP campaign committee, offers one account; Rep. Boehner, Majority Whip, another; Speaker Hastert a third. Various aides also provide conflicting versions.
Does it appear that some are being untruthful, or are withholding all they know? Yes it does--I hope that isn't an editorial judgment! Any skeptical reporter would have that reaction, I think. Which doesn't mean I know what happened; I don't.
The Republicans have left themselves vulnerable to the sort of scandal torture we have seen so often in the past, one revelation at a time, new wounds for every news cycle.
Washington, D.C.: Whether Hastert resigns or not may not matter with voters, per se. But doesn't his not resigning keep that part of the story alive longer and possibly add to the damage, i.e. anger by Christian Conservatives and their leaders who called for his head?
Robert G. Kaiser: Sure it could.
Montreal, Canada: I understand why Hastert and the Republicans would question the timing of this story, but why are they so upset at the media.
The simple fact is because ABC went public, Foley's access to Pages ended. Everyone agrees this is a good thing, but is anyone giving any credit to Ross for breaking the story, or to ABC for having the sense to run with it?
Robert G. Kaiser: I think a lot of people have given such credit. Brian Ross's exclusives sometimes remain exclusive, as we say in the newsroom--meaning they don't fully check out sometimes, so others don't repeat them. But this was a good clean scoop, and both he and ABC seem to have handled it very well.
Long Beach, Calif.: How long before the media points out Hastert's possible crime? His office staff claims that he was never warned yet multiple republican lawmakers, not to mention Foley's aid say they warned him?
Isn't the coverup a crime? Aiding and abetting? Accomplice after-the-fact? What is the law here on hushing up pedophilic activity?
Robert G. Kaiser: Geez, I'm not sure we have any evidence yet that an actual crime was committed, do we?
Alexandria, Va.: If Speaker Hastert were to step down, how would his replacement be chosen? Would the full House have to vote on it the next time the House is in session or is the Majority Leader automatically promoted?
With this episode, what will happen in the Republican caucus in December? Do you see a ground swell to dump the current leadership no matter what happens to the GOP in November?
Robert G. Kaiser: The full House elects the Speaker. In modern times, this has always meant that the candidate put forward by the majority party becomes the speaker.
If, as seems entirely possible, the Democrats hold the majority after the voting in November, then of course Hastert's speakership will be over. If the Republicans have squeaked back in control, I would expect serious anxiety attacks in Republican ranks, for the sadly simple reason that the Republicans will realize that between 2006 and 2008, Iraq can get a lot worse, and their standing in the country can deteriorate further. So there will be tension, and there could be moves against the current leadership.
But I think it is far too early to speculate with any specificity, because this Foley case is a classic example of all of us not knowing what we don't know--yet.
Bowie, Md.: Is there any polling data how much Joe and Jane Voter care about this; or is it just a bunch of "inside Washington?"
Robert G. Kaiser: Yes, there's a brand new poll, out this afternoon, and I've just asked washingtonpost.com to try to link to it here. It's from the Pew Center for the People and the Press. I just found it quickly myself,you can see the poll at
It says that the Foley story isn't having much impact at all. I'm not surprised. This new survey says Iraq remains the biggest issue by far.
Of course the Foley story matters enormously in one district: Foley's, now a certain Democratic pickup, I'd bet. That reduces from 16 to 15 the number of seats the Democrats need to win to regain control of the House.
Seattle, Wash.: Hastert was the safe second choice way back in 1998 and hasn't seemed to do much of anything in the years since.
Do you know if there is any undercurrent in the House that's actually happy Hastert might be on his way out? I'm certainly not a fan of the GOP, but it seems like now presents a good chance to regroup and start fresh.
Robert G. Kaiser: See answer above. Yes, there is a lot of disgruntlement with Hastert. Until he left in disgrace, Tom DeLay was the dominant figure in the House leadership, and he has not been fully replaced. Hastert is a relatively passive leader most of the time.
washingtonpost.com: Iraq Looms Large in Nationalized Election: Congressional Race Unchanged After Foley's Resignation
Washington, D.C.: I have friends with Hill experience who downplay Foley's $100,000 contribution to the NRCC, saying that such contributions are commonplace among Congressmen. Is that true? Did Foley make any prior contributions?
Robert G. Kaiser: I don't have the details at my fingertips, but yes, such contributions are now not unusual. I don't think the country has focused on how much money is now in play in campaign giving.
Atlanta, Ga.: Robert, has this story also exposed the limitations of newspapers? Even online papers such as yours are having a hard time keeping up with bloggers and the television reporting this changing story minute by minute. What do you think?
Robert G. Kaiser: Well, I'm not aware of any blog that has produced a really meaningful scoop on this story, are you? And today we had a genuine scoop of our own, the story By Jonathan Weisman and Juliet Eilperin on the sexually explicit i-messages that Foley sent some pages. I hope we can link to it here.
This is a classic feeding frenzy, as Larry Sabato I think it was dubbed this kind of story some years ago. But it's the best news organizations, the venerable mainstream media, that is most likely, most of the time, to produce really revelatory new stories.
washingtonpost.com: Lawmaker's Intentions Appear Clear In Exchanges , ( Post, Oct. 5, 2006 )
Atlanta, Ga.: Why is Hastert focusing on the Page Program instead of on what actually went wrong? Isn't that a little like blaming the victim?
Robert G. Kaiser: Yes I guess it is.
RE: Polls: OK, but isn't the big Repub. concern that the Christian right, which is usually a key part of GOP turn-out, stays home on Election Day?
Robert G. Kaiser: Yes, that is a major concern. And I can't imagine that Hastert's performance this afternoon ameliorated that situation.
Robert G. Kaiser: Well, I've pretty much answered all the questions that have come in, at least all that seemed on point. And there weren't very many--many fewer than I usually get in these sessions. There's no science in this, of course, but it suggests to me that this media circus hasn't aroused very many people, at least not yet.
So thanks for visiting today. We'll do it again soon.
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 Associate Editor Robert G. Kaiser discusses House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.)'s press conference and the latest fallout in the Foley scandal.
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Pyongyang Warned on Weapon Testing
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North Korea "can have a future or it can have these weapons. It cannot have both," Assistant Secretary of State Christopher R. Hill said yesterday in remarks at Johns Hopkins University's U.S.-Korea Institute. It was the toughest response yet from the Bush administration, coming two days after Pyongyang announced plans to conduct its first nuclear test.
Hill did not explain how the administration would respond to a test, but he said it is willing to sit with North Korean officials and diplomats from the region to discuss the crisis. "We will do all we can to dissuade [North Korea] from this test," he said. State Department officials said Hill is considering a trip to Asia to discuss options with key allies.
"We are not going to live with a nuclear North Korea, we are not going to accept it," Hill said. He said the United States had passed along a private warning through North Korea's diplomatic mission to the United Nations in New York.
The Yonhap news agency in South Korea reported today that President Roh Moo-hyun has ordered his government to send a "grave warning" to North Korea about the consequences of a threatened nuclear weapons test, according to the Associated Press. He also ordered the South Korean government to draw up a "contingency plan" if the nuclear standoff with North Korea worsens, Yonhap said, citing unidentified presidential staff.
North Korea is believed to have enough plutonium for as many as 11 nuclear bombs. It announced in February that it had succeeded in building a weapon, although intelligence analysts believe it is still years away from being able to deliver one.
Tuesday's statement did not set a date for a test. Senior intelligence officers and some administration officials said they had no clear signs indicating when one might occur.
"In terms of how much time they need and how far along they are, we don't know if it's even realistic" to test in the near term, said one official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in discussing classified intelligence estimates. State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said U.S. officials are looking at "all kinds of information" related to the possibility of a test.
Topographical changes resulting from a test would be visible to U.S. satellites, officials said. The test could also be detected by ground-based seismic sensors, some owned by U.S. intelligence and others by international monitoring stations set up to detect and deter nuclear tests around the world.
Several government analysts suggested that a test could come as early as Sunday, the anniversary of Kim Jong Il's appointment as head of the Korean Workers' Party, in 1997. It may also be timed to coincide with an election at the United Nations on Monday during which Ban Ki Moon, South Korea's foreign minister, is expected to be chosen as the next U.N. secretary general.
In a private phone conversation with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday, Ban offered to mediate between Washington and Pyongyang should he be selected as the next U.N. chief, according to an official briefed on the call.
Bush's top advisers held an emergency meeting about North Korea on Tuesday to review a number of strategies under consideration but came away with little agreement. Officials briefed on the meeting, chaired by national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley, said the participants discussed a range of options for restarting talks with Pyongyang and coaxing allies such as China and South Korea to adopt a tough line in the face of threats. "It was the first in a series of meetings we're going to have to hold," said one official who agreed to discuss it on the condition of anonymity. "There has been no major policy shift or change in anything at this point," the official said.
The State Department issued a worldwide communique to foreign governments afterward reiterating the administration's belief that a test would destabilize the region.
At the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador John R. Bolton discussed the matter with the Security Council, Casey said. The United States hopes "to see some action there in the near future," he added.
But Bolton said that, already, there are disagreements among council members about how to respond and that a Japanese initiative to send a council warning to Pyongyang lacks support.
North Korea's nuclear capabilities have grown significantly during Bush's presidency. When he came into office six years ago, intelligence agencies estimated that North Korea had the capability to make one or two nuclear weapons. As the potential arsenal has grown to as high as 11, the administration has rebuffed calls to sit down directly with North Korea.
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The Bush administration delivered a secret message to North Korea yesterday warning it to back down from a promised nuclear test, and it said publicly that the United States would not live with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang government.
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Tell Me About It
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Appearing every Wednesday and Friday in The Washington Post Style section and in Sunday Source, Tell Me About It offers readers advice based on the experiences of someone who's been there -- really recently. Carolyn Hax is a 30-something repatriated New Englander with a liberal arts degree and a lot of opinions and that's about it, really, when you get right down to it. Oh, and the shoes. A lot of shoes.
Anonymous: Any suggestions on leaving work at work? Cooking, reading, exercising, and television helps me wind down, but when I finally go to bed, I end up thinking about the e-mail I need to send off tomorrow.
Carolyn Hax: Try keeping a notepad next to your bed. Knowing it's all written down sometimes frees your mind to stop thinking about stuff.
Or you could watch bad movies in bed for the distraction. Or, you know, other stuff.
Great advice and exchange of suggestions. Thanks to you and the chatters. Here is my question:
Do I have a potential lover or a telephone buddy? What do you make of a man who calls virtually every night, but with whom I've only gone out a hand full of times since August? Sometimes he'll say "when can I see you?" We'll discuss possibilities, but then it doesn't happen. We went out last Friday and had a blast. He called on Saturday to tell me how much fun he had, but didn't mention when we could get together again. He has young children with whom he spends considerable amount of time or so he says. My friends think that he is probably dating around. I'm trying the wait-for-the-man-to-ask rule. Should I be the instigator of plans or just wait?
Carolyn Hax: The small kids could explain it, the dating around could explain it, a few other things could explain it. Would be nice, though, if he were the one to explain it. I don't think it has to be a declaration of clinginess if you were to ask, why so long between dates?
I also think rules should be put through the shredder, lit on fire and backed over by very large cars. (After the flames die of course.) If you have something to say or an invitation to make, just do it, please. Scaring someone off is not a disaster, it's incompatibility caught early.
Arlingon, Va.: Caorlyn how do I get over my sister's divorce? I am so incredibly angry with her husband for how he has treated her and the way in which he so quickly gave up on their marriage. I don't live near them ,but if i did I would be scared to run into him for fear of what I might do to him. They were together for 10 years (started dating in high school), married for a little over two and as soon as they hit a rut he gave up and refused to get counseling or work any more as he claimed the has already tried to change thing (by try he means making suggestion without ever having a real discussion about just how unhappy he was with things.) In addition he places all the blame on her. She admits she has faults, but he is equally, if not more, at fault for any problems in their relationship. The hard thing is that no one ever saw this coming. He was someone that my family respected and liked a lot , he really was a member of the family. I am trying to support her and help her through this so i have not contacted her husband, but I really want to give him a piece of my mind, not for the sake of him coming back as I know I cannot change him, but just to vent and get him off his high horse. Would that be a terrible thing to do?
Carolyn Hax: Yes. Unless you heard these things from him, you don't really know that everything you "know" is true. People are complicated. Marriage, as the product of two people, is at least doubly complicted. As someone who once thought well of him, you owe him at least some nod to that respect/fondness, ideally in the form of a door propped open to other possible interpretations of what happened.
Athens, Ohio: From today's column: "Lost respect is hard to restore, but, regardless of outcome, the effort always pays for itself."
How does one go about restoring respect?
Carolyn Hax: If you're the one who has lost the respect of others, then it's really just a matter of getting your [act] together. Obviously the details will be different in different situations, but the general idea is to start taking care of yourself, saying what you mean, meaning what you say, treating others honestly--all the things that, in the negative, will turn people off, quickly.
If you're the one who has lost respect for someone, there's much less you can do (since you can't make a person take care of herself, mean what he says, etc.). But you can make a genuine effort to look at someone in a different light, and also consider the possibility that you're judging the person too harshly.
Divorceville: Help! I'm meeting with a divorce attorney Tuesday, but in the meantime I have to live with my husband who will not leave our house. He won't get out! The loan's in my name. We argue constantly. He doesn't want the divorce. He's started drinking more. And I'm afraid to leave him with our pets. What do I do? Temporarily move out? It's my home and I don't want the courts to give it to him. I also don't want to remain in a house with a very angry and unreasonable person. What do I do between now and Tuesday?
Carolyn Hax: Off the cuff, I'd say get the pets to the home of a trusted friend (or even a safe boarding kennel) and call 1-800-799-SAFE for suggestions on what to do to safeguard your assets without compromising your safety. I'm sure others will write in with suggestions but I can't check anyone's bona fides in this forum, and also I believe marital property laws differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and so I think it's best to follow a cautious course of action. I wonder too if you can't get in touch with your attorney-to-be to ask about resources/advice to get you through the short term. Please write back to update us.
Re: Sisters divorce: Does it change things that when he started feeling upset about their marraige he found a shoulder to cry in the form of another woman? and that this went of for a few months before she caught him (no physical realtionship just mental cheating)and that he has since started "hanging out" with this other woman only 2 months after things blew up. I just can not muster up even an ounce of repect for him.
Carolyn Hax: I'm sorry your sister is hurting. I'm also sorry I can't offer any satisfaction for you here. I don't know what transpired in their marriage, and neither do you--and what we do know is that he got out of his marriage pretty quickly after his feelings went somewhere else. That can be a sign of a real jerk going off to chase the better deal, but it can also be a sign of someone trying to do the right thing under excruciating circumstances. Would you want him to stay with your sister if he didn't love her any more? I'm not saying this is what happened. Often, though, that is what happens and no amount of counseling is going to fix that.
Bethesda, Md.: I feel like I'm being tested. My wife of three years offered to get breast implants as a birthday present to me. I've already stalled away the opportunity to believably tell her not to get them. I dread it coming up again.
Carolyn Hax: The real question is, what are you prepared to give her for your anniversary?
RE: today's column: Carolyn, you responded to the question as if the guy was saying he was in a series of go-nowhere jobs and that he didn't take employment seriously . From the way it reads to me, it sounds like the wife is the one changing jobs all the time and those jobs are going nowhere. Am I interpreting it wrong?
Carolyn Hax: Yes. "She's a highly driven med student."
Takoma Park, Md.: Carolyn: Please give me some assistance. My only sibling and I have always gotten along famously, better than most I would say. We are on opposite sides of the same problem, my immediate family has been afflicted with fertility problems and my sibling's immediate family has had unwanted pregnancies. We are trying so hard to be kind to each other, but the grass being greener on the other side has gotten almost surreal. How do you weather such disparities, especially when they are on the same issue?
Carolyn Hax: There is no disparity in how you are treating each other. Neither sibling is doing anything deliberately to hurt the other sibling. Your problems are of circumstance, unfortunate but not germane. How do you hold accidents of fate against someone? Now, if one of you is throwing the difference in the other's face, then that would become grounds for hard feelings.
Implants: "stalled away the opportunity to believably tell her not to get them"?
Carolyn Hax: Meaning, a guy who really thought she was better without them would have said so on the spot. Meaning, he's busted. If you will.
Me again: But he says "following her around." That sounds to me like even though she's driven, she doesn't stay in one place for very long. she doesn't sound very stable. Maybe she should put down the books and get a job.
Carolyn Hax: Most recent med student of my acquaintance needed three cities to get the training done, and wanderlust had nothing to do with it.
Metropolis, USA: Today's column about the "partyer" is about drinking. He has thrown in other issues to camouflage the drinking. End of story.
Carolyn Hax: This sounds more like it. Thanks.
Re: divorcing sister: Honestly, I know this may sound mean, but she needs to mind her own business. She can commiserate with her sister, give her a shoulder if she needs one, and offer any other support, but she would be absolutely out of line to say anything to the husband. First, what if they somehow reconcile? Then she's the sister-in-law who meddles. Second, even if reconciliation is not an option, the sister may not want her to say anything. Marriages and divorces are intensely private and emotional things. The worst thing that can happen is for someone who isn't involved and doesn't have all of the facts to get involved. It has to potential to make things uglier for the sister as well- the husband may believe his wife set it up and any hope at a civil, if not amicable, divorce goes out the window.
Carolyn Hax: It doesn't sound mean, it sounds dead on, and I hope she's thinking clearly enough to listen--ultimately for her own benefit, but also for her sister's.
You brought up a point I meant to add myself, too. I get a lot of questions about the phenomenon of siding with a friend against an ex, only to see friend and ex inexplicably and ill-advisedly get back together. At least from the third=-party perspective.
This sister-in-law is living the first stage of that problem. Her sister is in on all the nuances of the marriage and of its failure, and so she has the ability to get past the bad feelings, build on the good ones and theoretically either reconcile or just salvage a friendship with the husband. The sister-in-law, meanwhile, gets only a second- or third-hand account of the marriage (and a biased one at that), and stays angry at the ex forever after. So much better just to remain mindful that you don't really know all the facts.
Cherry Hill, NJ.:. Re: Implants in Bethesda -- Shouldn't he tell her she should only get them if she wants them for herself and not as a gift for him? That's a bad reason to get them.
Carolyn Hax: This is what I would have typed if my brain weren't in a drawer. Thank you.
Washington, D.C.: For the guy whose wife offered to get breast implants: it's never too late to tell her that it's her choice and she should do what makes her happy, whether that involves implants or not. Better yet, tell her you want something else for your birthday, but when her birthday comes around, offer to pay for her implants if that's what she wants as HER present.
Carolyn Hax: Even better. Tx.
Baby Stuff: My baby just rolled over for the first time while I was reading your chat!!!!!!
Carolyn Hax: Left, pro-implants. Right, anti-implants. Or is it the other way around.
Washington, D.C.: I hear lots of women talk about "changing" their men with a straight face. Some laugh it off as cute. Most do it with a bit of self-consciousness.
What is up with this? Men don't go around as often talking about how to change their women. Why is it acceptable the other way around?
I mentioned to one friend that my fiance cleans the bathroom and she congratulated me for having him "well trained." As if I was in there showing him how to do it.
Carolyn Hax: It's not acceptable, and men do it, too, they just don't talk about it as much. We're all just a bunch of power-mongers and control-freaks, albeit, fortunately, with varying degrees of success at keeping the impulses in check.
Re: Breast Implants: JUST SAY NO! Better late than never dude. My wife sprung this question on me a few weeks ago and I was quick to tell her how much she did NOT need them. Tell your wife this (and believe it) and she is likely to give you another present you'll enjoy a lot more.
By the way ladies, though they may look good, the rubbery feel of the fakes is nothing to compare to the tactile enjoyment (was this subtle enough) of a real human body.
Carolyn Hax: Dude, some of us are trying to work here.
Send me to the doc, please.: I haven't been to the doctor in about 10 years. I'm 38, an otherwise sensible person, but I have a big block about this. I need to go! I feel fine but think I may have a lump in my breast, and I'm scared. I have a family history of diabetes, hypertension, and depression. I know I'm going to hear that I'm quite overweight, so that shouldn't freak me out -- I AM overweight and eager to do something about it. I even know of a good doc -- my partner is very happy with his. But my last experiences with physicians were very unpleasant (inappropriate touching and sexual comments and come-ons from one, judgemental comments on the fact that I'm divorced from another while I was IN the STIRRUPS for chrissakes). PLEASE kick me in the butt, Carolyn! Why can't I just do it?
Carolyn Hax: Go, bring a buddy or ask that a nurse be present during the exam, or both. Doctors are there to treat, not judge--and your health issues (whatever they may be), meanwhile, are there to stay, not scurry off to someone else because you don't want them any more.
That's as hard as I'll kick--open-toed shoes today.
Georgia: Carolyn, What's a smart, independent, feminist young woman like myself to do when she finds herself in love? My boyfriend is a great person and partner and I find myself daydreaming about our future (wedding, where we'll live, where we'll each work, when we'll have kids. and yes we have talked about this stuff so this isn't all one sided). With all the other boys my attitude has been if he fits in MY life -- grand, if not -- oh well. But with this one I want to be with him and I'm not against compromise or giving a little bit of somethinge else up for that. Does this mean he's a keeper??
Carolyn Hax: Not until you're ready to usher your feminism into a more mature age. It's about being as free as anyone else to be the person you choose to be. It's not about plowing down every man, diamond mine or lace factory you find on your path. (Unless of course that's the person you freely choose to be.) Being strong and independent means you have the power to compromise (or not), vs a mandate to cave.
Better get off my high horse--hard to reach the keys.
Breast implants - no: Keep in mind that the feeling in the breast will disappear and may never return. They could catch fire a la Mrs. Doubtfire and you'd never know it.
Not to mention that surgery has risks and scars and even "routine" surgery has non-routine consequences.
Carolyn Hax: The asbestos ruff makes a comback. Thanks.
Just wondering...: Has anyone ever written in describing themselves as a "dumb, independant feminist"? Or "dumb, hard-working man's man"?
Carolyn Hax: I'm waiting for "self-important professional."
How do you get over the fear of opening up to someone? I know the "if you can't be yourself, it's better to know that upfront" logical, sane response to this question, but somehow it keeps translating in my head as a reason to withdraw from the guy I like, and think, "well, hey that guy over there seems friendly, so I should go hit on him when things over here don't work out."
Carolyn Hax: It's one thing to be logical and sane, it's quite another to just stand there and get hurt, which is essentially what I advise people to do. So it's natural for your mind to start looking for evacuation routes when you see pain or humiliation coming.
The thing is, though, we put ourselves in these positions--in your case, being with the guy you like--because it's often the first step toward something we want even more, and getting there requires clearing a pain-and-humiliation obstacle. So if you ever want to get close to a guy you like, you're going to have to make yourself vulnerable to rejection. certainly you can proceed slowly and await reassurance that you're not being reckless with your own feelings, but at some point you have to let go and let the other person know you care. That's when you open yourself to get smacked, and if you avoid it every time, you never get close to anyone. That simple.
I think it's also that simple that you don't get over the fear of opening up; rejection will always hurt, so you will always fear it. The trick is not to be so afraid that you don't do it, and my best suggestion there is (sorry) just do it. Open up, get hurt, eat ice cream, apply hard lessons, try again.
Carolyn Hax: I could have taken longer with that one only if I'd napped at my keyboard. Sorry. Couldn't get the words out.
Ringless Engagement: We're engaged. I don't want/need a ring. Why is it the first question people ask when I announce is "can I see the ring?" It does't make me rethink wanting one, but I can sometimes see people thinking, "Is he being cheap or are they pretending to be engaged?" Or maybe I'm just being over sensative.
Carolyn Hax: Yeah, a little. Just say you chose not to have a ring. People are just used to saying what they're used to saying in response to news.
Implants: For your birthday, I promise to never again stare at another woman's chest....
Carolyn Hax: Thanks! But my birthday's in December.
Richmond, Va.: Dear Carolyn: Help me draw a line! After my parents' nasty divorce, my dad left me with over $11K in student loans that he forced me to take out in my name when I was a sophomore in college. He told me then that he would pay them off, but as soon as I graduated he suddenly decided my mother should pay them, even after financially devastating her in the divorce settlement. It was her choice to pay her half without taking out loans. I love him, I miss him, but I am sick and tired of being the weapon he uses to punish my mother and this is the straw that broke the camel's back. I told him I never want to speak to him again, and I don't know if there's forgiveness in me. Is this the right thing to do?
Carolyn Hax: If you're asking, probably not, and it does seem like a decision made in the heat of passion. You were put in the middle of some ugly stuff and that in itself is grounds to be angry at your father, but lopping someone out of your life is rarely a satisfying solution to a problem. What the satisfying solution is, you're going to need to find out for yourself--it may ultimately be a full lopping--but until you put in the time and thought and perspective, you're always going to second-guess. You might be able to expedite the thoguht and perspective with some competent counseling. Please consider it. It's hard to understand family stuff, standing so close to it.
A loyal follower of the chat: Carolyn,
I met a wonderful guy online and we've been out for a few times and each time we enjoyed each other tremendously. Although I would have loved that we saw each other more often but that's ok and he's not pushy in that regards.
Without getting into too much of the details about him, I like him and want to see more of him. But I found myself not being able to trust him as much as necessary at this stage of getting to know each other. I also don't want to end it simply because of that. What should I do?
Carolyn Hax: End it simply because of that. No trust, no point.
Washington, D.C.: Carolyn, I've written before about this, but I'm hoping that this time you'll be able to offer some advice. I'm having a really hard time moving on. I'm in love with one of my coworkers. We're friends and we're both single but he's not interested in me romanticly at all. I love having him in my life -- he's a great guy and he inspires me to try to make myself a better person. But I'm having a lot of trouble dating- I find myself comparing any new guy to him. This isn't infatuation; he's not perfect and I can see that clearly, but I can't help feeling that we would be great together. I see him almost everyday- how do I move on and stop feeling this way without looking for a new job and losing him from my life entirely?
Carolyn Hax: Sounds like that might be the best thing for you, in the long run.
But if you decide to stay at your job, maybe this will help: Someone who brings out the best in you is a great partner. Someone who inspires you to try to make yourself a better person sounds like an exhausting partner. The line between these may seem like a fine one, but I see it as the difference between liking yourself and wishing you could be better, and the latter gets really, really old. So maybe he's not the be-all you've imagined.
Philadelphia, Pa.: Someone screwed me over. Time passed and now I'm not angry anymore. I still have no desire to speak to this person. Have I forgiven? Or just moved on?
Carolyn Hax: How about, "lived and learned."
I really appreciated your column today, as the BF and I have had tension lately around similar issues. My Q is this: What if you are willing to take on the supporter role, but your partner either doesn't believe you mean it, or doesn't want you to do it, thinking that you should follow every opportunity? I'm not umabitious at all, its just that I am much less ambitious than him.
Carolyn Hax: It means he doesn't respect your choices, and that's serious. Put it to him that way, and ask him to show you that respect. He may just be so programmed to see success as the only form of success (it's the culture, stupid) that he genuinely thinks he's looking out for you. Make it clear that listening to, understanding you and supporting you is the way to go, vs. pushing you to be someone you're not, and seeif he comes around. Good luck.
Dallas, Tex.: My boyfriend is taking me to meet his parents in a couple weeks. We will be staying with them. Ordinarily I would definitely bring a thank you gift with me for letting me stay in their home. However, his parents are quite wealthy and I'm not sure that I could give a gift that would measure up. I am barely scraping by and could not afford more than say a $30 bottle of wine. I know they have so much more nicer things. What do I do? I want to give something to show my appreciation but I'm afraid that it would only highlight the differences between us which is definitely what I'm trying not to do.
Carolyn Hax: You don't give a gift to add to their collection or net worth, or to provide this [wine/chocolate/pair of candles] because they couldn't afford to if you hadn't given it to them. It's the um thought that counts. So, the gift of wine is, "Here's a wine I like that I thought you might like, too." The gift of something homemade is, "Here's a family recipe I thought you might enjoy." Don't let money cloud your vision when you're with them, re this or in general. They're just people.
Washington, D.C.: (Online only please) I am a law student, my husband works in another field. In the time that we have been engaged and now married, friends and family have made "jokes" about him being a gold-digger or me wearing the pants.
He ignores these comments, and says as long as he and I don't feel that way it doesn't matter. I used to respond that marrying someone with $200K in school debt was a bad way to be a gold-digger, but I am trying to minimize sarcasm. Trouble is, what do I say? I feel like jumping in to his defense just perpetuates the situation. Is it possible to respond politely to rude people?
Carolyn Hax: Sure. That's the best way. "Please, enough with the flattery," is the first response that came to mind. (Actually, second; first was unprintable.) Because they are insulting you to your face--but don't have the parts to say, "There's nothing attractive about you except your income"?--you're certainly entitled to call their attention to it. Enjoy.
Therapy: At what point do you know you might need therapy or professional help? If you are depressed because your life is sucky, then it doesn't seem like therapy would help. But how do you know if the problems in your life aren't going away because you are depressed or you are depressed because of the problems in your life?
Carolyn Hax: I think you're trying to talk your way out of therapy. Being depressed because your life is sucky often happens b/c you make bad choices or carry around guilt or repeat self-defeating relationship patterns--all of which could be remedied by a good therapist. You go when you can't put your finger on why you're uhappy, or when your own efforts to turn things around haven't been effective.
Carolyn Hax: Plus, depression affects your ability to judge your ability to address your depression. It blocks your vision. So, I could argue that anyone depressed could benefit from a trained, non-depressed set of eyes looking at the problem(s).
Re: Codependent No More: I was there for a guy while he was messed up (issues with confrontation, depression, etc.) and you know what? He didn't choose to be with me after he finally got healthy. You know what else? He probably would have gotten help without me. I might have made it easier for him, and he did thank me for that, but it REALLY REALLY sucked to have him not want me after he was finally healthy. I wish I hadn't wasted my time.
Carolyn Hax: Is that really how you see it? Surely you must have been drawn to helping him for the sake of helping him, on some level? I just wonder why you were attracted to him in his messed up state to begin with.
time's up: are you immensely relieved every friday at 2:00pm?
Carolyn Hax: 2:19. Relieved b/c I need to recaffeinate. Otherwise I've come to enjoy the abuse (some days are touch-and-go, but it;s usually my fault). Thanks for coming, and type to you next Friday.
Skip the gift and actually write a thank you: Seriously.
A nice handwritten note is pretty rare and a bit more meaningful than a generic candle.
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In "World War Z," author Max Brooks documents "first-hand" accounts of a fictitious futuristic war against the undead. From personal accounts to tactical considerations -- "What if the enemy can't be shocked and awed? Not just won't, but biologically can't!" -- Brooks dissects every angle of a full on battle for humanity's future. A follow-up to 2003's "Zombie Survival Guide," one can practically hear the studios beating Brooks' door down to option the book for adaptation.
Brooks was online Friday, Oct. 6, at 3 p.m. ET to discuss his new book, zombies and whatever else is on your mind -- like maybe his famous dad, Mel.
( Transcript : Brooks was also online in 2003 to discuss the "Zombie Survival Guide." )
Are you aware that zombie hunters are currently in demand in Sweden? ( Story )
Could this perhaps be a sign of a northern European outbreak of the undead, or merely a hysterical reaction to an outbreak of "Stockholm Syndrome"?
Max Brooks: Personally, I cannot blame the Swedes for panicking at the outbreak of the living dead. For the first time in a long time, they will be facing an enemy that does not recognize neutrality!
My girlfriend's grandfather served with your uncle in WWII. Which makes us... well nothing, really.
Anyways, Zombies. Now I'm a good bleeding heart liberal, but everytime I watch zombie movies or read zombie books or play zombie video games, I have the pressing urge to stockpile guns and ammunition in my house so I'm never caught off guard for when the day comes. This leads me to one thought: why doesn't the NRA or whoever use more zombies in their recruiting efforts?
Max Brooks: Since the NRA has more members (and guns) than they know what to do with, I believe they do not require the need to use zombies for recruitment.
Towson, Md.: Do the zombies have a civilian leader like a SecDef? Heavens, I don't know. Is Donald Rumsfeld qualified for the post? Gosh, not yet. Might he be qualified soon? Goodness, he's 75. Might he help save humanity by undermining the zombie war effort? By golly, he just might!
Max Brooks: The living dead do not have any leadership of any kind. That's what makes them so dangerous. There is no organizationat all, no chain of command and no leaders to blame. It's all or nothing with the living dead, total war.
New York, N.Y.: Is there a World War Z broadway musical in the works?
Max Brooks: Not that I'm aware of, but, hey, I'm only the author. No one tells me anything.
Washington, D.C.: What continental U.S. state, based on geographical features would be the most easily defendable in a world overrun by zombies?
Max Brooks: The Western United States make for the ideal "safe zone". The Rockies are a natural barrier, both in elevation and their seasonal freezing.
Frederick, Md.: Mr. Brooks, I currently reading your book. Enjoyable and chilling. What does you father think of your zombie obsession? Doe he think you are a loon?
Max Brooks: He's just thrilled that I have a job.
Arlington, Va.: Hi, I was, actually,an extra in the student film you shot while a student at AU. I think it might have been called "Nightmares"? Anyway, whatever happened with that? Were you happy with how it came out?
Max Brooks: Wow, a voice from the past. "Enemies Within" was the title we settled on. It made the festival run, won a few awards, I think, but mainly now I have it locked away in my "horribly bad writing" trunk.
Zombie Hunters Unite!: You previous book was very well researched. Did you do any research for this book, did you draw upon the research you already did, or did you just spin this out of your dark fantasies?
Also, do the humans win?
Max Brooks: Everything in World War Z (as in The Zombie Survival Guide) is based in reality... well, except the zombies. But seriously, everything else in the book is either taken from reality or 100% real. The technology, politics, economics, culture, military tactics... it was a LOT of homework.
So - will we ever find out what happened to North Korea?
Max Brooks: I often ask the same thing myself. Maybe someday we'll find out.
Washington, D.C.: I just took the quiz on your site and I have a 38% chance of survival. That's it, I'm moving to Cuba!
Max Brooks: Don't feel bad. The 30th Percent is pretty average for the rest of the world. You have a pretty good chance of survival (but have that sailboat and Spanish-English dictionary ready).
McLean, Va.: Do we need to fear zombie animals, like those seen in Resident Evil, or are talking strictly human zombies?
What is about being a zombie that turns one into a cannibal?
Max Brooks: We still don't know why zombies attack and consume living flesh.
As far as zombie animals, don't worry, there are none. The virus is toxic to all life except human. Why, we still don't know.
Arlington, Va.: Will zombies do anything in water?
Max Brooks: If you mean, can they still walk, hunt, and kill underwater, the answer is yes. World War Z discusses various elements of underwater zombie combat.
Poolesville, Md.: The theatre company I belong to just did a zombie "flash mob" to promote our next show, Night of the Living Dead. It got amazing attention for us. Ever think of doing something like that to promote WWZ or Zombie Survival Guide?
Max Brooks: Interesting idea. Right now my main tool of live promotion are my Zombie Self Defense lectures. I show slides, do weapons demonstrations, and show an old Soviet propaganda film dealing with the living dead.
Rockville, Md.: I've been using the advice in the Zombie Survival Guide to protect myself, but am constantly running into restrictive land-use laws and HOA rules that prevent me from further enhancing my home's fortifications. Right now, I've secured the upper floor and the staircase can be demolished.
My question is, what else should/can I do? In case of a zombie horde on the ground level, do I have to worry about them knocking the walls down, thus collapsing the house? Should I go instead with a underground shelter? Can zombies dig into a shelter?
Max Brooks: Yes, zombies do dig, so to be trapped underground is not the safest solution (also, how will you escape if your bunker is breached). I also wouldn't be too concerned with the dead breaking down your walls, once they find a way in (a broken down door or window), they will flood through that opening like water.
Haifa, Israel: Is there someplace I can go to offer my services as a Zombie hunter for hire?
Max Brooks: Stay put and protect your people! They need all the defense experts they can get!
Alexandria, Va.: Assuming the outbreak would start soon, do you recommend staying in a defensible home for a few weeks before trying to escape to a non-urban area, or trying to get out of the area ASAP?
Max Brooks: That depends on where you live. If you're, say, in a large city, I'd start making plans to get out now. If you're in a more rural area above the snow-line, you might be able to fortify your home, wait for winter, then move on from there. However, no matter where you are, always, always have more than one plan.
Baltimore, Md.: Hi Max -- A fun, gory, and unsettling read (and nominee for best book title of the year). What sort of cataclysm experts/documents did you use/discover during your research?
Max Brooks: What didn't I use? Seriously, my old college and grad school profs would be proud of me that I actually did my homework, for once. I should have stock options on Amazon for the ammount of reference books I've bought from them. I was also very lucky to have a variety of friends in fields that were related to the book; medicine, engineering, politics, military, etc.
Gaithersburg, Md.: Is there a danger in the horror world of zombie overload? In just recent years, we've seen "Land of the Dead," (which was actually pretty good, though), a remake of "Dawn of the Dead," "28 Days Later," "Sean of the Dead" (which was also pretty good), and several other zombie movies, some of them pretty forgettable.
Max Brooks: There will, no doubt, be a bursting of "The Zombie Bubble". I think as long as we're living in such chaotic times, the living dead will remain in our collective subconscious, but once things calm down again (and they will), most people will move onto something else.
Virginia Beach, Va.: How disappointing is it for you that, despite the publication of your "How to survive a Zombie attack" book, we will have lapsed into World War Z? What tense (Future past perfect perhaps?) is the book written in?
Max Brooks: I look at both books as "Before and After". Lord knows I wouldn't be the first person in human history to sound an alarm that no one heard.
Alexandria, Va.: Max, GREAT BOOK!! Read it in two days! My question is, it seems you draw a lot of parallels between today's war on terror methods and the zombie war. How close, however, do you compare the zombies to today's fundamentalist Islamists? i.e, unthinking, uncaring, irrational villains who kill for the sake of killing?
Max Brooks: The lack of rational thought has always scared me when it came to zombies, the idea that there is no middle ground, no room for negotiation. That has always terrified me. Of course that applies to terrorists, but it can also apply to a hurricane, or flu pandemic, or the potential earthquake that I grew up with living in L.A. Any kind of mindless extremism scares me, and we're living in some pretyt extreme times.
BC: Max, we keep the "Zombie Survival Guide" around the office, just in case. I thought it was an absolute hoot.
Haven't ready WWZ yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Need to finish Jared Diamond's "Collapse" and Gaiman's "Anasasi Boys", first.
Anyway, my question is: how has being an American (presuming you are) influenced your perspective on zombies? Or, put another way, what is it about zombies that resonates so strongly with Americans ("Sean of the Dead", excepted of course)?
Hmm, do I really want to know the answer?
First, I think the survival element is VERY strong in American culture. We are a nation of individualists. We beleive with the right tools and talent that we can survive anything. And sometimes that's right, but not always.
Second, I think we are, at our core, a moderate country. It scares most of us to think of our calm, rational society degenerating into anarchy.
College Park, Md.: On a literary note, I have discussed the phenomenon of "zombie lit" with friends of mine and have come to the conclusion that the genre reveals a very different set of social fears than the ones we experienced ten years ago. Where the Anne Rice vampire novels seemed to address the fear of death through intimacy (and the transmission of blood), zombie lit seems to reveal a fear of social breakdown due to environmental factors like a pandemic flu.
Max Brooks: Anne Rice's vampires were sleek and sexy. And why not, the late 80s to 2000 were a very sleek and sexy time. People wanted to be vampires. They were cool. The times we were living in were cool.
Not anymore. Just like vampires go hand-in-hand with some kind of elite, celebrity life, the zombie genre is deeply rooted in armageddon.
Zombie vs. vampire: who would win?
Max Brooks: I will not even justify that with an answer...
Depends on numbers of zombies vs the inteligence and planning of the vamps. Think of the vamps as humans. One human could take a zombie, no problem. Even one well trained, well equipped, calm and cool human could take on who knows how many zombies.
But throw in panic... not even the coolest vampires would stand a chance if they retreated into panic!
Chantilly, Va.: The Game Dead Rising, would this be consider good training (foritifcation techniques, foraging, etc) for the impending war?
Max Brooks: I haven't played that game yet, but if it's the one where you're trapped in a mall with zombies. Hmmm... sounds familiar. Better to just watch the original "Dawn of the Dead".
Warshington, Disrick of Columbia: Are there now, or have there ever been, zombies in the State Department?
Max Brooks: No, but that doesn't make all of them human either.
Columbia, Md.: The book has been optioned as a movie -- do you think it will translate to the typical hollywood-type movie, or would you like to see something like a "Ken Burns" type documentary?
Max Brooks: I honestly have no idea at this point. But Ken Burns... now that's an idea I haven't thought about before.
So...: Huge Romero fan, or just just a major Romero fan? Have you ever heard from him given your two books?
Max Brooks: HUGE Romero fan, even though my zombies are different than his. Still, he redefined the genre. Just as there were space movies before George Lucas, there were zombie movies before Romero. He's the man, and he's got my respect forever.
Washington, D.C.: Any plans for a sequel?
Max Brooks: Maybe, I'll have to give it some time and see what germinates. It's always too tempting to rush to capitalize on the success of a previous work and I'm going to have to be VERY careful to make sure another zombie book doesn't suck.
Centreville, Va.: In World War Z, which type of Zombie are we mostly like to face? The slow shambling Zombies of the 70's or the ultra-fast/strong zombie's of 00's? What type of different stratagems should we use when facing these different beasts?
Max Brooks: World War Z deals with the "shamblers", the slow zombies. Those scare me a hell of a lot more than the acrobatic Jesse Owens zombies we see in a lot of new films. The fact that a zombie will never stop, never tire, and will shamble after you until you drop dead from exhaustion is what keeps me up at night.
Armageddon?: So WWZ is a "Left Behind" of the slacker generation?
Max Brooks: Never read "Left Behind" so I can't really judge it. Maybe Armageddon is too strong a word. The human race does survive, but we sure do come pretty close to going out. If anything it's the "Good War" of zombie fiction.
Arlington, Va.: Forgive me for being blunt, but is it sufficient to shoot them in the head?
Max Brooks: Or just hit them in the head hard enough to crack the skull. Think about it. Killing the brain isn't just some magical way to kill a zombie (like a cross or stake through the heart for vampires), it is also the only way, really to kill a human. All we really are is a brain and everything else in our body makes up the life-support mechanism for that brain (bringing it nourishment, oxygen, etc.) When you, say, kill a human by stopping his heart, you're just killing the brain via the "middle man". When you kill a zombie's brain, you're cutting that middle man out.
I found your book to be very compelling especially the details of the South African strategy. I have two questions.
Is it possible for the mutation which causes re-animation to be spread by a secondary source such as a parasitic insect i.e. mosquito?
Is it possible to get the virus from residual blood splatter? I.e. if one is shot in close proximity to a normal human?
Max Brooks: Don't worry about parasites like mosquitos or fleas. The virus is instantly toxic to them.
However, be VERY careful about open wounds. If a zombie is damaged enough to be dripping fluid (especially a new zombie where that fluid has not yet fully congealed) then there is a very real danger of being infected through an open wound on your body.
NW, D.C.: On this long-weekend, what movies best capture what to do incase of an outbreak? and what movie best shows what not to do?
Max Brooks: Watch "Dawn of the Dead", the original. Maybe Romero's zombies are different than mine, but who cares, it's amazing!
Max Brooks: Thank you everyone for your fun and insightful questions. Sorry about my horrific spelling and grammar (next time I'll make sure my editor is in the room when I answer these.) Thanks again, and be safe!
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 Max Brooks discusses his new book, "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War."
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Cracking a Smile In the Cracked-Up World of 'Godot'
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Samuel Beckett, king of comedy? Don't laugh. Well, on second thought, do. You'll have little choice, in fact, if you treat yourself to the wryness of the Gate Theatre of Dublin's agile "Waiting for Godot."
Regularly cited as one of the most important plays of the 20th century, "Godot" is too often handled as if it were just that. And nothing kills fun like importance. Studio Theatre avoided the reverential pitfall with its free-range, hip-hop adaptation of the play eight years ago. But too many other productions take what you might call a taxidermic tack: They seem, misguidedly, to simply want to stuff and mount this absurdist tragicomedy.
The Gate's performers, ensconced in the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater through a sold-out performance tonight, have an earthier goal: They want us to have a good time. And in the irrepressible countenances of Barry McGovern and Johnny Murphy, who play Beckett's wistful, watchful hobos, Vladimir and Estragon, Beckett's wicked wit is accorded full-time employment.
Under the finely calibrated direction of Walter D. Asmus, "Godot" -- which as fashion dictates is pronounced "GOD-oh" here -- seems an ethereal meditation on, among other things, the curses and privileges of knowing our days must come to an end.
Didi and Gogo, as Vladimir and Estragon call each other, are marooned on an existential plain (or plane) and awaiting with anxiety, trepidation and anticipation instructions from an unseen figure. He may have a white beard, he may use an angelic young boy as his messenger -- and he may or may not ever come.
A messiah or a mirage? A waste of time or a preamble to significant events? Who knows? Didi and Gogo sure don't. The pleasure of "Godot" is not so much in trying to decipher what they're waiting for, as in communing with the ordinary and entirely human routines they engage in to fill their hours in the cosmic waiting room.
Didi and Gogo are equally vital to each other -- as brothers, or old friends, or poker buddies -- in contrast to the more enigmatic pair in "Godot," the master/slave couple of Pozzo (Alan Stanford) and his tethered servant Lucky (Stephen Brennan). Didi and Gogo talk about a comradeship that has lasted decades, and indeed, these sharp Irish actors convince you that this is so.
In some productions, Didi and Gogo seem interchangeable. McGovern and Murphy reveal why that is a miscalculation. The lanky, expressive McGovern gives Didi a more contemplative bearing, the better to embody the more philosophical of the pair. He's also the more nurturing -- the older brother, if you will. No wonder he's the one with the supply of root vegetables in his pockets.
Murphy's Gogo, with stooped shoulders and a hangdog mien, is more childlike, the irritable one in need of reassurance and help in keeping track of his boots.
Indeed, there's something poignant in the production each time McGovern grabs Murphy by the hand and they shuffle off together, rattled by some noise or simply in need of contact at the end of another disappointing day with no sign of Godot.
What passes between them is both tender and funny. And it's principally in McGovern's and Murphy's expressive line readings and precise timing that the gentle, ironic comedy of "Godot" is fully engaged. After Murphy's Gogo makes the bland declaration, "I'll go get a carrot," McGovern knows just how much time to let pass and emphasis to give to, "This is becoming really insignificant."
The buoyant theatricality extends to the entrances of Brennan's yoked Lucky, who's hunched over like a packhorse and guided on a rope by Stanford's whip-brandishing Pozzo. Their relationship is based on a wholly different sort of mutual dependence, with the arrogant Pozzo barking demeaning orders at hapless Lucky.
Stanford brings the requisite bluster and effeteness to Pozzo: He's like some epicurean bully. He will ultimately be engulfed in darkness, perhaps in payback, you come to think, for his obliviousness to suffering.
Brennan's performance is one of subtle physicality. The incessant patter of his tiny footsteps back and forth across the stage as Pozzo barks one ridiculous command after another lands on the ear like anguished forbearance. (Is that just a striped jacket on his back, or the uniform of a camp inmate?) The actor does justice, too, to the geysers of tangled verbiage that erupt from Lucky when he's relieved for a time of his physical labors and ordered by Pozzo to "think!"
The bleak "Godot" landscape, with the bare-limbed tree from which Didi and Gogo contemplate hanging themselves, is faithfully conjured here by Louis le Brocquy, and lighting designer Rupert Murray allows night to fall in stylized fits and starts. A full moon gets its own bravura entrance.
Asmus's sure-footed pacing allows stillness to envelop us, too. When Didi and Gogo are approached by the boy (Devin O'Shea-Farren) who bears the news that Godot will stand them up today, as always, you are made to feel as if the whole Earth has come to a halt. Rarely does aloneness in the universe feel starker.
Waiting for Godot , by Samuel Beckett. Directed by Walter D. Asmus. Approximately 2 hours 25 minutes. Through today at Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Call 202-467-4600 or visit http://www.kennedy-center.org .
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Samuel Beckett, king of comedy? Don't laugh. Well, on second thought, do. You'll have little choice, in fact, if you treat yourself to the wryness of the Gate Theatre of Dublin's agile "Waiting for Godot."
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MedImmune Asks For Right to Sue
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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which has jurisdiction over patent law, blocked MedImmune from suing in 2004, ruling that a 1998 deal that MedImmune agreed to with Genentech amounted to a recognition of its patent's validity, leaving no genuine conflict for the courts to resolve.
MedImmune maintains that it always questioned the patent, and agreed to license it "under protest" because its only alternatives were to give up a huge piece of business or face the threat of a triple-damages infringement suit by Genentech.
"What we are presenting in this case is a dispute about money," MedImmune's lawyer, John G. Kester, told the court. "It is not abstract. It is not hypothetical. It is not conjectural."
Comments and questions from the justices left little indication of how they might rule, with the court's main concern seeming to be that, even if the justices grant MedImmune a right to sue Genentech, patent holders might simply ask licensees to sign away their right to sue.
"At some point, either in this case or some later case, we may have to address the question of whether or not such a provision is enforceable," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy noted. "If it is, we may not be talking about much. It's just going to be boilerplate in every license agreement, and that's the end of it."
But Kester argued that the "licensee cannot, by contract, be [stopped] from challenging the patent."
That seemed not to convince Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. If firms could always sue over patents they had agreed to respect, he said, "How do you ever end these things?"
Genentech's lawyer, Maureen E. Mahoney, reinforced that point in her argument, saying MedImmune is essentially seeking the right to back out of a deal that both sides made in good faith, and that "it has been settled [law] forever that . . . an agreement for making payments pursuant to an agreement in the nature of a compromise, you can't come and say that it has been coerced or is some form of duress."
But MedImmune contends that a federal law enacted in 1936 permits a party to take a contract dispute to court without having to break the agreement first. It argues that the Federal Circuit's recent rulings, including its decision against MedImmune, reversed years of precedent that favored what some call the "pay and sue" strategy.
The case has potentially wide implications for other technology firms, since it will affect the ability of patent holders to deflect challenges to their monopolies over inventions.
MedImmune is supported in the case by the Generic Pharmaceutical Association and by the Bush administration -- which told the court in its brief that "there is a strong federal policy . . . in ridding the economy" of invalid patents.
Genentech is backed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Qualcomm Inc., 3M Co., General Electric Co., Procter & Gamble Co. and DuPont Co.
Genentech is the world's top biotechnology company, with an estimated market capitalization of $88.3 billion. MedImmune, with a market cap of $6.9 billion and more than 2,400 employees, is the eighth-largest biotech firm in the world, measured by stock value, and by far the biggest in the Washington region.
About 80 percent of its revenue comes from sales of Synagis, which prevents certain respiratory infections in premature babies. In 2005, worldwide Synagis sales exceeded $1 billion for the first time. Still, the company reported a loss of $16.6 million in part because of poor sales of its inhaled flu vaccine, FluMist.
Synagis is made with the use of an antibody synthesis technology on which Genentech holds a patent, known as the Cabilly II patent after the inventor Shmuel Cabilly.
The patent runs through 2018, though MedImmune says it is invalid and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is reviewing it.
Because of a confidentiality agreement with Genentech, MedImmune does not disclose how much it pays in royalties on Synagis. Kester said yesterday, however, that the quarterly payments cause "major injury" to MedImmune.
The case is MedImmune v. Genentech , No. 05-608. A decision is expected by July.
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A lawyer for MedImmune Inc. asked the Supreme Court yesterday to let the company sue to overturn a patent owned by Genentech Inc. on a component of MedImmune's blockbuster drug Synagis, even though MedImmune is paying royalties to use it.
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Projects Aim To Build Up City's Image
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The makeover of Fairfax City is about to take another leap with the unveiling of a police headquarters and an addition to City Hall, both scheduled to open in early December.
The buildings, approved by voters in a $20 million bond referendum in 2001, are designed to improve access and services to Fairfax's 20,000 residents and bolster the functionality and work environment for city employees. Fairfax City police operate out of an old elementary school, with former storage closets used to hold evidence. One was even pressed into service as an office for an investigator.
Next year, the city plans to open a library and a large shopping and business center, both under construction. To accommodate those, Fairfax in August restored two-way traffic to its downtown for the first time since 1972, another of the city's dramatic changes.
In addition, the city is renovating Fairfax High and Lanier Middle schools from bond money approved in 2004. The high school is slated for completion next year and Lanier in 2008.
"It's an unprecedented time," said Fairfax Mayor Robert F. Lederer. He noted that the projects were launched before he and much of the City Council were in office and that current officials are merely "carrying out the will of the community."
"We're very fortunate as a city that we have the resources and we have the citizens who want a first-class city. It is truly an amazing makeover," Lederer said.
The City Hall addition and the police headquarters were bid as a single project. They were designed by Moseley Architects and were first intended for the same City Hall campus along Chain Bridge Road. An uproar over adding the police headquarters to the area resulted in a move -- putting it behind the present police building, which is in the former John C. Wood Elementary School on Old Lee Highway next to Van Dyck Park.
Police Chief Rick Rappoport led a tour that began in the "small, cramped, dingy lobby" of the one-story school that is police headquarters, to the airy atrium of the new two-story building.
"It presents a much more professional image when the public interfaces with us," Rappoport said. "It's a place they can be proud of."
The new building provides officers and detectives with small, quiet rooms where they can meet in private, take statements and interview witnesses and suspects. Now, the officers sit in the lobby or at a small table in front of the dispatchers' station.
To determine just what they needed, the chief and other police officials toured numerous stations and headquarters of smaller departments -- Fairfax has 64 sworn officers and 24 civilian employees. They picked up ideas for maximizing space, such as creating an emergency operations center that doubles as a computer training room and linking three interview rooms where suspects are questioned while other investigators watch, to one central observation area. A training room has video-conferencing capability.
As computer-related crime grows, "we'll have a computer forensics lab built for that purpose," Rappoport said, instead of the closet that currently serves that function and is stuffed with five monitors and numerous cooling fans. Officers who ride bicycles and motorcycles will have indoor storage space, not the temporary sheds they use behind the current headquarters. Locker rooms and evidence storage will have ample space, a marked contrast to the improvised nature of the current building.
Rappoport said the changes won't affect him greatly -- he's already the top dog. "My life is pretty good."
But it will be a big step up for those who work for him. "I'm most excited for them. This will be such a significant difference for them, from what they've had to live with all these years," Rappoport said. "For them, it's huge. We're going from a Model T to a Cadillac in one fell swoop."
The new police building will be 32,200 square feet, project manager Adrian J. Fremont said. The City Hall addition will bring 30,500 square feet more. Changes in the plans and rising construction costs pushed the price of the two projects up to $23.8 million, Fremont said.
As for the City Hall addition, "one of the main goals of its expansion was to make it more of a one-stop shop for the public, make things more easily accessible," Fremont said. It was designed to be compatible with the existing building, which has left offices and people shoehorned into every available space.
On the second floor will be the city treasurer, public works and commissioner of revenue, the three most commonly visited offices for the public.
A combination courtroom and City Council room and a council work session room will be on the third floor. The addition also will have public conference rooms for meetings -- the current building has none, Fremont said. That building will be renovated once the addition is completed.
"I think we have one of the most beautiful City Hall campuses anywhere," Lederer said, referring to the front entrance with columns, the sloping grassy lawn and the small amphitheater on the side. The addition "looks like it belongs there."
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The makeover of Fairfax City is about to take another leap with the unveiling of a police headquarters and an addition to City Hall, both scheduled to open in early December.
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One Piece of the Puzzle
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The advertisement shows Alex Ovechkin blasting the puck past a Philadelphia Flyers goalie. A one-word slogan accompanies the photograph: "Unstoppable."
Anyone who watched Ovechkin last season would be hard-pressed to argue with that statement. But the ad underscores the main question surrounding the Washington Capitals this season: If Ovechkin is so good, why isn't the team any better?
One explanation is because in hockey -- unlike other sports such as basketball, where a wunderkind like LeBron James sometimes goes entire games without leaving the floor -- elite forwards are on the ice for only 45-second bursts and for a total of 20 to 25 minutes over 60 minutes. Ovechkin, last season's NHL rookie of the year, therefore has far less control over the game's outcome.
"He's a player who individually can do a lot on his own," Flyers General Manager Bobby Clarke said.
But, as Clarke conceded and history suggests, Ovechkin probably won't be able to put the Capitals in the postseason on his own. It takes a star or two, plus a supporting cast, to ensure success in the NHL.
Ovechkin's second season in Washington begins tonight against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, and the 21-year-old Russian remains virtually a one-man show, so expectations are only slightly higher for the rebuilding Capitals than last season, when they finished last in the Southeast Division and 27th overall.
General Manager George McPhee made only a handful of modest upgrades during the offseason. The Capitals still lack a No. 1 defenseman and a playmaking center -- two of hockey's most important and expensive roles -- despite a payroll that's roughly $14 million dollars below the salary cap of $44 million.
The team's front office says the plan is to build a contender through the draft and on a budget that makes sense for a team that ranked 28th in attendance last season. Some outside of the organization, however, wonder why majority owner Ted Leonsis is taking such a conservative approach, considering the Capitals already have the franchise cornerstone in Ovechkin and a marquee goaltender in Olie Kolzig.
The formula for building a championship contender is as old as the game itself. The foundation, general managers said, begins with a star goal scorer, a top-tier goaltender, a dominant defenseman and depth. The Capitals have the first two ingredients but little else.
"If you can have a player at each position who is really dominant, that's really going to help you take the next step," Atlanta Thrashers General Manager Don Waddell said. "With hockey being much more of a team sport, it's harder for an individual to have success without getting some help from his teammates."
Leonsis made a play in July for defenseman Zdeno Chara, a prized free agent, but bowed out of the bidding when it exceeded $6.25 million per season. Chara ended up getting $7.5 million from the Boston Bruins.
"You have to look at what's the right business model," Leonsis said. "We would lose a ton of money if we spent at the cap."
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The expectations are only slightly higher for the rebuilding Capitals because the team has made only a handful of modest upgrades to Alex Ovechkin's supporting cast.
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XM Radio Hits Some More Interference
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2006100519
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XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. reported new difficulties this week, adding to its year of problems with regulators and with growth in subscribers and revenue.
The District company said yesterday that a member of its board of directors resigned -- the second to step down this year. XM also announced that it added 285,000 subscribers in the third quarter, far less than the 441,000 gained by rival Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. And a filing with the Federal Communications Commission shows that XM has been operating more than 200 antennas at power levels beyond legal limits.
XM has about 7.2 million subscribers, compared with Sirius's 5.1 million, and has to sign-up more than 500,000 subscribers in the fourth quarter to meet its year-end projection of 7.7 million to 8.2 million.
"We think they'll be in the low end of that range," said Thomas W. Eaton, an analyst with Oppenheimer in New York, adding that he expects XM to "break even or lose money in the fourth quarter."
XM has yet to have a profitable quarter; it had predicted it would break even for the fourth quarter.
Chance Patterson, a spokesman, said the company may update subscriber forecasts the next time it reports earnings. "We're on track to meet our goals," he said.
The departure of George W. Haywood, who said he left the board for personal reasons, bumps XM out of compliance with a Nasdaq rule that requires that a majority of the board members be independent. The company has until its annual meeting in May to replace Haywood with a sixth independent director.
XM plans to fill the vacancy in the next few months, bringing the board back to 11 members, Patterson said. But it comes just 7 1/2 months after another director, Pierce J. Roberts Jr., resigned his position. Roberts said the company had been spending too much to attract new subscribers, especially in the months leading up to Howard Stern's January debut on Sirius.
XM, which has struck programming deals with celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Bob Dylan, has begun a marketing program that puts radio devices in tens of thousands of rental cars around the country. The strategy began this summer, and the goal is to "expose more people to our programming," Patterson said.
In August, the FCC cleared XM and Sirius radio devices that had previously not met broadcast emission standards.
Both Sirius and XM had halted production of some of their most popular devices to await FCC approval, and XM decreased its subscriber projections from 9 million to 8.5 million. Since then, Sirius has continued to narrow the gap with the larger XM.
In documents filed Monday with the FCC, XM said 221 land antennas, which transmit satellite signals to local devices, were operating at power levels in excess of commission limits. The company also disclosed that 19 antennas were at sites not yet authorized by the FCC. The company has 800 working antennas.
For example, some antennas have been transmitting signals at lower frequencies than the company originally submitted for the FCC's approval, and others are across the street from, or on a different floor of, a building than where the company originally reported.
This could interfere with signals sent out by other broadcasters operating adjacent to those frequencies, said Paul Sinderbrand, a lawyer with the Wireless Communications Association International who represents companies with licenses to operate in the frequencies adjacent to the signals used by XM and Sirius.
"XM certainly seems to have a corporate inability to comply with the FCC's rules," Sinderbrand said. "This is all rather astonishing, especially given XM's past compliance issues."
Patterson said XM filed the document in an effort to update its records with the FCC and is making necessary adjustments to bring all antennas into compliance. He said other broadcasters were not being affected by XM's power levels.
"This is not an interference issue," he said. "We are just making sure all our files are updated and our equipment is in compliance."
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XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. reported new difficulties this week, adding to its year of problems with regulators and with growth in subscribers and revenue.
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16 Probable Planets Found in Milky Way
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NASA scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered what they believe are 16 new planets deep in the Milky Way, leading them to conclude there are probably billions of planets spread throughout the galaxy.
Over the past 15 years, astronomers have identified more than 200 planets outside our solar system, but the new ones identified by the Hubble are at least 10 times as far from Earth.
That planets can be found at the center of the galaxy, as well as near our solar system, has given NASA researchers confidence that they are likely to be everywhere. If that is the case, then the likelihood of other Earth-like planets becomes greater.
"We all are dreamers, and part of that dream is to find life somewhere," said Mario Livio, head of the science program at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which oversees Hubble operations. "We're finding that the galaxy is full of planets, and the chances are, somewhere out there, we will find one with the conditions necessary to be habitable."
The new planets were introduced yesterday as mostly "candidates," since only two could be definitively described as planets. But Livio and team leader Kailash Sahu said the chances are good that some, or even all, of the 16 will ultimately meet all the criteria to be called planets.
Based on the number of planets identified and the number of stars in the Milky Way, the scientists estimated that as many as 6 billion Jupiter-size planets exist in the galaxy.
"Our discovery . . . gives very strong evidence that planets are as abundant in other parts of the galaxy as they are in our solar neighborhood," Sahu said.
One of the biggest surprises of their work, Sahu said, was that five of the likely planets orbit so close to their suns that they make it around in less than one Earth day. These close-in, Jupiter-size planets are not necessarily the most prevalent, he said, but rather are the ones most easily identified using the techniques available for peering deep into the galaxy. The planet closest to its star has an inhospitable estimated surface temperature of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
The search for what are called "extrasolar" planets is done through indirection, since they cannot be seen by even the strongest telescopes. Instead, astronomers identify them by the way they briefly block some of the light from distant stars, an event called a "transit." The planet would have to be about the size of Jupiter to block enough starlight to be detected by Hubble.
The Sagittarius Window Eclipsing Extrasolar Planet Search (SWEEPS) used the Hubble's deep-field telescope for seven days in early 2004. The telescope monitored 180,000 stars in the crowded central bulge of the Milky Way for the periodic dimming caused by planet transits. The area examined by the orbiting telescope is about 26,000 light-years away.
Although astronomers detect faraway planets by finding solar transits, they measure and confirm a planet's status by analyzing the slight wobble in a star's motion that occurs when the planet orbits. The 16 planet "candidates" introduced yesterday are generally too far away and too faint for solar wobble to be detected, which is why they remain planetary candidates rather than confirmed planets.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which is scheduled to be launched into orbit in 2013, is expected to have the power to make the confirmations.
The SWEEPS results are being published in today's issue of the journal Nature.
The Hubble telescope, a joint project of NASA and the European Space Agency, has revolutionized astronomy but is in dire need of a servicing mission to install two new instruments, as well as fresh batteries and gyroscopes.
NASA initially proposed a robotic repair, but the National Academy of Sciences recommended in 2004 that a manned shuttle mission do the work. NASA Administrator Michael D. Griffin has said that he will formally review the options this month, and that he hopes to make a decision soon.
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Science news from The Washington Post. Read about the latest breakthroughs in technology, medicine and communications.
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Waterboarding Historically Controversial
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Key senators say Congress has outlawed one of the most notorious detainee interrogation techniques -- "waterboarding," in which a prisoner feels near drowning. But the White House will not go that far, saying it would be wrong to tell terrorists which practices they might face.
Inside the CIA, waterboarding is cited as the technique that got Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the prime plotter of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, to begin to talk and provide information -- though "not all of it reliable," a former senior intelligence official said.
Waterboarding is variously characterized as a powerful tool and a symbol of excess in the nation's fight against terrorists. But just what is waterboarding, and where does it fit in the arsenal of coercive interrogation techniques?
On Jan. 21, 1968, The Washington Post published a front-page photograph of a U.S. soldier supervising the questioning of a captured North Vietnamese soldier who is being held down as water was poured on his face while his nose and mouth were covered by a cloth. The picture, taken four days earlier near Da Nang, had a caption that said the technique induced "a flooding sense of suffocation and drowning, meant to make him talk."
The article said the practice was "fairly common" in part because "those who practice it say it combines the advantages of being unpleasant enough to make people talk while still not causing permanent injury."
The picture reportedly led to an Army investigation.
Twenty-one years earlier, in 1947, the United States charged a Japanese officer, Yukio Asano, with war crimes for carrying out another form of waterboarding on a U.S. civilian. The subject was strapped on a stretcher that was tilted so that his feet were in the air and head near the floor, and small amounts of water were poured over his face, leaving him gasping for air until he agreed to talk.
"Asano was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor," Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) told his colleagues last Thursday during the debate on military commissions legislation. "We punished people with 15 years of hard labor when waterboarding was used against Americans in World War II," he said.
A CIA interrogation training manual declassified 12 years ago, "KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation -- July 1963," outlined a procedure similar to waterboarding. Subjects were suspended in tanks of water wearing blackout masks that allowed for breathing. Within hours, the subjects felt tension and so-called environmental anxiety. "Providing relief for growing discomfort, the questioner assumes a benevolent role," the manual states.
The KUBARK manual was the product of more than a decade of research and testing, refining lessons learned from the Korean War, where U.S. airmen were subjected to a new type of "touchless torture" until they confessed to a bogus plan to use biological weapons against the North Koreans.
Used to train new interrogators, the handbook presented "basic information about coercive techniques available for use in the interrogation situation." When it comes to torture, however, the handbook advised that "the threat to inflict pain . . . can trigger fears more damaging than the immediate sensation of pain."
In the post-Vietnam period, the Navy SEALs and some Army Special Forces used a form of waterboarding with trainees to prepare them to resist interrogation if captured. The waterboarding proved so successful in breaking their will, says one former Navy captain familiar with the practice, "they stopped using it because it hurt morale."
After the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the interrogation world changed. Low-level Taliban and Arab fighters captured in Afghanistan provided little information, the former intelligence official said. When higher-level al-Qaeda operatives were captured, CIA interrogators sought authority to use more coercive methods.
These were cleared not only at the White House but also by the Justice Department and briefed to senior congressional officials, according to a statement released last month by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Waterboarding was one of the approved techniques.
When questions began to be raised last year about the handling of high-level detainees and Congress passed legislation barring torture, the handful of CIA interrogators and senior officials who authorized their actions became concerned that they might lose government support.
Passage last month of military commissions legislation provided retroactive legal protection to those who carried out waterboarding and other coercive interrogation techniques.
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Key senators say Congress has outlawed one of the most notorious detainee interrogation techniques -- "waterboarding," in which a prisoner feels near drowning. But the White House will not go that far, saying it would be wrong to tell terrorists which practices they might face.
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Al-Qaeda's Far-Reaching New Partner
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PARIS -- In a video released last month on the Internet, al-Qaeda's deputy leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, declared that he had "great news." Al-Qaeda, he reported, had joined forces with an obscure Algerian underground network and would work in tandem with the group to "crush the pillars of the crusader alliance."
The Algerian partner, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, had fought the Algerian government in a barbaric civil war for almost a decade. But Zawahiri said the new alliance had different targets in mind. "Our brothers," he said, "will be a thorn in the necks of the American and French crusaders and their allies, and a dagger in the hearts of the French traitors and apostates."
Zawahiri's statement was the latest sign of how, with al-Qaeda's help, the Algerian network has rapidly transformed itself from a local group devoted solely to seizing power at home into a global threat with cells and operations far from North Africa.
Since 2003, the group known by its French initials GSPC has emerged as an umbrella for radical Islamic factions in neighboring countries, sponsoring training camps in the Sahara and supplying streams of fighters to wars in Iraq and Chechnya, according to counterterrorism officials and analysts in Europe and North Africa.
The network also has planted deep roots in Europe. In the past year, authorities have broken up cells in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, including one group that allegedly plotted to shoot down an Israeli airliner in Geneva.
On Sept. 1, the French Anti-Terrorist Coordination Unit issued a statement classifying the group as "one of the most serious threats currently facing France," Algeria's former colonial master. Ten days later, the assessment was given fresh urgency by Zawahiri's videotape, timed for the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. In it, he noted that Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda's founder, had given his personal approval to the "blessed union" between the Algerian network and al-Qaeda.
Responding to Zawahiri's declaration, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said there was a "real and permanent" risk to France, in part because of its military involvement in Lebanon and Afghanistan, as well as its policy of forbidding Muslim girls to wear head scarves in public schools.
Pierre de Bousquet de Florian, the head of France's domestic intelligence service, added: "For our Islamist adversaries, our country is frankly in the Western camp -- the 'crusaders' in their words -- and we will be spared nothing."
Al-Qaeda forged its alliance with the GSPC in spite of a long history of feuding with Algerian radicals.
The Algerian conflict, which has claimed an estimated 200,000 lives since 1991, at first attracted enthusiastic support from Islamic radicals around the world, including Zawahiri and other future al-Qaeda leaders. They sent money, fighters and supplies to the guerrillas, seeing the war as an opportunity to replace Algeria's secular, military-backed government with a fundamentalist Islamic state.
But their zeal was shaken when Algerian rebels led by another terrorist network, the Armed Islamic Group, or GIA, began slaughtering thousands of civilians. The GIA subscribed to an Islamic ideology called takfir , a belief that any Muslim who does not embrace strict, medieval codes of conduct is an apostate deserving of death.
Bin Laden, who was living in Sudan at the time, believed that killing fellow Muslims was counterproductive. So he sent an emissary to Algeria to demand that the GIA change its approach and pledge loyalty to the fledgling al-Qaeda network, according to European intelligence officials. The GIA refused.
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PARIS -- In a video released last month on the Internet, al-Qaeda's deputy leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, declared that he had "great news." Al-Qaeda, he reported, had joined forces with an obscure Algerian underground network and would work in tandem with the group to "crush the pillars of the.........
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Canada in Quandary Over Gas Emissions
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TORONTO, Oct. 4 -- Canada's conservative government, groping for a new policy on climate change, is facing a dilemma over how to deal with greenhouse gas emissions from the hugely profitable Alberta oil fields in western Canada.
At a meeting with auto industry executives Tuesday, government officials backed away from reports that they would impose California's tough emissions standards on the auto industry in eastern Canada. The curbs had drawn loud protests from auto industry supporters, who contend that the oil fields should bear the greater brunt in addressing climate change.
The meeting exposed bitter differences between eastern and western Canada about who should shoulder the cost of curbing greenhouse gases.
Critics said the government's retreat -- officials told auto executives that new regulations would be negotiated with them over the next three years -- shows that Ottawa is floundering in its attempt to produce an alternative to the Kyoto Protocol.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, elected in January as head of a Conservative Party government, has said that the 1997 international agreement to limit greenhouse gases is unworkable, but he has yet to produce the alternative strategy he promised.
"They are trying to convince Canadians they are doing something on the environment when they are not," said John Bennett, a senior policy adviser with the Sierra Club of Canada. "It's just spin."
The environment minister, Rona Ambrose, publicly summoned executives of the big automakers and the autoworkers union to Ottawa on Tuesday, after leaked reports that she would announce tougher standards as part of a new government climate change plan.
But the executives emerged from the meeting visibly relieved that the reports had proved baseless. "Nothing of substance was discussed," an official of Honda Canada, Jim Miller, told the Toronto Star. "It's the start of consultations."
Ambrose declined to comment after the meeting, but in Parliament on Wednesday she described the gathering as "very positive" and said the automakers "understand that Canadians want cleaner air."
Critics said the government backed off because tougher new policies could set off a fight between Ontario in eastern Canada, second only to Michigan in the production of cars for North America, and Alberta, Harper's oil-producing constituency in the west.
The oil extracted from Alberta's immense deposits of tarry sand has made Canada the leading supplier to the United States and fueled an economic boom. A report from the office of Canada's auditor general last week criticized the past and current governments for failing to curb the increase in greenhouse gases that has accompanied the boom.
The carbon dioxide released during oil production accounted for 28 percent of Canada's increase in greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, the report noted. As the oil sands project grows, emissions may double between 2004 and 2015.
"There is no doubt the oil sands are the elephant in the room," said Matthew Bramley, director of climate change studies at the Pembina Institute, a nonprofit research group. "Canada cannot have a credible climate change policy until it confronts emissions from the oil sands."
Environmental groups say they believe the oil producers could greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions through such techniques as burying the carbon dioxide. They also argue that Canada could engage in transactions known as carbon trading to remain compliant with the Kyoto pact's quotas. Under this kind of trading, the country would swap the right to emit carbon dioxide gas in return for investing in carbon-absorbing projects.
But the government has said it opposes adopting such a program or taxing the oil producers to encourage such measures. Ambrose has "given a free ride to her friends in the oil industry," Nathan Cullen, a lawmaker with the opposition New Democratic Party, said Wednesday.
Ambrose's meeting with automakers sparked fierce criticism that Ontario's auto industry could face tougher greenhouse gas regulations than the western-based oil producers.
"The one thing we will not abide is any effort by the national government to unduly impose greenhouse gas emission reductions on Ontario at the expense of our auto sector," Ontario's premier, Dalton McGuinty, said Tuesday.
He was joined by Canadian Auto Workers Union President Buzz Hargrove, who said tougher restrictions on the ailing auto industry are untenable.
"We are faced with an industry losing billions and workers losing their jobs," Hargrove told reporters before the meeting. "The oil and gas industry is making billions of dollars. If someone's going to contribute something, surely there should be some balance."
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TORONTO, Oct. 4 -- Canada's conservative government, groping for a new policy on climate change, is facing a dilemma over how to deal with greenhouse gas emissions from the hugely profitable Alberta oil fields in western Canada.
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Schools on Guard After Recent Shootings
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CHICAGO, Oct. 4 -- After a spate of bloody schoolhouse attacks in the past month, school districts around the country are reviewing their emergency plans. Some are looking for ways to tighten security even as they acknowledge the limits on their ability to stop a determined killer.
"We want to harden the target," said William Lassiter, manager of North Carolina's Center for the Prevention of School Violence. Noting that two recent cases involved outsiders looking for a place to make a gruesome statement, he said administrators should do small things -- limiting access, making sure all doors are locked -- "to make it at least look like the school would be a less vulnerable target."
The Anne Arundel County superintendent of schools, Kevin M. Maxwell, asked county police to show a stronger presence at school. The school district also expects to hold four drills before the end of the semester to rehearse emergency responses.
Each Maryland school district and school is required to have a crisis plan to cope with events such as a school shooting or a large-scale disaster like the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
In Seattle, schools have installed telephones in classrooms so that in an emergency someone could call 911.
In Wyoming, even small schools are locking doors and channeling visitors through a single entrance.
In rural Pontiac, Ill., the superintendent issued a bulletin instructing teachers not to prop open any side doors.
A recent letter from Jefferson County, Colo., Superintendent Cynthia Stevenson reminded parents that children are far more likely to fall victim to a crime outside of school than inside. But she reported on recent security steps and urged parents to talk to their children about what kids should do if they spot a stranger at school. She said counselors would reinforce the message.
The stepped-up emphasis on security comes after four incidents that have shocked the country.
On Monday, a gunman in Nickel Mines, Pa., burst into a one-room schoolhouse, lined up 10 girls at a blackboard and shot them. Five have died.
On Sept. 27, a drifter near Bailey, Colo., took six teenage girls hostage, sexually assaulted them, then shot and killed one girl as police stormed into the school.
Last month, a plot to blow up Green Bay East High School in Wisconsin, spread napalm at the exits and shoot fleeing students was thwarted when an acquaintance of two 17-year-old conspirators told an assistant principal. Police said later that the two seniors, who each weighed 300 pounds, planned the attack in revenge for being harassed by other students.
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CHICAGO, Oct. 4 -- After a spate of bloody schoolhouse attacks in the past month, school districts around the country are reviewing their emergency plans. Some are looking for ways to tighten security even as they acknowledge the limits on their ability to stop a determined killer.
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Before we get started, a few items to share:
*First, a clarification. I wrote last week that the MLS Cup runner-up would receive the second bid to the Champions Cup in case DC United won both the regular season and postseason title. Not true. It would be the second-best team during the regular season. (Not that it affects D.C.U. in anyway.) My bad.
*A pretty reliable source tells me Argentine Jose Pekerman was/is the USSF's top choice for the USA job, but he apparently is interested in club-level jobs in Europe. USSF still not giving up hope. We'll see how it unfolds.
*Other sources tell me the sale of DC United is just about done, with Discovery Communications founder John Hendricks as a major backer. Barring last-minute complications, expect an announcement soon. (We're heard that before, eh?!)
*Hopefully, you saw the TENTATIVE dates of the Champions Cup quarterfinals in today's paper. Bundle up for that DCU home game in late February or possibly March 1.
*Huge Friday of college soccer coming up: Maryland at North Carolina, Virginia at Duke, George Mason looking for eight straight when they host Delaware, undefeated Navy women at Army.
Long Island, N.Y.: Hi Steven,
How long do you think it will be before Freddy Adu plays in England? I've read various reports that Reading is interested and would like to acquire him in January.
Thanks for doing these chats!
Steven Goff: Hi Long Island,
Dozens of clubs in Europe are interested in Adu and rumors are floated in the British press all the time, but unless MLS receives a lucrative offer, he isn't going anywhere for a while. Keep in mind, too, that's he is not eligible to play in England until he's 18 (next June).
Then there is the question of whether he is good enough to play overseas. It depends on the league. Could he start in the English Premiership right now? No.
Washington, D.C.: Can United do anything in the playoffs without a healthy Eskandarian?
Steven Goff: As I mentioned in today's story, United lacks a menacing presence when Eskandarian is not on the field -- and that has to be a concern heading into the playoffs. Adu, Gomez and Moreno are creative players, but without Esky, there is no lethal threat in the box. Eskandarian strikes a ball with incredible authority.
Arlington, Va.: Any word on whether U.S. Soccer is planning to accept its invitation to Copa America? I sure hope it does.
Steven Goff: No decision yet, but I imagine they will find a way to compete in both the Gold Cup and Copa America next summer.
Washington, D.C.: I just read in the Boston Globe that the Jules Rimet trophy will be on display somewhere in D.C. in the very near future. Do you know any details?
Steven Goff: I had not heard that. Anyone out there with information?
Poplar Point, D.C.: Are people asking about me? Wake me when they do. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Steven Goff: Dear Mr. Point:
I know you are very lonely without the long-promised soccer stadium. Hang in there. It will happen someday.
United, Congress and D.C. government
Fairfax, Va.: Steve, thanks for your continued coverage of the beautiful game. Did Piotr Nowak get fined for his post game comments on the officiating? I don't recall seeing anything on that.
Steven Goff: Thanks for your kind words.
No, as far as I know, he was not fined. But the league usually announces such things late in the week.
Bethesda, Md.: Has it gotten to the point where the complaining about officials is just getting to be sad? I mean, we all know they are bad, but at some point you just have to get on with life, win games, try to improve officiating and stop whining about things every week.
MLS officials aren't going to become magically better overnight just like Josh Gros isn't going to get Ronaldinho's skills in the blink of an eyes.
Every team seems equally impacted by the officiating.
U.S. Depression: I have to say that while Clint Dempsey is a decent player, he is such a jerk. Is he a sign of things to come -- the next crop of soccer players acting like our friends over in the NFL, NBA and MLB? Me, me, me first! Hey, look at me!
Steven Goff: Why is he "such a jerk"? I've heard him called eccentric and unpredictable, but never a jerk.
Dempsey is an interesting character who has brought some personality to U.S. soccer. He also wants very badly to play in Europe. I imagine he will get his wish this winter.
Arlington, Va.: When you say that Peckerman "was/is the top choice," does that mean that they're leaning towards him at this point but haven't made a decision yet, or that they've decided that he's the guy and are just waiting to see if they can get him?
Steven Goff: From what I've heard, they are more interested in him than he is in them. Things could change, however. The next six weeks will be interesting.
Northern Virginia: What would you say is the best women's soccer to watch in the area? I took my friend's kid to a D.C. United game and she said, "Why aren't there any girls on this team?" So we need to achieve some balance in our soccer viewing.
Steven Goff: The University of Virginia women's team is always in the top 25 nationally. You can find their schedule at virginiasports.com
Maryland has a decent ACC program (umterps.com), George Mason competes in the CAA (gomason.com) and, if you're up for a drive to Annapolis, the Navy women's team is one of only two undefeated, untied teams in the country (navysports.com).
Adams Morgan: Is that a burst of optimism by you about the stadium? Who are you and what have you done with Steve Goff?
Steven Goff: Ha -- I've always said a new stadium would come along someday. Just don't hold your breath.
East Capital St: Hi. I'm Peter Nowak. Got a few questions.
-- Who do I sit the next two weeks?
-- Who would I rather face in the first round?
-- Assuming we make it to the Eastern conference finals, how do we beat the Fire?
Off for a smoke break,
Steven Goff: Welcome, brother Nowak...
It's imperative to get some of the regulars a rest (i.e. not playing 90 minutes), but it's also important to build some momentum and reestablish a rhythm heading into the playoffs. I'm sure you will see some unique lineups and substitutions in these final two games.
First round opponent? I don't think DCU has a preference (KC or NY), although the artificial turf at Giants Stadium is not to United's liking.
Towson, Md.: At this point in time, who would be your pick to win the MLS Cup?
Steven Goff: United is certainly the favorite, but they're probably going to have to get past Chicago, a team that plays very well against D.C. In the West, no one is afraid of Dallas and Chivas seems a year away from contending for a championship. I would go with Houston to reach the final.
Silver Spring, Md.: I love going to University of Maryland soccer games and was at the MD-Duke game last Friday (greatest atmosphere in college soccer, by the way) -- Depending on who you ask hundreds to thousands of people were turned away at the gate because of the sellout -- my question: Is it time to expand? I know Sasho wants to but are you hearing anything about a larger stadium?
Steven Goff: Yes, Sasho has said he would like a new stadium and I imagine it will happen in the next few years.
Ludwig is fine for those midweek games, but on weekends and for big ACC matches, it's hard to squeeze everyone in there.
Also, the fact that the main bleachers are pulled back so far from the field because of the running track detracts from the atmosphere.
Having said that, it was a pretty spectacular scene at Ludwig for the Duke match.
For those interested, the annual Maryland-Virginia showdown will take place next Wednesday in Charlottesville.
Nick, Buenos Aires, Argentina: Steven, great work, thanks for chatting again. There are lots of rumors swirling around about big-name players coming to MLS (Figo, Ronaldo, Beckham). Knowing the league and the realities of the teams the way you do, would you say that will actually be a reality next season?
Steven Goff: Yes, I imagine you will start to see European superstars (actually, former Euro superstars) arrive in MLS. Perhaps next year, more likely the following season.
Personally, I think it's a waste of money since these guys are nearing the end of their career. The exceptions, however, could be made for goal scorers. Goal scorers will attract a mainstream audience. Just my opinion.
Eugene, Ore.: Goffer: Clint Dempsey, now proud holder of the Honda Player of the Year trophy, has been critical of MLS and its transfer policies after they rejected an English club's bid to sign him. It seems MLS rejects virtually every bid that comes their way. Even Der Bruce took the Steve Sampson stance saying U.S. players need to play in Europe to get to the next level. What gives? And what reaction will the league have when Adu wants to leave?
Steven Goff: Indeed, a tricky situation for MLS -- they don't want to lose their marquee American players but perhaps also feel an obligation to allow players to fulfill their dreams (and earning potential) by pursuing European opportunities. Dempsey is at a point in his career where he needs to go overseas now, but in defense of MLS, they're not going to sell him for what they consider less than market value. I can see it from both sides.
Washington, D.C.: Who gave Sasho my phone number? I have never attended a Maryland sporting event and resent getting phone spam from him and the school's athletic department.
Steven Goff: Really? You must be on some university phone list.
Duff in D.C.: Assuming United has a successful playoff run -- which, for United, means winning the Cup -- which players stay and which players go in the offseason?
Steven Goff: For the most part, too early to say, but I can't imagine Nick Rimando will return next season. He's a proven MLS goalkeeper who rarely plays anymore because of Troy Perkins's emergence. Also, he makes too much money to be sitting on the bench.
The jury is still out on Donnet and Ssejjemba.
Atlanta: Imagine how fat Ronaldo would get eating American food...one thing is for sure, he'd be an easy target to pick out.
Blacksburg, Va.: You need to come down to Blacksburg to watch a Va. Tech soccer game. Patrick Nyarko (sophomore, forward) is amazing and the best college player I have ever seen.
Steven Goff: Indeed, one of the best players in the country. Tech, however, has struggled a bit since their fast start.
Anonymous: How do you feel about Jamil Walker's play so far? For me, I do not approve of the way he seems to shy away from the ball, or shy away from going one on one. He seems to just run around the field without being in the game.
Steven Goff: He has not taken advantage of his playing opportunities. No goals since April in league play.
Barra Brava: Steve, haven't really seen enough of Ssejjemba to say, do you think he's viable up top if Esky can't go?
Steven Goff: We won't find out this weekend since he is off to Africa for a Uganda national team match. I imagine he'll get some time in the regular season finale and then be a late-game option in the playoffs.
Washington, D.C.: Namoff looked pretty good against Houston, didn't he? He made some nice defensive plays and if that shot of his had been just a few inches over he'd have had a heck of a goal as well.
He also has ADORABLE freckles. FYI.
Steven Goff: I'll address his play, but not his freckles.
Yes, great shot from distance that nearly snuck into the upper right corner. Namoff is a solid MLS outside back.
Milwaukee: I've been watching the UEFA Champions League on ESPN and I am kind of confused as to how all the different leagues in Europe work. (Yes, I'm new.) I get the idea that these are winners and runners-up of different European Club Leagues. But aren't the leagues having their season now? Are the teams that are participating in the Champions League effectively playing in two leagues at the same time? How does that all work? Thanks for you time.
Yes, a team such as Chelsea is playing in two "leagues" at once, although the Champions League games are not nearly as frequent as league play. (To compound matters, they're also involved in domestic cup competitions.)
Champions League matches and cup games are played mid-week, league matches almost always on the weekend.
Indeed, those are strenuous times for Euro clubs, who often must rely on their roster depth to maintain success during busy periods.
Chantilly, Va.: Will there ever be relegation in U.S. soccer? It would be fun to see the Richmond Kickers getting relegated up or any of those other USL teams.
If United has our full compliment of players for the playoffs (including Esky to play up top) then it seems we'd have Donnet, Adu, and Gros competing for two spots on the wings. How do you handicap this competition right now?
Steven Goff: Good point. At the moment, I don't see how Eskandarian could be considered to start; he has missed a lot of time.
However, the flank positions are intriguing. Gros has to be out there because of his work rate and Adu brings a creative dimension. Donnet's crossing ability is a concern, and he seems more effective in a central role.
Nowak will have some difficult decisions to make.
Copa, America:: Send the "full squad" to the Copa America and the U-23 team to the Gold Cup. Given the importance of the Olympics to American fans (if not soccer fans in general) I think you could sell it, especially if Adu plays for the U-23s.
Of course, we have no U-23 coach...
Steven Goff: Not a bad idea.
As for the u-23 coach, the new national team coach will have the option of guiding that squad as well. If he chooses not to, I imagine his top assistant will handle it.
Arlington, Va.: Put me down as being dead-set against the idea of has-been Euro stars coming to the MLS for lucrative swansongs. To make the league more competitive, I would take an opposite approach, i.e., see if they can't pick off some of the younger, not yet known players with the prospect of coming to the US (still a big deal for may East Europeans, not to mention Africans) and immediate playing time. I don't see what good it will do to pay a 240-pound Ronaldo $10 million a year to nurse injuries.
To Chantilly: Uh, no team in any league in the world will ever get "relegated up."
Steven Goff: Was that the wording in the reader's relegation/promotion question? I read right over it.
Duff in D.C. : Rimando a "proven MLS goalkeeper?"
Yes, proven to have very little command of balls entering the box in the air, proven to account for poor positioning with athletic, dramatic saves that should have been effortless with proper positioning, and proven to punch or spill balls that a quality keeper should be able to catch and hold.
I hope your guess holds true.
Steven Goff: Is he the best keeper in MLS? No. Perkins is a more complete player.
Is he proven? After six years as a starter in this league, yes. I imagine a couple MLS teams will express interest this offseason. His salary of around $100,000 might have to come down, however.
I'm really excited that D.C. is going to be in international play next year, but will this be the same team? Among the key players on this team, there's potential retirements, potential opportunities in Europe, potential losses to the expansion draft, etc. Who is D.C. most at risk to lose next year, and what plans are they making to keep or replace players at risk?
Steven Goff: DCU seems very serious about succeeding in Champions Cup this time around.
As the case is every year, players will come and go, but the nucleus of this team should remain the same. Also, as I've said in previous chats, DCU has forged a strong pipeline with Brazil clubs and could add an attacking player this offseason.
Washington, D.C.: How is MLS going to handle a 13-team league next year? I can't see how they would have two divisions, since that would mean teams in the East would play four more games than the West.
Steven Goff: Indeed, a unique dilemma.
It has not been decided yet, but I'm guessing they'll play in the East and all seven of those teams will face West opponents less frequently.
We should know for sure next month.
Reston, Va.: Steven, thanks for these chats. I see that many of the Post's writers have started blogs recently, any plans for a soccer related one of your own? Also, would FIFA and FA rules allow Freddy Adu to sign with an English team in January, with the understanding that he couldn't play for them team until June? Assuming he could attain a work permit on appeal based upon an outstanding ability exception.
Steven Goff: I have not been asked about a blog. Maybe next season.
I do not know the details of English foreign-player rules as they pertain to underage players. Sorry.
Raleigh, N.C.: Any predictions about which United players will win postseason honors?
Steven Goff: Gomez should win MVP -- the most important player on by far the best team during the regular season.
Boswell (defender), Perkins (goalie) and Nowak (coach) seem the favorites in their respective categories, but these award announcements always include a surprise or two.
Steven Goff: Thanks for your questions. We'll do it again in two weeks before the playoffs start.
Feel free to reach me directly anytime at goffs@washpost.com
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.
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Join live discussions from the Washington Post. Feature topics include national, world and DC area news, politics, elections, campaigns, government policy, tech regulation, travel, entertainment, cars, and real estate.
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Rangers Fire Showalter; Bonds Has Elbow Surgery
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Texas was 80-82 this season, its sixth losing record in seven years since last making the playoffs in 1999. Showalter was 319-329 with the Rangers, his third managerial job, and still had three seasons left on his contract.
Showalter was the AL manager of the year two years ago, when AL MVP Alex Rodriguez was traded in the spring and the Rangers went on to contend for a playoff spot until the final few games of the season. . . .
Barry Bonds had surgery Monday to remove bone chips from the left elbow that caused the San Francisco Giants slugger pain and swelling throughout this season.
Meanwhile, a federal appeals court ruled yesterday that Bonds's personal trainer, Greg Anderson , must be released from prison today unless a lower court reissues its contempt ruling for his refusal to testify against Bonds.
Anderson has been imprisoned twice for refusing to testify whether Bonds used steroids. He also served a three-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to steroid distribution and money-laundering charges in the Balco case.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave U.S. District Judge William Alsup a day to issue another contempt ruling or to set Anderson free. Alsup has scheduled a hearing for this morning. . . .
The Houston Astros extended Manager Phil Garner 's contract through 2008. . . .
Former baseball star Jose Canseco and twin brother, Ozzie , lost an appeal of a $1 million judgment in a lawsuit filed by two men beaten by the ex-players at a bar in 2001.
· COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Two men accused of shooting five Duquesne University players outside a school dance were ordered to stand trial.
William Holmes , 18, of Penn Hills, Pa., and Derek Lee , 18, of Pittsburgh, face five counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault and one count of carrying a firearm without a license in the Sept. 17 shootings. Neither is a Duquesne student.
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ARLINGTON, Texas -- While Buck Showalter wasn't the only person to blame for the Texas Rangers missing the playoffs again, the manager got fired for it.
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Pyongyang Warned on Weapon Testing
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North Korea "can have a future or it can have these weapons. It cannot have both," Assistant Secretary of State Christopher R. Hill said yesterday in remarks at Johns Hopkins University's U.S.-Korea Institute. It was the toughest response yet from the Bush administration, coming two days after Pyongyang announced plans to conduct its first nuclear test.
Hill did not explain how the administration would respond to a test, but he said it is willing to sit with North Korean officials and diplomats from the region to discuss the crisis. "We will do all we can to dissuade [North Korea] from this test," he said. State Department officials said Hill is considering a trip to Asia to discuss options with key allies.
"We are not going to live with a nuclear North Korea, we are not going to accept it," Hill said. He said the United States had passed along a private warning through North Korea's diplomatic mission to the United Nations in New York.
North Korea is believed to have enough plutonium for as many as 11 nuclear bombs. It announced in February that it had succeeded in building a weapon, although intelligence analysts believe it is still years away from being able to deliver one.
Tuesday's statement did not set a date for a test. Senior intelligence officers and some administration officials said they had no clear signs indicating when one might occur.
"In terms of how much time they need and how far along they are, we don't know if it's even realistic" to test in the near term, said one official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in discussing classified intelligence estimates. State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said U.S. officials are looking at "all kinds of information" related to the possibility of a test.
Topographical changes resulting from a test would be visible to U.S. satellites, officials said. The test could also be detected by ground-based seismic sensors, some owned by U.S. intelligence and others by international monitoring stations set up to detect and deter nuclear tests around the world.
Several government analysts suggested that a test could come as early as Sunday, the anniversary of Kim Jong Il's appointment as head of the Korean Workers' Party, in 1997. It may also be timed to coincide with an election at the United Nations on Monday during which Ban Ki Moon, South Korea's foreign minister, is expected to be chosen as the next U.N. secretary general.
In a private phone conversation with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday, Ban offered to mediate between Washington and Pyongyang should he be selected as the next U.N. chief, according to an official briefed on the call.
Bush's top advisers held an emergency meeting about North Korea on Tuesday to review a number of strategies under consideration but came away with little agreement. Officials briefed on the meeting, chaired by national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley, said the participants discussed a range of options for restarting talks with Pyongyang and coaxing allies such as China and South Korea to adopt a tough line in the face of threats. "It was the first in a series of meetings we're going to have to hold," said one official who agreed to discuss it on the condition of anonymity. "There has been no major policy shift or change in anything at this point," the official said.
The State Department issued a worldwide communique to foreign governments afterward reiterating the administration's belief that a test would destabilize the region.
At the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador John R. Bolton discussed the matter with the Security Council, Casey said. The United States hopes "to see some action there in the near future," he added.
But Bolton said that, already, there are disagreements among council members about how to respond and that a Japanese initiative to send a council warning to Pyongyang lacks support.
North Korea's nuclear capabilities have grown significantly during Bush's presidency. When he came into office six years ago, intelligence agencies estimated that North Korea had the capability to make one or two nuclear weapons. As the potential arsenal has grown to as high as 11, the administration has rebuffed calls to sit down directly with North Korea.
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The Bush administration delivered a secret message to North Korea yesterday warning it to back down from a promised nuclear test, and it said publicly that the United States would not live with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang government.
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N. Korean Move Comes Amid Bid for Talks
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Top aides to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have been shaping the new approach, which began after a summit meeting last month between President Bush and South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun. Rice has described the next six-week period as crucial, saying she hopes to make a trip to Northeast Asia soon to test her ideas.
But U.S. officials said yesterday that the government in Pyongyang, which closely monitors U.S. statements, appears to have concluded that there is no benefit in reaching a deal. Some analysts suggested that North Korea is bluffing to force the United States to begin bilateral negotiations, something the Bush administration has rejected as being a reward for bad behavior.
Instead, Pyongyang's gambit could embolden hawks in the administration who advocate confronting North Korea with a stepped-up campaign of isolation and sanctions, perhaps even a naval blockade. Some officials have privately argued that a nuclear test by North Korea would be a clarifying event that would make the problem apparent to the rest of the world.
This is the second time in recent months that Pyongyang has abruptly dismissed peace feelers from the United States. In July, Rice had also been prepared to fly to Asia to launch a new effort to restart the six-nation talks aimed at ending the impasse over North Korea's nuclear weapons.
A senior Chinese official delivered a message to the North Korean government that, if it did not conduct a ballistic-missile test, Rice was prepared to put a lot on the table, including formally ending the Korean War that erupted five decades ago and discussing the military structure on the Korean Peninsula, U.S. officials said.
The initiative was developed after months of debate among Bush's top advisers. It would have sought ways to encourage North Korea to open up its economy -- much as China did in the 1970s under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping -- and would have indicated a U.S. acceptance of Kim Jong Il's rule.
On July 4, Pyongyang gave its answer: It tested a missile. Rice then scrubbed her trip because of the sudden outbreak of war in Lebanon. The U.N. Security Council -- with the surprising support of China, North Korea's main benefactor -- passed a tough resolution condemning the missile test. U.S. officials began preparing to reimpose some sanctions that had been lifted when North Korea agreed to freeze its nuclear program in 1990s -- but held off an announcement at the request of South Korea.
"The North Koreans hate being ignored, and they are tempted to do things to get attention," one senior administration official said recently, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive diplomacy. "We have wondered whether we should try to give the North Koreans another chance, but the North Koreans are not doing anything to show that such a move would meet a promising reply."
Yesterday's North Korean Foreign Ministry statement, issued through the official KCNA news service, put the onus on the United States for the failure of diplomacy. "Nuclear weapons will serve as reliable war deterrent for protecting the supreme interests of the state and the security of the Korean nation from the U.S. threat of aggression," the statement said.
The proximate cause of North Korea's refusal to return to the talks is a Treasury Department action against a bank in Macao called Banco Delta Asia, which the agency had identified as the main conduit for bringing North Korean counterfeit dollar bills into the international system. The Treasury had determined that senior officials at the Macao bank accepted large deposits of cash and agreed to place the bogus money into circulation. Treasury officials also believed that the bank accepted multimillion-dollar wire transfers from North Korean front companies that were deeply involved in criminal activities.
The bank is reputed to hold the private accounts of Kim. the North Korean leader, and his family.
Last year, four days before North Korea reached an agreement with the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea on a "statement of principles" to guide the nuclear negotiations, the Treasury formally designated the bank as a "primary money-laundering concern." Banco Delta Asia quickly teetered on the edge of collapse, and banks around the world began to curtail their dealings with North Korea for fear of being similarly tainted.
After the impact of the Treasury action became clear, North Korea refused to return to the six-party talks.
Before North Korea's announcement yesterday, U.S. and South Korean officials had said they were looking at ways to wrap up the Treasury's investigation of the Macao bank as a way to remove that impediment to the negotiations. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher R. Hill noted last month that the Treasury action concerned only 40 accounts holding about $24 million.
But, now, Pyongyang has dramatically raised the stakes. U.S. officials immediately moved to put North Korea on the agenda of the U.N. Security Council, saying that, for the moment, the time for positive gestures has passed.
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North Korea's announcement yesterday that it will conduct a nuclear test came just as the United States, along with South Korea, was launching a new effort to persuade the government in Pyongyang to return to long-stalled disarmament talks.
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Aide Says He Reported Foley 3 Years Ago
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At the same time, Foley's former chief of staff said in an Associated Press interview that he first warned Hastert's aides more than three years ago that Foley's behavior toward pages was troublesome. That was long before GOP leaders acknowledged learning of the problem.
Kirk Fordham, who was Foley's top aide until January 2004, said he had "more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene" several years ago.
Fordham resigned Wednesday as staff chief for another lawmaker caught up in the scandal, New York Rep. Thomas Reynolds, the House GOP campaign chief who says he alerted Hastert to concerns about Foley last spring.
The aide's claim drew a swift, unequivocal denial from Hastert's chief of staff. "What Kirk Fordham said did not happen," Scott Palmer said through a spokesman.
Hastert's political difficulties were evident half a continent away.
Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, third-ranking leader, pointedly told reporters he would have handled the matter differently than the speaker, had he known of it.
"I think I could have given some good advice here, which is, You have to be curious, you have to ask all the questions you can think of," said Blunt, a member of the leadership. "You absolutely can't decide not to look into activities because one individual's parents don't want you to."
Republican Rep. Ron Lewis of Kentucky, in a tougher-than-expected re-election race, abruptly canceled an invitation for Hastert to join him at a fundraiser next week.
"I'm taking the speaker's words at face value," Lewis told the AP. "I have no reason to doubt him. But until this is cleared up, I want to know the facts. If anyone in our leadership has done anything wrong, then I will be the first in line to condemn it."
Republican officials said at least a few disgruntled members of the GOP rank and file had discussed whether to call on the speaker to step aside. It was not known how far the effort had gone. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the issue.
Hastert told the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday night that he has no thoughts of resigning. He blamed ABC News, which broke the Foley e-mail story, and Democratic operatives for the mushrooming scandal.
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WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert's political support showed signs of cracking on Wednesday as Republicans fled an election-year scandal spawned by steamy computer messages from former Rep. Mark Foley to teenage male pages.
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Parsing the Polls: How Low Can Congress Go?
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The fallout from Rep. Mark Foley's resignation and the House Republican leadership's subsequent struggles to explain what they knew and when they knew it remains difficult to fully gauge at this point. But it's a safe bet that Congress's job-approval numbers will drop as Election Day draws closer.
And the lower that congressional approval ratings sink, the better chance Democrats have of retaking the House majority in the fall. Although Republicans insist that voters have adopted a "pox on both your houses" mentality in this election, it is the GOP that controls the House, Senate and White House -- meaning that the blame is likely to fall disproportionately at the party's feet.
Over the past month, eight national polls have been conducted that asked voters for their opinions about Congress. The average approval rating for the institution during that time was 28.75 percent, with the average disapproval score sitting at 68.75 percent. The lowest approval rating in any poll -- 20 percent -- came in the NBC/Wall Street Journal survey in the field Sept. 8-11. The highest -- 40 percent -- was in an ABC poll done Sept. 5-7.
In five of the eight surveys, congressional disapproval was 60 percent or higher -- topping out at 68 percent in a Sept. 9-11 AP-Ipsos survey. The lowest disapproval score came from a Fox/Opinion Dynamics poll, showing 53 percent of the sample unhappy with Congress's performance.
These most recent numbers are a continuation of the struggles Congress has endured for much of the past year. In the 93 polls listed on the indispensable Polling Report site, not a single one showed Congress with a net positive approval rating. In fact, the bets approval showing for Congress over the past year is 43 percent -- reached three times (twice in Dec. '05, once in Jan. '06). Since June 1, Congress's approval rating has been measured above 31 percent just twice -- the aforementioned ABC poll and an early August ABC/Washington Post survey where 36 percent of the sample approved of Congress's performance.
How do these miserable ratings stack up with historical patterns, and how predictive are congressional job approval/disapproval numbers when it comes to election results?
Thankfully, we can make some historical comparisons because a few major polling organizations regularly release data from cycles past.
In 2002 -- the first midterm election of George W. Bush's presidency -- a mid-October NBC/Wall Street Journal poll showed 44 percent of voters approving of the job Congress was doing while 40 percent disapproved. A Gallup survey in the field in early October 2002 had 50 percent approving and 40 percent disapproving. A CBS News/New York Times poll of likely voters in early November had a less optimistic view -- 42 percent approval and 45 percent disapproval. Republicans picked up a net of two Senate seats and eight House seats that election.
Go back to 1998, the second midterm election of the Clinton presidency: The final NBC/WSJ survey -- conducted in late October -- showed 48 percent approving and 39 percent disapproving of Congress. Gallup had Congress's approval at 44 percent and its disapproval at 47 at that time, while CBS/NYT had it 41 percent approve/48 percent disapprove. Democrats gained five House seats and broke even in the Senate.
Four years ago voters were generally happy with the performance of Congress, as the good will following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks had yet to wear off. President Bush and congressional Republicans smartly turned the elections into a referendum on national security -- a move that allowed them to buck historical trends and pick up seats in a midterm election.
In 1998 Republicans saw a chance to grow their majorities in the House and Senate by turning the election into a referendum on President Clinton and the impeachment proceedings against him. But voters never seemed to buy what House and Senate Republicans were selling; while congressional approval numbers dipped in the run-up to the election, Clinton's job approval numbers remained strong -- helping fuel the Democratic gains.
The problem with comparing 2006 to 2002 or 1998 is that the numbers for Congress are considerably more lopsided this cycle than they have been in the recent past. There's a major difference between a 44 approve/47 disapprove for Congress and a 28 approve/65 disapprove. We simply don't have a good way of quantifying what such a huge disparity between those approving and disapproving of Congress means in terms of voting results this fall.
What we do know is that -- atmospherically -- this election is setting up to be a very difficult one for Republicans. Traditional measures of the electorate's temperature (presidential approve/disapprove, congressional approve/disapprove, generic ballot etc.) show that Americans are extremely unhappy with the party in power and ready for a change. Republicans insist that these macro-measures matter little in individual campaigns that are influenced more by local concerns than national issues.
We'll know whether they were right in 34 days. Looking for a way to gauge how strong the anti-Republican sentiment nationwide is? Start by monitoring House races like the ones in Connecticut's 2nd District, Florida's 22nd District, New Mexico's 1st District and Ohio's 1st District.
Each race features a competent Republican incumbent against a credible Democratic challenger in a district that should be competitive for both sides. If all (or the majority) of those incumbent lawmakers lose, you can safely claim that Democrats succeeded in nationalizing this election. If the incumbents win, Republicans will likely hold the House thanks to their candidates' focus on local issues.
By Chris Cillizza | October 4, 2006; 6:00 AM ET | Category: House , Parsing the Polls Previous: Allen Attempts to Start Over | Next: 2008: Halperin and Harris Describe the Winning Formula
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Posted by: Abby | October 30, 2006 11:25 AM
As all of this is aired, the main question which each of us should ask is are the politicians acting to unite us as a moral nation, or they deviding us and undermining our laws and our constitution? Honesty is always the best policy, and our current attitude of strife and division has all but destroyed the nation. Until we can view the issues with reason and respect for others rights and share with our fellow Americans and engage in honest debate to find the best course for us, we all lose, TOTALLY!
Posted by: jim | October 26, 2006 12:32 AM
TO'' ANY ONE FROM TENN.THAT VOTES FOR BOB CORKER IS JUST LIKE [ BUSH ] HE HAS DONE HIS BEST TO GET THE WHOLE WORLD FIGHTING, HE COULD NOT GET ELECTED DOG- CATCHER IN GEORGIA' ANY-BODY THAT WOULD PUT OUT A ADD LIKE I JUST SEEN ON T,V, IS ABOUT AS LOW AS YOU CAN GET, IF HE TALK ABOUT MY FAMLEY; LIKE HE DID ABOUT FORD'S ME AND HIM WOULD GO TO THE WOOD SHED''
Posted by: RUGMAN | October 22, 2006 9:55 PM
McCain-- Giuliani-- Gingrich--three frontrunners--their commonality : they are all philanderers. If any of these hypocrites is nominated-- he will lose. If that is possible given that I believe the republicans plan on stealing the election and there is ample evidence that is exactly their plan-- Rep. Conyers and most democrats in Ohio know. Too bad the "press" seems to be oblivious!
Posted by: pappy | October 11, 2006 9:22 PM
You really want to do this?
13. Bob Barr, (R-Ga) Sponsored the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act, saying "The flames of hedonism, the flames of narcissism, the flames of self-centered morality are licking at the very foundation of our society, the family unit." Was married three times and while married to his third and present wife was photographed licking whipped cream off of strippers at his inaugural party.
12. Robert Bauman (R-Md)(1989) Republican congressman and anti-gay activist, was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar.
11. Dan Burton (R-Ind)(1998) Republican Congressman who, while married, fathered a child by another woman.
10. Helen Chenoweth, Congresswoman (R-Id.). In 1998 she called (in a campaign ad) for Bill Clintons resignation saying "I beleive that personal conduct and integrity do matter". Days laters she admitted to a six-year adulterous affair with a married associate.
9. Sue Myrick,(R-NC) ( Congresswoman described herself as a "devout Christian." Committed adultery with a married man.
8. Don Sherwood,(R-Pa) (2005)Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Eventually admitted to an affair with a woman 30 years younger than him, after she accused him of physical abuse and attempting to choke her.
7. Ken Calvert, Congressman (R-Ca), champion of the Christian Coalition and its "family values." In 1993 he was caught by police receiving oral sex from a prostitute and attempted to flee the scene.
6. Ed Schrock, (R-Va)(2004) Two-term republican congressman, with a 92% approval rating from the Christian Coalition. Cosponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment, consistently opposed gay rights. Married, with wife and kids. Withdrew his candidacy for a third term after tapes of him soliciting for gay sex were circulated.
5. Dan Crane,(R-Ill)(1983) Married, father of six. Received a 100% "Morality Rating" from Christian Voice. Had sex with a minor working as a congressional page.
On July 20,1993, the House voted for censure Crane, the first time that censure had been imposed for sexual misconduct.
4. Ron Livingston (R-La)(1998) On the verge of becoming Republican House speaker when his career was upended by marital infidelities.
Livingston released a statement in December 1998 saying, "I have on occasion strayed from my marriage." The disclosure came on the eve of the impeachment debate involving President Clinton's relationship with former intern Monica Lewinsky. Two days after his admission, Livingston said he would not become speaker; he resigned from the House a few months later.
3. Donald Lukens, (R-OH) (2001) Congressman, was found guilty of having sex with a minor - a girl he was accused of sleeping with since 1985 when she was 13.
2. Bob Packwood, Senator (R-Ore.) Resigned in 1995 under a threat of public senate hearings related to 10 female ex-staffers accusing him of sexual harassment.
1. Mark Foley, (R-FL)(2006) Resigned after trying to solicit sex from male congressional pages via an instant messenger program.
Posted by: RMill | October 5, 2006 2:28 PM
Republican Congressman Tom Reynolds is down 50-45 in a new poll from a Buffalo news channel:
Davis has large independent and elderly support, as well as a 9 point lead among women. This district has always had Democratic potential, and with Davis' personal wealth, the Foley scandal and Reynolds' appearance of a cover-up, the 26th is increasing it's blue shade every single day.
Posted by: P Chase | October 5, 2006 1:50 PM
Republican Congressman Tom Reynolds is down 50-45 in a new poll from a Buffalo news channel:
Davis has large independent and elderly support, as well as a 9 point lead among women. This district has always had Democratic potential, and with Davis' personal wealth, the Foley scandal and Reynolds' appearance of a cover-up, the 26th is increasing it's blue shade every single day.
Posted by: P Chase | October 5, 2006 1:50 PM
Let me finish Denny's lines for him...
"We have a story to tell.." ...that Karl made up for us, all about scaring the voters into submission, and boy-oh-boy, is Karl ever PO'd that this Foley thing is keeping us off-message.
Sound more accurate than the official version?
Posted by: JEP | October 5, 2006 1:49 PM
Republican Congressman Tom Reynolds is down 50-45 in a new poll from a Buffalo news channel:
Davis has large independent and elderly support, as well as a 9 point lead among women. This district has always had Democratic potential, and with Davis' personal wealth, the Foley scandal and Reynolds' appearance of a cover-up, the 26th is increasing it's blue shade every single day.
Posted by: P Chase | October 5, 2006 1:43 PM
I'm beginning to think KOZ and bhoomes are not real, they are fake rednecks Chris invented to keep us all fomenting at the mouth.
Their intensely ignorant philosophy is downright provocative, almost a cliche in its simple-mindedness.
Hey, its easier for me to believe they are a comical construct than admitting these people are real, that they go out and vote and that they simply hate us, because we rightfully criticize their failed political idols.
And boy, howdy, do they ever hate Democrats, and always with much more passion than they love America.
Surely they can not be real?
Posted by: JEP | October 5, 2006 1:39 PM
This from George Will's column (whom I normally detest for his extreme verbosity); it captures the context well without his usual weakness for $10 words. "Hastert: "We have a story to tell, and the Democrats have -- in my view have -- put this thing forward to try to block us from telling the story. They're trying to put us on defense."
It is difficult to read that as other than an accusation: He seems to be not just confessing a coverup but also complaining that the coverup was undone by bad manners. Were it not for Democrats' unsportsmanlike conduct in putting "this thing" forward, it would not be known and would not be disrupting Republicans' storytelling.
Their story, of late, has been that theirs is the lonely burden of defending all that is wholesome. But the problem with claiming to have cornered the market on virtue is that people will get snippy when they spot vice in your ranks. This is one awkward aspect of what is supposed to have been the happy fusion between, but which involves unresolved tensions between, two flavors of conservatism -- Western and Southern."
That one bit "...defending all that is wholesome. But the problem with claiming to have cornered the market on virtue is that people will get snippy when they spot vice in your ranks" says it all. If any more 'vice' emerges the D's will capture both the House AND the Senate.
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 5, 2006 9:31 AM
Somewhere I read the Dems for in power for 48 years and got corrupt and were punished for it in 1994. And in the same article there was a mention of Rep's being in power for only 12 years and have gotten corrupt!!! Well, well, well how interesting is that stat. Rep's are faster than Dem's in sleaziness!! Apparently W. was asking where is a George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson,... in that part of the world called Iraq (Woodward's book). Let me ask this, do we have one half of the calibre of a Tip O 'Neil , out there in the democratic party who can take this country forward and put this misery to bed. Newt started this disaster and we have had so many of these then which ironically included Newt himself, I cannot believe we keep falling for this bologna. Sorry, sorry state of affairs in the most advanced country on this planet!
Posted by: You See | October 4, 2006 10:01 PM
When W. got elected by the supremes in 2000, my first thought was to get far away from the US Of A. Unfortunately, one cannot get up and go when family is involved. Then when W. was sleeping 9/11 occured. He says he does not want to comment on "comments" made by others such as the sleaze Clinton. At least sleaze was paying attention, in spite of everything. He had the solid staff, and he was actually governing the country. Now look, W. and co. have this spin thing going for them. And guess what some americans are still buying his "stuff". Even this latest disaster (Foley), listen to or read what Newt has to say. This abuse of english language needs to stop. Supposedly W. looked very honest to americans in 2000 and 2004. Folks you would too if you are not doing anything but "BSing" about size of Russia and China. What a joke! Republican or Democrat, I will take a sleaze over ignorant, incompetant, immoral, and lying bunch of power hungry turds. Their only job is to spread wealth to their cronies, and I am sure there will be some pay off's some where (look at Cheney's severance package from Haliburton in advance). They are abusing our intelligence with spin and more spin. I hope all Americans wake up and say enough! Thanks
Posted by: You See | October 4, 2006 9:38 PM
I can't understand KOZ's "So what! The Democrats did this!" attitude. Is it ok for Republicans to do something vile, because at one time, somewhere, a Democrat has done something viler?
All should be held to the same standard. This time, the Republicans failed that standard.
Posted by: wiccan | October 4, 2006 6:41 PM
Guess you haven't been reading all those Abramoff emails to Karl and Karl's executive assistant, KOZ.
Posted by: Maria | October 4, 2006 6:20 PM
'stomping on it and eradicating it' doesn't really seem the best description of how the Republicans handled this affair, does it? Seems more like 'sweeping it under the carpet and hoping it wouldn't start to smell until after November' to me. Many _Republicans_ have criticized Hastert and the House leadership over this. I mean even Michelle Malkin has criticized them for it. And can we really say, in the era of Abramoff and DeLay, that Republicans are somehow free of corruption???
I have never understood why anyone who cares about decent government would think that you could diminish the importance of one scandal by showing that someone on the other side of the aisle did something similar once before. Some of you have listed historical examples of wrongdoing by Democrats. Er, in the case of those scandals, you did think there should be accountability, right? So, consistently, you should think that about this situation too, right? And if people covered up for Democrats, they should face consequences, right? So if people covered up for Republicans, the consequences should be the same, shouldn't they?
We do our country a disservice when we fail to criticize wrongdoing by members of our own parties. Frankly, partisanship (on both sides of the aisle) is one of the main enablers of corruption in government.
Posted by: Beren | October 4, 2006 5:24 PM
"Fordham said one staffer he spoke with remains employed by a senior House Republican leader, but he declined to identify the person.
"Rather than trying to shift the blame on me, those who are employed by these House leaders should acknowledge what they know about their action or inaction in response to the information they knew about Mr. Foley prior to 2005," Fordham said."
According to KOZ ("Dems ignore or protect corruption while Rs stomp on it and eradicate it. you can look it up, as they say") these admissons of guilt over a LACK of eradication happened this past Friday. Golly, why isn't it in the newspaper? Why can't I "look it up?"
Sorry, KOZ, the news is moving faster than you can pontificate. Oh, and Fordham is an obvious Democratic plant, right?
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 4, 2006 5:10 PM
My main point was that Dems ignore or protect corruption while Rs stomp on it and eradicate it. you can look it up, as they say.
Posted by: kingofzouk | October 4, 2006 4:52 PM
Actually, and I know the facts are always painful for you:
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) In response to a story in the Aug. 25, 1989, Washington Times, Frank confirmed that he hired Steve Gobie, a male prostitute, in 1985 to live with and work for him in his D.C. apartment. But Frank, who is gay, said he fired Gobie in 1987 when he learned he was using the apartment to run a prostitution service. The Boston Globe, among others, called on Frank to resign, but he refused. On July 19, 1990, the ethics committee recommended Frank be reprimanded because he "reflected discredit upon the House" by using his congressional office to fix 33 of Gobie's parking tickets. Attempts to expel or censure Frank failed; instead the House voted 408-18 to reprimand him. The fury in Washington was not shared in Frank's district, where he won reelection in 1990 with 66 percent of the vote, and has won by larger margins ever since.
This from the WaPo so it is mostly factual, not creative as you tend to be with your facts.
now you see why we don't care much for emperors (your view of yourself). When they are wrong, what redress does anyone have. but you haven't been coronated yet.
do honest and decent guys fix tickets for others using their perogotive? can you find me someone who will do this for me? When will you realize that you don't have all the answers and get over yourself. It seems like you really have very few answers that I have observed.
Posted by: kingofzouk | October 4, 2006 4:49 PM
KOZ -- If you're trying to prove that Congress has been full of sick SOBs for a long time - some of whom were Democrats - you're preaching to the choir. You might want to note, however, that you only picked out Democrats to list when Republicans are listed in the article you cite. Also, you're comparing ALLEGATIONS of sexual abuse (in most of your cites above) with a situation where Foley doesn't deny what he did. Somehow, that seems like apples and oranges to me. Moreover, it's ultimately besides the point. Democrats DID grow corrupt in controlling Congress for 48 years. I don't dispute that for a second. But clearly Republicans have only taken 12 years to follow the same pattern. Dems were already punished in '94 for their failings. It strikes me that this Foley situation is just ANOTHER example of why Republicans need to be cleaned out too.
Posted by: Colin | October 4, 2006 4:48 PM
KOZ, I do not know about several of the incidents you mention. I do know about Brock Adams, Ted Kennedy, and Wayne Hays. These men, and I could care less if Democratic returned them to office or not, are not people I would vote for. Most of the people who are participants on this forum, I am sure, feel exactly the same way. But, with reference to Barney Frank, you do need to be corrected. The boyfriend of Bany Frank was someone who simply lived in his home. Without Mr. Franks knowledge, and this was proven in the investigation, that person established a male escort service that was actually a front for a male prositiution ring. That person also, and without Mr. Frnaks knowledge or permission, took a few telephone calls concerning that business at Mr. Franks home. The business was not run out of Barnwy Feansk apartment! Barney Frank didn't know about it. And, when he did find out about it, he was the person who turned the guy over to the police and demanded an investigation and end tom the prositution ring. Barney Frank was an honest and decent man and in that instance, did exactly what I am expecting of the Republican leadership right now. Hw can you people live with yourselves? You took the service of John Kerry in Vietnam and twisted it into something dirty and poerverted and, now, you people can take a man who does right and twist it into an accusation of wrong doing? Rot in hell!
Posted by: MikeB | October 4, 2006 4:46 PM
Judge - did you say evidence. Or were you really talking about innuendo and wishfull thinking by desperate Dems trying to talk about anything but real issues? can you please display the hard evidence? the Dem standard for evidence has been quite slack of late as I'm sure you are aware. Just saying it doesn't make it so.
BTW - stock market at new high. Tax receipts at record levels. Hmmmm. Let me find a way to put a stop to this right away. I know - elect Dems.
Posted by: kingofzouk | October 4, 2006 4:43 PM
KOZ: Any evidence of a coverup by the Speaker of the House in any of those cases? Didn't think so. Try scrolling up before posting information that has already been rendered irrelevant.
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 4, 2006 4:36 PM
Elect Dems and you can expect more of the same. remember:
Whitewater Cattlegate Nannygate Helicoptergate Travelgate Gennifer Flowersgate Filegate Vince Fostergate I wonder where those Whitewater billing records came fromgate Paula Jonesgate Federal Building campaign phone callgate Lincoln bedroomgate White House coffeegate Donations from convicted drug and weapons dealersgate Buddhist Templegate Web Hubbell hush moneygate Lippogate Chinese commiegate - Clinton was practically endorsed by red China Update! Let's blame Kenneth Starrgate Zippergate/interngate - the Lewinsky affair itself Perjury and jobs for Lewinskygate - the aftermath Willeygate Web Hubbell prison phone callgate Selling Military Technology to the Chinese Commiesgate Coverup for our Russian Comrades as Wellgate Wag-the-Dog-gate Jaunita Broaddrick gate PBS-gate Email-gate Vandalgate Lootergate Pardongate
note to self - One real scandal can be blown out of proportion when there aren't many to go around. consider using the Dem model and having a different scandal every week. then you won't have to do anything about it.
Posted by: kingofzouk | October 4, 2006 4:34 PM
10. Sen. Daniel Inouye. The 82-year-old Hawaii Democrat was accused in the 1990s by numerous women of sexual harassment. Democrats cast doubt on the allegations and the Senate Ethics Committee dropped its investigation.
9. Former Rep. Gus Savage. The Illinois Democrat was accused of fondling a Peace Corps volunteer in 1989 while on a trip to Africa. The House Ethics Committee decided against disciplinary action in 1990.
8. Rep. Barney Frank. The outspoken Massachusetts Democrat hired a male prostitute who ran a prostitution service from Frank's residence in the 1980s. Only two Democrats in the House of Representatives voted to censure him in 1990.
7. Former Sen. Brock Adams. The late Washington Democrat was forced to stop campaigning after numerous accusations of drugging, assault and rape, the first surfacing in 1988.
6. Former Rep. Fred Richmond. This New York Democrat was arrested in 1978 for soliciting sex from a 16-year-old. He remained in Congress and won re-election--before eventually resigning in 1982 after pleading guilty to tax evasion and drug possession.
5. Former Rep. John Young. The late Texas Democrat increased the salary of a staffer after she gave in to his sexual advances. The congressman won re-election in 1976 but lost two years later.
4. Former Rep. Wayne Hays. The late Ohio Democrat hired an unqualified secretary reportedly for sexual acts. Although he resigned from Congress, the Democratic House leadership stalled in removing him from the Administration Committee in 1976.
3. Former Rep. Gerry Studds. He was censured for sexual relationship with underage male page in 1983. Massachusetts voters returned him to office for six more terms.
2. Former Rep. Mel Reynolds. The Illinois Democrat was convicted of 12 counts of sexual assault with a 16-year-old. President Bill Clinton pardoned him before leaving office.
1. Sen. Teddy Kennedy. The liberal Massachusetts senator testified in defense of nephew accused of rape, invoking his family history to win over the jury in 1991.
Note the number of Dems and the actions that were taken. now note the universal approbriation leveled at foley. See the difference.
Posted by: kingofzouk | October 4, 2006 4:12 PM
If the protection of our children isn't the utmost "family value", then I don't know what is.
Posted by: CB | October 4, 2006 4:08 PM
Sigh, Bhoomes, you are still talking about partisanship when the children are the issue.
Posted by: Yockel | October 4, 2006 4:04 PM
BlueDog, you're an interesting sort...
'but I suspect she may be a real nice person who cares about animals and others the same as me.'
Thank you. you really do seem like a decent guy. I may disagree with you because I believe you are misled, but you have a heart.
Posted by: drindl | October 4, 2006 3:59 PM
what Foley did is tasteless and he did the honorable thing in resigning and deserves to take his medecine.
But a pedophile? A perv, maybe but thats stretching it a bit I think. The one good thing about the dems holding on to all these stories and launching them all at once is that they're effectively knocking themselves out.
but it is nice to see you get your hopes up ('00, '02, '04....)
Posted by: Anonymous | October 4, 2006 3:58 PM
Now we get to the crux of it, taxes. Yeah, that's the hot issue today. Hmmm, let's see, low taxes? Yes, which means inadequate funding for enforcement of FDA guidelines, Customs inspections, transportation laws, and virtually NO enforcement of mine safety laws, anti-pollution laws, the list goes on and on. Inadequate funding to provide troops in Iraq/Afghanistan proper armor. Inadequate funding to help national parks recover from devestating natural disasters Inadequate funding for FEMA to help recover from Katrina, inadequate funding for No Children Left Behind. This is YOUR doing by insisting that the GOP is doing the right thing by cutting taxes for the rich, sticking it to the middle class, and ignoring everyone else. My view of the world is based on 10 years of Military servce (USAF), 10 years of Law Enforcement, 10 years of running a small business, all traditional GOP supporters, and this group of chickenhawk NeoCoNazies violates everything those groups stand for, Protect and Serve, Fairplay, Honesty, Integrity. I, and others like me, kept the country safe by bleeding for our country, and now, when we voice our dissatisfaction with the ineptitude of the GOP we're just called bleeding hearts, regardless of what we really are. You do not seem inclined to find out anything about us, just call us names and be done with it, apparently the best you can do, just like your "leaders". I'd love to stay and chat for the rest of the day, but I have to go now. Gotta go watch the GOP self-immolate. Drop us a line when you have something of substance to say.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 3:54 PM
Where has our Country gone? A President who misled us into a Useless war, who gave Haliburton billions of tax payers money, the contracts were not enough for them, now there is at least ten and a half billion dollars missing, no oversite, accoutability, no investigations, nothing except Bush and Cheney's croonies are again being taken care of via tax payers money, Gee what a surpise. And then the brave men and women who put there lives on the line,over 20,000 who have lost body parts of all sorts. May God bless you all. Now the first lady is at a fund raiser for Tom Reynolds who happens to be one of several Congressmen in the Republican leadership who covered up for this PEDOPHILE. Lord where does the insanity stop. J Filutze
Posted by: j.filutze | October 4, 2006 3:47 PM
Where has our Country gone? A President who misled us into a Useless war, who gave Haliburton billions of tax payers money, the contracts were not enough for them, now there is at least ten and a half billion dollars missing, no oversite, accoutability, no investigations, nothing except Bush and Cheney's croonies are again being taken care of via tax payers money, Gee what a surpise. And then the brave men and women who put there lives on the line,over 20,000 who have lost body parts of all sorts. May God bless you all. Now the first lady is at a fund raiser for Tom Reynolds who happens to be one of several Congressmen in the Republican leadership who covered up for this PEDOPHILE. Lord where does the insanity stop. J Filutze
Posted by: j.filutze | October 4, 2006 3:43 PM
I give you credit for spinning things BLUEDOG. Who ins't for protecting the pages from Congressman with less than noble thoughts. With our Republican leadership, we have kept taxes low(not low enough for me)and passed the Patriot Act over dems objections to protect the country. Now I know you probably upset with us because we didn't promise Osama full constitutional rights and didn't close down GITMO. But we have kept the country safe through our policies. If you dems regain the House and prevent common sense legislation for our security and we then suffer another horrendous attack, It WILL BE THE END OF YOUR PARTY. Now I believe you guys love and want to protect the country as much as us but your misguided viewpoint of the world will prevent you from doing that. See your not evil just dumb.
Posted by: bhoomes | October 4, 2006 3:31 PM
Bluedog, bhoomes, all - I am as guilty of it as the next person, but there really isn't any call for a lot of the negative stuff except to answer it in kind. My memory is long enough to know that it was the Democrats that started this and the divide people into voter blocks nonsense that Karl Rove, more recently, has used so well. What is happening right now is the RNC is dumping huge amounts of money into negative campaign ads and the Democrats (and others) are letting them know that two can play this game. So, expect this election to be so dirty, so vile, reveal so much disgusting garbage and do so much harm to politician's that they will think three or four times in the future about going negative. At least that's my hope.
And bhoomes, the reason I am a Democrat today is because of "globalization". Some readers are correct, I did used to work in intelligence, and I saw just how much damage was being done by outsourcing and the various guest worker programs. It has gotten much much worse. I wonder how many people realize that Indian H1-B engineers stole the complete plans and design for the B2 bomber, for our latest underwater missile system (necessary because an earlier theft of submarine design has led the Russian's and Chinese to build submarines that can outrun our fastest torpedo's), the stole the plans for our latest shoulder launched multipurpose missile, and more. And none of this even addresses what the Chinese have been up to. It's insane. The FBI is simply buried in espionage investigations. There are reportedly more than 1,800 already this year. And these are just cases of military espionage. No one can imagine the number of cases of industrial spying and theft. It's as if we opened up the store and invited the world in, with no one watching, and the entire world is stealing everything off the shelves and is in the process of unbolting the cash register and stealing it, too. I do not think we can "fix" those programs, they have got to be done away with. They pose the single gravest danger to this country we have faced since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Bush Administration and their corporate allies only see short term gains and believe they can somehow manage this mess. Well, they cannot, it is getting worse, and their incompetence is placing this country's very future existence in jeapardy. THAT is first and formost why I am a Democrat.
Posted by: MikeB | October 4, 2006 3:23 PM
The No FEAR Act was signed by Bush in May 2002 and stands for Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act, requiring federal agencies to be accountable for violations of antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws.
By the way, I obviously mis-spelled House of Representatives in my first post.
Posted by: Barbara | October 4, 2006 3:16 PM
Here you go bhoomes-KOZ. Make of it what you can. Only a state senator but pretty salacious.
"W. Va. Lawmaker Embarasssed by Photos By LAWRENCE MESSINA The Associated Press Wednesday, October 4, 2006; 11:52 AM
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A state senator said he is evaluating whether to continue his bid for a second term after a Charleston television station aired revealing pictures of him last week.
"My family has urged me not to withdraw from the election and I will work with them to make a decision in the immediate future," State Sen. Randy White, a Webster County Democrat, said in a letter to newspapers in his district."
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 4, 2006 3:08 PM
I have nothing against Republican voters. I think the vast majority are good people who mean well. Maybe a little gullible, but certainly not malicious (generally).
I have a MAJOR problem with Republican politicians. Every single one of them. They have actually betrayed the trust that their GOP constituents have bestowed upon them. To the GOP voters' credit, they have stuck with their party despite being treated like pawns in a deadly game of he said/she said corruption and war.
If only the GOP voters held equally as fast to the ideals of AMERICA the country and not some idyllic pseudo-fascist oligarchy based on extreme Christian fundamentalism.
American people are clearly ready to move beyond the GOP politicians' selfish and childlike behaviour in favor of a sane political platform that is good for the whole country and our image around the world (which, contrary to Neocon partisans, IS important in preserving our ideals of being a beacon of freedom for the downtrodden).
That said, Democratic politicians arent exactly God's gift to humanity... But I trust the policies forwarded by Democratic-minded individuals more than Conservative-minded individuals. Um, obviously. :)
Posted by: F&B | October 4, 2006 3:07 PM
Are pages provided training on the No FEAR Act of 2002 so that they would not be afraid to complain? Is there a Civil Rights Office within the Howse of Representatives?
Posted by: Barbara | October 4, 2006 3:05 PM
I'm a left-wing zealot and I think Romney means what he says. I think he believes in doing what's best for Massachusetts and have been a *GASP* good governor, working with both sides. Something I cannot say about Frist, Hastert and Allen.
Posted by: Will | October 4, 2006 2:56 PM
Bhoomes, actually I take pride in being a Left WingNut. It's what's required to counteract all the Coulter/Reilly/Drudge/Limbaugh insanity. I proudly voted for GHWB, have my share of Rep. friends (moderates and wingers), & don't think them "evil". Easy word to throw around as a distractor when you still haven't said anything about the GOP leadership, or the lack thereof. Are you evil? Nah, you don't have it in you, and it's not likely the crowd you run with does either. But the crop of "leaders" you seem to be suppporting have done evil things, the Foley/PageGate scandal being only the latest. I do consider it evil to protect the party over children.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 2:55 PM
"Some other Republicans rallied to the speaker. The chairmen of two coalitions of social and fiscal conservatives in Congress said he should not step down. "Speaker Hastert is a man of integrity," Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., and Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., said in a joint statement."
Yes, R's can trust him to cover up our misdeeds.
""We need to move forward quickly and we need to reach conclusions and recommendations about who is responsible," McCain said during a campaign speech for Sen. Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island. "I think it needs to be addressed by people who are credible." "
There goes John McCain again, saying what needs to be said. Bhoomes, let me put your spin on this: Shame on him! Such a grandstander! Never mind that this is the obviously moral course of action!
"Republicans have been struggling to put the scandal behind them, but another member of the leadership, Rep Roy Blunt of Missouri, said pointedly during the day he would have handled the entire matter differently than Speaker Dennis Hastert did, had he known about the complaints when they were first raised last year."
Never thought I'd miss Roy Blunt. I bet the R's agree with me on this one.
"I think I could have given some good advice here, which is you have to be curious. You have to ask all the questions you can think of," Blunt said. "You absolutely can't decide not to look into activities because one individual's parents don't want you to." "
That is a pathetically weak excuse for not minding the business of the US House of Representatives.
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 4, 2006 2:55 PM
Wetterling is playing a dangerous game. You never know when the next shoe will drop or from where. It is the reason that while Qantas never had an airline crash, they never ran ads saying "never crashed". It only takes that one time.
And remember, Foley, until Friday, was a noted child protection advocate (Not saying anything regarding Wetterling, just pointing out you never can tell. I was brought up to trust school teachers and priests too.)
Posted by: RMill | October 4, 2006 2:34 PM
I am glad at least MikeB can say a few good things. BLUEDOG proves my point of what a real wingnut is. A wingnut cannot accept that other people may have a different viewpoint of the World and still be decent people who may be kind to animals, help their neighbors and volunteer to help others. He believe that you must be evil if you don't see Iraq like him. I know Drindl is a real partisan but I suspect she may be a real nice person who cares about animals and others the same as me. Its okay to fight about politics but lets get away from demonizing politicians and people who do not see the world as you. That how Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Niel could really rip into one another during the day and share a drink and a few good jokes in the evening.
Posted by: bhoomes | October 4, 2006 2:30 PM
Interesting that a staffer has resigned already. It will be interesting to see what Justice comes up with.
Meanwhile local DFL (Democrat) candidate & child advocate Patty Wetterling is using the Foley mess in her race for the MN 6 seat. It will be interesting to see if she tries to pin her opponent down on whether they support Hastert or not. Personally I think Ms. Wetterling should focus on issues more important to voters in MN-6, but clearly this story has some legs, at least for a little longer. It is also rumored that the DCC will be running an ad tying the NRCC, which received a large contribution from Foley, to ads attacking Ms. Wetterling. It will be interesting to see if tying an alleged pedophile's contributions to a group attacking a noted child protection advocate will impact the electorate. More interesting will be if the GOP candidate finally condemns the misleading NRCC ads.
Posted by: bsimon | October 4, 2006 2:29 PM
"...Justice Department has ordered all records preserved and indicates that this is in preparation for a criminal investigation."
Which means that this is going to take forever (politically speaking), and the official repsonses will now be, "We can't comment on that because it's part of an ongoing investigation."
Which will, a) be a field day for the conspiracy nuts, and b) have the 4th Estate run the story, which they've been doing up until now, anyway.
Are all the Subjects of Interest practicing their "To the best of my recollection..." responses yet?
Posted by: Nor'Easter | October 4, 2006 2:21 PM
No, I don't think that one side has all the virtue and another has all the vice. Certainly there are some people (on either side) who think that way. Some of the people who criticize Bush, Frist, Hastert, DeLay, et al. would always have criticized them anyway. But there are others, many others, including many conservatives, who are criticizing these guys because they think that they have governed extraordinarily badly. I know people who probably didn't vote for a single Democrat in their lives until partway into Bush's presidency. These people weren't partisan Democrats or something - they were, after all, life-long Republicans. But they thought that refusal to engage in bi-partisan negotiation, refusal to perform adequate oversight of the executive, making misleading public statements, irresponsible spending, as well as stunts like threatening the 'nuclear option' in the Senate, were a betrayal of the principles of good government, whether liberal or conservative.
There are plenty of Republicans that I can say good things about. But it's tough with the ones you mentioned. The reason isn't that I'm partisan (I've voted for Republicans and Democrats in equal numbers). The reason is that the Republicans currently running things in the Senate and the House (and the WH) are some of the worst of the bunch. I'd have trouble coming up with praise for the worst of the Democrats too. I mean, you don't have to be a partisan Republican to have trouble coming up with praise for, say, Dan Rostenkowski. You just have to care about ethics in government.
Posted by: Beren | October 4, 2006 2:19 PM
bhoomes, I have had good things to say about Republican's whenever I encounter them. I already mentioned Rep. Rodney Alexander. I would add Chuch Hagel and Colin Powell to that list. Good men, honorable people. As for Mr. Allen, though, if I were you I would give him a wide birth, if I were you. And all of the House leadership is in deep trouble. In the case of both Hastert and Boehner and Rove, again, that might well include criminal troubles. Bill Frist and Rick Santorem are going to be up to their eyeballs in "deep doodoo" about this time next week, as well.
Posted by: MikeB | October 4, 2006 2:18 PM
Bhoomes, you're missing the point. "On a personal level" is a feeble attempt to rise above the fray. It's personal to me when my friends die in a war that wasn't necessary, it's personal to me when my friends lose their jobs because of "downsizing" while their fatcat bosses get millions, it's personal to me when the policy of the ruling party is devestating to my family, friends, community, state & nation. Of course I don't have anything good to say about the GOP leadership, because I don't care about them "personally", I only care about their policies and how they affect me/us/everyone, and their policies suck. I find it disengenuous to argue "can't we all get along" when the GOP has ravaged the Dem's for years, personalizing attacks. Move on with your points, tell us what the GOP is doing right, tell us how Hastert is leading, tell us anything with substance that supports the GOP's myopic view of the world and how to manage it.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 2:15 PM
MikeB - "As you well know, every time I assemble a list of web references and send them with a post, they are intercepted and "held"...so they dob't get published."
Thanks for the sources which you do provide; but realize that we don't get to see what you get censored on. The bottom line problem for me in any post is are the sources "credible." It's not unreasonable to ask, so we don't waste input in taking the thread in a certain direction when the primary source isn't credible.
Posted by: Nor'Easter | October 4, 2006 2:12 PM
CNN reports the Justice Department has ordered all records preserved and indicates that this is in preparation for a criminal investigation.
Also reports the FBI is interviewing pages.
Posted by: RMill | October 4, 2006 2:03 PM
Well I see you guys proved me right, couldn;t say anything good about our current Republican leadership. I have nothing bad to say about Nancy Pelosi on a personal level, just don't care for her left wing politics. I believe Steny Hoyer is a good man who puts his country ahead of party.(2nd in line behind Pelosi) I like Joe Biden, Russ Fiengold, Chris Dodd and others who are thinking about running. Geez, can zealots say anything good about Allen, Frist, Brownback, Rommney, etc. I doubt it because again you live in a simple world where your side has all the virtue and our side has all the vice. I can disagree with a lot of the dems viewpoints and still like them on a personal level. But most of you guys can't and then you call other people wingnuts. Yeah right.
Posted by: bhoomes | October 4, 2006 1:59 PM
RMill, God I hope he is, it would mean someone in Government actuallys has courage AND conviction.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 1:52 PM
Kirk Fordham is Chief of Staff for Congressman Reynolds (NY-26).
Don't be so sensitive. The reason we asked is because we are not lazy clods but could not find any reputable news outlet confirming your assertions is your post. You made it sound like you are a rogue FBI agent leaking information.
Posted by: RMill | October 4, 2006 1:51 PM
Bhoomes: "I defy Drindl, JEP, Yockel and others to say something good about Hastert, Bush, Cheney, Frist, Boehner, etc."
I think I will pass on saying something nice about the Republican leaders named by Bhoomes above, however, I think there are some names that can be included in the "etc." like Congressman Jim Ramstad of MN - who represents Minneapolis' Western affluent suburbs. He is an R in the old Reagan sense of the word - minimal govt, low taxes, fiscal conservative, but a good man, who also happens to be a recovering alcoholic and now-mentor to fellow Congressman in recovery - Patrick Kennedy of RI. Mr. Ramstad has put partisan politics aside in favor of decency and humanity to help a guy who was down and out. If the Republicans put guys like that in leadership, they wouldn't be in this mess. Integrity is still valued in this country. Other Republicans who still have this are the two women Senators from Maine - Collins and Snowe.
Bhoomes: please note that as a Democrat, I am saying nice things about Republicans, something you seem incapable of doing.
Posted by: VA-dem | October 4, 2006 1:49 PM
Mike, MSNBC is reporting Rep. Livingston's involvement, as well as the resignation of a former Foley/current Reynolds staffer for trying to quash the story. Seems the staffer, Kirk Fordham, went to ABC and asked them not to run the story. He claims he did it to protect his boss from the political storm, not to obstruct justice. Your post has legs. Thanks.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 1:45 PM
Nice try guys. As you well know, every time I assemble a list of web references and send them with a post, they are intercepted and "held"...so they dob't get published. So,...instead of being lazy clods, why don't you use an internet search engine and look it up. Try "outed Gay Republicans". One site, blog DOT democratics DOT COM SLASH gayrepublicans has a lengthy list of a few of those who are about to be outed. I can't for the response of the christian right when some of their prominent people get listed next week.
Posted by: MikeB | October 4, 2006 1:44 PM
Do you think, at gut-check time, that NJ residents will vote for a GOP senate candidate even if that vote might keep the Senate in Republican hands??
That would be truly astonishing.
Posted by: Venicemenace | October 4, 2006 1:44 PM
Posted by: AJK | October 4, 2006 1:39 PM
No offense, MikeB., but I hope you are wrong about the facts in your post. I wouldn't be surprised if the Rep.leadership simply decided that they didn't want to know what was happening wiht Foley and the pages, and didn't look at it very closely. Plausible deniability. (At least they hoped for that).
Posted by: Merry | October 4, 2006 1:35 PM
I think Beren has largely zeroed in on the GOP's problem.
The Republicans were in charge and everyone knew it. They flaunted their power and kept Dems on the outside and them derided them for not ever getting anything done or cooperating.
In my mock ups of the midterm, if I had to choose numbers today-
US Senate Dems win 6 seats but lose NJ (net +5) for a tie and GOP stays in control.
US House Dems win 29 seats and take control.
Governors Dems win six but lose MI for a net +5 and make up a majority of statehouses.
Posted by: RMill | October 4, 2006 1:34 PM
Posted by: MikeB | October 4, 2006 1:34 PM
On the wider issue that Mr. Cillizza raises (whether national disdain for Congress will trump local concerns) I think that the Republicans themselves have made it much more likely that people will vote on a national, rather than a local, basis. It's a result of how they've behaved in Congress.
The Republican party has acted almost monolithic in both houses of Congress, and has failed to engage in serious negotiation with the minority party. Individual Republican congressmen have been far too quick to cave to their party leadership. Democratic amendments (even completely unobjectionable ones) have been rejected on a strictly partisan basis. Congressmen have subordinated their own concerns to the concerns of the national party.
At this point, the Republican party is really acting like it's governing in a parliamentary system. It can only do this for so long before voters start to vote as if they were in a parliamentary system as well.
There have been senators for whom I have high respect from both parties. Same for representatives. But this year, after watching the antics of Congress for the last half-decade or so, I know that a vote for a moderate, thoughtful, conscientious Republican is really a vote for Bill Frist & Co., or their colleagues in the House, who are, in my opinion, a bunch of irresponsible, deceitful, unthoughtful, pandering demagogues. I don't want Frist screwing things up any longer. But the way this Republican Congress has behaved, even a vote for Susan Collins or some other moderate Republican, for whom I might very much like to vote, is really a vote for Frist to keep running the Senate.
Now none of this means that Foley's misdeeds should be imputed to all Republican members of Congress. But it does mean that the Republican party has, over the last few years, been defining itself in national terms. It therefore invites national rejection. I have to say I think they brought it upon themselves.
Posted by: Beren | October 4, 2006 1:27 PM
RE: Foley Scandal - No Real Surprise www.IndustrialAgeGovernance.com
The Foley scandal shouldn't be surprising. A cover up was launched much like the Catholic Church protected pedophile priests, principals in positions of power who knew about the problem looked the other way, protection of children received the lowest priority in a mix if competing interests, and even after the last page scandal effective reporting channels weren't installed. Thus, at the highest levels of government the same enabling factors and conflicts of interest exist, only the circumstances are different. One thing is clear, the standard cycle of investigation, new legislation, and telephone hotlines aren't enough. Unless the underlying processes and communication channels are structurally improved, this will surely happen again !
Important issues like these are illustrated in my book, along with specific reporting structures, checks and balances on conflicts of interest, and elimination of information barriers - key measures that would effectively expose pedophiles. But they can only help children once finally implemented.
Today, this is precisely where media and leadership attention is needed the most - examining the underlying factors and fundamental changes that will prevent future occurrences, not simply spinning sensational daily events.
Industrial Age Governance is a must read for journalists, educators, activists, and policy leaders. If you or your colleagues are interested in perusing the galley, I will be happy to forward a free copy. Wilson@IndustrialAgeGovernance.com
Posted by: Daniel Wilson, Author | October 4, 2006 1:26 PM
These stories are currently circulating regarding the La. congressman cited by MikeB. I can find nothing about confirmed reports of actual sexual contact that is being asserted above.
The congressional sponsor of the page, Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., said he was asked by the youth's parents not to pursue the matter, so he dropped it.
_Alexander said that before deciding to end his involvement, he passed on what he knew to the chairman of the House Republican campaign organization, Rep. Thomas Reynolds, R-N.Y. Reynolds' spokesman, Carl Forti, said the campaign chairman also took no action in deference to the parents' wishes
Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., the congressman who sponsored the page at the heart of the furor, said Hastert "knew about the e-mails that we knew about," including one in which Foley asked the page to send his picture.
U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-Quitman, defended House Speaker Dennis Hastert and himself Tuesday even as calls for both lawmakers' resignations came for their handling of the page scandal that cost Republican Congressman Mark Foley his job.
The firestorm broke Friday after reports surfaced that a male page from Monroe contacted Alexander's office about inappropriate e-mails from Foley in the fall of 2005. Foley resigned Friday.
Alexander said his office contacted the teenager's parents and Hastert in the fall and House Majority Leader John Boehner and Rep. Tom Reynolds, the National Republican Congressional Committee chairman, in the spring of 2006.
"We contacted the family and the House leadership on multiple occasions about the e-mails," said Alexander, R-Quitman. "If the speaker didn't know any more than we did, I think his response was adequate."
The page's family had U.S. Rep. Jim McCrery, R-Shreveport, come to Alexander's defense on Tuesday, saying he 'has done everything he thought was appropriate. Rodney is beyond reproach," McCrery said.
Posted by: RMill | October 4, 2006 1:25 PM
But what is your source? Please share.
Posted by: RMill | October 4, 2006 1:14 PM
MikeB, we're asking "where are you getting this stuff from?" It's fine to tell us what you've heard/read/gathered, but please give us your source, or explain why you can't. I'd love it if your information was factual, but verification is needed. Thanks.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 1:12 PM
Judge C. Crater - Actually, I do. The "rumor" about Foley actually having had sex with underaged children is being confirmed by law enforcement right now. Both the FBI and D.C. police are interviewing witnesses who have come foreward and are actively pursuing leads concerning the threats made against witnesses. A *Republican* Congressman who is leading the charge on this is Rep. Rodney Alexander of Louisiana. He was contacted 11 months ago by a page who had been "inappropriately touched" by Mr. Foley and reported that to Dennis Hastert *personally* that day! He also claims, in a sworn deposition, to have personally told Tom Delay and Roy Blunt of this. There is evidence that this information was passed to the White House and, from there to John Boehner within the past seeral weeks. Someone in that group is responsible for using Rove's dirt meister's to dig up dirt and otherwise threaten the families of the page who broke those to begin with. So, bhoomes and Mr. Crater, this is no longer a "rumor" nor is it a simple story of pedophilia. It is a full scale criminal investigation, involving coverups, witness tampering, and a lot worse. This is Bush's Watergate. We'll see how he and the Republican's handle it. You can already see one moral Republican player, Rodney Alexander, who is going to follow this through wherever it leads. I am going to be interested in how many follow his lead vs. how many side with Hastert, Rove, and the Whitehouse.
Posted by: MikeB | October 4, 2006 1:07 PM
CHE, insightful?!?! He was declared a certified troll by the denizens of this blog MONTHS ago, and we all agreed to ignore him.
He posts his self-promotional press release, usually way off-topic, then splits. Never participates in discussion. A nusiance, like a guy who leaves flyers under your windshield wipers. I've even seen him posting his spiels on the Celebritology blog, under entries about Nick Lachey.
While I don't think we should be rigidly staying on topic, there is something to be said for those posters (Colin is one good example) who seem to understand that quality, not quantity, is the key.
I get really tired of hearing the same three or four people carrying on, post after post after post. It drags the quality of discussion way down.
Posted by: Venicemenace | October 4, 2006 1:00 PM
Posted by: RMill | October 4, 2006 12:59 PM
Bhoomes: "I defy Drindl, JEP, Yockel and others to say something good about Hastert, Bush, Cheney, Frist, Boehner, etc."
Lets be reasonable, Bhoomes. When children are in danger then it's time to hold the powerful accountable, not praise them even though they failed to exercise their duties.
By the way, I did say something good about Bob Michel. The relevant fact is not that he was a Republican leader but that he put the welfare of children before partisan advantage. Unfortunately, the opposite is true of Hastert. That's his fault, not mine.
It is sad that you can only see that matter in partisan terms.
Posted by: Yockel | October 4, 2006 12:58 PM
Vienna, you're exactly right about the triviality of those old scandals, particularly in comparison to the egregiousness of current events (Iraq NIE, WMD's, etc). Unfortunately for the GOPher's, it's not the historical importance that matters, it's the moment, it's the one final thing that takes the electorate over the top. The Foley/PageGate scandal is now 5-6 days old, long for news cycles and still has legs. It will take another major story to dislodge it, probably not something good for the GOPher's. The seeds of dissent have been growing for a while now and they reap what they sow.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 12:55 PM
I think Bush has done a good job staying alive so Cheney doesn't officially become President.
I think Cheney has done well not to take Bush duck hunting.
I think Frist served his constituents well by not running again.
I think Boehner did the right thing by sidestepping his responsibility and dropping the Foley matter in Hasterts lap.
I think Hastert does a good job keeping the trains running on time (After all, AMTRAK's major hub is in Illinois).
Posted by: RMill | October 4, 2006 12:53 PM
Just a quick fact check. . . In paragraph #4 CC mentions an average disapproval rating for congress of 68.75 and then, in the next paragraph notes that the highest disapproval rating is 68, in the AP-Ipsos poll. I'm thinking that the average is incorrect. Maybe it's 58.75?
Posted by: Nilmat | October 4, 2006 12:48 PM
BTw, bhoomes, I've never heard you say anything good about democrats...
you want me to say something nice about dick cheney, say somehing nice aobut nanci pelosi...
Posted by: drindl | October 4, 2006 12:47 PM
"I defy Drindl, JEP, Yockel and others to say something good about Hastert, Bush, Cheney, Frist, Boehner, etc."
I honestly can't think of anything. I'm not saying all republicans are bad, altho at this point i would haave say anyone who still identifies R utterly baffles me...
but what have any of these peoople done well, or in the public interest? absolutely nothing. It's like saying, say something good about Stalin or Mussolini...
At least with Musolini you got the trains running on time, as they used to say.
But these people can't even do that...
Posted by: drindl | October 4, 2006 12:41 PM
Lets not forget that, with few exceptions (Fox, SInclair and Clear Channel) this Cheney administration has been overtly hostile to the press, even though they paid them well for advertising.
So don't expect any sypathy from those newsrooms, the neocons might be popular with the advertising department, but that's a different set of sharks than the ones in the newsroom.
When yhose soon-to be-revealed "secrets" hit the presses, there WILL be a feeding frenzy, just look at the past week.
Posted by: JEP | October 4, 2006 12:41 PM
Bhoomes, your hypocrisy slip is showing. When, if ever, did you say something good about either Clinton. Does vigorously disagreeing with the EXTREME element of the GOP mean I'm not an adult. If anything, I think it takes maturity and courage to oppose a fascist state. It's very easy to roll over and agree with one's "leaders". It's much harder and requires actual thought to disagree and articulate that disagreement. Why don't you tell us what the Hastert leadership doctrine is, instead of what it appears to be?
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 12:36 PM
Judge, events like this tend to spin out of control, as the MSM takes advantage of a moneymaker. Does anyone really think more revelations won't occur? Stories that would have been ignored or hidden in the last few years by the cowardly MSM will now get some attention. Bush bashing and GOP bashing is okay now, as the sheer volume of hypocritical behavior is proven beyond the ability of GOPher's to counter and damage the MSM. If the MSM can make money off this and other stories, and they are making a mint right now, some board executive is going to say, "The he** with partisanship, print that sucker!".
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 12:31 PM
Remember, in November, don't vote for anyone with that "R" rating!
Posted by: JEP | October 4, 2006 12:31 PM
"I defy Drindl, JEP, Yockel and others to say something good about Hastert, Bush, Cheney, Frist, Boehner, etc."
They will soon be out of power?
Posted by: JEP | October 4, 2006 12:28 PM
I suspect bhoomes remembers Bob Michel as a liberal Dem. And compared to winguts like KOZ and bhoomes, he is.
The House Bank and Post Office "scandals" were interesting in that their actual political ramifications greatly outweighed their relative triviality. The Gingrich gang were able to put together a bunch of nice sounding platitudes (yeah, how much of that still exists, I wonder?), churn out the Contract on America, use the "scandals" to paint the Dem majority as out of touch (which quite a few of them were), and unseat a 40-year old majority.
It appears that in the space of 12 years, the Republican majority may also go that way, and even without much cohesiveness of argument on the other side. Craven, supine, and hypocritical are not three adjectives you want associated with your party if you're a majority member of the House these days. And yet, that's just where they are.
Posted by: vienna local | October 4, 2006 12:28 PM
Look I said Foley was a slimeball and I am glad he is gone even if it means losing the majority. So I wouldn't be surprised if he did like Studs have sex with an underage page. I read Tip O'Niel's book "Man of the House" and he was your typical loverable irish pol, just like Reagan. You can tell if you are just a partisan zealot if you have nothing good to say about the leadership on the other side. I defy Drindl, JEP, Yockel and others to say something good about Hastert, Bush, Cheney, Frist, Boehner, etc. They can't becasue they live in a childish simple world where there side represents good and our side represents evil. Grow up.
Posted by: bhoomes | October 4, 2006 12:25 PM
I suspect bhoomes remembers Bob Michel as a liberal Dem. And compared to winguts like KOZ and bhoomes, he is.
The House Bank and Post Office "scandals" were interesting in that their actual political ramifications greatly outweighed their relative triviality. The Gingrich gang were able to put together a bunch of nice sounding platitudes (yeah, how much of that still exists, I wonder?), churn out the Contract on America, use the "scandals" to paint the Dem majority as out of touch (which quite a few of them were), and unseat a 40-year old majority.
It appears that in the space of 12 years, the Republican majority may also go that way, and even without much cohesiveness of argument on the other side. Craven, supine, and hypocritical are not three adjectives you want associated with your party if you're a majority member of the House these days. And yet, that's just where they are.
Posted by: vienna local | October 4, 2006 12:24 PM
MikeB: got a source or three for your comments?
""The big danger for Republicans is they are going to reach a tipping point with the conservative base and they are going to stay home," said Republican consultant Rich Galen."
A couple more R revelations like Foley's and that outcome will be assured. The "identifies themselves as Democrats/Independents" metric will also increase.
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 4, 2006 12:20 PM
MikeB: got a source or three for your comments?
""The big danger for Republicans is they are going to reach a tipping point with the conservative base and they are going to stay home," said Republican consultant Rich Galen."
A couple more R revelations like Foley's and that outcome will be assured. The "identifies themselves as Democrats/Independents" metric will also increase.
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 4, 2006 12:17 PM
Mass, I beg to clarify. Studds was a Member of Congress representing the Cape Cod region of Mass (10th District, 73-97). Please get your facts right before you tell others to.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 12:15 PM
" Some sort of Republican Party operative (and, God I hope they are connected to Rove, because that is the current theory of law enforcement)"
Find me one Republican that can be called an operative that ISN'T connected to Rove, there aren't any left out there.
Old Turdblossom knows he's on the "A"list, Rove's the Joker card in the deck of deviates that Congress will go after if the Democrats get the power to weild REAL justice.
Rove's Hew Hampshire voter-fraud shenanigans are enough to put him into stripes, but if he's gone desperate and ordered some stupid threats, he's clearly trying to add to the list of laws he's willing to break for political reasons.
And that he's going to face time for.
Posted by: JEP | October 4, 2006 12:12 PM
Mass - When did they move the RI State Line further East so New Bedford, Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard are in it?
Posted by: Nor'Easter | October 4, 2006 12:12 PM
Studds was from RI not MA please correct your posts. We may allow gay marriages but we do not tolerate underage sex with pages.
Posted by: Mass | October 4, 2006 12:09 PM
Sorry, it posted so many times don't know what happened! Grannysue
Posted by: Sue Filutze | October 4, 2006 12:08 PM
G.=grab as much as you can for yourself O.=old rich white guys who hide behind the bible. P=Puppets, perverts & pedophiles
Tell me something I didn't already know about the GOP. Grannysue
Posted by: Sue Filutze | October 4, 2006 12:05 PM
Okay Jackson, let's stick to point: Chris said "Traditional measures of the electorate's temperature (presidential approve/disapprove, congressional approve/disapprove, generic ballot etc.) show that Americans are extremely unhappy with the party in power and ready for a change. Republicans insist that these macro-measures matter little in individual campaigns that are influenced more by local concerns than national issues."
I say "RepublicaNazi's, like so many in their party, are in a State of Denial regarding the electorate. They refuse to acknowledge their own Elephant-in-the-Room, the one that's trumpeting "All politic's is local, except when it's not!" The Foley/PageGate scandal is simply the most glaring example of the RepublicaNazi head-in-the-sand management style. Being a Conservative means moving slowly and carefully. Being a NeoCoNazi conservative apparantly means not moving at all, which allows other's to kick them in the A**. After a while all that kicking is going to leave a bruise."
Now, is that on point regarding Chris's column?
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 12:05 PM
"bhoomes" provides striking evidence that hope does indeed spring eternal. He deludes himself into thinking that a Democratic majority in the House (how about the Senate, too?) could do any worse than our current cabal of Neoconservative clowns. I think I can almost hear Darth Cheney saying to his mentally-challenged comic foil, "say goodnight, Duhbya."
Posted by: Jerel Wenger | October 4, 2006 12:05 PM
Good thing Foley's dropped out, after his "never too tired" comments, people might be quite hesitant to shake his hand.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 4, 2006 12:05 PM
G.=grab as much as you can for yourself O.=old rich white guys who hide behind the bible. P=Puppets, perverts & pedophiles
Tell me something I didn't already know about the GOP. Grannysue
Posted by: Sue Filutze | October 4, 2006 12:04 PM
G.=grab as much as you can for yourself O.=old rich white guys who hide behind the bible. P=Puppets, perverts & pedophiles
Tell me something I didn't already know about the GOP. Grannysue
Posted by: Sue Filutze | October 4, 2006 12:04 PM
G.=grab as much as you can for yourself O.=old rich white guys who hide behind the bible. P=Puppets, perverts & pedophiles
Tell me something I didn't already know about the GOP. Grannysue
Posted by: Sue Filutze | October 4, 2006 12:03 PM
Hey, I like Che's stuff, very insightful and informative, why would you want to stifle it?
Posted by: JEP | October 4, 2006 12:00 PM
"Foley is a slimeball, but Denny Hastert is a damm good man, and this republican will never backstabb his friends."
"Hastert is a damn good man"
After these recent scandals, how can you be so certain?
You would have said the same thing about Foley before his fall from grace, so your fear of "backstabbing" is actually considered "enabling" by many legal codes.
If you are afraid to "backstab" (tell the truth about) your friends who are pedophiles, or their enablers, you are breaking the law in some states.
But, then, apparently those laws are meant for others, not Republicans.
Posted by: JEP | October 4, 2006 11:58 AM
Now so-called journalists are being paid to appear in government propaganda.... and so the guy who fired them gets fired... Pravda.
'The Miami Herald's publisher resigned Tuesday, saying "ambiguously communicated" personnel policies resulted in the firings of three journalists at its Spanish-language paper who were paid to appear on U.S.-government broadcasts aimed at promoting democracy in Cuba.
Jesus Diaz Jr., the papers' publisher since July 2005, had dismissed two El Nuevo Herald reporters and a freelance contributor who had been paid by Radio Marti and TV Marti. Diaz said the company offered to rehire the three and would not discipline six others it recently discovered also took payments.'
Posted by: drindl | October 4, 2006 11:57 AM
Go start your own blog instead of trying to hijack someone else's for your own posts that have absolutely nothing to do with Chris' blog entry. Everybody else doing this as well: cut it out. Grow up.
Posted by: Jackson Landers | October 4, 2006 11:56 AM
And, bhoomes, the Limbaugh/FOX claim that Foley never had sex with an under aged child is about to explode in all of your faces. The whole reason the FBI is involved in this is because THEY HAVE VICTIMS WHO ARE TALKING! And, not just that, someone has been threatening these victims and their families. Some sort of Republican Party operative (and, God I hope they are connected to Rove, because that is the current theory of law enforcement) has been making threats to intimidated several victims and has offered bribes to the familes of others. Now, doesn't that just make you just SO PROUD to be a Republican?
Posted by: MikeB | October 4, 2006 11:56 AM
Jackson Landers" Is it your blog, Jackson. I don't think so. The editors don't seem to have a problem with what people post here, so why should you?
there are lots of other places you can go.. What does adulthood have to do with free speech?
Posted by: drindl | October 4, 2006 11:54 AM
Judge: The iMs were given to ABC by pages themselves, after ABC did a story on the emails, I think.
The emails have been out there for a while, but nobody acted on them. Fox News had them for a year too.
Posted by: drindl | October 4, 2006 11:54 AM
Gerry Studds??? Is that the best you've got???
The disgraceful activity you speak of occurred in the early 1970s. If you'd like, we can open the discussion of 1970s party corruption, but I don't think that's a winning hand for you guys either.
Posted by: Venicemenace | October 4, 2006 11:46 AM
Bhoomes - "...the differnce is Reagan and the republicans...." How DARE you compare the current neo-con crop of swine, crooks, swindlers, pedophiles, serial adulters, con men and worse with ROnald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was a good father, a decent and honest man, and even a godly man, who had the best intersts of this country at heart. In the days of ROnald Reagan *I* was a Republican! Since 1998, the Republican Party has gone under the control of corporate and investor interests and that collection of neo-nazi nitwits that call themselves "the christian right (and they are neither). The web is is alive with rumors that, sometime in the next two weeks, at least two other national Republican figures are going to be "outed" along with a list of players in the Fundimentalist movement. God, I hope it's true, becasue these swine have misled people and done too much harm. Ronald Reagan would be campaigning for todays moderate Democrats.
Posted by: MikeB | October 4, 2006 11:45 AM
A Foley bounce? From Rasmussen:
Democratic Representative Harold Ford Representative Harold Ford (D) has taken a 48% to 43% lead over Mayor Bob Corker (R) in Tennessee's increasingly competitive race for U.S. Senate (see crosstabs). Ford has an edge with unaffiliated voters and leads by a whopping 70% to 23% among moderates. Ford has gained ground fast in recent weeks. A Rasmussen Reports poll conducted September 5 showed him trailing by a single point, 44% to 45%, after lagging by six points in August, twelve in July."
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 4, 2006 11:38 AM
bhoomes: Ask yourself how Bob Michel would have handled this? The same way? I suspect not.
Posted by: Nor'Easter | October 4, 2006 11:36 AM
Oh, and Bhoomes, Reagan respected O'Neill because they both believed in dialogue, not demagogue. I have no respect for Hastert because he's rolled over for the GOPher's in the past and will continue to do so in the future. He's in a Leadership position, but doesn't lead. That's the act of a coward or an incompetant, maybe both. He ascended to the Speakership by being meek and mild so as not to interfere with the Delay agenda. Now he's being hung out to dry by Boehner and Reynolds. I've got no sympathy for someone who's only excuse is to claim a vast leftwing conspiracy.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 11:30 AM
Careful, oldhonky, Mother WaPo will remove your comment if you venture too far down the path of page-derived humor. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it disappears and this post ends up looking out of place (even more so than my usual).
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 4, 2006 11:27 AM
Colin, I am simply asking for the same standard to be held, thats all. I believe an early posting stated Studs had sex with somebody of legal age, Thens why the scandal if that is true. Consensual sex bewteen adults is accepatable. But Studs had sex with a page who was under 18. Just Because Massachusetts is such a liberal state that sex between adults and minors is okay doesn't make it right. When you apply even standards across the Board nobody can accuse you of simply partisan behavior. Foley is a slimeball, but Denny Hastert is a damm good man, and this republican will never backstabb his friends. Washington Times has made a fool of themselves for Hastert.
Posted by: bhoomes | October 4, 2006 11:26 AM
House Republicans are trying now to move on past the Foley scandal. Maybe they'll manage to turn over a new page.
Posted by: oldhonky | October 4, 2006 11:23 AM
Yockel - Somehow I missed Pelosi's action. I just keep reading about the freezer. Thanks.
The two instances may not be comaprable in the acts themselves, but they are in the ethics of the handling of the matters. When confronted with something wrong, those with responsibilty must take appropriate action. In the Jefferson matter, Pelosi acted ethically. In Pagegate, the responsible authorities have acted politically, not ethically.
Posted by: Nor'Easter | October 4, 2006 11:20 AM
RMill: I dunno, seems unlikely. Too many voices on their side saying the things that KOZ-bhoomes says. I cannot imagine Rove giving up that easily; "slime works everytime!" must be his motto.
Who gave the info to ABC News? Looks like it was already out there but was certainly not being acted on by anyone in the government.
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | October 4, 2006 11:18 AM
Public opinion and yes, even voters' choices, will not matter at all if we continue to rely on voting machines that are so easily corrupted that one minute's download of malicious software enables the Republicans to fix the vote. Who can doubt that the electronic vote was fixed when the disparity between the exit polls and the actual results contradicted one another so thoroughly? In addition to reporting on opinion polls, the Washington Post needs to report on the wholly dubious nature of electronic voting and the many ways in which the votes in these machines can be falsified. Therein lies the death of our democracy, and those in power will continue to allow electronic voting machines to be used so that they can continue to rule without ever needing the approval or, indeed, the votes of the people.
Posted by: Gerri McNenny | October 4, 2006 11:14 AM
Nor'Easter, there is no comparison between Jefferson and pagegate.
Law enforcement busted Jefferson and Nancy Pelosi has removed him from the Ways and Means Committee. Eventually, Jefferson will go to jail. Nancy Pelosi has done her duty.
The problem with pagegate is that Republican leaders refused to investigate Foley. Therefore they have to go.
Posted by: Yockel | October 4, 2006 11:08 AM
Drindl, don't you know that NeoCoNazi's feel assaulted when one question's their policies? The use of Thug's-r-USSS to intimidate is the norm. God forbid we demonstrate our constitutional right to disagree, it's downright unpatriotic.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 11:06 AM
Drindl, don't you know that NeoCoNazi's feel assaulted when one question's their policies? The use of Thug's-r-USSS to intimidate is the norm. God forbid we demonstrate our constitutional right to disagree, it's downright unpatriotic.
Posted by: BlueDog | October 4, 2006 11:05 AM
How's this for a theory:
White House, tired of getting beaten up and down on Iraq and the revelations of Woodward's new book that Rice was briefed regarding the 9/11 plot in the Summer of '01, and knowing (since it was widely known) Foley was gay and had this history with pages, were the ones who outted him in an attempt to distract voters and hoping it only affected one house seat instead of a whole lot of complicit House Republicans who helped Bush with Iraq.
Probably not but not as far fetched as you might think.
My guess is that they already saw the writing on the wall with the midterms and if they lost the House, Hastert was a goner anyways.
The strategy is they are burning the village in order to save it for 2008.
Posted by: RMill | October 4, 2006 11:03 AM
Nor'easter-- you're right... I have a strange dyslexia with acronyms. But the point is, the FBI agent I knew resigned over the current excessive partisanship of the agency-- the worst he's seen in 25 years.
t Begins. Can you say 'police state'?
'Attorney David Lane said that on June 16, Steve Howards was walking his 7-year-old son to a piano practice, when he saw Cheney surrounded by a group of people in an outdoor mall area, shaking hands and posing for pictures with several people. According to the lawsuit filed at U.S. District Court in Denver, Howards and his son walked to about two-to-three feet from where Cheney was standing, and said to the vice president, "I think your policies in Iraq
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Chris Cillizza is the author of The Fix, a blog on national politics. Cillizza provides daily posts on a range of political topics, from the race for control of Congress to scrutinizing the 2008 presidential contenders.
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Pa. Killer Had Prepared for 'Long Siege'
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BART TOWNSHIP, Pa., Oct. 4 -- Haunted by an ugly secret he claimed to have kept since childhood and recurring dreams of molesting young girls, Charles C. Roberts IV clearly "planned to dig in for the long siege" and torment his young victims in an Amish schoolhouse before executing them and killing himself, investigators said Tuesday.
Five suicide notes the 32-year-old gunman left behind also describe his anguish over the loss of a premature baby nine years ago, police said, and a checklist found in his milk truck offered a sordid blueprint for the mayhem that left five girls dead and five more fighting for life after Roberts stormed into their classroom Monday morning.
Neighbors watched tearfully Tuesday as horse-drawn buggies filled with Amish mourners began to converge on the houses where simple funerals were expected to be held in the coming days for the girls killed in a barrage of bullets that left the county coroner too shaken to keep counting the wounds.
Roberts called his wife, Marie, after barricading himself inside the school with the terrified children, and said that he had molested two young, female relatives when he was 12 and that he had been dreaming about doing it again, Pennsylvania State Police Col. Jeffrey Miller said at a news conference.
Miller said that police were still interviewing members of Roberts's extended family and that they had not been able to determine what happened 20 years ago or to find the alleged victims, who would have been preschoolers at the time.
There is "no evidence" that the girls held hostage Monday were sexually assaulted, Miller said, but the boxes of evidence police carted away from the Nickel Mines school included sexual lubricant and restraint devices.
"It is very possible he intended to victimize these children in many ways prior to executing them," said Miller, who added that Roberts "planned to dig in for the long siege."
Miller identified the victims as Naomi Rose Ebersole, 7; Anna Mae Stoltzfus, 12; Marian Fisher, 13; Mary Liz Miller, 8; and her sister Lina Miller, 7.
Three of the other victims, including a younger Stoltzfus sister, remained in critical condition. A fourth victim -- at 13, the oldest of the group -- was reported in serious condition but conscious and able to communicate by blinking her eyes, a spokeswoman for Penn State Hershey Medical Center said Tuesday. A 12-year-old girl who was being treated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for arm and leg injuries was upgraded from critical condition to serious condition, a spokeswoman there said Wednesday morning.
Although the Amish restrict the use of modern technology, hospital spokesmen said no religious restrictions interfered with treatment of the children.
Police and coroner accounts of the children's wounds differed dramatically. Miller said Roberts shot his victims in the head at close range, with 17 or 18 shots fired in all, including the one he used to take his own life as police stormed into the school through the windows. But Janice Ballenger, deputy coroner in Lancaster County, Pa., told The Washington Post in an interview that she counted at least two dozen bullet wounds in one child alone before asking a colleague to continue for her.
Inside the school, Ballenger said, "there was not one desk, not one chair, in the whole schoolroom that was not splattered with either blood or glass. There were bullet holes everywhere, everywhere."
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'Last King of Scotland' Usurps the Story of Idi Amin
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Somewhere in "The Producers," the crackpot Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind, melancholy over the way history has treated his leader, points out in petulant counterargument that der Fuehrer "could dance the pants off Churchill!"
It's a classic riff, because it gets exactly at the artist's dilemma in any portrait of evil: Even monsters can dance. And they are dads, have loving kids, wives, pals and human eccentricities. Sometimes they are charismatic, attractive, shrewd and have very nice teeth. In other words: Monsters are human, too.
So, if you tell their story, do you tell a monster's story or a man's story?
"The Last King of Scotland" wrestles with this one all the way through. Ultimately it uses the Fuehrer-could-dance take on the flamboyant African despot Idi Amin, said to be responsible for the murder of 300,000 of his fellow Ugandans during the 1970s before he finally quit the country and fled to a more hospitable zone to while away the hours. (He died three years ago -- in bed, one assumes -- in Saudi Arabia.)
The movie uses a fictional device to get up close and personal and also to see the oversize ex-boxer first as human and only later (and almost too late) as monstrous. Initially, Amin seems almost childish, taking pleasure in the luxuries of stuff and flesh that his position of power gives him access to, indulging in his talent for whimsy (an admirer of the Scots, he took "King of Scotland" and "Conqueror of Britain" among his official titles) and, in the beginning at least, proving himself a powerful, empathetic orator who could rally the African street. I'm not sure the fictional device works, because Amin, representing a human extreme, is so much more interesting than his witness, a young Scottish doctor of prosaic appetites and self-interests. Still, the director, Kevin Macdonald, has decided we need a pair of Western eyes through which to gaze upon such extravagance, and that we need also to see the brains behind the Western eyes grow and change, as a barometer of Amin's evil.
So the story is no true, historical chronology of Idi Amin Dada, but instead takes its plotline from a novel by Giles Foden. It discounts Amin's upbringing, his long service in the King's African Rifles of the British Army, his many campaigns and battles, his rise through the administration of Milton Obote to chief of staff of the newly formed Ugandan Army, and the coup by which he deposed Obote, when Obote discovered irregularities in army accounting and was about to have him arrested. It never explains that the 300,000 people Amin murdered, in a fit of paranoia, were mostly of the Acholi and Lango tribes. All that is passed over; instead it finds him in power, and when it leaves him he's still in power -- it's just that the pile of corpses has become too high for the world to ignore.
The witness to all this is one Nick Garrigan (James McAvoy, who was Mr. Tumnus in "The Chronicles of Narnia"!), a young Scot just graduated from medical school, fleeing a dreary life as his dad's partner in a rural practice. Spinning a globe and plunging a finger on the blur, he pins his hopes on Uganda, so recently removed from British colonialism. Something of a sensualist, young Dr. G finds the lure of Africa irresistible: He loves the bustle, the music, the freedom and the available indigenous women. Working at a rural aid station, he's on the verge of consummating an affair with his supervisor's comely blond wife (Gillian Anderson).
Macdonald has an equally fetching feel for the continent. Possibly it's that the place is so instantly charismatic that in merely pushing the camera button to On, any Westerner records the color, the music, the pulse, the dust, the tragedy, the doom, the grandeur, all the bewildering paradoxes that make the place unique on Earth. Or possibly, it's that Macdonald's cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle has the sensitivity to catch the mundane with the spectacular. Whatever the explanation, the movie has a powerful sense of what Africa looks and feels like; you can almost smell it.
Fate rescues Garrigan from his rural debaucheries, in the form of a large steer that has wandered into the roadway and encountered the dictator's Mercedes-Benz hurtling along at 60 miles per, leaving both large entities wounded in the dust. The doctor hustles into action, first wrapping the bellowing tyrant's sprained wrist, then, when nobody else will do it, gathering up the dictator's pistol and putting the screaming, crippled animal down. This is a little cute for my taste, but by Jove, the big guy likes what he sees, and soon he's invited the young chap to come to Kampala as his private physician, just in time for the auto-da-fe.
As Amin, the American actor Forest Whitaker is extraordinary. He makes you see Amin's charisma and cunning and understand the way in which he could (not that there's any record he ever did) reach out and embrace a younger, more impressionable man and woo him with sexual opportunities and luxuries and fast cars, until the young fellow himself is all but a party to the activities of what Amin called the "State Research Bureau," which seemed mostly to involve bayonet use in the presidential mansion basement. Whitaker also makes you feel quite a bit of Amin's paranoia, dating from an assassination attempt and exacerbated by tribal animosities, that produced the high death count. Sweaty, physically imposing, wilting through his medal-festooned tunics, he seems like someone out of O'Neill's "Emperor Jones."
But Whitaker and Sean Penn -- star of the similarly flawed "All the King's Men," almost already vanished -- probably get together in some small Sunset Boulevard club and drink the night away, complaining that movies in which they star as political demagogues and rogues of the first order turned out, upon delivery, to be about sensitive white boys.
It's hard to warm up to the young Scot. It may be that Macdonald dresses McAvoy's Garrigan in the threads of the early '70s -- bell-bottoms, psychedelic ties, ruffled shirts and the like -- so that he seems more like a refugee from Three Dog Night than a doctor in Africa; possibly that's in the higher traditions of realism, but it distances him from contemporary audiences. As well, the young man's constant agitating for sexual satisfaction ultimately seems feckless and disreputable. Finally, his first commitment has always been to the self rather than the patient.
Then the movie turns progressively more incredulous. Nick tumbles into an affair with one of Amin's wives (played by Kerry Washington); when he gets her pregnant, he tries to send her for an abortion, then plans to perform one himself because he knows if she gives birth to a white child, she will be killed. Ultimately he conspires with British intelligence to murder the dictator, a plan that goes pathetically awry, and his fate veers off into Bondian excess, an escape attempt amid freed hostages -- non-Jewish passengers of the PLO hijacking at the Entebbe airport -- a few hours before the Israeli airborne arrives to end the crisis with some scientific applications of Uzi sharpshooting.
In the end, Amin has disappeared from his own movie, and Whitaker from his own sure-to-be-Oscar-nominated vehicle. Oh, but stay tuned for the latest on James McAvoy. Strange and a little unsettling.
The Last King of Scotland (121 minutes, at area theaters) is rated R for extremely graphic violence.
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