February 2004

Who's Sauron -- bin Laden or Bush? By Steven Hart
The success of "The Lord of the Rings" has launched a war over Tolkien's politics, pitting pundit against pundit, and Viggo Mortensen against John Rhys-Davies. (02/28/2004)

The fog around Robert McNamara By David Talbot
Director Errol Morris discusses how his Oscar-winning "The Fog of War" resonates with George W. Bush's foreign policy in Iraq, and the complicated morality of his film's star. (02/28/2004)

Letters
Readers weigh in on same-sex marriage and Bush's decision to back a constitutional amendment forbidding it. (02/28/2004)

Blogging toward freedom By Luke Thomas
The more Iranian hard-liners crack down, the more blogs dedicated to changing the system spring up. (02/28/2004)

"Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" By Charles Taylor
Hot stars notwithstanding, you won't have the time of your life at this thin, overedited take on the '80s classic. (02/27/2004)

"Twisted" By Charles Taylor
This murder mystery about a female cop whose one-night stands keep getting murdered would be totally unwatchable if it weren't for Ashley Judd. (02/27/2004)

The Fix
Jeweled Victoria's Secret bras for Charlize and Keisha? Should we feel sorry for Ben Affleck? And who wants to see a TV series about the Department of Homeland Security? Bush and Ridge, that's who! (02/27/2004)

A "Passion" that burns
A grab bag of Salon's coverage of Mel Gibson's controversial film: Reviews, news and more. (02/27/2004)

Letters
Is America a sociopathic child? Readers respond to Ann Marlowe's review of "Civilization and Its Enemies" by proclaiming "get stuffed!" and encouraging a New Zealand empire. (02/27/2004)

Why "Dirty Dancing" is the best girl movie ever By Curtis Sittenfeld
You can keep "Havana Nights" -- nothing compares to the original, a sizzling film that offered awkward, smart teens hope that a sexy heartthrob might sweep them away. (02/27/2004)

I've been cheating on my husband for a year and it's driving me crazy By Cary Tennis
I'm a good girl, but I can't seem to stop. (02/27/2004)

Congrats Martha! By Rebecca Traister
Why am I cheering that her securities fraud charges have been dismissed? Because the tone of Stewart's trial has been infused with the sense that the woman who converted "women's work" into cash is getting her justified comeuppance. (02/27/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Only in the sports world do regular folks side with Mr. Scrooge. (02/27/2004)

Clear Channel boss is shocked -- shocked -- to find indecency! By Eric Boehlert
After years of profiting from some of the most vulgar shows on radio, the broadcast behemoth has suddenly turned puritanical. It couldn't have anything to do with those congressional hearings, could it? (02/27/2004)

Hong Kong TV launches naked news The Associated Press
(02/27/2004)

Letters
Readers trade blows over Ralph's right to run. Plus: Why abstinence programs funded by the Bush administration may actually increase certain X-rated activities. (02/27/2004)

Friday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/27/2004)

Ashcroft wants women's medical records Geraldine Sealey
(02/27/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/27/2004)

Bush, Cheney the cable guys Geraldine Sealey
(02/27/2004)

Pulling the plug on Howard Geraldine Sealey
(02/27/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Would you like a little Old Testament with your coffee? How Alaska Airlines has been pushing the Bible for 20 years, and other tales of the religious skies. (02/27/2004)

Letters
"That is outside our support parameters." Readers clamor to respond to Kyle Killen's "We Don't Support That." (02/27/2004)

Halliburton's Iraq gravy train By Farhad Manjoo
A former procurement specialist for the giant, White House-connected company charges that it failed to seek out competitive bids -- enriching itself and costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars extra. (02/27/2004)

"The Passion of the Christ" By Stephanie Zacharek
Mel Gibson's horrific portrait of the torture and bloody death of Jesus casts Christian faith as a macho endurance test -- but where's God? (02/26/2004)

The Fix
Rosie takes a missus, Courtney not afraid to flash a breast or two, and will bad blood between Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker keep "Sex" off the big screen? (02/26/2004)

Victory deferred By David Moats
The historic Vermont court decision made gay marriage a reality -- or did it? An excerpt from "Civil Wars: A Battle for Gay Marriage." (02/26/2004)

Steam heat and cold ground By Charles Taylor
In our roundup of the best new mysteries, a hip-hopper sells his soul to the devil, an abortion goes wrong in late-'60s Chicago, and a Minnesota sheriff's detective can't find her shifty cop husband. (02/26/2004)

The Fishmonger Returns By Dave Eggers
"You want to win," the kid asked Rebecca, "or are you just doing a Ralph Nader kind of thing?" (02/26/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Did you know? Astound your friends with these Oscar-riffic fun facts and Academ-azing info-bits! (02/26/2004)

Letters
"Yes, Americans are too stupid to order their own coffee." Plus: Readers shatter romanticized images of motherhood. (02/26/2004)

"Monster" and me By Callie Milton
Serial killer Aileen Wuornos spent her hideous life drinking, drugging and partying in Central Florida. So did I -- but I somehow escaped that purgatory of sleazy men and cheap motels. (02/26/2004)

Just because I'm dating again, do I have to play games? By Cary Tennis
I'm very direct by nature. Can't I just call a guy if I feel like it? (02/26/2004)

Bush's war over gay marriage By Tim Grieve
The president finally caves to the Christian right and backs a constitutional amendment, the better to beat up John Kerry. But will his newly emboldened right-wing allies go too far? (02/26/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Amid cheating, murder and lies, one college basketball coach committed the ultimate crime: He didn't win. Plus: Another vote for paying players. (02/26/2004)

What will Rudy say to his gay friends? By Eric Boehlert
Speculation that Bush might replace unpopular veep Dick Cheney with the popular -- and extremely gay-friendly -- Rudolph Giuliani came to an abrupt halt when the president called for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. (02/26/2004)

Revolt of the Goldwater conservatives By Sidney Blumenthal
In Arizona, home of American conservatism's feisty icon, independent-minded voters may have a nasty surprise for George W. Bush. (02/26/2004)

Winter of love By Joan Walsh
Cautious Democrats worry that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's historic affirmation of gay marriage will help Bush win reelection. But as the right squabbles over the issue, his party may well thank him in November. (02/26/2004)

Spoilent Green By Amanda Griscom
If he keeps going, Ralph Nader may end up damaging support for the very causes he purports to care about most. (02/26/2004)

Ralph Nader, 2004 model Cartoon by Mark Fiore
Still unsafe at any speed! (02/26/2004)

Thursday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/26/2004)

John Kerry, the movie Geraldine Sealey
(02/26/2004)

Nader's ego Geraldine Sealey
(02/26/2004)

Digging a hole Geraldine Sealey
(02/26/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/26/2004)

Perle to Rummy: It's not you, it's me Geraldine Sealey
(02/26/2004)

Partisan is as partisan does Laura McClure
(02/26/2004)

The professor of smoochology By Jason Feifer
How a nebbishy ex-academic who keeps changing his name wound up traveling around the country convincing total strangers to kiss onstage. (02/26/2004)

The curse of the biometric future By Sam Williams
There's a market for software that recognizes your face and fingerprints, but also increasing fear that Big Brother will be the one staring hard at your eyes and nose. (02/26/2004)

Wouldn't it have been nice? By Jesse Jarnow
Last week, Brian Wilson performed the Beach Boys' unreleased album "Smile" for the first time. How did the 1966 concept LP become the stuff of myth, anyway? (02/25/2004)

The Fix
Jacko's ex wants to see the kiddies, and Justin finally takes some heat for Super Bowl stunt, gets ousted from Motown special. Plus: Take Salon's Oscar poll! (02/25/2004)

"Civilization and Its Enemies" by Lee Harris By Ann Marlowe
In a brilliant response to the quandaries of 9/11, a ferociously independent thinker argues that only the United States has the moral credibility to lead. (02/25/2004)

Bestsellers
Dan Brown is back, reclaiming the top spot with "Angels & Demons." Plus, "Cold Mountain" creeps in and Ray Bradbury holds strong -- all on this week's list, courtesy of Powell's. (02/25/2004)

The Fishmonger Returns By Dave Eggers
If Giacomo didn't know better, he'd be convinced he had feelings for Rebecca, unrelated to this election. But how? (02/25/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Gay marriage! What the heck kind of a message are we sending to the kids? (02/25/2004)

Readin', writin' and killin' By Carlene Bauer
The author of a new book about school shootings talks about America's pernicious cult of athletics, the dangers of small-town intimacy, and why it's impossible to identify a school shooter in advance. (02/25/2004)

My ex-fiancee is engaged to a jackass By Cary Tennis
Should I tell her he's cheating? (02/25/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The "Enronic" nature of sex- and booze-soaked college sports programs. Plus: ESPN's "Dream Job" and Stuart Scott -- boo-yah or bum-rush? The readers write. (02/25/2004)

Crashing the party once again By Robert Scheer
Ralph Nader's sudden cameo in the presidential race comes as a delightful surprise -- just not for Democrats. (02/25/2004)

Right Hook By Mark Follman
Sullivan declares war on Bush over same-sex marriage; Steyn says John Kerry would flounder if terrorists blew up the Empire State Building. Plus: Osama under U.S. surveillance? (02/25/2004)

Suppressing the apocalypse By Arianna Huffington
The Pentagon says the earth faces an imminent environmental catastrophe because of global warming. Bush's response: Ignore it and babble on about gay marriage. (02/25/2004)

Wednesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/25/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/25/2004)

Fidelity pledge drive Geraldine Sealey
(02/25/2004)

Tom DeLay's reality check Geraldine Sealey
(02/25/2004)

Teachers want pink slip for Paige Geraldine Sealey
(02/25/2004)

Congratulations Dennis Geraldine Sealey
(02/25/2004)

Why is this man smiling? By Farhad Manjoo
There are few new jobs -- and even fewer new good jobs. But the economy is growing, and if history holds, George W. Bush will be reelected easily. (02/25/2004)

Letters
Readers weigh in on the "Sex and the City" finale and on Stephanie Zacharek's ode to the under-appreciated Charlotte York Goldenblatt. (02/24/2004)

The Fix
Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson peddle their marriage secrets, Charlize Theron skips the country, and the N.Y. Times still struggles with Jayson Blair. Plus: Reviewers rip into "The Passion." (02/24/2004)

The Fishmonger Returns By Dave Eggers
Rebecca was so appallingly nervous and weird that all who sat witness wanted to douse her with water, throw a Red Cross blanket over her, and lead her to safety. (02/24/2004)

Hazzard's "Fire" nominated for book prize
(02/24/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
The art history of babes (02/24/2004)

Here come the brides By Carol Adair
After 25 years together -- including children, mortgages, intimacy and boredom --- Kay and I stood for six hours in the San Francisco rain to become mundane and unspecial. To be married. (02/24/2004)

I'm too exhausted for sex! Do I have to? By Cary Tennis
With two kids under 4 and two jobs, I just need a good night's sleep. (02/24/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Get the Celtics off my screen! The NBA's locked-in national TV schedules have to be more flexible. Plus: Inventing a better QB yardstick. (02/24/2004)

Bush's sex fantasy By Michelle Goldberg
The White House is pouring money into programs that tell teens to just say no to sex. Most experts say the programs don't work -- except to enrich the religious right. (02/24/2004)

Tuesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/24/2004)

An education in trash talk Geraldine Sealey
(02/24/2004)

Bush declares war Geraldine Sealey
(02/24/2004)

Polls and debates Geraldine Sealey
(02/24/2004)

Is the media Deaning Kerry? Geraldine Sealey
(02/24/2004)

Join the Salon cruise!
Set sail with Ann Richards, Joe Wilson, David Talbot and more (02/24/2004)

American Idle National Tour 2004 By Joyce McGreevy
The president is going on the road with evasive, propagandistic answers to your pressing economic questions! (02/24/2004)

Letters
Keep your religion to yourself: Salon's readers share their views on the evangelizing pilot. (02/24/2004)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
"Sex and the City," happy ever after. Plus: Larry "Branch" Davidians aside, it's "Nothing but Fluff" week -- with more on your favorite bland bombshells. (02/23/2004)

The Fix
Monty Python's "Holy Grail" on Broadway? Who's Anna Kournikova swinging with these days? And why doesn't Norah Jones read more? Plus: Kitty fight! The Lohan/Duff war explained. (02/23/2004)

"Making Good" and "The Cheating Culture" By Laura Miller
Researchers say we're breeding a nation of cheats, scammers, egotists and buck passers. But when they interviewed a group of young actors, scientists and journalists, guess who came out looking best? (02/23/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Hi, we're the Yoosta Bees: We yoosta bee Democrats -- until some in our party actually questioned the president! (02/23/2004)

Chat room cheating By Cary Tennis
My husband had an online relationship that damaged my trust. How can I get over it? (02/23/2004)

Macchiato morons By Dale Hrabi
Are Americans too dumb to order their own "grandes" and "ventis" without a 22-page instruction manual? Starbucks says yes! (02/23/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
ESPN to its talent: You can be replaced. "Dream Job" shows that any untrained bozo can be as annoying as Stuart Scott. (02/23/2004)

Monday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/23/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/23/2004)

Would you like a combined input with that? Geraldine Sealey
(02/23/2004)

Rumsfeld's weather report Geraldine Sealey
(02/23/2004)

The axis of education Geraldine Sealey
(02/23/2004)

Twins no grand old partiers Geraldine Sealey
(02/23/2004)

Fudging the truth on health care Geraldine Sealey
(02/23/2004)

Dean on Nader Geraldine Sealey
(02/23/2004)

"We don't support that" By Kyle Killen
We're not here to help fix your computer. We just want to get you off the phone. A tech-support slave tells his hellish tale. (02/23/2004)

From tragedy to farce By Todd Gitlin
He's running for president as an independent, not as a Green. He has no organization. He's starting late. Does Ralph Nader's narcissism have no bounds? (02/22/2004)

Return of the hero By Stephanie Zacharek
Aragorn, Aubrey and Algren -- we love our film heroes more than ever before. But why do we feel so ambivalent about our real-life ones -- especially when they're politicians? (02/21/2004)

Nader's nadir By Eric Boehlert
Even many of his former allies don't support maverick Ralph Nader's presidential bid. And more mainstream Democrats aren't just mad -- they're apoplectic. (02/21/2004)

Joe Conason By Joe Conason
Even worse than Ann Coulter's smearing of decorated war veteran Max Cleland last week are the fawning right-wingers now trumpeting her lies. (02/21/2004)

William Safire, minister of disinformation By Barry Lando
The New York Times runs corrections when reporters get a middle initial wrong. So why does its conservative columnist get away with glaring errors that shape world affairs? (02/21/2004)

"Secret Things" By Charles Taylor
Nudity, lesbian love scenes, threesomes, incest and orgies, sure -- but the most shocking thing about this French film is that it dares to address the fate of the soul. (02/20/2004)

"Eurotrip" By Stephanie Zacharek
This teenagers-abroad comedy is full of randy high-school-boy humor that turns out to be -- surprise, surprise! -- kind of funny. (02/20/2004)

"Against the Ropes" By Stephanie Zacharek
Meg Ryan stars as scrappy pioneer boxing manager Jackie Kallen in this fightin' fable that packs a punch despite its considerable flaws. (02/20/2004)

"Welcome to Mooseport" By Stephanie Zacharek
Gene Hackman wipes the floor with Ray Romano in this hackneyed film about a vinegary ex-POTUS and an aw-shucks everyman after the same girl. (02/20/2004)

The Fix
Will "Will & Grace" and "Raymond" all follow friends off the air? Stallone to star in boxing reality show, and Barney Frank gives the Boy Scouts a special salute. (02/20/2004)

The Fishmonger Returns By Dave Eggers
He was determined to be strong, to go to D.C. with an agenda, and that agenda was to have simultaneous affairs with three or four women in their 40s. (02/20/2004)

Lost in the desert By Andrew O'Hehir
Why did Tony Blair, who reinvigorated Britain's Labor Party and became Bill Clinton's best friend in Europe, allow himself to get Bushwhacked in Iraq? (02/20/2004)

Dashed against the rocks By Cary Tennis
I'm in love with a siren who lured me and is now destroying me. (02/20/2004)

Letters
"Therapy is not terrible, autocratic or disempowering." Readers respond to Meredith Maran's account of her addiction to psychotherapy. (02/20/2004)

The hermetically sealed conquerors By Jen Banbury
Hunkered down in their weird security zone, the Americans who run Iraq have almost no contact with the country or its people. (02/20/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Sex parties, booze for high schoolers, rape. It's all in a night's recruiting at Colorado, several women say. How sad that none of this is shocking. (02/20/2004)

Letters
Readers respond to "Kerry vs. the Chicken Hawks," by Robert Poe, and "Howard's End," by Joan Walsh. (02/20/2004)

Friday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/20/2004)

Senators John square off Geraldine Sealey
(02/20/2004)

A Fox Democrat delivers Geraldine Sealey
(02/20/2004)

Has Ralph decided to pull a Nader? Mark Follman
(02/20/2004)

Political savior or wart that won't go away? Geraldine Sealey
(02/20/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Is it ever appropriate to praise the Lord over an airplane's P.A. system? (02/20/2004)

Is there an echo in here? By David Weinberger
The Dean campaign's demise threatens to tar the whole Internet as an "echo chamber" -- but the real closed system is in the mass media. (02/20/2004)

Let us now praise Charlotte York Goldenblatt By Stephanie Zacharek
Forget Carrie, Samantha and Miranda. Kristin Davis' deceptively sweet "Sex and the City" character has turned out to be the most intriguing -- and sexiest -- one of all. (02/19/2004)

The best "Sex" we've ever had
A collection of our favorite essays on "Sex and the City," from its highs to its lows. (02/19/2004)

The Fix
Ozzy calling it quits? Scarlett the new Kate Moss? And what's all this about David Gest and Diana Ross? Plus: Eminem's people refute Neverland rumors. (02/19/2004)

The Fishmonger Returns By Dave Eggers
Rebecca noticed Giacomo's eyes were trained on his own reflection. More specifically, on his own ass. (02/19/2004)

Bestsellers
Dan Brown is dethroned! Gary Paulsen finally topples Brown from the No. 1 slot with the latest installment of his hit children's series. Plus: Ray Bradbury still won't go away, all on this week's list, courtesy of Powell's. (02/19/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Encyclopedia Bush: The Case of the Generous Polluter. (02/19/2004)

The mommy mystique By Amy Reiter
A new book faults the media, politicians and all those perfectly coiffed celebrity moms for making mothers feel like dirt. (02/19/2004)

I want out By Cary Tennis
I've been seeing a woman for three years, but we both know it's over. How do I exit gracefully? (02/19/2004)

The Salon Interview: Daniel Ellsberg By David Talbot
Like John Kerry, he returned from the Vietnam War to become one of its most famous opponents. Now the man who leaked the Pentagon Papers blasts the Bush camp's "obscene" attack on Kerry's patriotism. (02/20/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Chris Webber sets a great example for the NBA's star big men. No, really. Plus: What kept A-Rod out of New York so long? (02/19/2004)

Kerry vs. the chicken hawks By Robert Poe
John Kerry's band of Vietnam War brothers has the Bush army running for their lives. (02/19/2004)

The Drudge "report" By Sidney Blumenthal
Matt Drudge's latest "intern" revelation is the sound of his master's voice. (02/19/2004)

"The closest thing to modern slavery" By Sally Denton
The real beneficiaries of Bush's proposed new immigration laws are not the immigrants, but the corporations that exploit them. (02/19/2004)

Snowmobiling through Yellowstone By Amanda Griscom
Snowmobile manufacturers make up a tiny and relatively powerless industry, so why has the Bush administration thrown its weight so solidly behind it? (02/19/2004)

Howard's end By Joan Walsh
Dean bows out, but says Dean for America lives on to fight another day -- but how? (02/19/2004)

Same-sex marriage attacks! Cartoon by Mark Fiore
Revealed before your very eyes: The awful, terrifying gay agenda! (02/19/2004)

Thursday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/19/2004)

CBS' about-face Geraldine Sealey
(02/19/2004)

Laura Bush joins the fray Geraldine Sealey
(02/19/2004)

Touchiness on trade Geraldine Sealey
(02/19/2004)

Join the Salon cruise!
Set sail with Ann Richards, Joe Wilson, David Talbot and more (02/19/2004)

The hot naked tattooed guy next door By Carlene Bauer
With its photos of lanky slacker bohemians, the new magazine Sweet Action is the thinking girl's antidote to bulging Chippendale hunks. (02/19/2004)

Retroactive anti-terror By Alex Irvine
A century after dying the first time, Peter Skilling is about to discover that the future doesn't look kindly on the minor indiscretions of the past. (02/19/2004)

Mad Mel By Christopher Noxon
Gibson has accused a lot of people -- including me -- of plotting against his controversial new "The Passion of the Christ." Is it brilliant marketing, or serious paranoia? (02/18/2004)

The Fix
Gov. Arnold wants a "smoking plaza," Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" snatched back from commercial brink, and Miss Piggy and Mickey Mouse get cozy. Plus: An "Angel" gets its wings -- and fans mourn. (02/18/2004)

The Fishmonger Returns By Dave Eggers
A distinct, unsettling scent: Politicking among the undertakers. (02/18/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
In honor of ye olde wifey's birthday ... (02/18/2004)

The state of your unions
Religious differences, debilitating illnesses, runaway brides who stop running: More tales from the front lines of marriage. (02/18/2004)

Am I too nice? By Cary Tennis
I've been "nice" my whole life, but I need to know when to draw the line. (02/18/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Alex Rodriguez going to the Yankees spells doom for baseball! Or not. Probably not, actually. (02/18/2004)

Right Hook By Mark Follman
Limbaugh says Americans don't care about Bush's National Guard problem because they love him; Lowry says Kerry smeared Vietnam vets, Coulter shrieks that he stalks lonely heiresses. Plus: Dissenting thoughts on same-sex marriage. (02/18/2004)

The culture-war president By Arianna Huffington
With Iraq still a mess, Team Bush is switching battlefields to start screaming about Sodom and Gomorrah. (02/18/2004)

Howard Dean's "bottom line"
Ending his presidential bid, Dean vows continued grass-roots efforts: "I will support the nominee of our party. We must beat George W. Bush in November, whatever it takes." (02/18/2004)

Wednesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/18/2004)

A message from Wes Geraldine Sealey
(02/18/2004)

The shape of the two-man race Geraldine Sealey
(02/18/2004)

The "tragedy" of Howard Dean Mark Follman
(02/18/2004)

Perle's pearls Geraldine Sealey
(02/18/2004)

This really is your brain on drugs By Andrew Leonard
In "Mind Wide Open" Steven Johnson looks under the cranial hood to find out what makes him -- and us -- tick. (02/18/2004)

In search of my own brain By Steven Johnson
In an excerpt from "Mind Wide Open" Steven Johnson details his attempt to catch his own mind in the act of thinking. (02/18/2004)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
Tina schmoozes the power elite, "Survivor" assumes we're stupid, and an anti-Bush documentary makes us feel like conservatives. Plus: All hail Tyra Banks! (02/17/2004)

The Fix
Erica Jong speculates about "Sex and the City" ending, Justin showers Cameron with diamonds, and Renee marvels at British manners. Plus: Mel Gibson on sucking up sin with his proboscis. (02/17/2004)

Passionate finger pointing By Heather Havrilesky
Mel Gibson defends "The Passion of the Christ" to Diane Sawyer, professing his faith -- and seeing lots of conspiracies. (02/17/2004)

"Those Who Trespass" by Bill O'Reilly By Michael Hastings
In the Fox News celeb's resurrected 1998 novel -- yes, the one with the bad sex writing -- a TV news personality addicted to fame becomes a serial killer. Plus: To hook chicks, be a tough guy and a little boy at the same time! (02/17/2004)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
What would you give up for the love of any man you want? (02/17/2004)

Off the couch By Meredith Maran
After 40 years -- and more than $100,000 in bills -- I finally gave up on the talking cure. (02/17/2004)

I'm in my 40s, gay and alone in a provincial city. By Cary Tennis
Should I move? (02/17/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The NBA All-Star Game: It's not ready for prime time-tastic! Plus: Barry Bonds, in the new streamlined format. (02/17/2004)

New Bush records, same old questions By Eric Boehlert
Why did the "outstanding young pilot" stop flying? Why dont the records document his time in Alabama? And what about the missing physical? The 400-page document dump has no answers. (02/18/2004)

Joe Conason
Why was it OK to write about George H.W. Bush's alleged affairs in 1992, while bashing Drudge's scandal-mongering today? Because the right still uses sex rumors to smear Democrats while protecting its own adulterers. (02/17/2004)

Old McCheney had a judge By Robert Scheer
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia mocked those who questioned his ethics by quacking like a duck. He should have oinked. (02/18/2004)

Tuesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/17/2004)

Will Ralph pull a Nader? Geraldine Sealey
(02/17/2004)

Early leaks from Wisconsin Geraldine Sealey
(02/17/2004)

Dean loses -- in court Geraldine Sealey
(02/17/2004)

Halliburton watch Geraldine Sealey
(02/17/2004)

Censure update Geraldine Sealey
(02/17/2004)

Red state, blue win Geraldine Sealey
(02/17/2004)

Kerry wins in WI, but Edwards surges Mark Follman
(02/18/2004)

Poetry workshop with Priscilla Becker
(02/17/2004)

"Just an American Boy" offer
(02/17/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
How conservatives see the world -- and of course it all makes perfect sense. (02/16/2004)

The big gamble By Roberto Lovato
Indians used to be on the bottom in Palm Springs, but gaming put them on top. Now tribal leaders are accused of exploiting workers and abusing their neighbors. Will the backlash topple their empire? (02/16/2004)

Everyman -- or annoying man? By Heather Havrilesky
Can Larry David stop himself from turning his "Curb Your Enthusiasm" hero into an unrepentant jerk? (02/14/2004)

"Bad news doesn't get better with age" By Eric Boehlert
The retired officer who saw Bush National Guard files in a trash can talks back as the White House tries to discredit him, and urges the president to finally come clean. (02/14/2004)

A wedding, a revolution By Laura McClure
In San Francisco, one bride wore white and the other wore blue. (02/14/2004)

Letters
Readers weigh in on Bush's crackdown on the antiwar movement. Plus: Getting queasy over Drudge, and more debate over Bush's missing National Guard days. (02/14/2004)

"50 First Dates" By Stephanie Zacharek
"The Wedding Singer" meets "Groundhog Day"? Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore shine in this sweet, flirty comedy about a man who falls for a woman with short-term memory loss. (02/13/2004)

"Love Object" By Charles Taylor
It was only a matter of time before someone made a horror film about a sex doll, but don't burn rubber to see this one. (02/13/2004)

The Fix
Kucinich wins date with Tilly; Bowie has given up all his vices. Plus: Is the FCC exaggerating the Jackson boobhaha? (02/13/2004)

Holding out for a "horse person" By Lynn Harris
Randy Ayn Randian? Amorous astral-plane dweller? Whatever your passion, there's a specialty online dating site for you. (02/13/2004)

Bush's service records: The score card By Eric Boehlert
Did the president walk out on the Texas Air National Guard 30 years ago? A guide through the morass of new evidence. (02/13/2004)

"A deficit of decency"
Incensed over the Super Bowl halftime show, Sen. Zell Miller asks, "Does any responsible adult ever listen to the words of this rap crap?" (02/13/2004)

There he goes again! By Joe Conason
Matt Drudge and the GOP smear machine are back in the Democrats' pants. (02/13/2004)

Friday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/13/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/13/2004)

Shock and awe Geraldine Sealey
(02/13/2004)

Backpedaling on outsourcing Geraldine Sealey
(02/13/2004)

Dems may get lucky in Kentucky Geraldine Sealey
(02/13/2004)

Bush records quietly released Mark Follman
(02/13/2004)

Valentine's Day Premium Special
(02/13/2004)

Letters
How dare Salon criticize Wes Clark?! Readers respond to Farhad Manjoo's "Acxiom Is Watching You." (02/13/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Everything you ever wanted to know about really, really long plane rides, including the do's and don'ts of deep vein thrombosis. (02/13/2004)

The revolution will be energized By Katharine Mieszkowski
In "Power to the People," journalist Vijay V. Vaitheeswaran makes a case for markets, not governments, leading us to a green, energy-abundant future. (02/13/2004)

Letters
Readers take issue with our reviews of "The L Word" and Norah Jones' new album -- and with Neal Pollack's Grammy night "blog." (02/12/2004)

The Fix
Jennifer and Brad's abode singularly unfriendly to kids, Harvard gets a sex mag, and Robin Williams wants to channel Einstein. Plus: "Frasier," "Ed" and "Wanda" fans gather to rage against the dying light. (02/12/2004)

Big Brother -- or Big Daddy? By Charles Taylor
Someone should remind the people now exploiting Janet Jackson's boob -- Washington politicians -- that most TV programming is democratically elected. (02/12/2004)

The Fishmonger Returns By Dave Eggers
Rebecca Romaine's biggest concern was how to make her farm-bred catfish taste like nothing. Then came a fateful phone call. (02/12/2004)

Letters
Readers attack: David Bowman's Biskind interview is a corporate sellout, the New York Times is right to banish literary obscurities, and Paul Waldman's "Fraud" -- and Salon in general -- are too harsh on George W. Bush. (02/12/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
News of the Times: Janet Jackson blames CIA for wardrobe malfunction, orders probe. (02/12/2004)

Slave rebellion! By Rebecca Traister
As Martha Stewart and Bonnie Fuller squirm, it's payback time for downtrodden assistants everywhere. (02/12/2004)

A thousand J. Edgar Hoovers By Michelle Goldberg
State and local police are taking it upon themselves to investigate antiwar activists -- and in the computer age, the threat to our civil liberties is even greater than it was in Hoover's day. (02/12/2004)

The Republicans' Kerry problem By Sidney Blumenthal
Three decades ago, a worried Nixon White House tried to destroy young John Kerry, a war hero who interfered with its plan to smear Democrats as un-American. Today's White House has the same problem. (02/12/2004)

The cowboy judge By Amanda Griscom
Environmentalists hope Senate Democrats will block Bush's new ranch-friendly judicial nominee, but a filibuster might suit the Bush administration just fine. (02/12/2004)

Breast friends Cartoon by Mark Fiore
Shocked by Janet Jackson's partial nudity? Without WMD, the Bush administration is even more exposed! (02/12/2004)

Thursday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/12/2004)

Lord of the blogs Geraldine Sealey
(02/12/2004)

A stop Kerry alliance? Geraldine Sealey
(02/12/2004)

Clark for Kerry Geraldine Sealey
(02/12/2004)

Beyond the pale Geraldine Sealey
(02/12/2004)

The shopping of the presidency By Joyce McGreevy
Thanks to the media, choosing a candidate is quick, cheap 'n' easy! (02/12/2004)

Letters
"You thought the 2000 election dragged on? The 2004 election will be a never-ending nightmare." Readers respond to Farhad Manjoo's "Will the Election Be Hacked?" (02/12/2004)

Land of the lipstick lesbians By Heather Havrilesky
Showtime's dramedy "The L Word" gives us a cast with an impossibly glossy, positive and superficial sheen. (02/11/2004)

The Fix
Jude Law tips hat to Sean Penn, Roddy Doyle disses "Ulysses," and Catherine Zeta-Jones hops into "Ocean's 12." Plus: Native Americans unhappy with OutKast's Grammy performance. (02/11/2004)

Bestsellers
Dan Brown holds onto the top two slots. His nearest challenger? Sci-fi god Ray Bradbury -- with a book that's nearly 50 years old. Plus, a deck of cards makes the list, again -- all on this week's list, courtesy of Powell's. (02/11/2004)

Writing in the Margins By Scott Thill
Our new monthly roundup of indie publishing: Junko Mizuno's deranged manga, Disney's war against the underground, Flann O'Brien on life during wartime, lefty theorist Mike Davis' children's book (set in Greenland), and William Upski Wimsatt bombs the 2004 election. (02/11/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
The latest office pool: How will Bush try to steal the election this time around? (02/11/2004)

The ex-files By Lynn Harris
Susan Shapiro's new memoir describes how she reconnected with five former flames -- and saved her marriage in the process. (02/11/2004)

Trapped in a nice house By Cary Tennis
I've told him I want out because of our constant power struggles, but he keeps persuading me to stay. (02/11/2004)

New Bush Guard records raise new questions By Eric Boehlert
The president got credit for time served during his missing year -- but on different dates from those his campaign cited in 2000. And he still won't release medical records to explain the mystery of the missing physical. (02/11/2004)

Outlawing dissent By Michelle Goldberg
Spying on peace meetings, cracking down on protesters, keeping secret files on innocent people -- how Bush's war on terror has become a war on freedom. (02/11/2004)

He's only just begun By Josh Benson
John Kerry's nomination quest may be sealed, but the true tests lie before him: Attacks from a GOP apparatus with unlimited resources and the unfettered scrutiny of the national media. (02/11/2004)

A coalition of fear
Al Gore: "In many ways, George W. Bush reminds me more of Nixon than any other previous president." (02/11/2004)

War, the excuse for everything By Robert Scheer
As the transcript of Tim Russert's interview with Bush shows, it's not clear that even the war president knows what war we're fighting. (02/11/2004)

Deconstructing David Brooks By James Pinkerton
The New York Times columnist translated Bush's "Meet the Press" debacle for those who missed its hidden wisdom. Now let's translate Brooks. (02/11/2004)

Right Hook By Mark Follman
Even Bill O'Reilly is slamming Bush over missing Iraqi WMD, while Peter Brookes dubs Pakistan the global "nuclear Wal-Mart." Plus: More right-wing venom for Bush's anti-conservative ways. (02/11/2004)

Letters
Conservative author Marvin Olasky takes issue with "Avenging Angel of the Religious Right"; readers weigh in on President Bush's "missing year" from the National Guard. (02/11/2004)

The passion of the Deaniacs By Arianna Huffington
Memo to John Kerry: Heed not the call of the mild. (02/11/2004)

Obstruction of justice? Mark Follman
(02/11/2004)

Wednesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/11/2004)

Grey lady gets on board the Bush Guard story Eric Boehlert
(02/11/2004)

Silberman watch Geraldine Sealey
(02/11/2004)

Polygraph Geraldine Sealey
(02/11/2004)

Dean strikes back Geraldine Sealey
(02/11/2004)

Powell: Let's not go there Geraldine Sealey
(02/11/2004)

A $3 billion headache for Bush Raffi Khatchadourian
(02/11/2004)

Bushs file: Discarded in a trash can Mark Follman
(02/12/2004)

Made in the U.S. of A.? By Linda Baker
It's not the most obvious way to run a successful textile company in Los Angeles: Pay the workers a living wage and give consumers absolutely no choice. (02/11/2004)

Letters
I am the programmer turned dishwasher, and you're next. A response to the letters written criticizing the former high-tech workers in Katharine Mieszkowski's "From Programming to Pizza Delivery." (02/11/2004)

Dance pop grows up By Charles Taylor
Kylie Minogue's teasingly tantric "Body Language" and Sophie Ellis-Bextor's icily elegant "Shoot From the Hip" make Britney and Christina's over-the-top gyrations look like child's play. (02/10/2004)

The queen of nice By Thomas Bartlett
What's not to like about Norah Jones' new "Feels Like Home"? Nothing. Then again, what's there to like? (02/10/2004)

The Fix
Justin Timberlake dabbles in journalism, Time Warner chairman Richard Parsons gets a dee-luxe office, and Minnie Driver stands up for exploited workers. Plus: Hear Bill Clinton narrate "Peter and the Wolf." (02/10/2004)

Worth the hype? By Thomas Bartlett
Post-Super Bowl hoopla we have "Just a Little While," the first single off Janet Jackson's new record. Will the massive P.R. stunt pay off? (02/10/2004)

Building a better Bush By Paul Waldman
How an Andover-Yale preppy, scion of one of our nation's most powerful families, was reinvented as a straight-shootin' Texan with "regular guy" values. An excerpt from "Fraud: The Strategy Behind the Bush Lies and Why the Media Didn't Tell You." (02/10/2004)

Story Minute By Carol Lay
Gossip's Fables. (02/10/2004)

Ashes to ashes By Lynne J. Roberts
After my brother died, we returned him to his childhood playground -- a cloudy brown pond filled with frogs. (02/10/2004)

Letters
"I am incensed at the cowardice the Wall Street Journal is displaying." Readers empathize with Mariane Pearl and her quest for answers. (02/10/2004)

Feeling alone By Cary Tennis
I am serious with a woman, but sometimes I feel like she's a character in my drama, not that we're acting it out together. (02/10/2004)

Kerry's army invades Bush country By Josh Benson
Virginia might seem redder than red, but the Democratic front-runner hopes his military service will give him a beachhead in states like this, where Bush's support suddenly seems shaky. (02/10/2004)

The partisan "mastermind" in charge of Bush's intel probe By Michelle Goldberg
Whenever there's a vast right-wing conspiracy, Judge Laurence Silberman keeps turning up. (02/10/2004)

Bush's records: Still AWOL By Eric Boehlert
President Bush told Tim Russert all his military records were made public in 2000, but there's no evidence to support his statement. (02/10/2004)

George W. Bush, the doubleplusgood doublespeaker! By Christopher Ketcham
In his interview on "Meet the Press," the president proved he has mastered the Orwellian art of duckspeak. (02/10/2004)

The Vietnam smear -- from McCain to Kerry By Joe Conason
As Bush's military record comes under harsh scrutiny, the same smear campaign used against John McCain in 2000 is being rolled out against John Kerry. (02/10/2004)

Tuesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/10/2004)

Extra, extra: Bush supports sending jobs abroad Geraldine Sealey
(02/10/2004)

Bush records don't tell the whole story Geraldine Sealey
(02/10/2004)

One by two by six Geraldine Sealey
(02/10/2004)

Early numbers from Virginia, Tennessee Geraldine Sealey
(02/10/2004)

Why they voted Geraldine Sealey
(02/10/2004)

Kerry's first Southern win Geraldine Sealey
(02/10/2004)

Kerry powers through the south Mark Follman
(02/10/2004)

Clark's out, but Dean keeps swinging Joan Walsh
(02/11/2004)

Acxiom is watching you By Farhad Manjoo
Whenever you book a flight, this data-mining colossus will be turning over its files to John Ashcroft. Why did Wesley Clark lobby for what could become the biggest snooping operation of all time? (02/10/2004)

Voting machine showdown By Farhad Manjoo
A leading maker of computer election equipment defends itself in court against charges that it overreached itself in trying to stifle critics. (02/10/2004)

Politics by other means By Scott Rosenberg
The Internet may have made Howard Dean, but Dean didn't make the Net -- and his campaign's woes don't faze digital democracy's true believers. (02/11/2004)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
Dennis Miller's monkey business. Plus: Disposable drug lords, 'shroomless wonks, and "The Bachelorette" hits a sour note. (02/09/2004)

The Fix
Paris crashes, Diana does time, and Wesley Clark blanks on "bling-bling." Plus: Janet doesn't show, but she dominates Grammy talk anyway. (02/09/2004)

"Perfectly Legal" by David Cay Johnston By Farhad Manjoo
A Pulitzer-winning New York Times reporter argues that the rich have ruthlessly rigged the tax system against the rest of us. Aren't you shocked? (02/09/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Another exciting episode of everyone's favorite crime drama: Partisan Investigations Unit! (02/09/2004)

Rules of seduction By Cary Tennis
Is talking about sex and sharing fantasies with a friend adultery? (02/09/2004)

Bush's Hail Mary By James K. Galbraith
The only events that have (temporarily) stopped the constant erosion of Bush's popularity have been 9/11, the Iraq war and the capture of Saddam. He'd better hope he finds Osama in October. (02/09/2004)

Monday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/09/2004)

A reversal of endorsements Geraldine Sealey
(02/09/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/09/2004)

Edwards won't take VP offer, unless he does Mark Follman
(02/09/2004)

The Russert primary Geraldine Sealey
(02/09/2004)

Dean: We're going all the way! Mark Follman
(02/09/2004)

Valentine's Day Premium Special
(02/09/2004)

Will the election be hacked? By Farhad Manjoo
A Salon special report reveals how new voting machines could result in a rigged presidential race -- and we'd never know. (02/09/2004)

Hey yah! Anybody out there? By Neal Pollack
A guest culture blogger tackles the Grammys, and all the night's big questions: Who likes that Justin Timberfake? Where's Jan Jax? And how can he land a full-time gig? (02/09/2004)

Big wins, hidden dangers By David Moberg
John Kerry dominated Michigan and Washington on Saturday. But will it be possible to please both big industrial unions and environmentalists? (02/08/2004)

Meet the president's new war rationale Geraldine Sealey
(02/08/2004)

Michigan: Bad news for Bush By David Moberg
The economy of Greenville, Mich., will be devastated when a big refrigerator factory moves to Mexico. Now residents here are getting ready to express their fear and anger at the polls. (02/07/2004)

Rumsfeld defends Iraq war at NATO meeting By ROBERT BURNS
(02/07/2004)

Letters
Readers defend the die-hard Deaniacs, while others implore them to get real before the U.S. "hits rock bottom." (02/07/2004)

Lose the twang, y'all By Bill Maher
Enough with the Civil War complex: It's time for Southern Democrats to get enlightened about voting Bush out of office. (02/07/2004)

"The Dreamers" By Charles Taylor
Bernardo Bertolucci's uncut NC-17 film may be the most explicit film ever released by an American studio, but there's much more to it than just hot sex (02/06/2004)

"Miracle" By Stephanie Zacharek
The real-life triumphal tale of the 1980 U.S. hockey team may be rousing, but this movie based on it is slushy and sadly personality-free (02/06/2004)

"Osama" By Stephanie Zacharek
The first feature film made in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban -- about a young girl who dresses as a boy to survive -- rings devastatingly true. (02/06/2004)

"Barbershop 2: Back in Business" By Charles Taylor
Ice Cube, Eve and Cedric the Entertainer are back, but this sequel to their sweet hit doesn't cut it. (02/06/2004)

"Everywhere people are less puritanical -- except in the U.S." By Charles Taylor
Legendary director Bernardo Bertolucci on America's sexual backwardness -- and why Jake Gyllenhaal wouldn't take off his clothes. (02/06/2004)

Homeless, with diamonds By Cary Tennis
I'm married to a wonderful man, but he doesn't seem to share my fear of financial humiliation. (02/06/2004)

Letters
"Your article was a shallow paean to fame, wealth and celebrity." Readers weigh in on the colorful Heinz-Kerry family. (02/06/2004)

The reporter they left behind By Mariane Pearl
Two years after my husband, Danny Pearl, was kidnapped and murdered, his employers at the Wall Street Journal seem all too willing to forget. (02/06/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Maurice Clarett beats the NFL in court while Lennox Lewis hangs 'em up. But Lewis will fight before Clarett plays pro ball. Plus: Janet Jackson's boob injures millions! (02/06/2004)

Inside the Green Zone By Jen Banbury
For Iraqis living in the surreal city within a city from which the U.S. runs Iraq, the invasion is already ancient history. What they want is electricity, water and a social life. (02/06/2004)

Did Bush drop out of the National Guard to avoid drug testing? By Eric Boehlert
The young pilot walked away from his commitment in 1972 -- the same year the U.S. military implemented random drug tests. (02/06/2004)

Dean's antiwar boom goes bust By Jessica Kowal
As Washington Democrats caucus, opposition to the Iraq war already feels like yesterday's passion. (02/06/2004)

The vice presidential dance has begun By Josh Benson
Wesley Clark has gravitas and charm but seems like a closet Republican. John Edwards is bright and articulate and really, really youthful. Who'd be the best V.P.? (02/06/2004)

Friday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/06/2004)

Suskind reveals his source material Geraldine Sealey
(02/06/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/06/2004)

Scooter and Hannah, cont. Geraldine Sealey
(02/06/2004)

Wisconsin or (maybe) bust Geraldine Sealey
(02/06/2004)

Sunday morning quarterbacks Geraldine Sealey
(02/06/2004)

A new concept: Vice President Howard Dean Mark Follman
(02/07/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Do all the international airflight cancellations make us any safer? And when will the White House learn how to spell? (02/06/2004)

Bands on the run By Rick Kisonak
What ever happened to Kajagoogoo, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and A Flock of Seagulls? VH1's new "Bands Reunited" tracks them down and finds out -- and it ain't pretty. (02/05/2004)

The Fix
"ER" loses a breast, Michael and Janet miss an opening, and Paris and her monkey miss a flight. Plus: Susan Sarandon and Michael Moore explore Bush alternatives in NYC. (02/05/2004)

"The Havana Room" by Colin Harrison
In this dazzling thriller, a staid, married lawyer falls through the cracks of contemporary Manhattan -- and finds a hero out of American lit in a mysterious steakhouse. (02/05/2004)

"Mr. Paradise" by Elmore Leonard
The master of contemporary crime fiction goes back to Detroit -- and back to writing love stories -- for his finest novel since "Out of Sight." (02/05/2004)

"Project X" by Jim Shepard
This short, tragic and heartbreaking novel takes you inside the minds of two sympathetic high-school oddballs -- as they plan a horrifying massacre. (02/05/2004)

"Someone to Run With" by David Grossman
Two screwed-up Israeli teenagers, a lost dog and the crime-ridden streets of Jerusalem add up to a memorable adventure -- and a love story you won't want to resist. (02/05/2004)

"The Man in My Basement" by Walter Mosley
Franz Kafka goes to "The Twilight Zone" and wrestles racial guilt, in this spellbinding, symbolic fable from the author of the Easy Rawlins mysteries. (02/05/2004)

What to Read By Salon's critics
Masculine charms rule our midwinter reading list, from Elmore Leonard's love story to Walter Mosley's enigmatic fable, Colin Harrison's Manhattan noir and more. (02/05/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Lucky Ducky meets the Energy Task Force. (02/05/2004)

Boondock blues By Cary Tennis
My boyfriend wants me to live with him in a tiny town in Maine. I'll go crazy there with him, but I'll go crazy here without him. (02/05/2004)

"Help us" By Elisabeth Ochs
As a school nurse, I see students who require way more than Band-Aids. They need emergency mental healthcare, instruction on how to brush their teeth and wash their hands, and answers to all of their questions. (02/05/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Bob Knight is getting the same treatment at Texas Tech that he got at Indiana. So after 26 more years of awful behavior, he'll be toast. Plus: ESPN loses its nerve with "Playmakers." (02/05/2004)

Bush's missing year By Eric Boehlert
In 1972, George W. Bush dropped out of his National Guard service and later lied about it. With the media finally paying attention, will he now come clean? (02/05/2004)

Weapons of mass dissembling By Sidney Blumenthal
Arms inspector David Kay is conveniently blaming his failure to find WMD on U.S. intelligence, but the real villains are the Bush neocons who cooked data and twisted arms to get the "evidence" they needed for war. (02/05/2004)

A meaner, greener EPA By Amanda Griscom
For three years, the Bush administration and the power industry have been happily entangled. Now it's time for some election-year damage control -- courtesy of the EPA. (02/05/2004)

Losing my religion By Katy Butler
A novice political volunteer explores what went wrong with Howard Dean's campaign and, with guarded optimism, looks to a future without him. (02/05/2004)

Flawless software! Efficient recounts! Simplicity! Cartoon by Mark Fiore
Thanks to computerized voting technology, today's elections can move into the 21st century! (02/05/2004)

Joe Conason's Journal
On Sunday, NBC's Tim Russert is scheduled to interview the president. Here are five questions he'll definitely want to ask. (02/05/2004)

Thursday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/05/2004)

Will Bush face right-wing Nader? Geraldine Sealey
(02/05/2004)

Criminal wrongdoing in Cheney's office? Geraldine Sealey
(02/05/2004)

Batting for dollars Geraldine Sealey
(02/05/2004)

Are you an online political citizen? Geraldine Sealey
(02/05/2004)

Video game fame By Jon Azpiri
Long after Bo Jackson retired, the legend of Tecmo Bo lives on. For today's gamers, digital athletes are even realer than the real thing. (02/05/2004)

The Fix
Will a time delay save the Grammys and Oscars from the Super Bowl's booby trap? Plus: The furious rise of the anonyblogger. (02/04/2004)

The FCC goes bust By John Ridley
Chairman Michael Powell's threats over the Super Bowl have the hollow ring of a bureaucrat who already surrendered his moral authority. (02/04/2004)

Tempest at the Times By Christopher Dreher
The literary world is abuzz: Does New York Times editor Bill Keller want to take his influential book review section down-market? (02/04/2004)

Bestsellers
Dan Brown stays at No. 1 -- but not with "The Da Vinci Code" (which drops all the way to No. 2). Plus: "Reading Lolita in Tehran" continues its march toward the top -- all on this week's list, courtesy of Powell's. (02/04/2004)

The K Chronicles by Keith Knight
It's not what CBS did show during the Super Bowl, but what the spineless morons wouldn't show! (02/04/2004)

Lynda Barry By Lynda Barry
"Extreme Poodle Eye" (02/04/2004)

Existential dilemma By Cary Tennis
I'm so obsessed with questions of who I am and why I am here that it's hard to get through the day. (02/04/2004)

The state of your unions
Straying, sexual dysfunction, traumatic vasectomies and other tales from the front lines of marriage. (02/04/2004)

Letters
"These policies are a travesty." Readers respond to Whitney Joiner's article about zero tolerance. (02/04/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The best commercial of Super Bowl Sunday. Plus: Scooped on the Janet Jackson breast interview! And: Which experts picked the Pats? (02/04/2004)

And then there were two By Edward W. Lempinen
Kerry breaks into the open field, with Edwards still in pursuit -- while the Dean meteor continues to burn out. (02/04/2004)

Will Deaniacs pull a Nader on the Democratic Party? By Michelle Goldberg
Some of the insurgent's supporters say they're going to take their idealism and go home --- but most of them will probably get over their bitterness and support the nominee. (02/04/2004)

Not judgment day -- yet By Tim Grieve
Kerry has another big night, but Edwards and Clark still have some fight left. And they might buy Dean the time he needs to get back in it. (02/04/2004)

The lies that bind By Robert Scheer
If a democratic Iraq was the goal all along, why didn't Wolfowitz and Bush tell the American people before they sacrificed their sons and daughters? (02/04/2004)

"I am ready for this mission"
Advancing toward the Democratic nomination, John Kerry slams Bush for "running the most arrogant, reckless, inept and ideological foreign policy of modern times." (02/04/2004)

The Democrats' secret weapon By Arianna Huffington
Loose-lipped loose cannon Dick Cheney threatens to torpedo the Bushie ship of state every time he half-opens his mouth. (02/04/2004)

Wednesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/04/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/04/2004)

Changing delegate count Geraldine Sealey
(02/04/2004)

Who's better off than four years ago? Geraldine Sealey
(02/04/2004)

Letters
Pay off your student loans before you buy a Mercedes, loser! Readers respond to Katharine Mieszkowski's "From Programming to Pizza Delivery." (02/04/2004)

Letters
"Is there no limit to the vacuousness of the press?" Readers respond to Anna Holmes' "Why Won't This Man Blink?" (02/03/2004)

The Fix By Amy Reiter
Jackson's topless act unlikely to affect bottom line, and Gest blames the National Enquirer. Plus: Group's spokeswoman calls "Big Fat" TV shows obnoxious. (02/03/2004)

Tit for tat By Charles Taylor
How Justin Timberlake accomplished what the president hasn't been able to: Bring us closer to our fundamentalist brothers. (02/03/2004)

"Tour of Duty" by Douglas Brinkley By Laura Miller
A new bestseller makes clear that John Kerry fought heroically in Vietnam -- and heroically against it once he got home. Is there anything else interesting about the guy? (02/03/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
What's in a name? (02/03/2004)

Is America ready for the wild Kerry family? By Rebecca Traister
Dad may come off like a stiff, but Mom and the kids are a whole other story. (02/03/2004)

Strong and weak By Cary Tennis
I'm involved with a married woman who has been abused by her husband. What should I do? (02/03/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Exclusive: Janet Jackson's breast speaks! (02/03/2004)

Dean's dizzying descent By Thomas F. Schaller
How and why did the Vermont juggernaut implode so quickly? (02/03/2004)

Seven races for seven Democrats By Tim Grieve
Kerry's surge leaves his rivals fighting for survival in Tuesday's contests. (02/03/2004)

A GOP trickster rents Al Sharpton By Joe Conason
The pompadoured preacher's alliance with a right-wing operative may delight conservatives but should disgust his constituents. (02/03/2004)

Tuesday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/03/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/03/2004)

A call for censure Geraldine Sealey
(02/03/2004)

Early exit poll leaks Geraldine Sealey
(02/03/2004)

Lame job market may get lamer Geraldine Sealey
(02/03/2004)

Bloggers of the party unite Geraldine Sealey
(02/03/2004)

First results of the night Geraldine Sealey
(02/03/2004)

Kerry wins in MO, DE Geraldine Sealey
(02/03/2004)

He lost his MoJoe Geraldine Sealey
(02/04/2004)

Kerry wins AZ, says Edwards' SC win not all that Geraldine Sealey
(02/04/2004)

Et tu, Colin? Mark Follman
(02/04/2004)

From programming to delivering pizza By Katharine Mieszkowski
Sure, there are jobs to be found in the so-called economic recovery. You want extra cheese with that, sir? (02/03/2004)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
The simple pleasures of watching rad snowboarders and sleazy yuppies trying to impress Donald Trump. Plus: Sick of Campaign '04? Try "Tanner '88." (02/02/2004)

Why won't this man blink? By Anna Holmes
Rapid blinking suggests nervousness or deceitfulness. So what does it mean when someone -- like Gen. Wesley Clark -- rarely bats an eye? (02/02/2004)

The Fix By Amy Reiter
FCC to clamp down on CBS over Super Bowl "stunt." Plus: The full Janet fallout. (02/02/2004)

Harpooning Hollywood By David Bowman
Peter Biskind talks about Harvey Weinstein, Robert Redford, his new book, "Down and Dirty Pictures," and the wild stories he can't tell about '70s Hollywood. (02/02/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Agent Squirrel, dispassionate intelligence analyst, comes up with the goods. (02/02/2004)

One strike and you're out of school By Whitney Joiner
Youthful suicides, financial ruin, families torn apart for minor infractions: How post-Columbine hysteria is wrecking lives. (02/02/2004)

My cheatin' heart By Cary Tennis
Is there a way to find absolution without confessing my sins? (02/02/2004)

Letters
"The only thing George Bush has going for him is that he's married to Laura." Readers respond to Curtis Sittenfeld's love letter to the first lady. (02/02/2004)

The Democrats' Southern paradox By Tim Grieve
In the South, black voters may want Anybody but Bush, but whites like what they see in the president -- themselves. It's up to the Democrats to convince them otherwise. (02/02/2004)

King Kaufman Sports Daily
Even Janet Jackson's exposed breast couldn't upstage a classic Super Bowl that, no offense, wasn't all defense. (02/02/2004)

Howard Dean strikes back By Sandeep Kaushik
In a candid interview, the former front-runner goes after his two main adversaries -- George W. Bush and John Kerry -- and says they're a lot alike. (02/02/2004)

How Kerry could beat Bush By Ruy Teixeira
To close the sale with the public, the Democratic front-runner should can the populist rhetoric and talk to Americans about an "opportunity society." (02/02/2004)

Monday's must-reads Geraldine Sealey
(02/02/2004)

In the polls Geraldine Sealey
(02/02/2004)

Where in the world is Al Gore? Geraldine Sealey
(02/02/2004)

How do you like Kerry now? Eric Boehlert
(02/02/2004)

A field of tough hombres Geraldine Sealey
(02/02/2004)

Lies and the lying liars who forget who interviewed them Geraldine Sealey
(02/02/2004)

When online advice columnists go bad By Lynn Harris
In an excerpt from Lynn Harris' new novel, "Miss Media," a specialist in relationships has a hard time following her own rules. (02/02/2004)