December 2004

"In Good Company" By Stephanie Zacharek
Dennis Quaid -- as an ad man working for a young upstart boss -- proves he's one of those actors who improve with age. (12/31/2004)

Letters
"The Da Vinci Code": Promoter of conspiracy theory or defender of women's rights? Readers defend Dan Brown, argue about Christian history, and question whether fiction can be subjected to fact-checking. (12/31/2004)

Since you asked: 2004 By Cary Tennis
I check back with seekers of my advice to see how they're doing now. Was my counsel any help at all, or do you really wish you'd asked your mother instead? (12/31/2004)

A night of expensive nurses and sticky electrodes By Cary Tennis
You said you went through a rough patch, Mr. Tennis. So out with it! (12/31/2004)

Temple of death By Matthias Gebauer
The temple of Lom Kaen in the devastated tourist hub of Phuket, Thailand, is for many the last stop in the search for missing loved ones. (12/31/2004)

Weird science Mark Follman
(12/31/2004)

Tsunami heroes Kevin Berger
(12/31/2004)

Crystal-ball gazing into 2005
From the Supreme Court to "The Da Vinci Code," Table Talk makes its predictions for the headlines and stories of the year ahead. (12/31/2004)

The year in gossip By Amy Reiter
You pretended you didn't care about Paris, Star, Lindsay and Martha. And who did you think you were fooling? (12/30/2004)

Bestsellers
Jon Stewart falls off the list, but Bill Bryson, David Sedaris and -- of course -- Dan Brown continue to reign over the last top 20 of 2004. (12/30/2004)

Letters
"The Gray Lady ... has become a tramp." Readers vent their frustration with the New York Times, wonder about the state of journalism, and discuss Howell Raines' disdain for Bill Clinton. (12/30/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Hollywood Tales: Tom, Julia, Brian and a surprise ending! (12/30/2004)

Oral sex, hallucinogens or psychotherapy: Take your pick! By Cary Tennis
My boyfriend is averse to intimacy. How can I help him get over it? (12/30/2004)

Chronicle of a flood foretold By Mark Schapiro
For the Maldives, the day after tomorrow is now. (12/30/2004)

Neocons take complete control By Sidney Blumenthal
George W. Bush continues to purge his administration of those who advised caution in Iraq, while Dick Cheney wrests power from a wobbly Condoleezza Rice. (12/30/2004)

The year of the sucker punch By Mark Follman
Bush's reelection was a body blow to liberals, but right-wingers hit below the belt from the start. From O'Reilly to Limbaugh to Lott, a look at 2004's lowlights from the right. (12/30/2004)

No aid for America's bad image Kevin Berger
(12/30/2004)

Another missed warning? Kevin Berger
(12/30/2004)

U.S. rides alone on disaster relief Jeff Horwitz
(12/30/2004)

Surf's way up Kevin Berger
(12/31/2004)

Something to look forward to in 2005 Jeff Horwitz
(12/30/2004)

2004: The political events that shook the world
Table Talkers weigh in on gay marriage, war and the politics of torture. (12/30/2004)

The Da Vinci crock By Laura Miller
A fascinating conspiracy about Jesus transformed the cheesy thriller, "The Da Vinci Code," into a phenomenal bestseller. Too bad it comes from "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," a masterpiece of bogus history. (12/29/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Cable-free for the new year! (12/29/2004)

I'm tired of being heroic and funny and competent and wise and patient By Cary Tennis
I'm not sure I even have a question -- I'm just fed up with everything, especially my husband. (12/29/2004)

2004: Things to forget By Arianna Huffington
After a year of calamities ranging from Lynndie England posing with a leash to a $413 billion deficit, Jan. 1 has never looked so good. (12/29/2004)

Did NOAA fail to warn South Asian countries? Kevin Berger
(12/29/2004)

Where's George? Jeff Horwitz
(12/29/2004)

SEALs sue over "abuse" photos Jeff Horwitz
(12/29/2004)

2004: The best in entertainment
The books, the films, the soundtracks of Table Talk's year. (12/29/2004)

The worst of Times By Andrew O'Hehir
Two new books on the New York Times relive its recent crises. But while the Jayson Blair scandal made for splashy headlines, the real question is how the country's leading newspaper will recover from spreading lies about Iraq's WMD. (12/28/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
New Year 2005. (12/28/2004)

Our friend eloped! By Cary Tennis
She ran off with a guy we don't really like, and told her family but not her friends! (12/28/2004)

Pat Buchanan scolds Dubya David DeBatto
(12/28/2004)

Tsunami tales Kevin Berger
(12/28/2004)

U.S. is the world's Scrooge Farhad Manjoo
(12/28/2004)

The obsessions of 2004
Table Talkers recall the year reality TV was preferable to reality, iPods ruled and the Sox finally broke the curse. (12/28/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
There's just no pleasing the liberals! (12/27/2004)

What the readers wanted in 2004
From the presidential bulge to Kitty Kelley to Camille Paglia, Salon presents the most popular stories of the year. (12/27/2004)

My stepdaughter stole my wallet By Cary Tennis
She kept the cash but discarded the rest. It's time to throw her out of the house, right? (12/27/2004)

A war without a plan Jeff Horwitz
(12/27/2004)

Nuclear feud Mark Schapiro
(12/27/2004)

2004: Pop went the culture
From Janet's flash to Mel's "Passion," Table Talkers on the moments that defined the year. (12/27/2004)

When technology became cool again By Andrew Leonard, Farhad Manjoo and Katharine Mieszkowski
Google, Firefox and digital cameras gave us reason to cheer in 2004. Then again, outsourcing, global warming and the politics of stem cells proved there is a dark side. (12/27/2004)

Letters
Political blogs did not fail in 2004: A response to "When Technology Became Cool Again," from Daily Kos' Markos Moulitsas Zuniga. (12/27/2004)

The 10 best movies of 2004 By Stephanie Zacharek and Charles Taylor
Salon's critics pick the year's finest films -- from the modest "Before Sunset" to the operatic "House of Flying Daggers" to the magical "A Very Long Engagement" to the triumphantly weird "Incredibles" and "SpongeBob." (12/24/2004)

I'm a soldier in Iraq -- how about a card or letter from home? By Cary Tennis
I've asked my family to write but they say they're too busy. (12/24/2004)

Nice ice By Corrie Pikul
Lab-made diamonds are as dazzling as those mined by third-world labor. This bling may be easier on your conscience -- and your wallet. (12/24/2004)

Forgotten history lessons By Stanley I. Kutler
Indefinite internment of prisoners of war is an invitation to abuse and humiliation. Why are we repeating our horrendous mistake of the past? (12/24/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Where are all the artistic tributes to air disasters? Plus: Your in-flight cellphone questions answered. (12/24/2004)

The Fix
Is Paris over? Arafat bowled? Tyson: "My life sucks" (12/23/2004)

When comedy drew blood By Heather Havrilesky
From "Chappelle's Show" to "Da Ali G Show" to "Team America," this was a banner year for satire. Does the country have to go down the tubes to produce laughs this big? (12/23/2004)

Letters
"It will be fun. It will make us cry": Salon readers respond to Charles Taylor's review of "Hotel Rwanda." (12/23/2004)

Watch out for "a scruffy guy in a baseball cap" By Gary Younge
Pharmaceutical companies warn their employees about Michael Moore's next film project, tentatively titled "Sicko." (12/23/2004)

Writing in the Margins By Scott Thill
Our author learns: Don't mess with Texas! Feel the Lone Star love, and grab this last-minute shopping list of the year's best comics and graphic novels for all the mods, rockers, punks and Texans on your list. (12/23/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
God-Man pulls back the curtain! (12/23/2004)

Uh-oh -- I'm not Superwoman! By Cary Tennis
I thought I could be the breadwinner until my husband got his business going, but ... maybe not! (12/23/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
NFL Week 16: The injury heard 'round the conference. Terrell Owens is gone and the NFC is suddenly wide open. Plus: A pair of AFC humdingers in Jersey and Indy. (12/23/2004)

Vlad the terrible By Walter Mayr
Two years ago Russia's Vladimir Putin was a celebrated champion of democracy. Now he's being called "the Mussolini of Moscow." (12/23/2004)

Suicide mission By David DeBatto
The mess-hall bombing in Mosul, say military analysts, signals the final unraveling of the U.S. war effort in Iraq. (12/24/2004)

Is Kim Jong Il losing his grip? By Jonathan Watts
Diplomats, spies and defectors' reports of destabilizing change prompt the E.U., but not the U.S., to put North Korea on the front burner. (12/23/2004)

"Denial as a method of warfare" By Dan Glaister
A new report offers scathing criticism of America's strategy in Iraq. (12/23/2004)

The Senate's looming nuclear winter By Arianna Huffington
If Republicans get away with changing the rules on judicial filibusters, decades of legal precedents are doomed. It's time for a preemptive strike. (12/23/2004)

Last of the muckrakers By Joe Conason
A passionate, fearless, tireless crusader, Jack Newfield was the last of the great independent journalists. I will miss my friend and mentor. (12/23/2004)

Pro-choice jujitsu Farhad Manjoo
(12/23/2004)

From the Dept. of Smart Bloggers Mark Follman
(12/23/2004)

Los Angeles, the next Mogadishu? Mark Follman
(12/23/2004)

Supporting the troops Jeff Horwitz
(12/23/2004)

Convenient justice? Jeff Horwitz
(12/23/2004)

Ohio, and the broken U.S. election system Farhad Manjoo
(12/23/2004)

"Meet the Fockers" By Stephanie Zacharek
Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman steal the show in this silly sequel to "Meet the Parents." (12/22/2004)

"The Phantom of the Opera" By Stephanie Zacharek
Andrew Lloyd Webber's crowd-pleasing musical lands on the screen with a big, gaudy splat. (12/22/2004)

The Fix
"Trading Spaces" host latest sex tape scandal? Streisand: "Sex gets better." Vogue editor trolling for free swag? (12/22/2004)

Eyes wide shut By Charles Taylor
The world looked away when evil swept through Rwanda. Ten years later, a movie demands that we finally open our eyes. (12/22/2004)

Holiday cheer By Thomas Bartlett
Christmas music that doesn't stink from the Silent League and Rickie Lee Jones. Plus: The best source for free, legal mp3s. (12/22/2004)

Bestsellers
"Bad Cat" moves up the list, making us wonder, Is this the next reality fad? Plus: It's all about satire and cooking for book lovers this holiday season. (12/22/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Ever have the feeling you're being watched? (12/22/2004)

My husband's retired, but he wants to keep moving By Cary Tennis
I followed him everywhere in his military career. Now it's my turn! (12/22/2004)

Letters
Were the Vargas girls about erotic subtlety or female oppression? Salon readers discuss David Amsden's essay. (12/22/2004)

Conservative calendar girls By Rebecca Traister
We've got the perfect holiday gift idea for all the Condi-worshiping, feminist-hating, gun-toting females on your list! (12/22/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Salon's 2004 Sports Person of the Year: It's a trick! (12/22/2004)

Selling the forest for the trees By Rebecca Clarren
In a gift to timber industry patrons, the Bush administration is thinning national forests and cutting down government scientists who stand in the way. (12/22/2004)

If you like Iraq, you'll love Iran By Jeff Horwitz
Kenneth Pollack says the Bush administration doesn't have a clue about what to do in Iran and doesn't have much time to get it right. (12/22/2004)

No aberration By Suzanne Goldenberg
Memos from FBI agents complaining about treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo provide the clearest account yet of abuse sanctioned by the Bush administration. (12/22/2004)

Intellectuals vs. the masses By Jonathan Watts
The arrest of a prominent journalist signals Beijing's return -- yet again -- to old-style repression. (12/22/2004)

Letters
Salon readers cheer Rep. John Conyers' attempt to get to the bottom of 2004's voting problems, and debate Sen. Russ Feingold's take on why Democrats can't win in rural America. (12/22/2004)

The Associated Press "insurgency" By Mark Follman
Conservative bloggers tar an AP photojournalist with complicity in Sunday's street execution in Baghdad -- another cheap shot at the "left-wing" media. (12/22/2004)

Another "milestone" Geraldine Sealey
(12/22/2004)

Happy new year Geraldine Sealey
(12/22/2004)

Don't let the revolving door hit you on the way out Geraldine Sealey
(12/22/2004)

We are the world? Geraldine Sealey
(12/22/2004)

"Martyrdom" in Mosul? Geraldine Sealey
(12/22/2004)

The troops, and Bush, looking vulnerable in Iraq Mark Follman
(12/22/2004)

Santa needs a protective suit Mark Follman
(12/22/2004)

Wall Street's monster bonus from Bush Mark Follman
(12/22/2004)

The year in games By Wagner James Au
Developers, critics, gamers and analysts weigh in: What they loved, what they learned, what they worried about. (12/22/2004)

The Fix
Jackson headed to trial, Snipes denies fathering "crack addict's" child, Blake case kicks off. (12/21/2004)

Letters
A "hodgepodge of stoner logic," or a great story of Christian eroticism? Readers respond to "Lust, Revenge and the Religious Right in 12th Century Paris." (12/21/2004)

Bad sex or good irony? By Dan Glaister
Tom Wolfe beats some stiff competition to win a prize from the Brits for the year's worst lovemaking in fiction. (12/21/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Silent night. (12/21/2004)

My girlfriend flaunts her money By Cary Tennis
She's very Wall Street and I'm very nonprofit. (12/21/2004)

Investigating Ohio By Tim Grieve
Rep. John Conyers isn't ready to declare the election stolen, but he'll continue to dig into the droves of complaints -- and fight to fix the broken U.S. election system. (12/21/2004)

The year in sports By King Kaufman
Miracle comebacks, working-class heroes and gracious champions. Flying chairs, rape charges and steroids. 2004 was all about taking the bad with the good. (12/21/2004)

Back by unpopular demand By Eric Boehlert
Come next month, Bush's Inauguration Day approval ratings may be the worst of any president in modern-day history. (12/21/2004)

More revealing than a wet sari By Luke Harding
A hapless schoolboy in India who made creative use of his mobile phone sparks a global dispute involving eBay and Condoleezza Rice. (12/21/2004)

Goin' south By Russ Feingold
A driving trip through Alabama reminds a U.S. senator from Wisconsin how radical conservatives are robbing hardworking people of the American dream. (12/21/2004)

How the Democrats can change By Theodora D. Goodson
A longtime Republican who switched parties because of George W. Bush offers the DNC some practical advice from the grass roots. (12/21/2004)

Surveys say Geraldine Sealey
(12/21/2004)

The bad apple at the top of the tree Geraldine Sealey
(12/21/2004)

Buyers' remorse? Geraldine Sealey
(12/21/2004)

Oyez, oyez Geraldine Sealey
(12/21/2004)

The post-9/11 brain drain Mark Follman
(12/21/2004)

Digital fashion design ain't as easy as it looks By Sarah Lidgus
The computer-generated clothing in Pixar's "The Incredibles" required real tailors and years of programming. (12/21/2004)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
Is "The Amazing Race" populated by vile sinners? Is Regis Philbin the seventh sign of the apocalypse? Is freedom just another word for nothing left to lose? Where is the Lake of Fire, and are there curly fries there? (12/20/2004)

The Fix
Arnold drops POTUS hints again, O'Reilly seen looking "semi-morose," and Brolin arrested for spousal abuse. (12/20/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
How the Fox News Team Saved Christmas -- the heartwarming animated special! (12/20/2004)

I was emotionally abused -- will I ever trust anyone? By Cary Tennis
I can fake it, but it's just a pose. (12/20/2004)

Runaway bride By Jennifer Armstrong
It's not that I didn't want to get married. I just wanted to make sure that I could take a break from the institution whenever I needed to. (12/20/2004)

"Like having it signed by a monkey" By Dan Glaister
Rumsfeld is under fire for, among other things, not signing by hand condolence letters to families of soldiers killed in Iraq. (12/20/2004)

Violent run-up to elections By Brian Whitaker
Shiite leaders blame the latest deadly bomb attacks on Sunni militants trying to ignite an Iraqi civil war. (12/20/2004)

Just spectacular Geraldine Sealey
(12/20/2004)

He's a uniter, not a  Geraldine Sealey
(12/20/2004)

Dems debate "big tent" on choice Geraldine Sealey
(12/20/2004)

The big media's "moral values" myth Mark Follman
(12/20/2004)

The Friendster of photo sites By Katharine Mieszkowski
On the photo-sharing site Flickr, instant and unlikely communities spring up around a wild universe of images, from cats and grocery day to giving birth. (12/20/2004)

Lust, revenge and the religious right in 12th century Paris By Priya Jain
The steamy, violent saga of medieval lovers Abelard and Heloise -- and their kinky letters -- uncannily anticipate today's battles over sex and religion. (12/18/2004)

Letters
Salon readers insist that they don't have a vendetta against Christmas and say that Bill O'Reilly and others should just chill. (12/18/2004)

"Spanglish" By Charles Taylor
Want to know why Bush won? Watch James L. Brooks' smug message drama, which tries to skewer clueless liberal do-gooders but only succeeds in impaling itself. (12/17/2004)

"The Sea Inside" By Charles Taylor
The strapping Javier Bardem soars as a quadriplegic man on a quest to die with dignity. (12/17/2004)

"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" By Stephanie Zacharek
This adaptation of the popular children's book series gets so much right. So why does it feel so wrong? (12/17/2004)

The Fix
Murdoch buys $44 million apartment; Lisa Marie sells Elvis; Duff vs. Lohan: It's back on! (12/17/2004)

"Beyond the Sea" By Stephanie Zacharek
Kevin Spacey's fetishistic Bobby Darin biopic is so over the top, he might have called it "Beyond the Pale." (12/17/2004)

"The Aviator" By Stephanie Zacharek
Martin Scorsese looks at the life of Howard Hughes through rose-colored -- and vibrant, stylish, Technicolor -- glasses. (12/17/2004)

I dream of Vargas Girls By David Amsden
In these sexually saturated times, with naked celebrities, amateur orgies and live-action Barbie dolls just a click away, I long for the days when a woman's pout was enough to send a man into conniptions. (12/17/2004)

My graduate school classmate is plagiarizing. Should I tell? By Cary Tennis
I discussed my discovery with her, but I'm not sure I want to take it any further. (12/17/2004)

Libido malfunction By Rebecca Traister
From Janet Jackson's pathetic Nipplegate to Bill O'Reilly's thrusting falafel, 2004 was a year of monumentally bad sex. (12/17/2004)

The point of pleasure By Ian Sample
Scientists are trying to figure out why, when we already have it all, we risk everything for more excitement. (12/17/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
NFL Week 15: Games on Saturday, rookie QBs on center stage, Ricky Williams speaks. And if the NFC were a car, it would be a Yugo. With a flat. (12/17/2004)

Temporary truce By Simon Tisdall
Bush's crusade against Kofi Annan and the U.N. for presuming to put limits on U.S. power is on hold -- for now. (12/17/2004)

Unlawful discrimination By Clare Dyer, Michael White and Alan Travis
Britain's highest court rules that the unlimited detention of foreign terror suspects is "the real threat to the life of the nation." (12/17/2004)

Letters
Now that some of the election dust has settled, Salon readers duke it out over who's to blame for the Democrats' loss. (12/17/2004)

Torture begins at the top By Joe Conason
A recently disclosed FBI memo indicates that "marching orders" to abandon traditional interrogation methods came from Defense Secretary Rumsfeld himself. (12/17/2004)

Fool me once department Geraldine Sealey
(12/17/2004)

We challenge him to a duel Geraldine Sealey
(12/17/2004)

Krugman's gripe Geraldine Sealey
(12/17/2004)

Who you calling "centrist"? Geraldine Sealey
(12/17/2004)

"What has happened to our moral imagination?" Geraldine Sealey
(12/17/2004)

Soldier charged Geraldine Sealey
(12/17/2004)

The ones we love, the ones we love to hate
A TTer remembers a friend; others ruminate on what drives them crazy. (12/17/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Are terrorist laser beams the next scourge of the airways? And holiday wishes to our favorite scribe on Syrian musicians. (12/17/2004)

The Fix
Pale Male, welcome home! Cause of ODB's death revealed. Chevy Chase: Bush a "lying schmuck." (12/16/2004)

The Return of the Rings By Laura Miller
A new DVD saves Middle Earth fans going through serious withdrawal this winter, the first in three years without a "Lord of the Rings" movie. (12/16/2004)

"It's not National Some-of-the-Public Radio" By Brian Montopoli
Tavis Smiley tells Salon why he decided to ditch NPR. (12/16/2004)

Beautiful losers By Heather Havrilesky
"America's Next Top Model," in which a panel of bizarre sadists shred the souls of genetically superior females, is the most entertaining, unpredictable reality show on TV. (12/16/2004)

If Betty and Veronica were Latina punk lesbians By Scott Thill
Jaime Hernandez talks about his massive new comics collection "Locas," the 20-year odyssey of two L.A. rock 'n' roll chicks looking for love (and rockets). (12/16/2004)

In bed with Maggie and Hopey By Jaime Hernandez
Bonus! Read a page from "Locas," in which the "Love & Rockets" gals tackle misogyny and the finer points of truck repair -- and hit the hay. (12/16/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Of sorcery and scandals (12/16/2004)

I can't handle my angry parents! By Cary Tennis
I'm 48 years old, but when my mom and dad yell at me I turn to jelly. (12/16/2004)

Letters
Rooting for the holy rollers, and for guided imagery as a treatment for PTSD. Salon readers weigh in on "Christian Party Animals" and "My Heart Is Back." (12/16/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
D.C. to baseball: Not so fast! A city actually stands up to MLB, and MLB doesn't like it, not one bit. But baseball will profit handsomely anyway. (12/16/2004)

The Grinch who saved Christmas By Eric Boehlert
Battling the homosexuals, liberals and Jews, Bill O'Reilly and friends are making America safe for Christmas. (12/16/2004)

End of the "big happy family" By Farhad Manjoo
In answer to critics of MoveOn, Wes Boyd says that mobilizing a vibrant opposition to Bush's policies was just the first step. And he doesn't blame Kerry for the Democrats' loss. (12/16/2004)

"All we are asking is for them to pull out" By Rory McCarthy
As a U.S. general concedes that Iraqi resistance cells are getting more effective, two fighters explain their motivations. (12/16/2004)

Fit to be tried By Rory McCarthy
"Chemical Ali," the man alleged to have gassed 5,000 Kurds in 1988, is the first in Saddam's regime to face trial. (12/16/2004)

In search of armored Humvees and an exit plan By Arianna Huffington
The Democrats must shout from the rooftops that Bush and Rumsfeld have betrayed the troops they claim to be supporting. (12/16/2004)

Honoring failure By Sidney Blumenthal
How to run an imperial presidency: Reward those who have failed. Otherwise, the whole charade will be exposed. (12/16/2004)

It's the incompetence, stupid By James Verini
Forget MoveOn and ACT -- the real downfall of the Democrats was the Kerry campaign itself. A volunteer speaks out. (12/16/2004)

Bill O'Reilly hung up on me By Jerome Eric Copulsky
Or I would have explained how in defending Christmas as a national holiday he revealed his -- could it be? -- secular side. And maybe worse. (12/16/2004)

Was the nanny a mirage? (And will Gonzales get a pass?) Geraldine Sealey
(12/16/2004)

If it's broke, we better start fixing it Mark Follman
(12/16/2004)

Letters
In defense of patents: Readers respond to Jason Schultz's "When Patents Go Bad." (12/16/2004)

"Million Dollar Baby" By Charles Taylor
Clint Eastwood's boxing movie floats like a lead balloon and stings like a dead bee. (12/15/2004)

The Fix
Sharon Stone sues and Star Jones gets sued; Jessica's dad on why she's so sexy. (12/15/2004)

Checking it twice By Thomas Bartlett
The best music of the year included some likely suspects (Tom Waits, Madvillain), some underrated greats (Cee-lo), and yes, even a little Britney. Plus: The year's 25 finest free downloads. (12/15/2004)

Bestsellers
Readers relive Samwise Gamgee's journey, discover the deeds of bad cats, and take a last-minute crash course in holiday cooking. Plus: Dan Brown continues his fall from grace. (12/15/2004)

Letters
Why isn't there a DVD of "The Dead"? What's the future of Liverpool lit? And can Nick Hornby really tell us anything about criticism as a whole? Salon readers weigh in. (12/15/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
A steroid-taking freak-bag speaks out. (12/15/2004)

I can't decide. I can't decide. I can't decide By Cary Tennis
Should I get engaged? But I'm not ready. I want to get engaged. But I'm not sure. Sometimes I feel I'm ready. Other times not. (12/15/2004)

The secret history of black people By Corrie Pikul
Law professor and commentator Patricia Williams talks about passing, choosing her adopted son from a racial menu, and the myth of Condoleezza Rice. (12/15/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The NBA: It's wait for Apriltastic! Most of the league's teams already know whether they'll make the playoffs. (12/15/2004)

The revolution that failed -- for now By Farhad Manjoo
Groups like ACT and MoveOn promised to remake American politics, but they didn't beat Bush. Is there a future for liberal People Power? (12/15/2004)

Romania's orange alert By Simon Tisdall
Traian Basescu's victory signals closer ties between Eastern Europe and the West, and further isolation for Russia. (12/15/2004)

New world order By Jonathan Watts
An economic boom that has helped lift 500 million Chinese out of poverty is transforming China from a recipient to a donor of foreign aid. (12/15/2004)

Muckraker By Amanda Griscom Little
He wasn't known as the eco-warrior president, but Bill Clinton is now lending his legendary charisma and silver tongue to help mobilize the shift away from fossil fuels. (12/15/2004)

Right Hook By Mark Follman
Pro-lifers seize on Scott Peterson's death sentence; creationists behold an ancient Indonesian dwarf. Plus: Will tranny-bashing Limbaugh get an FCC spanking? (12/15/2004)

Bernie Kerik's "9/11 aura" Geraldine Sealey
(12/15/2004)

"Mad Mullahs" for Truth Geraldine Sealey
(12/15/2004)

How about that Pentagon chain of command? Mark Follman
(12/15/2004)

Our guy Jeff Horwitz
(12/16/2004)

If we say it ain't broke, we don't have to fix it Jeff Horwitz
(12/16/2004)

Goodbye, pimps and hos! By Thomas Bartlett
The year's biggest pop stars dropped the skanky booty-shaking, and -- like much of the country -- chose a conservative path. (12/14/2004)

The Fix
Farrell and Lohan hook up? Trump nuptials on TV? Bush twin clonks head, eludes concussion. (12/14/2004)

The greatest Christmas story of all By Allen Barra
Forget Scrooge and Tiny Tim -- James Joyce's "The Dead," with its distinctively Irish blend of music and tragedy, is the ultimate yuletide tale. And why isn't John Huston's marvelous film version available on DVD? (12/14/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Found art, modified (12/14/2004)

I put my mother in a headlock and broke her wrist By Cary Tennis
She was crazy, but I'm bothered that I lost control. (12/14/2004)

Top trip By Stephen Moss
Growing kits for hallucinogenic mushrooms are a must-have Christmas gift in Britain. But now the government is cracking down on sellers. (12/14/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The NHL -- remember the NHL? -- is about to ditch the whole season because team owners can't abide the players giving back a quarter of their salaries. (12/14/2004)

Final land grab? By Chris McGreal
Despite Israel's claim that it is not expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank, bulldozers are preparing the ground for new homes. (12/14/2004)

Rumsfeld, the bungler By Joe Conason
Seven months before the defense secretary's recent exchange, another grunt had complained about inadequate armor. Every GI who's been blown up since then is another reason to fire him. (12/14/2004)

Better late than never? Geraldine Sealey
(12/14/2004)

What didn't they know, and why didn't they know it? Geraldine Sealey
(12/14/2004)

Let's play a game Geraldine Sealey
(12/14/2004)

Terror threat looms large Mark Follman
(12/14/2004)

The costs keep coming Jeff Horwitz
(12/14/2004)

What do you want, a medal? Mark Follman
(12/14/2004)

The army we could already have Jeff Horwitz
(12/14/2004)

Remove me! By Brian McWilliams
Do those unsubscribe links actually work, or are they just another spammer scam? A reporter goes undercover in the world of fake Rolexes to find the answer. (12/14/2004)

Saving a city's soul By Geraldine Bedell
As waters everywhere rise from global warming, Venetians engage in a passionate debate on how to keep their palaces from sinking into the Adriatic. (12/14/2004)

What Google promises us By Andrew Leonard
An infinite library, full of everything that is, and will be. Prepare to be overwhelmed. (12/14/2004)

The Fix
Kerik: Nanny not the only problem at home? Does Ellen have a new honey? A "Sideways" start to award season. (12/13/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Conservatives rule everything -- but they must pose as victims of evil liberals! What to do? (12/13/2004)

Why do I feel so uneasy around my father? By Cary Tennis
Did something happen in my childhood that I can't remember? (12/13/2004)

Plastic fantastic By Patrick Barkham
Surgical marvels battle it out in China's first artificial-beauty pageant. (12/13/2004)

They shoot elephants, don't they? By Ted Kerasote
A plan to kill 25,000 elephants a year -- with trophy hunters doing some of the shooting -- has divided African wildlife experts and revived old charges of colonialism. (12/13/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Of asterisks, outrage and enlarged breasts: The readers write about Barry Bonds and steroids. (12/13/2004)

Crusade for creationism By Paul Harris
A Pennsylvania school board is in the forefront of nationwide efforts to bring the fight over evolution to the Supreme Court. (12/13/2004)

America's unhappy most wanted By Rory McCarthy
High-level detainees go on a hunger strike to protest their solitary confinement and impending trials in an Iraqi court. (12/13/2004)

Sneak peek: "Gunner Palace"
This documentary about an artillery crew in Baghdad reveals that underarmored Humvees were a problem from the beginning. (12/13/2004)

King vs. King By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Sadly, one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughters lent her name to the anti-gay rights movement. Her father never would have. (12/13/2004)

Bye-bye, Bernie Geraldine Sealey
(12/13/2004)

The Army you have Geraldine Sealey
(12/13/2004)

Meet the high-tech Ugly American Mark Follman
(12/13/2004)

It ain't over till it's over Jeff Horwitz
(12/13/2004)

Bill Frist's "nuclear option" Mark Follman
(12/13/2004)

When dot-com patents go bad By Jason Schultz
The auction of Commerce One's intellectual property demonstrates that patents are worth more today as weapons than anything else. That's wrong. (12/13/2004)

Saga of a "sex-crazed, genderless freak" By Priya Jain
Liverpool literary sensation Helen Walsh talks about teen rebellion, prostitution and her debut novel "Brass," the story of a bisexual female predator roaming the Merseyside streets. (12/11/2004)

Letters
Salon readers weigh in on new torture allegations in Iraq, and the future of the DNC. Plus: When will America be ready for real gay characters on TV? (12/11/2004)

"Ocean's Twelve" By Stephanie Zacharek
George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon: The gang's all here and ready for another caper in this smart, stylish sequel. (12/10/2004)

"The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" By Stephanie Zacharek
Wes Anderson's latest is a sight to behold. But is it a movie? (12/10/2004)

Christian party animals By Kimberley Sevcik
Evangelizing to the young and wasted in party centers around the globe, members of the 24-7 Prayer team hope to bring Jesus to the raving, godless masses. (12/10/2004)

I got trashed in a job interview, and now my self-esteem is gone! By Cary Tennis
The V.P. seemed to take personal delight in tearing me apart. (12/10/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
A week into the "now we know" era, how do we think about all those home runs by Barry Bonds? Plus: Week 14. (12/10/2004)

The "worst catastrophe ever" By Rory Carroll and Sarah Boseley
UNICEF sounds an alarm on the state of the world's children: Almost half live in poverty, and about 1,700 are infected with HIV every day. (12/10/2004)

Dogmatic intelligence By Suzanne Goldenberg
A veteran CIA operative sues the agency for firing him after he refused orders to falsify his reports on Iraq's WMD. (12/10/2004)

One more reason to head north? By Suzanne Goldenberg
Canada's highest court backs same-sex marriage, paving the way for legislation to force conservative provinces to recognize gay unions. (12/10/2004)

A field of dreams By Amanda Griscom Little
With the right R&D, grass-based ethanol could power every car in America. In the Bush administration's corn-centric Department of Agriculture, however, the idea's going nowhere. (12/10/2004)

Why it took soldiers to put Rumsfeld on the defense By Eric Boehlert
The Pentagon press corps has been missing in action, so Army grunts stepped in to do its job. (12/10/2004)

Rumsfeld's armor cracking fast Mark Follman
(12/10/2004)

Dreaming of a blue Christmas? Katharine Mieszkowski
(12/10/2004)

Haunted by Ohio Mark Follman
(12/10/2004)

Holiday values
The allure of tyrants, the ethics of hunting, and the madness of the season, this week in TT. (12/10/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Death by flying lawn mower -- just one of history's most embarrassing aviation disasters. (12/10/2004)

Can the movies rescue America? By Charles Taylor
In a year when Mel Gibson and Michael Moore exploited our deep divisions, we needed more Incredible films to bring us together. (12/09/2004)

"The Polysyllabic Spree" by Nick Hornby By Charles Taylor
From the author of "High Fidelity," a delightful celebration of the joys of reading that reminds us why most literary criticism is so bad. (12/09/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
The evolution of a basketball fan. (12/09/2004)

Holiday home invasion By Cary Tennis
I don't want houseguests, I don't, I don't! But here comes my mom to complain about my air mattress! (12/09/2004)

"A damning story of sanctioned abuse" By Suzanne Goldenberg
Contrary to Pentagon assertions, what happened at Abu Ghraib is not an aberration, an official memo obtained by the ACLU reveals. (12/09/2004)

Untold toll By Rory McCarthy
The U.S. coalition knows exactly how many Americans and Britons have died in Iraq, but still refuses to collect data on deaths of Iraqis. (12/09/2004)

The "Terminator" of Baghdad By Sidney Blumenthal
Well-placed friends must have figured heavily in the choice of Bernard Kerik as the new director of homeland security -- it certainly can't be his experience. (12/09/2004)

Why moving to the right is wrong By Arianna Huffington
The Democrats need to stand for red-meat populism, not GOP-lite pandering. (12/09/2004)

Media goes weak-kneed for tough-guy Kerik By Eric Boehlert
As he sails toward confirmation as Bush's new homeland security chief, Bernard Kerik's ugly attack on John Kerry has been conveniently forgotten. (12/09/2004)

Rummy reality check, part 2 Mark Follman
(12/09/2004)

Apocalypse again Mark Follman
(12/10/2004)

The Shlemiel way of software By Scott Rosenberg
Author Joel Spolsky talks about what Microsoft has in common with his grandparents and what Isaac Bashevis Singer has to do with code-generating schemes. (12/09/2004)

Great leap forward By David Teather and Jonathan Watts
A little-known Chinese company becomes the world's third largest PC manufacturer in a $1.75 billion deal with IBM. (12/09/2004)

What do they know? By Thomas Bartlett
Band Aid proves it's still clueless after all these years. Plus: Kiev's hottest rap riff and three songs from one of the year's best albums -- free. (12/08/2004)

"Bellissima" La Scala By John Hooper
Italy's renowned opera house, closed for renovations for three years, reopens amid pomp and protest. (12/08/2004)

Bestsellers
Animal lovers and humorists continue to spar for a place on the list, but Jon Stewart remains firmly on the top. (12/08/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Life's Little Victories! (12/08/2004)

I'm an abused, divorced mom, and no great beauty By Cary Tennis
So does this new man really like me, or is it just sympathy? (12/08/2004)

Letters
Readers discuss Rebecca Traister's "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" and come up with a few relationship mantras of their own. (12/08/2004)

"My heart is back" By Lynn Harris
Talk therapy only increases the suffering for some trauma victims -- but alternative treatments offer new hope. (12/08/2004)

Whitewashing torture? By David DeBatto
A veteran sergeant who told his commanding officers that he witnessed his colleagues torturing Iraqi detainees was strapped to a gurney and flown out of Iraq -- even though there was nothing wrong with him. (12/08/2004)

Descending into chaos By Suzanne Goldenberg
A gloomy assessment by the CIA's departing chief in Baghdad contradicts Bush's claim that conditions in Iraq will improve after its election. (12/08/2004)

Starting out at 64 By Justin McCurry
A U.S. soldier who deserted the Army 40 years ago to avoid Vietnam serves a short sentence and begins life anew with his family in Japan. (12/08/2004)

Letters
With the 2004 campaign fresh in their minds, Salon readers ponder the wisdom of electing Howard Dean chairman of the Democratic National Committee. (12/08/2004)

Right Hook By Mark Follman
Andrew Sullivan says Republicans like "Will & Grace" because its characters are sexless and unthreatening. Meanwhile, Christian activist Joe Glover demands gays be driven from Washington. (12/08/2004)

"We have to learn to punch our way off the ropes"
As the DNC debates who should be its next leader, Howard Dean argues that the Democratic Party must have the courage of its convictions -- and be willing to fight for them. (12/08/2004)

Reality check for Rumsfeld or the troops? Mark Follman
(12/08/2004)

Bush's more "sober" view of the war Mark Follman
(12/08/2004)

March on Ohio Mark Follman
(12/08/2004)

A different kind of draft Jeff Horwitz
(12/08/2004)

Hmmmm ... Geraldine Sealey
(12/08/2004)

Green capitalism By Ellie Winninghoff
Everybody pays when companies pollute and cheat. So big institutional investors have a legal mandate to be socially responsible. (12/08/2004)

Wild Wes By Heather Havrilesky
Wes Anderson's painstakingly realized films have found a devoted audience -- and "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" won't disappoint. (12/07/2004)

The Fix
Lindsay Lohan, lousy lip-syncer? "The Simpsons" tweaks Fox News. Princess Diana's "biggest blow." (12/07/2004)

The top 10 books of the year By Laura Miller
Magic is afoot in England, white slaves are held captive in the Sahara, sisters are haunted by a lost sibling -- and more literary feasts. (12/07/2004)

WayLay By Carol Lay
The skywriter. (12/07/2004)

Teaching the rural poor, I'm filled with rage By Cary Tennis
The drug arrests, the teen pregnancies: How long can I go on? (12/07/2004)

Whose party is it anyway? By Tim Grieve
Harry Reid may be the Democrats' new Senate leader, but this week, blue eyes are on Howard Dean. (12/07/2004)

Hell no, we won't stay By Paul Harris
Eight U.S. soldiers, among thousands who have been forced to extend their tours in Iraq, sue the Army for breach of contract. (12/07/2004)

Miles to go By Declan Walsh
As they inaugurate their first elected president, Afghans say their lives have improved a bit. But the booming opium trade presents a serious threat. (12/07/2004)

Letters
Readers react to Baruch Kimmerling's essay on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and discuss how the steroid scandal changes baseball's past and future. (12/07/2004)

Reason's fleeting! By Joyce McGreevy
Fraud suppress us, every one! And more holiday cheer-mongering. (12/07/2004)

Dealing with dark reality in Iraq Mark Follman
(12/07/2004)

Preying on the troops Geraldine Sealey
(12/07/2004)

Clinton fights belly aching, global warming Katharine Mieszkowski
(12/07/2004)

Rumsfeld: Whatever it is, I didn't do it Tim Grieve
(12/07/2004)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
Why is Brokaw so fixated on your grandpa? What does kitty want for breakfast? What do desperate psychiatrists, cartoonish housewives and bad bosses have in common? You've got questions; we've got even more questions. (12/06/2004)

The Fix
Colin Powell raps about "bling," Stevie Wonder rips Eminem a new one, and Streisand has little sympathy for impotence sufferers. (12/06/2004)

Ready for something different By Stuart Jeffries
Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom" is about to hit the big screen, but he's already thinking about what's next, like maybe a musical about his talking trousers. (12/06/2004)

"All my heroes were dope fiends" By Christopher Dreher
Jerry Stahl, the cult author of "Permanent Midnight" and "I, Fatty," faces sudden respectability, and ponders the drug rumors swirling around Ann Coulter and George W. Bush. (12/06/2004)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
The great debate: Left vs. right! (12/06/2004)

I'm a pagan vegan lesbian and I want to raise llamas in Canada By Cary Tennis
How come my wife doesn't want to join me? (12/06/2004)

He loves me, he loves me not By Rebecca Traister
Women are buying "He's Just Not That Into You" by the truckload to understand their failing relationships. But what if he is into you? (12/06/2004)

Elusive as ever By David Heather and Declan Walsh
Pakistani President Musharraf admits the search for bin Laden is a failure as the U.S. offers a deal to the Taliban. (12/06/2004)

"This baby has come from Allah and I will accept him" By Jeevan Vasagar
Refugees in Darfur, Sudan, face the consequences of mass rapes by members of the government-backed militia, pledging to care for "Janjaweed babies." (12/06/2004)

The two catastrophes By Baruch Kimmerling
Israelis and Palestinians have both been marked by inconceivable tragedy. For both sides, understanding the other's memories is the first step toward moving beyond the past. (12/06/2004)

The secret WMD commission Mark Follman
(12/06/2004)

Rappin' with Dick Gephardt Mark Follman
(12/06/2004)

Musharraf's high wire act Mark Follman
(12/06/2004)

Bush's money tree sprouts another $1 trillion Mark Follman
(12/06/2004)

Investigating voting irregularities in Ohio Mark Follman
(12/06/2004)

Frist, do no harm Geraldine Sealey
(12/06/2004)

Letters
High tech workers getting screwed? It's called g-l-o-b-a-l-i-z-a-t-i-o-n. Readers respond to Katharine Mieszkowski's "Santa's Sweatshop." (12/06/2004)

A change of heart for Scrooge? By Katharine Mieszkowski
A leaked memo hints that Electronic Arts might change its exploitative ways. But the workers are unimpressed. (12/06/2004)

Letters
From "who cares" to "suspend them for life," the readers weigh in on baseball's steroids controversy. (12/04/2004)

"Closer" By Stephanie Zacharek
Julia Roberts and Jude Law star in Mike Nichols' coldblooded examination of modern mating. (12/03/2004)

The Fix
Alleged Gibson stalker to stand trial, Nolte accused of negligence, Smith accused of unpatriotic behavior. (12/03/2004)

Pacino's way By Simon Hattenstone
On-screen, he's the archetypal tough guy, womanizer or psycho. But the actor hates guns, drinks only coffee and yearns for a girlfriend. (12/03/2004)

The mystery behind Inspector Clouseau By Heather Havrilesky
Geoffrey Rush brilliantly embodies the grandiose visions and callous self-involvement of a comic genius in HBO's "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers." (12/03/2004)

Hot and horny for Hitler By Jana Prikryl
What drew German teens by the millions to the Hitler Youth? The uniforms, the camaraderie, the cultish adoration of Der Fuhrer -- and lots of Aryan sex. (12/03/2004)

Goodbye No. 6 to the motorcycle man By Cary Tennis
This guy is so bad for me it feels really good. (12/03/2004)

Letters
Readers, including a former POW, talk about their relationship with journalist Iris Chang. (12/03/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
NFL Week 13: The NFC has gone to the dogs, but this week's AFC slate has some pooches as well. Each conference offers a good marquee game, though. (12/03/2004)

The false consequences of sex By Gary Younge
A congressional report criticizes "abstinence-only" programs, finding that most are giving children inaccurate information. (12/03/2004)

Continental divide By Ian Traynor and John Hooper
A battle is brewing over God's place in the new E.U. Constitution as secularists gain the upper hand in much of Europe. (12/03/2004)

Shocked, shocked! By Steve Kettmann
The hand-wringing over Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds is stupid and hypocritical. Everyone knows the score. (12/03/2004)

Letters
What do Ukraine and Ohio have in common? Should the CIA play dirty? Has Bush soured Canadians on America for good? Salon readers weigh in. (12/03/2004)

Going for broke on the future By Amanda Griscom Little
Bush has a chance to make clean coal more than just an oxymoron. Instead he's just playing more P.R. games. (12/03/2004)

Mr. President, will you answer the question? By Dan Froomkin
Bush has a special talent for avoiding tough questions and reporters who ask them. Here's what the White House press corps should do to smoke him out. (12/03/2004)

John Birch lives By Joe Conason
Neocons need somebody to blame other than themselves for the Iraq debacle -- so now they're going after the United Nations. (12/03/2004)

I'm in denial By Joan Walsh
Did the Giants slugger pump himself up with steroids? I don't know and I don't care. (12/03/2004)

Starr's second thoughts Geraldine Sealey
(12/03/2004)

Bringing on Bernie Geraldine Sealey
(12/03/2004)

Third rail? What third rail? Geraldine Sealey
(12/03/2004)

The commander in chief is still MIA Mark Follman
(12/03/2004)

Cue the band and start marching? Mark Follman
(12/03/2004)

Embracing the ire
Eminem, outsourcing, and red vs. blue -- TTers sound off on their righteous indignation this week. (12/03/2004)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Planes without wings and tails, flying lawn mowers and other aerodynamic amazements. (12/03/2004)

TV chefs that don't bite By Sumana Harihareswara
If you really want to learn how to cook -- as opposed to learning how to "entertain" -- stick with these two shows. (12/02/2004)

The Fix
Jamie Foxx, best actor? Rather, just like Nixon? Lindsay Lohan, troubled teen? (12/02/2004)

The most influential piece of modern art By Charlotte Higgins
Something by Picasso or Matisse? No, just a humble urinal, according to a poll of 500 experts. (12/02/2004)

Woman with a loaded gun By Charles Taylor
Across 40 years and 61 novels, the icy-blooded Ruth Rendell has proven to be more than a great mystery writer -- she's one of Britain's finest living novelists. (12/02/2004)

Letters
"What prolonged Plath's life wasn't psychoanalysis. It was poetry." Readers weigh in on Sylvia Plath and her psychiatrist. Plus: The archivist of Don DeLillo's papers shames us for our blue-state jokes. (12/02/2004)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Can the Fabulous-es learn to be happy in today's America? (12/02/2004)

My hands are lethal weapons and I'm tempted to use them By Cary Tennis
Lately I have zero tolerance for crap, and that scares me. (12/02/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Ty Willingham may have gotten a raw deal from Notre Dame, but it wasn't about race. The readers write. (12/02/2004)

Justice for Bhopal survivors By Mark Hertsgaard
The worst industrial disaster in history killed 22,000 people and counting. Twenty years later, activists are working with Amnesty International to haul those responsible into court. (12/02/2004)

In pursuit of reconciliation By Ed Vulliamy and Nerma Jelacic
Survivors of a concentration camp in Bosnia, the site of a former iron ore mine, plead with its new owner for a memorial to the hundreds killed there. (12/02/2004)

Divisive moves By Chris McGreal
The Israeli government is in turmoil as Ariel Sharon breaks with a coalition partner and a jailed Palestinian decides to join the race to succeed Yasser Arafat. (12/02/2004)

Can the Dems make 2006 their 1994? By Arianna Huffington
Republicans seized control of both houses of Congress in 1994, just two years after Bill Clinton handed them a devastating defeat. Can Dems pull off the same feat? (12/02/2004)

The new Pentagon Paper By Sidney Blumenthal
A scathing top-level report, intended for internal consumption, says that Bush's "war on terrorism" is an unmitigated disaster. Of course, the administration is ignoring it. (12/02/2004)

Brokaw plays dumb to the very end Eric Boehlert
(12/02/2004)

Dems jump on Frist fund losses Geraldine Sealey
(12/02/2004)

The dwarf known as al-Qaida Mark Follman
(12/02/2004)

Canadians throw Bush in the slammer Mark Follman
(12/02/2004)

ACLU goes after FBI for illegal spying Mark Follman
(12/02/2004)

Santa's sweatshop By Katharine Mieszkowski
Electronic Arts developers work night and day to crank out hits like "Madden NFL 2005." But now the elves are revolting. (12/02/2004)

Nothing to smile about By Thomas Bartlett
Am I the only critic in the universe who doesn't love Brian Wilson's "Smile"? Plus: Free music for jazz fans, Saturday Looks Good to Me admirers and Christmas-song haters. (12/01/2004)

The Fix
Imus' nanny troubles, Rather talks to ghosts, "Jeopardy!" champ's writing a book, and Star Jones' honeymoon videos! (12/01/2004)

Bestsellers
Book lovers stock up on cartoons, satire and twisted fairy tales to get them through the holiday season. (12/01/2004)

Abandoned no more By Dan Glaister
A complete draft of "Summer Crossing," Truman Capote's unpublished first novel, surfaces after decades in storage. (12/01/2004)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
When I grow up ... (12/01/2004)

Why do I seem to date only unavailable men? By Cary Tennis
Who's choosing who? (12/01/2004)

The story of O By Priya Jain
How could something that most of us only experience for 12 minutes a year be the driving force of humanity? A new book explores the rich, strange history of the orgasm. (12/01/2004)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Ty Willingham, Notre Dame's first black coach, gets fired quicker than any of his modern predecessors, some of whom were less successful. What could possibly explain that? (12/01/2004)

More coldblooded than Abu Ghraib By Eric Boehlert
An international law expert explains why the new Red Cross report on the Guantanamo prison camp is more disturbing than the U.S.-operated torture chambers in Baghdad. (12/02/2004)

Is it time to transform the U.N.? By Julian Borger
In a clear rebuff to Bush's doctrine of preemptive action, a panel recommends sweeping changes to respond to terrorism and rifts over Iraq. (12/01/2004)

Legal challenge in Ohio By Julian Borger
A state Supreme Court judge hears the case of a group of disgruntled Democrats who allege widespread fraud. (12/01/2004)

Right Hook By Mark Follman
Terrorism expert says Bush's reelection gave bin Laden a "kosher stamp from the Islamic world" to use nukes on U.S. -- and a major attack is "inevitable." Plus: A karate champion says CIA must play dirty. (12/01/2004)

Oh, Canada Eric Boehlert
(12/01/2004)

Turn off those cameras Jeff Horwitz
(12/01/2004)

Norway's Afghan drug problem Mark Follman
(12/01/2004)

The long tour of duty just got longer Mark Follman
(12/01/2004)

The Pentagon's office of special information Jeff Horwitz
(12/01/2004)

Missing the hybrid moment By Scott Kirsner
Fixated on an elusive hydrogen future, Detroit carmakers are letting Japan waltz in and grab a market that could explode. (12/01/2004)