August 2005

Daily Download: "Sweet Troubled Soul," Stellastarr*
The first single from Stellastarr*'s sophomore record. (08/31/2005)

"The Constant Gardener" By Stephanie Zacharek
Rachel Weisz and Ralph Fiennes sizzle in this slow-burning political thriller. (08/31/2005)

The Fix
Jackson to move to Bahrain? Stone vs. Zeta-Jones? Nick vs. Jessica? Plus: Martha's TV catchphrase. (08/31/2005)

Reviewed
Critics on Kanye West's "Late Registration," Death Cab for Cutie's "Plans," and Herbie Hancock's "Possibilities." (09/01/2005)

The whole truth By Andrew O'Hehir
Red and blue staters fight over religion, moral values and the culture. But philosopher Simon Blackburn sees something deeper -- a war over the very nature of truth. (08/31/2005)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Channeling Sojourner Truth? (08/31/2005)

Chic suds By Page Rockwell
When I met my sophisticated, globe-trotting roommate, I was desperate to impress. Who knew I'd win her over with a bottle of liquid soap? (09/01/2005)

Should I move my happy family from America to Asia? By Cary Tennis
Everything is peachy here, but I'm an entrepreneur and my wife is Asian, and it's the chance of a lifetime. (08/31/2005)

Archaeology from the dark side By Andrew O'Hehir
Creationists and New Agers have formed a common front to undermine mainstream archaeology and its scientific view of the human past. Are they winning? (08/31/2005)

Camp Casey goes to Washington By Rob Patterson
As America's most famous antiwar activist takes her crusade on the road, supporters pack up their banners and rosary beads and promise Crawford will always remember "Sheehan's stand." (08/31/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Huge ratings for announcerless Canadian football games carry a message for U.S. TV: Fans want to see the game, not your gimmicky broadcast of it. Plus: Angels, A's and Griffey elude the spotlight. (08/31/2005)

Katrina to the rest of the world By Scott Lamb
Among the responses: Sadness, sympathy, but not a lot of charity. (08/31/2005)

The new buzz By Garrison Keillor
Now that coffee is good for us, we can get on with our lives. And maybe someone should hand the president an extra cup or two? (08/31/2005)

Why women matter By Nancy Soderberg
Some Iraq warriors insist women's rights can wait until later, but democracy and development flourish when women are treated as equals. (08/31/2005)

"No one can say they didn't see it coming" By Sidney Blumenthal
In 2001, FEMA warned that a hurricane striking New Orleans was one of the three most likely disasters in the U.S. But the Bush administration cut New Orleans flood control funding by 44 percent to pay for the Iraq war. (08/31/2005)

Warning? What warning? T.G.
Hurricane Katrina wasn't exactly a surprise. So why did President Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress cut flood and hurricane funding for New Orleans? (08/31/2005)

In Iraq, fear kills hundreds T.G.
They didn't have suicide bombings in Iraq before the war began. Today, the fear of such a bombing killed at least 648 Iraqis. (08/31/2005)

Bush on Iraq: It's about the oil T.G.
With his approval ratings hitting a new low, the president comes up with yet another new reason for the war. (08/31/2005)

The real crisis in New Orleans? Looting! T.G.
Fox and the folks who brought the world Jeff Gannon know what's really wrong in Louisiana. (08/31/2005)

Where have all the soldiers gone? T.G.
Is Iraq hurting rescue and relief efforts back home? It depends on whom you ask. (08/31/2005)

The 9/11 of New Orleans T.G.
A national disaster gives a struggling president another chance to make his mark. (08/31/2005)

The real cause of Hurricane Katrina? T.G.
One antiabortion group said yesterday that the hurricane was God's punishment for abortion. Now it's suggesting that God sent Katrina to break up a gay street party. (08/31/2005)

Bush is back T.G.
The president arrives in Washington as the mayor of New Orleans predicts Katrina's death toll may be in the thousands. (08/31/2005)

Daily Download: "I Wanna Know Girls," Portastatic
A catchy power pop song, perfect for summer. (08/30/2005)

The Fix
Paris dumps Paris? Sharpton, Coulter kicked to curb. Plus: Gwyneth's late advice to Brad. (08/30/2005)

The battle of New Orleans By John McPhee
Long before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was in a precarious state -- caught in an ongoing war with the mighty Mississippi River. (08/30/2005)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Darwin or lose. (08/30/2005)

I'm afraid I am a bad wife By Cary Tennis
Will I cause my second husband to do what my first husband did? (08/30/2005)

Katrina's destructive waves By Katharine Mieszkowski
An MIT global warming expert argues that the damage wrought by Atlantic hurricanes in the past decade has more to do with rampant development than a vengeful Mother Nature. (08/31/2005)

The FCC's cable crackdown By Michael Scherer
The indecency war is ready to heat up -- and Tony Soprano, Jon Stewart and the "South Park" kids better watch their mouths. (08/30/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Milton Bradley and Jeff Kent star in "Dodgers Chemistry Experiment II: The Sequel." This time, chemistry matters. Unless it doesn't. (08/30/2005)

Letters
Right-wing hypocrisy and the FCC. Plus: Readers weigh in on the lifeless White House press corps. (08/30/2005)

Sheehan's numbers? Better than Bush's T.G.
A majority of Americans approve of what Sheehan is doing on Iraq. The president can't say the same about himself. (08/30/2005)

Who's happy about Iraq? Iran T.G.
An Iranian cleric says Iraq's draft constitution underscores the fact that Iran's Islamic revolution is the way to the future everywhere. (08/30/2005)

A foot soldier in the Reagan revolution T.G.
With confirmation hearings a week away, more memos reveal John Roberts' partisan views. (08/30/2005)

What do fallen soldiers think about Iraq? We don't always have to guess T.G.
Two days before he was killed, a National Guardsman from Georgia reportedly set out his feelings about the war -- and the president -- on his blog. (08/30/2005)

The president's sacrifice T.G.
George W. Bush ends his month-long vacation two days early -- for Katrina, not Iraq. (08/30/2005)

Floodwater isn't the only thing rising Aaron Kinney
The poverty rate climbs for the fourth year in a row. (08/30/2005)

Is Katrina God's punishment for abortion? T.G.
An antiabortion group says a satellite image of the storm looks just like a six-week-old fetus. (08/30/2005)

Daily Download: "Weekends," the Perishers
An exclusive download of lush, emotive rock in the vein of Coldplay. Plus a song featuring Sarah McLachlan. (08/29/2005)

Franz Ferdinand's "Do You Want To?"
The band's stomping, swaggering new single. (08/29/2005)

The Fix
Did Suge Knight shoot himself? Did Britney bawl out 13-year-old? Plus: "Harry Potter" films dissed. (08/29/2005)

"A storm that most of us have long feared" By Heather Havrilesky
Katrina, the hurricane that woke us from our storm-watching stupor. (08/29/2005)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Welcome once again to Glox News! (08/29/2005)

Single, white with dildo By Anna Jane Grossman
Thanks to developments in the field of "teledildonics," quick and easy cybersex is becoming an option for anyone with a mouse. Could Internet-enabled sex toys soon become must-haves for online daters? (08/30/2005)

Suffer the children By Ayelet Waldman
I was disgusted last week as I watched some of the Gaza settlers using their children as pawns. Then I realized that I fill my kids' heads with dogma too. (08/29/2005)

Married with two children ... and a secret girlfriend in Italy By Cary Tennis
How'd I get into this mess, and how will I ever get out? (08/29/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Ex-Baylor coach Dave Bliss, who tried to frame a murdered player to save his own hide, has a new gig. The good news: The Dakota Wizards checked his references. Plus: Lance Armstrong and drugs -- the readers write. (08/29/2005)

Tell us again how Cindy Sheehan is disrespecting the troops T.G.
In protests at two soldiers' funerals, members of a Kansas church say God is punishing U.S. troops because their country tolerates homosexuality. (08/29/2005)

Hard work, making progress T.G.
The president talks a good game on Iraq. A Republican senator says it's time for some answers. (08/29/2005)

Toe the line -- or else T.G.
The Army demotes a contracting officer who raised concerns about Halliburton's contracting in Iraq. (08/29/2005)

The children of the chickenhawks T.G.
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gets the question: If you think the war is such a great idea, why haven't you sent your own kids? (08/29/2005)

Hurricane Katrina determined to strike in U.S. T.G.
The Bush administration proposed $71.2 million in cuts for the New Orleans district of the Army Corps of Engineers. (08/29/2005)

George W. Bush, the ticklish cowboy from Crawford T.G.
When a ranch isn't a ranch, revisited. (08/29/2005)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
"Rome" burns but doesn't ignite. Plus: The comedic stylings of J.D. from "Rock Star: INXS"! (08/28/2005)

Reading "In Search of Lost Time" By Jane Smiley
You will spend 70 days in a row with this man, and you will be charmed and offended and amazed and sometimes bored, but you will be lucky. (08/28/2005)

Letters
Readers weigh in on the demise of Iraq's intellectual class. Plus: Has the U.S. government failed the Lost Boys of Sudan? (08/27/2005)

I invaded the White House press corps By Cintra Wilson
I had front row seats at the media's Great Slave Rebellion over Karl Rove. No wonder our democracy's in trouble. (08/27/2005)

Letters
Is small-town America surprisingly tolerant, or just superficially polite? Readers respond to Garrison Keillor's "Turning a Red State Bright Orange." (08/27/2005)

Daily Download: "Fancy That," Ed Askew
An exclusive download of an obscure but dazzling '60s folk gem. (08/26/2005)

"The Brothers Grimm" By Stephanie Zacharek
In Terry Gilliam's lush fantasy, the enchanted forest is livelier than any of the human characters. (08/26/2005)

"El Crimen Perfecto" By Stephanie Zacharek
This loony black comedy about an ambitious store clerk will take you for a joyride. (08/26/2005)

iTunes Free Download: Sharissa's "In Love With a Thug"
This week's iTunes free download is a duet with a near invisible R. Kelly. (08/26/2005)

The Fix
Jolie's baby no orphan. Pics show Cruise's girlish side. Plus: Aniston's big online. (08/26/2005)

Letters
Paul Lynde (and Flaubert) appreciated. Readers respond to "Queer as Folk" by Mike Sacks and to David L. Ulin on "Madame Bovary." (08/26/2005)

Letters
Readers question the wisdom of Cary Tennis' advice to a pagan woman whose child is going to Catholic school. (08/26/2005)

I left my heart in San Francisco By Cary Tennis
I feel it's time to return to the city I love, but family and practical matters hold me back. (08/26/2005)

The comeback By Rebecca Traister
Reproductive rights groups rebound and gear up to stop the Roberts nomination. (08/26/2005)

The death of Al Mutanabbi Street By Phillip Robertson
Iraqi culture was reborn when Saddam fell, only to die again. A report from Baghdad's fear-haunted literary cafes. (08/26/2005)

The Iraqi constitution: DOA? By Juan Cole
Angry and marginalized, Sunnis are threatening to torpedo Iraq's constitution. Disaster looms, and the Bush administration's blunders are largely to blame. (08/26/2005)

Intelligent donation? By Farhad Manjoo
Why the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave more than $10 million to the Discovery Institute, champions of "intelligent design." (08/27/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Allen Barra, author of a new Bear Bryant bio, on the coach's greatness, his mystique, "The Junction Boys" and his moral failure -- and success -- on integration. (08/26/2005)

Iraq's unhealthy constitution By Joe Conason
The Bush administration's desperate insistence on an instant Iraqi constitution hurts both Iraq and our broader national interests. But when your polls are falling and you need to declare victory, who cares? (08/26/2005)

At the White House, looking for some distance from Iraq T.G.
The president's spokesman says the crumbling constitutional talks are "an Iraqi process." So why is the president on the phone with the Shiites? (08/26/2005)

Next for Cindy Sheehan: A roadtrip T.G.
She'll launch a nationwide bus tour before moving her protest to a more permanent home in Washington. (08/26/2005)

How long will the United States detain innocent men? T.G.
Chinese muslims at Guantánamo have been cleared of any wrongdoing, but the government still won't set them free. (08/26/2005)

The Dead-enders Club T.G.
Thirty-four percent Americans believe in UFOs. Only 20 percent strongly support support the way George W. Bush is handling the war in Iraq. (08/26/2005)

What happens in Crawford stays in Crawford T.G.
The president invites the press over for a party, but with one condition: Nodody reports what is said. (08/26/2005)

Chickenhawk: The other right meat Aaron Kinney
Cindy Sheehan's demand that war supporters pick up gun and fight has gotten under the skin of conservative pundits. (08/26/2005)

Hitchens takes a beating Aaron Kinney
Jon Stewart lets Christopher Hitchens have it in a "Daily Show" debate on Iraq. (08/26/2005)

The search for signs of intelligent life
Evolution, idols and cellphone madness -- the methods of modern communication, this week in TT. (08/26/2005)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
What's more dangerous, an in-flight decompression, or reading about one? Somebody please pass the pilot some oxygen. (08/26/2005)

Daily Download: "The Loving Sounds of Static," Mobius Band
Vibrant, catchy rock from the Mobius Band. (08/25/2005)

Beyond the Multiplex By Andrew O'Hehir
A lunatic and a housewife get it on in 1950s London. Plus: A wall grows around Israel, and William Eggleston refuses to talk. (08/25/2005)

The Fix
Gotti now claiming "breast disease." Nick Lachey, ink-stained wretch. Plus: "American Idol" goes Baghdad. (08/25/2005)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Dinkle the Unlovable Loser: Phone Phiasco! (08/25/2005)

Sometimes you're just glad they're dead By Anneli Rufus
We're supposed to feel sad when someone dies. But what if what you really feel is relief -- or glee? (08/25/2005)

Should I follow my fiance west when my life is on the East Coast? By Cary Tennis
I find I'm quite happy on my own, and I really, really don't want to move. (08/25/2005)

Europe vs. Google By Hilmar Schmundt
American Goliaths like Google and Amazon are quickly cornering the digital book market. Will online libraries doom the scholars and small presses of old Europe? (08/25/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Lance Armstrong: Cheater or victim of a smear campaign, he's emblematic of the new, ambiguous sporting universe, where we can never be sure about our heroes. (08/25/2005)

Lost in America By Leigh Flayton
It was supposed to be a storybook tale of young refugees triumphing against all odds. But an alarming number of Sudan's "Lost Boys" have spiraled into alcohol abuse, crime and even fratricide. What went wrong? (08/25/2005)

Questioning the president By Sidney Blumenthal
A servile Congress has let Bush go on permanent vacation. But with U.S. security hanging in the balance, it's time to ask the hard-hitting questions. (08/25/2005)

Tell us again about the women, George T.G.
The Iraqi woman George W. Bush trotted out for his State of the Union address has words to say about the draft constitution -- and they're not what the president would like you to hear. (08/25/2005)

Speaking for the dead on Iraq T.G.
Both supporters and opponents of the war are invoking memories of the fallen to support their positions. (08/25/2005)

The Iraqis miss another deadline T.G.
How will the Bush administration spin this setback? (08/25/2005)

Did Time hide the truth to help Bush win reelection? T.G.
The Los Angeles Times says the newsweekly's editors didn't want to reveal what Karl Rove told Matthew Cooper for fear of influencing the election. (08/25/2005)

Santorum's troubles: For once, it's what he didn't say T.G.
The Bush loyalist claims he has raised questions about the war in Iraq. His spokesman can't find any proof. (08/25/2005)

Daily Download: "Eyes That Won't Meet Mine," the Del McCoury Band
An exclusive download from a venerated master of traditional bluegrass. (08/24/2005)

Around the Web
New war-themed videos from Barbra Streisand and Green Day. Plus: Police raid of a Utah rave has many up in arms. (08/24/2005)

The Fix
Gotti lies about breast cancer. Costas won't do tabloid news. Plus: Timberlake wins suit. (08/24/2005)

"Envy" by Kathryn Harrison By Amy Reiter
From the author of "The Kiss," a gripping, unsettling story about a middle-aged psychoanalyst's emotional and sexual adventures. (08/24/2005)

"A Factory of Cunning" by Philippa Stockley By Laura Miller
In this well-crafted comedy of manners, a wickedly charming woman with a secret past stirs up trouble in 18th century London. (08/24/2005)

"No Country for Old Men" by Cormac McCarthy By Ira Boudway
The lord of horses and cowboys follows a modern-day Texas manhunt -- and a botched drug deal -- in this hard-boiled cinematic thriller. (08/24/2005)

"Lunar Park" by Bret Easton Ellis By Laura Miller
In this quasi-memoir-turned-ghost story from the notorious '80s Brat Packer, a character named Bret Easton Ellis tries to outlive his life of excess. (08/24/2005)

"Magic for Beginners" by Kelly Link By Laura Miller
Another entrancing collection of surreal suburban tales from the author of the underground hit "Stranger Things Happen." (08/24/2005)

"Necklace of Kisses" by Francesca Lia Block By Andrew O'Hehir
In this lyrical fairy tale, Weetzie Bat -- the post-punk heroine of Block's young-adult books -- finds herself all grown up. (08/24/2005)

"Trance" by Christopher Sorrentino By Andrew O'Hehir
This ambitious and powerfully written novel uses the Patty Hearst kidnapping to capture a uniquely terrifying period in American history. (08/24/2005)

What to read By Salon staff
Savor the end of summer with the season's best novels, including the latest from Cormac McCarthy, Kathryn Harrison, Kelly Link, Bret Easton Ellis and more. (08/24/2005)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Which lie is an impeachable offense? (08/24/2005)

Journalism that doesn't flinch By Joan Walsh
Join Salon Premium and support reporting on Iraq that you won't find anywhere else (08/24/2005)

Your Premium dollars at work By Joan Walsh
Thank you for supporting reporting on Iraq that you won't find anywhere else (08/24/2005)

Gotta have it!
From clutter-conquering paper shredders to featherweight tote bags, Salon readers reveal the stuff they can't live without. (08/24/2005)

My friend has lost all reason By Cary Tennis
She married a man in desperation. Now that they've broken up, she still gives him money. (08/24/2005)

Letters
Readers respond to Salon's uncensored look at the brutality of the Iraq war. (08/24/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Canadian football goes announcerless on TV and viewers don't mind at all. Could this be the golden, silent future? Nah, but we can dream. (08/24/2005)

Turning a red state bright orange By Garrison Keillor
At a South Dakota barbecue, a colorful young woman proved why America's red-blue divide is mostly a bunch of B.S. (08/24/2005)

The Sheehan effect: Bush is forced to respond again T.G.
Even on vacation in the reddest of red states, the president can't escape families of soldiers who want the war to end. (08/24/2005)

Bush's new Iraq push: Editorials say don't bother T.G.
The president has launched a new campaign to justify the war. If the nation's opinion pages are any guide, he'd be better off fishing. (08/24/2005)

Are Democrats in disarray on Iraq? T.G.
There's a chasm between establishment Democrats and those who want the troops home now. One writer has a plan for bridging the gap. (08/24/2005)

Opposition for Roberts, but does it matter? T.G.
People for the American Way says it opposes Bush's Supreme Court nominee. (08/24/2005)

Advertising for war at Arlington National Cemetery? T.G.
In a change from past practice, the gravestones for fallen soldiers now include the P.R.-friendly names of the campaigns in which they served. (08/24/2005)

She's back T.G.
The president is still in Idaho, but Cindy Sheehan will be waiting for him when he returns to Crawford. (08/24/2005)

Pat Robertson: I didn't say what I said T.G.
The television evangelist said he didn't call for the assassination of Hugo Chaves -- even if that's exactly what he did. (08/24/2005)

More than words Aaron Kinney
Pat Robertson's loose lips may be the least of his vices. (08/24/2005)

Daily Download: "Giving Up," Windsor for the Derby
Beautiful, ghostly new music from Windsor for the Derby (08/23/2005)

The Fix
Starlet paparazzi horror stories. Britney Spears, a bigamist? Plus: Brad and Jen, officially over. (08/23/2005)

Queer as folk By Mike Sacks
Paul Lynde never officially came out -- but the "Hollywood Squares" star was the first TV personality to bring gay humor to the masses. (08/23/2005)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Casting "The Assistant" (08/23/2005)

I want to die By Cary Tennis
But I don't want the people I love to suffer. (08/23/2005)

The body beat goes on
Short, tall, skinny, fat, young, old, buxom and flat: A second round of Salon readers share their own body-inspired odes. (08/23/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Horror! Embarrassment! Ignominy! A losing baseball team might win a division! Wait: That's a good thing. (08/23/2005)

Iraq: The unseen war By Gary Kamiya
The grim reality of Iraq rarely appears in the American press. This photo gallery reveals the war's horrible human toll. (08/23/2005)

Bush's war of words By Michael Scherer
The president is sticking to all his old riffs about the war on terror -- despite an American public now much more skeptical of the war in Iraq. (08/24/2005)

"The first brick of the Palestinian state" By Chris McGreal
As the last Gaza settlement is emptied, Ariel Sharon announces his intention to expand Jewish enclaves in the West Bank. (08/23/2005)

The bereaved rate Bush By Mark Benjamin
Recalling their meetings with the president, Cindy Sheehan says "he has no compassion" and Roxanne Kaylor calls him "a liar," but Sherry Orlando says he was "very sincere." (08/23/2005)

Letters
Readers weigh in on President Bush's vacation and Dolly Parton's politics. Plus: A librarian from Ketchikan, Alaska, responds to Garrison Keillor's "Book 'Em." (08/23/2005)

Sanctity of life? Well, some of the time, anyway T.G.
Pat Robertson calls for the assassination of the president of Venezuela. (08/23/2005)

Another deadline -- and more deaths -- in Iraq T.G.
As another deadline passes without a constitution, three more U.S. soldiers are killed in Iraq. (08/23/2005)

Good tidings for Judith Miller T.G.
As the New York Times reporter sits in a Virginia jail, Robert Scheer catalogs her sins. (08/23/2005)

Hey, Mr. President, can you give us a pump? T.G.
The Bush administration responds to the high price of gas by making it easier for automakers to sell SUVs. (08/23/2005)

The Bush administration meets the big bad wolf Katharine Mieszkowski
A federal judge rules that wolves must be restored to Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and Maine. (08/23/2005)

Iraqi women? No worries, says Bush T.G.
The draft constitution would leave some aspects of women's rights in the hands of Islamic clerics. The president doesn't seem to mind. (08/23/2005)

Daily Download: "In a Manner of Speaking," Nouvelle Vague
A bossa nova take on a new-wave song, featuring an exceptionally sexy vocal performance. (08/22/2005)

Buried alive By Heather Havrilesky
After five seasons of alienation, lost loves and fragile connections, "Six Feet Under" goes out kicking. (08/22/2005)

Songs for Cindy Sheehan
Free downloads of three songs inspired by Cindy Sheehan. (08/22/2005)

The Fix
Jennings' likely heir. Courtney Love, back in court. Plus: The celebrity sex tape no one wanted. (08/22/2005)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
How to make it all go away. (08/22/2005)

Support the troops  give them a free Salon membership By Joan Walsh
(08/22/2005)

I'm a pagan with a child headed for Catholic school By Cary Tennis
My husband was raised Catholic, so it doesn't scare him, but I'm concerned. (08/22/2005)

Can Democrats get smart? By Michael Scherer
Rich liberals, fed up with losing, are spending big bucks to create think tanks and training programs. Their goal isn't just to beat Bush, but to remake the American political landscape. (08/22/2005)

Why racial profiling doesn't work By Kim Zetter
Terrorist attacks have been carried out by people of all ethnicities. What police need to look for is strange behavior, not dark skin. (08/22/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Elite NFL pass-catchers have a lot to learn when it comes to whining for more money. Here's a primer for Terrell Owens, Antonio Gates and anyone else with a beef. (08/22/2005)

It's Monday in Iraq -- again T.G.
As negotiators struggle to meet the extended deadline for a constitution, Washington worries about what comes next. (08/22/2005)

Quote of the day T.G.
With friends like these ... (08/22/2005)

Bush: Stay the course, again T.G.
The president will invoke 9/11 as he tries, one more time, to buy time for his war. (08/22/2005)

Is an Iraqi constitution cause for celebration? T.G.
What the war has wrought, if it works: A loose federation of states, governed by Islamic law. (08/22/2005)

Paul Hackett for U.S. Senate? T.G.
After a narrow loss in a congressional race, the Iraq war veteran is said to be considering another run in 2006. (08/22/2005)

Bush: "The tide of freedom ebbs and flows" T.G.
The president tries to sell his war again. (08/22/2005)

Reading "Madame Bovary" By David L. Ulin
Flaubert's dark tale of adultery feels like it was written in another age -- yet its vision of moral hypocrisy is startlingly contemporary. (08/21/2005)

An Alan Ball postmortem By Heather Havrilesky
The "Six Feet Under" creator on the show's death, and on asking tough questions in an era of simple answers. (08/20/2005)

Raise Rush Limbaugh's blood pressure  again! by Joan Walsh
The radio bully's been blasting Salon along with Cindy Sheehan this week. Talk back with a Salon Premium membership -- and give one to a friend! (08/20/2005)

Raise Rush Limbaugh's blood pressure  again! by Joan Walsh
The radio bully's been blasting Salon along with Cindy Sheehan this week. Talk back with a Salon Premium membership -- and give one to a friend! (08/20/2005)

Daily Download: "For Whose Sake?" Richard Thompson
New music from master songwriter Richard Thompson. (08/19/2005)

"Red Eye" By Stephanie Zacharek
Wes Craven's latest will have you jumping out of your seat on cue. And is that really so bad? (08/20/2005)

"The 40-Year-Old Virgin" By Stephanie Zacharek
The remarkable appeal of an undersexed middle-aged man in an oversexed world. (08/20/2005)

The Fix
Eminem battling drug addiction, Snoop cherry-picking from high schools? Plus: Kanye West blasts homophobes. (08/19/2005)

I've never had a boyfriend, but now I want a husband By Cary Tennis
Because of family history, I've avoided men altogether. Now I'm in grad school and I want to marry and have kids. (08/19/2005)

"We sing the body electric..."
We challenged, you rose to the task. Whether first-time scribes or seasoned pros from the Academy of American Poets, Salon readers have been hard at work writing body-inspired verses of their own. (08/19/2005)

After Cindy Sheehan By Farhad Manjoo
The antiwar movement was dominated by lefties and ineffective -- until a grieving mother from California became its symbol. With Middle America now asking the same angry questions she is, will the movement finally take off? (08/19/2005)

Is Dolly Parton antiwar? By Rebecca Traister
Performing at Radio City Music Hall, the country singer brought down the house with a pointed version of "Blowin' in the Wind." (08/19/2005)

Ugly acts of desperation By Joe Conason
The right has hit new depths with its scurrilous and idiotic attacks on Cindy Sheehan, a politically inexperienced mother in deep pain. (08/19/2005)

Afghan girls -- not so liberated after all Katharine Mieszkowski
It's not just Iraqi women whose rights are in danger. (08/19/2005)

Lightening the mood in Gaza Aaron Kinney
"The Daily Show" looks at the land Jewish settlers have been forced to abandon. (08/19/2005)

Your friendly neighborhood conservative? J.J.Helland
Newly released documents indicate there's a harsh legal mind lurking beneath John Roberts' friendly facade. (08/19/2005)

Miller and the Saddamite Aaron Kinney
Judith Miller once collobarated with the right's leading conspiracy theorist on Iraq. (08/19/2005)

DeLay's dirty deeds back in the spotlight J.J. Helland
The Federal Election Commission has fined a company linked to the House's Republican leader. (08/19/2005)

Hagelian philosophy J.J. Helland
Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel's criticism of the president grows louder and more frequent. (08/19/2005)

Choice time
Meet with a grieving mom? Say thank you? Kill your TV? TTers this week contemplate the course of life-changing decisions. (08/19/2005)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
So many crashes, so little time. First stop: Toronto, where Air France 358 wasn't the first plane to go barreling off a runway, and might not be the last. (08/19/2005)

Daily Download: "Panda," Dungen
An exclusive download from an acclaimed Swedish rocker. (08/18/2005)

Top Ten List: Xiu Xiu's Jaime Stewart
Xiu Xiu's Jaime Stewart presents us with a mini photo essay of 10 things he likes in his apartment. (08/18/2005)

The Fix
Cruise hearts Becks, Jackson fined in other suit, and Angelina and Brad "working on" tying knot? (08/18/2005)

The rape of Berlin By Jonathan Shainin
An anonymous diary from 1945 reminds us of the horrific crimes Soviet liberators committed against millions of German women. (08/18/2005)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
The Education of Louis (08/18/2005)

Should I leave my husband because I don't have the hots for him? By Cary Tennis
I've had some affairs and tried to leave, but he may be the best thing that will ever happen to me. (08/18/2005)

Letters
Readers respond to Ayelet Waldman's critique of busybody parents. (08/18/2005)

Thigh the beloved country By Rebecca Traister
Muscle-bound models sporting "big butts" star in Nike's fall ad campaign. Can this real-women marketing craze be real? (08/18/2005)

We did it! Now it's your turn By Salon staff
Salon's staff wrote poems celebrating our bodies and their flaws. We challenge you to do the same. (08/18/2005)

Jude the not so obscure By Sheerly Avni
What Jude Law's exposed manhood can teach us about straight chicks, porn, and why size really, really doesn't matter. (08/18/2005)

Out of here? By Jay Jaffe
Home runs are down this year, but that doesn't necessarily mean players are off the juice. Steroids still cast a grim shadow over baseball, and all of us -- players, owners, the union and fans -- are to blame. (08/18/2005)

Eyeless in Gaza By Daoud Kuttab
For Palestinians, the baffling Israeli withdrawal is a milestone -- but their future is still shrouded in uncertainty. (08/18/2005)

The end of the affair By Aluf Benn
Israel's withdrawal from Gaza signals Sharon's abandonment of the deluded settlement policy he created. But can he survive the political fallout? (08/18/2005)

The last hours of Kerem Atzmona By Rebecca Sinderbrand
For Israeli soldiers and settlers alike, the evacuation of a Gaza settlement was emotionally wrenching. (08/18/2005)

The vacationer By Sidney Blumenthal
While the president worries about restoring "balance" to his life, Americans are worried by stratospheric gas prices and growing fed up with the war in Iraq. (08/18/2005)

McCain and Clinton's Northern exposure Aaron Kinney
The senators journey to witness the effects of climate change in Alaska and Canada. (08/18/2005)

Thousands gathered to support Sheehan, or did they? Aaron Kinney
War protesters held vigils Wednesday for fallen soldiers in Iraq. Did Rush Limbaugh believe it? (08/18/2005)

Bad news, bad views, for the GOP J.J. Helland
The steady flow of not-so-good news from Iraq has given some Republicans a grim feeling about the '06 elections. (08/18/2005)

Oil prices have Iran sitting pretty Aaron Kinney
The price of oil, and the West's dependence on it, give Iran less incentive to give up its nuclear ambitions. (08/18/2005)

Sheehan breaks camp Aaron Kinney
Her mother ill, Cindy Sheehan left her Crawford, Texas, encampment and flew to California, leaving her supporters in a state of uncertainty. (08/18/2005)

Trent's got a Lott to say J.J. Helland
Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott takes shots at his successor and critiques the war in Iraq. (08/18/2005)

Daily Download: "Be With," Koushik
Swirling psychedelic trip-hop shoegaze from Koushik. (08/17/2005)

The tale of "Red Scorpion" By James Verini
The strange Hollywood interlude of the most scandal-ridden man in Washington. (08/17/2005)

Fiona Apple's "Extraordinary Machine"
Fiona Apple's long awaited "Extraordinary Machine" finally gets an official release date -- and a makeover. (08/17/2005)

The Fix
Nude Jude photos make rounds. Diddy drops the "P." Plus: Friends prepare to honor Hunter. (08/17/2005)

A league of their own By Ben Cosgrove
In a stunning debut, punk rock drummer and ex-junkie John Albert finds redemption through a baseball team full of L.A. burnouts. (08/17/2005)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
On strike: No trips to Boston till the family visits me in San Francisco! (08/17/2005)

Give your fish a lift By Cary Tennis
How to get from the pan to the plate without a breakdown. (08/17/2005)

My dad is an alcoholic By Cary Tennis
I'm uncomfortable with him, but I feel I ought to see him. After all, he's my father. (08/17/2005)

Cracks in the fortress? By Joe Strupp
New York Times execs say the paper and its staff stand firmly behind jailed Judy Miller. But off the record, some are telling reporters a different story. (08/17/2005)

Showdown in Gaza By Rebecca Sinderbrand
Right-wing protesters screamed and threw stones, but the machinery of disengagement is grinding on. A report from the front lines of Israel's historic withdrawal. (08/17/2005)

Book 'em By Garrison Keillor
If Ketchikan, Alaska, can have a $223 million bridge, can the nation's English majors score some swanky libraries? (08/17/2005)

"The president always knows" By Judd Legum and Faiz Shakir
Why won't anyone ask Bush when he first learned of Valerie Plame's identity? That's one question he doesn't need to wait for the special prosecutor to answer. (08/17/2005)

Camp Casey gets a home T.G.
A Bush neighbor offers Cindy Sheehan use of his land as police charge a man for driving his truck through rows of crosses honoring the war dead. (08/17/2005)

A conflict of interest for John G. Roberts? T.G.
The nominee was interviewing for a job on the Supreme Court at the same time he was considering the Bush administration's appeal on military tribunals. (08/17/2005)

In Iraq, more killings but no constitution T.G.
Will the Iraqi National Assembly meet its new deadline? How many more will die in the meantime? (08/17/2005)

Time editor: Rove wasn't worth the trouble T.G.
Time's Norman Pearlstine says Rove's tip about Valerie Plame probably didn't warrant a promise of confidentiality. (08/17/2005)

For the president, 38 flavors of bad T.G.
A 50-state survey shows that Bush is an extraordinarily popular president -- in Idaho. (08/17/2005)

We're not playing cowboy anymore T.G.
The Bush family ranch isn't really a ranch at all, and it's time to stop calling it one. (08/17/2005)

An indictment in Ohio T.G.
Prosecutors say that the state's Republican governor will face criminal charges for failing to report golf outings and other gifts. (08/17/2005)

Daily Download: "Thunderbird," John Hiatt
An exclusive download of a hypnotic song from John Hiatt. (08/16/2005)

CD Review: Bill Frisell's "East/West"
Bill Frisell's new live recording is one of the best of his career. (08/16/2005)

The Ninth tale By Kevin Berger
A sublime new recording of Mahler's Ninth Symphony, and the recent publication of "Letters to His Wife," recall the chilling summer when the Austrian composer faced down his demons and wrote his masterpiece. (08/16/2005)

The Fix
Martha riles the help. Good news for In Touch, bad news for Newsweek. Plus: Eminem taunts Mariah. (08/16/2005)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Hate: Then and now. (08/16/2005)

Should I tell the lesbian in the office it's cool that she's gay? By Cary Tennis
She seems to be hiding the fact, but I think I know the signs and ... that's OK! (08/16/2005)

Veering to the Reich By Michael Scott Moore
A slicked-up neo-Nazi party is making noise again in Germany, exploiting rising immigration fears in Europe. Are voters starting to listen? (08/16/2005)

The mother of all battles By Joan Walsh
Cindy Sheehan has almost single-handedly launched an American antiwar movement. And in the process, she's exposed a president's feet of clay. (08/16/2005)

Letters
Readers weigh in on George W. Bush's psyche and Cindy Sheehan's comments about Israel. Plus: Did LBJ's tears make up for his mistakes? (08/16/2005)

Why does the Washington Post hate America? T.G.
Under pressure from readers, bloggers and its own employees, the newspaper pulls out of the Pentagon's 9/11 party plan. (08/16/2005)

A new Iraqi constitution: Not now -- not ever? T.G.
George W. Bush wanted the Iraq constitution done by Aug. 15. Some Iraqis say they're not even close. (08/16/2005)

Justice John G. Roberts: A done deal? T.G.
The Washington Post says Democrats have all but given up the fight. (08/16/2005)

It gets ugly in Crawford T.G.
A driver knocks down crosses bearing the names of fallen soldiers as some of Bush's neighbors seek to stop Cindy Sheehan's protest. (08/16/2005)

But he was only representing a client, right? T.G.
More papers from John Roberts' past suggest that at least some of his conservative views are his own. (08/16/2005)

Elizabeth Edwards: Listen to Cindy Sheehan T.G.
One mother who buried a son says it's time for the president to hear from another one. (08/16/2005)

The outing of Valerie Plame: "A crappy little crime"? T.G.
The president once said that outing Plame was a serious matter. His supporters beg to differ. (08/16/2005)

Daily Download: "Sirocco (Heavy Wish)," Odiorne
A charming song from a Mercury Rev spinoff band. (08/15/2005)

The Fix
Is Crowe trying to pay off accuser? Paris dumps Tink. Plus: Judith Miller's guests. (08/15/2005)

Around the Web
A new White Stripes video, music from the Arcade Fire, and a massive selection of Wu-Tang-related videos. (08/15/2005)

Reading "Lord of the Flies" By Rebecca Traister
Almost 20 years ago, I wrote a paper on William Golding's survival tale -- without reading the book. This summer, I thought I'd see if it was truly as dreadful as I imagined. (08/15/2005)

Tales of the city By James Norton
African-American street fiction is moving on up from sidewalk stalls to megastores like Borders. But should these gritty novels of drugs, gang wars, race and romance replace James Baldwin and Toni Morrison on bookstore shelves? (08/15/2005)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
How do we know the Bush administration does not sanction the use of torture? It's simple ... (08/15/2005)

Mind your own kids By Ayelet Waldman
Sanctimonious parents, who preach "breast is best" and tell you that sleep training is cruel and unusual punishment, should keep their ideology to themselves. (08/15/2005)

Whoops -- I did it with my best friend's boyfriend By Cary Tennis
She went away for the summer and one thing led to another. (08/15/2005)

"Operation Brotherly Hand" By Chris McGreal
The Israeli army prepares to remove -- by cage or by sea -- Jewish settlers who flout the deadline to leave Gaza. (08/15/2005)

The hollow man By Robert Bryce
Bush's inability to feel the pain of others -- highlighted by Cindy Sheehan's peace vigil -- is a stark contrast to the anguish LBJ felt over casualties in Vietnam. (08/15/2005)

Bush on Sheehan: "I've got a life to live" T.G.
The president explains that he's too busy exercising to meet with the mother of a fallen soldier. (08/15/2005)

Why John Ashcroft recused himself from the Plame case T.G.
Journalist Murray Waas says the investigation was already centered on Karl Rove, who has close ties to the former attorney general. (08/15/2005)

Lowering expectations -- again -- on Iraq T.G.
As the process of drafting a constitution hits roadblocks, the White House reconsiders what is possible in Iraq. (08/15/2005)

Bush vs. Sheehan: The race to the bottom T.G.
The Republicans have only one way to save George W. Bush from Cindy Sheehan: Make her less popular than he is. (08/15/2005)

The RNC vs. Howard Dean on the future for Iraqi women T.G.
The DNC chairman says Iraqi women may ultimately be worse off than they were under Saddam Hussein. (08/15/2005)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
Nostalgia TV: Culture stalls and we choke on its fumes. At least we can all be warmed by the return of "Greg the Bunny." (08/14/2005)

Letters
Readers debate pork-barrel politics and whether Cindy Sheehan is a flip-flopper. Plus: A veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder responds to Mark Benjamin's "Sticker Shock Over Shell Shock." (08/13/2005)

Under the clerics' thumbs By Mitchell Prothero
Women's rights groups in the Middle East fear that Iraqi women will be the biggest losers in the country's new constitution. (08/13/2005)

Smearing Cindy Sheehan By Farhad Manjoo
Conservatives are attacking her as a dupe of the left whos exploiting her dead son. Some relatives have piled on too. But the grieving mother says her well-timed Crawford visit is "my idea, my mission, my vision." (08/13/2005)

Letters
Readers weigh in on whether pro-life progressives can save the Democratic Party. (08/13/2005)

Daily Download: "Joining a Fanclub," Puffy AmiYumi
Music from J-Pop duo Puffy AmiYumi's Cartoon Network show. (08/12/2005)

"The Skeleton Key" By Stephanie Zacharek
A sexy Kate Hudson helps save this thriller from its swampy atmospherics. (08/12/2005)

"Four Brothers" By Stephanie Zacharek
The man also known as Andre 3000 plays the brother of the former Marky Mark, and it's an action-packed family affair. (08/12/2005)

Country Haiku winner
Announcing the winner of our Country Haiku contest. (08/12/2005)

Self-help nation By Laura Miller
Americans spend billions of dollars a year trying to improve themselves. Is this quest for perfection a sign of perpetual optimism -- or fear of a hostile world? (08/12/2005)

Dershowitz vs. Finkelstein By Gary Younge
When pro-Israel attorney Alan Dershowitz learned that scholar and Israel critic Norman Finkelstein was writing a book that savaged him and his views, he tried to prevent its publication. Then things got really ugly. (08/12/2005)

I don't want to go through childbirth! By Cary Tennis
Though my fiancé says he understands, I'm afraid he'll be unhappy if I don't bear him a child. (08/12/2005)

Run, Andy, run! By Aaron Kinney
If head coach Andy Reid doesn't junk his pass-first philosophy -- especially with his top receivers now grounded -- the Philadelphia Eagles will never be more than Super Bowl bridesmaids. (08/12/2005)

Big Pharma's free ride By Adam Graham-Silverman
Pharmaceutical companies are using free-trade deals like CAFTA to eliminate global competition -- and deny poor patients access to cheaper generic drugs. (08/12/2005)

Getting religion By Frances Kissling
Democratic guru Jim Wallis's strategy to woo "values voters" compromises on abortion in unacceptable ways. (08/12/2005)

"I am not an appendage" By Joe Conason
District attorney Jeanine Pirro, who's opposing Hillary Clinton in New York, hopes to separate herself from her husband's sleazy business dealings. Good luck. (08/12/2005)

The China syndrome Aaron Kinney
CNOOC's losing bid to buy Unocal raised China-United States issues -- or was it the other way around? (08/12/2005)

Asking again: What did Bush know, and when did he know it? T.G.
What did Karl Rove tell the president about his involvement in the Plame case? (08/12/2005)

In the Roberts fight, a stumble by the left T.G.
NARAL pulls an ad that went farther than the facts allowed. (08/12/2005)

Pentagon: Muslims will riot if they see what we did at Abu Ghraib T.G.
The Bush administration says the release of more photos will lead to violence in Afghanistan and Iraq. (08/12/2005)

Plamegate: How far does it go? T.G.
Think Progress posts a field guide to administration officials with "known connections" to the outing of a CIA agent. There are 21 of them. (08/12/2005)

Hush money for the Gropinator? T.G.
The Los Angeles Times says a company that entered into a business deal with Schwarzenegger paid two women to keep quiet about an alleged affair first. (08/12/2005)

When will the troops come home? Your guess is as good as mine T.G.
Administration officials have sent conflicting messages. That's because they don't know, either. (08/12/2005)

Kissinger's revisionist history lesson Aaron Kinney
Former Sec. of State Henry Kissinger says we can learn a lot about Iraq by looking at Vietnam -- as long as we agree that the Vietnam War was an American success story. (08/12/2005)

Need vs. greed
What we want, what others want us to want, and why we want it -- this week in TT. (08/12/2005)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
Media madness from Toronto: God, lightning and the quasi-crash of Air France flight 358. (08/12/2005)

Daily Download: "No Time Flat," Kevin Devine
A bitter protest song set to the catchiest and bubbliest of melodies. (08/11/2005)

Beyond the Multiplex By Andrew O'Hehir
Werner Herzog's amazing documentary about a doomed grizzly bear researcher; a ruthless film about a hypersexual 15-year-old; a riveting civil rights story, and more. (08/11/2005)

Country Haiku
Tomorrow, the winner! Today, more Country Haiku highlights. (08/11/2005)

Letters
Did we all read the same interview? Readers go for a second round on Andrew O'Hehir's "Priests in Lab Coats." (08/11/2005)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
The heartwarming tale of how hard-bitten Justice Scalia raised young John Roberts. (08/11/2005)

When should our kids meet each other? By Cary Tennis
We're divorced and we're dating -- when and how to introduce the offspring? (08/11/2005)

Will the GOP stand by Bush? By Stephen W. Stromberg
As the president's approval ratings sink ever lower, congressional Republicans facing reelection are getting nervous. But thanks to the way votes are distributed, they may not pay a price for their loyalty. (08/11/2005)

Why big business hearts John Roberts By Michael Scherer
It's looking like George W. Bush named a Supreme Court nominee that corporate honchos can love. (08/11/2005)

Can Moss grow on grass? By Chris Kahrl
And can Collins deliver the bomb? If the Oakland Raiders are to recapture their fabled vertical game, they'll have to. (08/11/2005)

The informer By Sidney Blumenthal
For nearly 50 years, Robert Novak badgered and bullied his way to the top of Washington. His disgrace in the Valerie Plame affair has brought him crashing down -- and he has only himself to blame. (08/11/2005)

On Plame, the dots connect and a picture fades into view T.G.
The Washington Post's Walter Pincus walks us back to what may be the beginning of the story. (08/11/2005)

Lowering expectations -- is that possible? -- on Iraq T.G.
There's lots of happy talk about a big troop withdrawal by spring. A top military official says: Not so fast. (08/11/2005)

And we're fighting in Iraq because? T.G.
Newsweek reports that a man the U.S. says is linked to bin Laden is now working for the new Iraqi government. (08/11/2005)

Should Novak get the ax? T.G.
The conservative pundit's Op-Ed page colleagues opine on his transgressions and his future. (08/11/2005)

Bush indictment? Not yet, but Abramoff gets his T.G.
The lobbyist is indicted and arrested on fraud and conspiracy charges. (08/11/2005)

Message to "Mom": I care T.G.
The president isn't meeting with Cindy Sheehan, but he says he's heard her cry. (08/11/2005)

Scene Stealer By Lori Leibovich
After making Claire Fisher the most achingly realistic young woman on TV, we can't wait to see what Lauren Ambrose does next. (08/10/2005)

Daily Download: "Sock It to 'Em Soul Brother," Bill Moss
An exclusive download from a soul pioneer who died last week. (08/10/2005)

Peter Jennings and the death of panache By Richard Speer
As network execs opt for the dude next door -- anchorman versions of Ashton Kutcher -- the loss of the suave, Cary Grant-style ABC icon will leave us all the poorer. (08/10/2005)

More haiku highlights
Another batch of our favorite Country Haiku submissions, from the sweet to the less so. (08/10/2005)

Bestsellers
Harry Potter holds No. 1 (again) and the latest from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and Lisa See, all on this week's list, courtesy of Powell's. (08/10/2005)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
The decline of Western civilization: The karaoke years. (08/10/2005)

Heaven scent By Rebecca Traister
I never thought I could get worked up about home fragrance. Then I got a gift from Provence. (08/10/2005)

My boyfriend broke up with me but now everywhere I go I see him By Cary Tennis
I'd rather not have to say hello -- can I just ignore him? (08/10/2005)

A loudmouth hits bottom By Joan Walsh
The troubles of S.F. radio host Larry Krueger, branded as racist for blasting the Giants' "brain-dead Caribbean hitters," couldn't befall a more deserving guy. (08/10/2005)

Weighing the options By Garrison Keillor
Is finding one's inner Puritan the true path to weight loss and eternal happiness? (08/10/2005)

Crashing the party at Crawford T.G.
The Wall Street Journal says that the president's vacations are a chance for him to control the agenda without the distractions of Washington. Then came Cindy Sheehan. (08/10/2005)

Coming clean on Valerie Plame T.G.
Are journalists "conspiring" in the Valerie Plame coverup? Is it time for Novak and Miller to tell all? (08/10/2005)

Is this what Condi means by "quiet political progress"? T.G.
Armed men install a new mayor in Baghdad as five more U.S. soldiers are killed in Iraq. (08/10/2005)

We're gonna party like it's ... 9/11? T.G.
The Pentagon will mark the fourth anniversary with a country concert. How about just telling the truth instead? (08/10/2005)

A slow roll from the White House on Roberts T.G.
If you don't like bad news, bury it. If you really don't like it, don't let it out at all. (08/10/2005)

Wait! We thought he was president already T.G.
Bob Woodward makes his presidential predictions for 2008: It's Clinton vs. Cheney. (08/10/2005)

Is Cindy Sheehan "fair game," too? T.G.
Is there anything the right won't do to prop up the president and the war that he started? (08/10/2005)

The next Web revolution By Farhad Manjoo
The Web celebrates its 10th anniversary and it's still a pain to use -- clunky, slow and unresponsive. But thanks to creative small companies like Chicago's 37 Signals, the Web is finally becoming as fun and flexible as your favorite software. (08/10/2005)

Daily Download: "Please Stand Up," British Sea Power
A grand and spacious song that could become an indie-to-mainstream hit. (08/09/2005)

Country Haiku highlights
Some of the best submissions from our Country Haiku contest. (08/09/2005)

Letters
Evolution: Good science, bad religion, or both? Readers respond to Andrew O'Hehir's "Priests in Lab Coats." (08/09/2005)

Sapphic soldiers By Christine Smallwood
Tereska Torres -- author of 1950s lesbian pulp novel "Women's Barracks" -- talks about the ladies of the Free French Forces, shocking American audiences, and being mistaken for a "lesbian writer." (08/09/2005)

WayLay By Carol Lay
The Invisibles get laid off. (08/09/2005)

My parents don't like my boyfriend By Cary Tennis
We'd like to stay together, but I'm not sure I could handle the rift that would create. (08/09/2005)

Sticker shock over shell shock By Mark Benjamin
The U.S. government is reviewing 72,000 cases in which veterans have been diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder, claiming that misdiagnosis and fraud have inflated the numbers. Outraged vets say the plan is a callous attempt to cut the costs of an increasingly expensive war. (08/09/2005)

I hate the White Sox! By Anne Ursu
I know this emotion is corroding my soul, but that isn't a good enough reason to give it up. (08/09/2005)

A bridge to nowhere By Rebecca Clarren
Alaska's Gravina Island (population less than 50) will soon be connected to the megalopolis of Ketchikan (pop. 8,000) by a bridge nearly as long as the Golden Gate and higher than the Brooklyn Bridge. Alaska residents can thank Rep. Don Young, who just brought home $941 million worth of bacon. (08/09/2005)

"Flip-flopping" Americans By Eric Boehlert
Right-wing bloggers are attacking military mom Cindy Sheehan for changing her mind about Iraq. But so have millions of other citizens. (08/09/2005)

Selling out the environment By Amanda Griscom Little
Senate Democrats say they want to save the planet. So why did more than half of them vote for the Bush administration's pork-riddled, Earth-hating new energy bill? (08/09/2005)

Does an attack on Roberts go too far? T.G.
A new TV spot suggests that Bush's Supreme Court nominee "excuses" antiabortion violence. (08/09/2005)

Get off of my cloud T.G.
Mick Jagger has a few words for George W. Bush, and they're not very nice ones. Bruce Springsteen is so 2004. (08/09/2005)

A "reverse halo" for George W. Bush T.G.
Bush isn't getting credit for an uptick in the economy. Is Iraq to blame? (08/09/2005)

Hillary's opponent? Don't ask, don't tell T.G.
Republicans are excited about using Jeanine Pirro to bloody up Clinton before she can run for president. Is she up to the task? (08/09/2005)

Tehran sends Europe and U.S. scurrying Aaron Kinney
Iran's decision to restart its nuclear program prompted an emergency meeting of the U.N.'s atomic energy agency. (08/09/2005)

Remember the Electoral College? T.G.
A new report raises questions about the way we elect presidents -- and Al Gore has nothing to do with it. (08/09/2005)

Abandoning John G. Roberts T.G.
A Virginia-based "family values" group says Bush should withdraw Roberts' Supreme Court nomination on account of his work with gay rights activists. (08/09/2005)

Daily Download: "Kloy Gyn," Efterklang
A grand, slow-building song from a Danish 10-piece ensemble. (08/08/2005)

R. Kelly explained
Tofu Hut's John Seroff provides a six-step primer on the pied piper of R&B. (08/08/2005)

Country Haiku
The contest is over, and thousands of haiku were submitted. But we're not announcing the winner just yet. (08/08/2005)

Reading "Lost Illusions" By Benjamin Kunkel
As an aspiring writer, I was always too scared to read Balzac's cautionary tale of a young poet in 1820s Paris. With my first novel coming out, I was finally ready to take it on. (08/08/2005)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Obligatory summer blockbuster cartoon! (08/08/2005)

Reservation for death By Kimberley Sevcik
Jeff Weise's murderous rampage at the Red Lake Indian reservation horrified the nation. But in this closed and despairing world, shocking levels of violence are normal. A Salon exclusive. (08/08/2005)

Letters
"Jesus, I think, would have preferred that we keep our money changing and our worshiping separate." Readers respond to Lynn Harris' article about the Christian business boom. (08/08/2005)

Of gender identity, sexuality, and weddings, weddings, weddings By Cary Tennis
As my friends and I go through our 20s, will we all abandon our queer ramparts and begin having babies? (08/08/2005)

Along came Jones By Bomani Jones
For the last 10 years, Andruw Jones has been the best disappointment in baseball. Finally, he's delivering on his incredible promise. (08/08/2005)

"What you see is what you get" By Shea Andersen
As the only serious candidate so far in the 2006 governor's race, New Mexico's Bill Richardson can afford to be in-your-face -- and to start planning for 2008. (08/08/2005)

Letters
Readers weigh in on an Army sergeant's letter about Iraq. Plus: Did New Mexico really "swing hard" for Bush in 2004? (08/08/2005)

Where's Osama? T.G.
The president's protestations notwithstanding, a former CIA field commander says the United States could have captured bin Laden at Tora Bora. (08/08/2005)

Iraq's big "if" T.G.
The military says U.S. troops could come home if Iraq's security condition improves, but the situation on the ground seems to be going the other way. (08/08/2005)

We know you're sorry -- now apologize T.G.
The Wall Street Journal says it's the liberal press -- and not Bob Novak -- who should be apologizing. (08/08/2005)

The White House terror prevention plan: Trust us Tim Grieve
The military is making plans to respond to terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. What is the White House doing to prevent such attacks? And why won't it tell the former 9/11 commissioners? (08/08/2005)

The fate of Patrick Fitzgerald T.G.
George W. Bush wouldn't dare fire the special prosecutor in the Valerie Plame case, would he? Maybe he doesn't have to. (08/08/2005)

Democrats to Scooter Libby: Free Judy Miller T.G.
Saying he holds the key to the jailhouse door, four congressional Democrats ask Dick Cheney's chief of staff to provide Miller a waiver that would let her testify. (08/08/2005)

Bush tries to dodge a tough critic Aaron Kinney
Cindy Sheehan drove to Crawford, Texas, to protest the war that claimed the life of her son. (08/09/2005)

Judy Miller and Scooter Libby T.G.
A new report says the Times reporter talked with Cheney's chief of staff about Valerie Plame. What should Bush -- or the Times -- do about it? (08/08/2005)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
The new Worst Show on Television, "The Real World" crosses the line, and we all savor the final days of "Six Feet Under." (08/07/2005)

Priests in lab coats By Andrew O'Hehir
Philosopher Michael Ruse is an ardent evolutionist who thinks creationism is claptrap. So why is he accusing atheistic scientists like Richard Dawkins of being as religious as born-again Bible thumpers? (08/06/2005)

Imagining a world without nuclear weapons By Charles Hawley
Historian Richard Rhodes talks about the atomic bombing of Japan 60 years ago, today's global arms race -- and the only way to stop a nuclear attack by terrorists. (08/06/2005)

Letter from an Iraq vet
"I participated in the invasion, stayed for a year afterward, and what I witnessed was the total opposite of what President Bush told the American people." (08/06/2005)

Kyoto lite By Amanda Griscom Little
To make up for passing on the Kyoto Protocol, the Bush administration devised an alternative -- a poorly defined international partnership with no limits on greenhouse-gas emissions, no funding and no clear goals. (08/06/2005)

Daily Download: "What I Say and What I Mean," The Like
Music from an L.A. buzz band of three teenage girls. (08/05/2005)

In the mood for Leung By Stephanie Zacharek
The charisma of Tony Leung, star of the new "2046" and among the biggest stars in the world, is as potent offscreen as on. (08/05/2005)

"The Dukes of Hazzard" By Stephanie Zacharek
The charms in this latest TV show remake are skimpier than Jessica Simpson's short shorts. (08/05/2005)

"2046" By Andrew O'Hehir
Wong Kar Wai's mesmerizingly beautiful "sequel" to "In the Mood for Love" may not really make sense, but it's so intoxicatingly overripe that you don't care. (08/05/2005)

"Broken Flowers" By Stephanie Zacharek
Bill Murray tracks down an eccentric cast of ex-girlfriends in Jim Jarmusch's well-meaning but remote look at an aging Don Juan. (08/05/2005)

Milieu
Music from free netlabels. Plus: Music made from spam! (08/05/2005)

The Fix
Paris & Paris just one big hoax? Dr. Phil -- not going away anytime soon. Plus: The odds that Britney names baby "Cheetos." (08/05/2005)

Yurts, robot secretaries, and talking dinosaurs By Douglas Wolk
In Carla Speed McNeil's "Finder" comics, cultures past, present and future clash and combine to create a fantastic vision of a different world. (08/05/2005)

Letters
Was he a rapist or not? Readers weigh in on Cary Tennis' advice to a woman with a sexually coercive boyfriend. (08/05/2005)

My friend is asking for too big a favor By Cary Tennis
To stay in the country, he needs someone to sponsor him. (08/05/2005)

What Michael Moore (and the neocons) don't know about Saudi Arabia By Juan Cole
The left and the right have both crudely demonized the desert kingdom. But the ascension of King Abdullah gives the U.S. a chance to solidify relations with this flawed but key ally. (08/05/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Baseball attendance crisis in the Heartland! The White Sox are winning but not drawing! Except that they are. Plus: Remembering hoops legend Sue Gunter. (08/05/2005)

Babies first By Jeevan Vasagar
With not enough food aid for everyone, the elderly have become abandoned victims of the crisis in Niger. (08/05/2005)

Bush's dirty war By Sidney Blumenthal
Whatever the president wants to call the fight against terrorism, his tactics, in marked contrast to Britain's, are severely hampering the global effort. (08/05/2005)

"I don't like the son of a bitch that lives in the White House" By Joe Conason
Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett's narrow loss in Ohio is good news for Democrats, but only if they take his no-holds-barred criticism of the White House to heart. (08/05/2005)

Jeff Gannon: Saying it must make it so T.G.
The reporter from the late, great Talon News says he's right and we're wrong about Joseph Wilson and the Kerry campaign. (08/05/2005)

Don't worry, be happy T.G.
The White House scrambles to reassure the religious right about John G. Roberts, his work on a gay rights case notwithstanding. (08/05/2005)

And if you think this is bad ... T.G.
The president's approval ratings are a sorry sight to see. The poll numbers on Plamegate are even worse. (08/05/2005)

What made Bob blow? T.G.
Did "Who's Who" cause Robert Novak to walk off the "Inside Politics" set? Or was it something else? (08/05/2005)

What's next -- Spiro Agnew Avenue? T.G.
Not satisfied with an airport, two office buildings and a hospital emergency room, a GOP congressman wants to name a D.C. street for Ronald Reagan. (08/05/2005)

Bob Novak says he's sorry T.G.
He doesn't say what prompted him to walk off a CNN set, but he says it wasn't a concern over questions about Valerie Plame. (08/05/2005)

Stuff T.G.
There are things we see that you might want to see, too. (08/05/2005)

Retail therapy
The case for Wal-Mart, and what happens when you don't get what you bargained for, this week in TT. (08/05/2005)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
From flightless birds to the poetry of salt packets, it's the yin and yang of airline karma. (08/05/2005)

Daily Download: "Arkless," Wilderness
Menacing, doom-filled rock from a Baltimore quartet. (08/04/2005)

Around the Web
The Canterbury Tales in rap, indie covers of hit pop songs, and an excuse to visit Suicide Girls. (08/04/2005)

"Duma" By Stephanie Zacharek
The greatest kids movie of the year is proving to be as lovable and resilient as its eponymous cheetah. (08/04/2005)

The Fix
Is Fox covering up Paula Abdul scandal? Cruise ex miffed. Plus: Mike Tyson, porn star? (08/04/2005)

Lose yourself By Mark Sorkin
Cultural historian Rebecca Solnit talks about her new memoir, "A Field Guide to Getting Lost," and how losing things -- and ourselves -- makes us who we are. (08/04/2005)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
Once upon a time there lived a bare-knuckled badger-wrasslin' judge named Scalia... (08/04/2005)

Verily, I sell unto you By Lynn Harris
Increasing numbers of evangelical business owners are hanging out their shingles with the word "Christian" prominently displayed. Are they bringing godliness to Main Street -- or making hay on holiness? (08/05/2005)

I broke up with him, but I can't let go By Cary Tennis
My boyfriend has finally moved on, and now I'm the one who's clinging to the past. (08/04/2005)

Congress don't need no stinkin' ethics! By Michael Scherer
Lobbyists blithely pour funny money into congressional pockets, serene in the knowledge that ethics committees are a joke. (08/04/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
The Detroit Lions are the Detroit Lions for a reason: 16 wins in four years earns boss Matt Millen a contract extension. Plus: Pro football annuals. (08/04/2005)

The global war on whatever T.G.
Remember when the war on terror was over? It's back -- for now. (08/04/2005)

Could Karl Rove be immunized from criminal prosecution? T.G.
A congressional investigation ultimately saved Oliver North from prison time for his role in the Iran-Contra affair. Could it happen again in Plamegate? (08/04/2005)

Hints of corruption in the House of Representatives T.G.
The FBI serves search warrants on a House Democrat while Vanity Fair raises questions concerning the Republican speaker. (08/04/2005)

For Judy Miller, a prison jumpsuit but no award T.G.
Writers group changes course on whether the New York Times reporter deserves a "Conscience in Media" honor. (08/04/2005)

John Roberts and gay rights T.G.
Bush's Supreme Court nominee came to the aid of gay rights activists in the 1990s. Who wants us to know -- and why? (08/04/2005)

Purple state, purple hearts Aaron Kinney
What do the deaths of 19 Ohio Marines mean for residents' support of the war? (08/04/2005)

John Roberts and the "G" word T.G.
Bush's Supreme Court nominee helped lawyers for gay rights activists win a landmark case a decade ago. Now some voices on the right are wondering ... (08/04/2005)

Something bothering you, Bob? T.G.
CNN suspends Robert Novak for walking off the "Inside Politics" set just before he was to be asked about the Valerie Plame case. (08/05/2005)

Daily Download: "4," Alarm Will Sound
A contemporary classical ensembly covers Aphex Twin (08/03/2005)

The Fix
Has Dave Chappelle given up his show? Is Sienna Miller pregnant? Plus: Jessica's advice to Britney. (08/03/2005)

Letters
Do suicide bombers just need a decent job, a girlfriend and a hug from Mom? Should the ACLU defend Kevin Trudeau? Readers weigh in on Laura Miller's "Killer Instincts" and Christopher Dreher's review of Trudeau's "Natural Cures." (08/03/2005)

Bestsellers
Harry Potter holds No. 1 and Cormac McCarthy makes the top 10, all on this week's list, courtesy of Powell's. (08/03/2005)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Memories are made of this. (08/03/2005)

My dad met a woman, and now he has abandoned me By Cary Tennis
How do I deal with the loss of a father who's not really gone but just changed? (08/03/2005)

The bronzed and the beautiful By Sarah Elizabeth Richards
Like all pasty-white chicks, I thought I could only dream of wearing a white bikini and gold lamé thongs -- until I found salvation in a bottle of rub-on tan. (08/03/2005)

"The spirit of Osama" By Volkhard Windfuhr
A former army officer, once a close associate of bin Laden's, talks about the resort bombing in Egypt, the mutation of al-Qaida, and the world's "most powerful" terrorist network -- now operating in Iraq. (08/03/2005)

Letters
Is Wal-Mart the symptom or the disease? Plus: Debating the connection between the London bombings and Iraq. (08/03/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Just another day in the NBA: Every single player changes teams (almost), and Shaquille O'Neal takes a $10 million pay cut (sort of). (08/03/2005)

For whom the cell tolls By Garrison Keillor
I've answered the call of the chattering classes -- and have no regrets. (08/03/2005)

A win in losing in Ohio Tim Grieve
A Democrat comes within four points of taking a congressional seat that Republicans have been winning by more than 40. Is there a sea change in the swing state? (08/03/2005)

Bad, bad and bad news from Iraq Tim Grieve
Fourteen U.S. Marines are killed in a single roadside bomb attack. (08/03/2005)

The CIA and the death of Maj. Gen. Abed Hamed Mowhoush Tim Grieve
The U.S. military said an Iraqi general in its custody died of natural causes. That wasn't exactly true. (08/03/2005)

Why were Karl Rove's aides called before the grand jury? Tim Grieve
Patrick Fitzgerald isn't finished yet. (08/03/2005)

John Roberts, Clarence Thomas and Roe v. Wade Tim Grieve
George W. Bush's Supreme Court nominee says precedent plays an "important role" in our legal system. Now, where have we heard that before? (08/03/2005)

Catch one for us, Mr. President Tim Grieve
George W. Bush makes his 49th trip to Crawford, where four years ago this week he was warned that Osama bin Laden was determined to attack the United States. (08/03/2005)

Why "Made in China" is good news for the U.S. By Andrew Leonard
The boom in the Chinese microchip industry has Americans worrying about lost jobs and national security. We should be praising it as a model of how globalization is supposed to work. (08/03/2005)

Daily Download: "Will Is My Friend," Devendra Banhart
Devendra Banhart at his most subdued and affecting. (08/02/2005)

Caught up in the Current By Heather Havrilesky
Al Gore's TV network serves up compelling topics at a brisk pace -- there's just not enough to go around. (08/02/2005)

Concert Review: Antony and the Johnsons
Antony and the Johnsons thrill in concert (08/03/2005)

The Fix
Jen finally speaks out. Sienna nabs "Edie" role dropped by Katie. Plus: Is J. Lo pregnant? (08/02/2005)

Force of nature By Katharine Mieszkowski
In "Where Mountains Are Nameless," fearless adventurer Jonathan Waterman makes a passionate, personal case for preserving the Arctic Wildlife Refuge -- and the polar bears and caribous that call it home. (08/02/2005)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Recovery: It's therapeutic! (08/02/2005)

My therapist is hawking awareness training By Cary Tennis
I was uncomfortable with his suggestions, but he persisted. (08/02/2005)

Letters
"To all the men out there, I say: You Want Me to Want You. To Ms. Dickerson, I say: If you want to be desirable, check the hurt and the drama at the door." Readers respond to Debra Dickerson's essay on the missing black women of "Wedding Crashers." (08/02/2005)

Wal-Mart's P.R. war By Liza Featherstone
Activists against the behemoth think this is their year: Two new national campaigns, a critical upcoming documentary and more stores thwarted. But can they force America's largest private employer to change its ways? (08/02/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Rafael Palmeiro's drug denials sound more like Bush or Rove than Clinton. The readers write. (08/02/2005)

Extreme makeover at the EPA By Amanda Griscom Little
With another round of industry-friendly appointments to the agency, the Bush administration continues to weaken the nation's environmental protections. (08/02/2005)

Bully for you By Ian Williams
With Capitol Hill freshly vacated, Bush installed U.N.-hating John Bolton as ambassador to the U.N. If Democrats really were partisan hacks, they'd rejoice that the president chose this incompetent ideologue to sell his foreign policies. (08/02/2005)

Bush has "complete confidence" in Rove -- but why? Tim Grieve
The president hints that he knows the "true facts" of the Plame case. We've heard that one before. (08/02/2005)

With a nod to Jeff Gannon, Novak smears Wilson Tim Grieve
Novak says he's compelled to defend his own integrity in the Plame case. Why doesn't he start by getting the facts right? (08/02/2005)

Don't anybody tell Dick Durbin Tim Grieve
The U.S. has cleared two Chinese Muslims it has held in custody at Guantánamo for three years. So why are they still in custody? (08/02/2005)

War Room gets a face-lift Tim Grieve
A new look and added features. Tell us what you think. (08/02/2005)

A troop withdrawal? Don't count on it Tim Grieve
The Bush administration is full of talk about reducing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq. When? How? Who knows? (08/02/2005)

Jeff Gannon strikes back Tim Grieve
Bob Novak invoked an old Jeff Gannon story in an effort to smear Joe Wilson and defend his own "integrity." Now Gannon is leaping to his own defense. (08/02/2005)

Is Fitzgerald's focus still on Rove? Tim Grieve
ABC News has been watching the comings and goings from the grand jury room. They point in one direction. (08/02/2005)

The timely death of three dangerous words Aaron Kinney
Why isn't anyone celebrating the demise of the "war on terror"? (08/02/2005)

Daily Download: "Git," Skeletons & the Girl-Faced Boys
Arty, cerebral pop from Skeletons & the Girl-Faced Boys. (08/01/2005)

Summer Playlist: "Sick of All This Saccharine Indie Rock"
Some beats for the indie rockers from Scissorkick (08/01/2005)

The Fix
Couric says she hasn't tried to "tart up her image." Bacall blasts Cruise. Plus: Nick and Jessica, already divorced? (08/01/2005)

Reading "The Wings of the Dove" By Elizabeth Gaffney
Henry James reminded me, once again, that suffering can bring great rewards. (08/01/2005)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
Rise and shine, Americans! It's a brand new day in the war on terror! (08/01/2005)

I'm hanging by my fingernails -- but it feels good! By Cary Tennis
I've got this situation with my husband that's really rough. Maybe I should move on? (08/01/2005)

Showdown in Marfa By Andrew Nelson and Stephanie Corley
It's high noon in far West Texas, where a shootout looms for the soul of one of America's last unspoiled towns. But these aren't typical gunslingers. Some of them wear Prada. (08/01/2005)

King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Rafael Palmeiro tests positive. Maybe the post-steroids era hasn't started after all. Plus: Manny Ramirez is happy! And other trade-deadline non-blockbusters. (08/01/2005)

Look in the mirror, Mr. President By Doug Bandow
A Reaganite Republican says Bush should apologize for his grievous failures on Iraq. (08/01/2005)

How did Rove know? Tim Grieve
Did he learn about Valerie Plame's job from a reporter -- or from other administration officials out to discredit Joseph Wilson? (08/01/2005)

Another Valerie Plame? Tim Grieve
A former CIA officer says he was fired for questioning the agency's conclusions, including those about Saddam Hussein's nuclear plans. (08/01/2005)

A recess appointment for Bolton Tim Grieve
He couldn't get through the Senate, and he lied about the investigation into the Iraq-Niger connection. But you can call him Mr. Ambassador. (08/01/2005)

"A fraud on the American people" Tim Grieve
John Roberts helped clear the way for military tribunals at Guantánamo Bay. How would he have ruled if he had heard from these Air Force prosecutors first? (08/01/2005)

Bob Novak speaks -- sort of Tim Grieve
The man who outed Valerie Plame comes to his own defense but says nothing about the questions that actually matter. (08/01/2005)

A hollow justification for a recess appointment Tim Grieve
The president says the United States can't wait any longer to have a "permanent" representative to the United Nations. (08/01/2005)