August 2008

Red State Update at Saddleback: Too late to pray
Jackie and Dunlap talk to protesters at the church's presidential forum. (08/19/2008)

Bateman: John McCain meets Rick Warren
Has the GOP candidate been replaced by a Christian cyborg from the future? (08/19/2008)

The strangest live album ever By Michaelangelo Matos
The Fiery Furnaces know how to make perfect pop songs, and they know how to rock -- but on their first live album, they just want to tear things apart. (08/19/2008)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
I just don't know about this Obama fellow ... (08/19/2008)

Did doctors remove babies' hearts too soon? By Rahul K. Parikh, M.D.
Colorado doctors are under fire for performing infant organ transplants prematurely. But they made the right call. (08/19/2008)

A new use for stem cells: Breast augmentation Catherine Price
Enterprising doctors have figured out a way to use a woman's own stem cells to make her boobs look bigger. (08/19/2008)

Who will save public schools? By Amy Reiter
You! says Sandra Tsing Loh, whose hilarious "Mother on Fire" is a rallying cry for urban parents who can't afford a fancy private institution. (08/19/2008)

What does it mean to be an "anti-feminist"? Catherine Price
Men's rights lawyer Roy Den Hollander has just completed a trilogy of anti-feminist lawsuits. Watch out, women's studies! (08/19/2008)

I escaped death -- and now I want to live! By Cary Tennis
Should I try to return to life as it was before, or should I set out on adventures? (08/19/2008)

The Big O Sarah Hepola
The frustrating contradictions of Oprah Winfrey. (08/19/2008)

It's a Maddow Maddow Maddow Maddow world! Rebecca Traister
Rachel gets her own show! Rachel gets her own show! Rachel gets her own show! (08/19/2008)

Dixie is gone with the wind By Thomas Schaller
No economic-populism-inspired revivals are going to turn the region blue. Virginia's Jim Webb is a lonely exception. (08/19/2008)

How Democrats can take back the South By Bob Moser
The author of "Blue Dixie" says don't give up on the region -- but don't pander to it with Clintonian centrism. (08/19/2008)

Rice: Military power is "not the way to deal in the 21st century" Glenn Greenwald
Bush's secretary of state sermonizes against the use of military force as a means of delivering a message. (08/19/2008)

Sandbagged at Saddleback Joan Walsh
Evangelical voters simply can't vote for somebody who's pro-choice, Rick Warren tells BeliefNet -- after Obama's visit. (08/19/2008)

The fall of Bush's man in Pakistan By Juan Cole
Despite Pervez Musharraf's despotism and double-dealing with U.S. enemies, George W. Bush, John McCain and the GOP embraced him to the bitter end. (08/19/2008)

What Obama needs most
Beyond readiness to assume the presidency, there are other things Obama needs to consider as he makes his veep decision. (08/19/2008)

AP gets prickly with Lieberman Thomas Schaller
Talk about your Freudian slips. Major wire service tells us how it really feels about Senator Sanctimony. (08/19/2008)

Obama bares teeth in Orlando Thomas Schaller
Finally, the senator realizes that sometimes he will need to show a bit of anger if he wants to win this thing. (08/19/2008)

No October surprise by Rev. Wright Thomas Schaller
A correction to my original post about Jeremiah Wright's book publishing plans. (08/19/2008)

Gore to speak on final night Thomas Schaller
After much anticipation as to when Gore would speak, the former veep gets an unusual and unusually potent spot: Thursday night. (08/19/2008)

Subject, verb, POW Thomas Schaller
If McCain stole the cross-in-the-sand story from Solzhenitsyn he is not going to admit it, but he will express outrage at the insinuation and play the POW card, again. (08/19/2008)

Moser's blue Dixie Thomas Schaller
If anyone can make the case for Democrats' refocusing on the South it is Bob Moser, but the region that has really turned -- and keeps turning -- blue is the Northeast. (08/19/2008)

Afghan attack on French troops Thomas Schaller
More bad news from that other, forgotten war. (08/19/2008)

The big convention bounce Thomas Schaller
Nate Silver and Mark Penn argue that the conventions may be pageants, but they are pageants with payoffs. (08/19/2008)

Why do runners "shut it down"? King Kaufman
Saving energy for the final is one thing, but slowing down before the tape in heats looks like a recipe for disaster. (08/19/2008)

Dare to struggle, dare to win! John Krich
Nike darling Liu Xiang let down his nation. Shouldn't the poster boy for the new China have crawled across the finish line -- no matter what? (08/19/2008)

Gymnastics tiebreakers are nuts! King Kaufman
Crazy rules cost American Liukin a gold. Then again, all gymnastics rules are crazy, and sane ones wouldn't have helped her. (08/19/2008)

Mom favored for Sap-o-Meter gold King Kaufman
Slate has a scientific method for measuring the mawkishness of NBC's coverage. (08/19/2008)

Memo to NBC gymnastics commentators: Shut up! Gary Kamiya
Their overheated, U.S.-obsessed reaction to Monday night's uneven-bars final made America look like a banana republic. (08/19/2008)

Paulie Walnuts has been located! Gary Kamiya
The scary "Sopranos" mobster showed up in Beijing, cunningly disguised as an American pole-vault coach. (08/19/2008)

Fool's gold Jennifer Sey
The real question to ask after Liukin and He's routines: Why can't there be a tie? (08/19/2008)

High School Bollywood Musical Andrew Leonard
After marketing the gold-minting franchise in India, Disney brings it all back home. (08/19/2008)

Hulu is already very good, so why isn't it awesome? By Cyrus Farivar
As more of us discover online video, frustrations abound. (08/19/2008)

Inflation throws a sucker punch Andrew Leonard
Wall Street shudders as new figures show prices rising at the fastest rate in 27 years (08/19/2008)

Playboy TV to launch "Gadget or the Girl" Cyrus Farivar
Why can't we have both? (08/19/2008)

The oil price puzzle Andrew Leonard
With crude oil prices $30 below their peak, analysts are suffering whiplash. But no matter how low they go, it won't be for long. (08/19/2008)

Beer, happiness, and academic productivity Andrew Leonard
Are scientists who quaff ale less productive? Or are they just a lot more fun? (08/19/2008)

Big Think: "Globalization is good for the poor"
World Bank country director David Dollar discusses globalization and China's role as a superpower. (08/18/2008)

Did you hear that Alaska has more oil than the Middle East? By Peter Dizikes
Busting the myths about cheap and unlimited oil being broadcast by Rush Limbaugh, Jerome Corsi and other dinosaurs. (08/18/2008)

Doctors fighting about money: Now that's rich By Cary Tennis
His parents paid for everything and mine did not. So I'm in debt and he isn't. Why are we fighting about this? (08/18/2008)

Quote of the day Kate Harding
A witness to Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's wedding wishes opponents of gay marriage could have seen it. (08/18/2008)

Awesome or awful? Fat camp scholarships Judy Berman
Essay contests invite children to win a summer of free weight loss. (08/18/2008)

Our cupboard was bare By Heather Ryan
I had a master's degree. I had a job. But to feed my three children, I had to swallow my pride and go to a soup kitchen. (08/18/2008)

The hemline effect Judy Berman
With the economy in the toilet, one mother cheers the return of modest clothing. (08/18/2008)

Girl talk Kate Harding
Is it ever appropriate to call women "girls"? (08/18/2008)

Wanted: "Ugly ducklings" Tracy Clark-Flory
The "beauty disadvantaged" are invited to flock to Mount Isa, where they'll be treated as swans. (08/18/2008)

Sunday morning at Saddleback Church By Mike Madden
Most of Rick Warren's churchgoers still back McCain, but praised Obama's "values." The weekend's big winner was Warren. (08/18/2008)

The sacrifice-free election strategy By Walter Shapiro
Neither candidate speaks with much candor about solving the energy crisis. But the GOP will use U.S. oil drilling as a weapon against Obama. (08/18/2008)

Doubts over the anthrax case intensify -- except among much of the media Glenn Greenwald
While most independent observers express increasing skepticism over the FBI's case against Bruce Ivins, the establishment media uncritically amplifies those claims (08/18/2008)

Musharraf steps down Thomas Schaller
The Pakistani president, yielding to growing presssure, resigns as jubilation breaks out in many quarters of the country. (08/18/2008)

Macaca-versary Thomas Schaller
A pioneering political videographer reminds us that two years ago the Internet politics era changed forever. (08/18/2008)

The attention-driven Warren Thomas Schaller
The power play we saw at Saddleback proves that when it comes to self-regard the difference between preachers and politicians is a matter of style, but not degree. (08/18/2008)

The attention-driven Warren, Book II Thomas Schaller
Warren gets defensive when pressed again about the "cone of silence." (08/18/2008)

McCain's McMansions Thomas Schaller
There's a new video about the real elitist running for president. But don't count on McCain ever being subjected to John Edwards-level personal scrutiny. (08/18/2008)

De-"(br)othering" Obama in Denver Thomas Schaller
The New York Times has the key piece Monday about how the Obama camp will use the Democratic National Convention to recast its nominee in eyes of wary voters. (08/18/2008)

Saddleback up Thomas Schaller
It's not clear who won the Rick Warren evangelical grilling Saturday night, and maybe McCain cheated. (08/18/2008)

The attention-driven Warren, Book III Thomas Schaller
Fishers of men need the right bait, and Rick Warren's television show had two presidential nominees on the end of the line. (08/18/2008)

The naked city John Krich
Beijing's artists deserve a gold for the sheer wealth of their audacity and talent. (08/18/2008)

Baseball gets chippy King Kaufman
Six hit batsmen, two collisions, an injured catcher and a woozy top prospect. No wonder big-league teams want no part of the Olympics. (08/18/2008)

33 and fabulous Jennifer Sey
The most astonishing event of the women's individual gymnastics event finals was turned in by a 33-year-old mom. (08/18/2008)

Where have you gone, Allen Iverson? King Kaufman
The U.S. men's return to basketball dominance is a lot less interesting than those fascinating days of dysfunction in Athens. (08/18/2008)

Short people got no reason to live Gary Kamiya
It isn't enough that tall men get all the girls and win all the elections. After Usain Bolt's ridiculous world-record sprint, now we can't even run away from them anymore. (08/18/2008)

What the Georgian cyber-attacks mean for the U.S. Cyrus Farivar
While Tbilisi's Web sites "burn," Washington fiddles. (08/18/2008)

Opus By Berkeley Breathed
Hiding from life's minor unpleasantries in the "happy place." (08/17/2008)

Barack Obama's purpose-driven gamble By Mike Madden
The Democrat wanted to show he could compete for evangelical votes, too. Will he succeed? (08/17/2008)

Are we now officially a Christian nation? Joan Walsh
I admire Obama's courage in going to the Saddleback Church forum, but I regret he did it. I hope he doesn't come to feel the same way. (08/18/2008)

The bluest day John Krich
Sun shines bright on Beijing at last -- a perfect day for pure sport, beckoning all to party (and spend) within the Forbidden City. (08/17/2008)

Critics' Picks
Salon selects the songs of the summer -- from the Jonas Brothers to Beck and beyond. (08/16/2008)

More on Obama and race
Joan Walsh on the presidential candidate. (08/16/2008)

Get Rielle By Justin Jouvenal
The life of John Edwards flame Rielle Hunter has been a novel, literally, with Bolivian marching powder, movie scripts called "It's All About Uranus" and electrocuted horses. (08/16/2008)

Race and the presidential race, again Joan Walsh
More analysts are concluding that Barack Obama is being hurt by being black. How do we know if they're right, and what Obama should do? (08/16/2008)

A tale of two Beijings John Krich
It wasn't the Red Army that killed feudalism -- it was the Olympics. (08/16/2008)

Web users demand privacy, then give it up Evan Ratliff
As Internet companies track our every move, what to do about data privacy? Do we need a comprehensive law or should individuals be responsible? (08/16/2008)

Scarlett and Penélope do Barcelona Andrew O'Hehir
Can a sapphic love scene between Scarlett Johansson and Penélope Cruz make Woody Allen seem relevant again? (08/15/2008)

Scott Bateman: Who can the American people trust?
Actual audio: Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes randomly shout about John Edwards. (08/15/2008)

Does the Pill affect mate choice?
Tracy Clark-Flory responds to a new study about the effects of the Pill on how men smell to women. (08/15/2008)

"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" By Stephanie Zacharek
George Lucas fills in the "Star Wars" blanks with an animated tale that may make more sense than his live-action films. (08/15/2008)

A French master's farewell to love Andrew O'Hehir
Eric Rohmer's pastoral Renaissance fantasy, "The Romance of Astrea and Celadon," couldn't be a weirder, or lovelier, way to say goodbye. (08/15/2008)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Jill doesn't know that she's Evolving Doors' first client. (08/15/2008)

My marriage was a mistake By Cary Tennis
I wanted to be the bride but I don't like being the wife. Now I face the toughest decision of my life. (08/15/2008)

Slipped through the cracks Logan Scherer
The stories we missed: Women turn off breast-feeding, bikini waxes a hit with tweens and VH1's most famous pickup artist gets sued. (08/15/2008)

The couple who lived in a mall By Lisa Selin Davis
After Michael Townsend and Adriana Yoto found their skyline blighted by a colossal mall, they protested it in an unusual way -- they moved in. (08/15/2008)

"WTF" of the day: "Dive In!" underwear ... for kids Judy Berman
Parents are outraged over a suggestive pair of "High School Musical" panties. (08/15/2008)

"We want our kids back too" Kate Harding
A new viral Web campaign seeks to raise awareness about missing children of color. (08/15/2008)

Wankipedia Kate Harding
Chickipedia achieves new heights in the blatant objectification of women. (08/15/2008)

Kick off those heels! Tracy Clark-Flory
A new study says bosses are risking their employees' health with "sexist" dress codes. (08/15/2008)

The Democrats get religion By Sarah Posner
Will the political mission to fashion an evangelical glow around Barack Obama lead to the White House? (08/15/2008)

The Newer Deal: The path to a Democratic supermajority By Michael Lind
How Democrats can win big in 2010 and beyond -- by doing the opposite of what they're doing now. Think FDR-style liberalism, not McGovern. (08/15/2008)

A pre-convention memo to Hillary Clinton By Joe Conason
Ignore your sniping campaign team. Smart advisors would tell you to give Barack Obama your undivided support from now until Election Day. (08/15/2008)

Illusions of victory under Bush By Andrew Bacevich
How the U.S. wildly overestimated the use of military power in Bush's global war on terror. (08/15/2008)

Happy days are here again! Joan Walsh
The Obama and Clinton campaigns come together to prove Maureen Dowd wrong. (08/15/2008)

Salon Radio: Jane Hamsher Glenn Greenwald
What are the short-term and longer-term plans for Accountability Now and Strange Bedfellows? (08/15/2008)

McCain, Obama keep up the ad wars Mike Madden
Both campaigns are running harsh new TV commercials about taxes and the economy. (08/15/2008)

McCain raises record cash Mike Madden
In his second-to-last month raising money for the presidential campaign, John McCain took in $27 million, leaving him $21.4 million in the bank. (08/15/2008)

Players win, and winners play Mike Madden
Politicians' new favorite tactic: Give money and get a chance to win a prize. How did campaigns turn into glorified raffles? (08/15/2008)

Corsi: Hey, I'm just doing my job Mike Madden
The conservative hatchetman says his Obama book is an important piece of scholarship, just like some of his other weird theories. (08/15/2008)

More money, more problems Mike Madden
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens faces new accusations in a federal criminal case that threatens his political career. (08/15/2008)

Why we identify with Olympic athletes Gary Kamiya
Yes, their feats are unimaginable -- but they pull us up with them. (08/15/2008)

Get the names right King Kaufman
NBC's lazy approach to pronunciation isn't limited to non-American athletes. The Peacock even butchers "Beijing." (08/15/2008)

Watching Nastia's gold and Shawn's silver Jennifer Sey
As a former elite gymnast myself, it's hard to watch Olympic competition. But then Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson blew me away. (08/15/2008)

Grace under pressure, and over power King Kaufman
It would have been great to see Shawn Johnson's explosive athleticism win the women's gymnastics gold. (08/15/2008)

The devil's playground
Would Satan like s'mores? Notes on camp, hellfire style, from a member of Salon's Table Talk community. (08/15/2008)

Rat-brain robot alters direction of human history ... again! Evan Ratliff
New robot, not such new science. (08/16/2008)

The grave new threat we face from music Evan Ratliff
Binaural beats pumped into your headphones can cause you to experience sex- and drug-like ecstasy. (08/15/2008)

Ask the pilot By Patrick Smith
What do U.S. carriers need to do to regain their status as world-class players? Wi-Fi would help. (08/15/2008)

Bateman: George W. Bush on the invasion of Georgia
The president is deeply concerned about Russia's recent (that's a tongue twister!) actions. (08/14/2008)

An actress cut in two Andrew O'Hehir
French sex symbol Ludivine Sagnier on passion, perversion and her new film "A Girl Cut in Two." (Please, don't call it a porn movie.) (08/14/2008)

"The obscenity is in the head of the audience"
Andrew O'Hehir interviews Ludivine Sagnier about her new film, "A Girl Cut in Two." (08/14/2008)

A fraud's life By Louis Bayard
Can great art spring from a lie? Two new books about forgers raise provocative questions about the links between authenticity and genius. (08/14/2008)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
In which psychoeconomist Dr. Von Mole explains the mechanics of this psychological recession. (08/14/2008)

All-American funny girl Judy Berman
Margaret Cho returns to television with a Kathy Griffin-style reality show. Can she make it work this time? (08/14/2008)

My alcoholic husband does not feel deserving of love By Cary Tennis
We are now in a crisis of sorts, and his lack of self-regard is dragging both of us down. (08/14/2008)

"WTF" of the day Catherine Price
Rush Limbaugh offers his take on why John Edwards decided to stray. (08/14/2008)

A softer line on abortion Catherine Price
Could an addition to the Democrats' platform on reproductive rights help court evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics? (08/14/2008)

Ruining relationships one Pill at a time? Tracy Clark-Flory
Researchers say birth control alters women's pheremonal sensibility -- but do we know enough yet to draw conclusions? (08/14/2008)

Girl crush: Julia Child Judy Berman
America's favorite chef was also a top-secret WWII spy. (08/14/2008)

America's next transgender model Tracy Clark-Flory
For the first time, Tyra Banks' reality TV show will feature a transgender contestant. (08/14/2008)

A hint of freedom for Iraqi women By Anna Badkhen
Cultural repression by the Muslim militias has waned slightly, but women still miss freedoms they enjoyed under Saddam Hussein. (08/14/2008)

Johnny, I hardly knew ye By Walter Shapiro
After covering John Edwards -- and liking him -- for years, what I thought I knew about him was wrong. But reporters often misjudge candidates. (08/14/2008)

Putin's war enablers: Bush and Cheney By Juan Cole
Russia's escalating war on Georgia reveals the consequences of the Bush administration's long assault on the international rule of law. (08/14/2008)

And the shortlist dwindles ... or does it? Mike Madden
Looking for clues about Barack Obama's running mate in the schedule of speakers at the Democratic convention may be fruitless. (08/14/2008)

Let the whining continue Mike Madden
Phil Gramm reappears among John McCain's top aides, a month after he quit the campaign for calling America a "nation of whiners" about the economy. (08/14/2008)

Obama's favorite lyricist: Obama? Mike Madden
Barack Obama and John McCain pick their favorite tunes. A will.i.am one on Obama's list might seem familiar. (08/14/2008)

McCain sends pals to war Mike Madden
Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham are off to save Georgia, on John McCain's orders. (08/14/2008)

The Olympic ad battle Mike Madden
Are Barack Obama's cheery ads more in tune with the atmosphere of the coverage from Beijing than John McCain's? (08/14/2008)

Dems agree to put Clinton's name in nomination Mike Madden
Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be recognized, for the sake of party unity, before Obama officially claims the nod. (08/14/2008)

Karl Rove's election predictions Mike Madden
Bush's former top strategist sees most of the action this fall coming in Virginia, Colorado, Michigan and, just for old time's sake, Ohio. (08/14/2008)

Obama aide: Corsi "a discredited liar" Mike Madden
Barack Obama's campaign prepares a 39-page response to an error-filled new book by the man behind the Swift Boat Vets. (08/14/2008)

Phelps, Phelps, Phelps King Kaufman
The American phenom has been annoyingly omnipresent. That's too bad, because there are other things happening, and because he's not annoying. (08/14/2008)

Softball too: See ya King Kaufman
As Yahoo's Dan Wetzel points out, the U.S. is the only country playing the sport at a high level. (08/14/2008)

Clear the beach! King Kaufman
Volleyball in sand. Skimpy outfits. Americans good. We get it. Can we have a little basketball on TV please? (08/14/2008)

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern aren't gold Gary Kamiya
The two American gymnasts were bit players in the men's all-around finals. But NBC treated them like Hamlet. (08/14/2008)

Are you losing your memory thanks to the Internet? Evan Ratliff
The ability to continually look up information is changing how and what we remember. But maybe that's not a bad thing. (08/14/2008)

Update: Cyberattacks against Georgia Evan Ratliff
Many experts think that the Russian government may not be directly involved. (08/14/2008)

Obama's response to McCain
Is Obama using street slang? (08/13/2008)

Rabbit Bites: Coffee with Patton Oswalt
The bunnies talk nuts and carrots with the comedian. (08/13/2008)

See Tarantino's next movie right now (sort of) Andrew O'Hehir
Eager to catch the ultraviolent WWII shootout "Inglorious Bastards," loaded with blaxploitation beefcake and naked chicks? Come on over! (08/13/2008)

"Tropic Thunder" By Stephanie Zacharek
Robert Downey Jr. gives the most enjoyable performance of the year in this near-genius satire of Hollywood excess and vanity. (08/13/2008)

Bateman: Hey, Nancy Pelosi was on "The View"!
The House speaker defends her decision to not seek impeachment of George W. Bush. (08/13/2008)

This is not my beautiful wife By Laura Miller
Meteorology meets conspiracy in Rivka Galchen's exquisite first novel about a man who mistakes his wife for an impostor. (08/13/2008)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
Good vibrations in Southern California. (08/13/2008)

Burger and fries to go By Liz Galst
How to convert a car to run on leftover vegetable oil from your local greasy spoon. (08/13/2008)

APA report: Abortion is not a threat to women's mental health Lynn Harris
Can't say the same for all the quackery to the contrary. (08/13/2008)

1,250,444 ways to please your man Sarah Hepola
A new Onion video satirizes the absurdity of Cosmopolitan magazine. (08/13/2008)

Should I tell my boyfriend's wife about our affair? By Cary Tennis
I'm leaving him and he's a scumbag. I think she should know who she's really married to. (08/13/2008)

Quote of the day Sarah Hepola
New York magazine on the delicate balancing act of being Michelle Obama. (08/13/2008)

Stop rape, punish victims? Tracy Clark-Flory
Britain cuts compensation for rape victims who were drunk at the time of their attack. (08/13/2008)

Open arms Sarah Hepola
Looking at some of the terrific feminist writing on Salon's new social content site. (08/13/2008)

Chaos in the Caucasus By Nathalie Gorman
An expert on Russian politics talks about what's behind the military assault on Georgia, and how the U.S. and Europe failed to prevent it. (08/13/2008)

John McCain, Internet dunce By Amanda Terkel
Why the Arizona senator, who can barely Google, is not the chief that an increasingly technological world requires. (08/13/2008)

Bring back community baths By Garrison Keillor
If we all got together naked in a steamy room and got sploshed with hot water and scrubbed down hard, we would be more civil people. (08/13/2008)

Accent the negative By Camille Paglia
Obama's folksy come-on is as bad as Madonna's faux British -- and both are in desperate need of fresh inspiration. Plus: The elemental power of Daniela Mercury (08/13/2008)

Salon Radio: Morton Halperin Glenn Greenwald
How and why did one of the nation's most prominent civil libertarians go from vehemently opposing the FISA bill on June 9 to vocally supporting it on June 22? (08/13/2008)

Mark Warner will give keynote speech for Democrats Mike Madden
Will it make him the rising star Barack Obama became four years ago? (08/13/2008)

When Libertarians attack Mike Madden
Bob Barr goes after John McCain for spending public money on the GOP convention. Could attacks like that make him the Ralph Nader of the right? (08/13/2008)

Obama's new ad hits back at McCain Mike Madden
A new TV commercial shows a harder edge than Barack Obama's recent ads, linking John McCain and George W. Bush on the economy. (08/13/2008)

No return for Jeremiah Wright? Mike Madden
Jeremiah Wright may not be publishing a book this fall, despite a recent report he would. (08/13/2008)

McCain aims young Mike Madden
Meghan McCain, that is -- her children's picture book about her dad will be published during next month's GOP convention. (08/13/2008)

It's hard out there for a political spouse Mike Madden
An overenthusiastic handshake leaves Cindy McCain with a sprained hand. (08/13/2008)

Quote of the day Mike Madden
Colin Powell sums up the world's feelings on Bill Kristol. (08/13/2008)

Right-wing smear job, the sequel Mike Madden
The author behind the Swift Boat Veterans takes on Barack Obama in a new book that's full of holes. (08/13/2008)

The beast Jennifer Sey
As a former elite athlete, I turn into a horrible, condescending jerk when I watch the Olympics with armchair fans like you. (08/13/2008)

Boxing: The point of absurdity King Kaufman
American Rau'shee Warren's loss, crazy as it was, was business as usual in a sport that's been gutted by its scoring system. (08/13/2008)

Asian athletes kick butt John Krich
Sports are coming on strong in a region that has traditionally favored scholarship. Example: Thailand's prodigious women weightlifters. (08/13/2008)

The strange smile of George W. Bush Gary Kamiya
Bush looked weirder than he ever has during his Bob Costas interview -- but he made more sense. Too bad it's too late. (08/13/2008)

How did Team USA gymnastics get so good? Jennifer Sey
What happened since the mid-1970s that turned the women's gymnastics program into the tour de force it has become? The Karolyis happened. (08/13/2008)

Good riddance, baseball King Kaufman
Great sport, but the Olympics are right to give it the boot. Tennis should go too. But not softball. (08/13/2008)

How creepy is Google's Street View? Evan Ratliff
Privacy concerns still shadow Google's all-seeing mapping tool, but soon such worries will probably seem quaint. (08/13/2008)

The 1960s' gayest show By Louis Bayard
As a kid, "The Wild Wild West" taught me about sexiness and desire -- and how two men could live together and love each other. (08/12/2008)

Bateman: No bigger maverick than John McCain
Actual audio from Rick Davis on Fox. McCain voted to support Bush legislation 95 percent of the time, but what does that have to do with where we are now? (08/12/2008)

Red State Update: Thank you, John Edwards!
For giving us something to talk about other than McCain, Obama and the Olympics. (08/12/2008)

Do you suffer from blockbuster fatigue? By Stephanie Zacharek
As the summer movie season drags on, it's time to ask whether there's a limit to how much hype we can take. (08/12/2008)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
The McCain campaign's mockery of Obama knows no bounds. (08/12/2008)

Keep touching yourself, America Logan Scherer
The FoxSexpert rips the lid off masturbation -- it's good for you! (08/12/2008)

Don't blame Edwards, blame society! Tracy Clark-Flory
An Op-Ed argues that the admitted adulterer is a victim of society and his seductress. (08/12/2008)

I'm isolated in a depressed urban area ... and now my parents have moved in with me! By Cary Tennis
How do I find community? Everyone I used to know has moved away. (08/12/2008)

A world where men wear skirts Catherine Price
Could it be on its way? (08/12/2008)

Looking for the perfect stranger By Anita Jain
How a single, successful New York writer ended up pursuing an arranged marriage in India. (08/12/2008)

Do we need to guard against Gardasil? Catherine Price
The controversial cervical cancer vaccine may carry serious health risks. (08/12/2008)

Quote of the day Sarah Hepola
For Roberto Cavalli, Kate Moss is just another dumb block of pine, waiting to be sculpted by his fine hands. (08/12/2008)

"There was so much blood spilled" By John Hudson, Nana Naskidashvili
A Russian invasion has left besieged Georgians angry at their government -- and at the Bush administration -- for failing to defend them. (08/12/2008)

Who's winning the message war, Obama or McCain? By Alex Koppelman
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a leading analyst of political advertising, dissects three commercials from Barack Obama and three from John McCain. (08/12/2008)

The show trial in Guantánamo By Carol Chodroff
Why the conviction of Osama bin Laden's driver did nothing to undo the damage caused by Bush's policies in the war on terror. (08/12/2008)

How cancer survivors think about the Edwards scandal Joan Walsh
I can't judge Elizabeth Edwards' decision to campaign passionately for her husband after reading this post. (08/12/2008)

Congressional three-ways Thomas Schaller
With all the focus on Nader and Barr, don't look now but third-party candidates could muck up a few House races. (08/12/2008)

One-term McCain presidency? Thomas Schaller
From the Department of Potentially Stupid Campaign Ploys come whispers, likely entirely unfounded, about the Republican nominee pledging to give up power to gain power. (08/12/2008)

Penn to Obama: Attack McCain Thomas Schaller
The Clinton strategist has taken his share of abuse for gumming up Hillary's campaign, but he is right about Obama's need to attack. (08/12/2008)

Answers to your questions about the Hillaryland memos Thomas Schaller
Josh Green, author of a new Atlantic piece about the crackup in Hillaryland, answers five questions from Salon's readers. (08/12/2008)

Did Elizabeth Edwards know? Thomas Schaller
A blogger provides the latest scoop -- plus pictures -- on John Edwards, his wife and his lover. (There is no cook or thief involved, sorry.) (08/12/2008)

Internal Clinton campaign memos: Post your questions Thomas Schaller
The inside story of how Hillaryland came apart, chronicled by the Atlantic's incomparable Josh Green. (08/12/2008)

McCain's exurban woes Thomas Schaller
Are those voters who squeezed Bush past the finish line in 2004 bailing on McSame? Peter Wallsten wonders. (08/12/2008)

Republicans for Obama Thomas Schaller
A new group affiliated with the Obama campaign announces its formation Tuesday. (08/12/2008)

That moment King Kaufman
Togo's first medal! Even if it's not "what the Olympics are all about," it's one of those great things that help make the games. (08/12/2008)

"No fear, no regret" Gary Kamiya
In the men's team gymnastics final, no one lost. (08/12/2008)

Milli Vanilli plays Beijing King Kaufman
In cheating news, mini-scandals about deception at the Opening Ceremonies have replaced drug busts. For now. (08/12/2008)

The other marathon: Getting around Beijing John Krich
It's not just athletes, but fans, who have to be in top shape for the Olympics. (08/12/2008)

Cyberwar rages on in Georgia Evan Ratliff
Government sites under attack from Russian hackers move to U.S.-based servers, including Atlanta's Tulip Systems. (08/12/2008)

Big Think: "Often, I felt I was actually overstepping boundaries"
Ceridwen Dovey reflects on filming her documentary in South Africa and her generation's relationship with apartheid. (08/11/2008)

Is torture an Olympic event? Andrew O'Hehir
After 33 years of abuse and imprisonment, one Tibetan monk says no to the Beijing Olympics -- and to the Dalai Lama's accommodation with tyranny. (08/11/2008)

Ask Pablo By Pablo Päster
After the Grim Reaper arrives, what's the greenest way to dispose of our bodies? (08/11/2008)

Peep this: Anime eyes Tracy Clark-Flory
Extra-wide contact lenses offer a perpetually surprised look -- without surgery! (08/11/2008)

And the next great American beer will be...? By Edward McClelland
Pabst may be worshiped by hipsters, but can it replace Budweiser as the best classic domestic brew? The answer may surprise you. (08/11/2008)

Beyond the pale Kate Harding
L'Oréal denies lightening Beyoncé's skin color in an advertisement. (08/11/2008)

I'm so angry, it's time to change By Cary Tennis
Ever since the 2000 elections I've been angry -- not just at the government but at all of us Americans. (08/11/2008)

The United States of cheap beer By Salon staff
From Stroh's to Shiner Bock, from Hamm's to Hudepohl, Salon brings you an incomplete, biased guide to this great piss-beer nation. (08/11/2008)

They must increase their bust Judy Berman
Wonderbra's ad campaign for a new line of D- to G-cup bras features 8,000 women in their underwear. (08/11/2008)

HHS: Fear not for your birth control! Tracy Clark-Flory
Mike Leavitt swears he isn't attempting to redefine abortion as birth control. (08/11/2008)

Girl crush: Dara Torres Kate Harding
The Olympic swimmer is "doing it for all the 40-year-old moms out there." Swoon. (08/11/2008)

Meet Iraq's new SWAT team By Anna Badkhen
Capable Iraqis training for special operations roll over sharp gravel and run in the scorching heat. But they are terrified of the U.S. military's leaving. (08/11/2008)

Why isn't Obama crushing McCain? By Thomas Schaller
A conversation with two prominent journalists and a Bush-Cheney campaign official about why, in what should be a Democratic year, Obama can't put McCain away. (08/11/2008)

Welcome to Open Salon! Joan Walsh
A brand-new site where you make the headlines -- and everything else. (08/11/2008)

Salon Radio: Professor Charles King on Russia/Georgia Glenn Greenwald
A leading expert on the former Soviet republics disputes the dominant American media narrative of this conflict. (08/11/2008)

Putin's dangerous power politics By Jörg Himmelreich
As the Russian prime minister escalates a "hot war" in the Caucasus, will Europe and the U.S. intervene? (08/11/2008)

Michelle on Monday Thomas Schaller
The Obama campaign announces a risky choice: That the nominee's wife will be the featured speaker on the first night of the convention. (08/11/2008)

Veep alert = cash call Thomas Schaller
The Obama campaign comes up with yet another new-media gimmick to raise some cash. (08/11/2008)

Youth vote 2008 Thomas Schaller
Will young voters carry the day this November? Don't bet on it, says electoral analyst Nate Silver. (08/11/2008)

Liberals spending unwisely Thomas Schaller
Once again, a Democratic PAC is wasting big money. (08/11/2008)

Blow blows up race race Thomas Schaller
A New York Times columnist discusses how white America sees race issues today, and what it might mean for the presidential election. (08/11/2008)

No crush by Obama Thomas Schaller
In a Salon conversation today, I ask Ben Ginsberg, Mark Murray and Tom Edsall why Obama is running behind national Democratic expectations. (08/11/2008)

Crying Wolfson Thomas Schaller
Here we go again: Break out your list of unfair reasons why Hillary Clinton lost the Democratic nomination so we can add another. (08/11/2008)

Uncle Charlie stories Thomas Schaller
Three stories confirm that Obama should play price-tag politics with Iraq as much as possible. (08/11/2008)

Abortion politics Thomas Schaller
Thus far abortion has been a quiet, almost secondary issue this political season, but maybe that is about to change. (08/11/2008)

Sports vs. schmaltz King Kaufman
The ultimate combat sport of the modern Olympics is action battling features for TV time. Schlock, in retreat for a while, has rallied. (08/11/2008)

Precision vs. power Jennifer Sey
The scrappy American women's gymnasts captured my heart, but I'm rooting for the Chinese -- they need some joy in their lives. (08/11/2008)

You want some freedom fries with your crow? Gary Kamiya
A trash-talking frog is croaking today. (08/11/2008)

Insecure security John Krich
China's tight grip might be at odds with the Olympic ideal of togetherness, but it's been building high walls for centuries. (08/11/2008)

Phelps: Eight is enough? King Kaufman
The swimmer is gaining on the all-time gold-medal record. But he's really excited about a football jersey. (08/11/2008)

A public affair
Where do you stand on the Edwards admission? Members of Salon's Table Talk community weigh in. (08/11/2008)

Cellphones on planes, take 60 Evan Ratliff
A federal bill would ban yapping in-flight -- yet a new survey shows public support for in-air yakking is on the rise. (08/11/2008)

Hyping the Chevy Volt Evan Ratliff
Is GM setting a new record for vaporware peddling? (08/11/2008)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
Hot-tempered vampires are running amok, from Alan Ball's new HBO drama "True Blood" to CBS's "Big Brother 10" to Bravo's "Flipping Out"! (08/10/2008)

Opus By Berkeley Breathed
The lazy days of summer. (08/10/2008)

What's the answer to this? Glenn Greenwald
The latest evidence depicted by the media as incriminating of Ivins is actually an alibi. (08/10/2008)

Let 'em eat steroids Jennifer Sey
Plenty of legal and illegal things enhance performance. When I was a gymnast, I'd have taken any of either that would have made me better. (08/10/2008)

No way in John Krich
With 1.3 billion potential scalping customers, no scalpers and a bureaucratic snafu for press ducats, Olympic tickets are tough to come by. (08/10/2008)

The pressure cooker Gary Kamiya
In their different ways, the Olympic events on the dazzling first full day in Beijing showcased the ultimate athletic feat: Overcoming fear. (08/10/2008)

Critics' Picks
What you need to see, read, do this week: Tiger attacks, young Arab Brooklynites and a couple of guys named Corey. (08/09/2008)

Is Obama wearing us out?
Joan Walsh on whether Obama fatigue is starting to set in. (08/09/2008)

Letters of the week
Readers reflect on call girls, blurbing, sisterhood and more. (08/09/2008)

Happily never after By Katharine Mieszkowski
Sex gets boring, eyes wander, but according to the author of "I Don't," knowing the history of marriage can help save yours. (08/09/2008)

What to make of the Edwards fiasco? Broadsheet staff
Broadsheet writers sound off on the one-time Democratic presidential candidate's confession of marital infidelity. (08/09/2008)

War erupts in the Caucasus By Der Spiegel staff
As Russian planes and tanks clash with Georgian forces, Washington has even more to worry about in a crucial oil region. (08/09/2008)

Obama fatigue? Joan Walsh
It's late summer, and the news just keeps getting sillier. (08/09/2008)

Why watching the Olympics is torture for me Jennifer Sey
As a former top gymnast, I know what it feels like to stand on a 4-inch-wide plank, carrying the world on your 16-year-old shoulders. (08/09/2008)

Breakfast of also-rans Jennifer Sey
What do McDonald's, Budweiser and other advanced nutritional supplements have to do with the Olympics? (08/09/2008)

Show the games live King Kaufman
NBC can't keep getting away with delaying the events we want to see for 12 to 15 hours. (08/09/2008)

An opening that keeps the door shut John Krich
Filmmaker Zhang Yimou's minimalist update on the mass rallies of old fails to illuminate the modern society China is trying to build. (08/09/2008)

A view of a killing King Kaufman
The reaction to the fatal attack on American tourists in Beijing is very different from the U.S. response to the 1996 Atlanta bombing. (08/09/2008)

Olympic torch song By Thomas Rogers
Some love the games for the competition. I love them for the Opening Ceremonies kitsch. Bring on the belting divas, plush bears and dancing cows! (08/08/2008)

Bateman: The Bindi Irwin rap
"Everything you do is killing animals, please stop killing animals!" (08/08/2008)

David Carr on "The Night of the Gun"
Andrew O'Hehir interviews the writer about his memoir, drug addiction and memory. (08/08/2008)

"Elegy" for a topless bombshell Andrew O'Hehir
Penélope Cruz gets art-history naked and Ben Kingsley is diamond-brilliant in an overly pretty film adaptation of Philip Roth's "Dying Animal." (08/08/2008)

The devil and David Carr By Andrew O'Hehir
The veteran newspaperman discusses his alternately horrifying and uplifting memoir about the journey from crackhead to crack New York Times reporter. (08/08/2008)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Will Jill rescue Steve from his coma? (08/08/2008)

I told my girlfriend a harmless lie ... and now she's sure to find out By Cary Tennis
I told her my grandparents don't live in America. But now we're going to visit them -- in America. (08/08/2008)

Slipped through the cracks Logan Scherer
Stories we didn't get to cover: Women more concerned about the economy than men, sex for food, and why are males the gender most likely to adopt? (08/08/2008)

Michelle Obama's military strategy By Aries Keck
Talking to Norfolk servicemen's wives, the potential first lady hopes to prove her empathy -- and the corrosiveness of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars -- in a battleground state's most contested area. (08/08/2008)

Losing her religion Judy Berman
Televangelist Joel Osteen's wife sued for anxiety, hemorrhoids and shaken faith. (08/08/2008)

Beautiful women, lonely men Kate Harding
Men who see too many gorgeous women find themselves less attracted to the ordinary ones who might actually date them. Poor little bunnies. (08/08/2008)

Why don't we have a male pill yet? Kate Harding
Drug companies think there's no market for male hormonal contraception -- even though their own data suggests otherwise. (08/08/2008)

British Muslims unveil new marriage contract Tracy Clark-Flory
It's being called a "revolutionary" defense of women's marital rights. (08/08/2008)

Embedded reporters or Republican activists? By Alex Koppelman
Members of Vets for Freedom have campaigned for John McCain and made anti-Obama ads, but while they're in Iraq, you're paying for their gas, food and lodging. (08/08/2008)

New evidence suggests Ron Suskind is right By Joe Conason
What was an Iraqi politician doing at CIA headquarters just days before he distributed a fake memo incriminating Saddam Hussein in 9/11? (08/08/2008)

Whew! Joan Walsh
Bill Clinton will reportedly have a speaking role at the Denver convention. Can someone explain why that was ever in question? (08/09/2008)

Accountability Now/Strange Bedfellows money bomb Glenn Greenwald
A new organization, devoted to imposing real accountability on the political class, begins today. (08/08/2008)

Salon Radio: Anthrax edition Glenn Greenwald
Two experts -- one in bioweapons and one in journalism -- explore the numerous, still unanswered questions in the anthrax case. (08/08/2008)

Edwards: "Being 99 percent honest is no longer enough" Alex Koppelman
In a statement, John Edwards discusses his affair, saying it "is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry." (08/08/2008)

The National Enquirer responds Alex Koppelman
The paper, which broke the story of John Edwards' affair, is definitely taking the moment to gloat. (08/08/2008)

Edwards finance chair paid Hunter expenses Alex Koppelman
Fred Baron told a local paper Friday that, without Edwards' knowledge, he paid for Rielle Hunter to move out of North Carolina. (08/09/2008)

After these messages, we'll be right back Alex Koppelman
I'm heading off on vacation, but don't worry -- War Room will still be here. (08/09/2008)

Report: Bill Clinton to speak at convention Alex Koppelman
The decision is apparently intended to defuse talk of tension between the Clinton and Obama camps. (08/08/2008)

Cohen beats Tinker after nasty primary battle Alex Koppelman
Nikki Tinker had turned the race so ugly that even Barack Obama had to step in, but incumbent Rep. Steve Cohen held on for a big victory. (08/08/2008)

Suskind releases interview transcript Alex Koppelman
In the transcript, a former official talks about the CIA's being ordered to forge evidence, and says he thinks the order came from Cheney's office. (08/08/2008)

Cheney to speak at Republican convention after all Alex Koppelman
The announcement comes after rumors that the unpopular vice president wouldn't even attend. (08/08/2008)

Edwards admits to affair Alex Koppelman
The former senator tells ABC News he lied when he denied reports of a relationship with Rielle Hunter, but says he is not the father of a rumored "love child." (08/08/2008)

Quote of the day Alex Koppelman
Apparently, Barack Obama is even more inspiring than we'd realized. (08/08/2008)

What's next for Edwards? Alex Koppelman
The former candidate's admission of an affair puts his political future, and a potential speaking slot at this year's convention, in jeopardy. (08/08/2008)

You control the vertical Heather Havrilesky
With 3,600 hours of coverage planned from Beijing, you get to decide what to watch -- and what to skip. (08/08/2008)

The "bitter sea" of Chinese life John Krich
Our correspondent returns to Beijing for the games -- and finds the same old dreary place. (08/08/2008)

Why are gymnasts so young? Jennifer Sey
Half of the Chinese "women" may be under the minimum age of 16. Something's wrong when you have to be a kid to win. (08/08/2008)

Clip and save: SPOILER ALERT King Kaufman
If you don't want to know who won that event you're planning to watch later, don't come around here. (08/08/2008)

Artist at work Denise Caruso
Songwriter and composer Allee Willis' new video, "Editing Is Cool," is funky and fun -- and provides a rare window into the creative process. (08/08/2008)

Ciao for now Denise Caruso
It's been a good ride. Thanks, thoughtful readers. (08/08/2008)

Turn around, Bright Eyes By Judy Berman
Singer-songwriter Conor Oberst was my guilty pleasure for years. But now that he has changed from angsty teen to Johnny Cash wannabe, why can't I enjoy his music? (08/07/2008)

The art world's Pepsi Generation Andrew O'Hehir
"Beautiful Losers" chronicles the art rebels of the '90s, fueled by punk, skateboarding, graffiti and trash culture. Now brought to you by Nike! (08/07/2008)

Bateman: John McCain live at Sturgis
Cindy McCain as Miss Buffalo Chip or first lady -- or both? (08/07/2008)

In the carpool lane with Obama
Tracy Clark-Flory responds to a new poll about carpooling and vacationing with the presidential candidates. (08/07/2008)

Thomas Frank on the Bush administration: Sabotage by design By Rick Perlstein
The author of "What's the Matter With Kansas?" discusses the corrosive relationship between conservatives and business, liberal bias and his new book about Republican misrule. (08/07/2008)

Tom the Dancing Bug By Ruben Bolling
The adventures of brain in a beaker: Shaking things up! (08/07/2008)

The creepiest video you will see all day Sarah Hepola
They look like real babies, but they're state-of-the-art designer dolls. International Reborn Doll community, you win this round. (08/07/2008)

Why do women live longer than men? Catherine Price
The founder of the New England Centenarian Study has some theories -- and suggestions on how to close the gender gap. (08/07/2008)

Between love and madness lies ... Eva Mendes' nipple? Catherine Price
The newest perfume ad from Calvin Klein is as scandalous as ever. (08/07/2008)

The Natalie Portman problem Judy Berman
"Manic Pixie Dream Girls," a new term that finally gives a name to an old cinematic female character cliché. (08/07/2008)

My wife is seeing someone and it hurts more than I expected By Cary Tennis
We are amicably separated. I thought I had a handle on it. I can't believe the power of my feelings! (08/07/2008)

Obama: Women's carpool candidate? Tracy Clark-Flory
The Lifetime Network asks women some burning political questions. (08/07/2008)

Guilty in Guantánamo By Stacy Sullivan
Osama bin Laden's driver has been tried and convicted. But what's the verdict for the Bush administration's tactics in the war on terror? (08/07/2008)

Journalist seeking paycheck? Try India By Arun Venugopal
As U.S. newsrooms shrivel, India's are booming. And they're hiring, not firing reporters and editors. (08/07/2008)

How conservative greed and corruption destroyed American politics By Thomas Frank
Abramoff, DeLay, Norquist, oh my! The spectacular misrule of the GOP was not an accident. (08/07/2008)

I'm so bored with O-B-A-M-A By Walter Shapiro
It's not always a good thing to dominate the news cycle. Is "Obama Fatigue" for real, and is it a danger to the candidate? (08/07/2008)

Obama weighs in on ugly Dem primary Justin Jouvenal
Challenger Nikki Tinker has run nasty attacks on her fellow Democrat, and Obama has condemned them. (08/07/2008)

Judge OKs protest zones for Dem convention Alex Koppelman
Advocacy groups and the ACLU challenged plans to keep protesters far away, but a federal judge says the security measures are constitutional. (08/07/2008)

McCain ads hurting Obama? Alex Koppelman
A top advisor to Obama, and a former McCain advisor who quit rather than work against Obama, say the McCain camp's strategy is working. (08/07/2008)

Hamdan sentenced to 5 1/2 years Alex Koppelman
Prosecutors had sought at least 30 years for bin Laden's former driver; instead, he'll be eligible for release in six months. (08/07/2008)

Quote of the day Alex Koppelman
This time, harsh criticism of Karl Rove's latest column is coming from the right. (08/07/2008)

87 percent of Fox News viewers plan to vote McCain Alex Koppelman
A new poll shows a connection between the network voters watch and the candidate they favor. (08/07/2008)

ExxonMcCain '08? Maybe not Nathalie Gorman
John McCain has taken in more money from the oil industry generally, but Barack Obama's leading in contributions from Exxon employees. (08/08/2008)

1960: The birth of today's games King Kaufman
An interview with David Maraniss, whose new book argues that many current Olympic issues can trace their roots to Rome. (08/07/2008)

Beijing 2008: The blog King Kaufman
Meet the four scribblers, including author John Krich and former national gymnastics champ Jennifer Sey, who'll bring you Salon's take on the games. (08/07/2008)

Out to Olympics King Kaufman
This column steps aside for two weeks while its author contributes to the Salon Olympics Daily blog. (08/07/2008)

The spending spree that never happened Andrew Leonard
Salon's readers promised to save their stimulus checks or use them to pay down debt. Guess what? That's what the entire nation ended up doing (08/07/2008)

World of development economics Warcraft Andrew Leonard
Everything you ever wanted to know about gold farming and the global economy (08/07/2008)

Why is Facebook so addictive? Denise Caruso
Interactive designers use many tricks -- change your status update recently? -- to persuade us to do their bidding. (08/07/2008)

This is your public service drought allocation notice Andrew Leonard
Water rationing arrives in Berkeley, Calif. Ho hum. Tell it to the Ethiopians (08/07/2008)

Vacation notice Andrew Leonard
How the World Works must rest up before the fall stretch run begins (08/07/2008)

"Pineapple Express" By Stephanie Zacharek
Judd Apatow's stoner comedy is probably funnier if you're totally baked. (08/06/2008)

Bateman: What Joe Lieberman might do at the GOP convention
Actual audio of the Connecticut senator on NBC's "Meet the Press." (08/06/2008)

Jesus died for somebody's sins ... but not hers Andrew O'Hehir
A dazzling, dizzying documentary captures rock pioneer Patti Smith during her comeback years, surrounded by death and life. (08/06/2008)

"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" By Stephanie Zacharek
Watching teenage girls acting like teenage girls is way better than watching grown women acting like teenage girls. (We're talking to you, "Sex and the City.") (08/06/2008)

Forging the missing case for war By Louis Bayard
In further chronicles of Bush government deceit, author Ron Suskind drops a bombshell: The White House ordered the CIA to fake a letter linking Saddam Hussein to al-Qaida. (08/06/2008)

The K Chronicles By Keith Knight
A sorry excuse for a cartoon ... (08/06/2008)

Who'll start the rain? By Suzanne Bopp
China is spending millions to modify the weather for the Olympics. As the U.S. knows, nature doesn't bend to human will. (08/06/2008)

Postpartum PTSD? Lynn Harris
For some new mothers, those blues are not depression. (08/06/2008)

In the club ... with Botox? Catherine Price
Ibiza partygoers have added a new element to their recovery routines. (08/06/2008)

Can a fractured friendship be renewed? By Cary Tennis
Six years ago she said she never wanted to see me again. The other day she called. (08/06/2008)

Getting nudged into the chapel Linda Hirshman
There's something in all of us that craves the trappings of a classic wedding -- even intellectuals who rail against the institution's traditions. (08/06/2008)

Pregorexia: All the hot moms are doing it Tracy Clark-Flory
Fox reports that slim celebrity moms are inspiring pregnant women to starve themselves. (08/06/2008)

First lady and Miss Buffalo Chip Sarah Hepola
How offensive was McCain's joke about his wife entering a topless-biker beauty pageant? (08/06/2008)

Special delivery: Sexual harassment stork! Tracy Clark-Flory
A Russian judge explains where babies come from. (08/06/2008)

Stepford moms choose Jif Lynn Harris
And doofy, dumbass husbands, according to these ads. (08/06/2008)

"We were basically hiring terrorists" By Anna Badkhen
The U.S. signed up legions of sketchy Iraqi fighters to help stop sectarian violence. Now, most may lose their security jobs -- but remain armed and angry. (08/06/2008)

The FBI's selective release of documents in the anthrax case Glenn Greenwald
Some preliminary observations about the FBI's evidence. (08/06/2008)

It's an amazing country By Garrison Keillor
Where else could an Arizona multimillionaire attack a Chicago South Sider as an elitist and hope to make it stick? (08/06/2008)

Iraqi parliament adjourns without passing key law Alex Koppelman
Lawmakers couldn't come to an agreement on a provincial elections law, which is considered important enough that President Bush was personally pushing for a deal. (08/06/2008)

Split verdict in first Guantánamo trial Alex Koppelman
A military jury convicts Osama bin Laden's former driver on a charge of supporting terrorism, but acquits him of conspiracy. (08/06/2008)

Well, I know who I'm voting for Alex Koppelman
Finally, a real celebrity enters the race for the presidency. (08/06/2008)

From your cold, dead hands Alex Koppelman
Despite plenty of evidence to the contrary, the NRA is warning its members that Barack Obama wants to ban all handguns. (08/06/2008)

New McCain ad brings back celebrity theme Alex Koppelman
Apparently, Paris Hilton hasn't deterred the McCain campaign from attacking Obama as "the biggest celebrity in the world." (08/06/2008)

Clinton supporters plan parade for Denver Alex Koppelman
On the day Clinton might speak at the convention, her backers plan to rally for her and for putting her name in nomination. (08/06/2008)

Wanna write a bestseller? Just bash Obama Vincent Rossmeier
Several new anti-Obama books are flying off the shelves. (08/06/2008)

Reinventing sports on the Web King Kaufman
The Sporting News is trying to revive with an innovative method of bringing print design values online. (08/06/2008)

Will advertisers kill the market for online tv? Denise Caruso
If they stuff it with zillions of obnoxious ads, online viewers could click away in droves. (08/06/2008)

Jimmy Carter -- the peak oil president Andrew Leonard
His 1977 speech on the energy crisis is all too timely during a week of campaign obsession over tire gauges and offshore drilling. (08/06/2008)

Ethanol might make your kids stupid Andrew Leonard
A science journal details an indirect connection between phosphate-based fertilizers and lead poisoning (08/06/2008)

Scott Bateman: McCain and the race card
The GOP candidate takes questions about what he has done to improve racial equality in America. (08/05/2008)

It all started with the Germs By Andrew O'Hehir
A loving, low-budget film tries to revive the undead spirit of Darby Crash and L.A.'s most anarchic punk pioneers. But some things aren't easy to resurrect. (08/05/2008)

The man who shook the Kremlin By Alexander Nazaryan
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who died this week, was instrumental in bringing the Soviet Union to its knees, and he never wavered from his belief in a writer's moral responsibility to truth and beauty. (08/05/2008)

This Modern World By Tom Tomorrow
The rise and fall of stupidity in America. (08/05/2008)

A friendship with a colleague has gone too far By Cary Tennis
I'd love to take it even farther, but he's married and unavailable. (08/05/2008)

Olympian bodies, mommy edition Kate Harding
Some female athletes find that pregnancy and childbirth improve their game. (08/05/2008)

Ask a call girl By Ondine Galsworth
How realistic is Showtime's "Secret Diary of a Call Girl"? We went to the true experts: Real upscale escorts. (08/05/2008)

Lad mags vs. family values Tracy Clark-Flory
A British M.P. argues that men's magazines encourage "instant-hit hedonism." (08/05/2008)

Olympian bodies Catherine Price
A photo essay demonstrates that when it comes to the body types of Olympian athletes, there's more than one perfect 10. (08/05/2008)

Next stop, "MILF Island" Kate Harding
Producers are casting a new reality show about "cougars" in New York City. (08/05/2008)

The real world: Iraq Sarah Hepola
In the HBO documentary "Baghdad High," four high schoolers film their lives in a war zone. (08/05/2008)

"If they find out I told you, they will kill me" By Anna Badkhen
In a Baghdad neighborhood pacified by the surge, the locals fear the day the U.S. military departs, because they don't trust their own government to keep them safe. (08/05/2008)

Obama veepstakes: The medal round By Walter Shapiro
Obama appears unlikely to announce a running mate until the Olympics wind down. But waiting until the convention is close could be risky. (08/05/2008)

Salon Radio: Rep. Rush Holt on anthrax Glenn Greenwald
The chairman of the House Select Intelligence Oversight Panel expresses skepticism over the Ivins accusation and supports a full-scale investigation. (08/05/2008)

David Brooks calls Barack Obama a sojourner Joan Walsh
The Times columnist says Americans are having a hard time connecting with the Democratic nominee. Is the problem that voters can't "place" Obama -- or that Obama doesn't know his place? (08/05/2008)

The FBI's emerging, leaking case against Ivins Glenn Greenwald
The more revelations there are in the Bruce Ivins case, the more questions there are. (08/05/2008)

Let the games begin! By Gary Kamiya
Every Olympics is a miniature world -- and leaves you feeling more hopeful about the human race than you were before. (08/05/2008)

McCain's Bush-ectomy Thomas Schaller
The senator attempts a separation process by admitting that the country is worse off than it was four years ago but, interestingly, not eight years ago. (08/05/2008)

Turn around, Obama Thomas Schaller
The new Zogby poll is way early and possibly imperfect, but suggests Obama needs something to turn things around. (08/05/2008)

Those other forged documents Justin Jouvenal
Ron Suskind charges that the Bush administration used a forged document to buttress the case for invading Iraq. It wouldn't be the first time. (08/05/2008)

Novak retires Thomas Schaller
The Prince of Darkness is hanging it up, and here's hoping that his spot in the conservative chattering class is filled with a sensible substitute. (08/05/2008)

Clinton denies being racist Thomas Schaller
Somewhat unprompted, the former president manages to inject race into the presidential race by expressing anger over being labeled a racist. (08/05/2008)

White House ordered forgery Thomas Schaller
Courtesy of Ron Suskind comes more news from the Department of Not Even Shocking Anymore With This White House. (08/05/2008)

The mother's milk of Nebraska politics Thomas Schaller
Former Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns gets a can of nonevaporated whup-ass opened on him in a cow-milking contest in the state's Senate race. (08/05/2008)

Cheney will go to his bunker Thomas Schaller
It's bad enough the Republicans have to let Bush speak at their convention, but they're not going to compound that mistake by letting Cheney out of his bunker. (08/05/2008)

Debates doubling as "Meet the Press" tryout? Thomas Schaller
The presidential debate schedule is announced, and the four hosts have all been mentioned as possible replacements for Tim Russert. (08/05/2008)

Baseball's skimming scam King Kaufman
The Yankees are the latest team involved in the growing scandal involving scouts taking kickbacks from Dominican prospects' signing bonuses. (08/05/2008)

The China problem King Kaufman
Those wanting to enjoy the Olympics as pure sport have to ignore the host country's troubling behavior -- just what it wants you to do. (08/05/2008)

The subcontinental salsa king Andrew Leonard
Hindi pop songs plus South American rhythm plus an Intel electrical engineer equals magic (08/05/2008)

Can avatars stop identity theft? Denise Caruso
Many look like Barbies and Kens on X, but avatars may hold the key to restoring our control over our digital identities. (08/05/2008)

Catching Comcast Denise Caruso
A new Net neutrality test lets you spy on Comcast -- to see if it's spying on you! (08/05/2008)

Empires on the rise Andrew Leonard
China and India battle for a London-based energy company pumping oil in Siberia and Kazakhstan. That's globalization, folks. (08/05/2008)

My fair gangsta By James Hannaham
MTV's "From G's to Gents" pits thugs against one another to see who can become the most refined. But what does it take to be a gentleman, anyway? (08/04/2008)

Big Think: "The exercise of the imagination is vital"
Actor Michael York on religion, the importance of imagination and a hope for tolerance (08/04/2008)

Why won't you blurb me? By Rebecca Johnson
I had an agent and a book deal for my first novel. All I was missing was quotes for the back cover. Next time, remind me to suck up to more famous writers. (08/04/2008)

Applegate, nurse navigators and smart bras Kate Harding
Christina Applegate's recent diagnosis is just one of many stories about breast cancer in the news today. (08/04/2008)

Quote of the day Tracy Clark-Flory
If there are no unbending gender markers, what does it really mean to be female? (08/04/2008)

A floor of one's own Kate Harding
Are women-only hotel floors sexist? Empowering? Or just pointless? (08/04/2008)

I've been lying to my family: I never actually graduated! By Cary Tennis
I lied to shut them up but now I can hardly live with myself. (08/04/2008)

Hell, yeah, I like Suze Orman Sarah Hepola
She may be another one of those annoying cable self-help gurus. But the MSNBC economist has some smart things to say about women and their money. (08/04/2008)

Someone needs to brush up on her Jane Austen Sarah Hepola
After reading Maureen Dowd's column this week, I had to wonder: Has she actually read "Pride and Prejudice"? (08/04/2008)

Perspire to retire! By Heather Havrilesky
I was all fired up to save for the future. Then I found out I was a day late and about, um, $90,000 short. (08/04/2008)

Would Obama prosecute the Bush administration for torture? By Mark Benjamin
Obama's brain trust wants to form a commission on torture and call Bush officials as witnesses, but put off prosecutions -- if any -- till a second term. (08/04/2008)

Salon Radio: Interview with Digby Glenn Greenwald
The standout political blogger discusses the tactics of the two presidential candidates, media coverage and the role of bloggers. (08/04/2008)

Fear and loafing in the Green Zone By Arnon Grunberg
Welcome to Baghdad's post-decadent stronghold: Menacing Peruvian mercenaries, Chinese prostitutes, concealed beer and doughnuts -- and Iraqis eyeing a foreboding future. (08/04/2008)

Additional key facts re: the anthrax investigation Glenn Greenwald
The media's key witness as to the psychological state of Bruce Ivins -- Jean Carol Duley -- has a lengthy history that undermines her credibility. (08/04/2008)

The Perot-Nader-Paul axis Thomas Schaller
What these three seemingly unrelated pols have in common is an appeal concentrated in the West. (08/04/2008)

McCain is race-baiting smartly Thomas Schaller
His ad campaign may be offensive, but that doesn't mean McCain's attacks won't work or shouldn't be responded to -- in kind -- by Obama. (08/04/2008)

Newsweek's shoddy analyses Thomas Schaller
Dickey and Meacham rely on convenient tropes and anecdotes to arrive at some convenient but misleading conclusions about the South. (08/04/2008)

Obama and poll results, Part 2 Thomas Schaller
Computing the share of the white vote nationally the Illinois senator will need to win this November. (08/04/2008)

Obama and the new poll, Part 1 Thomas Schaller
For reasons that go much deeper than his appeal, the news in a Post/Kaiser/Harvard poll is mixed for Barack Obama. (08/04/2008)

Two Obama developments Thomas Schaller
The Democratic nominee agrees to fully seat the Michigan and Florida delegates and debate McCain thrice this fall. (08/04/2008)

The stable map Thomas Schaller
The more maps change the more they stay the same. (08/04/2008)

Senator Sanctimony Thomas Schaller
Joe Lieberman is better than you, smarter than you and knows more about what's good for America than you do. (08/04/2008)

Is it Bayh time? Vincent Rossmeier
There are new indications that Obama could pick the Indiana senator to be his vice president during a trip to the state this week. (08/04/2008)

Aaay! Statue inflation spikes King Kaufman
The Brewers get set to honor the Fonz, and that Harold Baines monument is looking better by the minute. (08/04/2008)

Trade Brett Favre to the Vikings King Kaufman
If he's not good enough to start, the Packers should ship him to their rivals and beat him twice. (08/04/2008)

Don't want your laptop strip-searched? Denise Caruso
Encryption might keep Homeland Security away from your files. Or you could just not take your data across a border in the first place. (08/04/2008)

Why is Obama supporting "limited" offshore drilling? Andrew Leonard
Maybe it's because he understands the big picture -- compromises may be necessary along the way to a sustainable energy future. (08/04/2008)

Decline and fall of the economic stimulus boost Andrew Leonard
Juiced by tax rebates, Americans upped their consumption in June. Unless you count inflation, in which case they actually spent less (08/04/2008)

I Like to Watch By Heather Havrilesky
Is it a crime to dislike crime dramas? TNT's "The Closer" spices up the procedural mix, but USA's "In Plain Sight" and "Burn Notice" give the genre an extreme makeover. (08/03/2008)

Opus By Berkeley Breathed
Our loving and perfect creator. (08/03/2008)

Journalists, their lying sources, and the anthrax investigation Glenn Greenwald
The death of Bruce Ivins raises far more questions than it answers (08/03/2008)

Critics' Picks
What you need to see, read, do this week: Prom night tales, James Brown's '60s soul, Charlie's kindest Angel. (08/02/2008)

Letters of the week
Readers reflect on casual sex, the "Twilight" series and science as religion. (08/02/2008)

Bridesmaid revisited By Tobin Levy
Hideous dresses! Pricey parties! With the cost of being in a wedding spinning out of control, how do you say no to a demanding bride? (08/02/2008)

Feminism via soap opera? Tracy Clark-Flory
A show starring a loving and supportive husband is taking the Arab world by storm. (08/02/2008)

Clinton: "No decisions have been made" Alex Koppelman
Some of Hillary Clinton's die-hard supporters seize on newly released video footage, claiming she says in it that she will put herself up for nomination at the Democratic convention. (08/02/2008)

"Swing Vote" By Stephanie Zacharek
Kevin Costner holds the fate of the U.S. in his hands in this surprisingly nuanced picture. (08/01/2008)

Bateman: McCain will "make you scared ... of me"
Barack Obama talks back to the GOP candidate. (08/01/2008)

Sex and the Olympics
Tracy Clark-Flory discusses issues of gender and discrimination at the upcoming games in Beijing. (08/01/2008)

The stolen election of 2004: Chapter 53 Andrew O'Hehir
"Stealing America" airs out the same old questions (and conspiracy theories) about the murky Bush-Kerry election. But it avoids the really scary stuff. (08/01/2008)

"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" By Stephanie Zacharek
Peel back the extravagant layers of this summer blockbuster and what do you find? (08/01/2008)

How Kafka-esque is Kafka? By Louis Bayard
The Czech writer has become the prophet of our absurd era, but a new book intends to strip the author of his saintly reputation. (08/01/2008)

WayLay By Carol Lay
Jill decides to try the "life after life" treatment. (08/01/2008)

Dark night for bats By Kirsten Weir
New theories about what's wiping out huge populations of the tiny winged mammal point to pesticides and climate change. (08/01/2008)

Why "placebo" is not a dirty word By Robert Burton
Yes, alternative medicine works mostly by the power of suggestion. But so do a lot of conventional treatments. (08/01/2008)

I thought I could overcome my past, but now it's dragging me down By Cary Tennis
I've come far from the poverty and dysfunction of my roots, but asking for my family's support is bringing it all back again. (08/01/2008)

Designer vagina: Blacklisted! Tracy Clark-Flory
Australian gynecologists are taking a stand against vaginal "rejuvenation." (08/01/2008)

Our new look Sarah Hepola
Behold Broadsheet's new three-column format. (08/01/2008)

The McCain campaign may have picked the wrong starlet Catherine Price
If you're going to make an attack ad comparing your opponent to Paris Hilton, you might want to check your contributor list. (08/01/2008)

Another thing I need like a hole in my head Judy Berman
Desperate dieters turn to ear stapling to control their appetites. (08/01/2008)

In defense of casual sex By Tracy Clark-Flory
A new raft of chastity books laments a hookup culture that is hurting young women. As one of those young women, I beg to disagree. (08/01/2008)

Saudi sexism OK at the Olympics? Tracy Clark-Flory
The Olympics committee bans sexism from the games -- kind of. (08/01/2008)

Shock! Outrage! Sex! ... PSAs? Sarah Hepola
A new Planned Parenthood site leaves the Family Research Council "visibly shaken." (08/01/2008)

Slipped through the cracks Logan Scherer
Stories we missed: Military sexual assaults may be underreported by half; babies' gender no longer secret in South Korea; and lo, it must be camp season. (08/01/2008)

The bizarre trial of bin Laden's bodyguard By Julia Hall
The "capture videos" the Pentagon aims to bury, late-night brutality pointing to the CIA -- and even a surreal viewing of "The Dark Knight" here in Guantánamo. (08/01/2008)

Did McCain's foreign-policy advisor profit from the Iraq war? By Mark Benjamin
In a confidential memo, a company tells investors consultant Randy Scheunemann can help it win Iraqi oil contracts -- because he was a "key player" in getting the U.S. to invade. (08/01/2008)

Salon Radio: ACLU at Gitmo Glenn Greenwald
Ben Wizner is one of the few witnesses at the Guantánamo military commission of Salim Hamdan, Osama bin Laden's driver. (08/01/2008)

Wanting the White House in the worst way By Joe Conason
The pundits who adore John McCain wonder why he has adopted campaign tactics he once despised, but his compromise with the smear merchants began a long time ago. (08/01/2008)

Who's playing the race card? Joan Walsh
Barack Obama says John McCain is trying to scare voters because he "doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills," and the McCain camp cries foul. (08/01/2008)

Vital unresolved anthrax questions and ABC News Glenn Greenwald
A top U.S. government scientist, suspected of the anthrax attacks, commits suicide. ABC News knows who is responsible for false reports blaming those attacks on Iraq, but refuses to say. (08/01/2008)

Bill O'Reilly, music industry expert Alex Koppelman
The Fox News host badly misrepresents reality as he claims victory in his latest public feud. (08/01/2008)

Report: Clinton won't ask to be nominated at convention Alex Koppelman
Some supporters want her to be formally nominated and included in a roll-call vote, but Hillary Clinton has apparently ensured that it won't happen. (08/01/2008)

Wal-Mart warning workers off Democrats Alex Koppelman
The chain has been holding mandatory briefings for some employees; "they were telling me how to vote," one says. (08/01/2008)

House GOP candidates given go-ahead to run against party Alex Koppelman
Rep. Tom Cole, who chairs the NRCC, said given the GOP environment candidates should feel free to criticize their colleagues. (08/01/2008)

Happy anniversary, Rush Alex Koppelman
Three members of the Bush family, and Vice President Cheney, congratulate the right-wing radio host for being on the air 20 years. (08/01/2008)

New McCain Web ad mocks Obama as false Messiah Alex Koppelman
Despite the criticism it's been taking lately, John McCain's campaign didn't bother with restraint in making its latest video. (08/01/2008)

The old John McCain Alex Koppelman
Just a few months ago, John McCain was singing a very different tune about how this campaign should be conducted. (08/01/2008)

The deadline comes alive King Kaufman
The Manny Ramirez deal at "3:59 and seconds" puts a cap on a refreshingly active trading season. (08/01/2008)

The word from an "Obamacon"
Why would a Republican vote for Obama? This week in Table Talk, one reader explains. (08/01/2008)

Carnage at General Motors Andrew Leonard
If what's good for GM is good for the U.S., what does it mean when the company loses $15.5 billion? (08/01/2008)

Ask the Pilot By Patrick Smith
The safe landing of the damaged Qantas 747 was no miracle. Plus: If a plane loses pressure, will your eyes pop out? (08/01/2008)

Give us a (virtual) kiss By Joe Hutsko
Facebook gift designer Susan Kare on Mac icons, computer kisses and everything in between. (08/01/2008)

One-minute review: Jawbone 2 headset Joe Hutsko
A new Bluetooth is supposed to cancel noise, but all that's canceled is the conversation you want to hear. (08/01/2008)

A Grimm take on games By Joe Hutsko
Video game designer American McGee loves the darkest tales best. (08/01/2008)

Pachelbel's Canon -- sixth century Korean style Andrew Leonard
Dead for 300 years, the German composer continues to conquer new musical fro