The Trouble with Islam Today

"I agree with those who speak of a clash of civilizations. But I don't see Jews and Christians versus Muslims. I see fundamentalist, pre-scientific, pre-enlightenment Jews, Christians and Muslims versus Jews, Christians, Muslims and non-believers who, in their search for meaning, ask questions and question answers."
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/21705/

Papal Post-Mortem: The Best I've Seen

Once again, the Boston Phoenix's Dan Kennedy sifts through the media wreckage to share his sharp insight with us. His take on Pope John Paul II's legacy balances the mainstream view that everything the Pontiff touched turned to gold with a more realistic assessment: "John Paul was a great man, a good man, and a deeply flawed man." He may have helped to bring down oppressive Communist governments, but he also allowed his own Church to destroy the lives of some of its youngest members.
http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/dont_quote_me/multi-page/documents/04590753.asp

Bush Approval Rating Lowest Ever for 2nd-Term Prez at this Point

"It's not uncommon to hear or read pundits referring to President George W. Bush as a "popular" leader or even a "very popular" one. Even some of his critics in the press refer to him this way. Perhaps they need to check the latest polls." http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000866232

America's Endless News Loop

Tina Brown (formerly of The New Yorker, currently a cable news diva) comes clean on the sorry state of U.S. journalism: "The current mania for any story with a religious angle is just the latest index of the post-election angst in executive suites about the terror of being out of touch with suburban mega-churches and other manifestations of the supposed Real America." A good read, if all too true: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14556-2005Mar30.html