] "With less than three days left as governor of Illinois,
] George H. Ryan looked at the staff members who were
] helping him decide who on death row should live and who
] should die.

] ``I can't play God,'' he said finally.

] With that, Ryan's staff knew that the governor would
] empty out Illinois' death row of all 167 of its inmates
] and complete his remarkable, four-year journey from
] staunch supporter of capital punishment to one of the
] country's most influential anti-death penalty advocates."

] Ryan halted all executions in Illinois, pointing out that since
] capital punishment was reinstated in 1977, 13 death row inmates
] had been exonerated - more than the 12 executed.

Ryan Changes Stand on Death Penalty

] "Like the posthumous Elvis Presley, Canada's five
] mysterious terror suspects seem to have popped up
] everywhere.

] But yesterday, the FBI admitted that the most important
] ingredient in the story -- that is, the proof -- is
] nowhere to be found: "There is no border-crossing
] information that would say they're here," FBI spokesman
] Ed Cogswell said. "And to say they came in from Canada is
] pure speculation.""

The case of the five vanishing suspects

"Discontent with the United States has grown around the
world in the past two years but there is still widespread
goodwill toward the country and its citizens"

CNN.com - Survey of 44 nations shows growing discontent over U.S.

] "A three-word comment attributed to an aide to Prime
] Minister Jean Chretien dominated Canadian news reports
] today, with newspapers and broadcasts leading with the
] story of how she reportedly called President Bush a
] moron.
]
] "What a moron," is the quote attributed to Françoise
] Ducros, Chretien's communications director, who
] reportedly was talking to a reporter about Bush in a
] private conversation this week at the NATO summit in
] Prague, the Czech capital. "

How other countries see our leader?

HoustonChronicle.com - Canadian aide offers resignation over 'moron' statement

] "Out there--beyond newspaper conference rooms and
] Congressional offices--alternative scenarios and
] conspiracy theories have been zapping across the Internet
] for months. George W. Bush did it. The Mossad did it. The
] CIA did it. Or they purposely did not thwart the
] assault--either to have an excuse for war, to increase
] the military budget or to replace the Taliban with a
] government sympathetic to the West and the oil industry.
] The theories claim that secret agendas either caused the
] attacks or drove the post-9/11 response, and these dark
] accounts have found an audience of passionate devotees. "

An informed, more objective analysis of some of the popular 9/11 conspiracy theories.

Capital Games

"It may play out the way President Bush wishes, but wishing is not a strategy. Bush has yet to level with the public about the potential cost in lives, Americans and Iraqis, the countless billions of dollars and the decade-long commitment this will take."

Rosy Scenario

"Australian scientists believe they have rediscovered an effective use for lemon juice -- as a contraceptive and also a killer of the AIDS virus.
------
He said lime juice, which has similar acid levels, can also be used, with both fruits often freely available in poor countries where contraception is hard to come by. "

Sex with a Twist ... Lemons Provide Protection?

The White House scorned an Iraqi leader's suggestion that President Bush and Saddam Hussein could resolve their differences in a duel, calling it an "irresponsible statement" that did not justify a "serious response."

Now wait a minute.... hear me out on this one... they might be on to something here...

"A president against a president and vice president against a vice president, and a duel takes place, if they are serious," the Iraqi vice president said. "And in this way we are saving the American and Iraqi people."

You know... it's just so crazy it might work! ;-)

W.H. rejects Bush-Saddam duel offer - Oct. 3, 2002

"Federal prosecutors might not respect the state law that allows people to grow marijuana for medical use, but a judge in Santa Cruz County does."

The battle between states rights and the federal war on drugs continues. State wins a round.

Judge frees medical-pot patient, returns stash

Organisers of the London event said it would be one of the largest anti-war protests ever to be held in Europe. "

If there was ever any doubt that the rest of the world doesn't support an attack on Iraq without proof...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who hopes we continue to show restaint and completley exhaust ALL diplomatic means before we risk the lives on the men and women of our military.

CNN.com - London and Rome host anti-war rallies - Sep. 28, 2002