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Much of this is carefully crafted and erudite commentary from the faithful readers -- and nit-pickers -- who regularly visit evalu8.org.

Contributions are Letters to the Editor submitted to the Editorial Board of evalu8.org for consideration. All such correspondence must include full contact information so we can determine the veracity of submissions. The Board's decision to publish a letter (or not) is final. And we will not enter into any back-and-forth debates (see the extremely Mad Cow to the right).

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* RAV-Canada line Letters to the Editor *
The devastation wrought by the messy, clogging, seemingly endless construction all along Cambie Street in Vancouver is still the hottest topic around, and these "Cambie warriors" simply WON'T be beaten down. [More]

* RAV-Canada line Pointless Rally *
Further notes from Sue Heyes. . . [More]

. . . and its judo politics *
A fat flag-bearer? Iran must be snickering behind its hands. [More]

9/11 2003: The world remembers *
In France, the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks was marked with more attacks, "a million poetic attacks," that is. A group of "thinkers, artists, writers of all beliefs and persuasions" called upon the people of France to "get yourself a book, a book that you like and that changed your view of the world. Write a dedication there, a few words, and release it!" [More]

A Canadian way for Al-Jazeera *
There was a time when banning the importation of Al-Jazeera, the Arabic news channel, would have been consistent with Canadian values. Indeed, in the early 1930s, a principal rationale for regulating radio was to protect our sovereignty. [More]

A decade of desperation's enough *
Latin American leaders, facing political tumult at home, are rejecting the economic austerity forced on them in the 1990s. [More]

A dish best served cold? *
In 1990, U.S. president George H. Bush issued an order that broccoli no longer be served aboard Air Force One, the presidential aircraft. At the end of a subsequent press conference, he explained his reasons. "I do not like broccoli. I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it, and I'm the President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli." [More]

A few crass words about the artful poor *
Have you ever wondered why people tell you it's crass to discuss money? To shut poor people up, is why. The idea that personal finances are not a fit topic for polite company is a luxury affordable only to the middle class and those further up that gilded ladder we're always hearing about... [More]

A folk-mock star: Eugene Levy never blows A Mighty Wind *
In A Mighty Wind, which opens on Friday, Christopher Guest and his gifted ensemble of improvisational actors, do for -- or to -- Sixties folk music, what they have previously done for amateur theatre in Waiting for Guffman, or dog competitions in Best in Show. [More]

A made-in-America Middle East *
Like it or not, Washington is calling the shots in the Israeli-Palestinian quest for peace, says SHIRA HERZOG [More]

A man above the fray: Garneau for G-G *
It was about a year ago, at a reception in honour of Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson, that she was approached by a journalist and asked whether she might wish to be reappointed to a second term... [More]

A mystical skeptic: Rational Mysticism: Dispatches from the Border between Science and Spirituality ****
On this Easter weekend, Christians consider the proposition that a crucified Jew who troubled the Roman authority was raised from the dead to promise eternal, redemptive life to his followers. On this Passover weekend, Jews consider the proposition that an invisible God, through the agency of a prince of Egypt, redeemed them from bondage into a land promised to them eternally. [More]

A road to the future *
The Railway Association of Canada stated its case here yesterday for why a dedicated federal excise tax on fuel should be devoted predominantly to Canada's railways, particularly the proposed Quebec City-Windsor passenger high-speed rail link. Unfortunately, in making such a case, the association ignores both the reality of transportation in Canada today and where the true needs lie. [More]

A stealth attack the dudes can celebrate *
Says Andrew Ryan, writing in the Globe: "Nearly every guy I know has developed a wicked sweet tooth for watching this interminable, drudging war coverage. Most are watching CNN, even in the pubs. I think I've figured out why."
Monday, March 31, 2003 - Globe & Mail, Page R2 [More]

A strong friend is a good defence *
Joining the U.S. plans for a missile shield makes good sense, says continental analyst JOSEPH JOCKEL. [More]

A textbook case of success *
Throwing money at schools won't improve your child's education. Learning from one of the continent's best school systems is a better plan, says the C.D. Howe's JACK MINTZ [More]

A thriller on call waiting: Movie preview, commentary from The Globe *
Joel Schumacher's Phone Booth was to enter theatres last fall. Then a real-life sniper crisis in Maryland made the movie a little too close to the headlines... [More]

Actors, writers fight back *
Television producers, writers and actors yesterday called for an immediate restoration of the $25-million the Liberal government chopped from the Canadian Television Fund in its Feb. 18 budget. [More]

Adoption: And baby makes one *
Bren Hoadley spent thousands of dollars trying to adopt a foreign child, writes MARGARET PHILP. Now she has an empty stroller and a message for other would-be parents [More]

Air Canada cut prices below costs, federal competition tribunal says *
Air Canada cut prices below its cost on two routes in Atlantic Canada the federal Competition Tribunal ruled Tuesday in the first phase of an application by the Competition Bureau accusing the airline of predatory pricing. [More]

Al Gore's new best friend *
Beltway wisdom says Howard Dean is sure to lose the race for the White House -- but Al Gore says Democrats must rally round. CNN analyst BILL SCHNEIDER tells why. [More]

Alberta researchers reeling from grizzly bear slaughter *
The internationally famous research by two Canadian naturalists showing that grizzly bears in the snow-swept Russian wilderness can live peacefully with humans has ended in a brutal tragedy, The Globe and Mail reports. [More]

All hail Britain's inquiring minds *
One of the headlines in the British press about the Hutton Inquiry was, "A very British sort of inquiry." Isn't it, though, I said approvingly, and was surprised to find the author thought this was a bad thing. He felt the inquiry was scattered in its intent. He sound miffed, like an English schoolmaster... [More]

All is forgiven as Cannes welcomes back Hollywood *
Dispelling concerns about tense international relations between Paris and Washington over the Iraq war, Cannes Film Festival organizers promised a full complement of Hollywood movie stars for the event next month. [More]

All the news that's fudged to print *
The New York Times sacrificed its top editor for the wrong reasons, says Harper's publisher JOHN MacARTHUR. If you think Jayson Blair was loose with the facts, look at how the Times covered Iraq [More]

Alliance action sparks union outcry *
News this week that Halifax production company Salter Street Films was closing shop is another example of the need for federal regulators to protect Canadian television drama, argued a coalition of unions representing actors and film production crews. [More]

Alliance Atlantis fires 'Hitler' producer after comments *
In a TV Guide interview, Gernon compares the contemporary United States with Nazi Germany... [More]

An American Father Ted? Ah, go on *
My official reaction was, "It will never work." My unofficial reaction was "Feck, arse, drink!" [More]

An apology, Mr. Harper *
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's election campaign hit a low point with his decision to play politics with the inflammatory issue of child pornography. His actions cast doubt not just on his commitment to free expression, but his powers of judgment... [More]

An idea we can't throw back *
The only way to meet the future demand for fish will be farming, says WILLIAM HOGARTH, the man responsible for America's coastal waters. {Note: the editors of evalu8.org do not endorse this point of view, and object to having wild and farmed salmon grouped as if they were measured together. They were not; findings were significantly different for wild and farmed salmon.} [More]

An open letter from worried journalists *
As former, or practising, newspaper people, we...believe the independence and quality of our media are becoming more important to Canadians [More]

Analysis: What Bush Really Wants *
Unlike the Turkish emperors of the past, George W. Bush has no territorial ambitions in the Middle East, writes PAUL KORING . But he certainly wants something -- a new world order -- and is royally determined to get it. [More]

And a Merry Mithras to all? *
Mixing a profound religious holiday with a consumer orgy is wrong. Let's abolish state religious holidays and admit Jesus was probably born in May, says MICHAEL VALPY. Mithras is the one with dibs on Dec. 25. [More]

Anger muscles into top spot at the box office *
Anger Management bullied its way to the No. 1 box-office spot, earning a whopping $44.5-million (U.S.) in its debut weekend, according to studio estimates yesterday. [More]

Animals always pay *
If we have to slaughter cattle en masse because of mad-cow fears, will we think about their suffering? asks law professor RONALD SKLAR [More]

Arising from the ashes *
As townsfolk battle the inferno, neighbours offer aid and comfort. But why hasn't the rest of Canada pitched in? demands broadcaster LORNA DUECK [More]

As media conspiracies go, kitten-eating is brilliant *
In the matter of the Ontario election, the Tories are correct. Last week, some genius at Tory HQ saw the light, slapped his head and issued a communiqué saying, "We have the media and special interest groups aligned against us." He was so right. [More]

Asian Heritage: If this is 'inclusive,' count me out *
Last month, Heritage Canada unveiled a poster to celebrate Asian Heritage Month that included almost every available offensive caricature of Asians, complete with coolie hat and slant eyes. You'd think we'd come further than this, baby. [More]

Asian summit grapples with effects of SARS *
As disease and violence spread in China, Thailand seizes a marketing opportunity [More]

Avalanche Deaths: There's more to uncover *
The avalanche deaths of our son and his classmates will be in vain unless we learn the whole story, say parents PETER and JUDITH ARATO. [More]

B.C ordered to pay costs of sex change *
Province erred in failing to reimburse plaintiff for his operation, tribunal finds [More]

Baby teeth prove rich stem-cell source *
The Tooth Fairy may have to leave a little more cash: US researchers have found that baby teeth are rich in stem cells and may provide an alternative source of raw material for promising but controversial research on cells taken from human embryos. [More]

Back from the grave to bore us to death *
The second-scariest thing about Freddy vs. Jason, the gross-out horror movie that pits sinew-skinned, claw-handed Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street series against hockey-masked, sword-swinging Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th series, is that it has been No. 1 at the North American box office for two weeks in a row, grossing about $50- million (U.S.). [More]

Bad timing, a Hollywood obsession *
How important is timing to a movie's success, anyway? The folks who've already staked out dates for summer 2004 think it's major. [More]

Battling new bugs *
Lydia Dotto (Outbreak: The Climate Connection -- Aug. 30) gave an excellent account of the effects of environmental, climatic and ecosystem change on the risks of infectious diseases. [More]

Battling the fires and asking questions *
British Columbia has burned before, and the thickly forested province will burn again, because nothing can stop the forces of nature. Not in recent memory, however, has the region burned so dramatically or with such devastating effect. [More]

Before you sink your teeth into that burger ... *
These appear to be tough times for meat-eaters in Canada: ostracized by popular movies like Babe, Chicken Run, and The Meatrix (a cult Internet hit); lambasted in the bestselling book Fast Food Nation; fearful of mad-cow disease, avian flu and PCBs in farmed salmon. [More]

Behold the armies of the Lord *
You can no more disengage religion from politics than you can extract beliefs from public life, says theologian DOUGLAS FARROW [More]

Beijing pulls pages from Clinton memoir *
Former first lady's frank references to repression in China fail to appear in new Mandarin edition. [More]

Belinda lives and works in a world that daddy built *
Belinda Stronach hates being known as "daddy's little girl." I would, too, if I were her. But that's exactly what she is. Her job comes from daddy. Her money comes from daddy's company. Her house, which sits in the magnificent corporate compound north of Toronto that daddy built, is a stone's throw away from daddy's house. [More]

Belinda lives and works in a world that daddy built *
Belinda Stronach hates being known as "daddy's little girl." I would, too, if I were her. [More]

Ben has time to see this now *
Wondering why J.Lo postponed yesterday's nuptials? Maybe she caught a performance of Matt & Ben at P.S. 122 in the East Village and realized her honey is a fraud. For those who already know Ben Affleck is a lunky airhead who needs help with spelling, the news won't come as a shock. But Jen has been busy getting to the bottom of things, like lap dances and such. [More]

Beyond the Mozart Effect *
Listening to Beethoven's Ninth won't make you smarter, writes SUSAN PINKER, but new research suggests music lessons help high-risk children in other ways. [More]

Bid to buy the Senators bogs down over details *
Toronto billionaire Eugene Melnyk was close to a deal to buy the Ottawa Senators last Friday but the bid could not be finalized, sources said. [More]

Birth of a new ethnicity *
The Canadian identity has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past half a century, says MATTHEW MENDELSOHN [More]

Bitter root, sweet harvest *
Next week, the Governor-General officially acknowledges the Acadian expulsion of 1755. We Canadians have learned much from this tragedy, says political scientist DONALD SAVOIE. [More]

Blackout's biggest lesson? We've got the power *
Having successfully avoided contracting either SARS or West Nile, despite reckless socializing and mosquito exposure, thinking I was home free, I came down last week with the Windows worm. I thought it was a big deal, until the power failed too. [More]

Blackout: The matrix of our troubles *
Build a brittle grid, and sooner or later it will seize up. That's as true of computers or air traffic as it is of energy. It's time for a systemic redesign, say SARAH WOLFE and THOMAS HOMER-DIXON [More]

Blair confident history will be kind *
British PM tells Congress Hussein regime caused 'inhuman carnage and suffering' [More]

Blair, the BBC and the devil's dilemma *
'There's no doubt in my mind that I would have aired the report,' says veteran broadcaster MARK STAROWICZ [More]

Blair: Of suicide and spin *
No one does it quite like Tony Blair. No leader currently on the world stage can match the British Prime Minister's ability to shoulder politically risky policies and defend them in person, with consummate debating skill, against a critical public. [More]

Books on epidemics: Spread the word *
With the SARS fever sweeping the nation, The Globe's ANDREW NIKIFORUK takes a look at books that offer both horror and hope [More]

Burned out, but not fading away *
Another year over, and what have you done? Maybe you returned a lot of calls, ran family errands, prepared reports, kept up on the news. But what will you remember experiencing most deeply in 2003? The hurried masses of the working world are yearning to be free, but often it's not till we've been pushed to the limit that we finally make changes -- or have them thrust on us. A New Year's reflection by JOHN ALLEMANG. [More]

Burping stars clog universe with grime, scientists find *
Supernovas responsible for cosmic dust, the raw material for planets and life [More]

Bush is not Reagan, and the deficit could cost him *
I was listening to Finance Minister Ralph Goodale address the Toronto Board of Trade Tuesday morning, but I was thinking about George W. Bush. [More]

Bush's last stand: turning the war on its head *
The Tinmes of London's Andrew Sullivan offers a brilliant and insightful analysis of the Bush administration's campaign of terror. [More]

Bush's warfare state *
The Iraq quagmire and its ever-mutating justifications show that George W. Bush is oblivious to a basic principle of his own conservative ideology: Top-down central planning -- economic or political -- is doomed to fail. [More]

Cabinet: What you see is not necessarily what you get *
Liberal Party members have been making their way to either the guillotine or heaven's gate all week long. There's much clout to be handed out by Paul Martin when he names his official cabinet tomorrow, let there be no doubt. [More]

Can the health system control its infections? *
Anyone wondering why Canada needs some national oversight for its health system need look no further than a new study on the woeful state of infection control in hospitals. [More]

Can this badge shine again? *
Good policing starts with leadership that demands ethics and honesty, says former Calgary police chief CHRISTINE SILVERBERG. [More]

Canada's gun legislation is a double-barrelled disaster *
Prime Minister Paul Martin says he'll revisit Canada's gun legislation. As a gun owner and taxpayer, I applaud this unexpected clarity of thought. A billion-dollar tab for convoluted legislation that fails to achieve its mandate is a galling misuse of taxes. [More]

Canada's kidding itself *
Whatever Stéphane Dion says, Canada shows little talent for dealing with separatist threats, says WILLIAM JOHNSON. [More]

Canada's new marijuana law will hurt U.S. problem: official *
The United States is being inundated with potent marijuana from Canada, and the problem would be exacerbated if Ottawa decriminalized the drug, the U.S. drug czar said Friday. [More]

Canadian politics: Power to all the people *
Canadians are concentrated in four metropolitan centres, says political scientist ANDREW PARKIN. They need a federal system that reflects that [More]

Canadian soldiers pay tribute to fallen comrade *
Canadian soldiers pay tribute to fallen comrade; British soldier killed in attacks during memorial. [More]

Canadian team maps chromosome *
Canadian researchers have completed a detailed map of Chromosome 7 -- the country's main contribution to the Human Genome Project -- discovering dozens of disease genes along the way, including those linked to autism. [More]

Canadian television: A new era of cheapness that's sure to Alienate *
I have seen the future of Canadian television and it's called Alienated. It is also certain to alienate a lot of people. [More]

Cancun: Why it's good that the trade talks broke down *
Talks have collapsed and there is no agreement," said George Ong'wen, Kenyan delegate at the World Trade Organization talks in Cancun, Mexico. His decision to stand up and walk away from the table on Sunday afternoon forced the chair of the talks, Mexico's Luis Ernesto Derbez, to declare that negotiations had broken down. [More]

Canucks Hockey: Inspired play puts hurt on St. Louis *
The Vancouver Canucks' mindset was evident from the opening shift Saturday night: either check with the ferocity of a wounded animal or go away quietly. [More]

Canucks: Linden's positively in seventh heaven *
Trevor Linden can recall every score, every goal, everything that's happened to him in all his playoff Game 7s, all five of those Game 7s. But his sixth may take a special place in his heart. If you saw it, you'd understand why. [More]

Carol Shields: 'I liked to think that women had found one another' *
In an interview, Carol Shields says she was astonished by the success of Dropped Threads, an anthology of women's writing, two years ago. Now, volume two arrives... [More]

Celebs looking lovely in blood-red *
The hottest thing to be in this fall is not a plaid minikilt -- it's a blood feud. Everybody who's anybody is in some bitter battle or other, and they're all quite the show. [More]

CEOs as kings of the Hill *
Karl Marx scornfully believed that government under capitalism was simply the "executive committee of the bourgeoisie." Even Marx might raise an eyebrow, however, at the evolving state of Canadian politics. [More]

Chantal Kreviazuk: Stuck in a groove *
Way back in 1996, when Winnipeg's Chantal Kreviazuk burst onto the pop-music scene with her impressive Under These Rocks and Stones debut, it seemed as if superstardom was a slam dunk, a given. [More]

Children Lost in translation *
Parents in war-torn countries used to flee, then send for their children. Now, they get the kids out first. As MARINA JIMENEZ reports, child refugee claimants pose a special problem for the system: Often they've been told to use a phony story, but that doesn't mean they don't desperately need help. [More]

Christian soldier Bush swears by the Lord *
It was on this day a year ago, Feb. 5, 2003, that Colin Powell came before the United Nations to catalogue Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of horror. [More]

Classless, crass, deplorable and hairy *
I am sorry. Mea culpa. Me bad. By now, you've surely read about my inadvertent display of partial nudity in the history class that I teach on Wednesday afternoons. Before a roomful of impressionable undergraduates, I loosened my collar to expose a large, sweaty tuft of chest hair. [More]

CNN fires shots at CBC's war coverage *
Its own pro-war bias couldn't be more apparent than in its criticism of a Canadian reporter, MICHAEL POSNER writes [More]

Con: Do we need a national regulator? *
No: A single market umpire for the whole country would be more easily "captured" by big business, argues Laval University professor JEAN-MARIE GAGNON. [More]

Crisis -- what crisis? *
Where was our Prime Minister when the lights went out? Out of the swing, as usual [More]

CRTC move threatens new media *
Funding cutbacks deal a body blow, industry says [More]

CRTC takes aim at telcos *
The federal telecom regulator lashed out at the country's biggest phone companies yesterday... [More]

Customized cures *
New drugs could soon offer personalized treatment for cancer, reports PATRICIA YOUNG [More]

Cuts loom for TV shows *
The Canadian Television Fund (CTF) is expected to slash the number of programs dramatically that will qualify for subsidies in the 2003-2004 season. [More]

Danger on the frontier *
Let's stop plans to run roads into some of Canada's last pristine watersheds, says environmental activist DAVID MacKINNON [More]

David Dodge: A different kind of governor *
David Dodge surprised a lot of pundits last week when he cut Canadian interest rates, says BRIAN TOBIN. They obviously didn't know whom they were dealing with [More]

Debate about Todd Bertuzzi *
Normally, we don't do back-and-forth debates, but this reader was so articulate (and fairly reasonable), that we actually got into a "discussion" via e-mail. [More]

Decoding of SARS virus reveals animal origins *
The prime viral suspect behind the worldwide SARS outbreak is a measly microbe of no more than 10 genes that began its life in an animal long ago, mutating millions of times before picking up the power to infect people... [More]

Deliver us from suspicion *
For Muslims, the month of Ramadan is a special time to purify the spirit through fasting, charity and extra prayers. We reflect deeply upon the Koran, expressing gratitude for the many blessings we often take for granted. Whether the favours are tangible (e.g. health, food, shelter) or intangible (peace, personal security), the heartfelt sentiment is best captured by the phrase: "There but for the grace of God go I." [More]

Delivering the goods, courtesy of a courier *
Pete Russell enjoys a unique view of the city, JAN WONG discovers in a go-go-go day. [More]

Democracy deficit on the block *
Backroom deals, secret trials, rigged contracts, abuse of taxpayer dollars. Canadians are fed up. They are demanding accountability from governments and they expect the media to help hold governments to their promises. [More]

Democrats feel the pain of Iowa farmers *
Parkersburg is not a mirror of the United States, as critics of the Iowa caucuses insist -- but which single state would be? Too rural and too white, sniff the critics. A state Americans fly over or drive through. They're right. But politically, at least in a few ways, Iowa does mirror the United States. [More]

Diplomats: Mourn, but avoid politicized mourning *
On Jan. 29, a Palestinian suicide bomber blew up Jerusalem's No. 19 bus. Among the many dead was a Canadian, Yechezkel Goldberg, a resident of the Israeli settlement of Betar Illit in the occupied West Bank, where some 200,000 Jewish settlers live in uneasy co-existence with more than two and a half million Palestinians. [More]

Disaster coverage -- Galveston *
When disaster strikes, every type of human emotion is exposed. We get an opportunity to be at our very best -- and our very worst. [More]

Disco doesn't suck *
Disdained at its apex, the music of the seventies was technologically and socially ahead of its time, embracing DJs, sexual hedonism, techno and raves in every one of its polyester fibres. ROBERT EVERETT-GREEN and REBECCA CALDWELL look back wistfully at the days they could shake their booties. [More]

Do we want judges with more muscle? (No.) *
NO: Democracy is at risk if unelected elites in robes have too much say, argues ALLAN HUTCHINSON. [More]

Do we want judges with more muscle? (Yes.) *
YES: Judges' decisions mean zip unless they're implemented. It's a principle as old as common law, says KENT ROACH. [More]

Don't let Lilliputians win *
Badgering, asset-grabbing strategists and overzealous regulators are attempting to tie up some of our corporate giants. What best serves Canadian shareholders? demands Hollinger Inc.'s PETER WHITE. [More]

Don't paint Muslim people as Nazis *
It is not often that a person thanked in the acknowledgement of a book turns around and announces publicly, "Thanks, but no thanks." And yet this is precisely what I am about to do in the case of Irshad Manji, the author of the newly released book The Trouble with Islam. [More]

Don't skew the science *
Some of the most influential scientists in the United States have gone public with disquieting accusations that the Bush administration has suppressed and distorted scientific findings, manipulated research and stacked government advisory panels to suit its political objectives. [More]

Doug Saunders' reflections on 2003 *
This is the weekend, by long-established custom, during which we are supposed to flop back on the couch, shake the last few drops out of that bottle of port, and fall into a deep funk as we read the newspaper's litany of fine people who died, good ideas that failed, proud moments that withered, eras that ended and rights that were wronged. [More]

Drawn into Courtney's tar-pit trap *
This month marks the 10th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's suicide, an occasion that has merited only the mildest of media attention. [More]

Drive sober: The strategy is working *
As a new year approaches, drunk driving is still a problem on our roads. The good news is that progress is being made. [More]

Drug makers should join fight against AIDS *
As Stephen Lewis, the United Nations special AIDS envoy, eloquently reminded the world again this week, the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa is a horrific scourge that urgently requires a massive inflow of affordable anti-viral drugs and billions of dollars worth of other assistance from rich countries. [More]

Drug sites: worth a try *
The safe-injection site for heroin and cocaine users that opened in Vancouver this week is an important step toward treating addictions as primarily a medical problem, rather than a legal one. [More]

Dying from the heat *
A month-long heat wave has taken the lives of as many as 5,000 elderly people in France, despite an enviable health system and a social safety net that is the pride of the country. What went wrong? The answer can be summed up in a word: indifference. [More]

Eat, drink and be wary in a universe of diets *
For acolytes of the late diet guru Robert C. Atkins, the news could scarcely have been worse. . . [More]

Embryos and the law *
The problem with the bill on assisted human reproduction adopted Tuesday by the Commons is not that it goes too far. It is that it does not go far enough. [More]

Ensuring a future for Tories *
Last weekend, the federal Conservatives chose a new leader. Now, we need to develop the kind of strong, new ideas that can bring [the PC] party back into contention. [More]

Ernst Zundel declared security risk *
The federal government will declare Ernst Zundel a national security risk today, setting the stage for his deportation from Canada. [More]

Every Arnie film has been a manifesto *
Ya, hello und guten tag. I am Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign manager, und I am here to demonstrate that Arnold is more qualified than Peter Ueberroth und Larry Flynt to be fuehrer -- sorry, governor -- of 34-million Californians. [More]

Eves denies health cuts harmed SARS response *
Premier Ernie Eves defended his government's record yesterday in protecting public health, and argued that increased government spending would not have prevented Ontario's SARS outbreak. He challenged opposition complaints that hospitals and public-health services have been shortchanged. [More]

Excuse me, your grammar is dangling *
No column I have written in the past three years has provoked as much response as did the two I published this year on common grammatical errors. I have said outrageous things in this space: I expected to be pilloried for my views on drug use; I expected to be publicly executed for my views on marriage. I had almost no response of any stripe about those things. My inflammatory rages fell into a deep silent void, and no echo came back. And yet, I have a stack of letters on my desk -- I mean a real stack, about six pounds' worth -- of painstakingly handwritten letters from people (many of them retired teachers) who are thinking about grammar as much as I am, and thinking about it, apparently, all the time. It is impressive, and refreshing, to see how much passion is tied up in this pursuit. [More]

Exhausted and infuriated *
Toronto's Lola Magazine and Vancouver's Blinding Light Cinema were two of Canada's richest cultural voices. Their demise says a lot about cultural burnout [More]

Faith and politics step out *
Though they ordered 'Roy's Rock' removed from an Alabama court house, U.S. law-makers mix church and state more comfortably than ever, says law professor JOHN WITTE [More]

Faith versus charity -- is there any hope? *
I don't consider myself a member of their flock, but I have enough of a warm spot for the followers of Jesus Christ that I will roast a leg of lamb and uncork a bottle of wine tomorrow, in honour of their holiest day. [More]

Fear factor: So just how big a risk is SARS? *
Severe acute respiratory syndrome is an international bug of mystery. By hitching a ride with travellers, it has caused thousands of cases around the world -- so many, in fact, that it has been dubbed the most significant outbreak ever spread through air travel. [More]

February 14th -- A happy day full of blood and gore *
Last Sunday, as Valentine's Day began gathering its barbarous impetus, Yoko Ono appeared on the Grammys and spoke tearfully about her dead husband, John Lennon... [More]

Feedback: captive audience exploitation *
One of our readers is convinced that music piped in to stores from radio stations is more than just annoying; he thinks that the ads included in radio programming -- and broadcast to unwilling customers -- should be made illegal. What do you think? [More]

Films: An autumn of hope *
Could it be true? Decent movies in theatres between the uninspiring summer and the traditional Christmas flurry of Oscar contenders? With new offerings from the likes of Weir, Tarantino, Campion and the Coens, LIAM LACEY writes, the fall is looking good [More]

Finkleman's George: So loathsome, it's awesome *
A reader wrote to me recently and asked, pithily, "Can you explain this Ken Finkleman to me?" Before I could muster a cogent explanation, a journalist was in touch, asking for my opinion about Finkleman's work for a magazine profile she's working on. [More]

Fire in B.C.: 'It's heartbreaking to watch it' *
Massive storm of heat, flame lays waste to B.C. Interior [More]

Flipping and flopping toward the tulips *
Like the observant pagans who laid out Stonehenge and the pyramids of Central America, we have marked the annual, prodigal journey of the sun across the horizon on our hillside in the country. Standing on a certain rock looking west, you can see three markers in the grass beyond Martini Point, one that shows where the sun sets in a blaze on June 21, one where it sets in golden hue on the equinoxes, and one where it glimmers on December's shortest day. [More]

For the children's sake *
International laws concerning the treatment of children during times of conflict seem to be forgotten in this war against terrorism, says SHEEMA KHAN [More]

For undistinguished reporting *
Reporter Walter Duranty turned a blind eye to one of the greatest atrocities of the 20th century. For that, his 1932 Pulitzer Prize should be revoked, says Ukrainian-Canadian LUBOMYR LUCIUK. [More]

For Us, The Living: Back to the future *** 1/2
The heart-tugging, familiar voice of Robert A. Heinlein returns with the publication of his first novel, written in 1939. It's a fascinating work, a special gift for fans of the science-fiction grandmaster, says SPIDER ROBINSON [More]

Former Indian chief charged with promoting hatred *
A former chief of the Assembly of First Nations has been charged with promoting hatred, Saskatchewan's Justice Department announced Wednesday. [More]

Forward, into the past *
Why are our imaginations retreating from science and space, and into fantasy? asks SPIDER ROBINSON [More]

Fragile -- handle with care *
What has to happen if Bush is to bring in Iraqi self-rule by next June (and incidentally boost his hopes for a second term)? The Globe's PAUL KORING investigates. [More]

Funding move threatens Red Green, 22 Minutes *
A money squeeze at the Canadian Television Fund means many Canadian TV shows are at risk, JAMES ADAMS and GAYLE MacDONALD report... [More]

G-G's trips are a very good thing *
As you read this, Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson is touring Moscow trailed by a delegation of 26 notable Canadians -- and the curses of various taxpayers and journalists. "Off with her head!" writes one Globe and Mail reader, while a National Post columnist complains that Michael Ondaatje is now eating beluga caviar at our expense. [More]

Garber on Business: Safe-guarding your reputation *
Should you worry about your reputation? What is your good name worth to you in business? They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but these days the maxim should be amended to "…no fury like a journalist deceived." [More]

Gas prices and designer gridlock in B.C. *
Welcome to British Columbia, home of the highest gas prices in Canada. [More]

Gay reality TV's black-and-white views *
A new reality-TV makeover show on Bravo! says strange and confusing things about how we as a society view homosexuality. The show is called Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and it airs on Thursday evenings. It involves five gay "style experts" who do makeovers on sad-sack straight guys who need a new look or a new apartment or who are going for a job interview or getting married. [More]

Geneva: the road to peace *
Although the recently released Geneva accord outlining a potential Israeli-Palestinian peace deal is far from perfect or complete, it's a welcome development. [More]

Genome decoding completed *
An international consortium of scientists announced Monday that it has completed the map of the human genetic code to an accuracy of 99.99 per cent and said the accomplishment opens a new era for biology and medicine. [More]

George Plimpton -- from the inside out *
ROY MacGREGOR reflects on career of legendary author [More]

Get real: Nuclear is in your future *
A highly biased opinion from the chairman of the Canadian Nuclear Association [More]

Getting to know you *
When 20 teenage Israelis and Palestinians got together recently at Ottawa's Ashbury College for a 10-day "peace camp," there must have been more than a little trepidation among organizers. How would they get along? [More]

Globe commentary: A director's gamble pays off *
Remaking an old caper flick wasn't Neil Jordan's idea, LIAM LACEY writes, but it all came together once he found the right language and the right actor. [More]

Google Blog Good; Katrina rip-offs bad *
Alexa.com's Geoffrey Mack shares some thought on Blogs and Disaster Vultures. . . [More]

Gospel according to Garth *
The film The Gospel of John offers a unique chance to understand Jesus's life , not just his violent final hours, says GARTH DRABINSKY. [More]

Great Architecture: The medium is the message *
Forget the economic benefits, great architecture must stand on its own merits. [More]

Grinding the axe and passing the buck *
In Britain, it's the suicide of a scientist that spawns the blame game; here, it's the Great Blackout. Grinding various ideological axes, the media weigh in. Governments establish inquiries to reassure voters the cock-up will never again occur, at least until the next time. [More]

Ground Zero of the human heart *
The agony of their loss is more muted now, but three widows of 9/11 victims find the pain still ambushes them [More]

Gunning for spam *
The flood of unsolicited e-mail wastes time, clogs computer networks and misleads even the wariest recipients, who evade the promise that "your views are worth money" only to fall for the deceptive greeting "Hi there." An urgent appeal from a "friend" turns out to be a request for a bank account number from the cousin of a deposed dictator with millions of dollars he wants to share [More]

Hackers set record *
Hackers set a record on May 4, as they launched a record number of successful digital attacks carried out in a single day, a British security company said. [More]

Handling the hottest potato (Goldfarb) *
Martin must delay an election until voters are satisfied they know the truth, says MARTIN GOLDFARB. [More]

Handling the hottest potato (Gossage) *
The Liberals need sound crisis communications, says PATRICK GOSSAGE. Martin has done well, his team has not. [More]

Hands off my Bible! *
Today as Parliament reconvenes, MPs face a bill that could redefine biblical teachings on homosexuality as hate literature. Smite it, says LORNA DUECK [More]

Happy NAFTA to you! Er, why? *
NAFTA's 10th birthday looms. The deal hasn't meant the end of Canada. Nor have all those dollar signs in Ottawa's eyes materialized, says JIM STANFORD. [More]

He must pluck his power *
If Paul Martin wants to conquer our democratic deficit, he should start with the fact that there's too much power in the PMO, says veteran cabinet insider TOM KENT. [More]

He only looks like Mr. Bean *
Spain's new Socialist prime minister is called the 'quiet man.' He may talk softly, writes ALAN FREEMAN, but when it comes to foreign policy, he carries a big stick. [More]

He walked the line *
The legend of Johnny Cash holds sway in truck stops, alt-rock clubs and even among gospel singers, ROBERT EVERETT-GREEN writes [More]

Health care: The issue whose time has come *
Unless Canadians are given timely access to the medical services they need, the courts may open health care to private funding, says MICHAEL KIRBY. [More]

Health care: We have a plan *
Margaret Wente has it exactly right when she quotes Dr. Gerard McKenzie, with approval, as saying, "All the incentive for the hospital is to not treat patients. [More]

Hear, hear for citizen input *
If we want more engaged voters, let's have less partisan scoffing at citizen-politician dialogues. They're key to 21st-century democracy, says JUDITH MAXWELL. [More]

Help for psychopaths? *
Having successfully trained healthy volunteers and paralyzed patients to control their brain waves, Dr. Niels Birbaumer began wondering if he might be able to help psychopaths.

It is not an obvious next step, until you consider that people who learn how to control their brain waves are actually directing an increased flow of blood to specific areas of the brain. That's what Dr. Birbaumer found when he used neuroimaging equipment to take pictures of the brains of his patients at work. [More]

Holidays: a cure for life's thorny package *
For reasons that now seem to me excessively naive, I used to think that life, like a summer holiday, was perfection interrupted by flaws. A day was a good day or a bad day depending on how many imperfections came along to ruin things. [More]

Home run: PM didn't fawn, Bush didn't get ugly *
Never in Canada-U.S. history have a Liberal prime minister and a Republican president hit it off. Among the various reasons was a basic one: ideological differences. [More]

Honesty killed David Kelly *
The brave people of conscience who reveal government wrongdoing always pay a price, says British MP TAM DALYELL [More]

Hossa helps remove playoff burden *
Despite scoring 45 goals this past regular season, Marian Hossa entered these Stanley Cup playoffs with a lot to prove. [More]

Human cannibalism was once common, prion gene suggests *
Early humans may have regularly dined on each other. That is the unappetizing conclusion of British researchers who have discovered that a gene that protects against prion diseases -- infectious diseases that can be spread through eating contaminated flesh -- is found in people all over the world. [More]

Human rights are for the tricky cases, too *
The pesky thing about human rights is that they belong to human beings. Not some more than others. Not citizens, not residents. The universality of the human-rights commitment is hard to square with the us-them line that drives immigration policy. [More]

Hussein: He may be a tyrant, but he loves his art *
When Saddam Hussein went to ground, he forgot to take his collection of fantasy-themed paintings. The cache probably won't make its way to the Louvre, but they say a lot about the man, SARAH MILROY writes... [More]

Hutton report had narrow focus *
The inquiry into the death of a British weapons expert had no mandate to look at the Iraq war, or at the intelligence failures that helped set it off, says PAUL KNOX. [More]

I spy blocked vision *
If Bush and Blair want to know why they got faulty intelligence on Iraq, they should look at the politicization of their spy ops, says U.K. security analyst PHILIP DAVIES. [More]

I'll be back. I will be back *
Although the arrogant diva has been brought low, the comeback of Martha Stewart is already under way. [More]

I'll pass on the Girl Power *
Something strange happened to me last week. I went to see, in a row, The Hulk, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde, and 28 Days Later. [More]

I'm 40, I must be dead *
A terrible thing happened to me a week ago. My life ended. [More]

Ibuprofen, ASA lauded in cancer study *
Regular use of many over-the-counter painkillers every day can dramatically reduce the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women, a new study indicates. [More]

ID card sticker shock *
Robert Marleau, the interim privacy commissioner, did taxpayers a service last week, though hardly anyone took notice. In testimony to the House of Commons citizenship and immigration committee, he put forward a cogent, thoughtful analysis on the merits of Immigration Minister Denis Coderre's idea to make Canadians carry a national identity card. [More]

Ideology has taken us from champ to chump *
The evidence is mounting that Canada's economy has quickly faded from being champ of the industrialized world, to become one of its chumps. [More]

Idi Amin: He got away with murder *
He was a torturer and a sadist (the terms do not necessarily exhaust one another). He was a mass killer. Some 300,000 people died under his barbarous rule. This is the most frequently cited tabulation, but when killing reaches into the hundreds of thousands, we must remember some amount of "rounding off" is almost always inevitable. [More]

If you can't trust the cops ... *
A Toronto corruption scandal won't undermine our basic faith in police. But it may make us look more critically at systems than at scapegoats, says criminologist JEAN-PAUL BRODEUR. [More]

In a dumb America, even Playboy looks smart *
Playboy magazine's January issue, which is on sale now, is a special 50th-anniversary edition. In Toronto, the occasion means that we will be treated to a visit by the centrefold, Miss January, who will be signing copies of herself at a downtown newsstand at lunchtime tomorrow. [More]

Infectious diseases are a call to action *
Over the past five years, successive waves of infectious diseases have shocked the nation with their unexpectedness and broad impact, and the decreasing intervals between the outbreaks make these events even more concerning. [More]

Inside the head of a film critic *
It's not an easy job, what with bossy volunteers and existing all day on coffee and gum. The good part is all the nice, interesting people you meet along the way, LIAM LACEY says [More]

International man of mystery: The Dalai Lama *
He's a face in an Apple ad, a twinkly eyed guru, a spiritual leader for Tibetans and legions of Hollywood film stars -- and he's visiting Canada this month. But who is the Dalai Lama, really? Whoever you want him to be, MICHAEL VALPY reports. [More]

Invisible man *
Carlos came to Canada full of heady dreams about the new life he'd create here for his family. Now, like thousands of other illegal workers, he is living underground. If he's lucky, MARINA JIMENEZ writes, he might get legal status before the one official who knows the truth about him knocks on his door again. [More]

Iran's brinkmanship . . . *
Is Iran headed for war with the United States and Israel? Judging by recent news reports, one could be forgiven for thinking so. [More]

Iraq Museums: A litany of destruction *
It's hard to know which treasures were stolen" from the National Museum of Iraq, which was looted late last week, says Gil Stein, director of the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute. "It's urgent that we put together an inventory, clean up the museum, find out what was taken and what was just smashed. We estimate that between 50,000 and 170,000 artifacts are missing. [More]

Iraq's new governors *
Even as U.S. President George W. Bush continues gamely to insist that things are looking up in Iraq, polls show that fewer and fewer Americans believe him. The irony is that, for the first time in months, Mr. Bush is right. [More]

Iraq: Threatened treasures *
The full and tragic story of what may well have been the greatest cultural robbery in modern history will take weeks, if not months, to chronicle. [More]

Iraq: Three states is no solution *
A provocative, if vague, proposal to bring political and ethnic stability to Iraq has recently surfaced: the idea of dividing it into three mini-states, with Kurds in the north, Sunnis in the centre, and Shiites in the south. [More]

Iraqis must try Saddam *
Saddam Hussein must be brought to justice by an Iraqi national court, not an international tribunal, says FEISAL AMIN al-ISTRABADI, an adviser to the Iraqi Governing Council. [More]

Is this man fit to teach? *
Chris Kempling belongs to the large minority of Canadians who don't support gay marriage. As a conservative Christian, he doesn't think much of gay life in general. "Homosexuality is not something to be applauded," he wrote in a letter published in his local newspaper a few years ago. [More]

It's hard to watch Monica and not think of cigars *
Tonight, our old and cherished friend Monica Lewinsky returns to the airwaves. This is news that will surprise nobody. In fact, the only surprise is that it hasn't happened sooner... [More]

It's his party and you can cry if you want to *
Call it what you wish: a purge, a house cleaning, a slaughter of the innocents, a sentence for the damned. Whatever the description, blood and tears await the majority of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's ministers. [More]

It's not what you give, it's whom you give it to *
Better student aid doesn't require more money -- just fairer delivery, say professors ROSS FINNIE and SAUL SCHWARTZ [More]

It's past time to punt on Iraq *
Washington had better snap to it and hand control of Iraq to the Security Council, says SALIM LONE, before the U.S. sinks into a quagmire of endless war. [More]

J.F.K. (John F. Kerry) is Teddy Kennedy's dream candidate *
He poured sweat, his black shirt was hanging out over his ill-fitting trousers, and he looked like he was about to collapse under his excess tonnage. Teddy Kennedy stole the show anyway. [More]

Jane Fonda targets 'ignorant' Americans *
The star came out at a Vancouver lecture sticking it to Americans and lauding Canadians for compassion, ALEXANDRA GILL says [More]

Japan's beef with Canada *
We brushed off their fears and insulted them. Not great tactics, says political scientist WENRAN JIANG [More]

Jeffrey Kofman -- He's, gasp, Canadian *
When an ABC reporter recently broadcast a story from Iraq that infuriated the Bush administration, White House officials scrambled to find the best way to hit back, says NPR ombudsman JEFFREY DVORKIN [More]

Jeffrey Simpson: Gen. Clark looked so good, before *
Retired general Wesley Clark can only hope that the man at his rally with the handcrafted sign, "Fence-sitters for Clark," reflects the public mood in New Hampshire. [More]

Jewish groups left out of Passion *
Thousands have screened Gibson's Christ film, but Jewish officials haven't been invited. [More]

Jokes on Iraq: Where the skewer is mightier than the sword *
It didn't take long for jokes about the war in Iraq to surface. Some of the best, MICHAEL POSNER finds, are on Websites [More]

Kariya dumped, Lemieux returns *
A day of mundane roster moves became frenzied last night when the Detroit Red Wings decided to retain goaltender Dominik Hasek's services, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks declined to offer Paul Kariya a contract and reports emerged that Mario Lemieux will play at least one more year with the Pittsburgh Penguins. [More]

Kate Taylor: The rising fear of getting dumb and dumber *
The American intelligentsia is anxious these days. Perhaps it's because of Iraq: The intellectuals know they are brighter and better informed than George Bush, but damned if he hasn't outsmarted them. There is no direct link between Al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein, there are no weapons of mass destruction, but Bush has won the hearts and minds of the American public nonetheless. [More]

Korea still dangerous flashpoint (part three of three) *
Tension increases in world's most heavily militarized zone, writes GEOFFREY YORK [More]

Lalime prefers a casual style *
Ottawa Senators goaltender Patrick Lalime insists there was nothing terribly unique about his playoff performance against the Philadelphia Flyers last spring, even though he held the Flyers to two goals in a five-game series, something that had never been done before in the history of the National Hockey League. [More]

Law makers should not be law breakers *
Canadians should reject the defence, offered in the sponsorship scandal, that the end justified the means, says PRESTON MANNING. [More]

Leafs live to fight another day *
While the Toronto Maple Leafs are alive today because of Travis Green and Ed Belfour, the real reason is that they were finally scared straight. [More]

Learning to love BMD *
Canadians understand that we must use the proposed U.S. system, as well as other forms of weapons control, to confront terrorism and proliferation, says FRANK P. HARVEY. [More]

Learning to love Toronto *
Funny, but The Toronto Song -- a decade-old ditty by the Edmonton comedy troupe Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie -- doesn't seem quite so catchy these days. [More]

Lee Hamilton: U.S. must offer hope, not fear *
The United States is engaged in a generational struggle against a catastrophic terrorist threat. There is no quick fix or victory: We need a clear, comprehensive and sustainable counterterrorism strategy. [More]

Less than equal is less than adequate *
Understandably, the current debate over the definition of marriage has elicited strong emotions. What's important is that this debate takes place in an atmosphere of respect. It's about equality, dignity and social justice. [More]

Let Hong Kong be Hong Kong *
British Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to Hong Kong last week came at a critical time. The former British Crown colony is in the midst of a major political crisis stemming from a botched attempt to impose Draconian new security measures that could endanger civil liberties and impede the promised transition to full democracy. [More]

Let no one be turned away *
We all have a lot riding on the holy bonds of matrimony, says United Church Moderator, the Right Rev. PETER SHORT. [More]

Let's follow in the EU's footsteps *
The EU's expansion should encourage Canada to move toward a larger union, says political scientist JEFFREY KOPSTEIN. [More]

Liam Lacey: Onward to the Oscars *
Merry Os-mas everyone! The movie competition/promotion of the Oscar campaign has become so mixed with the Christmas season that Hollywood and the retail industry really should converge to create a new superholiday, celebrating the best in celluloid pride and seasonal joy. [More]

Liberia is chained to its past *
Former U.S. slaves seized land from indigenous peoples, and even set up their own slave trade, says ROGER MORRIS [More]

Libraries need to mind their own business *
They should leave feng shui and grief counselling to others, and expand on what they do best -- the collection and dissemination of information. [More]

Lies the Group of Eight leaders told us *
"We are therefore committed to delivering on schedule, by the end of 2004, the goals set out in the Doha Development Agenda, and to ensuring that the Cancun Ministerial Conference in September takes all decisions necessary to help reach that goal." Who are they kidding? [More]

Lisa Marie Presley: Making a name for herself *
For Lisa Marie Presley, songwriting is therapy.

And the lyrics on her debut album, To Whom It May Concern, are as raw, brutally honest and uncensored as the woman herself. Presley's music, like the artist, pulls no punches. [More]

Lisa Moore: Saved by the poster-perfect whales *
I knew houseguests were coming. I knew because I invited them. I said, "Oh, stay with me, please." [More]

Lisa Rochon: Learning in light and living colour *
The Thorncliffe Park redevelopment establishes a new benchmark for school design in Canada, LISA ROCHON writes [More]

Litter marks the road to social ruin *
Maybe I'm just another old fogey harrumphing about cardboard coffee cups and candy wrappers blowing in the breeze, trash piled up at bus stops and unattended dog poop. But we fogeys believe littering (along with aggressive driving, smoking, cursing in public, panhandling, etc.) reflects a generation that wants to own things and cares nothing for social grace. [More]

Long live file sharing, death to bland culture *
It's not just because of their lead-footed public relations that I have little interest in mustering sympathy for the Recording Industry Association of America. It's not just because they sued 12-year-old Brianna LaHara for downloading such songs as the theme from Friends and If You're Happy and You Know It. [More]

Looking for the next Bowling for Columbine? *
Truth, it is said, is stranger than fiction -- and, I would add, frequently more entertaining. Last year, Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine was an uproarious success, while the buzz on films like Spellbound and Winged Migration lasted long after their Toronto International Film Festival screenings, both films becoming box office successes for the genre. [More]

Lord and Lady Cross of Black Harbour: TROUBLE IN XANADU *
As Conrad Black's empire crumbled this week, everyone wondered if he and Lady Black could go on enjoying the lifestyle to which they've become so richly accustomed. What kind of lifestyle? We thought you'd never ask. Today, ALAN FREEMAN and GAYLE MacDONALD tote up His Lordship's pleasures -- and the bills that may soon come due. [More]

Lord Black's art of investing stirs controversy *
The appropriateness of Hollinger buying the Roosevelt papers is being questioned as the press baron pens FDR's biography [More]

Love the ones you hate *
Since 9/11, we've learned that we live in a thoroughly modern global village of terror [More]

Lynn Coady: If only this trash would take me out *
To be a fan of good television is to live in a perpetual state of anxiety. It's like dating the latest in a thrilling yet doomed series of superlative lovers. Someone new and intoxicating -- endlessly hot, endlessly fascinating. Yet the whole time you're with him, all you can think is, "Oh no, it's so good." You've been burned one time too many. [More]

Lynn Coady: Olympic boosterism has a hollow ring *
Boy, the Asper papers weren't making it easy for anyone to maintain a healthy skepticism about the 2010 Olympics this week. Every block you walked down in Vancouver was graced with a cheerful lineup of newspaper boxes -- The Sun, The Province, and the B.C. edition of The National Post -- all depicting different versions of essentially the same scenario: ecstatic B.C.-ers, orgasmic with pride over their province's successful bid. [More]

Lynn Coady: Rock Nerds *
A male friend of mine watches eighties music videos with an air of wistful resignation. "In the years between 1979 and 1984," he explains, perhaps gesturing to Ric Ocasek by way of visual aid, "there was a small window of opportunity in which it was possible for complete nerds to become rock stars." [More]

Lynn Coady: The real horror of Stephen King *
Perhaps you've heard: The novel is dead. The written word is obsolete. Gen Y'ers are immune to the charms of the printed page and in thrall to the demon High Tech. English professors across North America have noted — sometimes in despair, but more recently, resignation — that today's undergraduates simply can't process a written concept as readily as they can one that's illustrated by, say, a particularly salient clip from The Matrix: Revolutions. [More]

Lyric Benson, aspiring actress shot *
A vibrant young actress in the opening stages of a promising career was shot in the face by her ex-boyfriend early Thursday in the doorway of her Chinatown apartment, police said. [More]

Macfarlane Walter & Ross: From publish to perish *
Over the course of 15 years, Macfarlane Walter & Ross developed an enviable track record producing award-winning non-fiction by some of Canada's most talented writers. So why has it died? SANDRA MARTIN investigates... [More]

Mallick's most wanted: Watch out, Wills *
Toronto's chief of police, Julian Fantino, the Mel Lastman of Canadian law enforcement, recently announced that his Most Wanted List has 400 people on it. [More]

Manley should have known better *
The Finance Minister's decision to withdraw from the Liberal leadership race came as no surprise. The only surprising thing was that John Manley ran in the first place [More]

Margaret Wente: Their Excellencies get grounded *
I am extremely disappointed at the outrage that has consumed certain people over the Governor-General's recent trip around the circumpolar region. So what if it cost $5-million, not one? So what if she took an entourage of 22 aides and borrowed a Defence Department jet ($307,000) to fly around in? So what if she has doubled her budget since she took office? [More]

Married is married is married *
Federal Progressive Conservative Leader Peter MacKay unfortunately is listening with his foot in his ear to what Canadians are saying about marriage. [More]

Martha resigns after being indicted *
Martha Stewart, the prim perfectionist who became a paragon of taste, style and "good things," pleaded not guilty after being indicted Wednesday in a stock trading scandal that threatens her media empire and could land her in prison. [More]

Martha Stewart decries 'baseless' charges *
Design maven Martha Stewart took to the Internet Thursday to proclaim her innocence on what she called "baseless" securities fraud and obstruction of justice charges and publicly thanked those who have rallied behind her. [More]

Martha Under Fire: Lay off the lady *
Down came a Spider and sat down beside her...and defended poor Martha Stewart, today! [More]

Martin drawn to tradition of civility *
Last Wednesday, Paul Martin introduced parliamentary reforms to address the "democratic deficit." He proposed to relax party discipline on votes in the House of Commons, consistent with practice in the mother of Parliaments at Westminster. [More]

Martin is the 'exceptional' attraction *
After 25 years as a Progressive Conservative, I have made a decision to join the Liberal Party of Canada. [More]

May I come to your ranch? *
The PM-to-be wants better relations with the U.S., but must not squander his foreign-policy inheritance just to please the Americans, warn LLOYD AXWORTHY and MICHAEL BYERS. [More]

Michael Jackson: Not as easy as ABC *
Michael Jackson appears in court Friday to battle allegations that he sexually abused a 13-year-old boy. Has his odd behaviour robbed him of the credibility he needs so badly? CHRISTOPHER REED reports. [More]

Mideast peace may depend on the (formerly) unthinkable *
Yesterday's bloody attack on Israelis in Gaza demonstrated yet again Hamas's ability to derail relations with Israel and to undermine the Palestinian Authority. A vacuum in the peace process never favours the moderates, and by now the authority is too weak to forcibly disarm its strongest opponent. [More]

Mind over matter *
Paralyzed patients are taught to use their brain waves to move a white ball on a computer screen so they can communicate. ANNE McILROY reports on a German neuroscientist's pioneering work... [More]

Mind over the money matter *
Raise taxes to fund higher education today, or debt-burdened grads won't be able to pull their weight tomorrow, says Rhodes scholar LUKE ERIC PETERSON [More]

Minnesota strikes in third *
There's something about the Minnesota Wild that just won't allow the players of the three-year-old franchise to ease up, even for a moment.

Just when you think they might wilt under playoff pressure, the Wild turn up the intensity, a tribute to the coaching of sage Jacques Lemaire. [More]

Misjudged threat to Air-India, CSIS says *
Bombing might have been prevented by early intervention, agency admits [More]

Mona Lisa: So that explains the smile *
The most famous painting in history celebrates her 500th birthday this year. Over the centuries, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa has been denounced as a femme fatale, celebrated as the paragon of womanhood, inspired three suicides, and survived a theft. Yet that serene smile staring at us behind bulletproof glass in Paris's Louvre museum remains mysterious. [More]

Monterrey could be Martin's moment *
Canada's leverage has diminished more than we like to admit, making the Summit of the Americas critical, say KEN FRANKEL and JOHN GRAHAM. [More]

Moore may crash Bush's party *
The ever-colourful filmmaker Michael Moore is rumoured to be on the guest list for this year's White House Correspondents dinner -- a development that would surely give his nemesis, George W. Bush, a severe case of heartburn. [More]

More harm than good *
Homeland Security's warning system scares off tourists and investors, while advertising America's vulnerability, says security analyst EDWARD LUTTWAK. [More]

More turmoil at troubled NY Times *
Pulitzer-winner may quit over freelancer question, SIMON HOUPT reports [More]

Mr. Manley should go to Washington *
There has been much discussion in recent days of whether John Manley should accept prime minister-designate Paul Martin's invitation to serve as Canada's ambassador to the United States. Columnist Lawrence Martin thinks he should not. [More]

MWR slated to close by month's end *
Doug Gibson, publisher of McClelland & Stewart, announced late yesterday that no buyer has come forward for Macfarlane Walter & Ross, the elite nonfiction house M & S acquired in 1999 from Jack Stoddart's now defunct General Publishing conglomerate. [More]

My Canada includes ... *
Today, members of Parliament will vote on a Canadian Alliance motion to restrict marriage to opposite-sex couples only. At stake is more than whether same-sex couples have the right to celebrate their relationships through marriage. At stake are the very values that define us as Canadians. [More]

My life as a waitress *
At its best, it was like a newspaper at deadline time, when the work builds and builds until all hell breaks loose [More]

Naslund finally becomes talk of Canucks *
Markus Naslund always looks as if he's wearing starched shorts, or his skates are three sizes too small, or he just swallowed a live goldfish or . . . You get the point. The man says painful even when he's happy. He also says whatever pops into his head, which makes him a must-hear voice in the Vancouver Canucks' dressing room. [More]

New deal for cities critical *
Paul Martin has declared that a new deal for Canada's cities is in the works. His statement comes at the end of a decade of dawning recognition that cities are the agents of growth, the source of innovation and creativity and potent agents of social health. [More]

New York apartment-envy's a real killer *
Would you let your spouse sleep with someone for $1-million? Oh, sorry: That's the premise of the movie Indecent Proposal, which is set in Las Vegas. [More]

New York Times criticises Bush’s response to disaster *
US President George W Bush was heavily criticised today for his response to the devastation in New Orleans caused by Hurricane Katrina. [More]

Nine reasons why Paul Martin can't match Jean Chrétien *
Compared to Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin is more modern, more nuanced, more articulate, more innovative, more visionary, more acceptable to the business establishment and more democratic. He leaves the incumbent choking on dust in so many areas. But will that make Mr. Martin a more effective prime minister? Or will it turn out to be a play on the old story about the tortoise and the hare? [More]

No experience necessary *
Jesse Ventura and Arnold Schwarzenegger weren't scholars, soldiers or seasoned politicians. If they didn't need expertise, why would Belinda Stronach? asks author ANDREW COHEN. [More]

No magic to finding more soldiers *
The Canadian Forces are so threadbare, we'll soon have only 500 available troops. But given time and money, a postmodern army can be trained and equipped for action, says historian DESMOND MORTON. [More]

No way except understanding *
The first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, SHIRIN EBADI says justice is valued by Islam but not by patriarchies. [More]

Not just one singular sensation -- DVD commentary from The Globe *
New DVD musicals put the dazzle in the razzle dazzle, WARREN CLEMENTS writes [More]

Not just ordinary bad guys *
To fight crimes such as Montreal's bombing, let's separate hate cases from others for the harm they do to whole communities, says criminology professor JULIAN ROBERTS. [More]

Nothing racist about it *
Like it or not, over-immigration is destroying our environment, says Sierra Club board member BEN ZUCKERMAN. [More]

Nothing to fear but fear itself *
A vote to permit stem-cell research is a vote to alleviate suffering, says former MP REGINALD STACKHOUSE [More]

Now for something green: our new national sport *
Canadians may have a major decision on their hands, thanks to Mike Weir's historic triumph as the first Canadian to win the Masters, golf's Stanley Cup without the octopuses and loss of blood. [More]

Now that's a gift: philanthropist of the year *
Michael DeGroote is not a man who uses fancy words. He belongs to none of the right clubs, and isn't all that interested in hanging around with the right people. He made a fortune in trucking and garbage; rough-and-tumble businesses that tend to attract rough-and-tumble characters. And he's just given away $105-million -- the single biggest gift in Canadian history. [More]

Nudge, nudge, I'm an art object *
A gallery in Vancouver has invited artists to infiltrate the city in quiet ways to challenge social conventions, ALEXANDRA GILL writes [More]

Old hatred, new Passion *
Mel Gibson fosters anti-Semitism by filming a version of Christ's death in which Roman occupiers were dupes of those they oppressed, say RABBI ABRAHAM COOPER and historian HAROLD BRACKMAN [More]

On the Wagon *
In my book, TGIF stands for "Thank God it's February'." I know, February is utterly miserable. It's just the time of year when the icy walks and piles of snow cease being delightful, and thanks to those horrid groundhogs, we are still looking at six more weeks of winter. But now that it's February, there is one small consolation: Everybody can finally start giving up on their annoying New Year's resolutions. [More]

Once upon a time in the Story Seminar *
I used to be ashamed of some of my film preferences, but thanks to one Robert McKee, I now hold my head high. Here it is: I thought The Mummy was awesome. Pirates of the Caribbean rocked. When I heard they were doing a sequel to the first Charlie's Angels movie, I drooled a little. However, I do have enough critical discernment to state that Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle was unmitigated compost. Once, I might not have possessed the tools to explain to you why I might find Boneheaded Hollywood Confection a pleasure, but its seemingly identical counterpart, Cynical Special Effects Orgy II an inducer of mock gagging noises. The answer can be summed up in one word: Story. [More]

One of a kind *
Forget the pity, CATHERINE GILDINER says. Kids without siblings may have some social catching up to do, but an only child isn't necessarily a lonely child who can't cope when it's time to start school. Just look at what happened to her. [More]

One PM's 'small stuff' is another PM's crisis *
'Take the sponsorship program," Jean Chrétien was saying, while seated in his living room at 24 Sussex Dr. some months ago. "You know, that was a great, successful program." [More]

Opinion: Even a drunken Gordon Campbell is better than a sober NDP *
Gordon Campbell -- on the wagon, and slimmed down -- is a confident man these days. [More]

Opinion: What are you smoking, Canada? *
The issue of decriminalizing marijuana is first and foremost about safeguarding kids and Canada should be attentive to the threat that marijuana poses to youth. [More]

Organ transplant abroad: one person's ordeal *
Controversial bid to avoid long queue in Canada results in complications... [More]

Oscars and Passion did fine job of crucifying the viewer *
I realize the Oscars were awarded five long days ago, but forgive me, I'm only now waking up. The show was so soundly boring, I fell into a semi-coma from which I am just emerging. To paraphrase the comic-book salesman on The Simpsons, "Worst Oscars ever." [More]

Ottawa may allow sale of pot at pharmacies *
Under pressure from the courts to reform its medical-marijuana policy, Health Canada is considering a Dutch option in which marijuana would be made available to needy patients at the corner pharmacy. [More]

Ottawa's $90-million monologue *
Hello, Ottawa, this is the West calling. We've just heard about yet another enormous dollop of cultural-infrastructure dollars dropping on the National Capital Region... [More]

Ottawa's unwelcome visitor *
Pervez Musharraf leads a terrorist state, says DAVID VAN PRAAGH. We forget that at our soldiers' peril. [More]

Paint it Black: Taking direction *
Corporate directors are responsible to all shareholders, says financier STEPHEN JARISLOWSKY. [More]

Pakistan 'has the stench of the apocalypse' *
Bernard-Henri Lévy, France's 'rock star' philosopher-journalist, traces the killing of reporter Daniel Pearl to high levels in Pakistan -- a U.S. ally that's a far graver threat than Saddam's Iraq, he tells CHRISTOPHER DREHER in New York City [More]

Paris streets fill with protest *
Thousands of Muslim women demonstrated in the streets of France, Britain and the Middle East Saturday against a looming ban on Islamic headscarves in French state schools. [More]

Paul Martin flunks a science test *
The proposals in the Speech from the Throne don't come close to fitting into Canada's research and development needs, says PRESTON MANNING. [More]

Peace plans proliferate *
Israel is awash in accords and campaigns, but the Mideast's most elusive commodity -- hope -- is still in short supply, says The Globe's PAUL ADAMS. [More]

Pesticide panic zaps the facts *
Which is worse: brain cancer in children, or dandelions in the grass? [More]

Pharmacare plan offers savings, economist says *
Canada could reap huge savings by adopting a national pharmacare plan, a prominent health economist says. [More]

Phony lumber wars *
The United States lumber industry used to defend its interests by means of the former National Forest Products Association. Sometimes, these interests converged with those of Canadian lumber manufacturers. More frequently, U.S. interests competed with ours. [More]

Playoff hockey leaves Toronto a little dazed *
There isn't a hockey game on CBC tonight, which is extremely weird. I suppose Cherry and MacLean need a night off and time to plan their travel for the next few weeks. [More]

PM's green credentials are fading *
What famous Canadian said: "we will need to abandon the very concept of waste" by shifting from a linear economy, with waste and pollution as end products, to a closed-loop system, patterned after nature, where no waste or pollution is generated? [More]

Pony up: Taking wagers on some new editors-in-chief *
Now that my good friend John Honderich has departed the Toronto Star, the newspaper his family ran for more than 50 years, the man who effectively displaced him, publisher Michael Goldbloom, is looking to fill the other title Honderich had arrogated -- editor-in-chief. [More]

Pressure on goalie remedy for pain *
A meeting with his players was held before practice yesterday by Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Pat Quinn. [More]

Prince William: World's most eligible bachelor taken…or IS he? *
Three British newspapers reported Sunday that Prince William has maintained a long-distance romance with a young woman in Kenya for two years. [More]

Private enterprise joins up *
Now that the U.S. media have finally recovered at least some of their critical faculties when it comes to the war in Iraq, we are being deluged with stories of corporate profiteers who are making billions supplying goods and services to the U.S. military. [More]

Pro: Do we need a national regulator? *
Yes: It would make enforcement more consistent, and make it easier to raise capital, says the Council of CEOs' THOMAS D'AQUINO. [More]

Progressives at the brink *
Tories who are ready to kill off their own party, with the help of the Canadian Alliance, should consider the political outcome, says JOE CLARK. [More]

Province of Ontario launches West Nile plan *
With the battle against SARS far from over, Ontario health officials launched a plan yesterday to head off a return this year of West Nile virus... [More]

Psychologist Madelyn Freeman writes to the Times of London regarding War and The Alpha Male *
"As our so-called scholars issue forth with ideas to stir our emotive responses, whip up our collective central nervous system -- away we go," says psychologist Madelyn Freeman, writing from London. [More]

Public airwaves: where Delahunty can roam free *
Mary Walsh of CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes planted a heavily lipsticked kiss on Stephen Harper's mouth, leaving the Conservative leadership hopeful amply smudged and more than a little taken aback. It was a typical comic mission for Marg Delahunty, fan/scourge of high-profile politicians. But since then, the incident has been cited as proof of a leftist conspiracy at the network. [More]

Putin's power politics *
The weekend arrest of a Russian oil oligarch is more proof of that country's slide back into authoritarianism, warns political scientist JULIET JOHNSON. [More]

Radar: Not another 'celebrity kiss-ass magazine' *
Talk magazine survivor Maer Roshan launches Radar, SIMON HOUPT reports: "It's amazing what a guy can accomplish when he drops Tina Brown's name." [More]

Read the fine print on GMO labels *
Don't swallow the EU way. Let's push for multilateral rules on how we label what we eat, say PETER PHILLIPS and ROBERT WOLFE -- Note: This story does not reflect the editorial stance of evalu8.org [More]

Readers, please scour your attics *
By now, everyone must realize that something powerful and paradoxical has transpired in recent years in the realm of Canadian nationalism. [More]

Register breast implants *
There are no mechanisms in Canada at the moment to track the health outcomes of plastic surgery, including breast-implant surgery. Yet, for more than a decade, serious health problems have been linked with breast implants. [More]

Richard Grasso's retirement package: What, no gold watch? *
We always knew the pay was a little juicier in the Big Apple. It's the centre of the financial universe, right? Besides, how else could anyone afford the rents? [More]

Roast one Martha slowly until tender *
As household maven Martha Stewart takes out full-page newspaper ads and sets up Web sites (www.marthatalks.com) protesting her innocence of insider trading and obstruction of justice charges, federal prosecutors and securities regulators continue to insist that they did not single out the diva of domesticity for any special punishment. [More]

Robert Bateman: I am a conservative, I conserve *
I am a conservativ