The Christian Science Monitor back issues from August 2008:
America's $53 trillion jumbo loan.(Editorial)(Financial report)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Byline: the Monitor Editorial Board Americans are now tasting the sour fruits of unaffordable mortgages: foreclosure, bankruptcy, falling markets. The nation, too, is staring at overwhelming debt, made worse by this week's forecast of a whopper federal deficit. Washington ...
Letters to the Editor.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
Aug 01, 2008 ... In a shrinking world, redefine a luxury diet Regarding the July 16 article, "Diet for a more-crowded planet: plants": I find it amazing that the political and environmental discussion about carbon footprints always argues that "we need to drive less" or "we need to fly less," ...
The Forger's Spell.(Books)(Book review)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Mary Wiltenburg It was nearly the perfect crime. In the madness of war-torn Europe, a talentless Dutch painter named Han van Meegeren managed to hoodwink the continent with a series of grotesque forgeries he claimed were the lost masterworks of beloved Delft painter ...
McCain gains ground in three battleground states.(Sen. John McCain)(Monitor Breakfast)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Linda Feldmann Staff writer Sen. Barack Obama's eight-day trip to the Middle East and Europe appears not to have done much for his presidential campaign in three key battleground states, a new poll reports. In Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania, Senator Obama, ...
Young indie crowd takes vinyl for a spin.(Arts & Culture)(Financial report)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Matthew Shaer Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Brooklyn, n.y. -- A few years ago, under pressure from spiraling rent costs, Jeff Loos shut his storefront in downtown Lincoln, Neb., and moved Backtrack Records onto the Web. The plan: Lower the overhead and ...
Six picks: recommendations from the Monitor staff.(Arts & Culture)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Mirror, mirror on the wall <P/> When Detective Cassie Maddox is called to a murder scene, she receives the shock of her life: The victim, a grad student, looks just like her - and was using one of Cassie's old aliases. With no other leads, the police conceal the ...
The stolen dahlia.(Gardening)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Pamela Nelson Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor Of course, it was absurd that I spent any time in New Zealand taking photographs of flowers common here in New England. However, in late February when we traveled to New Zealand, our local landscape had gone ...
Why security is tighter in Beijing.(Olympics 08)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Peter Ford Staff writer From missile batteries around the stadium to neighborhood watches, from SWAT teams to bar closures, from random ID checks to a visa clampdown, Beijing's panoply of security measures outstrips anything ever mounted for the Olympics. ...
Program helps Arizona prisoners get ready for real life.(Innovation)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Sarah More McCann Correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor When Edward Maxwell III arrived at Arizona's Lewis prison near Phoenix, he nearly hit rock bottom. The job assigned to the man convicted of first-degree murder was raking - rocks. The task ...
A sanctuary that's 600 cats' meows.(Backstory)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Douglas Fox Contributor a**C'mon babies, let's walk!a* Lynea Lattanzio, a fit 50-something woman with curly brown hair, slides open her kitchen door and five, 10, 15 cats rush through the opening like water gushing out of a pressurized spigot. a*C'mon guys,a* ...
Auteur? Shop your movie to the 'soc-net' set.(Innovation)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Byline: Stephen Humphries Staff Writer for The Christian Science Monitor The pitch: a movie about a Jewish dwarf who survives the Nazi Holocaust by hiding in garbage cans. When director Minna Zielonka-Packer posted the idea on indiegogo.com, a social-networking site that ...
China crimps commerce for Beijing Games.(Olympics 08)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Peter Ford Staff writer To the $40 billion China is spending on Olympic preparations, add another few hundred million in lost business. Hosting the Games is usually a boon for commerce, or at least not a bust. But in and around Beijing, hundreds of ...
When the (lowercase) 'i' has it.(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Ruth Walker Once upon a time, many years ago, before there was a World Wide Web, a colleague reminded me about how a newspaper needs to be as many things to as many people as possible, even if it can't be all things to all people. Editors need to remember that sometimes ...
United, not divided, by faith.(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 01, 2008 ... A recent article in the Monitor reported on an interreligious conference sponsored by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in July, and stated, "Top-tier religious leaders in the Muslim world are emerging as major proponents of dialogue with Christians and other world faiths .... Those involved ...
Over the hedge: rabbit runaround.(THE HOME FORUM)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2008 ... I think rabbits have a sense of humor. The two wild rabbits I observed from my kitchen window one wintry day convinced me of that. The pair was huddled in a cozy shelter where a large tuft of grass had bent over. Covered with snow, it was a perfect hide out. One ...
Olmert plows ahead on peace talks.(Prime Minister Ehud Olmert)(WORLD)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Joshua Mitnick Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Tel Aviv -- Peace talks between Israelis and Arabs are on hold until further notice. That's the conventional wisdom in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's announcement Wednesday that ...
Court victory gives Turkey's ruling AKP a reprieve.(WORLD)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Patrick Wrigley Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor Istanbul, Turkey -- The surprise announcement by Turkey's top court on Wednesday that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will not be shut down for undermining the country's secular constitution has ...
Reporters on the job.(challenges in international reporting)(WORLD)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2008; ... * What Closed Factory? It became clear to staff writer Peter Ford, as he reported his story about Beijing closing factories ahead of the Olympics, that not only Chinese but also a number of foreign-owned firms had been shut down. But he found that no one was talking about it ....
In Britain, Labour pushes ambitious overhaul of welfare system.(WORLD)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Mark Rice-Oxley Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor London -- After four successive electoral disasters this summer, Gordon Brown is desperately casting around for the next big idea to convince voters - and his own party - that he still has something to ...
The contenders to be Israel's next prime minister.(WORLD)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2008 ... Tzipi Livni - Foreign Affairs Minister. A lawyer who was first elected to the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, in 1999. Left the Likud Party in 2005 and helped form the Kadima Party. Critical of Ehud Olmert's handling of the 2006 Hezbollah war. She is favored to become prime minister. ...
New sports center helps Iraqi youths opt out of insurgency.(WORLD)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Tom A. Peter Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Baghdad, Iraq -- As the residents of Baghdad enjoy a newfound quiet, some Iraqis are hoping that sports can help keep the peace. Former Iraqi athletes have opened a sports center for the youths of the Adhamiya ...
U.S. military deserters don't deserve refugee status.(OPINION)(Viewpoint essay)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Rondi Adamson Toronto -- American military deserter Robin Long may well have reasons to think he should not serve in Iraq. That said, I was relieved to hear he had been deported from Canada - where he had lived since June 2005 - to the United States on July 15. ...
The new pretty in pink: men.(OPINION)(Viewpoint essay)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Liz Funk New York -- A few months ago, I was walking down 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan and was surprised by a magazine cover being prominently displayed in the clear side window of a newsstand. Had the generally male-centric Details magazine really put ...
U.S. cities tout merits of less costly 'staycations'.(USA)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Uri Friedman Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor What do temporary tattoos, 12-foot-tall red pins, trips to Six Flags, and tickets to the Broadway musical "Wicked" have in common? They're all ways America's cities are encouraging local residents to ...
Big housing bill: no rescues soon.(USA)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Ron Scherer Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor New York -- The $300 billion housing-rescue legislation that President Bush signed Wednesday is partly designed to pull some 400,000 homeowners out of foreclosure. With more than 2 million foreclosures ...
Rethinking the post-9/11 strategy.(USA)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Alexandra Marks Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor New York -- During the seven years since 9/11 there hasn't been a successful terrorist attack within the United States. And Al Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible for the downing of the ...
Higher education bill draws a bead on tuition costs.(USA)
Aug 01, 2008; ... Byline: Stacy Teicher Khadaroo Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor The rapid rise in college costs has caught the attention of Congress, which is taking steps to at least give the public reason to hope for a break on tuition bills. New legislation, expected ...
Can America still lead?(Editorial)
Aug 04, 2008 ... Byline: the Monitor Editorial Board Just days after Barack Obama spoke in Europe of world citizenship, the world let him down. Global trade talks to open closed markets collapsed last week after big nations chose to protect their farmers. The collapse was about more than food, ...
Letters to the Editor.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
Aug 04, 2008 ... Middle East is more diverse than Arabs and Muslims Regarding the July 22 article, "Barack who? Arabs weigh in.": I believe that the reaction of other parts of the world, particularly the Middle East, to American elections is extremely relevant material for journalists. However, ...
Warehouse shoppers: do you save enough to justify the trip?(Money & Values)(Financial report)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Sarah More McCann Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Even on a muggy day in July, its unusual to see nearly every shopper leaving a grocery store with a watermelon. But at a Costco in Everett, Mass., the $5.99 deal on the tantalizing fruit was ...
Financial Q&A: shifting an education fund from parent to child.(Money & Values)(Brief article)
Aug 04, 2008 ... Q: Some years ago I invested $50,000 - half of my son's college money - in a socially responsible mutual fund. It is now down to less than $40,000, and recently a new company took over the original mutual fund. My son is 23 years old and is not currently enrolled in college. He is earning ...
As women progress in developing nations, so do those countries' economies.(Money & Values)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: David R. Francis If a developing nation wants to make fast progress, it must educate its girls and give them more equality in jobs and economic opportunities. Decades of international and domestic efforts to speed development in more than 100 poor countries ...
Community colleges: a great return on investment.(Money & Values)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Kathleen Connell Over the next month, millions of students will head to college campuses across the United States. Some have chosen an expensive route, selecting private schools that charge nearly $50,000 a year for room, board, and tuition. But a growing segment is ...
Garden art that rocks.(Gardening)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Craig Summers Black Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor If you think Cevan Forristt has an altered take on gardening, consider his horticultural beginnings: a*When did I start gardening?a* he says. a*When I was 3 years old. I had a fascination with ...
For Chinese, it's the teflon Olympics.(Olympics 08)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Peter Ford Staff writer Forget the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, or Beijing's other historic sights. The hottest tourist draw today for Chinese visitors to the capital is the Olympic Green, which boasts key competition venues such as the a*Bird's Nesta* National ...
'Lost in Uttar Pradesh'.(Books)(Book review)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Heller McAlpin In his most famous novel, a*Mrs. Bridge,a* Evan S. Connell captured with hair-curling accuracy the mind-set of a 1930s matron trapped in upper-middle-class Midwestern America. Connell saddled his character, India Bridge, with a name that made her ...
Philadelphia picture show.(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Rebecca L. Rhoades Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor Philadelphia -- They rise from vacant lots in rundown neighborhoods, covering the sides of brick row houses, shuttered businesses, and even schools and community buildings, their brilliant designs emerging ...
Dusty books, cleaned plates.(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Joan Morris McNally Each year, my summer starts with the same scenario: I check off must-read books from summer-reading lists and dust off the old hammock and hook it up again. What a dreamer I am. Who has time for summer reading with all that summer feeding ...
Nothing ho-hum about hummingbirds.(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Eudora Seyfer Now and then all of us get discouraged and need a boost of optimism and good cheer. Eventually, of course, something inspires us and gives us the will to straighten our spines and keep smiling. Well, my secret antidote (don't laugh) is just outside my ...
What guides you?(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 04, 2008 ... Today's decisionmaking demands can overwhelm even the practiced multitasker. Decisions about careers, job changes, retraining, retirement. Choices to make about healthcare, health insurance, and caregiving. Answers needed about marriage and relationships. The numbers of those ...
Who's the fairest on Facebook?(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Maggie Downie It's my fault: I just had to look. But I didn't enjoy it. I'm talking about viewing a certain application - that's what they call the various programs you can add to your profile (the Web page that's all about you) on Facebook. First ...
Fatah, Hamas rift widens amid new violence.(WORLD)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Rafael D. Frankel and Joshua Mitnick Correspondents of The Christian Science Monitor Tel Aviv and Ashkelon, Israel -- At least nine people were killed and 80 wounded in a Saturday gun battle in Gaza between Hamas and Fatah after a week of violence escalated the conflict ...
Reporters on the job.(challenges in international reporting)(WORLD)(Brief article)(Calendar)
Aug 04, 2008; ... * Biking to Beijing: Many foreigners are worried that the Beijing Olympics are going to be too regimented to be much fun, says staff writer Peter Ford. But as the Games approach, unexpected events are catching the eye (see story). "I was biking around Tiananmen Square on ...
How to shape new U.S. citizens.(OPINION)(Viewpoint essay)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Jack Schneider San Francisco -- If you can identify the current president, the colors on the flag, and the date of our independence, you're halfway there. Six correct answers out of 10 questions has for the last two decades proved fitness for American citizenship. ...
The U.N. can end these wars.(OPINION)(Viewpoint essay)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Helena Cobban Washington -- After long and costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, how can the United States plan to win in either country? What would an achievable victory look like? This question has new urgency, given the recent upswing in violence in ...
Slow economy forecast for fall election.(USA)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Ron Scherer and Alexandra Marks Staff writers of The Christian Science Monitor New York -- It's likely to be a bumpy ride for the US economy between now and Election Day. With only three months to go before the Nov. 4 contest, many economists expect a dreary ...
Bush tours a more secure Asia.(Pres. George W. Bush)(USA)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Howard LaFranchi Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Washington -- When George W. Bush attends the opening ceremonies of the Olympics Friday, he'll make history as the first US president to attend the Olympic Games outside the United States. But the ...
How national parks manage fire risk.(USA)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Randy Dotinga Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor San Diego -- Officials at the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park in California adopted an unusual wildfire policy four decades ago: When possible, they'd let fire be fire. If a blaze didn't ...
Battle over Confederate flag hits highways.(USA)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Patrik Jonsson Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor TAMPA, Fla. -- Chip Witte doesn't consider himself a Rebel. He doesn't hang Dixie battle flags in his living room, nor does he wear one on the back of his leather jacket. Yet when the Tampa ...
Russia's other Olympic powerhouse - in parliament.(WORLD)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Fred Weir Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor MOSCOW -- Long known for its Olympic champions, Russia has a 2008 roster all but guaranteed to bring home numerous gold medals. But it also has a contingent of Olympians at home that make for quite a powerhouse - ...
Timeline: Kenya's post-election path.(WORLD)(Calendar)
Aug 04, 2008 ... Dec. 27, 2007 Elections are held between President Mwai Kibaki of the Party of National Unity and presidential candidate Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Dec. 30, 2007 President Kibaki is announced the winner of the elections and sworn ...
Africa's elders seize a leading role.(WORLD)
Aug 04, 2008; ... Byline: Scott Baldauf Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor NAIROBI, KENYA -- Kenya's peace talks have barely begun. But the atmosphere in the Orchid Room of the Serena Hotel is already toxic. "You stole the election," shouts William Ruto, a fiery, big-framed ...
Solzhenitsyn and piercing pens.(writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn)(Editorial)
Aug 05, 2008 ... Byline: the Monitor Editorial Board The literary dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn once wrote that ordinary individuals have a responsibility to "not participate" in lies, but it is "within the power of writers and artists to do much more: to defeat the lie!" His works, and ...
Letters to the Editor.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
Aug 05, 2008 ... Higher electric bills come from industry's deregulation In response to the July 25 article, "Fuel cost now driving up electric bills": There is another hidden cause for the increased rates: changes to state and federal regulation of wholesale electricity markets. These changes ...
New plants for free.(Gardening)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Byline: Peggy Riccio Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor Although many people think of summer as a time of constant gardening chores, I often think of it as a time to slow down. Having spent the spring months busily cleaning, weeding, planting, and mulching, I ease back ...
Marrying Anita.(Books)(Book review)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Byline: Terry Hong At 32, Anita Jain is an object of pity. Never mind her Harvard degree and a journalism career with its expat adventures in far-flung destinations such as London, Mexico City, and Singapore. Ask any auntie or uncle, and they will most assuredly shake their ...
Gatekeeper for clean sports.(Backstory)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Byline: Christa Case Bryant Staff Writer The back lot behind Barry's Plumbing doesn't look like a fitting place for one of sport's greatest sleuths to set up shop. The narrow alleyway is unmarked, as is the plain brick building - a former clothing manufacturing shop. Google Maps ...
Video-gaming strives for respect. Is it a sport?(Innovation)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Byline: Gloria Goodale Staff Writer for The Christian Science Monitor Attention will be riveted on the Olympic torch Friday during the opening ceremony of the 29th Olympiad, but in cyberspace, another torch relay is under way to promote visibility of a a*sporta* not yet ready ...
Glimpse into glittering eyes.(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Byline: Bill Sherwonit Dark clouds and thick fog cloak the Alaska Range and surrounding lowlands, as if some gray, sodden blanket has been dropped over the landscape. There's no hope of seeing The High One, 20,320-foot Denali (officially known as Mt. McKinley). And in all this ...
Supporting Mexico's fight against drugs.(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 05, 2008 ... Mexican President Felipe Calderon has made battling drug cartels a cornerstone of his presidency, sending 25,000 soldiers and police across his country to battle drug-related violence. But hundreds of people have been killed this year in battles between drug gangs and security forces. A ...
Those Good Tomatoes.(THE HOME FORUM)(Poem)(Brief article)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Those Good Tomatoes Chicago, South Side Late July and I am waiting for those good tomatoes brought to the city from farms on trucks with a swinging scale, brought to the city and into the alleys ...
Inky incident.(cultural progress)(THE HOME FORUM)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Byline: James Michael Dorsey Sometimes our actions, even though guided by the best intentions, can have a negative effect. Case in point: the time I brought small gifts for the local schoolchildren in a small village in northwest Africa. My work takes me into ...
Italy moves to boost flagging job market.(WORLD)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Byline: Anna Momigliano Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor Milan, Italy -- On Tuesday, Italy's conservative government is set to approve a bill designed to accelerate its painful transition, driven by globalization, from a tightly regulated job market to a more ...
Philippines' peace accord blocked.(WORLD)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Byline: Simon Montlake Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor BANGKOK, THAILAND -- The Philippine government was due to sign Tuesday a landmark accord with an Islamic rebel group that would create an expanded Muslim homeland on the southern island of Mindanao. But in an ...
Solzhenitsyn: exiled then exalted in Russia.(writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn)(WORLD)
Aug 05, 2008; ... Byline: Fred Weir Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor Moscow -- The Russian media erupted Monday with praise for Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Nobel Prize-winning writer whose stormy life reflected Russia's 20th-century vicissitudes almost as dramatically as his own ...