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COLOMBO, May 16 (Reuters) - A loud explosion shook a commercial quarter of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Friday, a military spokesman said. "There is an explosion near the Hilton Hotel," said military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, adding there were no details of any injuries or damage.

I’ve been saddened over the past year watching my fellow Republicans let the ultra-conservative wing take the party off course. Other moderates like me want smaller government with local control and good effective solutions to the problems that confront our communities. The far right appears to be focused on establishing power and control. Chris Stevens was out campaigning at the League City SportsPlex the evening of Feb. 28 and I had the opportunity to meet him and explore some of his beliefs. Tax cuts, vouchers for stay-at-home schooling moms and forcing local schools to spend 75 percent — rather than...

Washington Post Editor-- As a military verteran, I am starting a grass-roots campaign that I plan to spread throughout the entire Washington DC metropolitan area: that is to have every single service member and veteran that currently receives the Post to UNSUBSCRIBE as a direct result of your callous, disrespectful decision to publish Mr. Toles' editorial cartoon on 29 January 2006. To place a wounded American soldier in the context of that cartoon was nothing less than a raging insult and a spit-in-the-face to every military member that has fought, is fighting or will fight for democracy. Can you even...

Saying her First Amendment free-speech rights have been violated, a Florida teacher says she plans to sue the Orange County School Board after being suspended without pay when a Spanish-language newspaper printed a letter she wrote to a U.S. congressman complaining about the impact of foreigners on the nation. WND Exclusive BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS Teacher 'demonized' over letter to politicians Says she'll sue after Spanish paper prints note complaining about foreigners Posted: September 20, 2005 1:00 a.m. Eastern By Ron Strom © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com Saying her First Amendment free-speech rights have been violated, a Florida teacher says she plans to...

We cannot express the kindness that our adopted family and neighbors of Lubbock have shown to the people of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. We appreciate all the love and kindness that you have shown us. Especially, the mayor of Lubbock, City Councilmen, senator representatives, doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, volunteers, American Red Cross officials, and all the people of Lubbock who have shown the people of New Orleans that the people of Lubbock do truthfully live as one big family. In addition, we appreciate the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock Fire Department, EMS Services, all charitable associates, ministers who...

Walter Reed 'vigils'     Your description of CodePink: Women for Peace's activities outside Walter Reed Army Medical Center is wrong ("Abusing wounded heroes," Editorial, Wednesday). We do not hold anti-war demonstrations outside Walter Reed; we hold weekly vigils that draw attention to the plight of soldiers and call for more support for veterans. We believe the vigils have helped achieve positive results for injured soldiers, such as greater Veterans Affairs funding and a rollback of attempts to make soldiers pay for their own meals and phone calls.     We often receive encouragement for the vigil from wounded soldiers, their families and Walter...

Friday September 2, 2005 Alberta Christian Pastor Hauled Before Human Rights Tribunal For Letter to Editor on Homosexuality Will not pay fines or write apology should decision go against him RED DEER, Alberta, September 2, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Currently Reverend Stephen Boissoin, a young Albertan pastor who spearheads a youth ministry that makes hundreds of weekly contacts with at-risk youth, is in the process of learning Arabic so he can better minister to the many Muslim youth who he says come to his centers. And with a wife and two children of his own, in addition to his full-time ministry,...

The myth of the heterosexual family August 15, 2005 DONOVAN SLACK'S Aug. 12 news story ''Thou Art No Romeo" reveals a great deal about our culture's commitment to sustaining the myth that the heterosexual nuclear family is the only acceptable unit for adult couples, despite evidence to the contrary. The story discloses that the beloved and deeply partnered swans at the Public Garden are (gasp!) both female. Although homosexual behavior is well documented among animals, a person in the story describes these two swans' behavior as ''lunacy." Which is crazier, accepting basic facts or attempting to deny evidence that the...

It will be interesting to see how Sen. Hillary Clinton votes..........My guess is that she will vote to confirm because she wants to act so sickeningly presidential. Of course, she will offend the leftists, but they will go along with her because they figure she's the only one who has a chance to beat a conservative. Richard Proud Parachute, Colo. **** Last week, Sen. Chuck Schumer boasted that he was ready to go war against USSC nominee John Roberts. Apparently he is against the war with terrorists, but for the war on conservatives. Bill Yermal Oxford, N.J. **** Roberts brings...

In a barrage of recent letters to editors across the country, ordinary Americans are rejecting the PC talk of "moderate" Muslims and Islam being a "religion of peace." Cracks in the dam are spreading and widening. A massive terror attack will blow it wide open. And then, the deluge. Here's hoping "moderate" Muslims will help us keep it from happening. Letters to the Editor (various publications): ------ CA: Muslims Have Forfeited Rights as Citizens Contra Costa Times, 7/21/05 http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/ In my view, adherents of the Muslim religion have forfeited their right to be accepted as loyal citizens of the United...

THE ISSUE: A law banning inquiries about the immigration status of New York City street vendors. ***** Mayor Bloomberg has betrayed all the legal residents of New York City — citizens and legal immigrants alike — by signing a bill allowing illegal aliens to obtain street-vending licenses ("Council OKs Cindy's Pet Project, June 24). Too many politicians act as if New York City is obliged to make it easier for foreigners to violate America's immigration laws. This misguided bill spares would-be vendors the inconvenience of being asked whether they actually have a legal right to work in the U.S. We...

From The NYT Letters to the Editors page, Saturday, July 16, 2005: Sharp Elbows and Karl Rove (3 Letters) To the Editor: By now we all know that American politics is a contact sport and that Karl Rove is no Boy Scout. However, it is also equally obvious to me that the Democratic machine is using his alleged involvement in the leaking of Valerie Plame's identity for pure political gain. The feigned outrage and pseudo-moralizing are just too much. Let's get one thing straight: neither Democrats nor Republicans are more virtuous than the other. To insinuate otherwise is to stretch...

As a widow on a very tight budget, I am utterly appalled by your callous editorial, "Put PBS Out to Pasture" (June 26). After my husband died last year, cable TV became a luxury I could no longer afford, so I said a reluctant farewell to MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News et al. Now PBS picks up the slack — and for once I can honestly say that my tax dollars are well spent. Sharon Rutman Far Rockaway ***** If conservative Republicans had their way, there would be no "public" anything. Everything would be privatized to benefit the greedy at the...

I am confused by the rhetoric of the president and his conservative Christian supporters regarding support of our military personnel, how brave they are, and what cowards are the Iraq insurgents (whatever that means). It seems to me that people who volunteer to learn to become indiscriminate killers on command, who wear body armor and hide in armored vehicles, who use Star Wars-type weapons against anything, cannot be compared in bravery and valor to individual people strapped with explosives who want to kill foreigners who want to change and control their way of life. Something like the U.S./Indian wars of...

The recent incident in Bent Tree, a Sarasota subdivision, shows that the words and policies of President Bush are driving our young people to the brink of insanity. One of the boys who burned American flags was quoted as saying he did it because he hated America. I doubt that he meant he hated Bent Tree. More likely, he hated a country that tortures its prisoners, stubbornly resists efforts to slow global warming and saddles each of our newborn grandchildren with a $150,000 debt to the Chinese. For years, we taught our children that they were lucky to be Americans...

PHOENIX -- The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Friday that a newspaper cannot be sued for printing a letter that suggested Americans respond to attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq by going to the nearest mosque and killing the first five Muslims they see. The high court unanimously held that the letter to the editor was political speech protected by the First Amendment. It threw out a lawsuit accusing the Tucson Citizen of intentionally inflicting emotional distress on residents. Two Tucson men had sued the Gannett Co. newspaper for unspecified damages after it ran the letter in 2003. The letter frightened...

THE ISSUE: Karl Rove's recent comments on how liberals responded to 9/11. Sen. Dick Durbin calls the U.S. military no better than Nazis, Stalinists and the Cambodian mass murderer Pol Pot. Response from the Democratic leadership: near silence. Rove says the Democratic response to the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. was wimpy. Democratic leadership response: apoplexy. I think Rove understated the case. Gerard Browne Jersey City, N.J. **** Rove spoke the truth at the Conservative's annual dinner the other night. Thank God for people like Rove, who tell it like it is. Stewart Lara Manhattan **** To the differences between...

Maybe Mark Felt is a hero to the left, the way Benedict Arnold was a hero to the English ("Deep Throat Coughs It Up," June 1). But a selfish spiteful snitch is no American hero. They should pull his pension and benefits. He did not serve honorably in his office. He leaked confidential information for purely selfish reasons. He didn't just hurt President Nixon, he hurt the nation as a whole. Patrick Grant Brooklyn **** Poor Felt. He was second in command of the FBI, and he didn't get the promotion to the post he thought he deserved. So he...

Re "13 Things I Meant to Write About but Never Did" (May 22): As one of those people to whom The New York Times has become a daily ritual - even in Afghanistan - I say thank you. As should always happen when somebody takes up a new, ill-defined job, you molded it into something valuable and even groundbreaking. And in the end, you signed off with style, class and wisdom. We should all hope to have as much effect on our place of work as you did on yours - and on thousands of loyal readers. (Capt.) JONATHAN J....

A liberal advocacy group wants Democrats to write letters to the editor - using some handy "talking points" -- to stop the "radical Republicans" who may invoke the nuclear option next week. Democrats strongly oppose the "nuclear option," which describes a scenario in which the Senate would change its rules to prevent the filibusters of judicial nominees. Democrats are now filibustering seven of President Bush's conservative judicial nominees because there's no other way they can stop their confirmation by the full Senate. This is the first time in history that judicial nominees have been filibustered, and Republicans call it an...

The Stakes in the Vote on Bolton (5 Letters) To the Editor: Re "The Best Man for the Job" (Op-Ed, May 11): James A. Baker III and Edwin Meese III, in their effort to bolster the Bush administration's case for appointing John R. Bolton as the United States ambassador to the United Nations, don't make a convincing argument. That he is said to be "the best man for the job" is not enough. Mr. Bolton would not be encountering so much opposition if he had been less strident in his criticism of the United Nations or if he exhibited a...

To the Editor: Re "Chairman Exerts Pressure on PBS, Alleging Biases" (front page, May 2): The job of the press is to scrutinize government, not praise it. The administration gives its story in the best possible light using taxpayer money. That must be countered by a vigorously critical free press. When have administrations, either Democratic or Republican, presented evenhanded pictures of what they do? The question isn't whether "Now" (formerly "Now With Bill Moyers") is critical of the Bush administration but whether it behaved differently during the Clinton administration. If anything, our press has failed to be critical enough. Charles...

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (AP) - A Republican activist has acknowledged sending hundreds of bogus letters to the editorial pages of San Francisco Bay area newspapers over the past decade, many of which were published. Editors at the newspapers involved said Monday that they would intensify efforts to verify that letters to the editor are actually sent by the people who write them. However, technological advances have made bogus letters increasingly difficult to screen out, they said. "It's important to verify the authenticity of the letters we receive," San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Page Editor John Diaz told The Associated Press. "It's...

NEW YORK Every now and then, letters to the editor at the Contra Costa (Calif.) Times don't get posted to the paper's Web site with the rest of the day's paper, after midnight. When Dan Hatfield, the paper's editorial-page editor, arrived at the office at his usual 5:30 or 6 a.m. on those mornings, he'd find out right away that some letters hadn't made it up, because there would an angry e-mail waiting in his inbox from Kyle Vallone. Hatfield could never understand why Vallone cared so much. Times reporter Sarah Krupp solved that riddle in a story published Sunday....

To the Editor: I disagree with former Senator Bill Bradley's hypothesis regarding the central cause of the Democratic Party's "inversion" ("A Party Inverted," Op-Ed, March 30). The failures of the Democratic Party are not attributable to our longing for another J.F.K.-type figure to lead the way. Rather, we are weakened by the fundamental premises of our own ideology. We place a very high value on the heterogeneity and diversity of our party. But by promoting heterogeneity and diversity, we are dispersing our power instead of consolidating it. If we want to make progress, we need to focus on constructing a...

From Democracy to Kleptocracy It seems that many of our elected officials in Raleigh are living off the backs of the citizens of North Carolina. To say that they are “champions of the people” is a bunch of hot air. The rule of thumb seems to be the granting of personal payouts to “friends” coupled with backdoor politics. From our esteemed Governor, who professes to care about the people of North Carolina, to certain legislators, on down to hired hands who speak out of both sides of their mouths- something doesn’t add up. In Union County, for the past 15...

The Democrats have lost the White House, the Congress, most governorships and most state houses because of their liberal views, which are miles away from those of most Americans ("Top N.Y. Dem Keen on Dean," Feb. 3). Now, along comes Howard Dean as the new head of the Democratic National Committee. So long, Democratic Party. No supporter of the Republican Party could have dreamed up a better scenario. Jon Pally Staten Island ***** For whatever reason, the Democratic Party continues to shoot itself in the foot. It's bad enough that we have Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy, Dennis Kucinich, John Kerry...

To the Editor: Re "Democrats Weigh De-emphasizing Abortion as an Issue" (news article, Dec. 24): Gloria Feldt, the president of Planned Parenthood, correctly identified the best course for Democrats when she said, "We have the high ground here if we focus our policy and our discussion on the prevention of unintended pregnancies." There are significant numbers of Democrats who subscribe to a consistent pro-life view. They oppose abortion as well as capital punishment. They also tend to favor gun control and believe that we all have a responsibility to assist the poor and preserve our environment. A common theme for...

Belief and Unbelief, Side by Side (6 Letters) Published: December 19, 2004 To the Editor: Re "Keeping the Faith in My Doubt," by John Horgan (Op-Ed, Dec. 12): Like Mr. Horgan, I am concerned about the extreme power of conservatism rooted in religion. It offers a clear, emotional ideology to go about living in a complex world by believing it is simple. According to Mr. Horgan, the United Universists, of which I am director, should give up our effort at organization out of principle because all organizations are flawed. But he offers no viable alternative, which speaks for itself. I...

To the Editor: Re "Some Democrats Believe the Party Should Get Religion" (news article, Nov. 17): There is only one lesson Democrats need to take away from the recent election: voters admire candidates who are unwavering in their convictions. Democrats should not be trying to figure out how to change their stance on core issues like abortion rights or gay rights. This will only give the Republicans another chance to point out that Democrats merely blow with the prevailing political winds. Rather, Democrats should recommit themselves to their core values. They should stand firm for a woman's right to choose...

If the Boy Scouts had as an integral part of their oath, "There is no God, and a true Scout works to persuade superstitious people to accept that morality does not depend on belief in the supernatural," would Collin Levey be blase about public money going to their support and public schools being used as their meeting places ("Damning the Scouts," Opinion, Nov. 18)? Not likely. Compelled atheism is the flip side of compelled religiosity. *** .....I just don't understand whose civil liberties the Boy Scouts are violating. The Boy Scouts do so much good for so many young boys....

Democrats Have Faith, in the Issues (6 Letters) Published: November 21, 2004 To the Editor: Re "Some Democrats Believe the Party Should Get Religion" (news article, Nov. 17): There is only one lesson Democrats need to take away from the recent election: voters admire candidates who are unwavering in their convictions. Democrats should not be trying to figure out how to change their stance on core issues like abortion rights or gay rights. This will only give the Republicans another chance to point out that Democrats merely blow with the prevailing political winds. Rather, Democrats should recommit themselves to their...

Fifty-nine years ago my father set foot upon the volcanic ash of Iwo Jima and became part of the bloodiest campaign in Marine Corps history. The enemy was particularly vicious, capable of suicide attacks and dispatching its captives by beheading. Sound familiar? In combat, my father was shot, his wounds were sutured, and he was sent back to join his buddies for more action. There was no time for fanfare or self-promotion. They knew they would soon be island hopping the remaining 660 miles to Tokyo, where it was predicted that millions would die to bring the war to its...

Yesterday this paper had a weak endorsement for Kerry- posted here http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1255448/posts Today, ALL responses from the public questioned their editorial judgement: We will prevail Re "Kerry for president" (Editorial, Oct. 24): Sunday, October 24, 2004 - The Daily News staff offers a litany of reasons for its support for John Kerry's run for the presidency. The "botched invasion" of Iraq was prominent among these reasons. The Daily News is wrong. Problems, botched operations and a long recovery and rebuilding period were all part of World Wars I and II. Chaos, tactical errors, and unforeseen difficulties have plagued the winners...

"In the first presidential debate, I was hoping to hear a good debate. "I wanted to hear John Kerry lay out his plans for Iraq and for winning the war on terror. I wasn't disappointed. Kerry staked out a strong plan to bring peace to Iraq and to refocus our efforts to fight terrorists around the world. "President Bush avoided the questions and issues presented him. He is a terrible speaker and a worse debater. His snide grin doesn't work on me. He's led us into danger, not toward safety. "This debate made it clear: Kerry is a leader we...

To the editor: Aaron Burr distinguished himself as a war hero in the American Revolutionary Army under General George Washington. His success got him elected as vice president of the United States, serving under President Thomas Jefferson. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1791. Burr ran for president of the U.S. against Jefferson and missed becoming president by one vote. After the duel murder of Alexander Hamilton by Burr, he was tried for treason because it was found that he was engaged in lies, schemes and questionable activity against the U.S. government. Even though Burr was acquitted...

Letter to the Editor: It appears that when it comes to the Michael Moore wing of the Democratic Party, the "moral equivalency" argument never goes out of style. In the debate Thursday night, Kerry's voice actually rose with outrage when he uttered the following left wing mantra. "Right now the president is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to research bunker-busting nuclear weapons. The United States is pursuing a new set of nuclear weapons. It doesn't make sense...Not this president. I'm going to shut that program down, and we're going to make it clear to the world we're serious about...

SUCCESS! Bush more prepared to lead war on terror One of the critical concerns for the American people is who will lead the war on terror. President Bush has been leading it and his record speaks for itself. There has not been a successful terrorist operation carried out in the USA since 9-11. Now John Kerry tells us that he will be the most effective leader in the war on terror. At the debates in Iowa this past January, Kerry was asked when he would approve a pre-emptive strike in the face of international disapproval. "Only when the U.S. is...

With the general election little more than six weeks away, our letters to the editor mailbox is filled daily with passionate missives supporting candidates or skewering the political opposition or media coverage. Many of these letter writers will be disappointed. Their letters won't be considered for publication because they're what journalists now call "Astroturf" -- Internet-based letter-writing campaigns initiated by groups that provide the text or the talking points. As a copy editor for the Post-Gazette's editorial page, I handle the letters to the editor, which means choosing 50 to 60 for publication each week from about 300 submitted and...

PHOENIX - The letter to the editor consisted of a suggestion for ending "the horror" of American soldiers being killed in Iraq: go to the nearest mosque and kill five Muslims. The letter printed Dec. 2 by the Tucson Citizen prompted some fearful Muslims to keep their children home from religious school and resulted in letters of protests from readers and a published apology by the Gannett Co. newspaper, which also sent staff members to meet with members of a local mosque. But the controversy didn't end there.....

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2004 Self-sabotage HA! I love it. By the time the election is over the left-wing media will have all the credibility of a used-car salesman. Watching them try and sabotage the Republicans and then only managing to immolate themselves in the process reminds me of another little stunt they pulled to "prove" a story. Yup. A closer look reveals they've taped road flares under the gas tanks of their own story yet again. Dave Youngman No longer trustworthy Frankly, these guys are desperate because they know their candidate Kerry is in hot water over his so-called...

Sorry for the Vanity but my letter to the New York Times was published on Sept 1, here it is: To the Editor: In listening to and reading reactions from liberal New Yorkers about the G.O.P. convention and the visiting Republicans, I am getting the impression that a lot of these tolerant and open-minded liberal New Yorkers don't want visitors in their town who have a different point of view. How could this be so? I thought tolerance and being open-minded meant . . . oh, never mind. Pipersville, Pa., Aug. 31, 2004

Fallen in War: Faces of a Nation (7 Letters) To the Editor: Thank you for publishing photographs of the American military men and women who have died in Iraq ("For 1,000 Troops, There Is No Going Home," front page, Sept. 9; "The Roster of the Dead," photographs, Sept. 9). Everyone should take the time to really look at each face and picture that (now dead) person doing simple things like talking, eating dinner or rubbing his eyes in the morning. The families and loved ones of those pictured (and of the thousands of Iraqis, not pictured, who have died) have...

Editor -- You have to hand it to the GOP's handlers. Michael Macor's front-page photo of the convention "staging" ("GOP stalwarts praise Bush's response to terrorism," Aug. 31) says so much. The color scheme of red, white and blue includes a red sky at night (sailor's delight, or perhaps morning, when sailors take warning with a red alert for terrorism?), and white steps one must ascend to the blue level of power where the leader looks down on the people. The backdrop shows the Empire State Building (I always suspected the GOP of building a state empire). A smaller podium...

--SNIP-- Kerry got away with using his Vietnam tall tales in his Senate races, but he is not getting away with it now. The story is ballooning, and the more he whines, the worse it will get. The Democrats put their saddle on the wrong horse. Howard Lee Bogalusa, La. ***** Back in 1992, when the Democrats were trying to elect Bill Clinton, we were told Vietnam didn't matter. Now that they have a candidate who serves a whopping four months in Vietnam, all of a sudden it's the most important thing in the world. So, the next time the...

I love this responce from a reader of the WSJ! I guess I am a "draft dodger" the way the Democratic Party defines it, since I joined the Air Force ROTC so I could finish my bachelors degree rather than be drafted into the Army. I was commissioned and served 20 years, from 1973 to 1993, but since I didn't spend four months in Vietnam, I am not qualified to voice opinions on military matters, according to Mr. Kerry. One of the things Mr. Kerry was defending in Vietnam was clearly not the First Amendment. Let me first say, as...

Ads, Smears and Truth (3 Letters) Published: August 25, 2004 To the Editor: Re "President Urges Outside Groups to Halt All Ads" (front page, Aug. 24): Now that whatever damage that may have been done to John Kerry's campaign by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has been done, President Bush is playing the good guy by calling for an end to all the attack ads. How transparent. Robert W. Vitolo Waterville, Me., Aug. 24, 2004 • To the Editor: Re "The Vietnam Passion" (column, Aug. 24): Instead of addressing the reasons for the attempted destruction of John Kerry's reputation...

Good afternoon. I have noticed that you have recently run a few front-page articles about responses to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth television ads. One of these stories was a rare (unlabeled) front-page op-ed piece from the Chicago Tribune. I seem to have missed the original front-page story reporting the allegations themselves; all the stories seem to be about the responses. Did I miss it? If so, could you please direct me to the correct edition of the Courier? And if there was no such story, could I ask why? I know the rest of the mainstream media tried...

Claims Against Bush Not Factual Editor, News-Register: We are the luckiest country in the world to have the freedom of speech. Along with that freedom, however, is the responsibility of truth and accurate facts, whether it be by journalists who write for a living or letters to the editor. It is due to the lack of responsibility by journalists who are supposed to be responsible as well as writers to the op-ed pages who lack the facts, that lead to distortion of the truth. Simply said, you just can't write whatever you want and not be called on the carpet...