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Pacific NW Cover Story Growing up in Normandy Park in the mid-'70s, Jeff Wiltse spent summers at the pool. All day. Every day. And it wasn't just about swimming. There was Wiffle ball, showing off for pretty girls, trading baseball cards on the pool deck. The pool was where he had his first meaningful conversations with adults (during intergenerational games of pickleball), and Wiltse vaguely understood, even then, that the pool was more than chlorine and concrete; it was a uniquely intimate community space, "effective for overcoming the social distance that keeps people separate in most spheres of life." Decades...

Bigotry never goes away. When it becomes unfashionable, it goes underground and waits until a new hate group appears into which it can project its twisted sickness. Racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Catholicism and anti-immigrant nativism are chronic infections in the American body politic. Rush Limbaugh singing his obscene tune "Barack the Magic Negro" is inviting prejudice and violence. However, for pure irrational rage, the current crop of nativists are some of the worst to come along since the Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s or those God-fearing Protestants who burned convents in Boston in the 19th century.

Pelosi Calls Bush to Complain of Cheney's Comments on Democrats' Iraq Strategy Wednesday, February 21, 2007 WASHINGTON — ... Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday phoned President Bush to air her complaints over Vice President Dick Cheney's comments that the Congressional Democrats' plan for Iraq would "validate the Al Qaeda strategy." snip "You cannot say as the president of the United States, 'I welcome disagreement in a time of war,' and then have the vice president.. go out of the country and mischaracterize a position of the speaker of the House and in a manner that says that person in that position...

Senator Kerry had to choke back tears as he announced, on the floor of the Senate, the end of his long quest for the presidency, but our own eyes are dry. His career, by our lights, has been one of the most disgraceful of his generation. It was begun, in 1971, with his testimony before the Senate, besmirching the honor of the GIs along with whom he'd had the honor to serve in Vietnam and whom he left on the battlefield to meet in Paris with envoys of our enemies. He sought, in his vainglory, to advance the notion that...

Peace upon those who believe in peace and desire it, and the mercy of God and His blessings. I address you in this letter from the place of my confinement, as my attempt on the basis of my moral, human, and constitutional responsibility so that no one among you might say that no one came to us with a message of peace after the war began, refuting the arguments for it and desiring peace for you and for our upright, loyal, heroic people. And as I say this, I do no know whether my brothers and comrades who are leading...

Washington -- The Bush administration's notion that toppling Saddam Hussein would stabilize a turbulent region is among the casualties of this week's Middle East carnage. The death toll in Lebanon and Israel, which exceeds 250 in the past week, is a grim reminder that the sectarian violence in Baghdad 500 miles to the east is but one of many hotspots in a region that has been plagued by violence for more than 1,000 years. The oft-stated hope that a new Iraqi government would swiftly transform the region's fractured politics has been realized with unintended consequences: an emboldened Iran; the victory...

Campaigners demonstrated in east London over recent anti-terror raids, calling for a full police apology. Hundreds of people took to the streets near Forest Gate, east London, scene of a massive police raid on 2 June. Brothers Mohammed Abdul Kahar, 23, and Abul Koyair, 20, spent several days in custody following the raid. They were later released without charge. Muddassar Ahmad, a spokesman for the organisers, said: "We clearly, clearly want an apology - unqualified." Mr Kahar was shot in the shoulder during the raid. Mr Koyair helped lead the march, which ended with a rally in a local park....

COLUMBUS, Ohio - As it has done for 200 years, Ohio's delegation to the Electoral College (news - web sites) is to meet Monday to cast ballots for president and vice president — but this time, there are demands that the electors wait until after a recount. A demonstration was held Sunday as about 100 people gathered outside the Ohio Statehouse to protest the delegation's vote. The Electoral College's vote in the Ohio Senate chamber is expected to be accompanied by demonstrations outside the Capitol sponsored by groups who don't accept that President Bush (news - web sites) won the...

Brokaw Astonished Over NYTimes Reporter Being Banned By White House Tue Nov 30 2004 10:09:36 ET Outgoing NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw was asked on MSNBC's HARDBALL Monday if the Bush White House has been tough with the press corps, citing as an example of Dick Cheney stipulating no NEW YORK TIMES reporters on his trips. Brokaw said, "I think they have been too tough. "The idea that this White House has not given Tom Friedman a long, in-depth interview is astonishing to me. I have had a very good relationship with them, I have gotten to interview the President a...

First post-therapy Kerry supporter speaks out publicly Published Sunday, November 14, 2004 at 1:00 am by Sean Salai A post-therapy John Kerry supporter spoke out about her trauma treatment for the first time this weekend, saying Florida psychologist Douglas Schooler took her from the depths of despair over President Bush’s victory to a new lease on life. Forty-four year old Karen of Boca Raton, a divorced mother of one who didn’t want her last name in print, called the trauma specialist’s intensive election therapy “profoundly effective” and described his hypnosis technique as “a healing process.” “I wasn’t sleeping,” Karen told...