TEN DAYS IN SEPTEMBER
The Washington Post series "Ten Days in September" is a very compelling narrative of what the people at the top levels of our government did directly following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. While I wonder whether it's possible to write good history so shortly after the event, and while I also suspect that since the information comes from the key players and their notes, they probably glamorized and their own behavior somewhat (or at least left out anything that might have been less than flattering), it's still well worth a read. The authors are Dan Balz and Bob Woodward.

THAT'S AWFUL!
It’s trashy entertainment, but it’s sort of thought provoking as well. More than anything else, it’s Something Awful.

BERTRAND AND ME
Bertrand Russell is arguably one of the brightest philosophical lights of Western civilization. So what’s the deal with him and God – specifically the Christian God?

Here’s his argument, “Why I Am Not A Christian,” and a few other works.

And here’s a good refutation. It’s evident that the rationality of atheists can be as mislead by zeal as any religion’s most ardent believer.

RATIONAL FAITH
Ever find yourself wondering how a rational person can convince himself that God exists? Here are some good arguments, boiled down to a fairly digestible collection of morsels. Of course, rational or no, theism requires a leap of faith, just as atheism does.

CATHOLIC VOTING PLANKS
Here, according to Joseph A. Califano Jr., president of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University in New York City, and former U.S. secretary of health, education and welfare from 1977 to 1979, is a good list of platform planks for Catholic voters to consider. Sounds like planks every voter should consider -- though Libraterians and social/fiscal conservatives might disagree.
1. Health care is a fundamental human right to which every American is entitled.
2. The lack of safe affordable housing is a national crisis and such housing should be available to all on a non-discriminatory basis.
3. The minimum wage should be increased to a living wage (that is, more than doubled), women and minorities are entitled to equal pay for equal work, and workers have an inalienable right to organize and collectively bargain without reprisal.
4. Government should restrict concentration of control in the broadcast, cable and satellite media.
5. The priorities of agriculture policy are food security for all and fair wages and decent housing and working conditions for farm workers.
6. Documented and undocumented immigrants should have access to basic public benefits, such as health care and food stamps.
7. All persons have an inalienable right to a quality education.
8. Discrimination based on sex, race, ethnicity, religion and age constitutes a grave injustice and affirmative action is an appropriate remedy to overcome its continuing effects.
9. The death penalty should be abolished.
10. Environmental protection of land, water and air is a moral obligation.
11. The nation should ratify the treaty to ban anti-personnel land mines and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and curb its scandalous role in the global arms trade.
12. Debt relief should be granted to poor nations.
13. The United States should provide consistent diplomatic and financial support to the United Nations.
14. U.S. foreign and trade policies should be informed by concerted efforts to protect workers, religious liberties and basic human rights.
The whole essay.