Sunday October 8, 2006

The Final Word: “Voices of Conscience Edition”

(The media experiment in which we conjoin the headline and last paragraph of each bylined article in the A-section of today's New York Times.)

Page 1

Secular Laws Cede to ReligiousExemptions:

"So is there any limit?" He thought a moment, then answered his question. "Yes," he said. "There's God's limit. When he says, 'You're at your limit,' that's when we will stop."

Rumsfeld Shift Lets Army Seek Larger Budget:

General Schoomaker, in his final year as chief, now finds himself negotiating with a strong hand as the Army carries the lion's share of the mission in Iraq.

Foley Case Upsets Tough Balance by Capitol Hill's Gay Republicans:

One gay Republican campaign strategist said he feared that conservatives would "play to the base" and redouble their efforts to vilify homosexuals. "It's one of the places the party goes when it's in trouble," he said. "A lot of us are holding our breath to see how this plays out."

Former Foley Aide Expecting to Testify Before House Panel:

"If it's members of my staff or they didn't do the job, we will act appropriately," Mr. Hastert said. "If it's somebody else's staff, they ought to act appropriately as well."

In New York Immigration Court, Asylum Roulette:

Ms. Liu is still waiting, too, and worrying about which judge will decide her family's fate.

As Farmers Reap More Almonds, Thieves Do, Too:

"I would fall over in shock if we were to get those nuts back," he said. "I would be throttled."

Iraq Youths See Frozen Futures:

She paused and then spoke a familiar refrain: "I really, really want to leave Iraq."

For Yankees, October Has an Early End:

The Yankees are gone, ousted again from a tournament that once seemed to be their birthright. Now is the time for their new fall ritual, the one without ticker tape or heroes. The season of blame is upon them.

From Fall Heroes to Fall Guys: Who'll Have to Go?: "I haven't looked at anything," he said in the hallway outside a quiet clubhouse. "I wasn't prepared to be looking at this stuff, early as we are."
Move to Eighth Doesn't Change Results for Rodriguez: "Maybe the good Lord says it's not time yet for me," Rodriguez said. "I'm certainly not giving up."

Other News

Think of It as an Air Bag, to Protect Horse Hooves:

"We've always been thought of as traditionalists, sometimes for the worse," Nicholson said. "But we're glad we've honored the tradition of giving anything we can back to the horses and the sport. Horses are what we're here for, and we believe this surface is going to go a long way in keeping them safe."

Journalist Critical of Chechen War Is Shot Dead:

The paper had been expecting her to file the article on Saturday night, he said, and she had apparently been killed after she left her apartment for a trip to a nearby store. The RTR television station reported that investigators believed that she had been followed throughout the day.

Rosa Parks, the Brand Name:

"She's a national treasure," he said. "And she should be treated like one."

Senate Debate in New Jersey: War of Words:

Mr. Kean did not disagree.

Security Gaps in Medicare and Medicaid:

The Bush administration is encouraging adoption of electronic health records and is urging doctors to send prescriptions electronically to drugstores. It is also asking beneficiaries to keep track of their health information, including Medicare claims and prescriptions, by using a new online service at www.MyMedicare.gov. In fine print, the government says it "does not warrant the accuracy" of information on the Web site.

Aircraft Carrier Is the Bushes' Latest Namesake:

"I learned a lot about human nature, and I learned a lot about the hearts and dreams of these kids," the elder Mr. Bush said, looking down in an effort to collect himself. He stopped for more than a few seconds, then continued in a throaty voice, "I would see these letters written, and I would count my own blessings."

Arkansas 27, (2) Auburn 10: Auburn's Flaws Are Exposed in an Ugly Loss to Arkansas:

The Razorbacks came to the line quickly after the change of possession, and the 5-7 flanker Reggie Fish got on his hands and knees behind the right guard. The snap went to Fish, who raced 28 yards to the Auburn 6. Three plays later, Arkansas scored to make it 24-10, and Jordan-Hare Stadium was quiet.

International

Spain's Dilemma: To Toast Franco or Banish His Ghost?:

"It makes no sense to prohibit tributes here," he said. "People will just choose somewhere else to do it. You can't stop people from believing in something."

Indonesians Protest Acquittal of Pilot in Rights Advocate's Murder:

Lt. Gen. Hendropriyono, the leader of the intelligence agency at the time of the murder, refused to answer a summons from the commission. Several prominent Indonesian lawyers have said they believe that Mr. Pollycarpus was used by the intelligence service to kill Mr. Munir, and that neither President Yudhoyono nor the police had the fortitude to stand up to the agency.

Experts Fault Accusations Against Pilots in Brazil:

On Friday, lawyers representing the husband of a crash victim asked a court in Brasília, the capital, to order that the Legacy remain in Brazil for now. They want to protect an asset that could be used to pay compensation to their client.

Death Squad Fears Again Haunt Argentina:

She warned that "we are beginning to argue among ourselves, and we are losing sight of the objective."

One Man Leads Often Dangerous Quest to Quell Violence in Yemen:

The small victories keep him going. "I never thought I could get even this far, but people have begun to listen to me," he said. "Extremism is not new, but the oil, the wars, all have turned it into something very dangerous. And now is the time to deal with it."

Airbus Denies Reports That Chief Executive Has Offered to Resign:

Michael Hauger, a spokesman for EADS in Munich, declined to comment on the reports.

Castro Foe With C.I.A. Ties Puts U.S. in an Awkward Spot:

"Mostly nature scenes," Mr. Soto said. "He's seen a lot of those."

Suicide Bomber Kills 14 in Northern Iraq City:

In the southern city of Najaf on Saturday, Iraq's oil minister, Hussein al-Shahristani, opened a new refinery with the capacity to process about 10,000 barrels of oil a day. Mr. Shahristani said the government planned to open another refinery in the south of Iraq, in Karbala, with a daily capacity of about 200,000 barrels.