Monday October 23, 2006

The Final Word: “Nice Work If You Can Get It 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.)

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Grim New Turn May Harden Darfur Conflict:

"It is going to be difficult, and is going to require a great deal of diplomacy and pressure," he said. "For the rebels, a lot of cajoling, and for the government, they have got to be under pressure. And you need a strong mediator, someone who can knock heads if necessary. It is not going to be easy, but ultimately there is no way out of this conflict without a renewed political process."

To Stand or Fall in Baghdad: Capital Is Key to Mission:

"Until we get that settled I think we are going to struggle," he added.

In Deregulation, Power Plants Turn Into Blue Chips:

"It's a great deal," he said, "having ratepayers cover your managerial mistakes."

As G.O.P. Mopes, Bush Adds the Duties of Optimist in Chief:

"I don't buy into that premise," Mr. Bush told Bill O'Reilly of Fox News. Calling the query a "trick question," he added: "The minute I start answering your question, the word is 'Well, Bush anticipates losing.' I don't anticipate losing."

New York, Los Angeles, Olathe? Rent's Bite Is Big in Kansas, Too:

"I'm very happy with the schools, and that's one good reason to be here," she said. "Plus, I'd have to get up on my feet before I'd have enough money to go anywhere else."

Out to Show He's Not Just an Old New Jersey Name:

"I'm an optimist," he said.

Tight Race Draws Political Stars: Mr. Menendez devoted a large part of his speech to the war in Iraq, saying that Mr. Kean would support the Bush administration's policies. He also told the crowd he would fight for a higher minimum wage, support stem-cell research and oppose any attempt to privatize Social Security.

Other News

13 Police Recruits Among 18 Iraqis Killed in Violence:

The party urged that the leadership of the Iraqi Army brigade in the area be replaced.

Researchers See Privacy Pitfalls in No-Swipe Credit Cards:

All of the card companies said that they were in the process of deleting names from the stream of data transmitted to the card readers. "As a best practice, issuers are not including the cardholder name," Mr. Triplett of Visa said.

Connecticut Episcopal Bishop Will Bless Gay Unions:

Father Leighon added, "It's not that we're against gays. It's rather that we're affirming the traditional beliefs that only a man and a woman should be intimate for life in holy wedlock."

Tigers 3, Cardinals 1: The Real Dirt on Rogers: The Cardinals Can't Touch Him:

The fans stood and waved white towels during Rolen's at-bat, and the chants of "Kenny! Kenny!" had begun in the first inning. Rogers has pitched a perfect game and earned 207 career victories, but never has he been this loved.

Fantasy Sports? Child's Play. Here, Politics Is the Game.:

"Everyone knows about football, but more people need to know about Congress," Mr. Lee said. "If as many people knew about Congress as knew about football, baseball and basketball, we'd all be more educated."

Jane Wyatt, Mother on 'Father Knows Best,' Dies at 95:

One of her more offbeat television parts was that of Amanda, the human mother of Mr. Spock, the pointy-eared Vulcan member of the "Star Trek" crew of space voyagers in the late 1960's. She reprised the role in the 1986 film, "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home."

'Lisey's Story,' by Stephen King: Her Story of Him, Both Tender and Terrible:

As Mr. King's coda explains, "Lisey's Story" is full of references to books, songs, poems and movies, all of which add up to the world that had meaning for Scott. Some of these allusions are more mischievous than others. Surely Lisey's smoking Salem Lights has something to do with the way that "Salem's Lot," the second King novel and great early hit, rocked Stephen and Tabitha King's world.

International

Panamanians Vote Overwhelmingly to Expand Canal:

But concerns about the project remain, even among those who voted for it. "The expansion is necessary, but we all have to watch closely, make sure there isn't embezzlement and corruption," said Igor Meneses, 34, an advertising executive. "With that kind of money, there's a lot to steal."

São Paulo Journal: At Long Last, a Neglected Language Is Put on a Pedestal:

"For 850 years, our neighbors next door have been saying that there is no future for Portuguese," said Mr. Soares, of the community, referring to Spain. "But here we are, still. The dynamic for the language may come from Brazil, but there is no doubt in my mind that Portuguese as a language will remain viable."

Tensions Rise Between Palestinian Factions:

Once it ignites, white phosphorous creates such a high level of heat and smoke that it has been banned in use against civilians or civilian areas by the Geneva Conventions.

News Analysis: A Different Tactic for Rice: Speaking Softly Without the Stick:

All that may be true, but only if winter does not begin until the third snow.

32 Killed in Factional Fighting in Western Afghanistan:

Ismail Khan, who is in Herat for the Id al-Fitr holiday at the end of Ramadan, "is against the factional fighting, and his supporters are not involved in this clash" said Mr. Sarwar, his assistant.

Indian Officials Split on Pakistan Role in Bombings:

India and Pakistan, neighbors who each have nuclear arms, became entangled in a new dispute this weekend when India arrested a driver working for the Pakistani Embassy in New Delhi, accusing him of receiving classified military information. An Indian soldier also was arrested, and was accused of passing on the documents. Pakistan strongly objected to what it called the "manhandling" of its embassy staff.

State Dept. Official Apologizes for Criticism of Iraq Policy:

Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish lawmaker, said more American officials should be willing to be self-critical about missteps in Iraq. "I have been expecting American officials, someday, last year, this year, to say something about this, that this policy has not worked," Mr. Othman said. "It has been a failure. They should admit it before it is too late."

Serbs to Vote on Document That Is Faulty, Critics Say:

Despite the criticism of the constitution inside Serbia, neither the Council of Europe nor the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has commented on the document. That has prompted some critics of the draft to suggest those groups were more interested in Serbia's short-term political stability than its long-term interests.

Khartoum Expels U.N. Envoy Who Has Been Outspoken on Darfur Atrocities:

And commenting on the international campaign that has arisen to try to end the violence in Darfur, he said, "Those who made the publicity, who mobilized the people, invariably are Jewish organizations."

National Report

Crowd-Pleaser From Illinois Considers White House Run:

Mr. Hildebrand said, "The reaction that Obama got in Iowa was like nothing I've ever seen before with another politician."

Running on Experience, a Longtime Incumbent Finds Himself on the Defensive:

Mr. Shaw discounts such prospects, saying voters here are more loyal to him than to his party. In past elections, he has won more votes in his district than even Gov. Jeb Bush, he said.

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