The National Football League's multibillion-dollar celebration of its own opulence has gained a pervasive hold on American life since it came into existence 43 years ago. ...more

February 1, 2009

It is one thing when the best-paid people seem to be the smartest and the most accomplished. Those who make much less may not like it, but the differential seems understandable. It is another thing when those people are shown to have committed huge blunders that would have driven their companies out of business, and them into the unemployment line, but for government bailouts. ...more

January 24, 2009

The recent dust up in Georgia followed by the neo-cons immediately urging the admission of Georgia and the Ukraine into NATO membership demonstrates how close we are coming to reigniting the cold war with Russia. ...more

November 30, 2008

WASHINGTON - Recently trailing or tied, Democrat Barack Obama now leads Republican John McCain in a trio of the most critical, vote-rich states five weeks before the election, according to presidential poll results released Wednesday. ...more

October 1, 2008

Barack Obama's calmly assured response to the economic crisis and solid debate performance have bolstered the view among voters that he is ready to be chief executive, a crucial threshold he needs to cross to win the presidency. ...more

September 30, 2008

In the end, the financial markets didn't stand a chance against voter antipathy, partisanship and election year politics. ...more

September 30, 2008

The country's largest medical association is set to issue a formal apology today for its historic antipathy toward African American doctors, expressing regret for a litany of transgressions. ...more

July 10, 2008

John McCain is bullish on free trade. The country isn't. Yet McCain doesn't miss many opportunities to reproach Democratic presidential rival Barack Obama's emerging opposition to international trade deals. ...more

June 13, 2008

Word Used Too Loosely I am a Christian who sympathizes with Sandra Webber, the writer of "Onward Christian Soldier - Or Else" (Other Views, May 31). ...more

June 8, 2008

"Top Chef: Finale, Part 1," 10 tonight, Bravo Now that former Clearwater Beach resident Spike Mendelsohn is out of the way - see today's Stew column on Page 2 - the four finalists head south to Puerto Rico for the first episode of a two-part finale. Now the real cooking can begin. Curiously, the previews show Lisa without her iconic head scarf. Apparently the bandana was confiscated at customs for having soaked up too much antipathy. ...more

June 4, 2008