This is the eighth season of "American Idol." Knowing that it was nothing but vacuous eye candy, I resisted watching it for the first three years. Then, during season four, I got caught up in watching country singer Carrie Underwood, who turned out to be my favorite Idol contestant of all time other than Katherine McPhee, who should have won the season five Idol crown instead of the overrated Taylor Hicks. (Obviously, now I'm hooked. Pray for me.) ...more

March 18, 2009

The terrorism threat to the United States during the next five years will be driven by instability in the Middle East and Africa, persistent challenges to border security and increasing Internet savvy, says a new intelligence assessment obtained by The Associated Press. ...more

December 26, 2008

Global warming probably will mean more illegal immigration and humanitarian disasters, undermining shaky governments and possibly expanding the terrorism threat against the United States, intelligence agencies say. ...more

June 26, 2008

For years, I have watched with growing concern as my University of California, Los Angeles colleagues have been subjected to increasing harassment, violence and threats by animal rights extremists. ...more

November 20, 2007