Commentary

Simon Says

Kaddish for a Cardinal

August 11, 2007 · Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger's life and death were rich in symbolism. Born to Jewish parents, he converted to Catholicism and rose through the ranks of the church, never forgetting his roots.

A Love Affair with Online Announcements

August 6, 2007 · Commentator Andy Raskin describes his addiction to the online version of the New York Times wedding announcements, known as "Video Vows." It may be the reason his last relationship is no more.

The Unger Report By Brian Unger

Imagining News Corp's 'WSJ'

August 6, 2007 · Our humorist imagines what The Wall Street Journal will look like under the leadership of News Corporation magnate Rupert Murdoch.

This I Believe

A Reverence for All Life

August 5, 2007 · For a college class assignment, Michelle Gardner-Quinn wrote a This I Believe essay about her love for the environment and reverence for life. Two days after turning in her essay, she was murdered.

Northern Ireland Offers Hope for Conflict Resolution

August 5, 2007 · After nearly 40 years, British troops ended their mission in Northern Ireland last week. Commentator Kevin Cullen reflects on the end of an era.

Will U.N. Forces Make a Difference in Darfur?

August 4, 2007 · The U.N. approves sending a force of 26,000 soldiers to Darfur. Will it make any difference? Is the force set up to make a difference? At least 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur over the last four years by an armed militia called the Janjaweed, backed by the Sudanese government.

Zimbabwe Harsh Terrain for Journalists

August 4, 2007 · There are some places where the very act of reporting is so risky that few journalists even attempt it. One such reporter, who uses the pseudonym Lee to protect her identity, has been working in Zimbabwe, considered a journalistic black hole.

Poet on Call By Andrei Codrescu

Summer: Time for a Snooze, Not the News

August 2, 2007 · Some people simply must slow down when the weather gets hot. But maybe the people on TV don't have summer. They can't seem to stop working. The rest of us can just pretend its Sunday all summer long.

The Quest for a Same-Named Sandwich

July 31, 2007 · Commentator Daniel Pinkwater has long been on a quest to have a sandwich named after him. Whether or not he succeeds on his crusade is the point of this commentary.

This I Believe

Experiencing a Feeling of Wildness

July 30, 2007 · Nature writer David Gessner believes you don't have to climb Everest or raft the Amazon to find wildness. It's often found much closer to home, in our backyards and in the experiences of daily life.

The Unger Report By Brian Unger

Come Party at Club NASA

July 30, 2007 · NASA is smarting from two damaging stories involving the space-shuttle program: The agency discovered that a shuttle computer had been sabotaged, and confirmed that some astronauts had shown up to fly past shuttle missions drunk. This inspired our humorist.

Simon Says

Scandals Make Life Hard for Sports Fans

July 28, 2007 · These days, urine tests and arraignments seem to be the more exciting events in the sports world. Observers tell Scott Simon that fans have failed to grasp the link between sports figures behaving badly and the basic honesty of the games we follow. He explains what that means.

Your Money

Americans Tell Job Horror Stories in Contest

July 25, 2007 · Working America, the union outreach group, launches its annual contest in which it collects on-the-job horror stories and then posts them on its Web site. There you can review the bad-boss stories. There will be two grand-prize winners this year. The prize? A vacation from that bad boss.