Word: harshness
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...that's almost certainly the way it was during 99.9% of human evolution. For most of the 7 million years or so since we parted ways with chimps, life has been very harsh--"nasty, brutish and short," in Thomas Hobbes' memorable phrase. The average life expectancy was probably well under 30. But much of that dismal brevity can be chalked up to accidents, infections, traumatic childbirth and unfortunate encounters with saber-toothed cats and other such predators. If a Cro-Magnon, say, could get past these formidable obstacles, he might conceivably live into his 60s or even longer, with none...
...Director of Central Intelligence from outside the Agency in the coming months, a leading contender may be Florida Republican congressman Porter Goss. His credentials include service as a CIA operative and as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, where he has helped shield the Bush administration from harsh criticism over Iraq and al-Qaeda. And he has a longstanding friendship with Senator Bob Graham, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee which would have to endorse the nomination. But whether the administration seeks to replace Tenet before the election remains to be seen...
...place in which to wander alone, especially at night. If you are traveling there, Girardet and Walter and their contributors are the people to guide you. And if you're not, an armchair journey yields an intriguing look at a mosaic of cultures and a harsh history that is still being shaped today...
Ironically, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi may have done more to rally the G.O.P. troops that day than Bush. In a press conference after the President's visit, she accused him of "incompetence" and declared that "the emperor has no clothes." Reaction was predictably swift and harsh. "Nancy Pelosi should apologize for her irresponsible, dangerous rhetoric," said House majority leader Tom DeLay. When times get tough for the G.O.P., the Democrats can always help...
...guns of the Bush Administration for setting a tone of tolerance as far back as Sept. 11 that may have encouraged the abuse. While the Administration maintained that its rules and practices of interrogation adhered to international standards, a broad spectrum of critics argue that the Pentagon adopted harsh methods that played fast and loose with the law. Even if no one ordered these particular incidents, critics argue that the abuses can be read as Administration policy carried to extreme...