Comair Plane Took Off From Wrong Runway  —  LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A commuter jet mistakenly trying to take off on a runway that was too short crashed into a field Sunday and burst into flames, killing 49 people and leaving the lone survivor - a co-pilot - in critical condition, federal investigators said.

'Gaza is caught in anarchy and thuggery'  —  "When you walk in the streets of Gaza City, you cannot but close your eyes because of what you see there: unimaginable chaos, careless policemen, young men carrying guns and strutting with pride and families receiving condolences for their dead in the middle of the street."

Life and Death  —  Western guilt blinds us to the nature of Islamic extremism.  —  The simple back-and-forth of war can create the illusion that both sides have a legitimate point to make even when this is not so, and it is clear that Hezbollah's cause has greatly benefited from war's "equalizing" effect.

Dozens killed in Iraq; 8 U.S. troops die  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Violence in Iraq left nearly 50 people dead Monday in a suicide car bombing and clashes between Shiite militia and Iraqi security forces, a brutal contradiction of the prime minister's claim that bloodshed was decreasing.

Major black candidates at record high  —  Six African-Americans are making serious bids for senator or governor in 2006.  —  WASHINGTON - From Maryland to Tennessee to Ohio, the 2006 elections already hold a place in the history books: More black candidates from both major parties …

Homicide Charges Rare in Iraq War  —  The majority of U.S. service members charged in the unlawful deaths of Iraqi civilians have been acquitted, found guilty of relatively minor offenses or given administrative punishments without trials, according to a Washington Post review of concluded military cases.

Shopping for Support Down the Wrong Aisle  —  Once upon a time, smart Democrats defended globalization, open trade and the companies that thrive within this system.  They were wary of tethering themselves to an anti-trade labor movement that represents a dwindling fraction of the electorate.

Hezbollah bunkers under UN post  —  The IDF has blown up a Hizbullah bunker, uncovered 400 meters from the northern border near Rosh Hanikra.  —  Deputy Commander of the Golani Brigade, Lieutenant General Gasam Alian, said that "this is a bunker that sprawls on the ground two kilometers with shooting positions of molded concrete."

America: More Like Sweden Than You Thought  —  One of the joys of my working life is that I get to read papers like "The State of Working America" from the Economic Policy Institute.  They are, as you may know, the people who urge that the USA become more like the European countries, most especially the Scandinavian ones.

Nasrallah: We won't be restrained for a long time  —  In first interview after Lebanon war to Lebanese station NTV, Hizbullah chief says he would not have kidnapped IDF soldiers had he known Israel would respond the way it did.  'Resistance will continue to be a tool for the army.

WHY A PAC?  —  If you've checked the Blue America ActBlue page in the last couple of days, you may have noticed a new addition.  That ain't no candidate's face the second from the top.  No, it's the graphic symbol that our sometime art director, Adam, did to represent our "campaign" …

In Defense of Andrew Young  —  Andrew Young unwittingly ended his brief tenure as Wal-Mart's ambassador to U.S. cities this month with his remarks about the nation's urban mom and pop shops:  —  "Those are the people who have been overcharging us — selling us stale bread and bad meat and wilted vegetables …

How right wing the left sounds after its moment of racial truth  —  Quick, somebody buy a wreath.  Last week marked the passing of multiculturalism as official government doctrine.  No longer will opponents of this corrosive and divisive creed be silenced simply by the massed Pavlovian ovine accusation: "Racist!"

SADDAM BEING FORCED TO WATCH 'SOUTH PARK' MOVIE!  —  This is great news about Saddam (auditioning for "Inherit the Wind," left): … Stone, incidentally, voiced Saddam's character in the "South Park" movie.  —  We know that Parker and Stone have a knack for seeing ahead with their work …