Democracy in the Middle East

Commentator Barrie Dunsmore believes that the fabled warning, “Be careful what you wish for” – could well apply to the Bush Administration’s desire to democratize the Middle East.

Two Americas

The idea of “Two Americas” usually refers to an economic division, but recently, commentator Bill Seamans has been contemplating a very different meaning.

News

2004 was a challenging year for the news media, but commentator David Moats thinks that it will continue to play an important role in the democratic process in the year ahead – and beyond.

Newspaper at odds with police over threatening letter

A local newspaper is in a dispute with police over a threatening letter it received as part of an anthrax hoax. The Times Argus newspaper in Barre was shutdown for several hours on Monday after an editor opened the letter and white powder spilled out. The powder was later determined to be a sodium substance. Police kept the letter as evidence. But now the paper is taking legal action to learn its contents.

Leahy calls for increased aid to south Asia

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy is calling on the Bush administration to dramatically increase disaster relief to south Asia. Leahy says he’s concerned that the administration will dip into important foreign aid programs to fund the relief — or fail to provide enough money to stricken countries.

Year in Review, Part 3: Red Sox, Flu, Phish and more

In almost every year there are events that don’t fit into any one category. They’re unique; so different that if a year had fingerprints they’d be part of the identifying pattern.As we continue our series on “2004,” VPR’s Steve Delaney takes a look into that mixed bag.