PATIENT DIES DURING TELEVISED OPERATION
"Hundreds of doctors watched on live video as Italian surgeons replaced a man's heart valve without cutting open his chest. Then something went wrong. The valve was in place, but his heart was failing as the live telecast to Washington ended. Two hours later, the 77-year-old died in a Milan hospital."
(FINDLAW/AP)

TORTURE BY PROXY
"Our intelligence agencies have a name for this torture-by-proxy. They call it 'extraordinary rendition.' As one intelligence official explained: 'We don't kick the s -- out of them. We send them to other countries so they can kick the s -- out of them.' "
(SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE topic suggested by Joel Sogol)

DEBATE PRIMER
"At first glance, the candidates' assertions may have the ring of truth. But on close examination, many of their pronouncements turn out to be exaggerated, lacking in context or wrong. "
(WASHINGTON POST)

FOURTH ESTATE OR FIFTH COLUMN?
"If you were watching the network evening news in June, July and August, you would have seen somewhat favorable coverage of John Kerry -- six out of 10 evaluations were positive -- and somewhat unfavorable coverage of President Bush.
If you were watching Fox News Channel's 6 p.m. newscast, you would have seen about the same coverage of the president. But Kerry's evaluations were negative by a 5 to 1 margin."
(WASHINGTON POST)