And another week draws to a close, with the following headlines on our screen:

1. Couple Charged in Nuclear-Weapons Secrets Case (WSJ) — No, their name isn’t Rosenberg, and it’s not about Russia. It’s Venezuela this time.
2. Religion ‘marginalised’ says Pope (BBC) — This of course is a local story for the BBC. Meanwhile, NPR reports, “Six Arrested In London Over Possible Threat To Pope.”
3. Drill reaches trapped men in Chile mine (BBC) — But it will still take weeks before it can be widened enough to get them out.
4. Dueling rallies at the Mall (WashPost) — Looks like Jon Stewart is planning to steal a march on the UnParty, inviting all reasonable, moderate people in the country to march on Washington. Last person I’d expect it from, but he makes it sound good. Gotta tell you, I’m tempted.
5. Afghan Voters Head To Polls Amid Threats, Fraud (NPR) — The voting is on Saturday.
6. Legislature vs. the governor – again (The State) — Yeah, I know this was in the paper this morning, but I didn’t read it until this afternoon, so it feels fresh. To me. “All the transparent people want to be invisible,” complains House Ways and Means chairman Dan Cooper, R-Anderson. Which sounds like it’s not just about the present governor, but about someone that serious Republicans don’t really want to become governor.

We’re back today, and here’s what we have (that was the editorial “we,” of course — or perhaps we should say the royal we, since we no longer represent a board when we say it):

1. 1 in 7 Americans lives in poverty (WashPost) — The poverty rate hits the highest level in the half-century the gummint has kept such statistics. Yeah, tell me about it.
2. Senate Passes Bill to Aid Small Businesses (NYT) — Tax breaks and loans, over GOP objections.
3. U.S. cybersecurity plans lagging, critics say (WashPost) — “More than a year after President Obama made a White House speech proclaiming that the protection of computer networks was a national priority, the federal government is still grappling with key questions about how to secure its computer systems as well as private networks deemed critical to U.S. security.”
4. Sarkozy attacks Roma row critics (BBC) — “Eef we weesh to bash ze zhipsees, we weel bash ze zhipsees,” said the diminutive French leader. Or something like that. I don’t talk Paris talk.
5. McConnell defends photograph (The State) — Yeah, I know it was in the paper already, but this just isn’t getting old. A timeless South Carolina tale…
6. X Prize Marks Fuel-Efficiency Spot For Future Cars (NPR) — Some cool cars. I don’t mean cool like Steve McQueen’s Mustang in “Bullitt,” or like Doc Brown’s DeLorean in “Back to the Future,” but cool nonetheless.

OK, really fast now:

1. Gates Announces Pentagon Cost-Saving Guidelines (WSJ) — A fairly soft lede, but it’s what I have today.
2. Freed US hiker Sarah Shourd flies out of Iran (BBC) — So now that she’s out, what do ya think? Spy, or not?
3. French Senate Approves Ban on Burqas (WSJ) — First, the cheese-eating fashion monkeys came for the women in the burqas. And I didn’t care because I wasn’t a woman and didn’t wear a burqa, or want to. Then they came for the guys in the bow ties, and I said WAIT A FRICKIN’ MINUTE! Looks like we all need to double-check our wardrobes before going to Paris.
4. EU may take legal action against France over Roma (BBC) — Meanwhile, the EU sticks up for the pikeys. (Is it OK to say “pikeys?”)
5. Ethics panel reprimands Knotts, orders contributions be repaid (thestate.com) — No, not about the “raghead” thing. About campaign finance. He’ll be out $24,000 — which, while I don’t have time to look it up right now, I think is even more than Nikki Haley has paid in penalties for back taxes.
6. States Struggle To Share Cost Of High-Speed Rail (NPR) — This makes my front because I dig rail. Especially light rail. But high-speed is cool. Although the train in that picture is a little weird. Whaddya call that, Ah-nold?

Another weekend passes, and here we are again — still waiting for local news to get over the summer doldrums. National news, too, for that matter:

1. GOP vows to fight to keep Bush-era tax cuts (WashPost) — Well, you know things are really, REALLY slow when I lead with people TALKING about taxes on my front. Not even anything happening, which pretty much breaks the rules of what makes a lede. Bores the stuff outta me, I’m here to tell ya. (Seriously. Just do what you’re gonna do, and tell me how much I owe after I get my W2. I’ll pay whatever it is, just to get you to do away. I mean, I know you’re not going to do anything responsible. You’re going to raise less than you spend, no matter which party you’re in. Stop trying to waste my time with this, acting like all your tears and flapdoodle make a difference.) But it’s all the major papers are talking about, and I’m not seeing anything harder on the horizon.
2. Cuba to cut one million public sector jobs (BBC) — Whoa. When the Revolution starts privatizing as a growth strategy, it makes you think, don’t it? ¿Qué pasa, Fidel?
3. Aflac Growing in Columbia (CRBR) — Mike Fitts reports, “Aflac announced this morning that it will base its group insurance efforts in Columbia. That includes one floor, to start with, in space formerly used by AT&T at Huger and Laurel streets. About 120 employees will move to the 27,000-square-foot space in January, and the company expects to double its employees in the next three to five years as the company grows.”
4. N.Y. imam: ‘Every option’ open (WashPost) — Including relocation, as it happens…
5. Giant Sharks Swim Onto Species Watch List (NPR) — This is how slow things are. Man, I never even flippin’ heard of a “basking shark” before I read this. Big as a school bus?  Huh. I’ll say this for them: They are ugly scudders.
6. Gamecocks meeting Obama today (thestate.com) — They had to put on their formal unis — ties and everything.

As the week draws to a close, here are our top stories:

1. Obama Urges Israel to Extend Settlement Moratorium (NYT) — But will Israel listen? Within this context, I hope so.
2. Obama awards living soldier the Medal of Honor (WashPost) — The U.S. casualties from a 2007 Taliban ambush would have been greater had not paratrooper Spec. Salvatore Giunta gotten up after being hit and plunged straight into the enemy fire to save three wounded comrades.
3. California Gas Blast ‘Looked Like Hell On Earth’ (NPR) — This makes Hyundai’s unveiling of a new electric car all that more exciting. The whole fossil-fuel-extraction thing is looking more iffy by the day.
4. SC nuclear plant shut down by turbine problem (thestate.com) — Looks like we need to build some new nuclear power plants; the old ones seem to be wearing out. We’ll need the new ones to power our electric cars.
5. Iran ‘delays release of US hiker Sarah Shourd’ (BBC) — Notice how the BBC attributes, or puts in quotes, every assertion in their headlines? They don’t trust anybody, do they? They’re the embodiment of the journalistic proverb, “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.”
6. County management of city police constitutional: McMaster (thestate.com) — Well, that’s one potential objection out of the way. Any others?

OK, at least one more for the week. I may not have time to do one tomorrow; I have some important ADCO deadlines coming up:

1. Florida Pastor Cancels Plans to Burn Quran (WSJ) — “Mr. Jones said he decided to cancel his protest because the leader of a planned Islamic Center near ground zero has agreed to move its controversial location…” Huh?
2. Economist’s views on Muslims spark controversy in Germany (WashPost) — Just so you know we’re not alone with this kind of bad craziness here. A member of the Central Bank is worried that the master race is being dragged down by Muslims.
3. US losing war in Afghanistan: Taliban leader (AFP) — The enemy unveils a new tactic: Trash-talking. They don’t realize they’re playing to our strength. Still, we might have to dig deep into our strategic arsenal and bring Muhammad Ali out of retirement to counter this.
4. Appeals Court Ends Ban on Stem Cell Financing, for Now (NYT) — That pretty much says it: “For now.”
5. Haley’s Family’s Business Also Penalized for Late Taxes (AP) — And the trend of revelations continue, revealing Nikki Haley’s putative strengths to be liabilities.
6. ‘You lie!’ windfall for Wilson, Miller (thestate.com) — Yup, it was a year ago today that two things happened: A right-wing star was born, and it was guaranteed that no strong candidate would emerge to oppose him, as huge amounts of cash flowed to Rob Miller — and then to Joe himself.

Here’s what we have today:

1. Court Backs Rendition (NYT) — The CIA wins a battle in the War on Terror, this one in a federal appeals court. A sharply divided court, that is. But if the ACLU can’t win in the 9th Circuit, where can it win?
2. Karzai seeks to limit role of U.S. corruption investigators (WashPost) — Which is not exactly the way to clean up Afghanistan.
3. Obama Takes Aim at Republicans (WSJ) — He’s had a certain edge in his speeches the last couple of days. Evidently, he has decided not to take this midterm election lying down.
4. BP spreads blame over oil spill (BBC) — I’d play this bigger, but it was in newspapers this morning, so it’s old now.
5. Candidates urged to keep Gov’s budget blueprint (thestate.com) — This is a small followup story, but worth your attention.
6. Pastor Still Plans Quran Burning Despite Pressure (WSJ) — Just in case you’re still following this. I’m mindful about what some of y’all have said to the effect that if the media would have ignored this, we wouldn’t have a problem. True, as far as I know. But now it’s out there… Meanwhile, “Most Americans object to planned Islamic center near Ground Zero, poll finds.”

Here’s what we have at the beginning of this truncated week:

1. NATO chief: Karzai must crack down on graft (WashPost) — Good call. But can he?
2. Church Still Plans to Burn Koran (WashPost) — For more on this, go to this discussion.
3. Chicago Mayor Daley Won’t Run for Re-Election (WSJ) — No, not that Mayor Daley. His boy. Still, big political news.
4. Pension rallies hit French cities (BBC) — Is there anything more fun than marveling at the sense of entitlement of the French? Those… those cheese-eating retirement monkeys!
5. Records show Sheheen’s workers’-comp income (The State) — Small quibble with the subhed, saying the candidates’ incomes is a “major issue” in the campaign. Actually, I don’t even think it’s a captain issue. It’s a first-lieutenant issue, tops. But it is interesting to consider that Sheheen, whom his opponent would like to paint as a worker’s comp fat cat, earned less from that sort of practice in two years than Haley got from Wilbur Smith for her great connections.  You know, that income she was reluctant to disclose…
6. Costs Of Defensive Medicine May Be Overstated (NPR) — Since we’re short on hard news today (and I thought August was over!), an interesting issue to discuss…

Here’s what we have this afternoon:

1. Private Sector Adds 67,000 Jobs (WSJ) — OK, that sounds really good — ultimately, we obviously prefer that to more stimulus spending on gummint. But the rest of the report is mixed, and confusing (to me, anyway).
2. Gates Sketches Afghan Combat Timeline (WSJ) — “(H)e envisions two or three more years of combat operations in Afghanistan before the U.S. transitions to an advisory role, a mission likely to last years more…”
3. Odierno: We’re leaving Iraq a better country (WashPost) — But, the general said in an interview on his way out of the country, “It’s going to be three to five years post-2011 before we really understand where Iraq is going and how successful we’ve actually been in pushing Iraq forward.”
4. Radical Islam is world’s greatest threat – Tony Blair (BBC) — I put it on my front because — well, because it has my man Tony in it. “He made the remark in a BBC interview marking the publication of his memoirs.” Tony always knew how to work the media.
5. Earl Weakens But Still Packs Punch As It Heads North (NPR) — Hardly a hurricane any more, from the sound of it. We who remember Hugo scoff at Category 1…
6. Haley criticizes Sanford, port situation (P&C) — “I want to bite the hand that feeds me; I want to bite that hand so badly…“

Something that doesn’t quite make my top six, but which I want to pass on in case it would help: Sheriff’s Department seeks help on missing teen (thestate.com).

Just really quick:

1. Oil Platform Explodes, 13 Workers Rescued (WSJ) — Fortunately, it did not turn into a “Here we go again, y’all…”
2. Leaders Agree to Successive Rounds of Mideast Talks (NYT) — A turn of the screw, but an important one.
3. Hurricane Earl Roars Toward N.C. Coast (NPR) — Not quite a local story, but almost.
4. Afghan election campaign workers ‘killed in air strike’ (BBC) — Two were also wounded in the NATO-led strike.
5. Bernanke, Bair Defend Markets Overhaul (WSJ) — The Fed chair defends his actions at the critical moment two years ago.
6. Will on Bulge veterans: ‘Indisputable American heroes’ (thestate.com) — The event honoring the veterans of the Ardennes campaign was today.

Nothing local at this hour, but here’s what we do have:

1. Wall Street Surges After Upbeat Reports on Economy (NYT) — Partly based on surprisingly good U.S. manufacturing news.
2. Obama condemns W Bank ‘slaughter’ (BBC) — And hopes the latest murder of Israelis by Hamas doesn’t derail the peace talks that started today.
3. August U.S. Car Sales Plummet (WSJ) — Of course, that’s up against “cash for clunkers” last year.
4. Report Shows Unauthorized Immigrants Leaving U.S. (NPR) — Which is actually NOT good news, since it reflects the lack of jobs here.
5. Police: Hostage standoff ends, suspect dead (WashPost) — So… who would be moved to violence by the Discovery Channel?
6. GOP Promises Detailed Agenda, If Not A ‘Contract’ (NPR) — Remember the “Contract On America”? That was what they called it, right?

Welcome to the last week of the traditional break from hard news. After next week’s holiday, the 2010 general election will be in full swing. Here’s what we have at this moment (near as I can see, there’s nada locally):

1. Biden Lands in Iraq to Mark End of Combat Role (WSJ) — The Veep is there to wave goodbye on the day before U.S. combat role ends.
2. U.S. exits, Iraqis brace for conflict (WashPost) — One of the last few reports you’ll see before the U.S. MSM forgets even how to spell “Iraq.”
3. Seven U.S. Soldiers Die in Afghan Attacks (NYT) — Meanwhile, in the country where we’re still fighting…
4. Mexico sacks 10% of police force in corruption probe (BBC) — I wonder how they picked which ones to fire…
5. Clemens enters ‘not guilty’ plea (WashPost) — We turn to the world of sports… sort of.
6. Manure Piles, Rodents And Swarming Flies Found At Egg Farms (NPR) — … giving me a reason to be glad I’m allergic to eggs. Sorry if this one put you off your breakfast; the headline was just SO lurid that I couldn’t look away…

FYI, the closest thing I saw in SC to a front-page story was this AP piece out of Charleston: “SC seeks money to mark Civil War anniversary.” But it didn’t make the cut.

Just a few more Dog Days left, and after that the news pickings won’t be so slim here in SC. Here’s what little we have today:

1. Coordinated Attacks Strike 13 Towns and Cities in Iraq (NYT) — As our troops leave, the insurgents start to make their move. After a “mission-accomplished” visit to troops in Texas next week (and you can bet his staff will be on the lookout for any such banners, and rip them down if seen), President Obama will address the nation about Iraq.
2. Mexican Military Finds 72 Bodies Near Border (BBC) — They were trying to cross into the United States, officials say.
3. Outsourced Call Centers Return, To U.S. Homes (NPR) — Maybe they should change the term to “in-sourcing.”
4. Refugees Fill Karachi, Fueling Strife (WSJ) — The human scale is appalling. The one good thing about news being so absent here at home is that at least in August, we notice some of the horrors happening elsewhere.
5. Toxic chemical prompts warnings at Lake Wateree (The State) — Sammy Fretwell warns us about PCBs in striped bass, blue catfish and largemouth bass.
6. New Skyscraper to Rival Empire State Building (NYT) — We still haven’t replaced the Twin Towers, but this is impressive. I’m not sure I want anything this close to the Empire State, but I’m a traditionalist. What do y’all think?

This has been an on-again, off-again week for this feature, I know. I excuse myself with the consolation that there’s not much news to be had in August anyway.

Here’s what we have at this hour:

1. Israeli-Palestinian Talks Set for September (WSJ) — See? This is big news, but it’s too big to happen in August. Fortunately, merely scheduling such talks qualifies as news.
2. Other perspectives on the Mideast story (various) — This is big enough you may want to look at several versions, as the blind men of the MSM trying to describe a particularly elusive elephant. The NYT says Hillary Clinton is seeing hope for peace within a year, while the WashPost headlines Hillary talking about the obstacles to such an outcome. And don’t forget the BBC.
3. Operation Iraqi Freedom ends as last combat soldiers leave Baghdad (WashPost) — Yeah, we sort of missed it since it happened yesterday (when I didn’t do a front page), but it’s still news. Or rather, history.
4. S.C. unemployment rate increases to 10.8% (CRBR) — This is the first increase in the rate this year. FYI, Lexington County’s rate of 8.2 percent is as good as it gets.
5. US calls for Lockerbie bomber to return to jail (BBC) — This story says the US wants the Scots to do it. I’m not entirely clear on how we expect the Scots to put that toothpaste back in the tube. By the way, you may be interested to read this opinion piece on the subject in the WSJ this morning, “The Lockerbie Bomber and Scotland’s Disgrace.”
6. Brutality Against Women Stirs Fear In Afghanistan (NPR) — This, by the way, is what we’re over there to fight against.

Sorry there was no page yesterday. I had a reception to attend in the afternoon, and had to run home to pick up the wife so we could go out for our anniversary. I took her to a Jim Beam tasting at the Capital City Club. Am I a romantic guy, or what? (Hey, we had a nice dinner afterwards…) Here’s today’s page:

1. GM Files for Long-Awaited IPO (WSJ) — Looks like you and I might be getting out of the car bidness.
2. S.C. may lose $143 million for education (thestate.com) — Why? Because we do less to fund higher ed than any other state in this region. Something our governor and majority in the Legislature continue not to understand.
3. After disaster, BP dusts itself off (WashPost) — “…but rebuilding the company’s badly tarnished brand will prove a much harder task…”
4. More aid pledged for flood-hit Pakistan (BBC) — Folks over there just continue to have it way worse than we do.
5. Midlands political legend Rod Shealy dies (various) — He had a big impact on politics in this area, and statewide.
6. Accused mother appears in court (thestate.com) — Not usually the kind of story I play up, but given the competing news today, it makes the front.

On this, the 33rd anniversary of the death of the King (bet you thought I’d forgotten; fat chance), here are our top headlines:

1. U.S. to Tighten Reviews for New Offshore Drilling Plans (NYT) — A dry lede, but on the whole a slow news day. Hey, it’s August, people.
2. Obama under fire for Ground Zero mosque defence (BBC) — Picking up on this story a bit late because of the weekend, but here it is now.
3. Now, Obama Has Rhetorical Tics. So … (NPR) — Just a light sidebar, for those of us who love words. What I’d like to see is this story reported by Mark Sanford: “I would say, at the end of the day, that the President has some verbal ticks. To be continued…”
4. Karzai Says He’ll Disband Foreign Security Firms (WSJ) — A move that’s going to be really unpopular with VIPs in that country. And help me remember: Didn’t such foreign hired guns save Karzai’s own personal bacon at least once in the past? Interesting turn of events.
5. James J. Kilpatrick, Conservative Voice in Print and on TV, Dies at 89 (NYT) — Wow. First Elvis, now Kilpo. Who’s left?
6. S.C. football player dies after collapsing on field (thestate.com) — Why does this keep happening? What are these kids doing that keeps killing them? And is it important enough (I’m thinking of football practice in the summer, for instance) to keep doing it?

One more story that is historic, but I couldn’t decide what I wanted to bump to include it. Well, yes, I could decide, but the football player thing was the only local item I had. Sometimes you sacrifice importance to “mix.” It’s complicated.

Anyway, the story is, “Militants Overtake India as Top Threat, Says Pakistan’s ISI,” from the WSJ. Another contender was the still-unfolding disaster story from that same country.

The news on this lucky date:

1. Germany experiences ‘record’ 2.2% growth (BBC) — Well, that’s encouraging — assuming this has effect beyond Germany’s borders. If it doesn’t, perhaps we should relocate. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
2. Relief Well to Be Completed in Gulf (NYT) — Which will be a relief to us all.
3. Most Americans Still Onboard With Afghan Plan (NPR) — Despite what you may have been hearing. And hearing. And hearing.
4. Longshot US Senate candidate from SC indicted (WashPost) — Kinda surprising that they’re still paying attention, isn’t it? Well, all the national media still are…
5. Fed’s Hoenig: Rates Need to Rise (WSJ) –He says this is because things are getting better (in spite of all that “the world’s ending again” stuff yesterday). But maybe the Fed is worried about deflation. Or something. Like I’m an economist or something.
6. Maxine Waters speaks out against ethics charges (LAT) — Another slow news day, so more inside the Beltway buzz.

OK, I’m going to do a quick one, because it’s late (meetings and stuff all day), and I need to do an ADCO blog thingie before I leave tonight. And Mamanem’s gonna cook fried okra for dinner, so I’ve gotta hurry:

1. Foreclosures up more than 36% across S.C. for July (CRBR) — I keep seeing signs we’re backsliding. We need to cut this stuff out, buck up, get out our wallets and go boost this economy, people!
2. Dow’s Losing Streak: 3 Days (WSJ) — Amid fears that we are slipping back into recession. Seriously. We need to get off our duffs and turn this thing around. Maybe the rest of you are having fun, but I’m tired of it.
3. Pakistani president visits flood relief camp in Sindh (BBC) — Not much of an angle, but I wanted to get something about this disaster on the front. And if you want to read a similar angle on the wildfires in Russia, click here.
4. Senate Law-Making Made Simple: No Senators (WSJ) — Only Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Ben Cardin were there, so they got a lot done. Such as approving a $600 million border-security bill in 31 minutes, from opening gavel to final passage.
5. Judge keeps California gay marriage ruling on hold (LAT) — I don’t normally take an interest in this Kulturkampf stuff, but I thought some of y’all might be interested.
6. Did Humans Give Up Easy Sex for Easy Beer? (Gizmodo) — We all know that mankind started farming so we could grow barley to make beer (NOT bread — who would give up hunting and gathering for that?), but now some boffins are positing that there was a terrible price of opting for brew.