Bush's plan would undermine a system that has provided security for tens of millions of workers and their families for seven decades and which can continue to do so long into the future if it is just left alone. His private accounts would provide far less security..

Fellow Skeptic's Circle participant Dean Esmay ridiculed the environmental position that damage would be done and, even if it did happen, the north coastal plain of ANWR is such an inhospitable and barren place that no one should be concerned anyway. He proceeded to claim the intellectual high ground by asserting that an anti-drilling stance is simply the reactionary position of "enviro-demagogues" who, in his opinion, know nothing about the region in question. The original BHC piece did not explicitly assume an anti-drilling position but, rather, the piece sarcastically pointed out that pro-drilling statements made by Boortz and Ward were self-evidently incorrect. Mr. Esmay's position is, of course, an echo of pro-drilling advocates in general, but while believing he occupied a superior position, he cited not one source that might have supported his assertions. We will detail these assertions and the confounding evidence that Mr. Esmay appears to be either unaware of, or choses to wilfully ignore.

Yes, folks, Volume 52 is here and chocker block full this week. Soldiers are coming back from Iraq and telling some none-too-pleasant stories of their fellow warriors and their dreadful behaviour towards the locals, Ohio is investing in pennies and another troublesome report has been disappeared by the White House. If readers would like to know the "pro" side of the ANWR drilling debate, the BHC presents the best that the right wing can manage, and it ain't all that great. The USDA has a new nutritional pyramid Americans will likely ignore, Bush has a press con, and House Republicans flip-flop on the ethics committee wrangling. Scientists play God, some White House personnel are honoured by the scientific community while the tourist industry laments a beleaguered US image abroad. In Brazil, Orgasm Day! Sweet

A story about stopping terrorists in their tracks.

Daughter's seek answers to mother's disappearance nearly 25 years ago. Nancy Snow once hosted a talk show in California, and had no reason to just "up and leave."

Andre Gunder Frank, who has died aged 76 of cancer, was one of the most prolific and controversial development economists and sociologists of the postwar era. He was best known as an early exponent of dependency theory, which asserted that rich, developed countries gained from poor, under-developed countries so long as they remained in the international capitalist system. He wrote 40 books and nearly a thousand articles and other pieces....

Amid Terri Shiavo death watch vigils, Pope death watch vigils and Pope smoke watch vigils, BHC readers may have caught a brief whiff of the Tom DeLay saga emanating from various news sources over the past few weeks. But one would have had to have been paying close attention because, compared to black Pope smoke, the smoke rising from the rancid embers of Tom DeLay's past indiscretions was just so much tawdry partisan bickering. Come on, we've got a Pope to pick! who cares about Tom DeLay? Indeed, most Americans aren't terribly familiar with just who, or what, is Tom DeLay at all. But for those curious enough, we here at the BHC will endeavour to present "The Hammer" and his rather seedy political history, so hold on ....

Well, folks, we've had a restive break after our celebratory 50th edition, but we are now back on track as we bring you the continuing saga of the lunatic John Bolton and his hearing before the Foreign Relations committee. The House has passed an oil industry gift ... uhh, energy bill, the housing market is up to its ARM pits and the NY stock exchange turns out to be a haven for insider criminals. What a surprise. Libraries are closed while public money is on the way for a billion dollar baby and, last and least, we had another Royal wedding. Woo hoo!