Stories for Dec. 17, 2007

The not-so-mad scientist

Mon, Dec 17, 11:09 p.m.

Meet Greg Craven, an over-caffeinated, obsessive-compulsive chemistry teacher from Independence, Ore., whose fresh take on global-warming cuts through all the hot air circulating about the subject.

Seattle's role in inventing new torture techniques

Mon, Dec 17, 2:38 p.m.

By David Brewster

Darius Rejali, a professor of political science at Portland's Reed College, has a new book out, Torture and Democracy. His disturbing thesis is that democracies, not dictators, have done the real innovating in torture devices, including waterboarding. Rejali writes, in an essay in The Boston Globe, that we delude ourselves in thinking that torture is "the method of the enemy," or that it disappeared in the modern age. Seattle, too played a role:

Disaster aid needed: Please send duct tape!

Mon, Dec 17, 11:17 a.m.

By Knute Berger

Just got a note from Gov. Chris Gregoire's new press secretary, Aaron Toso. On Saturday, the governor asked that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) expand disaster assistance to individuals in Mason, Thurston and Pacific counties due to the recent storm and flooding. That request was granted over the weekend.