Get Out The Vote: Did Washington try to manipulate Iraq’s election? By Seymour M. Hersh.

Disconnected at WBUR: Public radio kills morning mainstay `The Connection': Dick Gordon's ratings weren't stellar; Tom Ashbrook's "On Point" will take over Aug. 5. Gordon's on vacation till then, so there's no chance to say goodbye.

I often catch "The Connection" on WRNI at 1290 AM driving to work. The genial Gordon and his quirky mix of authors and literate callers was a welcome departure from the sharp elbows and outrage on the rest of the talk dial.

When citizens become the journalists: Minneapolis Star-Tribune offers tip and guidelines for phonecam citizen journalists -- and they'll pay $50 and up if their photos end up in the paper.
via Romenesko

Where does a sundae come from? The origins of the banana split and more, by Maud Dillingham in The Christian Science Monitor.

Deep Impact may never glimpse comet crater. Camera problems. At New Scientist.

A fan's eye view: Nick Hornby interviews Bruce Springsteen for the Guardian (U.K.). "I realised I wasn't one of my heroes..."

Tuskless elephants evolving in China due to poaching. AFP. Elephants without ivory live longer.

Iraq pull-out is '12-month process': This is London reports,
18 July 2005

Defence Secretary John Reid has said he expects British troops to start to pulling out of Iraq over the next 12 months.

Insisting the UK did not have "long term imperialist ambitions" in the Middle Eastern country, he said security forces would only stay as long as needed....