erspective is key in this week's News section. Specifically, we've got a scud-load of views on the ongoing Iraq crisis. Michael Ventura's "Letters at 3 a.m." column cuts to the hypocritical heart of the matter by comparing the United States' Iraq policy to its policies toward other countries over the years. Then this look back at the Iraq/Iran war rounds out the perspective by reminding us that, not too long ago, the U.S. was selling weapons to Iraq and giving them the diplomatic high-five when they sent missiles into the middle of Tehran. My only complaint about these two articles: where were they a couple of weeks ago?!

In a more domestic realm, here's the best and most charmingly written piece in favor of bicycles over cars you're likely to read anywhere. Sure, everybody knows bicycles save gas and money and keep their riders physically fit, but has it ever occurred to anyone that riding a bicycle to work, and everywhere else, might actually save you time in the long run? That's right! Then there's the mental-health payoffs, which the article can explain much better than I....since I drive a car.

I'm not sure where Bow Speak, a satirical look at the speech patterns of sorority girls, fits into all this. It is, however, fairly funny, and it certainly brings back fond memories of classmates with glossy lips, tightly woven scrunchies and voracious gum-chewing techniques. For more serious satire, turn to Captain Opinion, and be sure not to take him too seriously when he says he wants to ban everything (including that evil liquid, "milk").

These are just the sorts of multifarious perspectives you might be able to get every morning if you try EarthMail, a new service that allows users to custom-build their daily news intake. No muss, no fuss, and no viruses, of course. It's all a matter of perspective.

Now What?
Can't get enough news? You're in luck -- more news is created every day. Our Now What? page offers a plethora of recommended links to help keep you living in the present. [12]

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Pedal-Pushing 40
The story of one woman's determined efforts to live life in the bike lane. [2]
Kay Sather

Letters at 3AM
The U.S., Iraq, and moral high ground. [3]
Michael Ventura

The Spin Goes On
10 years ago this week. [4]
Sue Schuurman

News of the Wired
Earth broadcasting surfs beyond KCNR and XtremeTalk into uncharted realms of cyberspace. [5]
Bill Frost

An Ounce of Prevention
Protect yourself from computer viruses. [6]
James Hanback Jr.

Bow Speak
Sorority speak: it's not wrong, just different. [7]
Wayne Allen Brenner

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More Laws to Live By
Angry young man or cranky old fart? You decide! [8]
Cap'n O

Earthy Mother
One woman's soiled legacy. [9]
Margaret Renkl

Odds & Ends
Timed-release news capsules from the flipside. [10]
Devin D. O'Leary

Mr. Smarty Pants
Our resident know-it-all unearths the latest trivia. [11]
R.U. Steinberg

Build your own custom paper. To find out more about this feature, click here.