posted by news intern Chris Kissel

Getting some practice in: Israel looks like its getting ready for an attack on Iran.

Scott-free: Telecom companies spend fortunes on lobbyists, get away with helping the government spy on Americans.

Treaty trouble: Czechs may join Irish in not ratifying Lisbon Treaty.

The system is broken: Obama’s decision to refuse public money rattles financing system.

Stepping out: Zimbabwe opposition party may concede in order to stop violence that’s already claimed 70 supporters.

Stepping out, Part 2: Yahoo executives abandon the sinking ship.

The Plame game: McClellan calls Bush out on cover-up of CIA leak.

Ice, ice baby: Mars lander finds some serious “ice crumbs.”

We suck: Sonics argue that leaving Seattle wouldn’t make a difference to local the economy.

Also: Sherman Alexie gets all homoerotic.

Bad lending: Six arrested in federal operation.

Bad baseball: John McLaren fired.

The best of the 2007-2008 school year, concluded:

From “Awareness and Advocacy: A Theological Examination of Real Change,” by Chris Kissel. March 12, 2008.

The weight of coming to a conversion on the issue of poverty is tremendous, certainly one of the most powerful things a person can do, and I believe it’s the closest we’ll come to an earth-shattering change. With regard to pastoral planning, the privileged should focus on giving ourselves up the way the Tim Harris and those who work and volunteer for the homeless and many of the advocates in Seattle have. But at the most basic level, we should be ready to look into the eyes of the poor, to take responsibility for their suffering, to reach out to the victims of the economic status quo. And, finally, we should be grateful that the opportunity to do so exists on more than 40 street corners in the city of Seattle due to the efforts of Real Change.