I'm trying Manila's "news items" format now, where each item has its own discussion area and is treated separately instead of as a bunch of text in a single home page story for the day. I'm not sure if that means stories will have two discussion areas (one with the home page "news item" and one with the story itself), but I think we should cross that bridge when we come to it -- that is, when someone actually wants to discuss something.

 George W. Bush would have won the state of Florida through any objective or legal recount standard that Gore wanted used, but as many as 7000 people apparently intended to vote for Gore but spoiled their confusing or frustrating ballots. Any bets as to whether this leads to true election reform? (from CNN)

  Not all of them -- just the House Republicans, particularly the leadership from Texas, unable to recognize bipartisanship or put the country ahead of rigid conservative dogma. "Most people in Washington, like most people around the country, are thinking more about nation than about party these days. Most GOP congressmen, on the other hand, remain unable to tell the difference." (from Slate)