Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe BUSH CREATES SEPT. 11 PANEL President Bush has created a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and to glean lessons to help thwart future attacks, United Press International reports. Advertisement Bush, a Republican, named former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, a Republican, to head the 10-person panel. Kissinger would "bring broad experience, clear thinking and careful judgment to this important task," Bush says. The panel, composed of five Democrats and five Republicans, will have 18 months to sift evidence -- everything from missed clues to lax border security -- from the months leading up to last year's Sept. 11 attacks that took nearly 3,000 lives. Although the uncovering of mistakes and intelligence lapses clearly are part of the commission's mandate, Bush emphasized its importance in helping the administration learn more about the attackers' methods and motives. Advertisement -- Should Bush have named a Democrat to lead the commission to make the effort look entirely nonpartisan? -- Do you think anything useful will come from the commission? (Thanks to UPI's Richard Tomkins) CANADIAN OFFICIAL RESIGNS OVER 'MORON' The top media aide to Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has resigned after being overheard referring to U.S. President George W. Bush as a "moron," UPI reports. The departure of Francoise Ducros, who had served as Chretien's director of communications for almost four years, follows the controversy that erupted after she was overheard alluding to Bush as a "moron" during a NATO conference in the Czech Republic last week. Journalists who were present say she was referring to Bush's intense focus on the issue of Iraq at a meeting that was expected to be directed at NATO expansion. Ducros has never admitted actually using the word "moron" during a private conversation with a Canadian Broadcasting Corp. radio reporter in Prague, but the remark apparently was overheard by other journalists. Chretien initially refused to accept her resignation after an international imbroglio was sparked by the remark, and he has since stated no formal apology is required. -- Some criticize Chretien for not apologizing to Bush. Should he? Advertisement -- Some say Canada-U.S. relations have been damaged? Do you agree? (Thanks to UPI's Martin Stone) E-BUSINESS UP FOR HOLIDAYS Purdue University retail expert Richard Feinberg predicts one of the weakest holiday retail seasons in a decade but that prediction does not apply to Internet retailers, UPI reports. "Internet retailers have been slowly and carefully building databases of information about their customers," the consumer sciences and retailing professor says. "This information comes into good use as e-tailers are engaging in attractive e-mail marketing to that customer base." Feinberg, director of the Center for Customer-Driver Research, says Christmas e-commerce likely will total $16 billion to $19 billion, about 5 percent to 6 percent of total holiday spending, up 25 percent over the 2001 holiday season. That compares with an expected 2 percent increase among traditional stores without Internet outlets. -- Will you buy online this holiday season? -- Some say the biggest winners are those brick-and-mortar stores with Web sites because people do research online and then go to the store to pick up the merchandise. Do you plan to do this? (Thanks to UPI's Marcella S. Kreiter)
