IN 1994, shortly after Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first president of all South Africans, one of the local newspapers ran an interview with him under a huge, boldface headline: "MANDELA: I'M NOT 'MESSIAH.' " That this would be considered banner news testified to the degree of myth and the unreality of expectations that attended the man.
He has appeared on ABC's 20/20 and World News, testified before Congress and for many of us, his face is the face we now see when we think about the impact of overuse of psychotropic medications on foster youth.
These days, if you see a famous economics professor testify in Congress, appear on television news, testify in a legal case or regulatory proceeding, give a speech, or write an opinion article in the New York Times (or the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, or anywhere else), there is a high probability that he or she is being paid by someone with a big stake in what's being debated.
That this is news testifies to the apotheosis of private enterprise in our age.
"I gave great credibility to their decision, and I said, 'That's great news,' " Mr. Johnson testified.
Plans for customized news: Marissa, who just testified on news to congress, says they have a team looking at how news will evolve.
Friend-of-the-court briefs filed by the Times, by the company that owns this magazine, and by other news organizations testify to the fear that a protection they have long taken for granted might be breached.
Correction: November 22 , 2002 Friday An article on Nov. 7 about the background of Ted Savaglio, executive director of the Voter News Service, misstated the affiliations of two news executives who testified before Congress with Mr. Savaglio about the Florida presidential vote.
THE NEWS Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates testified on Capitol Hill that the United States was unlikely to arm the Libyan rebels but had no problem with other countries' giving them weapons and training.
Apart from Bonds, the six other players identified in news reports as having testified before the grand jury were Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield of the Yankees; Giambi's brother, Jeremy; and the former San Francisco Giants Benito Santiago, Armando Rios and Bobby Estalella.
After receiving the Parkland news alerts last week, Sullivan testified against the latest effort to roll back those measures, a proposal in the state's Republican-controlled Senate that would expand concealed-carry rights in Colorado.
