The Nomination Hearing for Robert M. Gates  —  Following is the transcript of the session of nomination hearing for Robert M. Gates as provided by Federal News Service.  —  SEN. WARNER: Good morning, everyone.  —  Dr. Gates, I think I can safely say on behalf of the citizens of our country …

'We Can't Afford to Leave'  —  As the debate over Iraq intensifies, leading Democrat Silvestre Reyes is calling for the deployment of more U.S. troops.  —  Dec. 5.  2006 - In a surprise twist in the debate over Iraq, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, the soon-to-be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee …

"Don't Know" Leads for President in 2008  —  Clinton, McCain, Obama, and Giuliani mentioned most frequently  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Many Americans cannot spontaneously think of the name of a person they would like to see elected president in 2008.  While this lack of firm conviction …

The 2006 Weblog Awards Finalists Announced  —  Below are the finalists in The 2006 Weblog Awards, presented in both category and alphabetical order.  Finalist badges are available now and voting is scheduled to begin Thursday. … Cateogory Listing of The 2006 Weblog Awards Finalists:  —  Best Blog

First President Bush Sobs While Talking of Son  —  Former President George H.W. Bush came here Monday to talk about leadership and opened his remarks with advice on working with rivals, being patient and building personal relationships.  —  He then broke down in tears mentioning his son …

Cavuto to Krugman: 'You Are Lying To People'  —  Princeton economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman went on Fox News this afternoon to talk about his new article in Rolling Stone Magazine, "How the Super-Rich Are Screwing America."  —  Krugman's article is about how income inequality …

Bush's Latest Lunacy  —  THE UNITED STATES plans to establish permanent bases on the Moon, according to a report in the New York Times citing Bush Administration officials.  —  Under a presidential order signed in 2004, the federal government has been developing plans for new space hardware …

Culture Shock on Capitol Hill: House to Work 5 Days a Week  —  Forget the minimum wage.  Or outsourcing jobs overseas.  The labor issue most on the minds of members of Congress yesterday was their own: They will have to work five days a week starting in January.  —  The horror.

Mary Cheney and Partner Are About to Be Moms  —  Mary Cheney, the vice president's openly gay daughter, is pregnant.  She and her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe, are "ecstatic" about the baby, due in late spring, said a source close to the couple.  —  It's a baby boom for grandparents Dick …

Flatulence, not turbulence forces plane landing in Nashville  —  Flatulence brought 99 passengers on an American Airlines flight to an unscheduled visit to Nashville early Monday morning.  —  American Flight 1053, from Washington Reagan National Airport and bound for Dallas/Fort Worth …

Build It Up  —  "[We have] leaks and even the occasional icicle from my computer lab ceiling, asbestos coming up off the floor, the exterior walls are crumbling.  We feel forgotten ...." —a Minnesota technology coordinator  —  "Our school has been built on a former landfill. …

The Answer is "No"  —  With due respect to the amount of server space that Ezra, Ezra, Ezra, etc. have dedicated to this discussion of the possibility of an alliance between liberals and libertarians, or in other iterations of how libertarians and liberals can be friends, I really …

Richest tenth own 85% of world's assets  —  Where the wealth is  —  The richest 2 per cent of adults own more than half the world's wealth, according to the most comprehensive study of personal assets.  —  Among the largest economies, Britain boasted the third-highest average wealth of $126,832 …

God Favors the Bold  —  Today, it's all about the Iraq Study Group.  They'll post their report this morning and everyone will pick it apart.  The general outlines have been reported.  More training.  Pressure on the Iraqis to get organized.  A slow withdrawal.  Talks with Iran and Syria.

The Trippy Dream Factory of David Lynch  —  There are, in the movies, few places creepier to spend time than in David Lynch's head.  It is a head where the wild things grow, twisting and spreading like vines, like fingers, and taking us in their captive embrace.

At Least 5 Marines Are Expected to Be Charged in Haditha Deaths  —  At least five marines are expected to be charged, possibly as early as Wednesday, with the killing of 24 Iraqis, many of them unarmed women and children, in the village of Haditha in November 2005, according to a Marine official and a lawyer involved in the case.