Iran Is Defiant, Vowing to U.N. It Will Continue Nuclear Efforts  —  Iran on Sunday reacted defiantly to the United Nations Security Council resolution imposing sanctions because of the country's nuclear program.  Iranian officials vowed to continue efforts to enrich uranium and warned …

U.S. arrest of Iranians reportedly upsets Iraqi president … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Iraqi and Iranian authorities slammed the United States on Monday for having arrested several Iranians who were visiting Iraq.  —  A U.S. official said the Iranians were suspected of involvement in attacks against Iraqi security forces.

Justice Dept. Database Stirs Privacy Fears  —  Size and Scope of the Interagency Investigative Tool Worry Civil Libertarians  —  The Justice Department is building a massive database that allows state and local police officers around the country to search millions of case files from the FBI …

Veil liberates me, says alternative Christmas message woman  —  A veil-wearing Muslim convert today claimed the way she chooses to dress makes her feel "liberated" as she delivered an alternative Christmas message.  —  Khadija, the great-granddaughter of a suffragette …

It's dog eat dog in the year of hyperbole  —  The good news is the Year of the Dog is almost over with the Year of the Pig to follow.  The bad news is that it has been a dog of a year for hyperbole as well-educated Australians compete with one another for who can be tops with failed prophesy and false comment.

Interior, Pentagon Faulted In Audits  —  Effort to Speed Defense Contracts Wasted Millions  —  The Defense Department paid two procurement operations at the Department of the Interior to arrange for Pentagon purchases totaling $1.7 billion that resulted in excessive fees and tens of millions of dollars in waste, documents show.

Hidey-Ho  —  I was trying to find a good YouTube of my favorite Christmas carol, "O Holy Night," and unfortunately this was what I came up with.  —  Also for your Christmas day entertainment — clips from the Mr. Hankey episode in Japanese.  —  Enjoy.

Bush-Watchers Wonder How He Copes With Stress  —  President Bush marched into his year-end news conference last week with the usual zip in his step.  As always, he professed little worry about his legacy or the polls.  As always, he said the United States would win in Iraq.

Katrina fraud likely to balloon past $1B  —  WASHINGTON - The tally for Hurricane Katrina waste could top $2 billion next year because half of the lucrative government contracts valued at $500,000 or greater for cleanup work are being awarded without little competition.

Christmas Movie Redux  —  Dork Alert: I know everyone has had their say on their favorite Christmas movie, but mine is Home Alone.  I unapologetically love the story, the filmmaking and McCauley Culkin, and I cry every time.  My nephew and I usually watch it at Christmas time but he's 14 …

To Our Sheepdogs  —  Those sent to man the wire.  —  Patrolling on the front line,  —  As peacefully here we bask,  —  Protecting what is yours and mine,  —  That's their hard, dreary task.  —  Like sheep we are protected,  —  From the far off wolves of war,  —  And our Sheepdogs as expected,