AP Again Challenged on Iraqi Source — Continues to Stand By Reporting  —  NEW YORK A long-running dispute between The Associated Press and critics over one of its Iraqi sources show no signs of abating, despite at least two lengthy rebuttals by the news organization.

House GOP: Don't Hurt Us — Please  —  Republicans aren't yet an official minority in the House, but they're already beginning a campaign to portray themselves as victims of a heartless Democratic majority.  —  In a "Dear Colleague" letter circulated to fellow Republicans …

Olbermann: Special Comment on "Sacrifice"  —  Keith Olbermann stepped up and slapped Bush's plan to use the word "sacrifice" as an excuse to send more troops to Iraq.  Bush needs a new catch phrase to try and deceive the nation with, but Republican talking points won't work on the people anymore.

Iraq Plans Inquiry Into Hussein Execution  —  With angry demonstrations spreading across Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland, the country's Shiite-led government said today that it had ordered an investigation into the disorderly scenes at the execution of Saddam Hussein, who was mocked and taunted …

CNN apologizes to Barack Obama  —  Wolf Blitzer apologized to Barack Obama for misspelling Osama's name on a graphic yesterday during a broadcast on The Situation Room.  —  Video-WMP Video-QT  —  A contact at CNN told me they were aware of the gaffe yesterday and this morning emailed me this transcript.

Kenya arrests as many as 2 men with Canadian passports: reports  —  As many as two Somali Islamic fighters who claim to be Canadian were among 10 fighters arrested by Kenyan police, according to separate reports Tuesday.  —  The 10 were arrested on Monday at the Liboi border crossing in Kenya …

GOT OPTIMISM?  —  THE WORLD'S LEADING THINKERS SEE GOOD NEWS AHEAD  —  While conventional wisdom tells us that things are bad and getting worse, scientists and the science-minded among us see good news in the coming years.  That's the bottom line of an outburst of high-powered optimism gathered …

Iran vows to 'humiliate' U.S.  —  TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad scorned U.N Security Council sanctions imposed against Iran, telling a crowd Tuesday that Iran had humiliated the United States in the past and would do so again.  —  Speaking in the southwestern provincial capital …

Leak Reveals '08 Strategy From Giuliani Camp  —  As former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani was campaigning for Republican candidates last fall, his aides were secretly planning a Giuliani presidential campaign despite his statements to the contrary, targeting potential donors and assessing possible liabilities …

Libraries vs. Amazon  —  This is weird: … Since when do bookstores allow you to check out books for no fee, finish them, and bring them back?  That's the primary difference between libraries and bookstores — they make reading cheap, if not free.  As it happens, John and I work at magazines.

HILLARY PREDICTS: OBAMA CANDIDACY WILL DIMINISH  —  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton views Barack Obama as her biggest obstacle to nomination, the NEW YORK TIMES is planning to report, but she believes the threat of his candidacy will diminish — as voters learn how inexperienced he is in government and foreign affairs!

Save Judeo-Christian values  —  Immigration leaves USA vulnerable to Muslim extremists' infiltration.  —  A letter I sent in early December was written in response to hundreds of e-mails from constituents upset about Rep.-elect Keith Ellison's decision to use the Quran in connection with his congressional swearing-in.

Happy New Year!  —  It may not be true for most mammals, but the New Year seems a good time for me to emerge from hibernation and revisit regular posting at the Ablution.  —  It will probably take a bit of time to get back up to speed - to be honest, I've been a bit out of touch with stories …

So, Saddam Is Dead . . .  But the way of the world remains Saddam's.  —  Now that they have hanged Saddam Hussein, perhaps we can begin to appreciate the irony and the lessons of his demise.  —  Any nation is, at heart, an idea.  Once people started organizing themselves in groups larger …