Democrats Revise Agenda To Deal With War in Iraq  —  With Bush to Announce New Plan, Domestic Policy No Longer Primary Focus  —  Democratic leaders who had hoped to emphasize their domestic agenda in the opening weeks of Congress have concluded that Iraq will share top billing …

The Smart Surge: Diplomacy  —  The odds are that this week President Bush will announce a "surge" of up to 20,000 additional U.S. troops into Iraq.  Will this deliver a "win"?  Probably not.  But it will distract us from facing the deep-seated regional issues that must be resolved.

Gas Smelled Over Large Area Of Manhattan  —  NEW YORK — People over a large part of New York City are smelling a gas, but no cause has been identified.  —  Numerous people have called 911 concerned about the odor.  Con Edison, the Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating.

Tax Cuts Offer Most for Very Rich, Study Says  —  Families earning more than $1 million a year saw their federal tax rates drop more sharply than any group in the country as a result of President Bush's tax cuts, according to a new Congressional study.  —  The study, by the nonpartisan …

If U.S. drops the ball, Iraq shatters  —  The U.S. must bring all Iraqis to the negotiating table while maintaining support for a Shiite-led government.  —  MORE THAN a year after the December 2005 Iraqi parliamentary elections, which resulted in the appointment of a four-year Shiite-led government in Iraq …

Slimmer Time in the Age of the Internet  —  Richard Stengel, the managing editor of Time, took his wife and kids out to dinner Friday night.  —  As historic moments go, not a big deal, but it does reflect a seismic change.  Time magazine, which has been coming out every Monday for over 36 years, hit the streets on Friday instead.

Will Bush back lifting payroll tax cap?  —  More than the ascension of Nancy Pelosi & Co. was disturbing congressional Republicans last week.  They ask this question: Will President Bush embrace a tax increase that would produce potential economic disaster and guaranteed political catastrophe?

Free-Market Justice  —  SIXTEEN years as a state trial judge have left me with a deep respect for the professionalism and competence of the public defenders who handle felony cases for indigent criminal defendants in my courtroom.  In fact, I've told friends, only half-jokingly …

VIDEO FLASHBACK: Bush Says Sending More Troops To Iraq Would 'Undermine Our Strategy'  —  On Wednesday night, President Bush is expected to announce plans to escalate the war in Iraq by sending more U.S. troops.  On June 28, 2005 — just 18 months ago — Bush said that sending more troops to Iraq would …

Khamenei Alive, Well & Pursuing Nukes?  —  ** Check out the update!  The regime says he's alive.  Maybe he is.  —  Here is the photo of Khamenei released today, January 8, 2007, on the left...  And, here is a 2005 photo of Khamenei on the right.  —  Interesting.  —  (Original post starts here)

ATTENTION: War supporters - your country needs you  —  (updated below - updated again)  —  One of the two principal architects of the "surge" strategy about to be adopted by the President is Frederick Kagan of the American Enterprise Institute.  He recently appeared at an AEI event …

This is "new"?  —  Second coat of lipstick, meet pig.  Haven't we been here before? … Let's see, we've got benchmarks (nee "milestones").  We've got no discernible penalties in the [inevitable] event the Iraqis fail to meet said benchmarks, only the Administration's swearing on Saddam Hussein's noose that there will be penalties.

Maria Leavey, 52; Political Consultant  —  Maria Leavey, a behind-the-scenes media force for liberal causes who had an uncanny ability to bring opinion makers together with Washington's political elite, died of heart disease Dec. 31 at her apartment in Arlington.  On Jan. 1 she would have turned 53.

Dead U.S. Soldier in Anti-War Video 'Alive and Well'  —  Rhonda Schwartz and Maddy Sauer Report:  —  An Iraqi insurgent propaganda video, containing what is described as a Christmas message from a U.S. soldier taped just before he was killed, appeared on dozens of Web sites and on the al Jazeera network.

They have made a killing  —  The US has spent a million dollars for every dead Iraqi - is that what they mean by value for money?  —  Early this year the Bush administration is to ask Congress to approve an additional $100bn for the onerous task of making life intolerable for the Iraqis.

The universe gives up its deepest secret  —  It is the invisible material that makes up most of the cosmos.  Now, scientists have created the first image of dark matter  —  One of the greatest mysteries of the universe is about to be unravelled with the first detailed …