Gunman knew engineer he killed at NASA, police say … HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) — A NASA engineer Friday shot and killed another engineer and then turned the gun on himself at the Johnson Space Center, police and NASA officials said.  —  The shootings occurred in a single office in Building 44 on the sprawling campus.

Bush Defends Iraq War; Republicans Blast Harry Reid for Saying Fight Is 'Lost'  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush fought off Democratic criticism over his handling of the war in Iraq Friday after fellow Republicans blasted Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's comments that the war is 'lost.'

Administration officials say Gonzales should step down … WASHINGTON (CNN) — Several administration officials and the House Republican Conference chairman said Friday that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should step down, following the harsh response to his Senate testimony on last year's firing of eight U.S. attorneys.

Iraqi tribal chiefs forming an anti-insurgent party  —  The Sunni sheiks aim to set up a council and enter elections.  They also seek to enhance U.S. troops' image.  —  RAMADI, IRAQ — A group of Sunni tribal leaders in beleaguered Al Anbar province said Thursday that it intended to form …

A coward named Derbyshire  —  You've probably read the NRO's very own John Derbyshire's insane rant against the victims of the VT shooting.  In his twisted mind he thought his logic was sound and repeated that he wasn't criticizing the students, but merely raising a point of conversation.

Jihadist video shows boy beheading man  —  KILI FAQIRAN, Pakistan - The boy with the knife looks barely 12.  In a high-pitched voice, he denounces the bound, blindfolded man before him as an American spy.  Then he hacks off the captive's head to cries of "God is great!" and hoists it in triumph by the hair.

Rutgers team skips Clinton meeting  —  NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton finally dropped by Rutgers to meet with the school's women's basketball coach — but the players themselves skipped the half-hour meeting, citing their studies and Imus fatigue.

The West Bank Of The Tigris  —  Welcome to the West Bank - of the Tigris. … Now I understand that the counter-insurgency theory behind this is based on McMaster's temporarily successful work in Tal Afar.  I can "get" the idea and it even looks good on paper.

House Passes Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation Act  —  The House has passed the Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation Act, by a vote of 269-134.  —  Passage came after defeat of a Republican motion to recommit with instructions.  As background, the C-Span Congressional Glossary provides the following definition:

Army Clamped Down After Tillman's Death  —  AP Photo FX103, FX104, FX106, FX102  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Within hours of Pat Tillman's death, the Army went into information-lockdown mode, cutting off phone and Internet connections at a base in Afghanistan, posting guards on a wounded platoon mate …

Va. gunman's family feels hopeless, lost  —  BLACKSBURG, Va. - The family of Virginia Tech gunman Seung-Hui Cho told The Associated Press on Friday that they feel "hopeless, helpless and lost," and "never could have envisioned that he was capable of so much violence."  —  "He has made the world weep.

House Approves A Full D.C. Seat  —  Biggest Step Toward Vote Since '70s; Bill Faces High Hurdles in the Senate  —  A bill giving the District its first full seat in Congress cleared the House yesterday, marking the city's biggest legislative victory in its quest for voting rights in nearly three decades.

Vermont Senate calls for impeachment of Bush … MONTPELIER, Vermont (AP) — Vermont senators voted Friday to call for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, saying their actions in Iraq and the U.S. "raise serious questions of constitutionality."

Virginia Tech and What the Blogosphere is Doing  —  There is a move afoot in the blogosphere that declares April 30th a One Day of Silence.  The move, as much as it is linkbait (the badges they give you link back to the One Day site), is a move that is not without controversy.

Pill That Eliminates the Period Gets Mixed Reviews  —  For many women, a birth control pill that eliminates monthly menstruation might seem a welcome milestone.  —  But others view their periods as fundamental symbols of fertility and health, researchers have found.