The Anatomy of a Smear: "Phony Soldiers" Is a Phony Story  —  BEGIN TRANSCRIPT  —  RUSH: What?  Am I going to apologize?  It is I who am owed an apology.  Greetings, my friends, and welcome.  The Rush Limbaugh program.  It's Friday.  —  JOHNNY DONOVAN: Live from the Southern Command …

BREAKING NEWS: Giuliani fundraiser was mystery initiative backer  —  A close friend and major fundraiser of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has identified himself as the mystery financer of the proposed California initiative to apportion the state's 55 electoral votes by congressional district instead of winner-take-all.

BBC's Newsround fed youngsters Al Qaeda propaganda, claims ex-spy chief  —  Britain's former spy chief accused the BBC of "parroting" Al Qaeda propaganda to children as young as six.  —  Dame Pauline Neville Jones, who is also a former BBC governor, is infuriated at the stance …

Bill Clinton Questions Obama's Experience  —  Former President Bill Clinton showed his singular ability to diminish his wife's presidential rivals when, in a television interview, he said that Senator Barack Obama had about as much experience as Mr. Clinton did in 1988 — the year Mr. Clinton decided not to run for the presidency.

UPDATE 2 - WAXMAN PISSED: Krongard, SUSPEND All Communications  —  Henry Waxman, is starting to see major red where Inspector General Howard Krongard is concerned.  (H/T to Nolo at IndictDickCheney Blogspot)  —  Krongard is "apparently" threatening his employees with retaliation …

At Climate Meeting, Bush Does Not Specify Goals  —  President Bush said Friday that the nations that contribute most to global warming should all set goals for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.  But he did not specify what those goals should be and repeated his stand that nations …

Gore Dodges Repeated Calls to Debate Global Warming  —  As over 150 heads of state and government gather at UN headquarters in New York to discuss climate change, former Vice President Al Gore, the most prominent proponent of the theory of the human-induced, catastrophic global warming …

Federal judge orders Murtha to testify  —  A federal judge has ordered Rep. Jack Murtha (D-Pa.) to testify in a defamation case related to the deaths of Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha in 2005, according to the Associated Press.  —  Murtha, a former Marine. accused Marines involved in the …

First Jell-O, now Santa  —  So long, Halloween parade.  Farewell, Santa's gift shop.  —  The holiday traditions are facing elimination in some Oak Lawn schools this year after complaints that the activities are offensive, particularly to Muslim students.  —  Final decisions …

Senior Al Qaeda in Iraq Leader Killed by U.S. Forces  —  WASHINGTON — U.S.-led forces have killed one of the most important leaders of Al Qaeda in Iraq, a Tunisian believed connected to the kidnapping and killings last summer of American soldiers, a top commander said Friday.

Edwards: 'Pretty Soon We're Not Going to Have a Young African-American Male Population in America.'  —  Asked about what he could do about "inner-city kids partaking in violence" at the MTV/MySpace Forum yesterday, Democratic candidate John Edwards offered an apocalyptic prediction for young black males:

Holly-cons: in the closet?  —  Are Hollywood conservatives largely in the political closet for fear of social or even workplace retribution, or are they a bunch of whiners?  Why are most of the actor/politicians Republican?  Why do Hollywood Dems always seem to back politicians …

6 die from brain-eating amoeba in lakes  —  PHOENIX - It sounds like science fiction but it's true: A killer amoeba living in lakes enters the body through the nose and attacks the brain where it feeds until you die.  —  Even though encounters with the microscopic bug are extraordinarily rare …

Justice Thomas Lashes Out in Memoir  —  Book Attacks Liberals and the Media, Breaks Near-Silence on Anita Hill  —  Justice Clarence Thomas settles scores in an angry and vivid forthcoming memoir, scathingly condemning the media, the Democratic senators who opposed his nomination to the Supreme Court …

EXCLUSIVE- SF MURDER CHARGES DISMISSED  —  Woo Hoo!  While Kev and I were gearing up to talk football, the phone rang.  It was the best of news, all charges dropped against MSG Anderson and CPT Staffel for the shooting of a known terrorist in Afghanistan.  This was swift justice and sent a clear message about the actions they took.

Senate OKs hate-crimes bill protecting gays, lesbians  —  But House Democrats weaken employment legislation for transgender people  —  (09-28) 04:00 PDT Washington — Even as the Senate passed a hate crimes bill sought for a decade by gays and lesbians, House Democratic leaders decided Thursday …

MSNB-No?  —  Looks like MSNBC correspondent David Shuster may have deprived loyal MSNBC viewers of their favorite GOP talking heads — at least for now.  —  This week, the MSNBC reporter "sandbagged" Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) during an interview by asking her to name the last solider from her district to die in Iraq.

The power of faith against the bullet  —  Those monks again.  The scenes we saw on the streets of Rangoon are amazingly moving, and strangely familiar.  —  Something old is playing out.  On one side, shaved heads and ranks of red robes; on the other, frightened and angry young men in uniforms …