Carter says U.S. tortures prisoners  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — The United States tortures prisoners in violation of international law, former President Carter said Wednesday.  —  "I don't think it.  I know it," Carter told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.  —  "Our country for the first time in my life …

Frost family draws ire of conservatives  —  Halsey and Bonnie Frost, in front of their Butchers Hill house.  Critics question whether the Frosts should be eligible for a federal insurance program.  (Sun photo by Barbara Haddock Taylor / October 9, 2007)  —  When Halsey and Bonnie Frost agreed …

Judge Bars Bush Crackdown on Illegal Workers  —  Plan Would Have Pressured Firms to Fire Up to 8.7M  —  A federal judge barred the Bush administration today from launching a planned crackdown on U.S. firms that hire illegal immigrants, warning of the plan's potentially "staggering" impact on law-abiding workers and companies.

The World According to Paul Krugman  —  Human knowledge is produced by intellectual combat that exposes weak premises and faulty conclusions to withering challenge.  We are often improved more by our ideological enemies than by our friends, because our enemies push us hardest.

Exclusive: Nearly 90 House Dems Sign Letter Pledging To No Longer Fund War  —  I've just learned that nearly 90 members of the House of Representatives have now added their names to a letter to the President pledging not to vote for any more funding for the war and only to vote for supplementals …

On CNBC's The Big Idea, Coulter said that "we" Christians "just want Jews to be perfected"  —  During the October 8 edition of CNBC's The Big Idea, host Donny Deutsch asked right-wing pundit Ann Coulter: "If you had your way ... and your dreams, which are genuine, came true ... what would this country look like?"

What Did Hillary Really Say To The Washington Post About Torture?  —  Hillary is taking a pounding in the blogosphere over this passage from today's Washington Post front-page interview with her, in which she appears not to take a firm stand against torture:

Terror watch: Gonzales lawyers up  —  Still under investigation by Congress and Justice Department lawyers who once worked for him, the former attorney general has turned to a leading Washington attorney to help him beat the rap.  —  No sooner did Alberto Gonzales resign as attorney general …

Smile, Though Your Head Is Aching  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was in a determinedly good mood when she sat down to lunch with reporters yesterday.  She entered the room beaming and, over the course of an hour, smiled no fewer than 31 times and got off at least 23 laughs.

Malkin vs. Malkin  —  My first favorite scene in this movie is the one in the beginning where Michelle pees standing up next to Jesse.  But my second favorite scene is this one:  —  Sulkin' Malkin, August 27, 2004: … VERSUS...  Stalkin' Malkin, October 9, 2007: … BONUS QUOTE, BULIMIC CRY-FOR-HELP DEPT.:

Treasury Designates Three Key Terrorist Financiers  —  The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) three individuals based in Saudi Arabia who have served as significant sources of financial and other support to individuals and entities …

Thank You, Jerry Nadler.  —  I am sitting here in my living room watching the FISA bill mark-up in the House Judiciary Committee.  Jerry Nadler is rocking, and I had to take a moment to say thank you.  From the hearing moments ago (this is me transcribing it, so it's a rough transcript):