Beauchamp and the Rule of Second Chances  —  October 25, 2007  —  Beauchamp and the Rule of Second Chances: Pass it Along  —  I'd known that General Petraeus was once accidentally shot in the chest, but I first heard the full story this summer in Baqubah, from an eyewitness whose account I wrote about in Second Chances.

New Steps by U.S. Against Iranians  —  The Bush administration will announce a long-debated policy of new sanctions against Iran on Thursday, accusing the elite Quds division of the Revolutionary Guard Corps of supporting terrorism, administration officials said Wednesday night.

Bobby Caina Calvan Blog : the entire post with comments preserved  —  UPDATE: Good gracious, blogging since '97 and my first Instalanche.  Thank you Mr. Reynolds!  Thank you AOSHQ and the lovely and talented Michelle Malkin as well.  —  The entire site is 404′d, and the comments were the sweetest plum!

Educated Women Climb Aboard  —  An irony of Hillary Rodham Clinton's political career is that the women who resemble her most have often appeared to support her the least.  —  From her first New York Senate race in 2000 to her presidential campaign this year, Clinton has connected effectively with blue-collar and working-class women.

In His Words: Giuliani on Torture  —  DAVENPORT, Iowa — At a town hall meeting here last night, Rudolph W. Giuliani expanded upon his views of torture.  Here is a transcript of the exchange.  —  Linda Gustitus, who is the president of a group called the National Religious Campaign Against Torture …

MEMO  —  FROM: Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Jim McCrery  —  At a bipartisan Ways and Means caucus last night, Chairman Rangel outlined his long-awaited "Mother of All Tax Hikes" legislation.  The basics of the package are simple: This is the largest individual income tax increase in history.

Ted Rall: Only Idiots Die in Iraq, US IQ Soars  —  Here's a look into the squirmy, ugly mind of Ted Rall, whose latest cartoon about US troops in Iraq says: "Only idiots signed up; only idiots died.  Back home, the average I.Q. soared."  —  (Hat tip: LGF readers.)

House Democrats Set For Vote on New Version Of Children's Health Bill  —  Just one week after failing to override President Bush's veto, House Democrats will put a new version of their $35 billion expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program to a vote today …

Iowa Dems to set Jan. 3 caucus date  —  The Iowa Democratic Party Central Committee will vote Sunday night on a plan to move the Iowa Democratic caucuses to Jan. 3, the same day as the Republican caucuses.  —  Iowa Democratic Party Chair Scott Brennan will recommend the move …

The Ron Paul Wars  —  RedState defends its decision to bar future posters from supporting Ron Paul: … I don't think I qualify as a Neo-Nazi or a Code Pink activist.  Full Wired story here.  But here's a simple message to Ron Paul supporters.  You're welcome here.

'55 'Origin of Life' Paper Is Retracted  —  In January 1955, Homer Jacobson, a chemistry professor at Brooklyn College, published a paper called "Information, Reproduction and the Origin of Life" in American Scientist, the journal of Sigma Xi, the scientific honor society.

Biden Stumbles in Interview  —  In an interview with The Washington Post's editorial board, Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) asserted that he is more prepared to be president than any other candidate, disputed the notion that governors are better suited for the White House than senators and warned …

Time for the Bundesmacht  —  Remember the Wehrmacht?  It was a formidable fighting force.  The modern German army, the Bundeswehr, is also very effective.  Thing is, it is reluctant to fight or even place itself in danger.  —  Given history, that may seem just fine.