"Diamond v. Pearl" Student Blasts CNN (Updated With CNN Response)  —  Maria Luisa, the UNLV student who asked Hillary Clinton whether she preferred "diamonds or pearls" at last night's debate wrote on her MySpace page this morning that CNN forced her to ask the frilly question instead …

Democrats unable to bring troops home  —  WASHINGTON - Nearly a year after anti-war voters put them in power, congressional Democrats remain unable to pass legislation ordering troops home from Iraq.  Frustrated by Republican roadblocks, Democrats now plan to sit on President Bush's $196 billion request …

Democratic Debate: Winners and Losers  —  Last night was a tale of two debates.  —  The first 15 minutes of the Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas featured clashes between the top three candidates — Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards — over Social Security, Iran and telling the truth.

BREAKING: Reid shuts down Bush recess appointments during Thanksgiving  —  Now who's relevant?  A statement from Senator Harry Reid (and more background on this issue here):

My best friend, Joy Behar  —  The nattering nabobs of ninnyism on "The View" never cease to amaze.  You may recall last month when "View" co-host Joy Behar appeared on the Bill Maher show and called me a "selfish bitch" because I questioned Harry Reid's poster family for the massive S-CHIP entitlement expansion.

Come Home … The Dome Under the Cross: Local Muslim and Christian leaders had prepared the church for his arrival.  —  A Bishop came to St John's Church in Baghdad today, 15 November, where a crowd of locals welcomed him home.  They were joined at the service by soldiers from the 2-12 infantry battalion …

Islamists Will Quickly Aid Bangladesh Cyclone Victims  —  Bangladesh is the latest victim of a natural disaster in which Islamists, including groups designated by the U.S. as terrorists, already have a social assistance infrastructure.  The death toll from the Bangladesh cyclone has topped 1,100 …

Flying Spaghetti Monster's existence mulled  —  (AP) — When some of the world's leading religious scholars gather in San Diego this weekend, pasta will be on the intellectual menu.  They'll be talking about a satirical pseudo-deity called the Flying Spaghetti Monster, whose growing pop …

CNN's and Carville's lack of ethics  —  Would it kill CNN to not include partisan supporters of the various candidates in their post-debate spin?  —  Would it kill CNN to disclose that James Carville is a partisan Clinton supporter when talking about the presidential race?

Huge Admin. Win in 9th Cir. on Terrorist Surveillance Litigation — 3-0 Vote, and all the Judges are Carter and Clinton Appointees.  Who can MoveOn blame now?  —  Filed under: General — WLS @ 12:48 pm  —  In this opinion just released this morning, three Judges of the Ninth Circuit …

Those Anti-Romney Calls  —  Western Wats, the company making the calls, is based in Orem, Utah.  One of its dialers, Amanda Earnshaw, has maxed out to Romney for the primary.  The company's founder, Ron Lindorf (he sold it years ago), is noted here as a founder of the BYU Business School.

Why are so many people leaving the UK?  —  The papers today ask why 400,000 left the Uk last year to live and work somewhere else.  I would have thought the answer was obvious.  —  They've had enough.  —  We live in a country where anyone who has gained some qualifications …

Karl Rove at Newsweek?  —  Newsweek magazine hiring Karl Rove to be a political commentator illustrates everything that is wrong with the corporate media system.  Here is a guy whose scorched earth politics have left the nation reeling with ill effects and crippling divisions and he is rewarded …