"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 …

Obama Exposes Regional Difference With Clinton As Debate Turns For Him  —  [Commentary] U.S. Sen. Barack Obama tonight turned in his strongest presidential debate performance and exposed a clear regional difference with front-runner Hillary Clinton.  —  Is $97,000 a lot of money?

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 …

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?

Stevens to Media: You Better Watch Your Mouth  —  Look out Anchorage Daily News (and maybe others)!  Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) is gonna get ya!  He's not saying how, but he's gonna get ya.  —  Just because two oil executives have pleaded guilty to bribing Stevens, his son …

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.

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 …

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 …