AIG Paying Millions in Bonuses Despite Receiving Federal Bailout  —  Despite receiving $170 billion in federal aid and recording a staggering loss for the last quarter, insurance giant American International Group is doling out tens of million of dollars in bonuses this week to senior employees.

Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable  —  Back in 1993, the Knight-Ridder newspaper chain began investigating piracy of Dave Barry's popular column, which was published by the Miami Herald and syndicated widely.  In the course of tracking down the sources of unlicensed distribution …

End of the Honeymoon  —  Two months into his presidency, it is far too soon to make any judgments about Barack Obama's prospects.  All we really know is that he has assembled the rudiments of an administration and launched a batch of ambitious but unproven initiatives.

Tales From Torture's Dark World  —  ON a bright sunny day two years ago, President George W. Bush strode into the East Room of the White House and informed the world that the United States had created a dark and secret universe to hold and interrogate captured terrorists.

Post-Rush: Obama's message war  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  Beginning Sunday, the White House will harness every part of the Democratic Party's machinery to defend President Obama's budget and portray Republicans as reflexively political, according to party strategists.

On The Left-Wing Reaction to John Galt, Ayn Rand, and Tea Parties  —  The nation — indeed, the world — is waking up to the idea that ideas have consequences.  One idea is that sacrificing is not a life-enhancing option and will lead to misery or death.  Another is that the heedless policy …

Unity '09: Dem groups quietly align  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  A broad coalition of left-leaning groups is quietly closing ranks into a new coalition, “Unity '09,” aimed at helping President Barack Obama push his agenda through Congress.

Issue of Gun Rights Still Holds Sway  —  Democrats have been exorcising some of their most stubborn political demons of late.  —  In challenging former President George W. Bush over the war in Iraq, they showed they were overcoming their deep post-Vietnam fear of being painted as weak on defense when taking a strong anti-war stance.

American wounded by Israeli troops has surgery  —  RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — An American activist struck in the head by a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops in the West Bank was in serious condition Saturday after undergoing surgery, hospital officials said.

Finding Messages in a Blueprint  —  PRESIDENTIAL candidates campaign with soaring rhetoric, but presidents and their advisers make actual policy with spreadsheets.  So for policy wonks like me, there is no better place to learn what President Obama really believes than the budget proposal released late last month.

Minutiae?  In This White House, Call It News  —  WASHINGTON — It's been another busy few days for the Obama administration, which the news media has faithfully cataloged.  —  The Politico broke the story that the president's aides sang “Happy Birthday” to the assistant press secretary …

Russia takes the Biden Challenge  —  Joe Biden warned us that Barack Obama would get tested by unfriendly nations in the first six months of his administration because of his inexperience.  That prediction now looks like sunny optimism.  Just days after China aggressively challenged the US Navy …

Obama Sharpens His Reminders That He Inherited Fiscal ‘Mess’ From Bush  —  President Points to ‘Inherited’ Economy  —  In his inaugural address, President Obama proclaimed “an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.”

PICASSO INTERPRETS BARACK  —  As channeled by Michael Ramirez; click to enlarge:  —  Whereas some of us less artistic types thought he just has a hard time keeping his story straight!