Chicago Loses Bid for 2016 Olympic Games  —  COPENHAGEN — The International Olympic Committee delivered a stunning blow to Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics, knocking it out of the voting in the first round Friday, leaving Rio de Janeiro and Madrid waiting for the announcement which city will host the Games.

The Wizard of Beck  —  Let us take a trip back into history.  Not ancient history.  Recent history.  It is the winter of 2007.  The presidential primaries are approaching.  The talk jocks like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the rest are over the moon about Fred Thompson.

Mission Not Accomplished  —  Stocks are up.  Ben Bernanke says that the recession is over.  And I sense a growing willingness among movers and shakers to declare “Mission Accomplished” when it comes to fighting the slump.  It's time, I keep hearing, to shift our focus from economic stimulus to the budget deficit.

David Letterman reveals $2M extortion plot; CBS News producer busted in scheme to reveal sex secrets  —  A top CBS News producer was busted Thursday for trying to shake down David Letterman - threatening to expose the late-night funnyman's affairs with several female staffers in a movie and book.

Brown and Sarkozy rowed with Obama over Iranian nuclear announcement  —  Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy had a behind-the-scenes row with Barack Obama over last week's announcement about a secret uranium enrichment plant in Iran.  —  The President is believed to have angered the European leaders …

Glenn Beck's sobbing secrets revealed: A little Vicks Vaporub gets the tears flowing  —  [YouTube here, via MisterMovies.]  —  This was too funny to pass up.  We've known all along that Glenn Beck is a two-bit phony.  Now we see how Glenn Beck gets himself properly weepy for the cameras: A little Vicks Vaporub.

Finance Committee Democrat Won't Read Text of Health Bill, Says Anyone Who Claims They'll Understand It ‘Is Trying to Pull the Wool Over Our Eyes’  —  (CNSNews.com) - Sen. Thomas Carper (D.-Del.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, told CNSNews.com that he does not “expect” …

Senate Ethics Committee investigating Ensign  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Senate Ethics Committee is investigating Sen. John Ensign, and allegations of improper conduct stemming from an affair with the wife of a former aide.  —  “Whenever allegations of improper conduct are brought to the attention …

Is Conservatism Brain-Dead?  —  Over his decades as a columnist, lecturer, TV host and debater, William F. Buckley Jr. lost his cool in public only once — when he threatened to sock Gore Vidal “in your goddamn face” on the third night of their joint appearances on ABC during the ill-fated 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Bad day for USA.  Good day for GOP?  —  Remember when Republicans accused Democrats of rooting against America?  —  Judging from the volume of exultant Tweets and press releases from Republicans today — you'd think they'd won a doubleheader, what with Chicago losing the Olympics and the unemployment numbers rising unexpectedly.