Palin cracks wise at Gridiron dinner  —  In an 11-minute speech before Washington's Gridiron Club at its Winter Dinner, Sarah Palin tossed a few barbs at the gathering of journalists, comparing them to “death panels.”  —  “Sometimes you got to trust your instincts, and if you don't …

Lieberman's onto reason #7  —  LIEBERMAN'S ON TO REASON #7.... Regular readers may have noticed that I've been keeping track of Joe Lieberman's evolving rationales for opposing a public option.  The Connecticut senator is so opposed to letting some consumers choose between competing public …

Apple's Game Changer, Downloading Now  —  IAN LYNCH SMITH, a shaggy-haired ball of energy in his late 30s, beams as he ticks off some of the games that Freeverse, his little Brooklyn software company, has landed on the iPhone App Store's coveted (and ever-changing) list of best-selling downloads …

How Obama Came to Plan for ‘Surge’ in Afghanistan  —  WASHINGTON — On the afternoon he held the eighth meeting of his Afghanistan review, President Obama arrived in the White House Situation Room ruminating about war.  He had come from Arlington National Cemetery, where he had wandered among …

The Gambler Who Blew $127 Million  —  LAS VEGAS — During a year-long gambling binge at the Caesars Palace and Rio casinos in 2007, Terrance Watanabe managed to lose nearly $127 million.  —  The run is believed to be one of the biggest losing streaks by an individual in Las Vegas history.

Democrats consider new presidential nominating process  —  Washington (CNN) - National Democrats are considering changing the presidential nominating process, by establishing a new primary calendar and deemphasizing the influence lawmakers and political insiders have on choosing the party nominee.

Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles elects openly gay bishop  —  The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles today elected the first openly gay bishop since the national church lifted a ban that sought to bar gays and lesbians from the church's highest ordained ministry.

The True Administration of Justice is the Firmest Pillar of Good Government  —  About an hour ago I was holding an umbrella against the wind and rain, in the outer skirts of the crowd that had gathered on Foley Square, Manhattan, to protest Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's impending civil trial.

Simpsons billionaire gets most write-in votes in NYC mayor race  —  (CNN) - Charles Montgomery Burns, better known as Mr. Burns in the hit animated TV series “The Simpsons”, got the most votes of any write-in candidate during last month's mayoral election in New York City.

Watergate redux: Break-ins reported at another climate research center.  —  Burglars and hackers have attacked the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, apparently in an attempt to further the “Climategate” intimidation of global warming researchers.