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 …

The Lady and the Tiger  —  They were both elegant and entitled swans, insulated in guarded enclaves, obsessed with protecting and promoting the Brand.  Then trouble trespassed into their privileged worlds and both responded the same foolish way.  —  They presumptuously put themselves beyond authority and …

Understanding Climategate's Hidden Decline  —  Close followers of the Climategate controversy know that much of the mêlée surrounds an email in which Climate Research Unit (CRU) chief Phil Jones wrote about using “Mike's Nature Trick” (MNT) to “hide the decline.”

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.

Were Russian security services behind the leak of ‘Climategate’ emails?  —  Suspicions were growing last night that Russian security services were behind the leaking of the notorious British ‘Climategate’ emails which threaten to undermine tomorrow's Copenhagen global warming summit.

Obama's Logic Is No Match for Afghanistan  —  AFTER the dramatic three-month buildup, you'd think that Barack Obama's speech announcing his policy for Afghanistan would be the most significant news story of the moment.  History may take a different view.  When we look back at this turning point …

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.

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 …

Yes, Miky, There Are Rabbis in Montana  —  HELENA, Mont. — In Montana, a rabbi is an unusual sight.  So when a Hasidic one walked into the State Capitol last December, with his long beard, black hat and long black coat, a police officer grabbed his bomb-sniffing German shepherd and went to ask the exotic visitor a few questions.

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.

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 …

During marathon review of Afghanistan strategy, Obama held out for faster troop surge  —  ‘What was interesting was the metamorphosis’  —  President Obama, seated at the head of a conference table strewn with papers in the White House Situation Room, stared at charts showing various options …