Economist Christina Romer serves up dismal news at her farewell luncheon  —  Lunch at the National Press Club on Wednesday caused some serious indigestion.  —  It wasn't the food; it was the entertainment.  Christina Romer, chairman of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers …

Rescue efforts under way after oil rig explosion in Gulf  —  [Posted at 11:53 a.m.] U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough tells CNN that 12 people from the rig are in the water immersion suits as they await rescue.  —  Colclough told CNN there are reports the rig is still on fire.

Deval Patrick on Beck rally: “It's a free country.  I wish it weren't.”  —  And you thought that a libtalker declaring a public space too sacred for God would be the dumbest quote from the Left on the Restoring Honor rally hosted by Glenn Beck.  Michael Graham from Boston's WTKK posts a clip …

Sixty Days to Go  —  The Crystal Ball's Labor Day Predictions  —  Larry J. Sabato, Director, U.Va. Center for Politics  —  For decades I've advised students to let the facts speak for themselves, while avoiding the indulgence of shouting at the facts.  In other words, we should take in …

Dan Gaffney Audio: Christine O'Donnell for Senate Interview  —  With just days left before her primary election day challenge against Mike Castle (R) here is the complete interview with Christine O'Donnell (R) from today's Dan Gaffney Show.  —  2 Responses  —  O'Donnell Can't Take the Spotlight : Delaware Liberal says:

Warren fuels speculation by dropping class  —  When fall classes began Wednesday at Harvard Law School, Elizabeth Warren was scheduled to be teaching contract law to first-year students.  But something happened on the way to the chalkboard.  —  “I'm writing to let you know that Professor Jerry Frug …

Rupert Murdoch's War On The New York Times  —  “I read the Journal a little less now.  I find that I can skim it in a way I couldn't before.  If the Journal is gaining market share I'd guess it is more at the expense of USA Today than the Times,” New York Times executive editor Bill Keller tells Vanity Fair writer Sarah Ellison.

Gunman's Environmental Grudges Well Known Before Discovery Channel Hostage Standoff  —  James Jay Lee wasn't a stranger to the Discovery Channel employees he terrorized Wednesday with a gun and with what appeared to be makeshift bombs strapped to his chest and back.

Dodge Charger owner upset vehicle crushed by suicidal fall  —  Tweet  —  Her car was crushed — and so is she.  —  A New Jersey woman is devastated that her precious sports car — just repaired and fully gassed up — was wrecked by a suicidal man's 40-story attempted death leap on the Upper West Side.

Dept. of stage fright  —  Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's opening statement in last night's debate reflects either an amazing lack of preparation, or sheer panic.  —  (The video caption isn't mine.)

Lazio Up 12 Pts.  In New York GOP Primary For Governor, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Dems Still Don't Know Who's Running For Attorney General  —  Former Congressman Rick Lazio leads businessman Carl Paladino 47 - 35 percent among New York State Republican likely primary voters in the race for Governor …

Sec. Clinton warns of ‘setbacks’ as Middle East peace talks begin  —  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States will be “an active and sustained” partner in helping Israelis and Palestinians make peace, as direct talks between the two sides began Thursday morning at the State Department.

Democrats unlikely to repeal tax cuts for the rich  —  WASHINGTON — Democrats in Congress are poised to play a leading role this month in thwarting their party's effort to raise income tax rates on the wealthy.  —  Tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 expire at the end of this year.

How Barack Obama Became Mr. Unpopular  —  The Barack Obama that most Hoosiers remember voting for can still be found on YouTube.  He stands before a cheering Elkhart high school gymnasium in August 2008, tireless, aspirational, promising a new America of jobs and hope.

A Dream House After All  —  IF you read the coverage of the latest figures on the sales of existing homes from the National Association of Realtors, you may well have come to the conclusion that the American dream is dead.  It is indeed worrisome that sales in July were down 25 percent from a year ago.

Obama is Not a Muslim  —  The nonsense about President Obama being a Muslim has got to stop.  I rise to defend him from this absurd accusation by pointing out that he is obviously an atheist.  —  Leave aside Obama's fanatical opposition to allowing Illinois hospitals to save the lives …

Scientist's Firing After 36 Years Fuels ‘PC’ Debate at UCLA  —  A longtime professor at UCLA, told that he would not be rehired because his “research is not aligned with the academic mission” of his department, says he's being fired after 36 years at the prestigious school because his scientific beliefs are “politically incorrect.”

14th Amendment causes GOP split  —  The push by congressional Republicans to deny automatic citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants has opened up a split in the GOP, with several former Bush administration officials warning that the party could lose its claim to one of its proudest legacies: the 14th Amendment.

Yes, BBC was biased: Director General Mark Thompson admits a ‘massive’ lean to Left  —  BBC Director General Mark Thompson has admitted the corporation was guilty of a ‘massive’ Left-wing bias in the past.  —  The TV chief also admitted there had been a ‘struggle’ to achieve impartiality …

Barbara Boxer and Carly Fiorina battle hard in first Senate debate  —  Candidates discuss hot topics from the economy to climate change to abortion.  Boxer gives scathing critiques of Fiorina's record as Hewlett-Packard CEO and Fiorina calls Boxer ‘bitterly partisan.’

The Inflation Cure  —  Ken Rogoff is proposing — not for the first time — that the United States use a burst of inflation to get out of its slump.  My reaction is a mix of agreement and exasperation.  I agree that higher inflation would help; my exasperation comes from Rogoff's offhandedness about the whole thing.

Sarah's Amazing Race  —  Sarah Palin is going to Iowa to be the headliner at a Republican fund-raiser.  In the state that will be the first to hold a contest in the 2012 presidential campaign, even if it has to do it in 2011.  —  Her staff says this means nothing whatsoever, but let us acknowledge that Palin is on a roll.

Dem Sen. Bayh: Fall elections will be of ‘comparable magnitude’ to 1994, 1980  —  Democrats are likely to face losses in this fall's elections comparable to the kind they suffered in 1980 and 1994, Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) said Thursday.  —  Bayh, a centrist Democrat who is retiring at the end …