The Near- and Longer-Term Prospects for the U.S. Economy  —  Good morning.  As always, thanks are due to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City for organizing this conference.  This year's topic, long-term economic growth, is indeed pertinent—as has so often been the case at this symposium in past years.

A New York Hurricane Could Be a Multibillion-Dollar Catastrophe  —  Time to think about the unthinkable.  What if a major hurricane were to pass close to New York City, as several forecasting models now suggest that Hurricane Irene might?  —  Apart from the inevitable loss of life …

President Rick Perry?  —  A few weeks ago it was possible to believe that Mitt Romney would win the New Hampshire primary and cruise easily to the Republican nomination.  It's harder to see that now.  —  There have been a slew of polls showing Gov. Rick Perry of Texas surging to double-digit national leads.

Pataki not running-Perry talking with Trump-Romney, Bachmann staying the course-Huntsman's purple tie-Kimball: Never Quit-GOP turning on Palin  —  SCORE EXCLUSIVE - TRUMP TALKING WITH PERRY: Rick Perry has been speaking with Donald Trump by phone since wading into the presidential race, a Trump representative told Morning Score.

Source: Pataki decides against White House run  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former New York Gov. George Pataki will not run for the Republican presidential nomination, a source close to him told CNN.  —  Pataki, who had been flirting with a White House bid for months, was scheduled to appear …

Guitar Frets: Environmental Enforcement Leaves Musicians in Fear  —  Federal agents swooped in on Gibson Guitar Wednesday, raiding factories and offices in Memphis and Nashville, seizing several pallets of wood, electronic files and guitars.  The Feds are keeping mum, but in a statement …

When bad governors try bad ideas  —  Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) came up with an idea he considered pretty clever.  First, he told Floridians that people on welfare were more likely to be drug addicts.  What did Scott base this on?  Nothing in particular — he seemed to just make it up — but Scott was quite fond of the argument.

Giant rat killed by pitchfork in Marcy Houses is believed to be Gambian pouched rat  —  It sounds like an urban legend: giant mutant-looking rats roaming a city housing project.  —  Only there's a picture.  —  A photo making the rounds shows Housing Authority worker Jose Rivera minutes …

About Jonathan Alter  —  You Think Obama's Been a Bad President?  Prove It: Jonathan Alter  —  Tell me again why Barack Obama has been such a bad president?  I'm not talking here about him as a tactician and communicator.  We can agree that he has played some bad poker with Congress.

Fear, Inc.  —  The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America  —  Anti-Muslim graffiti defaces a Shi'ite mosque at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, Michigan.  —  SOURCE: Getty Images/Bill Pugliano  —  Download individual chapters of the report (pdf):

ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM HORNE SUES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DECLARE PRECLEARANCE UNCONSTITUTIONAL  —  Attorney General Tom Horne today filed lawsuit against the federal government for an injunction and a declaratory judgment that the portion of the Voting Rights Act requiring Arizona to pre clear …

Report: U.S. warns Palestinians it will halt aid  —  The United States has warned it will take “punitive measures” if the Palestinians move forward on their statehood bid, a top Palestinian official said Friday.  —  Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat released a statement quoting U.S. Consul General …

Gadafy daughter who ‘died’ in 1986 alive  —  The adopted daughter of Muammar Gadafy, whom he claimed died as an infant in the 1986 US bombing of his Tripoli compound, appears to be alive and worked as a doctor in the Libyan capital, documents discovered by The Irish Times indicate.

Report: States better than feds in getting sick people enrolled in high-risk pools  —  States are doing a much better job than the federal government getting sick people enrolled in the health reform law's high-risk pools, according to a new report.  —  As of April 30, the Government …