WTF?!?!  —  Sounds dead boring to me!  —  I don't believe that man could think of such a thing.  Religion is not for the rational man.  —  Where the hell does it say you can do that in the Quran!  Why would you want to!!!  The other laws are the usual sexist bull you get in Muslim countries …

After Previously Praising Her, Paul Ryan Now Disses Ayn Rand: ‘I Reject Her Philosophy’  —  Rep. Paul Ryan and his on-again, off-again political inspiration, Ayn Rand  —  In 2005, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) heaped praise on Ayn Rand, a 20th-century libertarian novelist best known for her philosophy …

SECOND FIRING IN FALSE ZIMMERMAN 911 EDIT  —  There has been a second firing at NBC over the misleading edit of George Zimmerman's 911 call.  A report published yesterday afternoon by the Miami Herald identifies reporter/producer Jeff Burnside as the individual responsible for the edits …

The Cool Kids Versus the Squares, Yet Again  —  When Barack Obama appeared on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon the other night, he walked on stage and gave Fallon a quick pound hug, that handshake/one-arm hug that we cool guys do these days to express a sentiment something like, “It is good to see you again …

TPM2012  —  Romney Campaign Again Warns Of ‘Soviet’ Threat  —  The Romney campaign has been accused of being stuck in the 1950s.  But it also seems mired in the 1980s — it again invoked Cold War threats on Thursday, as it tried to attack the Obama administration on foreign policy.

More Support for Gun Rights, Gay Marriage than in 2008 or 2004  —  OVERVIEW  —  Opinions about a pair of contentious social issues, gun control and gay marriage, have changed substantially since previous presidential campaigns.  On gun control, Americans have become more conservative; on gay marriage, they have become more liberal.

The HuffPost Election Map: A First Look At The Presidential Race … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Barack Obama , Barack Obama , Mitt Romney, Barack Obama 2012 , Elections 2012, Video, 2012 Presidential Election, Electoral College, Mitt Romney Polls, Election Map, Mitt Romney 2012, Polling Map, Pollster Analysis, Politics News

EXCLUSIVE: New Secret Service scandal centers on strippers, prostitutes in El Salvador  —  U.S. Secret Service agents brag they routinely use third-world prostitutes while conducting out-of-country security detail for Presidential visits  —  Sponsored Links  —  SEATTLE —

Young Voters Back Obama, but Many Aren't Poised to Vote  —  Older voters much more likely to vote, and more likely to support Romney  —  PRINCETON, NJ — President Obama continues to enjoy a substantial lead over Mitt Romney among voters under 30, but these youthful Americans …

Fox's Monica Crowley Reacts To Fluke's Reported Engagement: “To A Man?”  —  Fox News political and foreign affairs analyst Monica Crowley reacted to a report that Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke got engaged to her boyfriend by tweeting: “To a man?”  —  Following criticism of her on Twitter …

The New Voodoo  —  Every time I think we might be making progress against the prejudices and myths that pass for judicious thinking these days, something like this editorial in the FT comes along to renew my despair.  —  The editorial is a response to the latest bad UK economic news …

I Was Wrong About Dick Cheney . . .  . . . and other lessons I learned from vetting vice-presidential candidates.  —  We've entered the silly season when vast numbers of words will be expended on who Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate should be.  Since the actual announcement …

Dick Lugar trails by 5, poll says  —  Indiana Sen. Dick Lugar has fallen behind state Treasurer Richard Mourdock by five points, according to a new poll released Thursday.  —  The survey, taken Tuesday and Wednesday by Wenzel Strategies on behalf of Citizens United, places Mourdock at 44 percent and Lugar at 39 percent.

Vacation backlash: Blue collar Dems jealous, angry at Obamas  —  Blue collar workers are upset with the number of vacations the first family take.  The Obamas are shown returning from their Christmas vacation in Hawaii in January.  (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Judge rejects mistress's secrecy bid at John Edwards trial  —  The federal judge overseeing former presidential candidate John Edwards's trial on campaign finance charges has rejected what appears to be a bid by Edwards's ex-mistress to keep some of the trial exhibits secret.

Pelosi Says GOP Plan on Student Loan Rate 'Assault on Women's Health'  —  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi railed against Republican efforts to offset the one-year extension of the 3.4 percent student loan rate by taking money out of a fund she believes is imperative to the “survival to women.”

Ann Romney on Recent MS Scare on Campaign Trail  —  Although her husband Mitt Romney is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Ann Romney's battle with multiple sclerosis hasn't stopped for the campaign trail.  —  The mom of five sons has suffered from the debilitating autoimmune disease since …

Poll: Gov't favorability at 15-year low  —  A decade ago, Americans felt similarly about their local, state and federal governments.  No longer.  —  Today, just one in three has a favorable view of the federal government — the lowest level in 15 years, according to a Pew survey.

Kentucky Employees May Not Be Fired for Lawfully Storing Guns in Their Cars  —  That's what Kentucky statutes provide, and today the Kentucky Supreme Court applied this rule in Mitchell v. University of Kentucky (Ky. Apr. 26, 2012).  There was something of a complication because the defendant …

FreedomWorks endorses Hatch opponent but won't commit to TV ads  —  FreedomWorks endorsed former Utah state Sen. Dan Liljenquist (R) in his primary against Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) Thursday afternoon but refused to commit to continue spending heavily against Hatch on television.

Andrew Cuomo vs. Hillary Clinton in 2016?  —  “Welcome to my announcement to run for president of Malta,” Hillary Clinton joked Wednesday night as she took the stage at Lincoln Center, where she was one of 100 luminaries honored by Time magazine.  —  Surveying the crowd …

Deal on Senate vote on violence against women bill  —  WASHINGTON - Senate leaders on Thursday overcame the gender politics that had roiled debate over the government's main domestic violence program and agreed to a vote on renewing it before heading home for a week's vacation.