Boehner reelected as Speaker; nine Republicans defect in vote  —  Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) was reelected Speaker of the House on Thursday after a week of rumors of a possible GOP revolt.  —  Boehner won a bare majority in a vote that saw nine Republicans vote for other GOP members …

Biden: Republicans had ‘epiphany’ on immigration  —  Washington (CNN) - Vice President Joe Biden said Republicans have had a major realization in their approach to immigration reform in recent weeks.  —  “Have you ever seen a time when Republicans have had a more rapid epiphany about immigration than they have this last election?”

America's Real Criminal Element: Lead  —  New research finds Pb is the hidden villain behind violent crime, lower IQs, and even the ADHD epidemic.  And fixing the problem is a lot cheaper than doing nothing.  —  WHEN RUDY GIULIANI RAN FOR MAYOR of New York City in 1993 …

Obama Signs Defense Bill, With Conditions  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama set aside his veto threat and on late Wednesday signed a defense bill that imposes restrictions on transferring detainees out of military prisons in Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

Exclusive: Nancy Pelosi to guest star on ‘30 Rock’ series finale  —  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will make her scripted TV series debut on the series finale of NBC's “30 Rock.”  —  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Jacquelyn Martin - AP) I know what you're thinking …

U.S. Electricity Use on Wane  —  Americans are using more gadgets, televisions and air conditioners than ever before.  But, oddly, their electricity use is barely growing, posing a daunting challenge for the nation's utilities.  —  The Energy Information Administration is projecting …

The 20 Most Annoying Liberals of 2012 (10th Annual)  —  Honorable Mentions: Bill Ayers, Bob Beckel, Joy Behar, Eric Boehlert, Margaret Cho, Candy Crowley, Code Pink, Lena Dunham, Dianne Feinstein, Ruth Bader-Ginsburg, Kathy Griffin, Eric Holder, Jesse Jackson, Ezra Klein, Rachel Maddow …

Classic Biden on Display at Senate Mock Swearing-In  —  Vice President Joe Biden turned on the charm and amped up the wit at the Senate mock swearing-in today, schmoozing with senators' moms, doling out dating advice to one senator's granddaughter and offering some workout help to one new senator's family member.

Hamas, PA reportedly refuse to take in Palestinian refugees from Syria  —  Gaza leader says the precedent might be used by Jerusalem to counter Palestinians' demand for the ‘right of return’ to land within Israel  —  Hamas and the Palestinian Authority rejected the United Nations' request …

Tarantino Unchained  —  In early 2010, not long after the release of Quentin Tarantino's Second World War revenge epic, “Inglourious Basterds,” I began teaching a course on American history at Moscow State University.  When a Russian friend asked me what I thought of the film I told him I loved …

Libya: Key Benghazi Suspect Remains At Large  —  Casablanca — Although Ahmed Boukhtala is the main suspect in the September 11th terrorist attack on US consulate in Benghazi as well as a suspect in assassination of Libyan rebel commander Major General Abdelfattah Younis, he continues to live freely in Benghazi.

The New Tell-All Fed  —  WITHIN moments of their release on Thursday afternoon, the minutes from the Federal Reserve's December policy meeting caused a bond-market sell-off.  Yields on Treasury bonds jumped as traders quickly dumped 10- and 30-year government bonds.

FBI: MORE PEOPLE KILLED WITH HAMMERS, CLUBS EACH YEAR THAN RIFLES  —  According to the FBI annual crime statistics, the number of murders committed annually with hammers and clubs far outnumbers the number of murders committed with a rifle.  —  This is an interesting fact …

Battles of the Budget  —  The centrist fantasy of a Grand Bargain on the budget never had a chance.  Even if some kind of bargain had supposedly been reached, key players would soon have reneged on the deal — probably the next time a Republican occupied the White House.

From Albany, With Mirth and Frankincense  —  In Albany, a lobbying firm offered a holiday card with a message subject to interpretation.  See inside of card below.  —  ALBANY — The lobbyists are now comparing Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to Jesus.  —  The cover of a Christmas card …

The culture war is over, and conservatives lost  —  It's time we conservatives accepted an alarming truth: Americans no longer agree with us  —  L  —  ate last year, I criticized the notion that Barack Obama won re-election by buying off voters with “gifts.”