Bradley Manning: I want to live as a woman  — Facebook - Twitter - Reddit - Pinterest - Email  —  Bradley Manning, the Army private sentenced to military prison for leaking classified documents, revealed he intends to live out the remainder of his life as a woman.  —  “I am Chelsea Manning.

Jindal plummets and other notes from Louisiana  —  Three years ago in August PPP declared Bobby Jindal to be the most popular Governor in the country.  58% of voters approved of him to only 34% who disapproved.  Jindal's fortunes have seen an amazing shift since that time though …

The great Democrat hope: Government shutdown  —  They'd never say it publicly.  But catch many Democrats in an honest moment and they would admit that a Republican-led government shut down this fall might be the best thing — perhaps the only thing — that could revive their fading hopes of capturing the House next year.

NSA gathered thousands of Americans' e-mails before court struck down program  —  The National Security Agency unlawfully gathered as many as tens of thousands of e-mails and other electronic communications between Americans as part of a now-discontinued collection program, according to a 2011 secret court opinion.

Sparks fly after Sen. Marble's ‘chicken’ comment in poverty hearing  —  DENVER — Democratic lawmakers couldn't believe their ears as they listened to Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins, deliver a long soliloquy explaining that more blacks and Hispanics live in poverty, in part, because of fried chicken.

Police: Texas Lt. Gov. Dewhurst Asked to Get Relative Out of Jail  —  In statement, Dewhurst says he acted as “concerned family member”  —  The Allen Police Department released the full audio of a call Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst made to police to find out what he had to do to get a recently arrested relative out of jail.

University of Virginia cuts some health benefits, citing ObamaCare costs  —  The University of Virginia said Wednesday that it will stop offering health insurance to some employees' spouses because of rising costs under ObamaCare.  —  The university said the Affordable Care Act will add $7.3 million to its healthcare costs next year.

Breaking news: Cheney pays $220 for fishing license ticket  —  Angus M. Thuermer Jr., Jackson Hole News&Guide  —  U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Lynne Cheney posted a $220 bond in Ninth Circuit Court in Teton County on Monday on a charge of making a false statement to procure a fishing license.

France calls for ‘force’ if Syria chemical weapons use is proved  —  Syrian rebels claim pro-government forces used chemical weapons to kill citizens outside Damascus on Wednesday, August 21.  People inspect bodies in this photo released by the Syrian opposition Shaam News Network.

Wentworth Miller rejects Russian film festival invitation; ‘As a gay man, I must decline’  —  Actor and screenwriter Wentworth Miller today rejected an invitation to attend the St. Petersburg International Film Festival, citing Russia's anti-LGBT laws.  In a letter to the Festival's Director …

High Court restricts inspection of David Miranda data  —  Only partial examination of material seized from a Brazilian man held at Heathrow airport under anti-terror laws can take place, judges have ruled.  —  David Miranda, the partner of a Guardian journalist who exposed secret information …

Ted Cruz, traitor to his class  —  Henry Adams said that politics is the systematic organization of hatreds.  For the left, over the past year it has seemed at times to be the systematic organization of hatred of Ted Cruz.  —  The freshman senator is not the first Texan to be so honored.

Proposed Filner settlement reached  —  City Attorney Jan Goldsmith said Wednesday night that a proposed resolution has been reached to a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Mayor Bob Filner and the city.  —  Goldsmith said the City Council, which must approve any settlement, will review the proposal on Friday.

Recession's pain reaching deep into the economic recovery  —  The buying power of Americans continues to be weaker than it was when the recession ended four years ago, underscoring the lasting damage wrought by the downturn, according to a report released Wednesday.

Jeffrey Singer: The Man Who Was Treated for $17,000 Less  —  Bypassing his third-party payer, my patient avoided a high hospital ‘list price.’  —  Every so often I have an extraordinary and surprising experience with a patient—the kind that makes us both say, “Wow, we've learned something from this.”