New clues in Michael Brown shooting?  —  (CNN) — Could a newly released audio provide more clues on what led up to Michael Brown's shooting death?  —  The FBI has questioned a man who says he recorded audio of gunfire at the time Brown was shot by Ferguson police on August 9, the man's attorney told CNN.

Stop Complaining About Obama's Golfing  —  Everyone is better at their job when they take some time off.  Even the president.  —  Of course, Obama is hardly the first president to vacation - President John Adams took an amazing eight months off in one year in office, and President John F …

IRS Shocker: Filing Reveals Lerner Blackberry Destroyed  —  The device was wiped AFTER Congressional inquiry began  —  The IRS filing in federal Judge Emmet Sullivan's court reveals shocking new information.  The IRS destroyed Lerner's Blackberry AFTER it knew her computer had crashed …

Michael Brown's Unremarkable Humanity  —  The New York Times has a feature today looking at the brief life of Michael Brown, informing us that he was “no angel.”  The reasons for this are many.  Brown smoked marijuana.  He lived in a community that “had rough patches.”

Surf's Up  —  Will there be a GOP wave in the Senate—or a wipeout?  —  So where's the wave?  This is President Obama's sixth-year-itch election.  The map of states with contested Senate seats could hardly be better from the Republicans' vantage point.  And the breaks this year …

The Monkey in the Room  —  As shown in the pictures below, the monkey is the second most photographed subject in H-232, aside from Speaker Boehner himself.  It all started in the fall of 2011, when Speaker Boehner joked in an interview that some days he felt like a windup toy because his jam-packed scheduled kept him so busy.

Turner Broadcasting offers voluntary buyouts  —  Seeking to reduce costs at channels like TNT, TBS, Adult Swim and CNN, Turner Broadcasting today announced a voluntary buyout program for about 6% of its U.S.-based employees.  —  The buyout offers are taking place as part of a far-reaching effort …

US begins surveillance flights over Syria after Obama authorization  —  The U.S. has started flying surveillance drones over Syria after President Obama authorized the missions, two senior Defense officials told Fox News, in a move that could pave the way for eventual airstrikes against Islamic State targets in the country.

Is The Polling Industry In Stasis Or In Crisis?  —  There is no shortage of reasons to worry about the state of the polling industry.  Response rates to political polls are dismal.  Even polls that make every effort to contact a representative sample of voters now get no more than 10 percent …

Grain Piles Up, Waiting for a Ride, as Trains Move North Dakota Oil  —  FARGO, N.D. — The furious pace of energy exploration in North Dakota is creating a crisis for farmers whose grain shipments have been held up by a vast new movement of oil by rail, leading to millions of dollars …

Sanders weighs Clinton challenge  —  Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) is gearing up for a presidential primary challenge against Hillary Clinton and hopes to capitalize on Democratic concerns over Clinton's coziness with Wall Street banks.  —  Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats …

Captured Russian troops ‘in Ukraine by accident’  —  A group of Russian soldiers captured in eastern Ukraine crossed the border “by accident”, Russian military sources are quoted as saying.  —  Ukraine said 10 paratroopers were captured, and has released video interviews of some of the men.

Report: No Proof Veterans Died Because of Delays  —  The Veterans Affairs Department says investigators have found no proof that delays in care caused any deaths at a VA hospital in Phoenix, deflating an explosive allegation that helped expose a troubled health care system in which veterans waited months …

Gaza ceasefire deal reached, Palestinian groups say  —  (Reuters) - Palestinian officials said on Tuesday a Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel has been reached under Egyptian mediation and a formal announcement of an agreement was imminent.  —  There was no immediate confirmation from Israel …

Lost in America  —  More and more I'm convinced that America right now isn't a country dealing with a mere dip in its mood and might.  It's a country surrendering to a new identity and era, in which optimism is quaint and the frontier anything but endless.  —  There's a feeling of helplessness …

Scott Walker's Race for Governor Could Shape U.S. Politics for Years to Come  —  Everyone knows the most important political race in the country this fall is the race that determines control of the U.S. Senate, which is very much up in the air.  According to The New York Times prediction model …