Presbyterian workers wore no hazmat suits for two days while treating Ebola patient  —  Health care workers treating Thomas Eric Duncan in a hospital isolation unit didn't wear protective hazardous-material suits for two days until tests confirmed the Liberian man had Ebola …

Skunk Works Reveals Compact Fusion Reactor Details  —  Lockheed Martin aims to develop compact reactor prototype in five years, production unit in 10  —  Hidden away in the secret depths of the Skunk Works, a Lockheed Martin research team has been working quietly on a nuclear energy concept …

Bush: 'What's the Paycheck Fairness Act?'  —  Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) appeared completely unfamiliar with a major bill aimed at eliminating the wage gap between men and women when he was asked about the measure this week.  —  The potential 2016 presidential candidate was asked …

Ernst holding lead over Braley in Iowa Senate race  —  WASHINGTON — Republican Joni Ernst enjoys a narrow lead and an atmosphere favoring a GOP victory in the Iowa Senate race against Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley, according to the latest USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll.

When Women Become Men at Wellesley  —  Hundreds of young women streamed into Wellesley College on the last Monday of August, many of them trailed by parents lugging suitcases and bins filled with folded towels, decorative pillows and Costco-size jugs of laundry detergent.

My Conspiracy Theories Are Being Suppressed!  —  Reacting to his corporate colleague Phil Mattingly's Wow! profile of Dr. Ben Carson, Bloomberg View's Francis Wilkinson is decidedly less jazzed by this year's right-wing “outsider.”  Indeed, he thinks the guy is performing a very familiar role or roles:

Exclusive: Mark Driscoll's resignation letter to Mars Hill Church  —  Chairman, Board of Advisors and Accountability  —  Dear Michael:  —  By God's grace I have pastored Mars Hill Church for 18 years.  Today, also by God's grace, and with the full support of my wife Grace, I resign my position as a pastor and elder of Mars Hill.

The Absolute Weirdest Thing Ever To Happen At A Political Debate  —  The Florida gubernatorial debate got off to a rocky start Wednesday night when Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) refused to come out because his Democratic opponent, former Gov. Charlie Crist, asked for and received a fan under his podium.

Obama, Ebola and optics  —  President Barack Obama is on high alert about Ebola, and he wants nobody to think otherwise.  —  Any time Obama is campaigning or on vacation when something big goes wrong — from a downed plane to race riots — aides scoff at the idea that he is not focusing on his day job.

Fox Doc: Obama Won't Keep Ebola From U.S. Because ‘His Affinities’ Are With Africa (AUDIO)  —  Dr. Keith Ablow, a member of the Fox News Medical A-Team, on Tuesday said that Obama won't protect Americans from Ebola because “his affinities” are with Africa, not the U.S. “He's their leader.”

Houston Mayor Says City's Sermon Subpoenas Came as a Surprise  —  An unusual First Amendment fight has erupted in Houston where lawyers for the city have raised alarm bells among conservative religious leaders after subpoenaing sermons delivered by several local pastors.

Mother faces criminal charges after son allegedly takes gun to school  —  Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer on Wednesday announced that he filed criminal charges against a woman whose 17-year-old son allegedly took a loaded semiautomatic handgun to school.  —  Feuer said the action is …

Is A Colorado Senate Candidate Lying About His Football Career?  —  UPDATE: Gardner campaign spokesman Alex Siciliano sent the following, presented in its entirety, via email: “Cory Gardner played football from Junior High through Sophomore year in high school.”

Sen. Merkley: ‘Call Me A Progressive’  —  During Tuesday night's debate with Monica Wehby, Senator Jeff Merkley proudly stood for the good that the word ‘progressive’ means.  —  Sit back and watch as Senator Merkley proudly wears the label of progressive.  —  Even more delicious?

Rethink Harvard's sexual harassment policy  —  In July, Harvard University announced a new university-wide policy aimed at preventing sexual harassment and sexual violence based on gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity.  —  The new policy, which applies to all schools within …

Arkansas High Court Strikes Down Voter ID Law  —  Arkansas' highest court on Wednesday struck down a state law that requires voters to show photo identification before casting a ballot, ruling the requirement unconstitutional just days before early voting begins for the Nov. 4 election.

Democrats push back on travel ban  —  House Democrats are pushing back hard against proposals to institute a travel ban in the fight against the Ebola virus.  —  A growing number of lawmakers — mostly Republicans — are urging the Obama administration to bar travel to the United States …