Tim Cook Speaks Up  —  Throughout my professional life, I've tried to maintain a basic level of privacy.  I come from humble roots, and I don't seek to draw attention to myself.  Apple is already one of the most closely watched companies in the world, and I like keeping the focus on our products …

Why Polls Tend to Undercount Democrats  —  Polls show that the Republicans have an advantage in the fight for control of the Senate.  They lead in enough states to win control, and they have additional opportunities in North Carolina and New Hampshire to make up for potential upsets.

Christie 2016: 'Vote For Me Or I'll Punch You Right In Your Stupid Face'  —  All politicians have to deal with hecklers from time to time, and most try to handle it by being polite but firm, using the moments before security reaches the person and hustles them out to say something like …

Messing With Texas Again: Putting It Back Under Federal Supervision  —  Readers of the entire 147-page opinion issued earlier this month by a federal district court striking down Texas's strict voter identification law as unconstitutional and a violation of the Voting Rights Act might …

The Inside Story Of Matt Taibbi's Departure From First Look Media  —  Matt Taibbi, who joined First Look Media just seven months ago, left the company on Tuesday.  His departure—which he describes as a refusal to accept a work reassignment, and the company describes as a resignation …

The Problem With That Catcalling Video  —  On Tuesday, Slate and everyone else posted a video of a woman who is harassed more than 100 times by men as she walks around New York City for ten hours.  More specifically, it's a video of a young white woman who is harassed by mostly black …

FiveThirtyEight's Senate Forecast  —  FiveThirtyEight's election forecasting model combines hundreds of opinion polls with historical and demographic information to calculate odds for each Senate race.  We estimate the probability that each party will win control of the Senate by running those odds through thousands of simulations.

Campus statement on commencement speaker  —  UC Berkeley issued the following statement today (Wednesday, Oct. 29):  —  For many years it has been the responsibility of UC Berkeley undergraduates, through a committee known as the “Californians,” to select speakers for the university's commencement ceremonies.

Maine nurse defies Ebola quarantine with bike ride  —  7 photos  —  FORT KENT, Maine (AP) — All but daring Maine health authorities to go to court to have her confined, nurse Kaci Hickox went out on a bike ride Thursday in defiance of the state's voluntary quarantine for medical workers who have treated Ebola patients.

Michael Bay in Talks to Direct Benghazi Movie ‘13 Hours’ (Exclusive)  —  Chuck Hogan, the author of ‘The Town’ and ‘The Strain,’ wrote the script for the Paramount film  —  In a massive change of pace, Michael Bay is going from toy tentpole to a Benghazi political drama.

Rand Paul: GOP brand ‘sucks’  —  DETROIT — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) acknowledged Wednesday a problem that many Republicans admit only privately: their party brand “sucks.”  —  The weakness, Paul added, is particularly serious when it comes to appealing to black voters.  —  “Remember Domino's Pizza?

Who's On Michael Jordan's Dream Team?  —  Michael Jordan talks to Ahmad Rashad about who he'd love to play a round of golf with... but according to the joking NBA legend, President Obama shouldn't be waiting by his phone for a call.  —  Tune in to AHMAD RASHAD airing Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on Back9Network — DIRECTV channel 262.

Jian Ghomeshi: 8 women accuse former CBC host of violence, sexual abuse or harassment  —  One woman, actor Lucy DeCoutere, alleges she was slapped and choked without her consent.  —  Actress, Lucy DeCoutere, comes forward with details of her alleged assault by Jian Ghomeshi.  —  Photos View photos

Obama May Cut Deportations  —  Length of Time in U.S., Family Ties to Others in Country Are Expected Criteria  —  WASHINGTON—The White House is considering two central requirements in deciding which of the nation's 11 million illegal immigrants would gain protections through an expected executive action …

Louisiana Dem: Race a Source of Obama's Woes in South  —  Noting that the South is “more of a conservative place,” she added that women have also faced challenges in “presenting ourselves.”  —  The comment prompted a fiery response from Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, who called it “remarkably divisive.”

Thomas M. Menino, Boston's longest serving mayor, has died at age 71  —  Thomas Michael Menino, who insisted a mayor doesn't need a grand vision to lead, then went on to shepherd Boston's economy and shape the skyline and the very identity of the city he loved through an unprecedented five consecutive terms in City Hall, died Thursday.

This One Picture of Telly Savalas Refutes All Fears That Progress Has Ended  —  Don't believe the naysayers: Our country is doing better than ever, and this People magazine cover proves it.  —  I started receiving People magazine recently, and as I was leafing through its ho-hum 40th anniversary issue …

Senate Update: Exit To Recountland  —  Republicans got favorable news in Georgia on Tuesday, where a Monmouth University poll put their candidate, David Perdue, eight points ahead of the Democrat Michelle Nunn.  The poll is something of an outlier relative to the consensus — nonetheless …

Non-Citizens Are Voting  —  Could non-citizen voting be a problem in next week's elections, and perhaps even swing some very close elections?  —  A new study by two Old Dominion University professors, based on survey data from the Cooperative Congressional Election Study …

Hillary Clinton could end up alone in Iowa  —  Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) — Imagine if Iowa held a caucus and nobody but Hillary Clinton showed up.  —  Democrats of all stripes, including Clinton allies, have predicted for months that the former Secretary of State — who was campaigning …

NYPD Sgt. Alberto Randazzo and Colo. woman accused of plotting on Skype to molest baby  —  EXCLUSIVE: Randazzo and Keira Norton will spend at least 15 years in prison if convicted of charges of scheming to molest her 1-year-old.  Investigators seized Randazzo's laptop computer and found …

Sean Haugh, Libertarian for Obamacare?  —  Durham, N.C.  —  “All these people are saying I'm costing Kay Hagan or Thom Tillis the election,” Sean Haugh told me as he sipped a glass of Duck-Rabbit beer on Tuesday night.  “It's like it's somehow my fault that they're terrible candidates.”