ENRON'S KEN LAY DIES: 'HIS HEART SIMPLY GAVE OUT'  —  Convicted Enron Corp. founder Ken Lay, who was found guilty of helping perpetuate one of the most sprawling business frauds in U.S. history, has died of a massive coronary.  He was 64.  —  Nicknamed "Kenny Boy'' by President Bush …

Holy Joe: Screwing The Party Once Again  —  There are many conclusions to be drawn from Joe Lieberman's decision to launch a cut-and-run campaign, but the one drawn by The Hill this morning isn't one of them: … Bulls**t.  I went to a barbecue here in Connecticut last night …

U.N. Council to Address Tests by North Korea  —  The United Nations Security Council met in emergency session this morning to respond to North Korea's test-firing of seven missiles, as Japan and South Korea imposed economic penalties and nations around the world denounced the launchings.

Limbaugh will not be charged over Viagra  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Rush Limbaugh will not face charges in Palm Beach County for the bottle of Viagra found in his luggage that was prescribed in his doctor's name, prosecutors said Wednesday.  —  Charges could have nullified …

Global Warming's Real Inconvenient Truth  —  "Global warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the next century, but — regardless of whether it is or isn't — we won't do much about it.  We will (I am sure) argue ferociously over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it.

IDF kills Hamas operative in attack on PA police  —  IDF forces shelled PA police positions on the northern Gaza beach early Thursday, Palestinian witnesses said, killing one and wounding seven officers from the Palestinian coastal police, four seriously.  —  Hospital officials identified the dead man as Hussam Hijazi, 24.

Democrats Not Eager to Emulate Texas's Redistricting  —  Democrats cried foul three years ago when Texas Republicans rammed through a highly partisan redistricting to gain an advantage in several House races.  Now, a recent Supreme Court ruling that blessed the Texas plan gives Democrats a chance to show that turnabout is fair play.

Jewish Family "Forced to Move" Over School Lawsuit  —  "Stop the ACLU Coalition" Publicised Home Address, Phone Number … Back in 2004, the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ (based at Dr D. James Kennedy's Coral Ridge Ministries) praised the efforts of a school board in Delaware …

SWIFT Deposits  —  According to Treasury and Justice Department officials familiar with the briefings their senior leadership undertook with editors and reporters from the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, the media outlets were told that their reports on the SWIFT financial tracking system presented risks …

Update: Company to Probe Coulter Plagiarism Charges  —  I heard back from Universal Press Syndicate's Kathie Kerr.  Her company distributes Ann Coulter's column to over 100 newspapers around the country — columns which, according to recent news, may have contained plagiarized material.

About our 'dictator'  —  IN MANY QUARTERS it has long been taken for granted that George W. Bush is an aspiring dictator, ravenous for power and all too willing to shred the constitutional checks and balances that restrain presidential authority.  Of course this kind of paranoia is routine in the ideological fever swamps .

Leadership  —  Recently Joe Biden gave a speech in which he said that Democrats need to show leadership on national security issues.  It would be nice if the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee would understand that it does, in fact, fall to him to provide that leadership, but perhaps that's asking too much.