Obama contemplates Executive Order for detention without charges  —  (updated below)  —  When Obama first unveiled his “preventive detention” policy, many defenders praised him (and claimed he was different than Bush) because of his vow that — as he put it — “my Administration will work …

Argentine Man Is Said to Be Source of Sanford E-Mail  —  BUENOS AIRES — The mystery of who revealed Gov. Mark Sanford's e-mail messages may finally be solved.  A business associate of Mr. Sanford's Argentine mistress said Friday that private messages between the two lovers had been sent anonymously …

The 8 cap-and-tax Republicans...and the 44 Democrats who voted no  —  Introducing the GOP's Cap-And-Tax 8...  I listed them earlier tonight, but am breaking out a separate post to spotlight them again.  —  The 8 cap-and-tax Republican turncoats again are:  —  Bono Mack (CA) (202) 225-5330

House Passes Bill to Address Threat of Climate Change  —  WASHINGTON — Overcoming deep divisions within its Democratic majority, the House passed legislation on Friday intended to address the threat of global warming and transform the way the United States produces and uses energy.

THIS WEEK IN GOD.... First up from the God Machine this week is the resolution of a recent controversy involving the late Jerry Falwell's college in Virginia, which no longer wanted to allow its students to organize an official Democratic student group on campus.

On the House floor  —  By all appearances, the House is about to vote on a very long bill of which it has no completed official copy.  —  Texas Republican Reps. Joe Barton and Louie Gohmert have just asked the chair whether there exists a complete, updated copy of the Waxman-Markey carbon-cap bill.

Naked ex-mayor arrested at campsite  —  Gainesville's Musselwhite denies causing earlier trouble  —  A former mayor found sitting naked and holding a beer at a Rabun County campsite told police he wasn't the same naked man seen walking around earlier.  —  Mark Musselwhite, 43 …

God and Science Don't Mix  —  A scientist can be a believer.  But professionally, at least, he can't act like one.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  My practice as a scientist is atheistic.  That is to say, when I set up an experiment I assume that no god, angel or devil is going to interfere …

The Road to Hell: Part II  —  27 June 2009  —  With so many contractors, journalists, and even tourists floating around Afghanistan, some are bound to be kidnapped.  The recent escape by David Rohde provides a happy conclusion, though these things often end up with a bullet in the head, or a head sawed off for all to see.

Baucus ups pressure on health groups  —  The Senate Finance Committee is pressuring hospitals and insurers to follow the lead of the pharmaceutical industry and pony up to help pay for health reform, industry insiders say.  —  With the Democrats' high-stakes gambit to overhaul …

U.S. Announces New Afghan Drug Policy  —  TRIESTE, Italy (AP) — The United States has announced a new drug policy for opium-rich Afghanistan, saying it was phasing out funding for eradication programs while significantly increasing its funding for alternate crop and drug interdiction efforts.