Trump threatens to pull out of next GOP debate  —  <p>A Republican National Committee conference call to discuss plans for the Oct. 28 GOP debate with top advisers to the presidential campaigns spiraled into chaos on Thursday afternoon, as Donald Trump threatened to pull out of the debate …

THE DRONE PAPERS … DRONES ARE A TOOL, not a policy.  The policy is assassination.  While every president since Gerald Ford has upheld an executive order banning assassinations by U.S. personnel, Congress has avoided legislating the issue or even defining the word “assassination.”

Why Talk of “Tyranny” Is Dangerous  —  So here was Ted Cruz' calm and reflective observations about the first Democratic presidential debate, as conveyed to an Iowa audience (per the Dallas Morning News' Todd Gillman): … I'm guessing a lot of observers hear this sort of thing and just shrug …

Strong El Niño sets the stage for 2015-2016 winter weather  —  Forecasters at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center issued the U.S. Winter Outlook today favoring cooler and wetter weather in Southern Tier states with above-average temperatures most likely in the West and across the Northern Tier.

Wayne Simmons, recurring Fox News guest, charged with lying about CIA ties  —  Wayne Simmons, a recurring guest on Fox News who claimed to have 27 years of experience with the CIA, was arrested Thursday after being indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he lied about his service.

Jeb cuts back  —  <p>On the first day of a two-day Iowa swing back in August, Jeb Bush flew from Davenport to Ankeny in a private plane.  The next day, after he spent more than four hours bounding around the State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, a top adviser attributed Bush's high energy level …

Huckabee Suggests Poor People Should Be Sold Into Slavery For Stealing  —  The United States criminal justice system could be improved if we sell poor people convicted of crimes into slavery, according to Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.  —  The former Arkansas governor weighed …

“Arabian Street Artists” Bomb Homeland: Why We Hacked an Award-Winning Series  —  What's wrong with Homeland's political message?  The very first season of “Homeland” explained to the American public that Al Qaida is actually an Iranian venture.  According to the storyline …

X-Rated Audio Shocks Customers At San Jose Target Store  —  SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) — Shoppers at a Target store in San Jose stopped in their tracks Wednesday morning when a sexually explicit recording began blaring over the store's public address system.  —  Chris Minor, who was shopping …

Rand Paul, It Is Time to Take Your Campaign Out Back and Shoot It  —  “Go home to Kentucky, Senator, and save your Senate seat before Kentucky's voters take the incompetence of your Presidential campaign as a reflection on you and your Senate campaign.”  —  What is the most endearing moment …

The Pluto system: Initial results from its exploration by New Horizons  —  1Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.  —  2Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.  —  3National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) …

What Do We Really Know About Osama bin Laden's Death? … Mark Bowden was watching a ballgame — the Phillies versus the Mets — on the night of May 1, 2011, when the network cut away to President Obama in the East Room of the White House.  “Tonight,” the president said …

Carson puts public campaign events on hold  —  GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson is stepping away from the campaign trail to promote his new book, “A More Perfect Union,” according to ABC News.  —  The network reported late Wednesday that Carson is scheduled for over 20 private fundraisers during …

People are criticizing my dad, Jim Webb, for killing a man.  Here's what they're missing.  —  If you watched the Democratic presidential debate on Tuesday night, you probably heard the closing comment by my father, Jim Webb.  Without hesitation he answered that the enemy he was 'most proud …

Oakland Gospel Choir Draws Nuisance Complaint, Faces $500 A Day Fine  —  OAKLAND (KPIX 5) - Those who love Gospel music refer to it as “joyful noise” and it is anything but quiet.  —  “The music of the church reveals the life of the church, the enthusiasm of the church,” said Michael Wright, pastor at Solid Rock Baptist Church.

Lindsey Graham: Democratic Debate “Made Me Sick”  —  “Everybody had an isolationist, disengagement policy regarding radical islam.”  —  Andrew Burton / Getty Images  —  South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham says Tuesday's first Democratic debate disgusted him.

Joe Biden Laughs Off Questions of Possible 2016 Run  —  As time ticks down for Vice President Joe Biden to make up his mind on a possible presidential run in 2016, he took some time to laugh off reporters shouting questions at him today.  —  “Are you running for President?” …

The Anti-Free-Speech Movement at UCLA  —  A half-century ago, student activists at the University of California clashed with administrators during the Berkeley Free Speech Movement, a series of events that would greatly expand free-speech rights of people at public colleges and universities.

Jeb Bush raises $13.4 million, more than Rubio and Cruz  —  Jeb Bush raised $13.4 million in the third quarter, outpacing both Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz but falling far short of Ben Carson's reportedly $20 million haul.  —  Bush, according to preliminary data provided by the campaign, has $10.3 million in cash on hand.

Lawyers for Dennis Hastert could reveal Thursday if plea deal reached … Lawyers for former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert could tell a federal judge Thursday if they have reached a plea deal with prosecutors that would keep bombshell allegations of hush-money payments from ever being aired in a public trial.

Treasury Sends Debt Limit Letter to Congress  —  Dear Mr. Speaker:  —  I am writing to follow up on my previous letters regarding the debt limit and to provide additional information regarding the Department of the Treasury's ability to continue to finance the government.