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Approximately 65 million people are likely to be directly impacted by Hurricane Irene as the storm takes aim at the densely populated Eastern Seaboard. Evacuations are underway for high flood risk areas. Mass transit cancellations, schedule changes and road/bridge closures are occurring throughout the storm warning areas. Please check with local news and Emergency Management Operations to determine the recommendations for your immediate area. Mash image to enlargeMash image to enlarge Radar Images & Loops (interactive maps short/long range) SoutheastNortheast (Cape Hatteras to NE)Satellite Images Still Images/Loops (both Flash & Java) Public Advisories NHC Discussions Local Wx Alerts Buoy Data:...

CNBC just broke in and told the audience that the President has requested airtime and will speak to the nation at 1300hrs EST (12 noon central, 10 AM PST) on the US national debt downgrade.Developing...

On Now

Awaiting Presidential remarks on the date of withdraw and number of troops abroad. ....live 7 PM CST on Fox News. Pundits talking now

Geraldo just announced Obama will make some sort of statement in 30 minutes. Geraldo says this is unusually late and figures it has something to do with Libya.

From the BBC: 1545: Libyan TV says in an "urgent" screen caption the state news agency is under "piracy" attack, and gives a new web address: "Website of [state] al-Jamahiriyah News Agency (JANA) subjected to suspicious piracy operation." 1528: And AFP has just reported that there are violent clashes between demonstrators and government forces taking place in central Tunis. 1525: In Tunisia, where it all started, hundreds of journalists and technicians from the state-run TV broadcaster have gone on strike over what they say is continued government censorship of their dispatches, Reuters reports. State TV news bulletins have stopped. One...

I read on the Republican National Convention Blog that tonight at 9 pm EST will be the debate between Reid and Angle which will be on CSPAN.

I searched all over and didn't see a live thread on tonight's speech soooooo here it is! (Be gentle on me, in all my years here this is my FIRST LIVE THREAD!)

There are already a couple of LIVE THREADS covering the overall PA primary election. But I don't see anything out there for the Arkansas, Kentucky and Oregon folks so we are going to post our normal live thread focusing on the Key House Races. In this weeks Primary Elections we see 2 competitive House Races in AR and 9 in PA. Plus there is the Special Election in PA-12 that we have been following. There is nothing looking very competitive to us in OR or KY. So if you are just interested in how things are going across the board...

The returns will be coming in soon from today's Primary Elections in Nebraska and West Virginia and the Special Election in Georgia for GA-09. Here are links to the websites where the official returns will be posted by the respective Secretaries of State or local news sources: Nebraska West Virginia Georgia GA-09 And for those paying attention to the Key House Races here are the districts that will pick their Primary winners tonight. District Dem Primary Winner R-Seats Republican Incumbent or Challengers Links to All State Races Or Incumbent Main Challenger Challenger Challenger NE 2 Dem Primary Winner Incumbent Lee...

Tuesday, Feb. 16 NBC 3-5 p.m. — Men's Biathlon-12.5km Pursuit Gold Medal Final (LIVE); Women's Biathlon-10km Pursuit Gold Medal Final. 8 p.m.-Midnight — Men's Figure Skating-Short Program (LIVE); Women's Snowboard-Snowboard Cross Gold Medal Final; Women's Speed Skating-500 Gold Medal Final; Men's Alpine Skiing-Super Combined Gold Medal Final. 12:35-2 a.m. — Women's Luge-Gold Medal Final; Medals Plaza-Award Ceremonies. 2-5 a.m. — Primetime Replay. USA Noon-6 p.m. — Men's Ice Hockey-USA vs. Switzerland (LIVE); Men's Curling-USA vs. Germany (LIVE). CNBC 5 p.m.-5 a.m. — Men's Ice Hockey-Canada vs. Norway (LIVE); Russia vs. Latvia (LIVE) Women's Curling-USA vs. Japan (LIVE); Women's Ice Hockey-Finland...

I didn't know it until a couple minutes ago, but Senator Coburn is speaking now, likely to an empty chamber. At 1AM EST tomorrow - I think - a new procedural vote happens, and we'll see if the Democrats have their 60 votes.

Right now, the Senate is voting on a procedural motion to table debate on the Defense bill - which Republicans are hoping to filibuster, in an effort to stall debate on the upcoming Health bill. Because Lieberman didn't show up today, the Republicans just need to stick together on this to prevail - without defections from Collins or Snowe.

Live Threads of the Healthcare Debate that could be voted on this weekend. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2380972/posts?q=1&;page=251 http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN_wm.aspx Different reports are coming in about what some of the Arkansas Representatives will do. John Boozeman is a solid NO vote. Rep Berry has "concerns regarding how the plan is paid for", but Obamacare is often changed to give the apperance of not costing as much. Mike Ross has expressed concern over public option, but that is also not a definite NO. According to David Meeks, Rep Snyder's office had said that he wouldn't for a bill that "funds abortion", however Obamacare supporters had claimed...

Yeah, it's a sure thing that the controlling Democrats will pass this phase of ObamaDON'Tcare, but we still have the protection of the First Amendment to discuss it, FOR NOW, right? Grab some popcorn and let's listen to the Democrats demean and revile those EVVVIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLL health insurance companies, who have just thrown a monkey wrench in the 'easy' passage of this big gubmint garbage! Will some of the Democrats actually vote according to their conscience (yeah, I know, oxymoron)?? Will the Republicans hold rank and vote no across the board in protest? Will Olympia, our favorite "moderate" Republican (bwahahahahahahaha!) team...

The speaking program includes: --Paul G. Kirk, Jr. --Father Gerry Creedon, S.J., Opening Prayer --“God Bless America,” Boston Community Chorus --Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II --Senator Christopher J. Dodd --Nick Littlefield --Governor Deval L. Patrick --Senator John McCain --Video Tribute Directed by Ken Burns and Mark Herzog --Senator John F. Kerry --Senator Orrin G. Hatch --“The Impossible Dream” sung by Brian Stokes Mitchell, soloist --Mayor Thomas M. Menino --Senator John C. Culver --“Just A Closer Walk with Thee,” sung by Boston Community Chorus --Vice President Joseph R. Biden --Caroline Kennedy

"WE ARE RIGHT; THEY ARE WRONG. END OF STORY!” ...Andrew Wilkow

Live on Fox at 5pm EST - 4pn CST

Tonight's Oscars will celebrate only-in-the-movies fantasy figures like Wall-E and the Joker . . . and Harvey Milk and Richard Nixon. Even when Hollywood is dealing with documented reality, it can't resist turning it into a cartoon.