SPB News for Thursday.

Poll: Economy costs Coleman lead in Senate race

U.S. May Take Ownership Stake in Banks Having tried without success to unlock frozen credit markets, the Treasury Department is considering taking ownership stakes in many United States banks to try to restore confidence in the financial system, according to government officials. Treasury officials say the just-passed $700 billion bailout bill gives them the authority to inject cash directly into banks that request it.

Thousands of Troops Are Deployed on U.S. Streets Ready to Carry Out "Crowd Control" I interviewed Vietnam veteran, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and patriot David Antoon for clarification... "If the President directs the First Brigade to arrest a bunch of voters, what would stop him?" "Nothing. It would end up in courts but the action would have been taken." "If the President directs the First Brigade to kill civilians, what would stop him?" "Nothing." "What would prevent him from sending the First Brigade to arrest the editor of the Washington Post?" "Nothing. He could do what he did in Iraq -- send a tank down a street in Washington and fire a shell into the Washington Post as they did into Al Jazeera, and claim they were firing at something else."

Md. Police Put Activists' Names On Terror Lists --Surveillance's Reach Revealed The Maryland State Police classified 53 nonviolent activists as terrorists and entered their names and personal information into state and federal databases that track terrorism suspects, the state police chief acknowledged yesterday. Police Superintendent Terrence B. Sheridan revealed at a legislative hearing that the surveillance operation, which targeted opponents of the death penalty and the Iraq war, was far more extensive than was known when its existence was disclosed in July.

Afghanistan government reportedly held talks with Taliban A reports from Saudi Arabia says Afghanistan's government held talks with the Taliban in Saudi Arabia last month. A leading Saudi daily newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, bases its report on what it calls informed Afghan sources. It says the three-day talks were held under Saudi auspices in the Muslim holy city of Mecca.

Turkey Re-authorizes Strikes in Iraq Turkey’s parliament voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to extend by one year its authorization of military operations against Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq, keeping the door open to future strikes in the region. The approval, by a vote of 497 to 18, had been largely expected, and occurred amid a flurry of attacks in Turkey’s largely Kurdish southeast.

Fed trolls Canada to rescue U.S. banks In a desperate bid to help U.S. banks recapitalize, Washington is dropping its inhibitions and reaching out to Canadian financial institutions to gauge their willingness to participate in rescue operations. The Federal Reserve has activated a back channel that puts the central bank in direct contact with chief executives at Canada's largest banks and insurers, according to a person familiar with the dialogue.

The real reason a lot of women can't stand Sarah Palin — MORE ON THIS: I respond to the comments below this post RIGHT HERE. — There's a ridiculous fluff piece in TIME this week that's getting a lot of attention. In it, a female essayist alleges that among the reasons many women …