“Rome” on The Daily Caller

Let’s start with the premise that lawmakers are the only people in America who aren’t convinced we have too many laws. (more)

Italians will on Wednesday flee Rome over fears a giant earthquake is coming following a seismologist’s 1915 prediction that “the big one” will strike on May 11, 2011. (more)

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Some 1.5 million pilgrims flooded Rome to watch Pope John Paul II move a step closer to sainthood in one of the largest Vatican Masses in history, an outpouring of adoration for a beloved and historic figure after years marred by church scandal. (more)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was hospitalized during a trip to Rome after feeling ill, NBC News confirms. (more)

ROME—Parcel bombs exploded at the Swiss and Chilean embassies to Italy in the capital on Thursday, injuring two people and raising concerns of possible terrorist attacks in the country’s shopper-packed streets ahead of the Christmas holidays. (more)

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.” (more)

NEW YORK (AP) — He was a small man who dreamed big, hit the highest heights and failed like few others. (more)

The Pope’s bank in Rome, the Institute for Works of Religion, is now under investigation by the Italian state on money laundering charges. (more)

In the end, modern politics is not about “public service” but power.  How can one argue that he or she is a “public servant” when the salaries they earn are, on average, higher than the private sector?  To the point… (more)

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Michael Phelps won the 200-meter freestyle at the U.S. national championships, then came back less than an hour later to win the 200 butterfly on Wednesday night. (more)

“Who is Don Draper?” These are the first words of season four, spoken by an Advertising Age reporter about the face of the “scrappy upstart” agency, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. It’s an echo of oh-so-many such questions since the show began. Last season started off with the ultimate “Who is Don Draper” in a dirty-joke flashback, when we found out how Dick Whitman got his real name. This premiere yields no flashbacks at all (phew) but instead shoves the story forward. Now it’s November 1964, just about a year after Don was asked, “And who are you supposed to be?” while trick-or-treating. The gangs-all-here feel makes for a satisfying sort of reunion show, but in many ways, it’s also a show about role-playing: How Don’s most challenging creative account is his constant performance and spin — the brand management of himself. Seeing that his old answer to “Who is Don Draper” has become obsolete, Don, and the show, are refreshing and rebranding. Welcome to the reboot. (more)

It’s taken over 60 years, but someone has finally written a great book about Whittaker Chambers. Richard M. Reinsch’s “Whittaker Chambers: The Spirit of a Counterrevolutionary,” emphasizes a point that has eluded both liberals and conservatives. Chambers, a former Soviet spy, journalist, and author of the masterpiece “Witness,” was also a religious genius. His insights into the human person and the nature of life will far outlive him, and his critics—including his most recent, Glenn Beck. (more)

VATICAN CITY — A cardinal under investigation in a sprawling corruption scandal denied wrongdoing and insisted yesterday that he acted for the good of the church while handling real estate transactions for the Vatican office that funds missionary work abroad. (more)

Welcome to the Daily Caller’s first-ever “World in Review,” our daily rundown of the most interesting stories from across the globe. Today’s stories involve a four hundred year old high profile missing persons case, riots in Israel, reparations for the Vietnam War, a porn star with a Ph. D., and a Brooklyn resident caught selling PlayStations for Hezbollah. (more)

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI appealed Saturday for support for embattled Christian communities in the Middle East, calling them a vital force for peace in the region. (more)

PEOPLE who find their neighbours tiresome can move to another neighbourhood, whereas countries can’t. But suppose they could. Rejigging the map of Europe would make life more logical and friendlier. (more)

ROME (Reuters) – Italian police have arrested the head of a powerful Calabrian mafia clan who was listed among the country’s 30 most dangerous fugitives. (more)

Rome, Italy (CNN) — Pope Benedict XVI was “greatly moved” by a meeting with victims of abuse by Catholic clergy, he said Wednesday, in his first public comments on the scandal in more than a month. (more)

In Ancient Rome, it was the poor people who lived in the suburbs. The rich lived in the city center, close to work, close to entertainment, close to all the finest restaurants (or the Roman version of restaurant). (more)

ROME – Top-ranked Serena Williams has asked for and received a wild-card entry for next month’s Italian Open, signaling that she’s ready to return from a lingering knee injury. (more)