Top Items:
The Blotter:
Al Qaeda Sends a Message to Democrats — Brian Ross and Hoda Osman Report: — Al Qaeda has sent a message to leaders of the Democratic party that credit for the defeat of congressional Republicans belongs to the terrorists. — In a portion of the tape from al Qaeda No. 2 man …
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ict.org.il:
Realities of the Conflict - Between Islam and Unbelief — In the Name of Allah, and all praise is due to Allah, and may peace and prayers be on the Messenger of Allah and on his family, companions and allies. — Muslim brothers everywhere: peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Hindrocket / Power Line:
ZAWAHIRI DRONES ON... ...and on. You could say that Zawahiri is a blowhard, but that would be a disservice to the blowhards of the world. He's really in a different league. The complete text of Zawahiri's latest video tape, released a couple of days ago, is here. But, hey—I read it all, so you won't have to.
New York Times:
Rape Charges Dropped in Duke Case — The district attorney today dropped rape charges against three former Duke University lacrosse players, but plans to go forward with sexual assault and kidnapping charges, his office said. — Michael B. Nifong, the Durham district attorney …
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Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Breaking: Durham D.A. drops rape charges against Duke lacrosse players; Update: Press conference video added — But the kidnapping and sexual offense charges remain. … I haven't followed the case at all and was planning to ignore the news, but then I got an e-mail from the boss reminding me that the story was breaking.
Discussion:
Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, Durham-in-Wonderland, Slublog, QandO, Daily Pundit, Ace of Spades HQ and protein wisdom
Mel Konner / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Carter's about-face betrays Jews, Christians — We are in that season when Jews celebrate one of their few successful rebellions against oppression. Christians celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. How ironic, then, that Jewish-Americans are embroiled in a grim struggle …
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Michael van der Galien / The Moderate Voice:
Carter... and Carter — More on Jimmy Carter, or more precisely his book.
Carter... and Carter — More on Jimmy Carter, or more precisely his book.
Discussion:
forward.com
Shreema Mehta / newstandardnews.net:
Big Pharma's Profit Pursuit Means Fewer New Drugs, Report Says — Although drug makers typically justify the high cost of medicines by citing research expenses, a new government report says their research investments are mostly funding highly profitable modifications of existing drug designs, not new treatments.
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Richard A. Epstein / Los Angeles Times:
The myth of the big bad drug companies — They're not greedy, they're over-regulated. The result is fewer pills to cure our ills. — THE PHARMACEUTICAL industry is getting bad press. Recent books by Marcia Angell, the former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, and Jerome Kassirer …
Discussion:
Redstate
Rich Miller / Chicago Sun Times:
Pundits lose grip on reality when dealing with the Internet — What is it about the Internet that makes some political pundits, columnists and reporters so goofy? It seems like almost every time I read a mainstream media story about political Web sites and bloggers, the pieces are full of ill-informed junk.
Heidi / Euphoric Reality:
Unraveling Haditha — Yesterday, eight Marines were charged with the unpremeditated murder of 24 civilians in Haditha: — Lt Col Jeffrey R Chessani: Violation of a lawful order; dereliction — Sgt Sanick P Dela Cruz: Unpremeditated murder; false official statement
Discussion:
Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, BLACKFIVE, Flopping Aces, Outside The Beltway and The Jawa Report
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Matthew Continetti / Weekly Standard:
The Peace Party vs. the Power Party — The real divide in American politics. — The polarization that has characterized American politics since the presidency of Ronald Reagan has extended its reach to foreign affairs. Never have the differences between the two parties on issues of war and peace been so distinct.
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Media Matters for America:
"Media Matters"; by Jamison Foser — Cat videos — unlike NBC News — don't impart conservative misinformation — Time magazine's selection of "You" as its "Person of the Year" has — justifiably — drawn criticism. — Writing for CJR Daily, for example, Christian Vachon argued …
Discussion:
TalkLeft
Wichita Eagle:
Spending freeze targets pet projects for members of Congress — WASHINGTON - Democratic leaders in the new Congress plan to strip funding for thousands of pet projects for individual members, a big display of fiscal discipline they say will help cut deficits and curb spending abuses.
Discussion:
Angry Bear
Hassan M. Fattah / New York Times:
Bickering Saudis Struggle for an Answer to Iran's Rising Influence in the Middle East — At a late-night reading this week, a self-styled poet raised his hand for silence and began a riff on neighboring Iraq, in the old style of Bedouin storytellers. — "Saddam Hussein was a real leader …
Media Matters for America:
Most outrageous comments of 2006 — How extreme were conservative commentators in their remarks this year? How about calls to nuke the Middle East and an allegation that a "gay ... mafia" used the congressional page program as its own "personal preserve."
Discussion:
ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES
Peggy Noonan / Opinion Journal:
News of a Sleighing — This just in: Santa Claus is coming to town. — Sunday is Christmas Eve. It feels wrong to speak here of small and sentimental things such as politics. The most passionately committed Americans right now, and the most imaginative, are children waiting for a large laughing man with a full white beard.