memeorandum: Iran: 600,000 jailed since start of year (Ynetnews)

11:00 AM ET, December 25, 2006

Top Items:

Legendary Singer James Brown Dies at 73 — James Brown, the dynamic, pompadoured "Godfather of Soul," whose rasping vocals and revolutionary rhythms made him a founder of rap, funk and disco as well, died early Monday, his agent said. He was 73. — Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia …

Discussion: Don Surber, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, The Huffington Post, Reason Magazine and LA Observed

New York Times:

U.S. Is Detaining Iranians Caught in Raids in Iraq — The American military is holding at least four Iranians in Iraq, including men the Bush administration called senior military officials, who were seized in a pair of raids late last week aimed at people suspected of conducting attacks …

Discussion: THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Gates of Vienna, CorrenteWire, The Smirking Chimp, Secular Blasphemy, Daniel W. Drezner, Matthew Yglesias and Larisa Alexandrovna's …

Hindrocket / Power Line:

IT MAY BE CHRISTMAS, BUT... ...our soldiers are still fighting in Iraq and around the world. And tonight, what could be an important development, high-ranking Iranians have been detained in raids in Iraq: … The story is complicated, and I'd suggest reading it all. Much is not yet known.

Discussion: Tammy Bruce

Sam Harris / Los Angeles Times:

10 myths — and 10 truths — about atheism — SEVERAL POLLS indicate that the term "atheism" has acquired such an extraordinary stigma in the United States that being an atheist is now a perfect impediment to a career in politics (in a way that being black, Muslim or homosexual is not).

Discussion: The World Wide Rant, Verum Serum and digg

Barbara O'Brien / Crooks and Liars:

Happy Holy Day — Good morning! I am guest blogging here this week so that some of the regular crew can get a break. It's the least a Buddhist can do. — Today is the observance of the annual cease fire on the war on Christmas. In celebration, people wallow waist deep in shredded gift wrap and prepare the armistice feast.

Discussion: New York Times

Peggy Orenstein / New York Times:

What's Wrong With Cinderella? — I finally came unhinged in the dentist's office — one of those ritzy pediatric practices tricked out with comic books, DVDs and arcade games — where I'd taken my 3-year-old daughter for her first exam. Until then, I'd held my tongue.

Discussion: Don Surber and Joanne Jacobs

Greg Miller / Los Angeles Times:

Alarming 9/11 claim is found baseless — A military analysts' chart did not identify hijackers beforehand, senators report. — WASHINGTON — The Senate Intelligence Committee has rejected as untrue one of the most disturbing claims about the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes …

Deborah Solo / New York Times:

The Freshman — Q: As a 60-year-old novelist, screenwriter and military man who served in the Reagan administration but had never run for elected office, you beat the incumbent, George Allen, for a Senate seat from Virginia this year. Have you seen him since the election?

Jeffrey Gettleman / New York Times:

Ethiopia Hits Somali Targets, Declaring War — Ethiopia officially plunged into war with Somalia's Islamist forces on Sunday, bombing targets inside Somalia and pushing ground troops deep into Somali territory in a major escalation that could turn Somalia's internal crisis into a violent religious conflict …

Discussion: A Blog For All

Ynetnews:

Iran: 600,000 jailed since start of year — Islamic republic sentences 'at least 2,600 people every day,' 1 million a year — Well over half a million Iranians have been imprisoned by their regime since the start of the year, Director-General of the Cultural and Disciplinary Committee …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Agence France Presse:

Iran to install 3,000 centrifuges from today after sanctions — "Our immediate response to the UN Security Council is that, as of today, we will start the activities at the site of the 3,000 centrifuge machines in Natanz and we will go ahead with full speed," Larijani told the paper.

Christy Hardin Smith / Firedoglake:

Joyeux (Belated) Festivus! — Sorry I wasn't home to celebrate Festivus with everyone yesterday evening, but I was at a family food and Christmas fest that went a bit longer than expected. But frankly, who can get enough? The fact that a comedy bit from a Seinfeld show (episode #166) …

Discussion: TwinCities.com and Hullabaloo