McKinney relief boat rammed by Israeli navy  —  A boat carrying international peace activists, including former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, and medical supplies to the embattled Gaza Strip sailed back into a Lebanese port on Tuesday after being turned back and damaged by the Israeli navy, organizers of the trip said.

Bristol Palin Welcomes a Son  —  Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin  —  Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, gave birth on Sunday to a healthy 7 lb., 4 oz., baby boy in Palmer, Alaska.  —  “We think it's wonderful,” …

From the left, a call to end the current Dutch notion of tolerance  —  AMSTERDAM: Two years ago, the Dutch could quietly congratulate themselves on having brought what seemed to be a fair measure of consensus and reason to the meanest intersection in their national political life …

Reading Into Bush's Book List  —  In what without a doubt is the most astounding op-ed piece of the year, Karl Rove reveals that his friend and former boss, George W. Bush, has read probably hundreds of books over the course of his presidency.  One of them was Albert Camus' “The Stranger,” …

Fallout begins after dismal holiday season  —  ‘The downturn has been catastrophic,’ according to one retail analyst  —  Fallout from the dismal holiday sales season promises to have a lasting impact on how the retail industry operates.  —  Retailers slash prices

‘Magic Negro’ flap might help Saltsman  —  The controversy surrounding a comedy CD distributed by Republican National Committee chair candidate Chip Saltsman has not torpedoed his bid and might have inadvertently helped it.  —  Four days after news broke that the former Tennessee GOP chairman …

Add Up the Damage  —  Does anyone know where George W. Bush is?  —  You don't hear much from him anymore.  The last image most of us remember is of the president ducking a pair of size 10s that were hurled at him in Baghdad.  —  We're still at war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

2008 Weblog Awards Finalists  —  Here is a complete list of the finalists for The 2008 Weblog Awards.  Finalists badges (hosted by Imageshack) will be available Wednesday.  Voting is scheduled to begin on January 5, 2009.  —  Please note that the names of the Technorati Autority categories have changed …

A SOLUTION WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM  —  RealClearPolitics has posted a column proposing a solution to “Minnesota's recount fiasco” by AEI director of economic studies Kevin Hassett.  Hassett observes the inconsistent rulings on disputed ballots made by the Board of Canvassers.

Farewell to All That: An Oral History of the Bush White House  —  The threat of 9/11 ignored.  The threat of Iraq hyped and manipulated.  Guantánamo and Abu Ghraib.  Hurricane Katrina.  The shredding of civil liberties.  The rise of Iran.  Global warming.  Economic disaster.

The Top 10 Rightblogger Stories of 2008  —  Excited (not to say deranged) by the long Presidential campaign, conservative bloggers — rightbloggers, in our affectionate parlance — were in top form this year, and outstripped the sleepy Main Stream Media in every way.