Obama naysayers speak out  —  With Barack Obama's approval ratings in the 70s and his visage plastered on every shop window and Metro card in Washington, it's hard to remember that 58 million Americans voted for the other guy.  —  Even President Bush — who presumably counts himself among that group …

President Obama ‘has four years to save Earth’  —  Barack Obama has only four years to save the world.  That is the stark assessment of Nasa scientist and leading climate expert Jim Hansen who last week warned only urgent action by the new president could halt the devastating climate change that now threatens Earth.

Obama's $100,000-Plus Donors Were Able to Give to Several Entities  —  Obama's $100,000-Plus Backers Were Able to Contribute to Several Entities  —  Nearly 100 wealthy families and power couples contributed at least $100,000 each to help Barack Obama over the past two years …

Obama Inaugural Strains Lincoln Comparisons While Inviting Them  —  Jan. 17 (Bloomberg) — Barack Obama's inauguration is dedicated to the proposition that all presidencies are not created equal.  —  In ways big and small, Obama is trying to summon Abraham Lincoln's spirit to the proceedings.

Obama Aide: Military Advisers to Meet on First Day  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — On his first full day as president, Barack Obama will meet with high-ranking military officers to discuss the Iraq war, a conflict he has vowed to end after six years of fighting, a top adviser to Obama said Saturday.

Pelosi open to prosecuting Bush DOJ  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Sunday that she was open to pursuing investigations of abuses by the Bush Justice Department.  —  “I think that we have to learn from the past and we cannot let the politicizing, for example, of the Justice Department …

A Farewell Warning On Iraq  —  President Bush teased his ambassador in Baghdad by giving him the nickname “Sunshine,” because of his sometimes-gloomy assessments of the political situation there.  But Ryan Crocker persisted down to the last days in describing things precisely as he saw them.

Bailout Is a Windfall to Banks, if Not to Borrowers  —  At the Palm Beach Ritz-Carlton last November, John C. Hope III, the chairman of Whitney National Bank in New Orleans, stood before a ballroom full of Wall Street analysts and explained how his bank intended to use its $300 million in federal bailout money.

Binding U.S. law requires prosecutions for those who authorize torture  —  (updated below)  —  It seems fairly easy — even for those overtly hostile to the basic rules of logic and law — to see what conclusions are compelled by these clear premises:  —  Associated Press, April 11, 2008:

Gaza Skirmishes Continue Despite Cease-Fire  —  A girl gathered belongings amid patches of blood on Saturday at a United Nations school in Beit Lahiya in Gaza.  Israeli fire at the school killed two young brothers.  More Photos >  —  JERUSALEM — Palestinian militants in Gaza fired several rockets …

Bill Faith, R.I.P.  —  I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of blogger Bill Faith.  He died of a heart attack and had been in ill health.  —  Bill ran the blog Small Town Veteran and founded/contributed to Old War Dogs.  I linked to his work many times over the years.