Obama Returns to End-of-Life Plan That Caused Stir  —  WASHINGTON — When a proposal to encourage end-of-life planning touched off a political storm over “death panels,” Democrats dropped it from legislation to overhaul the health care system.  But the Obama administration will achieve the same goal by regulation, starting Jan. 1.

US to step up security at hotels and malls  —  The United States is stepping up security at “soft targets” like hotels and shopping malls, as well as trains and ports, as it counters the evolving Al-Qaeda threat, a top official said Sunday.  —  A year after a foiled plot to bomb a US-bound passenger plane …

Bundle Up, It's Global Warming  —  THE earth continues to get warmer, yet it's feeling a lot colder outside.  Over the past few weeks, subzero temperatures in Poland claimed 66 lives; snow arrived in Seattle well before the winter solstice, and fell heavily enough in Minneapolis to make the roof …

The Looming Crisis in the States  —  For most of this year, the state of Illinois has lacked the money to pay its bills.  Some of its employees have been evicted from their offices for nonpayment of rent, social service groups have laid off hundreds of workers while waiting for checks …

Even after shellacking, 2012 looks OK for Obama  —  On Boxing Day, it's worth noting that Barack Obama is down but not out.  —  You could tell as much from the contrast between his petulant postelection press conference and his peppy pre-Christmas press conference.

A remedy for beggar states  —  The nation's menu of crises caused by governmental malpractice may soon include states coming to Congress as mendicants, seeking relief from the consequences of their choices.  Congress should forestall this by passing a bill with a bland title but explosive potential.

The U.S. gives Israel billions of dollars every year  —  Our tax dollars are being used to pay for:  —  King County officials Thursday cancelled the previously accepted bus ad  —  from the Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign.  Stay tuned for follow up.  —  See Seattle Times article See Seattle PI article

Assange to earn £1m from book deals  —  WikiLeaks founder says he had to sell rights to autobiography to cover legal costs and keep website afloat  —  The founder of the WikiLeaks website, Julian Assange, has said he expects to earn more than £1m from book deals.

Banks and WikiLeaks  —  The whistle-blowing Web site WikiLeaks has not been convicted of a crime.  The Justice Department has not even pressed charges over its disclosure of confidential State Department communications.  Nonetheless, the financial industry is trying to shut it down.

Lawmakers seek cash during key votes  —  Numerous times this year, members of Congress have held fundraisers and collected big checks while they are taking critical steps to write new laws, despite warnings that such actions could create ethics problems.  The campaign donations often came …

Coburn: Get ready for “apocalyptic pain”  —  Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) warned Sunday of “apocalyptic pain” if the government does not change course on its spending patterns.  —  “I told you the other evening, if we didn't take some pain now, we're going to experience apocalyptic pain.

Cables Portray Expanded Reach of Drug Agency  —  WASHINGTON — The Drug Enforcement Administration has been transformed into a global intelligence organization with a reach that extends far beyond narcotics, and an eavesdropping operation so expansive it has to fend off foreign politicians …

IT DEPENDS ON THE MEANING OF ‘EXTRAORDINARY’.... The head of the Republican Party in Palm Beach County, Florida, recently told Time that [shameless criminal] Gov.-elect Rick Scott (R) “is going to be within six months of taking office one of the most extraordinary national figures we've seen in years.”

Surprise Representative Plans Surprises of His Own in Washington  —  Joe Walsh's anonymity is dissipating and, by the time it's gone, we may have an answer to an intriguing political question.  —  If you win in anger, can you govern in anger?  —  Mr. Walsh was not just a little-noticed …