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In Memoriam, my courageous brother Christopher, 1949-2011 — How odd it is to hear of your own brother's death on an early morning radio bulletin. How odd it is for a private loss to be a public event. — I wouldn't normally dream of writing about such a thing here, and I doubt if many people would expect me to.
Discussion:
Ricochet Conversations Feed and Verum Serum
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Christopher Hitchens, 1949-2011: Christopher Hitchens Is Dead at 62 — Obituary — Christopher Hitchens, a slashing polemicist in the tradition of Thomas Paine and George Orwell who trained his sights on targets as various as Henry Kissinger, the British monarchy and Mother Teresa …
Discussion:
Slate, Gothamist, ArtsBeat, News Desk, The Daily Dish, Vanity Fair, The Incidental Economist, Gawker, Harry's Place, Poynter, Political Mojo, Modeled Behavior, Shakesville, The Atlantic Online, The Other McCain, The Politico, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Moderate Voice, American Power, Wonkette, Bark Bark Woof Woof and Booman Tribune, more at Mediagazer »


In Memoriam: Christopher Hitchens, 1949-2011 — Christopher Hitchens—the incomparable critic, masterful rhetorician, fiery wit, and fearless bon vivant—died today at the age of 62. Hitchens was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in the spring of 2010, just after the publication of his memoir …
Discussion:
Conservative Commune, GayPatriot, BBC, The Atlantic Online, Wonkette, The Moderate Voice, CNN, Media Decoder, ArtsBeat, Belmont Club, AMERICAN DIGEST, Michelle Malkin, Poynter, The Mahablog, The American Mind, Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit, Gothamist, Catholic Bandita, Scared Monkeys, Newshoggers.com, Little Green Footballs, Outside the Beltway, US Politics, Balloon Juice, Datechguy's Blog, The Spectacle Blog, Michael Totten, Big Journalism, UrbanGrounds, newsfeed.time.com, The Lonely Conservative, neo-neocon, Harry's Place, NPR, The Daily What, The Hinterland Gazette, Ed Driscoll, Feministe, Ricochet Conversations Feed, Naked Politics, Ace of Spades HQ, Taylor Marsh, BizzyBlog and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »


Christopher Hitchens, 1949-2011 — A friend of theirs once took Christopher Hitchens and his wife Carol Blue to dinner at Palm Beach's Everglades Club, notorious for its exclusion of Jews. — “You will behave, won't you?” Carol anxiously asked Christopher on the way into the club. No dice.
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Ron Radosh, National Review, Nation Now, Guardian and American Spectator

Postscript: Christopher Hitchens, 1949-2011
Discussion:
entertainment.time.com, Ricochet Conversations Feed, Attackerman, FishbowlDC and Power Line, more at Mediagazer »

“Herewith, Hope It Serves. As Always, Christopher.”
Discussion:
Guardian, Telegraph, Democracy in America, Mediaite, The Daily Dish, News Desk, MLive.com, The Week and Deadspin

Christopher Hitchens, 1949-2011 — I met Christopher (never Chris) in 1997.
Discussion:
Chicago Boyz

GOP Threaten to Harm the Economy If Obama Won't Embrace Tar Sands Pipeline — GOP Threaten to Kill Tax Relief and Unemployment Extension Over Keystone XL Pipeline, Which Won't Improve Energy Independence or Create Many Permanent Jobs … By Kate Gordon and Daniel J. Weiss in a CAP repost
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Washington Post
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TPMDC — McConnell Demands Keystone XL In Any Payroll Tax Agreement — It's gut check time for Congressional Democrats on the payroll tax cut bill. — Regarding that legislation, Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell emails me with the following statement …


Keystone Pipeline may end up in payroll deal — Congressional negotiators are seriously considering including the Keystone XL oil pipeline as part of a package that would extend a payroll tax holiday for a full year, several people familiar with talks said Friday.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Bloomberg, The Hill, Taylor Marsh and Daily Kos

Dem Keystone support creates tougher fight for Reid, Obama
Discussion:
Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit and RedState


Long Island high-school students suspended for ‘Tebowing’ — The Tebow mania sweeping the nation sacked a group of Long Island high-school students who were suspended for mimicking the quarterback's famous prayer pose. — Twin brothers Tyler and Connor Carroll of Riverhead HS …
Discussion:
Hot Air, The Daily What, Mediaite, This Just In, Runnin' Scared, Joe. My. God. and Simply Left BehindThe …
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High schoolers banned for Tebowing
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, The Lonely Conservative, Ricochet Conversations Feed and Jammie Wearing Fools

Haley explains her decision to back Romney, not Gingrich — Sioux City, Iowa (CNN) - South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said her decision to endorse Mitt Romney in the Republican presidential race became clear two weeks ago. — At the end of November, Haley ducked out of a Republican Governors …
Discussion:
The Raw Story, The Reaction, The Politico, The Huffington Post, American Power and Ballot Box
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Haley robocalls South Carolina touting Romney
Discussion:
Hot Air, Reuters, The Moderate Voice, Wonkette, GOP 12, Taylor Marsh, The Politico and Outside the Beltway

SEC CHARGES FORMER FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MAC EXECUTIVES WITH SECURITIES FRAUD — Companies Agree to Cooperate in SEC Actions — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — 2011-267 — Washington, D.C., Dec. 16, 2011 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged six former top executives …
Discussion:
The Hill, Michelle Malkin, msnbc.com, Firedoglake, The Future of Capitalism, The Glittering Eye and Suburban Guerrilla
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Group Clears Path for a Third-Party Ticket — To those who bemoan the lack of better choices in presidential elections, third-party fantasies come easily at this stage in a campaign. End hyper-partisanship and Washington dysfunction: Vote Bloomberg-Petraeus in 2012!
Discussion:
Balkinization and Hullabaloo


Rep. Allen West: 'If Joseph Goebbels Was Around, He'd Be Very Proud Of The Democrat Party' — Arguably the most inflammatory member in Congress, GOP Rep. Allen West (FL) outdid himself yesterday by comparing the Democratic Party to the Nazi party. Bristling at a new poll revealing …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Naked Politics, Indecision Forever and The Hill
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Dems call on Rep. West to apologize for Joseph Goebbels comparison
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, nation.foxnews.com, The Politico, Doug Ross and Weasel Zippers


Climategate Bombshell: Did U.S. Gov't Help Hide Climate Data? — Are your tax dollars helping hide global warming data from the public? Internal emails leaked as part of “Climategate 2.0” indicate the answer may be “Yes.” — The original Climategate emails — correspondence stolen …
Discussion:
Biased BBC


Southaven Mayor Greg Davis' expense receipts prompt frank revelation — Purchase at store for gay men leads to mayor's admission — Southaven Mayor Greg Davis addresses the media last month following a meeting with the state auditor. — Receipts from embattled Southaven Mayor Greg Davis reveal …
Discussion:
The Raw Story, Addicting Info, Wonkette, Indecision Forever, Towleroad News #gay, American Prospect and Talking Points Memo


‘Batman’ star Bale punched, stopped from visiting blind Chinese activist — DONGSHIGU VILLAGE, China (CNN) — As Christian Bale approached an impromptu checkpoint leading to this tiny village in eastern China, four men blocking the narrow path started marching toward him in menacing unison.
Discussion:
LifeNews.com, msnbc.com, The Huffington Post, Global Spin, News Desk, Verum Serum, Washington Post, Guardian, The Daily What and The Daily Caller

Congress overturns incandescent light bulb ban — Congressional negotiators struck a deal Thursday that overturns the new rules that were to have banned sales of traditional incandescent light bulbs beginning next year. — That agreement is tucked inside the massive 1,200-page spending bill …
Discussion:
Power Line, The PJ Tatler, Don Surber, Hit & Run, Ricochet Conversations Feed, Hot Air and The Enterprise Blog


Rick Perry, Pensioner — He may not act like a retiree, but GOP presidential candidate Texas Gov. Rick Perry has collected monthly retirement benefits for much of the year. The governor elected in January to start receiving a state employee retirement annuity of $7,698 a month …
Discussion:
Hot Air and MyFox Philadelphia

Obama makes impassioned plea for support from Jewish audience — NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — President Obama made an impassioned plea for continued support from American Jews on Friday, listing off his accomplishments on social issues and touting his record in support of Israel's security.
Discussion:
The Politico

Fewer Americans See U.S. Divided Into “Haves,” “Have Nots” — The majority would put themselves in the “haves” category if they had to choose — WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans are now less likely to see U.S. society as divided into the “haves” and “have nots” than they were in 2008, returning to their views prior to that point.


Stop Online Piracy Act Vote Delayed — Rep. Jason Chaffetz. Photo J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press — (This post was updated at 2:55 p.m. EST to reflect new hearing date set for Wednesday.) — The House Judiciary Committee considering whether to send the Stop Online Piracy Act …


Cartoon Regularly Featured On Big Journalism Connected To Nazi-Era Magazine — In at least three instances, Andrew Breitbart's Big Journalism website has used an image connected to a Nazi-era German magazine noted for anti-Semitic cartoons and pro-Hitler leanings.
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, Big Journalism, Mediaite and Gawker


Bonds gets one month house arrest for obstruction — (12-16) 15:32 PST SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge sentenced an impassive Barry Bonds to 30 days of house arrest today for obstructing justice during an investigation of steroids in sports, saying the slugger's grand jury testimony was evasive …