memeorandum: Hamas cracks down on fortune-tellers, mannequins (maannews.net)

9:30 PM ET, January 1, 2012

Top Items:

Ron Paul Flips Out Over Accusation That He Believed 9/11 Conspiracy Theories … GOP Candidates , Elections 2012 , Video , Ron Paul 2012 , Ron Paul Iowa , Ron Paul 9/11 , Ron Paul Newsletters , Ron Paul Racist , Ron-Paul-Conspiracy-Theory , Politics News — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Little Green Footballs, Crooks and Liars, ABCNEWS, Lez Get Real, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, msnbc.com, Washington Post and Althouse

Ross Douthat / New York Times:
Pariahs and Prophets — IN 1984, after serving three terms …

Discussion: The Mahablog, Patterico's Pontifications, Spengler, No More Mister Nice Blog and Rod Dreher

Patricia Murphy / The Daily Beast:

New Poll Shows Mitt Romney on the Cusp of Iowa Victory — The latest Des Moines Register poll shows Mitt leading the Iowa pack. Patricia Murphy on a candidate finally coming into his own. — As the clock ticked toward midnight in Sioux City, Iowa, Mitt Romney burst into a smallish meeting room …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

msnbc.com:

First Thoughts: Breaking down the final Iowa poll — Surging in the polls, former Sen. Rick Santorum talks Tuesday's Iowa caucuses, President Obama and foreign policy. — NBC's Domenico Montanaro reports on the ad race in Iowa, why Santorum's making his move, and how undecided voters might break on Election Night.

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight, Hot Air, Iowa Caucuses, Radio Iowa and The Moderate Voice

Des Moines Register:
Romney leads Paul in Des Moines Register Iowa Poll; Santorum surges

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, National Review, Real Clear Politics, CNN, Washington Post, The Other McCain, Hot Dish Politics, The PJ Tatler and Wall Street Journal

Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:
Santorum downplays need to win, wants to beat Bachmann, Perry

Discussion: CNN, Catholic Bandita, Rick Santorum for President and The Other McCain

Niall Stanage / Ballot Box:
No endorsement yet by Rep. Steve King

Discussion: The Politico, CNN, Quad City Times, ABCNEWS and Saint Petersblog, more at Mediagazer »

John H. Cochrane / The Grumpy Economist:

Krugman on stimulus — I usually don't respond to Paul Krugman's blog posts. But last week he wrote about Stimulus and Ricardian Equivalence. The post gives a revealing view of his ideas, so it's worth making an exception. — Paul explains: … So, according to Paul, “Ricardian Equivalence …

Discussion: Paul Krugman, Modeled Behavior, Brad DeLong, Economist's View, Econbrowser and Angry Bear

Annie Karni / New York Post:

Columbia offers ‘Occupy 101’ — Does getting pepper-sprayed count as extra credit? — Columbia University is offering a new course on Occupy Wall Street next semester — sending upperclassmen and grad students into the field for full course credit. — The class is taught by Dr. Hannah Appel …

Discussion: American Glob and Weasel Zippers

City Room:

Surging Back Into Zuccotti Park, Protesters Are Cleared by Police — Updated More than 500 people associated with the Occupy Wall Street movement gathered in Zuccotti Park on Saturday and, in a return to scenes from earlier in the year, the evening began with the sound of drumming and calls …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Weasel Zippers, OccupyWallSt News, Scared Monkeys and Mediaite

New York Post:

OWS mob in clash with cops — Some 800 Occupy Wall Street protesters began the new year by trying to retake Zuccotti Park last night, starting a massive clash with police in which one officer was stabbed in the hand with a pair of scissors. — A suspect was arrested in the 11:30 p.m. incident, according to a law enforcement source.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Conservative Hideout 2.0

Pamela Geller / Atlas Shrugs:

We won't eat halal meat, say MPs and peers: Reject Islamic Supremacist Demands to serve it at Westminster — The Palace of Westminster has rejected demands to serve halal meat: “We won't eat halal meat, say MPs and peers who reject demands to serve it at Westminster.”

Discussion: Daily Mail and Jihad Watch

New York Times:

I Just Got Here, but I Know Trouble When I See It — BELIEVE it or not, times are getting better. — At least that's what the dry statistics keep telling us. Industrial production, G.D.P. — the kind of figures that Washington and Wall Street sweat over — suggest that the economy is on the mend.

Discussion: The Big Picture, Brad DeLong and EconLog

Dave Boyer / Washington Times:

EEOC: High school diploma requirement might violate Americans with Disabilities Act — Employers are facing more uncertainty in the wake of a letter from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission warning them that requiring a high school diploma from a job applicant might violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Discussion: The Jawa Report

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:

Huntsman offers up own money for bid — (CNN) - Jon Huntsman is reaching into his own pockets to prop up his presidential campaign. — The former Utah governor and U.S. ambassador to China will match donations to his campaign dollar-for-dollar until midnight Sunday, according to a statement from Team Huntsman.

Discussion: The Politico

maannews.net:

Hamas cracks down on fortune-tellers, mannequins — GAZA CITY (Ma'an) — The Hamas-run government has launched a series of campaigns targeting fortune-tellers, mannequins and cigarette vendors in the Gaza Strip. — Police sources told Ma'an that 142 fortune tellers were forced to sign …

Discussion: Israellycool, Weasel Zippers, Jihad Watch and Elder of Ziyon