Weed: Been There.  Done That.  —  For a little while in my teenage years, my friends and I smoked marijuana.  It was fun.  I have some fond memories of us all being silly together.  I think those moments of uninhibited frolic deepened our friendships.  —  But then we all sort of moved away from it.

Kim Jong Un's executed uncle was eaten alive by 120 hungry dogs: report  —  Rodong Sinmun / Yonhap via Reuters, file  —  Kim Jone Un's uncle Jang Song Thaek is dragged into court by uniformed personnel prior to last month's execution.  —  By Eric Baculinao and Alexander Smith, NBC News

Rude and Crude: Why MSNBC keeps getting into trouble  —  Is there something in the water over at 30 Rock?  —  Whether you love or detest MSNBC, the network has had a rough few months, and I'm wondering whether a series of embarrassing episodes is more than a coincidence.

BREAKING: Obama Issues New Executive Actions on Background Checks for Gun Purchases  —  President Obama has released two new executive actions on background checks for gun purchases.  The actions were posted on WhiteHouse.gov Friday afternoon and according to the Department of Justice …

Clay Aiken ‘actively considering’ run for Congress: sources  —  Clay Aiken is “actively considering” a run for Congress, sources say.  (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)  —  Gay singer and “American Idol” runner-up Clay Aiken is actively considering a bid to represent North …

Bernie Sanders to NSA: Spying on Hill?  —  Sen. Bernie Sanders sent a letter Friday to the director of the National Security Agency asking if the agency is spying or has ever spied on members of Congress.  —  The Vermont independent said he was “deeply concerned” about the NSA's collection …

RAND PAUL TO LEAD CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST OBAMA OVER NSA SPYING  —  Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is leading a class-action lawsuit with hundreds of thousands of Americans against President Barack Obama's National Security Agency (NSA) over its spying on the American people, Breitbart News has learned.

Video: Bill de Blasio Threatens to Strip During Storm Briefing  —  Bill de Blasio makes his offer.  (Screenshot: nowthisnews.com)  —  Mayor Bill de Blasio sure knows how to make reporters pay attention to his winter snowstorm briefings.  —  At the very end of a detailed press update …

Al-Qaeda force captures Fallujah amid rise in violence in Iraq  —  BEIRUT — A rejuvenated al-Qaeda force asserted control over the western Iraqi town of Fallujah on Friday, raising its flag over government buildings and declaring an Islamic state in one of the most crucial areas …

Public advocate caught in lie over Times homeless story  —  She lied on her first day on the job — and got caught.  —  Just hours after being sworn in as the city's public advocate, Letitia James went on TV to claim that she played a key role in helping expose “the face of poverty in the City of New York” …

Snowden Lied About China Contacts  —  Snowden lied about his contacts with China.  Should he get clemency?  —  Yesterday, the New York Times urged the Obama administration to offer Edward Snowden “a plea bargain or some form of clemency.”  The paper called the former NSA contractor …

Lonegan says he'll run for Congress in South Jersey  —  Steve Lonegan, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate, is shown just after concession speech to his supporters on election night, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013 at the Bridgewater Manor.  (Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger)

DOJ rejects nuns' argument on ObamaCare contraception mandate  —  The Obama administration on Friday offered a vigorous defense of the Affordable Care Act's “birth control mandate,” disputing as unfounded the religious challenge that led a Supreme Court justice to partially block the provision from taking effect this week.

Hospital agrees to let Jahi McMath family take girl  —  (01-03) 12:43 PST Oakland — Children's Hospital Oakland reached an agreement with the family of Jahi McMath on Friday that will allow a critical care team to enter the hospital to move the girl to an unspecified facility.

This Might Be The Most Bizarre Campaign Video Of 2014 So Far  —  Rodney Lee Conover launched his campaign in California's 8th Congressional District with a video published on YouTube Thursday in which he compared House Republicans to his 1972 Ford Ranchero.  —  “Hi, I'm Rodney Lee Conover, and I'm running for Congress.

Obama's Job Approval Declined Steadily Throughout 2013  —  Budget battles, NSA revelations, and healthcare law rollout all contributed  —  PRINCETON, NJ — President Barack Obama wrapped up 2013 with an average 41% approval rating in December, unchanged from November.

Trestin Meacham, Utah Man, On Hunger Strike To Halt Gay Marriage  —  It seems like things may have reached a whole new level of crazy in Utah.  —  Trestin Meacham, a 35-year-old Utah man, is allegedly refusing to eat anything until the state nullifies its recent decision to allow same-sex couples to get married.