memeorandum: Stewing in their own juices (Haaretz)

Israel launches air strikes on Gaza, 155 dead — GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli warplanes retaliating for rocket fire from the Gaza Strip pounded dozens of security compounds across the Hamas-ruled territory in unprecedented waves of airstrikes Saturday, killing nearly 200 people …

Discussion: Hot Air, Jules Crittenden, Ynetnews, Jerusalem Post, Reuters, A Blog For All, Power Line and Associated Press

New York Times:

Israeli Attack Kills Scores Across Gaza — GAZA CITY — The Israeli Air Force on Saturday launched a massive attack on Hamas targets throughout Gaza in retaliation for the recent heavy rocket fire from the area, hitting mostly security headquarters, training compounds and weapons storage facilities …

Discussion: ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, Ynetnews, TIME.com and Blogs and Stories

CNN:

At least 155 killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza — GAZA CITY (CNN) — Israeli airstrikes pounded targets in Gaza on Saturday, killing at least 155 people, Palestinian medical sources said. An Israeli army spokeswoman said her country is ready to continue the attacks “as long as it takes.”

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Ynetnews and Stop The ACLU

Associated Press:

Hamas: Over 140 killed as Israel strikes police compounds — Just days after the cabinet gave the military final approval to counter ongoing Palestinian rocket fire against communities in the western Negev, the IDF launched a massive operation, striking Hamas installations throughout the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Gateway Pundit, Ynetnews, Pajamas Media, Mere Rhetoric and A Blog For All

Haaretz:

Stewing in their own juices — It took less than a week for Israel's decision makers to change their minds entirely. Exactly the same people - who last week presented convincing reasons to justify continuing the policy of restraint in the Gaza Strip, and expressed the fear …

Discussion: Power Line, Mere Rhetoric, Israpundit, Solomonia, Bloomberg and Pajamas Media

Barbara Boyer / Philly.com:

Phila. man shot because family talked during movie — A South Philadelphia man enraged because a father and son were talking during a Christmas showing of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button took care of the situation when he pulled a .380-caliber gun and shot the father, police said.

Discussion: Hollywood Elsewhere

Lawrence Summers / Washington Post:

Obama's Down Payment — A Stimulus Must Aim for Long-Term Results — When President-elect Barack Obama takes office, he will face what may well be the bleakest economic outlook since World War II. Economic forecasts have been revised significantly downward over the past several months …

Discussion: Prairie Weather, Open Left, The Other McCain and Connecting.the.Dots

Andrew Ferguson / Weekly Standard:

The Politics of Fat — A hefty problem for the left. — On December 15, the city council of Binghamton, New York—every member a proud progressive—unanimously passed an ordinance making it a crime to discriminate against fat people. The next day, David Paterson, the famously progressive governor …

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Dear Mr. Obama — Between now and Jan. 20, the Post-Gazette will publish letters written by local students to President-elect Barack Obama, who will be inaugurated as the nation's 44th president. They will appear intermittently in the My Generation section. The following are from fifth-graders at Liberty Elementary School.

Discussion: Stop The ACLU

Peter Slevin / MSNBC:

Suffering Ohio begs for federal lifeline — State cuts and cuts while waiting for a possible stimulus package — Laid-off workers attend a “transition orientation” class on their last day of work for the air shipping company ABX, Dec. 16, in Wilmington, Ohio.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin and TIME.com

NY1:

NY1 Exclusive: Caroline Kennedy Discusses Senate Hopes, Remembers Her Family — For the first time since announcing her interest in assuming Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, Caroline Kennedy opened up in an exclusive NY1 interview Friday about her qualifications for high office as well as private reminisces of her family.

Discussion: New York Times, Political Punch, The Other McCain and Hot Air

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Kennedy: Would have run earlier if her name weren't Kennedy …

Discussion: TPM Election Central

Greg Mitchell / Editor and Publisher:

Bill Kristol's Year Up at ‘NYT’: Will He Get Axed? — NEW YORK Exactly one year ago this weekend the Huffington Post broke the news that, as Jim Morrison might have put it, the Kristol Ship was about to sail at The New York Times. Much uproar ensued across the blogosphere.

Times of India:

Pak textbooks build hate culture against India — Text: — The empowerment of terror in Pakistan has not happened overnight. This is the logical culmination of the politics and policies pursued by Pakistan for years now. — Terrorism in Pakistan has its roots in the culture of hate …

Discussion: Pajamas Media

Chris Brummitt / Associated Press: Pakistan redeploying troops to Indian border

Jaketapper / Political Punch:

Obama Visits Marine Corps Base for Christmas — FROM ABC NEWS' SUNLEN MILLER IN HAWAII: — President-elect Obama stopped by the Marine Corps base in Hawaii Kaneche Bay where servicemen and -women were eating Christmas dinner in Kailua Thursday evening. — “Just wanted to say hi …

Discussion: Hot Air, Atlas Shrugs, RedState, Sister Toldjah, BLACKFIVE and Gateway Pundit

Hugh Hewitt / Townhall.com:
Signals From The New C-in-C

Discussion: Outside The Beltway, Power Line and Los Angeles Times