Israel Is Committing War Crimes  —  Hamas's violations are no justification for Israel's actions.  —  Israel's current assault on the Gaza Strip cannot be justified by self-defense.  Rather, it involves serious violations of international law, including war crimes.

5 Somali pirates drown with ransom share  —  MOGADISHU, Somalia - Five of the pirates who hijacked a Saudi supertanker drowned with their share of a $3 million ransom, a relative said Saturday, the day after the bundle of cash was apparently dropped by parachute onto the deck of the ship.

'Alan Colmes, You're a Great American'  —  J$P Video!  Alan signs off the last Hannity & Colmes:

The Final Straw  —  It seems that the conservative airbrushers have decided that poor George W. Bush's fantastically successful presidency was derailed by an act of God.  Yes, that's right.  Until Hurricane Katrina, Bush was headed to Mt Rushmore.  It's just so darned unfair.  —  That's ridiculous, of course.

Obama Attorney General Pick Eric Holder Facing Increasing Criticism  —  Eric H. Holder Jr. is facing increasing resistance to his bid to become the next attorney general, emerging from President-elect Barack Obama's Cabinet nominees as the prime target of Senate Republicans …

Turning around unemployment  —  The high unemployment numbers released this week rattled the country, as anxiety about the deepening recession hit home to more and more American families.  —  President-elect Obama's Weekly Address responds with an urgent call for immediate and dramatic action to get our economy working again.

Bill Moyers on Israel/Gaza  —  (updated below - Update II)  —  On his PBS Journal Show last night, Bill Moyers delivered a poignant essay on Israel/Gaza (video below).  The whole segment is worth watching — it begins with coverage of a mostly ignored anti-war march this week in Washington …

We still don't know how or why Bush made the key decisions of his administration.  —  As George W. Bush once noted, “You never know what your history is going to be like until long after you're gone.”  What I think he was trying to say is that, over time, historians may evolve toward …

ONE-WORD ANSWER.... During the campaign, Barack Obama vowed to end the military's “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy, a position that proved to be uncontroversial and generally endorsed by voters.  Since Election Day, however, there have been at least some whispers about the policy and its eventual fate.

Jews, Arabs hold peace rally  —  Hundreds of Israelis form human chain along Highway 65 with sign reading ‘Hand in hand - neighbors for peace’  —  Hundreds of Jews and Arabs from the north and center of Israel gathered near Kfar Kara'a on Highway 65 Saturday in a rally for peace.

Dems stew in botched Burris imbroglio  —  Democrats angry over the botched handling of the Roland Burris imbroglio are putting the blame on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin and President-elect Barack Obama — even as new legal developments in Illinois throw the issue back to the Senate again.

Gaza video genuine, journalists say  —  (CNN) — There's no truth to accusations by bloggers that a Palestinian camera crew staged a video showing the death of the videographer's brother after an Israeli rocket attack, said the team's employer.  —  “It's absolute nonsense,” Paul Martin …