Huckabee/Obama win Iowa
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Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was the solid victor in the Iowa GOP caucus with 34 percent of the vote, to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's 25 percent and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson's 14 percent, closely followed by U.S. Sen. John McCain. On the Democratic side, Sen. Barack Obama turned in a solid victory over Sen. Hillary Clinton, with 38 percent of the vote to Clinton's 29 percent. Clinton also lost to former U.S. Sen. John Edwards who received 30 percent on the vote.

Pope laments trivialization of sex in New Year’s Day Address
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Pope Benedict XVI lamented Monday what he called the "trivialization" of sexuality and the lack of faith among young people, saying in a New Year's Eve message that he wanted 2008 to bring hope to all.

Chief Rabbis of Israel Rule Abortion "a Grave Sin"
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The Chief Rabbinate of Israel ruled on December 24 that abortion is a grave sin and that abortion is delaying the coming of the messiah. The rabbis based their ruling primarily on Genesis 9:6, which reads: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man." The rabbis, in making their ruling based on this text, affirmed the dignity of unborn persons, all of whom are made in the image of God.

Rush: Huckabee, McCain and Giuliani not solid conservatives
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Rush Limbaugh devoted a large portion of his first show since the holidays to criticizing Mike Huckabee's candidacy and offering a disapproving bottom-line assessment of the former governor. "Ladies and gentlemen, Gov. Huckabee, mighty fine man and is a great Christian, is not a conservative, he’s just not," Limbaugh said. "If you look at his record as governor, he’s got some conservative tendencies on things but he’s certainly not the most conservative of the candidates running on the Republican side." In addition to Huckabee, he singled out John McCain for specific criticism, attacking the senator on immigration, campaign finance reform, interrogation and tax cuts. Limbaugh seemed to swipe at McCain, Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani, respectively, in responding to a caller about which candidate had true conservative bona fides.

Witchcraft in America on Rise
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Wicca is an official, legal religion in the U.S., and a fast-growing one at that. Judges have ruled that witches must be allowed to lead prayers at local government meetings, and that Wiccan convicts must be provided with requested "sacred objects" so they can perform spells in their cells. Witches in the armed services have even formed covens and routinely "worship" on U.S. military bases.

Sex with Robots likely by 2050
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If you're younger than 35, you'll probably live long enough to put David Levy's prediction to the test. Levy says that by 2050 we'll be creating robots so lifelike, so imbued with human-seeming intelligence and emotions, as to be nearly indistinguishable from real people. And we'll have sex with these robots. Some of us will even marry them. And it will all be good.

Gallup Poll: 8 out of 10 Americans are satisfied with their lives
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As Americans look ahead to the new year and reflect on the year past, a recent Gallup Poll finds the public generally content with their own lives. Most Americans say they are generally happy, with a slim majority saying they are "very happy." More than 8 in 10 Americans say they are satisfied with their personal lives at this time, including a solid majority who say they are "very satisfied." This personal satisfaction level contrasts sharply with the low level of satisfaction Americans express with the way things are going "in the United States at this time." Republicans, married adults, those residing in higher income households, parents of young children, those attending church weekly, and whites are most likely to say they are satisfied and happy at this time.

Homeland Security: Five New Year's Resolutions for Congress
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The task of homeland security is to help keep America safe, free, and prosperous. Congress plays an important role in achieving these goals. Congress can do better in the new year by sticking to five New Year's resolutions that fix the errors it introduced in 2007 and address long-time oversights. Those five resolutions are: 1. Consolidate congressional oversight of the Department of Homeland Security. 2. Stop turning homeland security grants into "pork-barrel" funding. 3. Establish an Undersecretary for Homeland Security. 4. Repeal the requirement for 100-percent scanning of all shipping containers bound for the United States. 5. Finish immigration and border security reform.

Rudy Giuliani's Economic Record
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The Club for Growth released its presidential white paper on Republican presidential candidate New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. "Mayor Giuliani's economic record is not perfect, but he deserves credit for the remarkable nature of his accomplishments," Club for Growth President Pat Toomey said. "In a city long accustomed to high taxes and ballooning budgets, Rudy Giuliani successfully cut taxes; kept spending below the growth of inflation and population; instituted sweeping welfare reform; privatized and deregulated many aspects of the city's bulky bureaucracy; and fought aggressively for school choice." The Mayor took a number of anti-growth positions-such as his opposition to NAFTA, his support for McCain Feingold, and his opposition to several tax cuts.

Mitt Romney's Record on Economic Issues
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The Club for Growth released its presidential white paper on Republican presidential candidate Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. "Governor Romney's economic record contains a mixture of pro-growth accomplishments and some troublesome positions that beg to be explained," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "While his record on taxes, spending, and entitlement reform is flawed, it is, on balance, encouraging, especially given the liberal Massachusetts Legislature. His record on trade, school choice, regulations and tort reform all indicate a strong respect for the power of market solutions. At the same time, Governor Romney's history is marked by statements at odds with his gubernatorial record and his campaign rhetoric."

Mike Huckabee’s Record on Economic Issues
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The Club for Growth released its presidential white paper on Republican presidential candidate Massachusetts Governor Mike Huckabee. Governor Huckabee’s embrace of his liberal economic record as governor and his populist, protectionist rhetoric on the campaign trail has only confirmed the Club for Growth’s original assessment,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “Huckabee himself admits that he is a ‘different kind of Republican,’ a code word for more government involvement, less personal freedom, and greater dependence on government bureaucrats.” “Huckabee is proud of his tax hikes, his spending increases, and his regulatory expansions as governor, and he has not indicated that he would govern any differently as president. Nominating Mike Huckabee for president or vice-president would constitute an abject rejection of the free-market, limited-government, economic conservatism that has been the unifying theme of the Republican Party for decades.”

Fred Thompson's Record on Economic Issues
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The Club for Growth released its presidential white paper on Republican presidential candidate former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson. "Fred Thompson's eight-year record is generally pro-growth with an excellent record on entitlement reform and school choice and a very good record on taxes, regulation, and trade," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "His belief in a limited federal government is demonstrated by his numerous votes against government intrusion in the private sector and increased federal spending. His fondness for Tennessee pork aside, Thompson consistently voted against increased spending and new government projects, at times, one of only a handful of senators to do so." At the same time, the white paper explores Thompson's enigmatic record on tort reform and takes the southern Senator to task for his instrumental support of McCain-Feingold, questioning why his belief in limited government doesn't extend to government's regulation of political speech.

John McCain's Record on Economic Issues
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The Club for Growth released its presidential white paper on Republican presidential candidate Arizona Senator John McCain. While Senator McCain’s economic record contains a number of pro-growth positions, such as his support for school choice and free trade, and his steadfast opposition to wasteful government spending, his overall record is tainted by a marked antipathy towards the free market and individual freedom. This antipathy is evidenced by the Senator’s vocal and class-warfare-laced opposition to the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts; his occasional but eager support for increased government regulation; his support for raising Social Security taxes; and his persistent attacks on political free speech in the form of the McCain-Feingold Act.

Ron Paul's Record on Economic Issues
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The Club for Growth released its presidential white paper on Republican presidential candidate Representative Ron Paul. "Ron Paul's record contains some very laudable components," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "On taxes, regulation, and political speech, his record is superb. His spending record is impressive, though Paul has recently embraced pork-barrel projects in direct contradiction to his vociferous opposition to unconstitutional appropriations by the federal government."

The Leading Democrats Records on Economic Issues
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The Club for Growth released its final presidential white paper on Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson. “Unfortunately, Clinton, Obama, and Edwards have terribly anti-growth records,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “Whether the issue is taxes, spending, regulation, entitlement reform, or free trade, they are determined to increase the size of government, raise taxes, and severely limit economic freedom. Their recent rhetoric has only moved them further to the left, leaving no doubt that the policies now supported by Clinton, Obama, and Edwards would dramatically hamper economic growth in this country.” The white paper finds Bill Richardson’s record in the House of Representatives and as governor of New Mexico occasionally refreshing. While no supply side champion, Governor Richardson cut taxes in New Mexico, voted for NAFTA in the House, warns against raising taxes, and distances himself from the strident class-warfare rhetoric so often heard from the other Democratic candidates.

Cashill: Obama adviser's credibility gap
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As head of Obama's CIA, Richard Clarke would be in a position to subvert governments he did not much like. The one-time Clinton Terrorism Expert would play a significant role in a possible Obama Cabinet.

What’s happened to Great Britain?
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Binge-drinking revellers fuelled a chaotic start to 2008 as over-stretched ambulance workers battled to cope with emergency calls flooding in at a peak of one every eight seconds. As midnight came and went there was mayhem as scores of drunken partygoers around the country tumbled into the streets, some wearing little more than their underwear. In the first four hours of 2008, London Ambulance Service (LAS) dealt with an astonishing 1,825 calls alone, peaking at over 500 calls an hour between 2am and 4am. The volume of 999 calls was up 17 per cent on last year' and four times worse than a normal night.

Planned Parenthood Entices Teens with "Mile High Club"
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Planned Parenthood Golden Gate (PPGG) has aired a new commercial featuring a stereotyped gay man showering teens with condoms and contraceptive pills aimed specifically at 18 to 24-year-olds. The ads, aired on MTV, VH-1, Comedy Central and TLC, are set to a "Mile High Club" theme, where Stephen, a flagrantly stereotypical gay man "educates" the teenage passengers about 'safe sex' by shoving contraceptives at them. At the end of the commercial, Stephen sits on the pilots lap and hits on him.

Buy a poinsettia, fund an abortion!
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According to Life Decisions International, the Paul Ecke Ranch, which claims approximately 70 percent of all the flowering poinsettias in the USA and more than 50 percent worldwide, has been added to its Boycott List because of its support for Planned Parenthood. Other corporations newly added to the list are BBJ Linen, Country Inns & Suites, Park Inn, Park Plaza, Radisson, InterContinental Hotels, including brand names Candlewood, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn. Also added to the list was restaurant chain T.G.I. Friday's, and auto services provider Midas. Corporations that remain boycott targets from a 2007 list include AlphaGraphics, Basics Office Products, Wachovia, Nike, Time Warner, Bank of America, the Dallas Cowboys, CIGNA, Walt Disney, Johnson & Johnson, Chevron, Wells Fargo, Whole Foods Market and Nationwide insurance, among many others. Other noted Planned Parenthood supporters are the YMCA, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Rotary Clubs, Human Rights Watch, Kiwanis Clubs, Doctors Without Borders, the March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association, American Cancer Society, Camp Fire Girls, Girl Scouts and Amnesty International.

Shopper pulls gun, stops robbery cold
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A grocery store customer in Indianapolis is being credited with halting an armed robbery by pulling his own weapon and pointing it at the assailant until police arrived.

'MS-13' vandals deface Vietnam memorial
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Vandals claiming a relationship to the violent Hispanic street gang MS-13 defaced a Vietnam War memorial in Connecticut with graffiti, angering local veterans.

New Drug: Extreme Ecstasy
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Michigan and nine other states along Canada's border would see the first wave of any such overdoses, and officials are warning that the so-called "extreme Ecstasy," which is mixed with methamphetamines, is becoming a problem.