Criticism by international watchdog groups over the increasing death toll in Gaza mounted this week as the first legal actions inside Israel were launched accusing the army of intentionally harming the enclave's civilian population.

The petitions -- over attacks on medical personnel and the shelling of United Nations schools in Gaza -- follow statements by senior Israeli commanders that they have been using heavy firepower to protect soldiers during their advance on built-up areas. "We are very violent," one told Israeli media.

There is also growing evidence that Israeli forces have been firing phosphorus shells over densely populated areas in a move that risks violating international law by inflicting burns on civilians.

The Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, meanwhile, called the events in Gaza a "new Nakba", referring to the catastrophe that dispossessed the Palestinians in 1948. The Palestinian Authority revealed that it was planning to seek the prosecution of Israel's leaders for war crimes in the international courts.

The legal challenges follow a wave of Israeli attacks on schools, universities, mosques, hospitals and ambulances in the past few days.

http://www.alternet.org/story/118686/%27we_are_very_violent%27%3A_israeli_war_crimes_mount_/

WASHINGTON — One day after the nation’s unemployment rate jumped to a 16-year high, President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday again raised the estimate of how many jobs would result from his economic recovery plan, now saying it would create or save three million to four million, nearly 90 percent in the private sector.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/us/politics/11radio.html

and I look forward to anything he does including Dollhouse.

However I've heard they put him in the same time slot as some huge show like Lost or something which is a certain death sentence.

To the moronic television executives......you have killed countless great shows by putting them up against a top ten show that is on another network.

which means the country will stay under the control of organized religion and multi-national corporations.

These are the same democrats who betrayed the electorate and installed an inexperienced and unqualified senator from Illinois as president.

Many of us knew Obama is more republican than democrat and the rest are slowly awakening to this fact.

Just look at Obama's opening moves......chairmanship for Lieberman (someone who actually campaigned for the republicans), $700 billion in corporate welfare, and a homophobic religious fanatic swearing in Obama.

The republicans really won the '08 presidential election.

I'd say it was working too!

On January 11, an estimated 10,000 people rallied in front of the Israeli consulate in midtown New York in support of Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip.

But hatred was plentiful at the rally Paterson addressed. Right in front of the stage, a man held a banner reading, “Islam Is A Death Cult.” Rally attendees described the people of Gaza to me as a “cancer,” called for Israel to “wipe them all out,” insisting, “They are forcing us to kill their children in order to defend our own children.” A young woman told me, “Those who die are suffering God’s wrath.” “They are not distinguishing between civilians and military, so why should we?” said a member of the group of messianic Orthodox Jewish Chabad-Lubavitch group that flocked to the rally.

No one I spoke to could seem to find any circumstance in which they would begin to question Israel’s war. No number of civilian deaths, no displays of extreme suffering -- nothing could deter their enthusiasm for attacking one of the most vulnerable populations in the world with the world’s most advanced weaponry. There are no limits, no matter what Israel does, no matter how it does it.

http://www.alternet.org/story/119372/pro-israel_rally_attended_by_big-time_ny_dems_descends_into_calls_for_%27wiping_out%27_palestinians

remember contract with america?

The democrats have solid control over both houses of congress.

Now is not the time to be skittish.

If Bill Clinton had gotten more support from fellow democrats he could have made bigger changes.

The lesson is clear.....you have to try for as much as you can now, the demcorats won't control congress forever.

ps some think that making small steps is better but in 2 years very little will have changed and your right back where you started.....if you make big changes, you have 2 years for them to take effect before the next election. if they are good changes then you have something to take to the voters.

I'm more than a little concerned.

We're not supposed to have 70 degree days in January are we?

These are the people entrusted to deal with our economy and taxes but they either don't know when they are supposed to pay taxes (which makes them exceedingly dumb) or they know but just don't care (which makes them criminals).

and sit at tha grown ups table.

Barack Obama supports discrimination:

"I do not support gay marriage. Marriage has religious and social connotations, and I consider marriage to be between a man and a woman." (From the Human Rights Campaign's 2008 Presidential questionnaire) - Barack Hussein Obama

ps I'd rather be able to marry my long term partner than listen to some superstitious bullshit

You should be president!

he doesn't need us now.

yet he says:

"I do not support gay marriage. Marriage has religious and social connotations, and I consider marriage to be between a man and a woman." (From the Human Rights Campaign's 2008 Presidential questionnaire) - Barack Hussein Obama

You can't be an advocate for gay rights if you don't support equal rights for gays.

I know Obama likes to claim both sides to every issue but I'm sorry, that dog just won't hunt monsignor.

A bigot is anyone who doesn't believe that everyone should be treated equally.

If you think one group should be allowed to get married but another group should not be allowed to get married then guess what?

Your a bigot.