Plaintiff's son strangled in hammock-like device. Amby Baby is facing a lawsuit over defective baby hammock beds recalled last month by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

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Days after Republican Tom McClintock was certified the winner of his U.S. House contest by about 1 ,800 votes, the new congressman from California's 4th District (Sacramento) sat down with me for breakfast and political talk.

1. Several political observers have noticed the large number of elected officials Barack Obama has named to his Cabinet. How many present or former U.S. senators have been named to the Obama Cabinet?

The candidates for chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) will hold a debate, sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform, on Monday, January 5 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.

On Election Day 2008, Rob Hudgins of 50/50 Design created his 400th headline image for HumanEvents.com. To honor Rob's fantastic work, we've brought back a few of our favorite headline images for an end-of-the-year tribute.

Hoekstra First Out in 2010

Here is a selection of winners of the Media Research Center's annual awards for the worst reporting of 2008. For the complete list, go to: www.MRC.org. On March 19, MRC will hold its annual gala in Washington to recognize the winners of the DisHonors Awards of 2009: Roasting the Most Outrageously Biased Liberal Reporters.

Righteous indignation over allegations about Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's "pay to play" brazenness camouflages the corruption inherent in all government. After all, what does it mean to be a politician if not that you promise favors-coerced from the taxpayers-in return for support from key constituencies?

One of my New Year's Resolutions for 2009 is to never ever again believe a politician who makes a bold promise on the campaign trail-even a speaker as gifted as President-elect Barack Obama. Candidate Obama rattled off promise after promise during his speech at the Democrat National Convention. He pledged that he would get away from the "broken politics in Washington," to name just one vow. Yet many of Sen. Obama's campaign promises are already on life support and in danger of being broken by President Obama.

THE HUMAN EVENTS.

In his address to the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., Dec. 17, 2008, President Bush proudly declared, "Since 9/11 there 's not been another terrorist attack on American soil."

According to a recent survey, fewer Americans believe terrorism is a threat now than at any time since Sept. 10, 2001. But if five Muslim men in New Jersey had their way, this threat might loom larger in the public mind. These men face life in prison after being convicted of plotting to enter the U.S. Army base in Fort Dix, N.J., and mur- der as many soldiers as they could.

The Ghost of New Years Yet to Come brings you to a cold December day in the not-too-distant future.

Around noon on Sept. 16, 2007, "Raven 23", a tactical support team of Blackwater Worldwide security guards in Iraq, on contract to the State Department, was responding to an attack on another Blackwater convoy transporting a State Department person. As that convoy evacuated the site of the attack, Raven 23-which was headed back to the Green Zone-turned around to come to their aid. Because the evacuating team had to pass through Baghdad's Nisour Square to get to the Green Zone, Raven 23 entered the square to set up a roadblock to let the protected passenger convoy pass quickly.

Is it just me, or does Kwanzaa seem to come earlier and earlier each year?

* SARAH LEADING LISA: Coincidentally, just a week following Human Events' naming Sarah Palin "Conservative of the Year" (see HE cover story last week on HUMANEVENTS.com), a new survey showed that among Republican voters in Alaska, Palin would easily defeat more moderate GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the 2010 Senate primary. According to a poll commissioned by the super-liberal Daily Kos, Palin beats Murkowski 55% to 31%. In case there are questions about the senator's political plans, Murkowski spokesman Michael Brumas e-mailed us that "Sen. Murkowski does intend to run for re-election in 2010." Palin has yet to say whether she will run for the Senate or for a second term as governor.

Winter officially arrived with the December 21 solstice. But for many Americans, autumn 2008 's final days already felt like deepest, coldest January.

Congress voted against using taxpayer dollars to bail out the Big Three automakers. I am disappointed that the Bush Administration has decided to use taxpayer funds allotted to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to bail out Chrysler and GM.

Most environmental groups have warmly endorsed Presidentelect Barack Obama's choice of Ken Salazar, a first-term Colorado senator, to be secretary of the Interior. Democrat Salazar wore a cowboy hat and bolo tie to Obama's press conference announcing his nomination, but Western conservatives say he's not one of them.

The Oil and Natural Gas Industry includes establishments primarily engaged in exploring for, extracting, and producing oil, natural gas, and related products such as hydrocarbon liquids from coal. Activities in the industry include drilling, oil and gas well operation and maintenance, the operation of natural gasoline plants, and the gasification, liquefaction, and pryolysis of coal. The industry also includes firms that provide support services to the exploration and extraction sector, such as oil well development services. The distribution of oil and gas through pipeline networks is covered by the transportation and public utilities industries.

"Please erase your image of electric cars being like golf carts," a spokesman for Japan's fourth-biggest automaker said before taking a zero-emission vehicle out for a spin.

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Europe's main stock markets sank on Wednesday as investors banked profits from gains made since the start of 2009, and digested a bleak outlook on the American economy from the US Federal Reserve.

Shares in London ended higher on Monday after global markets advanced in the new year despite more gloomy economic news.

Store at Nellis helps some stretch pay. A pregnant woman, a couple huddling together and two others bounced on their toes and shuffled their feet trying to stay warm the other day, waiting for a volunteer-run secondhand shop to open its doors at Nellis Air Force Base.

?You have really good feet,? Sonja said.

DIRK VERMIN. Name: Dirk Vermin, artist, musician, writer

Cirque?s tribute to Beatles paints band?s time in a vibrant light. At last, a Vegas show that restores your virginity.

When I logged on to the official Mountain West Conference Web site Saturday morning there were a grand total of five paragraphs dedicated to Utah?s stunning 31-17 victory against mighty Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Two of his more onerous decisions have stimulated calls for change. Recurring themes of the Bush administration ? secrecy and low regard for science ? are prevalent in two White House actions that are now stimulating considerable opposition.

Doctors should learn to rely less on manufacturers? sales pitches when prescribing drugs. If you have visited a doctor?s office lately, chances are you have seen pens, coffee mugs and other trinkets that advertise a particular drug. Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars annually trying to persuade physicians to prescribe their medications.

Ford sets an example of how to regain dominance amid strong foreign competition. A hybrid car the Ford Motor Co. says will hit dealer showrooms this spring may do more than generate interest among potential buyers. It just might get people talking again about how American automotive technology is competitive with that of foreign automakers.

?If you build it, they will come? has worked in Vegas; will it work now?. Although pessimists don?t expect Las Vegas? Strip economy to fare better in 2009 than it did in 2008, there are rays of hope that Vegas? tourism industry will improve this year.

Consumer Electronics Show, which could draw 130,000, starts this week. Strip resorts, restaurants, show producers and exotic dancers reeling from slumping tourism will get a boost in coming weeks with four major conventions and trade shows each bringing more than 80,000 attendees to town.

CORRECTION

Shippers report trends that are emerging from recession. Moving companies are delivering fresh evidence that Americans? wanderlust is waning.

Pregnant women who can pay can opt for concierge style of care. When most expectant mothers visit their obstetricians, they don stiff paper gowns.

Boulder City mayor says he will continue to press for 13-mile bypass. The first shovel will be driven into the ground this week for improvements to U.S. 93 between Hoover Dam and sleepy Boulder City.

Republicans plan to ditch D.C. for the inauguration. NEWS ITEM: Out of power on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue and mostly out of favor on K Street, many emasculated elephants in the GOP herd will begin the Age of Obama with what amounts to an extended holiday vacation .. What better way to mark the Obama Inauguration (and his millions of adoring fans that will be in DC.) than to get out of town to fabulous Las Vegas! Charlie Spies, a Republican lawyer and former CFO to Mitt Romneys campaign, wrote in a blast e-mail to GOP friends.

Company criticized for falsely advertising snacks. The Gerber Products Company, owned by Nestle, has drawn harsh criticism from a U.S. Court of Appeals for using pictures of real fruit to market a gummi-bear-like candy formerly called "Fruit Juice Snacks."

Some animals put down as state seizes company assets. The State of Indiana has seized the assets of a dog breeding company, effectively shutting it down. The state acted on a tax issue, but Attorney General Steve Carter says state officials also raised serious questions about the animals' welfare, as well as other consumer issues.

Suggestions to rebuild the nest egg and secure the future. In the wake of big investment losses many have turned to Plan B to strategize and rebuild their retirement nest egg, according toConsumer Reports latest retirement survey. There is a lot of ground to recover, 51 percent of retired readers and 55 percent of those just short of retirement are facing investment losses of at least 20 percent in the past 12 months.

Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse lead latest . Consumers looking to cut costs without sacrificing satisfaction for Internet, television, and telephone service should consider bundling with Verizon FiOS or AT&T U-verse, according toConsumer Reports? latest survey of major telecom providers and bundled services.

survey reveals how often Americans take risks . Some 58 percent of Americans never wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, 70 percent never wear hearing protection when using a gas lawn mower or leaf blower, and 27 percent never use sunscreen when they?re in the sun for a long time, according to a nationally representative poll of 1,000 Americans conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.