Mexico's Subcomandante Marcos makes a rare appearance (Los Angeles Times)

At a Chiapas conference, rebel leader Marcos, in his signature ski mask, holds forth on Mexico's war on drugs, the bloodshed in Gaza, even the perceived shortcomings of President-elect Barack Obama. Who was that masked man?

Richardson Withdraws Name as Commerce Secretary-Designee (Washington Post)

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has withdrawn his name from consideration as commerce secretary for President-elect Barack Obama, citing an ongoing investigation about business dealings in his state.

Diamond dust shows comets hit 12,900 years ago: study (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Soil rich in diamond dust discovered across North America reinforces a theory that falling meteors caused the extinction of mammoths and other animals, said a study in the journal Science.

Show me the money (The Yahoo! Newsroom via Yahoo! News)

Pay-for-play. Payola. Quid pro quo. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours ...you get the idea.

Richardson withdraws nomination as Obama's commerce chief (Orlando Sentinel)

WASHINGTON (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson abandoned his nomination to become commerce secretary under pressure of a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors — an investigation that threatened to embarrass President-elect Barack Obama.