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"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning." - Mark Twain
The opposite of a correct
statement is a false statement.
The opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.
Niels Bohr (1885-1962), physicist
"Beware the man of one
book."
Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 - 1274), Theologian, philosopher
Life is not a journey to the
grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well
preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up,
totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming:
WOW - What a Ride!"
"Consciously or unconsciously we all strive to make the kind of a world we like."
Oliver Wendell Holmes
"We Lakota have a close relationship to the buffalo. He is our brother. You can't understand about nature, about the feeling we have toward it, unless you understand how close we were to the buffalo. That animal was almost like a part of ourselves, part of our souls." Lame Deer, Lakota
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The warrantless Internet and telephone surveillance program authorized by the Bush administration violates the U.S. Constitution and must cease immediately, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
The landmark decision makes U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit the first judge to strike down the National Security Agency's once-secret program. The American Civil Liberties Union had filed suit against the government, claiming the program "ran roughshod" over the constitutional rights of millions of Americans and ran afoul of federal wiretapping law.
In a sweeping victory for the ACLU and its clients, which included organizations representing criminal defense lawyers, journalists, Islamic-Americans, and academics, Taylor appears to knock down several major legal arguments that the Bush administration has used to defend the program since it was revealed by The New York Times last December.
"Plaintiffs have prevailed, and the public interest is clear, in this matter. It is the upholding of our Constitution," the judge wrote in her 44-page opinion
(click here for
PDF).
The terrorist surveillance program violates the First Amendment's right to freedom of expression and the Fourth Amendment right to privacy--that is, freedom from unreasonable searches, ruled Taylor, who was appointed by President Carter in 1979. It also ignores requirements of a 1978 electronic wiretapping law known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and represents an overstepping of presidential powers, Taylor wrote.
"There are no hereditary kings in America and no powers not created by the Constitution," the judge wrote, dismissing the Bush administration's argument that the warrantless program falls within the president's inherent wartime powers as commander-in-chief.
The judge also dismissed the government's request that the suit be thrown out because of the "state secrets privilege," which permits the government to suppress a lawsuit that might lead to the disclosure of military secrets.
"We are enormously gratified with the court's historic ruling today," ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said in a conference call with reporters. "At its core, today's ruling addresses the abuse of presidential power and reaffirms a system of checks and balances that's necessary in our democracy."
U.S. Department of Justice representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The government has, however, notified the ACLU of its intention to request a stay of Taylor's opinion while it files an appeal, ACLU attorney Jameel Jaffer said during the conference call.
Clients defended by ACLU in the suit praised the district court's decision, saying it would allow them to carry out their professional duties without fear of being spied upon.
"I'm extremely relieved to know that this court believes in the right of our clients, who are all people accused of crimes, to the confidentiality that has long believed to be essential to the criminal justice system," said Nancy Hollander, a New Mexico-based attorney who spoke on behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
New York University Professor Barney Rubin, a plaintiff in the case who has authored several books on Afghanistan, said the ruling gave him "greater confidence" that he would be able to conduct interviews with subjects located in the nation considered a state sponsor of terror without worrying his conversations would be scooped up by the NSA.
It wasn't immediately clear what impact the ruling will have on a number of other cases challenging the legality of the NSA program. On July 20, a federal judge in San Francisco dismissed the government's assertion of the state secrets privilege and ruled that a case brought by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights group, against AT&T could proceed--a move that the government readily appealed.
Five days later, however, a federal judge in Chicago granted the Justice Department's request to throw out another suit related to the NSA program brought by the ACLU.
A number of congressional proposals also seek to broaden wiretapping law, essentially making the existing NSA program legal. One controversial bill endorsed by the Bush administration proposes moving all cases disputing electronic surveillance programs to a secret court.
The ACLU said it was confident that the constitutional arguments raised by Taylor's opinion would prompt the politicians to rethink taking such steps. "Members of Congress have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution," said ACLU Legislative Director Caroline Fredrickson, "and they're going to have to take this decision very seriously."
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Let us not ever forget!
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COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Nauru , a small single-island nation in the South Pacific, is located about 25 miles south of the equator. It is a constitutional republic with a parliamentary system of government. Tourist facilities are available on a limited basis. Yaren, the capital, has an international airport.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport, visa, onward/return ticket, and proof of hotel bookings (or sponsorship from a resident of Nauru ) are required for tourists. Tourist visas are issued for a maximum of thirty days.
Travelers transiting with valid ticket for an onward destination do not require a visa, provided that the first connecting flight departs within three days of arrival in Nauru . Business visitors must have a visa and a local sponsor. Nauru collects a departure tax that must be paid in cash and in Australian dollars.
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SPOKANE -- FBI agents and WSP troopers went in the front door Wednesday morning when they served a search warrant at the Hells Angels clubhouse on Sprague Avenue in Spokane.
The raid Wednesday morning was related to the statewide raid on February 14th where Rick Fabel, the president of the Hells Angels Washington Nomad chapter, and Ricky Jenks were taken into custody in Spokane on multiple charges in connection with the deadly brawl between the Hells Angels and a rival motorcycle gang – The Mongols – at the Harrah’s Laughlin Casino on April 27, 2002.
"This is a continuation of the search warrant that was executed February 14th of this year," WSP Trooper Jeff Sevigney said. "Officers [are] looking for additional evidence in an ongoing federal matter."
Authorities allege the Hells Angels is a sometimes violent gang of outlaws, which was why Wednesday as detectives removed items of interest from behind the clubhouse, armed agents stood guard in front.
Ironically, despite this show of force, authorities didn't need to bust the front door down like they have in the past.
"Today we contacted the vice president of the Hells Angels chapter here in Spokane at his residence when we were set to execute the warrant [and] he came down with a key to the building and we entered the building through the front door," Trooper Sevigney said.
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| In 1969, the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival opened on Max Yasgur's farm near Bethel, N.Y., drawing an estimated
400,000 people for three days of music.
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NEW YORK, -- The Federal Aviation Administration has urged air ambulance companies to adopt better safety practices. Rescue helicopter crashes have killed 60 people since 2000, USA Today said Thursday. An FAA notice sent to all of the nation's air ambulance com- panies suggests the companies set up safety programs that would help pilots decide whether to lift off in risky conditions. The notice aims to halt fatal mis- takes that have beset the industry, such as pilots flying into the ground during ill-advised rescue mis- sions or dispatchers sending out inexperienced crews in darkness and bad weather.
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Has your sliding glass door stopped sliding? Spray your door tracks with aerosol furniture polish. The wax in the polish reduces friction plus it won't attract dirt.
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Aug 11, 2006 (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News via COMTEX) -- Harley-Davidson Inc. has joined the ranks of companies with ticker symbols that reflect what they are, or what they make, and who seem to have a sense of humor about themselves.
On Thursday, the maker of heavyweight motorcycles said its ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange would change to HOG, from the traditional HDI.
The move is effective Tuesday. It closely identifies Harley with Hog, the nickname for Harley motorcycles and a registered company trademark.
It's a term of "affection and respect" for the company's bikes, Tom Bergmann, company chief financial officer said in a news release.
"The new ticker symbol captures the spirit of what Harley-Davidson is all about," he said.
It was easy for Harley to make the change, since no other company had HOG as its moniker on the New York Stock Exchange.
By Rick Barrett Copyright (c) 2006, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The next time that you go shopping, you may want to check the prices of what your shampoo and conditioner costs versus a All-in-One shampoo and conditioner.
Depending on the brands, you might be able to save some money buying the All-in-one. You can also save time in the shower, as an added benefit, which will cut down on your hot water costs and your water bill.
It's also nice when traveling. You only have to find room for one instead of two.
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