QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I was an English professor who became a psychiatrist
and a driving force behind it was my awareness that
James Joyce had a daughter who had schizophrenia."
Link to full story
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
GREAT MOMENTS IN BUSINESS
Supermarket loses $10 million in online scam
A supermarket chain received e-mails supposedly from Frito-Lay and American Greetings asking to change their bank accounts. They did--but no one checked.
Supervalu, one of the biggest supermarket chains in the US, which owns the Albertsons chain, was told to wire all future payments to new bank accounts. So they did. Now they're trying to get it back.
A supermarket chain received e-mails supposedly from Frito-Lay and American Greetings asking to change their bank accounts. They did--but no one checked.
Supervalu, one of the biggest supermarket chains in the US, which owns the Albertsons chain, was told to wire all future payments to new bank accounts. So they did. Now they're trying to get it back.
Monday, October 29, 2007
HEAD TURNING QUOTE OF THE DAY
Tony Snow:
"If You Make the Mistake
of Lying to the Press, You're Dead"
Okay....
"If You Make the Mistake
of Lying to the Press, You're Dead"
Okay....
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
SHINING A LIGHT ON FASCISM IN ARIZONA
A Maricopa County Superior Court will hold a hearing on Wednesday to decide if the the records of a grand-jury investigation into the Phoenix New Times newspaper should be unsealed.
The County Attorney, Andrew Thomas, says he has closed the investigation and dropped the underlying charges against the alternative weekly newspaper. This was only after newspaper writers, lawyers, bloggers, and people interested in freedom in general made a fuss.
Thomas said he will not contest the public-records request by The Arizona Republic and Channel 12 to have the case unsealed.
"The application to unseal the grand-jury material is intended to help the public understand what in the world necessitated this protracted investigation of a newspaper on a misdemeanor charge," said Republic attorney David Bodney. "We hope to determine if there was a misuse of process or power by the special prosecutor. And if there was abuse, to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Well put.
The County Attorney, Andrew Thomas, says he has closed the investigation and dropped the underlying charges against the alternative weekly newspaper. This was only after newspaper writers, lawyers, bloggers, and people interested in freedom in general made a fuss.
Thomas said he will not contest the public-records request by The Arizona Republic and Channel 12 to have the case unsealed.
"The application to unseal the grand-jury material is intended to help the public understand what in the world necessitated this protracted investigation of a newspaper on a misdemeanor charge," said Republic attorney David Bodney. "We hope to determine if there was a misuse of process or power by the special prosecutor. And if there was abuse, to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Well put.
PUSHING BACK AGAINST CREEPING FASCISM
Apparently papers which are members of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies (AAN) are now providing links on their Web sites to websites which list the home address of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
They are doing this in solidarity with the Phoenix New Times, whose founders were arrested and jailed last week.
An excerpt from a press AAN release:
Last week, Phoenix New Times' founders Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin were arrested and jailed after the paper published a story about the grand jury and subpoenas they had received that demanded detailed Internet records of any person who had visited the newspaper's website since 2004, as well as all notes and records from any reporter who had written about the sheriff in the preceding three years.
After Larkin and Lacey were arrested an outpouring of shock and anger accompanied widespread media coverage of the case. The response created a groundswell of support for New Times. The charges were dropped less than 24 hours later after Thomas admitted that his office had made "serious missteps" in the case.
"The actions of Mr. Thomas and Sheriff Arpaio in this case are beyond outrageous," said AAN Executive Director Richard Karpel. "They abused their offices by engaging in Gestapo-like tactics designed to silence a newspaper that has been highly critical of them in the past."
Added AAN First Amendment Chair Tim Redmond, executive editor of the San Francisco Bay Guardian: "Our association and its members won't tolerate this sort of attack on the right of a member paper to publish information that is and ought to be public record."
"This was a victory for the First Amendment, the constitution and for our readers right to read our newspaper without the government spying upon them," said Larkin and Lacey in a joint statement. "As the Federal press shield legislation moves from the House to the Senate, we hope people will remember what happened to reporters, editors and readers in Phoenix."
They are doing this in solidarity with the Phoenix New Times, whose founders were arrested and jailed last week.
An excerpt from a press AAN release:
Last week, Phoenix New Times' founders Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin were arrested and jailed after the paper published a story about the grand jury and subpoenas they had received that demanded detailed Internet records of any person who had visited the newspaper's website since 2004, as well as all notes and records from any reporter who had written about the sheriff in the preceding three years.
After Larkin and Lacey were arrested an outpouring of shock and anger accompanied widespread media coverage of the case. The response created a groundswell of support for New Times. The charges were dropped less than 24 hours later after Thomas admitted that his office had made "serious missteps" in the case.
"The actions of Mr. Thomas and Sheriff Arpaio in this case are beyond outrageous," said AAN Executive Director Richard Karpel. "They abused their offices by engaging in Gestapo-like tactics designed to silence a newspaper that has been highly critical of them in the past."
Added AAN First Amendment Chair Tim Redmond, executive editor of the San Francisco Bay Guardian: "Our association and its members won't tolerate this sort of attack on the right of a member paper to publish information that is and ought to be public record."
"This was a victory for the First Amendment, the constitution and for our readers right to read our newspaper without the government spying upon them," said Larkin and Lacey in a joint statement. "As the Federal press shield legislation moves from the House to the Senate, we hope people will remember what happened to reporters, editors and readers in Phoenix."
Virgin of the Rocks
Bidding on a pebble picked up on a New Zealand beach reached $26,700 after the owner declared she wouldn't take less that $50,000 for the small rock.
The 1 cm stone was discovered last year by Christchurch woman Lisa-Marie Corlet on Kaikoura's South Beach.
According to stuff.co.nz, she didn't realize the significance of the find until she got home, when she saw an image of Mary on the stone.
Corlet, however, decided to hang onto the Holy Mother as a "good-luck charm". She confirmed: "I got it and I started having an awesome run of luck."
She now says: "I won't take less than $50,000 for it. If someone is willing to pay $28,000 for a piece of toast, I'm sure someone out there would pay at least that for rock."
The 1 cm stone was discovered last year by Christchurch woman Lisa-Marie Corlet on Kaikoura's South Beach.
According to stuff.co.nz, she didn't realize the significance of the find until she got home, when she saw an image of Mary on the stone.
Corlet, however, decided to hang onto the Holy Mother as a "good-luck charm". She confirmed: "I got it and I started having an awesome run of luck."
She now says: "I won't take less than $50,000 for it. If someone is willing to pay $28,000 for a piece of toast, I'm sure someone out there would pay at least that for rock."
HI, TECH SUPPORT?
This month, Timothy Scott Short allegedly stole a computer and printer used for producing driver's licenses.
However, the stolen PC has a lock that prevents its unauthorized use and its key was stored elsewhere. Without the software on the PC, the printer won't print licenses. Needless to say that this is not the kind of printer you can pick up at CompUSA.
Two days after the theft, Digimarc's tech help line got a call from someone named "Scott" who wanted to buy software for the same model of printer that was stolen. The tech staff tipped off the Secret Service, who listened to a recording of the caller's voice and recognized it as Short's from another, unrelated investigation.
A Secret Service agent said the printer's only use is the manufacture of licenses, and added that the personal information for as many as 500 Missouri residents was on the PC.
Short was charged with felony possession of "document-making implements" Short faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
CNET News Story
However, the stolen PC has a lock that prevents its unauthorized use and its key was stored elsewhere. Without the software on the PC, the printer won't print licenses. Needless to say that this is not the kind of printer you can pick up at CompUSA.
Two days after the theft, Digimarc's tech help line got a call from someone named "Scott" who wanted to buy software for the same model of printer that was stolen. The tech staff tipped off the Secret Service, who listened to a recording of the caller's voice and recognized it as Short's from another, unrelated investigation.
A Secret Service agent said the printer's only use is the manufacture of licenses, and added that the personal information for as many as 500 Missouri residents was on the PC.
Short was charged with felony possession of "document-making implements" Short faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
CNET News Story
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
SWEEPING SENATE BILL IMMUNIZES IPS, SEARCH ENGINES, E-MAIL PROVIDERS FOR SPYING
"A new Senate bill would protect not only telephone companies from lawsuits claiming illegal cooperation with the National Security Agency. It would retroactively immunize e-mail providers, search engines, Internet service providers and instant-messaging services too.
Link to story on CNET
The broad language appears in new legislation that a Senate committee approved by a 13-to-2 vote on Thursday during a meeting closed to the press and public. It enjoys the support of the panel's Democrats and Republicans.
It goes further in crafting an impenetrable legal shield than similar proposals in the House of Representatives, such as the so-called Restore Act (PDF), which immunizes only "communications service providers." Bowing to pressure from President Bush, House Democrats postponed a vote on the Restore Act last week.
The broader Senate bill (PDF) would sweep in Web sites, e-mail providers and more. "My suspicion is the scope of the immunity provision is the most revealing way to assess the scope of the underlying authority," said Marc Rotenberg, director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center."
Link to story on CNET
The broad language appears in new legislation that a Senate committee approved by a 13-to-2 vote on Thursday during a meeting closed to the press and public. It enjoys the support of the panel's Democrats and Republicans.
It goes further in crafting an impenetrable legal shield than similar proposals in the House of Representatives, such as the so-called Restore Act (PDF), which immunizes only "communications service providers." Bowing to pressure from President Bush, House Democrats postponed a vote on the Restore Act last week.
The broader Senate bill (PDF) would sweep in Web sites, e-mail providers and more. "My suspicion is the scope of the immunity provision is the most revealing way to assess the scope of the underlying authority," said Marc Rotenberg, director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center."
MIKE HUCKABEE AND A CULTURE OF TRUTH
Via Josh Marshall's TPM:
Isn't lying a sin?
"presidential candidate and former Arkansas Governoer Mike Huckabee, himself a Baptist minister, actually told a crowd yesterday that "most" of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were "clergymen."
"As these folks at Politifact.com point out, one out of 56 were clergymen."
Isn't lying a sin?
Monday, October 22, 2007
NASA TAKES CUES FROM AIRPLANE II
Buck Murdock:
"Lieutenant...How would you handle this?"
Lieutenant:
"We could try ignoring it, sir."
Buck Murdock:
"I see..... Pretend nothing has happened and hope everything's all right in the morning?"
Lieutenant:
"Just a thought, sir."
Buck Murdock:
"I've considered that. There's got to be a better angle."
*****************************************************************
NASA WITHHOLDS SAFETY INFORMATION
"Lieutenant...How would you handle this?"
Lieutenant:
"We could try ignoring it, sir."
Buck Murdock:
"I see..... Pretend nothing has happened and hope everything's all right in the morning?"
Lieutenant:
"Just a thought, sir."
Buck Murdock:
"I've considered that. There's got to be a better angle."
*****************************************************************
NASA WITHHOLDS SAFETY INFORMATION
(AP) -- Anxious to avoid upsetting air travelers, NASA is withholding results from an unprecedented national survey of pilots that found safety problems like near collisions and runway interference occur far more frequently than the government previously recognized.
Link to AP Story
NASA gathered the information under an $8.5 million safety project, through telephone interviews with roughly 24,000 commercial and general aviation pilots over nearly four years. Since ending the interviews at the beginning of 2005 and shutting down the project completely more than one year ago, the space agency has refused to divulge the results publicly.
Just last week, NASA ordered the contractor that conducted the survey to purge all related data from its computers.
The Associated Press learned about the NASA results from one person familiar with the survey who spoke on condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to discuss them.
A senior NASA official, associate administrator Thomas S. Luedtke, said revealing the findings could damage the public's confidence in airlines and affect airline profits. Luedtke acknowledged that the survey results ''present a comprehensive picture of certain aspects of the U.S. commercial aviation industry.''
GIGANTIC TRASH ISLAND FLOATING IN PACIFIC
An enormous island of trash twice the size of Texas is floating in the Pacific Ocean, somewhere between San Francisco and Hawaii.
Chris Parry, with the California Coastal Commission, said the so-called 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch', "has been growing a brisk rate since the 1950s," The San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday.
The floating pile of trash is 80 percent plastic, and weighs more than 3.5 million tons.
Link to story
Chris Parry, with the California Coastal Commission, said the so-called 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch', "has been growing a brisk rate since the 1950s," The San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday.
The floating pile of trash is 80 percent plastic, and weighs more than 3.5 million tons.
Link to story
HYDROGEN CARS ROLL OUT NY, LA & DC
This is interesting.....
Chevrolet is in the midst of launching "Project Driveway," an ambitious program where more than 100 fuel cell electric vehicles will be put in the hands of select consumers for the largest market test ever of its kind.
Link to CNET story
Testing will take place over the next several months in the Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C. metro areas. Drivers range from average consumers to business owners to policy makers. Chevy reps also promise that some cars will go into the hands of "celebrities," but no names have been dropped yet.
The Equinox fuel cell cars run solely on hydrogen, which, at this point in time, is a drawback for the average consumer. Although we produce 40 billion kilograms of hydrogen globally every year -- enough to power 130 million fuel cell-powered cars -- hydrogen fueling stations are still scarce.
he three test metro areas were chosen, in part, because drivers have access to hydrogen filling stations within a reasonable radius of their homes and/or places of business. General Motors reps say building a hydrogen fueling station infrastructure wouldn't be as difficult as some might think; they say the initial investment of about $10 to $15 billion required to put 12,000 stations within two miles of the top 100 urban areas is close to the amount of money being currently spent on maintaining existing oil pipelines and gasoline manufacturing equipment.
Chevrolet is in the midst of launching "Project Driveway," an ambitious program where more than 100 fuel cell electric vehicles will be put in the hands of select consumers for the largest market test ever of its kind.
Link to CNET story
Testing will take place over the next several months in the Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C. metro areas. Drivers range from average consumers to business owners to policy makers. Chevy reps also promise that some cars will go into the hands of "celebrities," but no names have been dropped yet.
The Equinox fuel cell cars run solely on hydrogen, which, at this point in time, is a drawback for the average consumer. Although we produce 40 billion kilograms of hydrogen globally every year -- enough to power 130 million fuel cell-powered cars -- hydrogen fueling stations are still scarce.
he three test metro areas were chosen, in part, because drivers have access to hydrogen filling stations within a reasonable radius of their homes and/or places of business. General Motors reps say building a hydrogen fueling station infrastructure wouldn't be as difficult as some might think; they say the initial investment of about $10 to $15 billion required to put 12,000 stations within two miles of the top 100 urban areas is close to the amount of money being currently spent on maintaining existing oil pipelines and gasoline manufacturing equipment.
Tiki
Tiki Barber on MSNBC, as an expert on football, and giving his insight on the New York Giants
Question he is unlikely to be asked:
"Are the Giants a better team without Tiki Barber?"
Question he is unlikely to be asked:
"Are the Giants a better team without Tiki Barber?"
Laura Bush in Middle East
Laura Bush on ABC's Good Morning America, is traveling to the Middle East to "use her popularity to boost the popularity of the United States."
Bush says "the UAE and Kuwait and all those other countries" are strong friends and allies - also she is angry that Myanmar does not have free speech.
Robin Roberts quotes Tom Friedman to Laura Bush.
Laura Bush agrees with Tom Friedman that "we should export hope."
But first we may have to attack Iran.
Bush says "the UAE and Kuwait and all those other countries" are strong friends and allies - also she is angry that Myanmar does not have free speech.
Robin Roberts quotes Tom Friedman to Laura Bush.
Laura Bush agrees with Tom Friedman that "we should export hope."
But first we may have to attack Iran.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
FASCISM IN MARICOPA COUNTRY
This story, out of Phoenix, is a big deal, if you care about press freedom, blogging, or individual rights.
Basically, the Phoenix New Times was investigating the Sheriff's real estate holdings, and in the course of doing so they published his home address. He's been on a vindictive tear ever since:
New York Times, (by David Carr):
"Two executives from Village Voice Media — a company that owns a number of alternative weeklies including The Village Voice, The LA Weekly and The Phoenix Times — were arrested Thursday night in Phoenix on charges that a story published earlier in the day in The Phoenix New Times revealed grand jury secrets.
Michael Lacey, the executive editor, and Jim Larkin, chief executive, where arrested at their homes after they wrote a story that revealed that the Village Voice Media company, its executives, its reporters and even the names of the readers of its website had been subpoenaed by a special prosecutor. The special prosecutor had been appointed to look into allegations that the newspaper had violated the law in publishing the home address of Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s home address on its website more than three years ago.
The weekly and its leadership has been in a long running battle with Mr. Arpaio, after the weekly published a series of stories about his real estate dealings.
"They did not have a warrant, but they told me that I was being arrested for unlawful disclosure of grand jury information," Mr. Larkin said by phone from his home early this morning, after he was released from jail. Mr. Lacey remained in jail early this morning. Captain Paul Chagolla, a spokesman for the sheriff did not return a call for comment.
Steve Suskin, legal counsel for Village Voice Media, said that the arrests on misdemeanor charges of the newspaper executives represent an escalation in the conflict between The Phoenix New Times and Sheriff Arpaio, who has received national attention for his reputation for running tough jails.
"It is an extraordinary sequence of events," Mr. Suskin said. "The arrests were not totally unexpected, but they represent an act of revenge and a vindictive response on the part of an out of control sheriff."
Grand jury proceedings are secret. In the story about the ongoing case, Mr. Larkin and Mr. Lacey suggested that the publication of the subpoenas might be viewed as illegal.
"It is, we fear, the authorities’ belief that what you are about to read here is against the law to publish," they wrote. "But there are moments when civil disobedience is merely the last option. We pray that our judgment is free of arrogance.
The subpoena asks for information not only about the newspaper’s reporting, but also the information on readers who may have seen material deemed confidential published on the newspaper’s website, including the internet domain names and browsers used, and any other information about online readers of the publication since Jan. 1, 2004."
From the Arizona Republic:
"It really is overbroad," said Kenneth Fields, a retired Superior Court judge. "And it touches on privacy issues of a lot of people who cannot be the subject of a grand-jury investigation. This is potentially thousands of people."
James Weinstein, professor of constitutional law at Arizona State University, called the subpoena "exquisitely overbroad" and "outrageous."
Weinstein said he has never seen or heard anything like the subpoena, which orders New Times to produce computer records of every person who has visited the New Times Web site in the past four years. "It has got to be unconstitutional," he said.
The Phoenix Times
By Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin:
In a breathtaking abuse of the United States Constitution, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, and their increasingly unhinged cat's paw, special prosecutor Dennis Wilenchik, used the grand jury to subpoena "all documents related to articles and other content published by Phoenix New Times newspaper in print and on the Phoenix New Times website, regarding Sheriff Joe Arpaio from January 1, 2004 to the present."
Every note, tape, and record from every story written about Sheriff Arpaio by every reporter over a period of years.
In addition to the omnibus subpoena, which referred to our writer Stephen Lemons directly, reporters John Dougherty and Paul Rubin were targeted with individual subpoenas.
More alarming still, Arpaio, Thomas, and Wilenchik subpoenaed detailed information on anyone who has looked at the New Times Web site since 2004.
Every individual who looked at any story, review, listing, classified, or retail ad over a period of years.
The seemingly picayune matter of Sheriff Arpaio's home address getting printed at the bottom of an opinion column on our Internet site — and the very real issue of commercial property investments the sheriff hid from public view — have now erupted into a courtroom donnybrook against a backdrop of illegal immigration disputes, Mexican drug cartels, the Minutemen, political ambition, and turf disputes between prosecutors and the judiciary.
And given the diva-like drama that Arpaio attaches to even the mundane, you can add to the grand jury tension the paranoia of a Keystone Kops assassination "plot" against "America's toughest sheriff."
Behind these operatic and public developments, an ethical stain has spread over the secret proceedings of the grand jury.
Special prosecutor Wilenchik has sabotaged the integrity of the investigation.
Not content with using the hidden power of sweeping grand jury subpoenas, the government's lawyer attempted to get the ear of the sitting judge — out of earshot of New Times' attorneys.
Special prosecutor Wilenchik used a politically potent emissary in a behind-the-curtain attempt to set up a meeting between the judge overseeing the grand jury and Wilenchik.
In a hastily called hearing October 11, the judge labeled Wilenchik's attempt to set up an ex parte discussion "absolutely inappropriate."
In our humble opinion, Wilenchik's clumsy intervention behind the scenes with the judge was well beyond "inappropriate." Wilenchik's behavior raised the issue of an attempt to rig a grand jury already veiled in official secrecy.
In our deliberations, we faced the obvious: A grand jury investigation is a fearsome thing; a tainted grand jury is a tipping point.
We intend now to break the silence and resist."
In a grandiose insult to the Constitution, Arpaio, Thomas, and Wilenchik used the grand jury to subpoena the online profiles of anyone who viewed four specific articles on the sheriff.
The pertinent section of the secret grand jury subpoena reads, in part: "All internet web site information for the Phoenix New Times internet site related to the web pages . . . [four specific articles on the sheriff]. The information should include, but not be limited to: The Internet Protocol addresses of any and all visitors to each page of . . . [four specific articles on the sheriff]. . ."
Energized, perhaps, by this mugging of Constitutional safeguards, Arpaio, Thomas, and Wilenchik then shot the moon. The grand jury subpoena also demands Web site profiles of anyone and everyone who visited New Times online over the past two and a half years, not merely readers who viewed articles on the sheriff.
The actual subpoena is available here: Subpoena on the Phoenix New Times
Basically, the Phoenix New Times was investigating the Sheriff's real estate holdings, and in the course of doing so they published his home address. He's been on a vindictive tear ever since:
New York Times, (by David Carr):
"Two executives from Village Voice Media — a company that owns a number of alternative weeklies including The Village Voice, The LA Weekly and The Phoenix Times — were arrested Thursday night in Phoenix on charges that a story published earlier in the day in The Phoenix New Times revealed grand jury secrets.
Michael Lacey, the executive editor, and Jim Larkin, chief executive, where arrested at their homes after they wrote a story that revealed that the Village Voice Media company, its executives, its reporters and even the names of the readers of its website had been subpoenaed by a special prosecutor. The special prosecutor had been appointed to look into allegations that the newspaper had violated the law in publishing the home address of Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s home address on its website more than three years ago.
The weekly and its leadership has been in a long running battle with Mr. Arpaio, after the weekly published a series of stories about his real estate dealings.
"They did not have a warrant, but they told me that I was being arrested for unlawful disclosure of grand jury information," Mr. Larkin said by phone from his home early this morning, after he was released from jail. Mr. Lacey remained in jail early this morning. Captain Paul Chagolla, a spokesman for the sheriff did not return a call for comment.
Steve Suskin, legal counsel for Village Voice Media, said that the arrests on misdemeanor charges of the newspaper executives represent an escalation in the conflict between The Phoenix New Times and Sheriff Arpaio, who has received national attention for his reputation for running tough jails.
"It is an extraordinary sequence of events," Mr. Suskin said. "The arrests were not totally unexpected, but they represent an act of revenge and a vindictive response on the part of an out of control sheriff."
Grand jury proceedings are secret. In the story about the ongoing case, Mr. Larkin and Mr. Lacey suggested that the publication of the subpoenas might be viewed as illegal.
"It is, we fear, the authorities’ belief that what you are about to read here is against the law to publish," they wrote. "But there are moments when civil disobedience is merely the last option. We pray that our judgment is free of arrogance.
The subpoena asks for information not only about the newspaper’s reporting, but also the information on readers who may have seen material deemed confidential published on the newspaper’s website, including the internet domain names and browsers used, and any other information about online readers of the publication since Jan. 1, 2004."
From the Arizona Republic:
"It really is overbroad," said Kenneth Fields, a retired Superior Court judge. "And it touches on privacy issues of a lot of people who cannot be the subject of a grand-jury investigation. This is potentially thousands of people."
James Weinstein, professor of constitutional law at Arizona State University, called the subpoena "exquisitely overbroad" and "outrageous."
Weinstein said he has never seen or heard anything like the subpoena, which orders New Times to produce computer records of every person who has visited the New Times Web site in the past four years. "It has got to be unconstitutional," he said.
The Phoenix Times
By Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin:
In a breathtaking abuse of the United States Constitution, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, and their increasingly unhinged cat's paw, special prosecutor Dennis Wilenchik, used the grand jury to subpoena "all documents related to articles and other content published by Phoenix New Times newspaper in print and on the Phoenix New Times website, regarding Sheriff Joe Arpaio from January 1, 2004 to the present."
Every note, tape, and record from every story written about Sheriff Arpaio by every reporter over a period of years.
In addition to the omnibus subpoena, which referred to our writer Stephen Lemons directly, reporters John Dougherty and Paul Rubin were targeted with individual subpoenas.
More alarming still, Arpaio, Thomas, and Wilenchik subpoenaed detailed information on anyone who has looked at the New Times Web site since 2004.
Every individual who looked at any story, review, listing, classified, or retail ad over a period of years.
The seemingly picayune matter of Sheriff Arpaio's home address getting printed at the bottom of an opinion column on our Internet site — and the very real issue of commercial property investments the sheriff hid from public view — have now erupted into a courtroom donnybrook against a backdrop of illegal immigration disputes, Mexican drug cartels, the Minutemen, political ambition, and turf disputes between prosecutors and the judiciary.
And given the diva-like drama that Arpaio attaches to even the mundane, you can add to the grand jury tension the paranoia of a Keystone Kops assassination "plot" against "America's toughest sheriff."
Behind these operatic and public developments, an ethical stain has spread over the secret proceedings of the grand jury.
Special prosecutor Wilenchik has sabotaged the integrity of the investigation.
Not content with using the hidden power of sweeping grand jury subpoenas, the government's lawyer attempted to get the ear of the sitting judge — out of earshot of New Times' attorneys.
Special prosecutor Wilenchik used a politically potent emissary in a behind-the-curtain attempt to set up a meeting between the judge overseeing the grand jury and Wilenchik.
In a hastily called hearing October 11, the judge labeled Wilenchik's attempt to set up an ex parte discussion "absolutely inappropriate."
In our humble opinion, Wilenchik's clumsy intervention behind the scenes with the judge was well beyond "inappropriate." Wilenchik's behavior raised the issue of an attempt to rig a grand jury already veiled in official secrecy.
In our deliberations, we faced the obvious: A grand jury investigation is a fearsome thing; a tainted grand jury is a tipping point.
We intend now to break the silence and resist."
In a grandiose insult to the Constitution, Arpaio, Thomas, and Wilenchik used the grand jury to subpoena the online profiles of anyone who viewed four specific articles on the sheriff.
The pertinent section of the secret grand jury subpoena reads, in part: "All internet web site information for the Phoenix New Times internet site related to the web pages . . . [four specific articles on the sheriff]. The information should include, but not be limited to: The Internet Protocol addresses of any and all visitors to each page of . . . [four specific articles on the sheriff]. . ."
Energized, perhaps, by this mugging of Constitutional safeguards, Arpaio, Thomas, and Wilenchik then shot the moon. The grand jury subpoena also demands Web site profiles of anyone and everyone who visited New Times online over the past two and a half years, not merely readers who viewed articles on the sheriff.
The actual subpoena is available here: Subpoena on the Phoenix New Times
DIDN'T RUSH GO DEAF?
FDA to warn Viagra users of hearing loss
It's not clear that Viagra and other impotency drugs truly trigger hearing loss, but the FDA decides to add a warning about the possible risk after counting 29 reports of the problem since 1996.
PS3 SOLVES MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE
Wired Magazine:
"Suffering from its exorbitant price point and a dearth of titles, Sony's PlayStation 3 isn't exactly the most popular gaming platform on the block. But while the console flounders in the commercial space, the PS3 may be finding a new calling in the realm of science and research.
Right now, a cluster of eight interlinked PS3s is busy solving a celestial mystery involving gravitational waves and what happens when a super-massive black hole, about a million times the mass of our own sun, swallows up a star.
As the architect of this research, Dr. Gaurav Khanna is employing his so-called "gravity grid" of PS3s to help measure these theoretical gravity waves -- ripples in space-time that travel at the speed of light -- that Einstein's Theory of Relativity predicted would emerge when such an event takes place.
It turns out that the PS3 is ideal for doing precisely the kind of heavy computational lifting Khanna requires for his project, and the fact that it's a relatively open platform makes programming scientific applications feasible."
"Suffering from its exorbitant price point and a dearth of titles, Sony's PlayStation 3 isn't exactly the most popular gaming platform on the block. But while the console flounders in the commercial space, the PS3 may be finding a new calling in the realm of science and research.
Right now, a cluster of eight interlinked PS3s is busy solving a celestial mystery involving gravitational waves and what happens when a super-massive black hole, about a million times the mass of our own sun, swallows up a star.
As the architect of this research, Dr. Gaurav Khanna is employing his so-called "gravity grid" of PS3s to help measure these theoretical gravity waves -- ripples in space-time that travel at the speed of light -- that Einstein's Theory of Relativity predicted would emerge when such an event takes place.
It turns out that the PS3 is ideal for doing precisely the kind of heavy computational lifting Khanna requires for his project, and the fact that it's a relatively open platform makes programming scientific applications feasible."
Thursday, October 18, 2007
More Complete Idiocy from Republicans
Today on the House floor, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) gave us all his incredibly clever a acronym for S-CHIP:
Socialized
Clinton-style
Hillarycare for
Illegalsand their
Parents
As Teri Hatcher said on Seinfeld, "I think you're all mentally ill."
Socialized
Clinton-style
Hillarycare for
Illegalsand their
Parents
As Teri Hatcher said on Seinfeld, "I think you're all mentally ill."
George Lucas is Looking for Writers
Sure, now he is....
George Lucas, the Star Wars creator is looking for writers to help pen a live-action series about the lives of robots, according to a story published Wednesday in Los Angeles Times.
Does this mean C-3PO and R2-D2?
Lucas isn't saying yet but the producer/director told the Times that there won't be any Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker.
"The Skywalkers aren't in it, and it's about minor characters," Lucas said in an interview with Times' reporter Geoff Boucher. "It has nothing to do with Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader or any of those people. It's completely different. But it's a good idea, and it's going to be a lot of fun to do."
Mitch McConnell and the Culture of Truth
Louisville Courier-Journal Editorial:
McConnell Versus Truth
McConnell Versus Truth
Mitch McConnell can't have it both ways.
He can't luxuriate in a reputation for personal caution and political control, yet claim he knew nothing about the role his office tried to play in sliming a Baltimore boy and his family when they came forward in support of the SCHIP health care expansion.
By now you know the story: Twelve-year-old Graeme Frost and his sister, Gemma, suffered severe brain injuries in a 2004 car crash and got help from the SCHIP program -- all within the rules, as it turned out, much to the chagrin of would-be right-wing spoilers.
Graeme spoke out when President Bush vetoed the SCHIP expansion bill, which the Republican minority in the House is expect to kill today.
A McConnell aide, Don Stewart, admits he sicced reporters on the Frosts when "trusted" bloggers began to question their authenticity as an income-qualified CHIP program participant. But he says he quickly called off the dogs when he decided there wasn't a story there after all, because the family's situation was legitimate. Mr. Stewart told The Courier-Journal he explained all that to his boss on Thursday.
So Sen. McConnell was deliberately untruthful the next day, when he told WHAS-TV's Mark Hebert, "There was no involvement whatsoever." The senator will object to any suggestion of lying, but what else is it when you knowingly misrepresent facts?
It's clear what Mitch McConnell knew and when he knew it. It's clear he deceived the public when he answered Mr. Hebert as he did about the e-mail sent by his press agent.
Mr. McConnell is so used to Washington-style gamesmanship and inside-the-beltway rules that he has forgotten what constituents back in Kentucky want: the simple truth.
Monday, October 15, 2007
BOEHNER TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY HEALTH CARE
Rep. Boehner now claiming Republicans will have a plan giving "high quality health insurance" to "all Americans."
Tax credits, a bottle of Jack Daniels, a spork,
and a manual titled, "So, You've Decided to Remove Your Own Appendix."
PEOPLE STILL USE AOL?
AOL to cut one-fifth of global work force
Reuters
Reuters
Time Warner Inc's Internet unit AOL will eliminate 2,000 jobs as part of an ongoing restructuring to better focus on boosting online advertising, according to a memo obtained by Reuters on Monday.
The cuts, which begin on Tuesday, amount to about one-fifth of AOL's global work force and are spread across operations in the United States and in Europe, where the company has sold off its Internet access businesses.
DEPT OF DUBIOUS TIMING
"Assassin's Creed" stalks
into stores soon
Video game centered on Crusades-era hit man is among
major releases hitting store shelves in November.
into stores soon
Video game centered on Crusades-era hit man is among
major releases hitting store shelves in November.
Friday, October 12, 2007
YOUR MOVE, BARACK
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s effort to deepen black
support for her presidential candidacy received a boost today
as she won the endorsement of Representative John Lewis
of Georgia, a legend of the civil rights movement.
Lewis is great American. This is a good "get" for Hillary.
support for her presidential candidacy received a boost today
as she won the endorsement of Representative John Lewis
of Georgia, a legend of the civil rights movement.
Lewis is great American. This is a good "get" for Hillary.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
WAITING TIMES FOR MEDICAL CARE???
New York Times:
"Publicly supported dental clinics have months-long waiting lists even for people who need major surgery for decayed teeth. At the pediatric clinic managed by the state-supported University of Florida dental school, for example, low-income children must wait six months for surgery.
In some cases, the results of poor dental care have been deadly. A child in Mississippi and another in Maryland died this year from infections caused by decayed teeth."
Yes, and you thought waiting times for medical care only happened in horrible countries like North Korea, Myanmar, or Sweden.
Seriously, though, there is no shortage of dentists - for people who care afford to pay them.
But since, unlike even other forms of medical care, there are no means for poor people to pay, or get it covered, they simply do without. Only we're not talking about luxuries like an SUV, cable tv, or diabetic check ups. It's basic medical care - and we're leaving a whole group of people behind. These are Americans, if not compassion, how about self-interest and patriotism?
If only the Pentagon could invent a bomb that fixed people's teeth. There'd be no limit to what would we spend...
"Publicly supported dental clinics have months-long waiting lists even for people who need major surgery for decayed teeth. At the pediatric clinic managed by the state-supported University of Florida dental school, for example, low-income children must wait six months for surgery.
In some cases, the results of poor dental care have been deadly. A child in Mississippi and another in Maryland died this year from infections caused by decayed teeth."
Yes, and you thought waiting times for medical care only happened in horrible countries like North Korea, Myanmar, or Sweden.
Seriously, though, there is no shortage of dentists - for people who care afford to pay them.
But since, unlike even other forms of medical care, there are no means for poor people to pay, or get it covered, they simply do without. Only we're not talking about luxuries like an SUV, cable tv, or diabetic check ups. It's basic medical care - and we're leaving a whole group of people behind. These are Americans, if not compassion, how about self-interest and patriotism?
If only the Pentagon could invent a bomb that fixed people's teeth. There'd be no limit to what would we spend...
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
IT'S CALLED A LIFE: GET ONE
Google draws fire over special logos
They honor Sputnik but not U.S. troops, note critics.
.
They honor Sputnik but not U.S. troops, note critics.
.
HAIL CESAR!!!!!!
Embracing epic scope and a broad spectrum of social issues, writer-director-actor Ed Begley Jr.'s well-performed musical tribute reviews the life of late farmworkers' union organizer Cesar Chavez and the late journalist Ruben Salazar.
.
MACARTHUR PARK REPORT DUE
Chief Bratton this morning will present a long-awaited report
on the MacArthur Park clash that left protesters injured.
Sources say he will blame unknown persons who left his cake out
in the rain. "It is particularly infuriating, because I will
never have that recipe again," Bratton is quoted as saying.
.
on the MacArthur Park clash that left protesters injured.
Sources say he will blame unknown persons who left his cake out
in the rain. "It is particularly infuriating, because I will
never have that recipe again," Bratton is quoted as saying.
.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Awwww......
A stray kitten has found a new mother in a golden retriever, who began producing milk for the little feline after hearing its cries. Honey hadn't given birth in 18 months, but after her owner, Jimmy Martin, brought home the kitten, she suddenly found herself playing mom.
"She started licking her and loving her. Within a couple of days, Honey started naturally lactating," said Kathy Martin, Jimmy's wife. "The kitten took right to her, and she started nursing her."
Jimmy Martin noticed the kitten, whom the family dubbed "Precious," about six weeks ago, when she ran in front of his concrete truck. After following her and realizing there was no mother cat in sight, he took her home.
The kitten refused to drink from a bottle, and Jimmy's mother, Ruth Martin, feared Precious would die.
The family initially tried to keep Precious and Honey apart, fearing the dog would play too rough with the little gray-striped kitten. But Honey was elated at Precious' presence, wagging her tail and prancing all over the house trying to sneak a peak at her. Eventually, the family let Honey approach Precious, and the dog immediately took to her.
"She started licking her and loving her. Within a couple of days, Honey started naturally lactating," said Kathy Martin, Jimmy's wife. "The kitten took right to her, and she started nursing her."
Jimmy Martin noticed the kitten, whom the family dubbed "Precious," about six weeks ago, when she ran in front of his concrete truck. After following her and realizing there was no mother cat in sight, he took her home.
The kitten refused to drink from a bottle, and Jimmy's mother, Ruth Martin, feared Precious would die.
The family initially tried to keep Precious and Honey apart, fearing the dog would play too rough with the little gray-striped kitten. But Honey was elated at Precious' presence, wagging her tail and prancing all over the house trying to sneak a peak at her. Eventually, the family let Honey approach Precious, and the dog immediately took to her.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
SOUNDS VAUGELY FAMILIAR
New York Times:
Gen. Pervez Musharraf swept the presidential
vote today, but the Supreme Court will have the
final word on whether the balloting was valid.
*******************************
Gen. Pervez Musharraf swept the presidential
vote today, but the Supreme Court will have the
final word on whether the balloting was valid.
*******************************
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
DO YOU HAVE THE BALLS?
Iran College Asks Bush To Speak
An Iranian university has invited US leader George W Bush to speak following his Iranian counterpart's hostile reception at a US college last week.
"We're not taking it too seriously," said a White House spokeswoman.
She said Mr Bush might have considered the invitation if Iran allowed freedom of expression, did not have nuclear ambitions, and did not threaten Israel.
.
An Iranian university has invited US leader George W Bush to speak following his Iranian counterpart's hostile reception at a US college last week.
"We're not taking it too seriously," said a White House spokeswoman.
She said Mr Bush might have considered the invitation if Iran allowed freedom of expression, did not have nuclear ambitions, and did not threaten Israel.
.
Monday, October 01, 2007
The Chris Matthews Show - September 30, 2007
******************************************
The Chris Matthews Show
September 30, 2007
******************************************
Matthews: omg hillary is going to attack iran!!!
Kay: omg she's very calculating and as a wommin she has to kill someone to prove she's strong!!
Brooks: the silent majority who are tough not weak i luv toughness so i'm going to keep saying toughness voters are toughness they aren't weak cowards like bloggers
Tucker: omg teh dems won't get us out of iraq so crazeee!!
Tweety: she's a shrill harpie -- she's a sharpie
Ignatius: i'm going to put on my serious voice and say Americans understand the world is complex and we must be cautious and invade many countries around the world
Brooks: there is an iran psychosis it's all about jimmy carter - i'm david brooks and I say must not kowtow to iran!! - by which i mean not bombing the shit out of the country - hell you might as well surrender
Tweety: omg is Hillary another George W Bush???
Brooks: luckily she is a very serious person she wants to invade iran which is as well now a very cautious prudent approach
Tweety: are going to war?
Ignatius: we're on a collision course no on can stop it - it's a mystery to me
Matthews: i want a new war!!!
Kay: can we calm down
Matthews: no we must be tough - ergo invade iran
Brooks: Toughness tough
Matthews: tough toughness
Tucker: tough tuff enuf
Ignatius: loud shrill
Matthews: Iran prez says we have no gays
Tweety: omg all the GOP are gay Mahmoud should learn they're everywhere!
Baghdad Bob: Sadaam, you're doing a heck of a job
Ignatius: ha ha no wonder we thought it would be a cakewalk - it's not my fault!!
Tweety: omg black voters might vote democrat this time!!!! cynthia tucker yur black what do u think?
Tucker: dood the real problem is that repbuic party hates blacks that's how they got popular but they have to reach out to black and brown voters and its really really stupid
Matthews: why didn't Mitt and Rudy and McCain show up to the debate
Tucker: they're fucking assholes
Katty: they didn't decide to write off teh black vote - it just comes naturally
Tweety: Maccaca!
Ignatius: sadly that made my buddy george allen look stupid - the GOP need black votes
Tweety: well that's not good news for them is it
Brooks: dood just show up at the debate i mean it was tv face time you think i would turn it down - oh no i wouldn't
Ignatius: iran has no nukes
Tweety: i luv it!
Tucker: Dems feel good but the voter ID laws could be a killer
Brooks: omg NCLB is a total failure!
Tweety: wow who would have thought!
Matthews: SCOTUS election issue?
Katty: no
Ignatius: yes cause now we have a majority to end abortion
Brooks: not an election issue
Tucker: only if the court takes on a hot button case but they're not stupid they'll wait until 2009 to take away the rest of your rights
The Chris Matthews Show
September 30, 2007
******************************************
Matthews: omg hillary is going to attack iran!!!
Kay: omg she's very calculating and as a wommin she has to kill someone to prove she's strong!!
Brooks: the silent majority who are tough not weak i luv toughness so i'm going to keep saying toughness voters are toughness they aren't weak cowards like bloggers
Tucker: omg teh dems won't get us out of iraq so crazeee!!
Tweety: she's a shrill harpie -- she's a sharpie
Ignatius: i'm going to put on my serious voice and say Americans understand the world is complex and we must be cautious and invade many countries around the world
Brooks: there is an iran psychosis it's all about jimmy carter - i'm david brooks and I say must not kowtow to iran!! - by which i mean not bombing the shit out of the country - hell you might as well surrender
Tweety: omg is Hillary another George W Bush???
Brooks: luckily she is a very serious person she wants to invade iran which is as well now a very cautious prudent approach
Tweety: are going to war?
Ignatius: we're on a collision course no on can stop it - it's a mystery to me
Matthews: i want a new war!!!
Kay: can we calm down
Matthews: no we must be tough - ergo invade iran
Brooks: Toughness tough
Matthews: tough toughness
Tucker: tough tuff enuf
Ignatius: loud shrill
Matthews: Iran prez says we have no gays
Tweety: omg all the GOP are gay Mahmoud should learn they're everywhere!
Baghdad Bob: Sadaam, you're doing a heck of a job
Ignatius: ha ha no wonder we thought it would be a cakewalk - it's not my fault!!
Tweety: omg black voters might vote democrat this time!!!! cynthia tucker yur black what do u think?
Tucker: dood the real problem is that repbuic party hates blacks that's how they got popular but they have to reach out to black and brown voters and its really really stupid
Matthews: why didn't Mitt and Rudy and McCain show up to the debate
Tucker: they're fucking assholes
Katty: they didn't decide to write off teh black vote - it just comes naturally
Tweety: Maccaca!
Ignatius: sadly that made my buddy george allen look stupid - the GOP need black votes
Tweety: well that's not good news for them is it
Brooks: dood just show up at the debate i mean it was tv face time you think i would turn it down - oh no i wouldn't
Ignatius: iran has no nukes
Tweety: i luv it!
Tucker: Dems feel good but the voter ID laws could be a killer
Brooks: omg NCLB is a total failure!
Tweety: wow who would have thought!
Matthews: SCOTUS election issue?
Katty: no
Ignatius: yes cause now we have a majority to end abortion
Brooks: not an election issue
Tucker: only if the court takes on a hot button case but they're not stupid they'll wait until 2009 to take away the rest of your rights
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