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Feds win one in the war on anti-war activists A federal judge has ordered a university to turn over records about a gathering of anti-war activists. In addition to records about who attended the forum, the university has been ordered to divulge all records relating to the local chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, a New York-based legal activist organization that sponsored the forum. Subpoenas were also served on activists who attended the forum at the school.
comment posted at 11:14 PM on Feb-7-04

In Defense of Football. Which has been hit hard this week. [via a MeFi comment by boltman]
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If you like breasts and freedom, you might want to check out a new movement to Boycott the Grammys. The site links to various essays in support of Janet and opposition to the FCC and corporate reactions to the event. I suppose they want to send a message to advertisers by skipping it but it'll probably be about as effective as the class-action suit at accomplishing anything.
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Things We Will Never See On Star Trek
comment posted at 10:41 PM on Feb-5-04

Four California activists were arrested Tuesday while protesting the case of Kevin Cooper, set to be executed in less than a week. Gov. Schwarzenegger denied a clemency hearing for Cooper (the first time such a hearing was denied since California re-instituted the death penalty in 1978), despite ample evidence shedding doubt not only on the fairness of Cooper's trial, but also his alleged guilt. Kevin Cooper is asking people to protest for his life.
comment posted at 11:04 PM on Feb-5-04

Minimum wage is San Fransisco is now $8.50. Minimum wage in New York City is $5.15 per hour. Minimum wages from around the United States.
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"If you don't do as I tell you, I'll personally take you out in the woods and shoot you." A top federal security official at the Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport angrily threatened to "shoot" baggage screeners and financially ruin their families if they did not do their jobs to his satisfaction, airport employees have told the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general.

All jokes about bombs, guns and killing will be taken seriously?
comment posted at 3:16 PM on Jan-30-04

US elections: the world-wide vote.
"In November 2004, U.S. citizens will elect their new President. The outcome of these elections directly influences the lives of citizens around the world. Theworldvotes.org seeks to apply new technologies to provide citizens around the world with a voice in matters that affects us all. Ensure that your voice is heard by registering electronically and add momentum to a worldwide drive to establish global democracy."
Noble sentiments, but isn't this an admission of submission to the empire? A surrender of sovereignty? A call for a new Caracalla's edict? Is this a good idea both for the US and the "rest of the world"?
comment posted at 3:59 PM on Jan-30-04

Whale explodes in Taiwan city "A 60-ton sperm whale exploded on a busy street, showering nearby cars and shops with blood and organs and stopping traffic for hours." More Pictures linked here. More exploding whales - 1, 2, 3.
comment posted at 3:23 PM on Jan-29-04

Has Howard Dean Sold Out?
One of the most prominent themes of the Dean's insurgency campaign, was the call to "Throw the Bums Out!" Dean, in most speeches talks about his rivals as "Washington and Party Insiders", and he draws contrast with himself. One of his battle cries has been to get rid of the "special interests" and "take back America" for the people.

Why then, has Dean fired his campaign manager Joe Trippi, who is often credited with the candidate's fast rise and strong organization, and replaced him with Roy Neel, former adviser in the Al Gore 2000 presidential campaign, and former chief lobbyist for the U.S. Telecom Association? (A nice combo of a "Washington Insider" and a "Special Interest," if there is one)

Howard, what happened to "taking America back" from the Special Interests?
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Rep. Kirk (R), states, that Washington now must fuse counterterrorism and counternarcotics into an inseparable mission. It seemed almost inevitable, but could this indicate use of broad (possibly unconstitutional) anti-terrorism legislation for prosecuting drug users? With Britain downgrading marijuana, and much of the Western world softening on drug use, it seems that the United States won't give up. In fact, they even have Wal-Mart in on the action.
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New Hampshire Crosstabs: Primary voter characteristics cross-tabulated with their candidate choice. Dean runs strong with PhDs while Kerry gets the high-school-only crowd. Veterans vote just about the same as everyone else. And, surprise surprise, there don't seem to be any African Americans or Asians voting in New Hampshire.
comment posted at 7:01 PM on Jan-27-04

AL FRANKEN KNOCKS DOWN DEAN HECKLER Defending free speech by tackling a heckler? "I got down low and took his legs out," said Franken afterwards. "I'm neutral in this race but I'm for freedom of speech, which means people should be able to assemble and speak without being shouted down." Wacky. [via the delightful and always dependable NY Post!]
comment posted at 2:55 PM on Jan-27-04

In sum, the invasion of Iraq failed to meet the test for a humanitarian intervention. Most important, the killing in Iraq at the time was not of the exceptional nature that would justify such intervention. In addition, intervention was not the last reasonable option to stop Iraqi atrocities. Intervention was not motivated primarily by humanitarian concerns. It was not conducted in a way that maximized compliance with international humanitarian law. It was not approved by the Security Council. And while at the time it was launched it was reasonable to believe that the Iraqi people would be better off, it was not designed or carried out with the needs of Iraqis foremost in mind. War in Iraq: Not a Humanitarian Intervention
Human Rights Watch finds the post fact rationale for the invasion wanting. It comes from their World Report 2004 - Human Rights and Armed Conflict, where other essays therefrom include: Losing The Peace In Afghanistan, Sidelined: Human Rights In Post-War Iraq and "Glad to be Deceived": the International Community and Chechnya, to name but a few.
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Heinz Meanz Beanz: Is America ready for a sassy, intelligent, outspoken, wilful, foul-mouthed, irreverent, garrulous, domineering, flamboyant, freethinking and utterly charming First Lady?* Portugal certainly is - as Teresa Heinz Kerry, born Teresa Simoes Ferreira, is Portuguese and it would be nice to have a secret agent such a close ally in the White House. But there's also a lot of hate about. Do most American voters really take candidates' wives, husbands or partners into account? *Heh. The "utterly charming" was added at the last minute when I realized that all these adjectives could apply to Hilary Clinton.
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Stress epidemic strikes American forces in Iraq Up to one in five of the American military personnel in Iraq will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, say senior forces' medical staff dealing with the psychiatric fallout of the war. This revelation follows the disclosure last month that more than 600 US servicemen and women have been evacuated from the country for psychiatric reasons since the conflict started last March.
comment posted at 5:40 PM on Jan-25-04

I'mNotSorry.net is a website where women can share their positive experiences with abortion.
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Do Most People Even Know What They're Eating? Pork is served as veal; tilapia as red snapper and who knows what goes into sausages and other processed meat and fish products? You don't have to be an observant Jew or Muslim to be worried. How many years have those chicken pieces been frozen? How much pork and beef have been added to them? As food is increasingly disguised (fish fingers, chicken nuggets, beefburgers) to hide its origins, feeding on hypocritical popular revulsion with animals' existence, death - and carcasses! - aren't consumers setting themselves up for an ever greater measure of food fraud? That is, if they still care. (And no, it's not just an American phenomenon.) [Via The Daily Gullet. ]
comment posted at 8:41 PM on Jan-23-04