Yet Another...

Here we go again - another open thread.

Comments

[Jane]

Oh dear.

Well I'm not one to demand someone come back from vacation, but a brief tour around the blogosphere shows we are sadly in need of direction. Does anyone else think Deb Frisch is about to explode?

And what's with Judge Diggs Taylor's attempted coup on the constitution?

And does anyone think that John Karr killed JonBenet? Is he simply trying to avoid a Thai jail?

And how about Iran taking down all those satellite dishes? Is this a pre-cursor to 8-22-06?

[lurker]

Yesterday’s Court Decision Proves the NSA Disclosures Harmed National Security

And AJStrata introduces a possibility of a dem political sell versus "National Security":

National Security Verses Impeaching Bush

We may be seeing more ads from Dems asking us if we are *safe* or have been made safer than before, if not, then vote for change. The swing voters should be wise to ask them for specific change before they vote for change. I am willing to bet that the next president will continue the Bush doctrine simply because he or she was left no choice, especially once he or she was given the opportunity to see all classified information.

One reason I hope the Republicans retain majority of the House and Senate is the Supreme Court judge nominees for the others that are about to retire.

As for tearing down the satellite dishes, it may be a way to inflict a tight dictatorship over the Iranian people. I wonder if the Iranian people will reach a boiling point to retaliate and start a revolution against Khameini. I don't know about August 22nd. One scenario would be that August 22nd came and went as normal business.

As for Diggs Taylor's ruling, I haven't come across any intelligent legal counsel that agreed with her ruling. The only ones that agreed with her are the ones that caved in to emotion because they believed it gave them ammunition to impeach Bush. Patterico has plenty to say about the blog reaction to her ruling. CQ thinks this will harm her reputation and any ruling set against this NSA program because even the ones like Orin Kerr and Volokh with their conclusions that this program is unconstitutional may be reluctantly forced to defend this program as they puzzled over Taylor's ruling.

As for the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, be ready for round two war. The latest I read was that USA is scrambling as fast as it could to provide humanitarian and reconstruction aid to offset the Hezbollah aid. Hope they find a way to freeze those incoming Iranian assets to force Lebanon currency and exchange rate to USD.

[caves412]

California Indian Tribes are destroying the lives of tribal members by disenrolling them from casino rich tribes.

The Pechanga band of Luiseno Indians has recently disenrolled 25% of their tribe in order to increase the wealth of the remaining members. There is a faction known as the splinter group that has been working to take over the tribe for 20 years. They have won. The USSC refused to hear the case of the Manuela Miranda family and after that decision, the disenrolled the Hunter Family, ancestors of an original allotee of reservation land and one who was PROVEN Pechanga by their own hired archaeologist.

Here is a portion of the story, the rest is at: www.pechanga.info

Harper's
August 6, 2000
Vince Beiser

A Paper Trail of Tears

How casino-rich tribes are dealing members out,

For many Native American tribes, the success of their gambling operations ends a run of misfortune and dispossession that dates back to when white men first dubbed them Indians. Since full-scale reservation gambling was sanctioned by Congress in 1988, its annual take has grown to some $20 billion, with more than one hundred tribes doling out profits directly to their members. The Pechanga (the tribe's insignia is shown here), whose reservation is a patch of largely useless scrub-and-rock desert southeast of Los Angeles, rake in well over $200 million a year from a 522-room casino/resort with eight restaurants and 2,000 slot and video-poker machines. The cut for each Pechanga adult: $290,000. But if being an Indian has taken on the imprimatur of wealth, high stakes have also led tribes to deal some of their people out. Bands from California to Connecticut have expelled thousands of long-standing members, often on flimsy grounds of inadequate Indian ancestry. By thinning their numbers, casino-operating tribes have figured out how to split the pot fewer ways.

This decision concerns the disenrollment of John Gomez Jr., whose entire extended family, consisting of 135 adults and all of their offspring, was declared in 2004 no longer to be Pechanga. Gomez and his relatives are descended from Manuela Miranda, who all sides agree was part of the Temecula tribe from which the Pechanga originate. Decades after the federal government established the Pechanga reservation in 1882, Miranda's granddaughter - Gomez's grandmother - left the impoverished area. But Gomez's people never stopped identifying themselves as Pechanga. Gomez's father returned to the reservation every summer when he was a boy, and later he took his children there for family occasions. In 1998, Gomez settled his own family a few miles from the reservation, in the town of Temecula, and he soon went to work for the tribe as its legal analyst. His brother has served as the executive chef of the casino's restaurant, his cousin was the casino's head of human resources, and other relatives helped draft the tribe's constitution.

In 2002, Gomez and a cousin were elected to the Pechanga enrollment committee. Deluged with applications after the opening of its first gambling hall in 1995, the tribe imposed a moratorium the following year on accepting new adult members, although children of existing members were still permitted to apply. Some of the new applicants were undoubtably opportunistic pretenders, but others had lived their entire family lives as unquestioned tribal members and simply never had reason to formally enroll. According to Gomez, he and his cousin found that the committee was not processing applications filed before the moratorium and was failing to enroll some members' children. Only after he called for an investigation, says Gomez, did questions about his own ancestry arise.

Please do not patronize Pechanga.

[Bob]

Looks like Young had a http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/stories/0818young.html>Mel Moment

"Well, I think they should; they ran the 'mom and pop' stores out of my neighborhood," the Sentinel, a newspaper serving the African-American community, reported. "But you see, those are the people who have been overcharging us — selling us stale bread and bad meat and wilted vegetables. And they sold out and moved to Florida. I think they've ripped off our communities enough. First it was Jews, then it was Koreans and now it's Arabs; very few black people own these stores."

Let's see if he gets the same treatment!

[Internet]

NSA opened its doors in November 1952-building on the legacy of its predecessor-the Armed Forces Security Agency.

The judge needs to talk with the Intelligence Committee members from 1952 on, he'll find the US has always done this and he is making a mistake.

Poppies are up this year, maybe that's why they like England. Drug dealers never wanted the NSA laws.

He did'nt kill her, it was probably an arranged murder.

Satellite dishes are traditionally attacked by Maoist, land problems, maybe they're afraid of Maoists.

Sorry about the lurker postings.

[lurker]

Michael Totten's trip to KIRYAT SHMONA. He predicts a far severe round two war coming soon - very different from what we saw this past month.

Israel is going to have to raise quality of its IDF to match what it used to be or better to better defend itself next time and be ready to go all the way.

[maryrose]

The Detroit ruling by that Whacko judge appointed by Carter will not stand. It will be overturned on appeal and her 15 minutes of fame will be over. Taylor is clueless as are dems who support her as to what is necessary to fight this war on terror. Voters will not support weak sob sisters when it comes to security.
Vandehei of the Washington Post is on a one man crusade pounding away at the repubs diminishing chances in November. His assertions are short-sighted and inaccurate.

[lurker]

After Taylor, how many of these Carter-elected / nominated judges remain active to this day?

[Rick Ballard]

VanderHei is steering by watching the rear view mirror. He's right with the Dem program of going backward while proclaiming progress. Jay Cost has a good piece up today that someone should read to VanderHei, preferably while drawing some pictures for him as visual aids.

Barring additional terror strikes (which the Democratic party is praying for) the "national issue" upon which the election will turn is the economy rather than security. The astonishingly thoughtful and fiercely independent herd of cattle which must be swayed in every district in order to assure victory have their big brown eyes fixed on the prices at the gas pump. Given the current supply/demand situation (approaching glut status) there is going to be an appreciable drop in those prices over the next few months. The Republicans have nothing to do with it but the cow's cuds will taste better none the less - and a contented cow makes for a happy incumbent.

It doesn't hurt that the balance of the economy is in fine shape, either (except in MI where Granholm and Stabenow may pay the price for the automakers incompetence) but the herd's mental acuity doesn't quite rise to the level needed to appreciate how well the economy is, in fact, performing. That's rather unsurprising given the business press' ability to darken the cloud behind every rainbow.

[Jane Woodworth]

Speaking of the economy, the deficit has been cut in half - (Bush predicted we would achieve this in 2010) largely due to the tax cuts. Of course it didn't make news.

As a result of the Indian casino's the per capita income of every indian in this country is over $1 million. That of course does not mean that every indian is a millionaire.

Rulings like Diggs Taylor's really piss me off. If the woman doesn't understand the law she shouldn't be making it.

Jon-Benet a contract hit? Why?

[maryrose]

Rick:
I read the Jay Cost article and found it to be most helpful and explanatory. Dems need to learn that wishing doesn't make it so.
Jane Woodworth;
I don't see the logic in the JonBenet Hit thesis. Something definitely unsettling happened here. I think Barr is trying to avoid prosecution and wants to be extradited to the USA because he'll get a better deal here.

[Hunter]

The Pechanga Band has been skirting the law for quite some time.
They were threatened with closure after putting in 2,000 additional machines, unlawfully.
They contributed $4 MILLION dollars to Cruz Bustamante, againts election laws.
They have eliminated families from their rightful birthright.
They banished legitimate tribal members while placing a white man with no Indian blood on the Tribal Council.

All because $270,000 a year was not enough. There are similar happenings at Chukchansi, Redding Rancheria.

Politicians in California get so much in donations from Tribes, that they won't get involved.

In my family's case, there are affadavits from 90 years ago that prove heritage for the mid 1800's, yet, someone who joined the tribe 20 years ago, voted to disenroll us.

Mark Macarro, spokeman of the Tribe has been part of this planned elimination of tribal members for some time.

I encourage all who read this to visit the website at www.pechanga.info

[Soylent Red]

He's right with the Dem program of going backward while proclaiming progress.

Since to Dems peace equals the absence of conflict, it would appear that their strategy is to back slowly away from the rattlesnake until it is out of sight.

Contrast that with the apparent current Republican policy of poking at the snake with a sharp stick until you kill it with a lucky shot or it slithers away.

If Dems want to pursue their policy into the '06 and '08 elections, fine. But what the Republicans need right now is to draw a distinct contrast.

To extend the analogy, the Republicans need a guy who will say, "My plan is to put on the tall boots and gloves, wade in and chop the snake into pieces with a corn knife. Then I'm going to find its den and gas out the rest of them. Because if I don't, one of these things will eventually crawl up on my porch and bite the baby."

Let the Dems dither about policy and multilateralism. My senses tell me that people want decisive action, and the Republicans are appearing to vacillate.

Cattle like to know they're secure.

As for JonBenet...

This Karr guy is obviously a sick freak of some sort. But he didn't do it. This is some kind of twisted attempt to get a linkage with the object of his obsession.

More importantly, wouldn't it be nice if all the children who are killed or went missing got this much public attention?

[Syl]

My opinion is that Israel did so much damage to Hezbollah that Iran is worried. All the victory talk is just saving face. They know we're watching every move Iran and Syria make.

For a regime that said it wouldn't negotiate, it's now willing to go back to the table. They're eating up all the talk from the West about Israel's 'failure'. It puts Iran in a better position.

And Iran sure as heck doesn't want its people to know the magnitude of the damage. Neither do they want their people to know of the embarrassment of sanctions being imposed.

And they're worried about an American induced revolt.

Iran is extremely paranoid at the moment. Well, the mullahs tend that way anyway, but Iran is getting way too close to crunch time.

I don't think Iran will pull anything on the 22nd. But NoKo may. And Iran probably thinks that will scare us into capitulation? Ha! It'll only strengthen our resolve.

I hope to God I'm right. Because if Iran really and truly believes it won and won big there'll be hell coming soon.

[Jane]

More importantly, wouldn't it be nice if all the children who are killed or went missing got this much public attention?

Well sort of, except I can't imagine how the last ten years have been for the Ramsey's. It wasn't exactly great attention for them. I can't imagine losing a child. I really can't imagine losing a child and then being accused of killing them. Death might be a relief.

[maryrose]

Iran finally believes that we will in fact bomb them if they don't straighten up and fly right. That's why they are willing to negotiate now. We will see how this all plays out.
Syl;
I agree with you; crunch time for Iran and Iraq as well.

[windansea]

I don't get all this talk that Hezbollah won

I see video of southern Lebanon on CNN and it looks like Germany after WWII....blown to smithereens

Northern Israeli towns appear to just have cosmetic damage from random rockets

Maybe the hezbots won the propaganda war, but not the "war" war

[danking70]

Is NK testing a bomb for Iran? I thought there stuff came from the same supplier.

[boris]

Larry C Johnson:

there are emerging indicators that Bush and Blair exaggerated the truth about the actual readiness of the so-called plot. And yes, I mean so-called plot.

Larry in a tin foil hat over at Huff-n-Puff

[maryrose]

Nasrallah has declared victory for Hezbollah but I like the Krauthammer article today that talks about what needs to be done quite quickly in order to maximize the inroads the Israeli army has made.We in the USA cannot blow this small window of opportunity to begin to resolve this situation and save Lebanon from the Hezzies Syria and Iran.

[maryrose]

Larry Johnson at this point is suffering some severe mental illness. I think that is why he was sidelined out of the service.

[Jane]

Iran finally believes that we will in fact bomb them if they don't straighten up and fly right.

I think that is wishful thinking. Iran is hankering for war.

[clarice]

Hezbollah--Half of its fighting force was killed. http://americanthinker.com/comments.php?comments_id=5876

Iran is suffering economically. It has a huge unemployment problem. The people do not consider themselves Arabs and have no interest in Hamas or Hezbollah. How will Iran be able to replace the billions in ruined Hezbollah infrastructure, continue to support Sadr in Iraq and meet its own needs?

[paulv]

If IDF has to fight Hezzies in Lebanon again they should use a Blitzkrieg style attack. Tanks roll deep behind Hezzie's lines and cut off supply lines. Encircle and destroy. Clinton used terror bombing against the Serbs and that technique is effective.

[Jane]

Clarice,

I hope you had a nice vacation! I don't think the leaders of Iran could care less about their people. So they suffer. Big whoop! The fine line they walk is between rebellion and no rebellion, and things like taking down all the satellite dishes is aimed at quelling dissent.

My Iranian friend is out of the country now, but I bet she would tell me that they are closing in on the students as well. A few dead sophmores as a result of a protest will do wonders for keeping down the ruckus.

Sadly our best hope lies with those same students. I don't hear that they are making much progress.

[windansea]

ULDER, Colorado (CNN) -- John Mark Karr gave authorities graphic details about the condition of JonBenet Ramsey's body that have been kept secret for nearly a decade, a U.S. law enforcement source told CNN on Friday.

Those details were known only to the medical examiner and the investigators investigating the December 26, 1996 slaying of the 6-year-old beauty pageant competitor, the law enforcement official said.

cnn.com

[boris]

If pervs gather on the internet to swap their grisly stories for mutual entertainment, this creep may in fact know details he learned directly from the perp, or 2nd hand from scuttlebut.

[clarice]

windansea--the guy was obsessed with the story and the Boulder LE community leaks like a sieve. The only conclusive evidence would be a DNA match which I don't think will happen. The traces of it under her fingernails could come from anywhere and the stuff in her panties might have come from those who made and packed them (per forensic experts).

Rick, thanks for the hat tip re Jay Cost who I think it fabulous.

Jane, I feel so sorry for the Iranis, a mostly decent people who deserve better and who have been trying hard to get rid of the Mullahs.(They seem to have better luck offing the revolutionary guards thru airplane "accidents".) The military are pros...when they join in, it's the end for the nutters but so far they don't seem to be moving.

[PeterUK]

Clarice,
The Persians have suffered under the Arab yoke for centuries,it is worth remembering that Islam is a creed imposed by conquest in Iran,there are still may adherents to the Zoroastrian faith.

[clarice]

My son stood up for his Iranian friend's wedding and my husband did for one of our friends..in both cases, the ceremonies were more Zorastrian than Moslem.In any event, the Iranis for the most part consider themselves the cultural and social superiors of the Arabs and have no beef with Israel. Indeed one of the highest officials in Israel is from Iran and Israel beams a radio program there in Farsi which gets lots of supportive calls from Iranis. When this official was on, people from his former hometown called in.

As for the removal of the satellites--the Mullahs have been bitching about them for some time. They are illegal though no one seems to comply with that law.

[PeterUK]

"the Iranis for the most part consider themselves the cultural and social superiors of the Arabs "

Well ain't dat de trut,the Persians must have been appalled by the Clampetts finding oil.

Is ther any reason why portable satellite dishes could not be smuggled into Iran.

[clarice]

I think they're easy enough to make. I remember seeing people in Afghanistan fabricating them from scrap bits.

[Sue]

What happens if NK actually tests a nuke?

[windansea]

What happens if NK actually tests a nuke?

move to Mexico :)

[Florence Schmieg]

Did anyone see the Presdident speaking this morning from Camp David. He seemed listless and lacking in energy, except when getting riled up about the NSA surveillance opinion, as he should be. Otherwise he seemed distracted and simply read the statement on the economy. Something was wrong.

[Jane]

there are still may adherents to the Zoroastrian faith.

PUK

That's my favorite religion (well based on the little I know of it.

Windansea,

I've been all over the map on this but I think now there is more of a chance Karr is the right guy. There is that teddybear picture (assuming it is true) and the whole name sign off in the yearbook which matches the sign off initials of the ransom letter.
Of course if he wasn't in Boulder....

[PeterUK]

"What happens if NK actually tests a nuke?"

The country which gave the world the No Dong,is quite likely to present us with the No Bang.
North Korea is where a puppy isn't just for Christmas,if you are careful it will make sandwiches for the rest of January,a place where "Taking the Train" means exactly what it says.It it works who will Kim Jong Unwell trust with it?

[Slartibartfast]

Keep stringing together open threads like this, Tom, and you'll become Atrios.

Which, you dont' want to go there.

[PeterUK]

Clarice,
Wonder if the banning of satellite dishes has anything to do with someone breaking into broadcasts.

[Slartibartfast]

The country which gave the world the No Dong

(Known in certain select missile defense circles as "dongless")

[PeterUK]

Slartibartfast,
TM is preparing himself to emerge from the well on the 22nd,then you will see a thing or two.

[Sue]

I wish, just once, Larry Johnson would post somewhere where you comments are deleted or moderated. I would love to have a real debate with him.

[Sue]

How it should read...I'm not sure who typed that other post... ::grin::

I wish, just once, Larry Johnson would post somewhere where your comments aren't deleted or moderated. I would love to have a real debate with him.

[windansea]

TM is preparing himself to emerge from the well

yikes....will he be wearing a dress made from the skins of seminticleos??

PUK...ROTFLing at the Clampetts and the No Dong

Clarice, Jane etc...I am very suspicious of this sicko in Benet case...he could be an attention seeker or the real deal...I caught a quick glimpse of his handwriting next to the ransom note on TV....it looked very similar to me....they didn't say the date of his sample....but no worries he is a Rove plant to distract from yadda yadda yadda

[windansea]

TM to semanticleo

it mixes the metaphor with the dangling participle

[PeterUK]

Windansea,
Probably a hat made from Semanticleo,perhaps the dangling participle has become the past participle.

[Other Tom]

Hi Clarice, and welcome back--you've been missed and badly needed.

I wish I could be optimistic about the fact that Iran can't replenish Hezbollah and also meet its own needs, but then I look at North Korea and reflect on how little a nation's own needs count in the calculus of zany despots. I keep hoping for those people to revolt, and the sooner the better.

I'll defer to you when it comes to dissecting the opinion of the lunatic Carter appointee in Detroit in yesterdays' NSA decision. Suffice to say it is indeed a target-rich environment. Perhaps the only thing more hysterically funny is the NY Times editorial on the subject. I have very high confidence that the 6th Circuit is going to shred this cuckoo opinion in a trice. A small horse, quickly curried, as Frankfurter (or somebody) said.

[clarice]

Thanks.OT. I think we ought to start a When Will the Family Give Pinch The Hook pool.

Taranto made a good point today. All of those who said they had standing because they were in regular contact with terrorists probably would be subjects for a FISA warrant in any event. (I really can't understand Hitchens serving as a plaintiff in that case!)

[Barney Frank]

Nice to see you back clarice,

"How will Iran be able to replace the billions in ruined Hezbollah infrastructure, continue to support Sadr in Iraq and meet its own needs?

$70 oil?

I'm afraid the last half of this year may feature a little more excitement around the world than is strictly healthy.

[PeterUK]

Has anyone looked up the political affiliations of the plaintiffs?

"Tara McKelvey, Larry Diamond, and Barnett Rubin indicate that they must conduct extensive research in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and must communicate with individuals abroad whom the United States government believes to be terrorist suspects or to be associated with terrorist organizations. In addition, attorneys Nancy Hollander, William Swor, Joshua Dratel, Mohammed Abdrabboh, and Nabih Ayad."

The bit about communicating with terrorist suspects is nice,something we all do of course,have these people lost all moral compass in their egocentric world,is there nothing outside their infantile belief that freedom has no moral boundaries?

[Rick Ballard]

"I really can't understand Hitchens serving as a plaintiff in that case!"

Hitchens is a lefty above all else. He's still scared of the shade of J. Edgar and has no desire to see the FISA license for subversion revoked.

I hope that the DoJ does take the opportunity to argue the unconstitutionality of FISA before the Sixth Circuit. It would be the apogee of irony if the Sixth Circuit ruled FISA unconstitutional in its reversal. It would serve the dimwitted Dem hack of a judge right.

[lurker]

What are the odds that ACLU will take this up with Supreme Courts if the sixth circuit overturns it?

What are the odds that the Supreme Court will listen to this case?

If the Supreme Court decides to listen to it, what are the odds that the Supreme Court would rule the unconstitutionality of this NSA program? And what are the odds that Roberts will recuse himself?

I wonder why Andrew McCarthy thinks the Supreme Court would rule against the NSA program?

Rick Ballard, if DOJ decides to argue the unconstituionality of FISA, what reasons would DOJ use this time?

[lurker]

Anyone download the powerpoint presentations from Vital Perspectives? Click on July 20 and 25th. They show photographs depicting the damages inflicted by the bombing of Katyusha rockets.

Amazing. No wonder people evacuated as quickly as possible. These are terror rockets.

Carolyn Glick believes that Haniyeh and Syria are going to war against Israel using the Hezbollah approach.

But Michael Freund thinks this war introduces a different perspective...that this war has forced the world into stark reality of Iran's involvement.

Micahel Barone talks about Michael Freund's article.

I wonder how much longer Israel will last as a country in itself.

[Rick Ballard]

"I wonder how much longer Israel will last as a country in itself."

I don't give it more than another 3,000-5,000 years.

FISA is unconstitutional (IMO) because of conflict with Article II. Certainly the ACLU will appeal the reversal to SCOTUS - whether they will agree to hear the appeal is another matter.

[larwyn]

I watched GW today and IMHO it was distraction. Here he was having to announce the good shape of the economy when the LSMers should have been reporting all along. So I think he was just PO'd and trying to keep a grip. You saw the rage bubble up when asked about the NSA.

Wish someone would have asked him what he really thought of the French sending 400 engineers to Lebanon.

Came to conclusion as soon as they started the Frenchiness that they were seeing $$$$ in rebuilding contracts. Can't have their soldiers firing at the Hez while their engineers survey. Hence the rather BRILLIANT move - send non-firing military engineers to do the surveys. Helps to get the bids in early and getting our $$$$ to pay the French companies.

Yes, sure that GW had other things on his mind vs the scheduled dog and pony show on the economy.

[Other Tom]

To respond, with my uneducated guesses, to Lurker's recent questions:

The chance that the ACLU would appeal to the Supremes if the 6th Circuit reverses is 100%.

The chance that the Supremes would hear the appeal is 85%.

The chance that Roberts will recuse himself, so far as I am aware, is 0%--I know of no reason why he would or should.

I don't know about Andrew McCarthy's position, except that he read a lot more into the Supreme Court's Hamdan decision than I did. The Court there said that (a) the congressional Authorization for the Use of Military Force did not extend so far as to grant the president the authority to establish military tribunals and to set the rules of procedure in those tribunals, and (b) the president's inherent war-making powers under the constitution didn't grant him that power. In my view, the questions of whether the AUMF or the constitution grant the president the power to gather foreign intelligence through warrantless electronic surveillance is quite a different one, and the Court is much more likely to come out in favor of the president on one or both of those grounds. I note that Justices Breyer and Kennedy, both of whom ruled against the government in the Hamdan case, ruled in the earlier Hamdi case that the AUMF did indeed grant the president the power to detain US citizens indefinitely. I think the power he is exercising in the NSA program is much more like the power to detain than it is like the power to establish tribunals. All it would take is one of those two justices to give us a majority on this appeal.

[Other Tom]

To add to my puzzlement about McCarthy's view, it was he who (pre-Hamdan) compiled the following list of circumstances under which the government may act quite intrusively without judicial authorization. The government may:

Detain American citizens for investigative purposes without a warrant;

Arrest American citizens, based on probable cause, without a warrant;

Conduct a warrantless search of the person of an American citizen who has been detained, with or without a warrant;

Conduct a warrantless search of the home of an American citizen in order to secure the premises while a warrant is being obtained;

Conduct a warrantless search of, and seize, items belonging to American citizens that are displayed in plain view and that are obviously criminal or dangerous in nature;

Conduct a warrantless search of anything belonging to an American citizen under exigent circumstances if considerations of public safety make obtaining a warrant impractical;

Conduct a warrantless search of an American citizen's home and belongings if another person, who has apparent authority over the premises, consents;

Conduct a warrantless search of an American citizen's car anytime there is probable cause to believe it contains contraband or any evidence of a crime;

Conduct a warrantless search of any closed container inside the car of an American citizen if there is probable cause to search the car — regardless of whether there is probable cause to search the container itself;

Conduct a warrantless search of any property apparently abandoned by an American citizen;

Conduct a warrantless search of any property of an American citizen that has lawfully been seized in order to create an inventory and protect police from potential hazards or civil claims;

Conduct a warrantless search — including a strip search — at the border of any American citizen entering or leaving the United States;

Conduct a warrantless search at the border of the baggage and other property of any American citizen entering or leaving the United States;

Conduct a warrantless search of any American citizen seeking to enter a public building;

Conduct a warrantless search of random Americans at police checkpoints established for public-safety purposes (such as to detect and discourage drunk driving);

Conduct warrantless monitoring of common areas frequented by American citizens;

Conduct warrantless searches of American citizens and their vessels on the high seas;

Conduct warrantless monitoring of any telephone call or conversation of an American citizen as long as one participant in the conversation has consented to the monitoring;

Conduct warrantless searches of junkyards maintained by American citizens;

Conduct warrantless searches of docks maintained by American citizens;

Conduct warrantless searches of bars or nightclubs owned by American citizens to police underage drinking;

Conduct warrantless searches of auto-repair shops operated by American citizens;

Conduct warrantless searches of the books of American gem dealers in order to discourage traffic in stolen goods;

Conduct warrantless drug screening of American citizens working in government, emergency services, the transportation industry, and nuclear plants;

Conduct warrantless drug screening of American citizens who are school officials;

Conduct warrantless drug screening of American citizens who are school students;

Conduct warrantless searches of American citizens who are on bail, probation or parole.

[larwyn]

PUK,
Two posts from LGF which should be of interest:

UK Radical Front Groups Gets Blogger Suspended

Mobile phone company Orange has suspended its Community Affairs Manager and launched an investigation following a flood of complaints from customers outraged at comments he made about Muslims and Palestinians on a Conservative Party Members Blog.Inigo Wilson, Community Affairs Manager at Orange, sparked the controversy with his ‘satirical’ attempt to redefine words, including:

“Islamophobic - anyone who objects to having their transport blown up on the way to work.

“Palestinians - archetype ‘victims’ no matter how many teenagers they murder in bars and fast food outlets. Never responsible for anything they do – or done in their name - because of ‘root causes’ or ‘legitimate grievances’.”

And this one:

Perlmutter: Photojournalism in Crisis

David D. Perlmutter, Professor and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies & Research at the University of Kansas School of Journalism & Mass Communications, has an excellent piece on the Fauxtography Scandal—with a big salute to all the blogs who pushed the story forward: Photojournalism in Crisis.

"I’m not sure, however, if the craft I love is being murdered, committing suicide, or both."

Just substiture **country or culture*** for craft and Perlmutter quote apt
for first post.

[PeterUK]

Larwyn,
Saw that,the interesting thing is that Inigo Wilson was commenting as a private citizen,this was in no way connected to his job,this has nothing whatsover to do with Orange,whse service I shall no longer use.
Wilson made his comments on a Conservative party blog,Muslims have the right to complain to the blog,but there is no justification for Wilson to lose his job with Orange,whose interference in an employees private life is despicable.

[PeterUK]

Orange firing

[narciso]

On another note, is there any irony about
Macnamara's military assistant (Gen. Gard)
The first CENTCOM commander during Al Queda's early days, et al; complaining about
failed policies

[KM]

This is all so freakin' scary. But then I'm into the Ace of Spades lifestyle.

[larwyn]

KM,
Ace-of-Spades! Just bringing this link to his site:

Just another Liberal DEMO Judge gone wild -
Ace post - not family friendly but LOL :

P****-P*** Priming Judge Gets Four Years

Here come the judge. All rise

[larwyn]

PUK,
Really what the heck is going on in your country - watched a bit of the "shadow government" presentation on CSPAN earlier today(to get away from JonBenet), but reached no conclusion they were ready to do what they must do.
Dinocrat has interesting post on the "Eurasia" demographics you might want to look at. He's trying to be hopeful that the "un-elite" are getting fed up. Is that
true?

[clarice]

Eureferendum has an interesting post today on the wackiness of the Brits--they want a more rigorous approach to terrorism but also want to be further from the US and closer to Surope. How's that for nonsensical?

As for McCarthy, I find him unpersuasive. In fact. most of the NRO crowd are turning me off.

[Other Tom]

I was dismayed to read at Powerline that any Sixth Circuit decision on the NSA matter is likely to be a year off. Those guys are pretty well dialed in to current federal appellate practice, so I assume they are right. My understanding is that the current stay of the judge's order that the program be immediately discontinued is in effect by agreement of the parties (not by a ruling of the appellate court), and that the stay is only in effect pending a hearing on September 7. Having read this judge's handiwork, there can be no doubt whatsoever about what will happen on that date. I assume that the Sixth Circuit, on petition from the government, will promptly issue a stay pending an appeal, but as best I recall their stay is not likely to be accompanied by any legal analysis. Thus this daffy nonsense authored by the judge will be with us until long after the election, I suppose. Jesus.

[PeterUK]

KM,
Then this will really put the shits up you.

"A passage from the Ayatollah Khomeini, quoted in an 11th-grade Iranian schoolbook, is revealing. “I am decisively announcing to the whole world that if the world-devourers [i.e., the infidel powers] wish to stand against our religion, we will stand against their whole world and will not cease until the annihilation of all them. Either we all become free, or we will go to the greater freedom which is martyrdom. Either we shake one another’s hands in joy at the victory of Islam in the world, or all of us will turn to eternal life and martyrdom. In both cases, victory and success are ours.”
Bernard Lewis

[Sue]

The other day, while watching the various protests around the world, I was reminded of fire ants. Anyone have a problem with fire ants? They're vicious little critters. Sting hurts like hell. During hot, dry months, they go deep, where you can't see them. But they aren't sleeping. They are multiplying, plotting their next attack on my poor feet. The minute I start watering, they come to the surface, waving their little protest signs and if I'm not careful, one of them stings me. Sometimes, they attack in multiples. After a heavy rain, they come to the surface and are plainly visible. You know where to watch for them.

Which brings me to my analogy. The Clinton administration was the hot, dry period, with an occasional watering to bring the terrorists to the surface. Bush flooded them and the result is a bunch of fire ants, roaming the countryside, looking for victims.

And simply because I can't completely rid myself of fire ants doesn't mean I am going to stop trying to.

[clarice]

**EUROPE, not Surope***

OT, It doesn't bother me that there will be a lengthy stay. OTOH, the Sixth Circuit may expedite the appeal. (Years ago I used to argue cases there frequently. The judges on that Court took a long time to write even the simplest decisions. In fact, they kept the courtroom so cold I often wondered if it was to keep others from realizing some of the judges had been dead for some time.)

[PeterUK]

Larwyn,
What you are seeing is the internal contradictions of the liberal left elite finally begin to tear them apart.The draconian legislation against all citizen,rigid enforcement of race hate and discriminatio,usually enforced against the non-immigrant population,are all rearguard exerices to keep the lid on a problem that the LLE has itself created.They are struck rigid when the oppressed underdog says,"Who is we paleface"? As in all cases,the instinct is to subjugate the acquiescent,it is much easier and safer, to enforce the law aginst motorists,than to arrest armed gangs.
The lumpen proletariate is however totally pissed off and is finally eying up the the real enemy, the liberal left elite.In a less prosperous era,I would say we were in a pre-revolutionary stage in history.

[clarice]

Very shrewd observation, PUK. The more powerless governments are to deal with real threats, the more they harrass the lawabiding with nonsensical and annoying regulations.
Crime out of hand? Make all the regular citizens spend countless hours stupidly sorting their trash.

[topsecretk9]

--Which brings me to my analogy. The Clinton administration was the hot, dry period, with an occasional watering to bring the terrorists to the surface. Bush flooded them and the result is a bunch of fire ants, roaming the countryside, looking for victims.--

Sue

I think your analogy is missing one thing...9-11. I think the Clinton years were the dry period if only because ON HIS WATCH terror attacks happened, he just didn't have the will or determination to go after them. (i.e. no balls)

For instance, Clinton as President could have declared war on terror on any number of occasions - since we were attacked so many times. He **chose** to IGNORE the acts of terror because he didn't have the -stomach, will or confidence to deal with it-- because Terrorists must be DEALT with. Which even if he didn't have the balls to take terrorism on, he really did this country --and his party-- a major disservice for not doing more than France-like symbolism.

Because Clinton languished terror-wise for so long - not only did it fire up the jihadist getting their rocks off blowing ups westerners and little response told them we were weak - it shielded the country to the real magnitude of the threat of Islamic terrorist. For instance, **think for one second** of a GOP Presidents response to Khobar or Cole, yep it would have been a bit more than "Were mad and hope the country of **** gets to the bottom of it" ...jihad did not begin on 9-11 as some on the left so desperately need to be true to keep their Bush hate on.

So I don't think Bush so much **flooded** the terrorists ( granted he did by action -- and I think that is what you mean) but he just Dealt with terror and to deal with terror is to flood them -- like the water hose...when you disrupt their colony they just come out of their comfort zone.

[PeterUK]

Exactly Clarice,
By the way the show goes on,America to blame,George Bush hasn't got a starring role yet.

"

Hizbollah links US to Qana killings
By Adrian Blomfield in Qana
(Filed: 19/08/2006)

A senior Hizbollah official accused the American people of being complicit in the deaths of Lebanese civilians during a highly charged funeral yesterday for 26 people killed in an Israeli air strike on the town of Qana.

Relatives of the dead wept as Hizbollah pallbearers chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" carried coffins covered with the Lebanese flag through the streets of the southern town.
People carrying coffins
Coffins of some of the victims of the Israeli strike on Qana are carried to a mass burial

The July 30 missile attack on a block of flats in Qana caused horror throughout the world, and forced Israel to declare a 48-hour cessation of hostilities during the month-long war, in order to investigate the incident.

Hizbollah did its best to keep the killings in the international limelight by carefully stage-managing the funerals, presided over by Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, the movement's leader in southern Lebanon.

Declaring victory over Israel, he praised Iran for its support of the "Lebanese nation" and lashed out at the United States for supplying Israel with weapons.

"American people, you are partners to these massacres - you are partners in this war," he said. "No Lebanese citizen with any dignity will absolve America of this guilt. After this, no Lebanese can trust an American." His comments represented a departure in the movement's rhetoric and could be interpreted as the tacit sanctioning of attacks on US civilians. However, Hizbollah has eschewed attacks outside Israel since it was blamed for bombing Israeli and Jewish targets in Argentina in the 1990s.

Amid yesterday's anti-US rhetoric, the quiet suffering of the bereaved was almost overshadowed. Among about 5,000 mourners in Qana, black-clad women held pictures of dead children and watched in silence as the noisy procession passed by. Ali Younis, who lost his daughter and three grandchildren, strained for a view of the tiny coffins.

"I could not bear to go and identify the bodies, just as my wife could not bear to come to see all this," said Mr Younis, who lost a second daughter in another air strike on the village of Maarake. "It is too much to comprehend."

The procession came to a halt near the ruined block, and the fighters, who had earlier buried four of their comrades, set the coffins down. All the while Israeli drones buzzed in the air. Weeping women kissed the coffins, half of which contained children, before the shrouded bodies were placed in shallow graves.

[clarice]

You know those bodies must be buried within 24 hours by Moslem law. Since it is certainly possible some of those children died before any Israeli bomb hit Qana those "bodies" in the coffin have been shlepped around for political purposes for a considerable time.

[Sue]

I guess my analogy only works for me. ::grin::

[topsecretk9]

Sue...no of course it works...and good. I just meant that any number of pre-911 terror attacks could have/should have been dealt with (FLOODING) and 9-11 was on that HAD to be dealt with (ant flooding)

My quibble was more with the Clinton "mini floods", I just didn't see any. ::GRIN back at you sistah::

[PeterUK]

Clarice,
I'm still wondering why these people took shelter in a building at the extreme northern end of the village of Khurabah,as far from the airstrikes in Qana claimed by the IAF as possible.Khurabah,is highly unusual for a rural hamlet with a number of multi story buildings,one of which is the pile of rubble the rescuers spent their time climbing up and down for the photographers.But the bodies did not come from there,the site was steadfastly ignored,used only as a prop,yet it was the more important building,radio masts and satellite dish,inexplicably had no casualties.

[topsecretk9]

OK, now I am feeling bad because my intention was not to BAG on the analogy, but rather reiterate that the analogy is right and FLOODING is the only way TO deal with terror - only Clinton missed many opportunities.

[Sue]

Oh well, if I have to keep explaining it, it really didn't work, except for me. No problem. I take it you don't have fire ants? ::grin::

[Sue]

Top,

LOL. Stop it. Really. ::grin::

[topsecretk9]

No, I have Argentine Ants...

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2004/april7/antstudies-47.html

[Sue]

Are there any sites on the left that allow posters to freely post? No moderating? No deleting? I have never seen one, but surely there are some brave folks out there that will allow a wingnut like me free access to their precious little sanctuary.

[PeterUK]

Clarice a link,to generous in my view,they were corrupt from the moment that getting the picture was more important than the humanity of the situation.

[Sue]

Fire ants have been imported to the US, from where someone else will have to tell you because I really don't know. South America maybe. Anyway, they are small, very small. And their sting is truly vicious. If you disturb them, they go nuts. Which is what reminded me of the protests I was watching in the Middle East.

Good thing I'm not running for office. I think I just offended an entire race of people. ::grin::

[clarice]

LGF has gotten the spotlight but in my view in the case of Lebanese photojournalism Charles' contribution was smaller than the less frequently noted Eureferendum who has taken on the far harder job of breaking down the Qana hoax, PUK.

[Sue]

Actually Top, I don't just blame Clinton for not doing anything about terrorists. While it is true he mostly ignored their attacks, so did Carter, Reagan and Bush Sr. Carter was such a weak little president. Iran suffered no consequence for taking our people hostage. And Reagan did nothing about our marines in Beruit. Bush Sr. only got involved because it was so obvious he had to. And it was UN sanctioned. Clinton was too worried about peace and prosperity to be bothered with terrorists. Bush is the only president to actually kick them out of their hiding placed and into the open. And only after they hit us on our soil. Had that not happened, I wonder how much Bush would have done.

[Rick Ballard]

Peter,

Do you think the propaganda value of the hezzie kiddie corpse corps has been reduced or eliminated? The AP/Reuters/BBC fauxto ghouls can't be carrying the same weight any more.

When I see a group of muslims my thoughts drift to a series of concentric circles and bomb damage radii. I'm not sure if those are the thoughts that are supposed to be evoked according to muslim propaganda experts but I suspect that I am far from being all alone.

[larwyn]

Just getting to the Powerline links I collected earlier.

The column of the day is Caroline Glick's "The coming wars."

Interesting that Glick refers to that "Demonstration in
Palestine":
"
in her depressingly realistic take on the situation in Israel. Still wondering if the "kidnapping" of FNC's Centanni and Niil has anything to do with being witness to it. (RiehlWorld had post with photos of these "people who deserve a state". Ends with a mother stomping the head until blood ran from the already shot dead "collabortor".

Supplementary reading includes Roger Kimball's "The rich variety of Muslim immigration" at Armavirumque,
Kimball does an excellent job on an AP editor in "The rich variety of Muslim immigration". AP has no shame. They must want to
keep those 50 arab speakers working at their Camden Hqts (U.K.)
happy/appeased.

Haven't gotten to these yet, but the two I've read were well worth it.

Daniel Johnson's open letter to Günter Grass (part 1 and part 2) in the New York Sun, and Leora Falk's "Washington Post editor rebukes his reporter for television comments on Israel," also in the Sun.

Clarice and PUK,
Finding EUReferendum is icing on the cake of the exposure of the LSM. Hope Richard North has some security - sure he's "watered" many of them.

And speaking of "no balls" Clinton.
Hill must have read him the riot act - see GatewayPundit's post on the his "Kerry positioning" now on Joe.

In some ways I would be willing to trade Hagel for Joe!

[lurker]

A different perspective of the Israel - Hezbollah war. "Lebanon Under Fire"

Bush may be right that it will take time for the world to see how bad Hezbollah lost. If the West would stand strong to help Lebanon.

[lurker]

A blogger from Lebanon claims that Hezbollah lost as well as Assad and Iran.

This is about the 3rd or 4th article or blog that I'm coming across of Lebanon civilians having some serious thoughts about Hezbollah.

Germany now offering naval support and support for the Syrian - Lebanon border to prevent re-arming of Hezbollah will certainly help.

[Lew Clark]

Sue,
Fire ants are undocumented visitors from South America. Be really careful how you treat them or you will be facing the ACLU!

[topsecretk9]

--Which is what reminded me of the protests I was watching in the Middle East.---

Good thing I am not running for office because I would have revealed I didn't comprehend you were speaking of "protests" not so much the GWOT...so now Sue, I shall stop!

And NO, no leftist sites allow comments -- save for emptywheel on Plame and Talk Left - who does, but then questions their **obvious** jingoism

[topsecretk9]

--Fire ants are undocumented visitors from South America.---

BTW...GET READY for the new buzz word...they are not **undocumented, illegal immigrants**...NOPE, they are "INVITED" "guests", "INVITED" by companies who "INVITED" them to work here....and so once they are invited and then pay taxes it's not their fault they are illegal!!

< via the woman holed up in the church>

[sam]

08/18/06 Xinhua: 7 Shiite pilgrims killed in northern Baghdad

08/18/06 newschannel5; Ft. Campbell Soldier Seriously Wounded in Bombing

08/18/06 news-journalonline: Spruce Creek grad wounded in Iraq

08/18/06 DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Capt. John J. McKenna IV, 30

08/18/06 AFP: Fragile peace in Iraqi Shiite cities a boon for local gunsmiths

08/18/06 Centcom: ISF, MND-B Soldiers search office of the Martyr Sadr

08/18/06 dpa: British military base in Iraq comes under mortar fire

08/18/06 DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Sgt. John P. Phillips, 29

08/18/06 abc24: Paducah Soldier Injured In Iraq Bombing

08/18/06 Reuters: Iraqi govt announces two-day vehicle ban in Baghdad

08/18/06 TheGuardian: Kurds flee homes as Iran shells Iraq's northern frontier

08/18/06 AFP: Chaldean priest kidnapped in Baghdad

08/18/06 icWales: Iraqis go missing from army training course

08/18/06 dpa: First female suicide bomber attack reported in Iraq

08/18/06 Reuters: Two policemen killed in attack on watchtower in Baquba

08/18/06 Reuters: Three men killed in Mosul

08/18/06 Reuters: Former Baath Party member was assassinated in Diwaniya

08/18/06 AFP: Grocer killed in Yarmuk, 4 bodyguards wounded in Baquba

08/18/06 AFP: Truck driver killed near Baladruz

08/18/06 theday: Tampering With Data Is Possible In Iraq Killings

08/18/06 HuntsvilleTimes: Two contractors with local connections killed in Iraq

[Jeff]

Quick, without looking: does Rumsfield deserve to be canned?

[topsecretk9]

--Quick, without looking: does Rumsfield deserve to be canned?

--

NOPE

[Bob]

Sue look what you did... you woke up "fire ant" sam and jeff!

Oh and sammy why not focus on your heroes over at http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGAFR540382006>UN

Even the folks at SAMnesty International don't think their doing any good!

In north Darfur, in the Korma region, 72 people were killed over the course of five days in early July.

[PeterUK]

Clarice,
Dr North's work will make it,I think,into book form that will be stidied for years after as the archetypal use of iconic pictures as propaganda.
The argument that "experienced photographers" know a set up when they see one is utter nonsense,photographers regard themselves as "artists",commercially the most striking picture is the most compelling,that is why Green Helmet Guy is picture walking up the rubble of the wrong building with his tragic little burden and shouting.From the outset the desire to create the most striking pictures makes the images a lie.
Even the use of the name Qana instead of the actual hamlet of Khuraybah was a contrivance.The MSM can only think in cliches.
Kuraybah was of immense significance,it was the tipping point of Israeli and world policy in Lebanon.Deceipt is one of the arms of the Arab way of war,we cannot grasp this too soon.

[PeterUK]

Sam,more of a pissant than a fire ant.As for Jeff,has he had the third date with Valerie,has he got some new stuff?

[Rocco]

It's amazing how the media (the left) changes the meaning of words to suit their agenda. I remember when welfare was a temporary program to assist those who were going through hard times. Then it morphed into general relief and now it's called entitlement. We're on our third generation of those who think they're "entitled."

Socialists are now Progressives because they know they'd never get elected as "Socialists." When you think about it, the guiding principle of our Constitution was that of "Limited Government." Anything else is anti-constitutional and therfore un-American.

Now illegals are invited?