Politics | Another blow to the Patriot Act | Seattle Times Newspaper
Another blow to the Patriot Act
By Seattle Times staff and news service reports
PORTLAND — A federal judge has struck down two provisions of the USA Patriot Act, ruling they are unconstitutional because they allow search warrants to be issued without showing probable cause.
U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken ruled the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), as amended by the Patriot Act, wrongly allowed the executive branch to conduct surveillance in violation of the Fourth Amendment.
“For over 200 years, this nation has adhered to the rule of law — with unparalleled success,” Aiken wrote in her opinion. “A shift to a nation based on extra-constitutional authority is prohibited, as well as ill-advised.”
Armless Gwinnett man involved in deadly fight jailed | ajc.com
Armless Gwinnett man involved in deadly fight jailed
By ANDRIA SIMMONS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/27/07
A disabled artist known for painting with his feet was jailed this week on charges related to a deadly brawl with another man earlier this month.
William “Rusty” Redfern was booked into the Gwinnett County Detention Center Wednesday on a misdemeanor charge of affray, a legal term for fighting in public, and later released on $1,200 bond.
Snellville police said Redfern, 44, was dating a woman who lived across from Teer on Pine Street in Snellville. Teer was the woman’s former boyfriend and Redfern was upset because Teer had telephoned the woman several times that day.
Witnesses said the men yelled at each other from across the street. Redfern, who was born with no right arm and only a stump for a left arm, then ran into Teer’s driveway and head-butted him.
Teer, 49, died minutes later. Police initially suspected Teer died from the head-butt. However, a subsequent autopsy determined that he died of a heart attack.
Husband: Red Tape Slowed Search for Wife | ajc.com
Husband: Red Tape Slowed Search for Wife
MAPLE VALLEY, Wash. — During the eight days that Tanya Rider lay seriously injured in her crashed SUV, her husband was fighting red tape to get authorities to launch a search for her, he said Friday.
Rider, 33, was found alive but dehydrated at the bottom of a steep ravine on Thursday, more than a week after she failed to return home from work.
Feds Raid Pot-Laced-Candy Factory | ajc.com
Feds Raid Pot-Laced-Candy Factory
By PAUL ELIAS
Associated Press Writer
SAN FRANCISCO — Federal agents said Thursday they shut down a factory that made marijuana-laced barbecue sauce, chocolate-covered pretzels and other “enhanced” snacks intended for medical users of the drug.
The Drug Enforcement Administration said it arrested three people Wednesday and was looking for a fourth who operated Oakland-based Tainted Inc.
Agents also seized 460 marijuana plants and other laced products including candy bars, cookies, marshmallow pies, ice cream, peanut butter, jelly, energy drinks and “Rice Krispy treats.”
Tainted Inc. was launched by Michael Martin, 33, of El Sobrante as a small operation that made laced chocolate truffles. When it was raided Wednesday, the company was shipping products to medical marijuana dispensaries throughout California and in Seattle; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Amsterdam.
Man saws house in half after sale denied, cops say | ajc.com
Man saws house in half after sale denied, cops say
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published on: 09/26/07
Hillsboro, Ohio — A man angry that he wasn’t going to be sold a house is accused of using a power saw to turn the abode into a convertible.
Rodney Rogers apparently thought an acquaintance was going to build a house and sell it to him, and he was living in it while it was being completed, Highland County Sheriff Ronald Ward said Wednesday.
After the acquaintance refused to complete the sale, Rogers used a power saw last week to make a lateral cut through the walls and siding at about chest level, authorities said.
He cut all the way around the house, Ward said.
Only one thing was keeping the top half of the house in place on the bottom half.
“Gravity,” Ward said.
Shelby County Reporter – from archives > News > Fire debate heats up: Volunteers won’t answer calls unless town funds dept.
WESTOVER – The topic of fire protection has heated up as volunteer firefighters and rescue workers recently voted to stop running calls and city officials continue with plans to open their own department.
Westover Volunteer Fire Chief Jere Thompson said the city is putting residents in danger by not providing funding for the 15-member volunteer department.
“We’d like to see some support,” Thompson said. “We’ve tried to have meetings that we’ve invited them to and no one shows up. We hope this sends a message to city officials and community.”
F— Bush article ignites student activism > Write a Column > Stories > Centennial > YourHub.com
F— Bush article ignites student activism
Contributed by: Mark Gutman on 9/26/2007
One of the best things that could have happened to the students up at Colorado State University (CSU) was the printing of the editorial stating, “Taser this… F— Bush”, in the school’s newspaper, The Rocky Mountain Collegian.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian is Colorado State University’s student run newspaper completely funded from advertisements. Every day there is a section in the paper called “Our View” where the editorial board of the Collegian prints an editorial of their opinions. This particular editorial was brought on by Andrew Meyer, a student from the University of Florida, being tased during a question and answer session with Senator Kerry. This led Meyer to feel his freedom of speech had been imposed upon, and the editorial staff of the Collegian felt it was time to exercise their rights as well.
F— Bush article ignites student activism > Write a Column > Stories > Centennial > YourHub.com
F— Bush article ignites student activism
Contributed by: Mark Gutman on 9/26/2007
One of the best things that could have happened to the students up at Colorado State University (CSU) was the printing of the editorial stating, “Taser this… F— Bush”, in the school’s newspaper, The Rocky Mountain Collegian.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian is Colorado State University’s student run newspaper completely funded from advertisements. Every day there is a section in the paper called “Our View” where the editorial board of the Collegian prints an editorial of their opinions. This particular editorial was brought on by Andrew Meyer, a student from the University of Florida, being tased during a question and answer session with Senator Kerry. This led Meyer to feel his freedom of speech had been imposed upon, and the editorial staff of the Collegian felt it was time to exercise their rights as well.
Myanmar Forces Fire on Protesters – New York Times
BANGKOK, Sept. 27 — Government security forces in Myanmar cracked down for a second day today on nationwide protests, firing shots and tear gas, and raiding at least two Buddhist monasteries, where they beat and arrested dozens of monks, according to reports from the city of Yangon.
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Related
News Analysis: From Their Nation-Turned-Bunker, Burmese Generals Peer Out, and In (September 26, 2007)
Tear gas hovered above the steps of the Shwedagon Pagoda on Wednesday in Yangon as the riot police broke up demonstrations.
Further casualties were reported, following at least half a dozen deaths on Wednesday.
The Myanmar government told the Japanese Embassy in Yangon that a Japanese national was killed, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported. Reports indicated he was a photographer.
Myanmar Forces Fire on Protesters – New York Times
BANGKOK, Sept. 27 — Government security forces in Myanmar cracked down for a second day today on nationwide protests, firing shots and tear gas, and raiding at least two Buddhist monasteries, where they beat and arrested dozens of monks, according to reports from the city of Yangon.
Skip to next paragraph
Related
News Analysis: From Their Nation-Turned-Bunker, Burmese Generals Peer Out, and In (September 26, 2007)
Tear gas hovered above the steps of the Shwedagon Pagoda on Wednesday in Yangon as the riot police broke up demonstrations.
Further casualties were reported, following at least half a dozen deaths on Wednesday.
The Myanmar government told the Japanese Embassy in Yangon that a Japanese national was killed, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported. Reports indicated he was a photographer.
In Reversal, Student Is Given Extra Exam Time to Pump Breast Milk – New York Times
In Reversal, Student Is Given Extra Exam Time to Pump Breast Milk
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By ELIZABETH OLSON
Published: September 27, 2007
A Harvard student must be given extra break time during a medical licensing exam to pump breast milk, a Massachusetts appeals court judge ruled yesterday.
Justices Agree to Hear Case About Voter ID Laws – New York Times
Justices Agree to Hear Case About Voter ID Laws
By LINDA GREENHOUSE
Published: September 26, 2007
WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 — The Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to decide whether laws that require voters to take government-issued photo identification to the polls place an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote.
Gothamist: Drivers Licenses For Illegal Immigrants
Drivers Licenses For Illegal Immigrants
Spitzer announced yesterday that illegal immigrants will be able to get valid New York State drivers licenses if they provide a valid and verifiable foreign passport. Spitzer hopes that the change, which reverses a four-year-old Pataki-era decision, will legitimize the 500,000-1 million undocumented immigrants who are driving in New York.
Dana Milbank – Bush’s News Conference Almost Makes News – washingtonpost.com
Bush’s News Conference Almost Makes News
By Dana Milbank
Friday, September 21, 2007; Page A02
Yesterday’s news conference was just minutes old when President Bush made a startling announcement.
“Mandela’s dead,” he said.
There was a gasp in the White House briefing room at this news, which would no doubt surprise the 89-year-old Nelson Mandela himself.Fortunately, the president quickly clarified that he was not speaking of the sainted South African but of his equivalents in Iraq. “Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas,” he explained.
Mass exhalation.
It was about as close as Bush comes these days to making big news…
