As someone who commutes to and from New York City every day, I would be willing to bet you any amount of money that my bus will be searched (as they are already being stopped) before it goes into the Lincoln Tunnel at least once during the convention. Why should protestors' bags be exempt from the rigorous security we'll all be subject to that week?

From NY1:

Judge Gives Police More Leeway To Search Protestors
JULY 28TH, 2004

A federal judge reversed himself Wednesday and ruled police can search protestors’ bags at the Republican National Convention if there is probable cause to believe they pose a threat.

Last week, the judge, Robert Sweet, had ruled officers couldn’t conduct blanket searches without a specific threat.

The NYPD says it needs discretion to conduct such searches since there is credible information that Al Qaeda is planning an attack sometime before the election.

The rulings stem from a lawsuit filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union in connection with clashes at an anti-war protest last year. Last week’s ruling also limited the use of metal pens to control demonstrators.

City attorneys, the NYPD and the NYCLU have not yet commented on the latest decision.

Meanwhile, the NYPD is reportedly planning to hire doctors to be deployed outside Madison Square Garden during the Republican National Convention.

The Daily News reports this unprecedented move is prompted by fear that overzealous protesters might overwhelm city emergency rooms.

The doctors will assist Fire Department medics in performing evaluations as to whether prisoners really need medical attention or are faking it.

The corps will consist of 30 full-time police surgeons and more than 100 doctors.

Searching bags at RNC: Why is this such an issue?

] Time abuse is a symptom of a problem, not the problem
] itself. It is therefore impossible to cure a person of
] time abuse by actually managing his time. Instead, you
] must understand your time abuser's need for control and
] fear of evaluations.

[ *very* interesting article. i see a good deal of myself in the last type... worth a deeper analysis. -k]

I think I qualify as a time abuser. Don't tell anyone, or I might get fired. (SpecialK)

The Time Abusers

For your reading pleasure, "pretty girl" Ann Coulter's article on the DNC that USA Today passed up. Proceed only if you have a strong stomach.

As usual, Coulter presents the worst of conservatism, wasting time calling democratic women ugly*, hybrid cars "dinky", and the speakers "nuts." Why make real criticism when you can name-call!?

I totally agree with USA Today's decision in not printing this unprofessional, petty, vapid piece of pseudo-journalism.

-Tina

*For the record, I know plenty of cute democrats. Anyone seen Maggie Schutz or Chris Heinz?

[ At various times in my life, i've been considered among my peer group as the undisputed king of fury, the one guy who could always be counted on to erupt in rage, sometimes at the merest of proddings. These days, i feel like i'm a great deal more centered, less prone to anger and generally more accepting of the world at large. Yet, if there's one creature on this earth who can bring back the old me - the racing pulse and steaming forehead, the expletives and anger and, i can't deny it, a little dose of what may be pure, unfiltered hate - it's Ann Coulter. My dad has always advised me to "Suffer fools gladly." It's good advice, and i do my best to comply with it, but what about evil? Ann ejects the kind of rubbish that only serves to evoke more of the same with the opposite slant, bases her words on some brand of perverted faith which apparently construes "fact" as an intolerable concession to the heathens she opposes.

She has as much right as the next person to open her mouth and spew forth whatever hateful bile comes naturally to her warped mind, but I long for the day when everyone on the planet stops paying attention to her, so she can retire to some happy bastion of ultra-conservative values where she can cook, clean and raise children, follow her husbands orders, revel in the surveillance and jackbooted Order... let her bask in the warm glow of American thermonuclear supremacy, and wrap herself in false Christianity and our sullied flag whenever it gets a little chilly. -k]

[edit: I think i've said all i can about Ms. Coulter. From now on i think i'll try to take my own advice and ignore her very existence. -k]

I agree. This one's sickening -Special K

Ann Coulter's USA Today Column

Although I'm not a major advocate of the government, something about this troubles me. The 9/11 report is not the word of god. Please, let the lawmakers weight the pros and cons of each recommendation without feeling like a gun is being put to their head.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sept. 11 families to create watchdog list
By DEVLIN BARRETT
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Families of Sept. 11 victims vowed today to keep a "watchdog" list of any members of Congress who oppose legislation implementing changes recommended by the 9/11 commission.

The Family Steering Committee, composed of activist families who forced the creation of an independent commission to investigate the attacks, now plans to adopt a new strategy to advance its agenda, including a list of lawmakers' positions on Sept. 11-related legislation.

"We're going to watch events unfold in Congress, and we want America to watch as well," said Lorie Van Auken, who lost her husband at the World Trade Center and is a member of the committee.

"We need to have a list of the lawmakers ... We need to follow who's opposing and disagreeing and why," she said.

Talk of listing contrary members of Congress comes even before legislation has been offered to implement the recommendations — a sign of how intent some Sept. 11 families are to maintain the momentum of public opinion on the issue and see change come quickly.

"This watchdog list, this report card, it's a shame that it's come to this, but we want to work with everyone to ensure that people aren't just feigning cooperation," said Kristen Breitweiser, who has become perhaps the most visible advocate among outspoken Sept. 11 families.

The commission released its final report last week urging major, rapid changes in how the legislative and executive branches of government oversee the nation's intelligence apparatus, consolidating oversight into one group of lawmakers, and one person in the White House who answers directly to the president.

The families' efforts come at an extremely sensitive time for both political parties.

Democrats and Republicans are vying to portray themselves as best-suited to safeguard the nation. But the recommendations, if implemented, would also require some lawmakers and agencies to cede a certain amount of jurisdictional turf, something they are usually loathe to do.

Van Auken said no lawmakers had been singled out for criticism yet, but the families are trying to take an up-front role from the very beginning of the process.

Bill Doyle, whose son Joseph also died in the trade center, said a more informal strategy worked well in getting the commission formed in the first place.

"The idea now is to have a list that works like a watchdog so that people can see what their individual congressman is doing," said Doyle. "If a lawmaker from say, Montana, objects to a particular bill, well I know a couple of Sept. 11 families there who can get on the phone with that person, who can speak out."

Already, pressure from the families has produced results.

When the commission released its 567-page report Jul. 22, Congress had planned to be away for all of August.

Several committees quickly scheduled a return to Washington to hold hearings on the commission's findings.

The Senate Governmental Affairs committee plans to hear testimony Friday from the two leaders of the bipartisan, 10-member commission.

Sept. 11 families to create 'watchdog list'

Here are some interesting statistics from Armytimes.com:
Statistics for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom at 1000 casualties:

(where numbers do not add to 1000 – information is undetermined/pending)

Killed in Action: 540
Died later of Combat Wounds: 129
Died while Missing in Action: 8
Died while Captured: 3

Deaths by Accident: 205
Illness: 33
Self-inflicted: 34
Total Enlisted: 873
Total Warrant Officer: 34
Total Officer: 93

Active Duty: 812
Total Reserve: 188

White: 699 (71.4%)
Black: 120 (12.3%)
Hispanic: 114 (11.6%)
Other: 46 (4.7%)

Male: 977 (97.7%)
Female: 23 (2.3%)

Active Duty Home Stations (top 10):
Camp Pendleton, CA: 105
Fort Hood, TX: 86
Fort Campbell, KY: 77
Fort Bragg, NC: 58
Fort Carson, CO: 44
Fort Stewart, GA: 42
Camp Lejeune, NC: 40
Fort Riley, KS: 38
Twentynine Palms, CA: 34
Fort Lewis, WA: 25

Almost half of the first 1,000 to die have been either E-3s or E-4s. Almost half of the 1,000 were younger than 24.
Nearly three-fourths of the deaths have been Army.
Two-thirds of the deaths have been caused by enemy action or devices.
Reserves/Guardsman makes up 18 percent of the deaths.
More than 70 percent of those who have died were white. Despite fears that an all-volunteer force would end up putting minorities at greater risk than whites, the military death toll is distributed proportionately among America’s racial and ethnic groups.

Statistics for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom

Now this is mildly entertaining, for those of us who travel a lot and encounter all sorts of strange bathrooms.

Traveler's Bathroom Guide

Had this been an Israeli group that killed this Palestinian teenager, it would have been all over the news. Not only that, but is anyone else alarmed that Palestinians are setting up weapons in civilian areas? Where's the outrage??
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From the Jerusalem Post:
Palestinian health and security officials said that a group of Fatah Al Aksa Martyr's Brigades terrorists killed a 15-year-old Palestinian boy Friday morning in the town of Beit Hanun in the northern Gaza Strip after the youth tried to stop them from setting up a Kassam rocket launcher near his family's home, Army Radio reported.

Palestinian teen killed trying to stop Kassam launch

STOP THE PRESSES!!!!! Do the people at one of the world's leading news agencies have anything better to do?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
WASHINGTON (AP) -- When first lady Laura Bush counseled her twin daughters on how to behave while campaigning with their father, she may have skipped the part about not sticking your tongue out at the media.

That's what Jenna Bush did Tuesday after President Bush arrived at St. Louis' Lambert International Airport.

Jenna Bush Sticks Out her Tongue

Even though she's done nothing (really) wrong, Britney Spears is the subject of constant criticism. Her face is greasy, hair is dirty, she's marrying a sleazy dude with a pregnant girlfriend, she dresses like a slob, drinks in public, (although she's threatening to sue over that)...all the things that me and you do on our days off from work. So what's the big deal? Leave the poor girl alone.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=
From CBS news:

A Canadian radio station is giving a forum to fans worried about Spears. The station in Ottawa is holding a "Britney Intervention," on Wednesday. A station press release says it's concerned about the bad choices Spears' has been making, including her alleged drinking, partying and her taste in men. Fans will record a message for Spears and send it to her.

Britney, we don't want to judge you

Here's something that really makes me sick from Salon.com:

PETA video shows KFC supplier abusing chickens

July 20, 2004 | LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- An investigator for an animal rights group captured video showing chickens being kicked, stomped and thrown against a wall by workers at a supplier for Kentucky Fried Chicken, which has been under pressure since last year over the treatment of animals.

The footage, released online Tuesday, was secretly taken at the Pilgrim's Pride plant in Moorefield, W.Va., by an investigator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals who worked there from October to May.

Pilgrim's Pride received an anonymous report about mistreatment April 29 and immediately stopped production, he said. Managers then "communicated the severity of these allegations to our employees, making it clear to them that any such behavior would result in immediate termination," he said.

Officials of Louisville-based Yum! Brands Inc., which owns the fast-food chain, saw the video Monday. Kentucky Fried Chicken "will require that the employee or employees responsible will be terminated," KFC spokeswoman Bonnie Warschauer told The New York Times.

Further violations at the plant will "result in termination of our relationship," Warschauer said.

There was no immediate response Tuesday to calls from The Associated Press seeking additional comment from KFC.

In a July 22 letter to the plant, copied to Yum! Brands and forwarded to The Associated Press, PETA says its investigator also obtained eyewitness testimony about employees "ripping birds' beaks off, spray painting their faces, twisting their heads off, spitting tobacco into their mouths and eyes, and breaking them in half -- all while the birds are still alive."

Put down that drumstick!