AMERICA'S GO-TO MAN FOR GLOBAL ISSUES
"Fareed Zakaria hosts Foreign Exchange which airs on Saturdays on PBS. He is America's go-to man for global chaos, providing some urgently needed outside perspective on our never ending war on terror. In the last few years, Zakaria has become a kind of bridge to the Arab world - an Asian-born Muslim with a Yale and Harvard education who seems willing to act as a cultural interpreter.
Zakaria stands out from the crowd of lily-white talking heads that populate American news shows thanks to his tan skin, clipped Bombay lilt, and his insistence that we pay attention to the rest of the globe. It was his post–9-11 Newsweek cover story "Why They Hate Us" that put him on the mainstream map as someone who could make sense of the now threatening outside world.
(VILLAGE VOICE)

HUNTER THOMPSON'S FINAL GONZO ACT
"Things are shaping up nicely for Hunter Thompson's final blast-off this Saturday. Hunter's ashes have been placed in 34 shells custom-designed by Zambelli Fireworks Internationale. The shells will be launched from a monument modeled after Thompson's Gonzo logo: a clenched fist, made symmetrical with the addition of a second thumb, perched atop a dagger.
Actor Johnny Depp is funding the event, which organizers estimate will cost roughly $2.5 million, to fulfill the vision that Thompson detailed in a 1978 BBC documentary and to his friends and family leading up to his suicide."
(5280, unearthed by Paul Whitehurst)

GAY MEXICAN GRANTED ASYLUM
"A federal appeals court in the United States has granted asylum to a homosexual man with Aids from Mexico on the grounds that if he was sent back to his country he could face persecution.
The court has made similar rulings in other cases involving homosexual and transgender asylum-seekers from Central and Latin America, because of concerns they would face persecution at home inflicted or condoned by the police.
(THE INDEPENDENT, unearthed by Paul Whitehurst)

CUBAN FIVE GRANTED RETRIAL!

United States v. Campa, ___F.3d ___(11th Cir No. 01-17176, decided August 9, 2005)
The defendant-appellants, Ruben Campa, Rene Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez, Luis Medina and Antonio Guerrero, were convicted and sentenced for various offenses charging each of them with acting as unregistered Cuban intelligence agents working within the United States. Hernandez was also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder by supporting and implementing a plan to shoot down United States civilian aircraft outside of Cuban and United States airspace. They appeal their convictions, sentences, and the denial of their motion for new trial arguing, inter alia, that the pervasive community prejudice against Fidel Castro and the Cuban government and its agents and the publicity surrounding the trial and other community events combined to create a situation where they were unable to obtain a fair and impartial trial.
We agree, and REVERSE their convictions and REMAND for a retrial.
(Suggested by Art Heitzer)

PROSECUTORS CALL GITMO TRIALS FIXED
A third US military prosecutor has walked out of the commissions process set up to try Guantanamo Bay detainees because of concerns it was unfair. Air Force Captain Carrie Wolf chose to take a reassignment along with other prosecutors. Capt Wolf asked to leave the Office of Military Commissions at the same time as two other colleagues, Major Robert Preston and Captain John Carr. Earlier this week, the ABC revealed that in March 2004, Maj Preston and Capt Carr requested transfers because they believed the process was "rigged" and pursuing "marginal" cases.
(ABC, unearthed by Human Rights First)

WHO WE ARE
"Three Republican senators are giving the White House fits with their attempt to get legislation approved that would expressly prohibit cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of detainees in U.S. custody.
There was a dramatic encounter during the floor debate last week when our own Senator Jeff Sessions spoke out against the legislation, saying there was no need for it because, as he put it, the detainees are not prisoners of war, 'they are terrorists.
Senator McCain, of Arizona, argued that the debate "is not about who they are. It's about who we are." Americans, said Mr. McCain, "hold ourselves" to a higher standard."
(NYT, unearthed by Joe Paul)

BADA BING!
Sopranos fan? Check out Baer v. Chase, a dispute between the creator of the series an attorney who contributed ideas during the show's initial development.

"Unlike many half-baked 'He stole my idea' claims, however, this case contains concrete evidence of plaintiff's contribution. For example, Baer put Chase in touch with several good fellas who 'told true and sometimes personal stories involving loan sharking, a power struggle with two uncles involving a family business, and two individuals, Big Pussy and Little Pussy.' These facts (which exist in the public record) bear a striking resemblance to Sopranos characters Uncle Junior and Pussy Bonpensiero. Seriously, what writer could've dreamt up a mobster named 'Pussy'?"
(FINDLAW'S MODERN PRACTICE DIGEST)

MY ROBOT, MYSELF
My boyfriend called me the next day and asked if I was sleeping in the same room with Nuvo. When I told him we were sleeping in the same bed, there was an awkward pause.
(NYT)

THE LAST WORD
If you want to see a hilarious obituary (that seems to be getting a lot of coverage on the internet) check out this obit for Dorothy Gibson Cully from the Charlotte News & Observer:

At the time of her death, Dot was visiting her daughter, Carol in Memphis. Carol and her husband, Ron, away from home attending a "very important conference" at a posh Florida resort, rushed home 10 days later after learning of the death. Dot's other children, dutifully at their mother's side helping with the normal last minute arrangements - hospice notification, funeral parlor notice, revising the last will, etc. - happily picked up the considerable slack of the absent former heiress.
(As with all of these items, click on the red headline to go to that story)
(CHARLOTTE NEW & oBSERVER, unearthed by Joel Sogol)

PLANS CALLED FOR KILLING US CITIZENS AND GIs
"Code named Operation Northwoods, the plans reportedly included the possible assassination of Cuban emigres, sinking boats of Cuban refugees on the high seas, hijacking planes, blowing up a U.S. ship, and even orchestrating violent terrorism in U.S. cities.

The plans were developed as ways to trick the American public and the international community into supporting a war to oust Cuba's then new leader, communist Fidel Castro. America's top military brass even contemplated causing U.S. military casualties, writing: 'We could blow up a U.S. ship in Guantanamo Bay and blame Cuba,' and, 'casualty lists in U.S. newspapers would cause a helpful wave of national indignation.'"

CLICK HERE to read 15 pages of declassified Joint Chiefs of Staff documents on Operation Northwoods as posted on the National Security Archive of George Washington

CLICK HERE for Instructions on how to access 181 pages of declassified documents from this operation on the website of the US National Archives and Records Administration
(ABC, unearthed by Waldo)

HACKER BUGS SECRET SERVICE PHONES
"A sophisticated computer hacker had access to servers at wireless giant T-Mobile for at least a year, which he used to monitor U.S. Secret Service e-mail, obtain customers' passwords and Social Security numbers, and download candid photos taken by Sidekick users, including Hollywood celebrities."
(SECURITY FOCUS)

REPORT CHIDES US ROLE IN PROVIDING WEAPONS TO TYRANTS
Bush launched his second term as US President in January by vowing to implant democracy around the globe "with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world". This was a key neoconservative goal with overtures of regime change. Nearly six months later, the World Policy Institute in New York reveals in a study that the US is stepping up its arms sales to some of the most odious and repressive regimes in the world. "Perhaps no single policy is more at odds with President Bush's pledge to end tyranny... than the US's role as the world's leading arms exporting nation," says Frida Berrigan, co-author of the report. She adds: "Arming repressive regimes, while simultaneously proclaiming a campaign against tyranny, undermines the credibility of the US and makes it harder to hold other nations to high standards of conduct on human rights and other key issues."
(JANE'S FOREIGN REPORTS)

HISTORY OF THE MARIJUANA LAWS
Read the new Supreme Court Case which addresses the issue of medical marijuana use and the power of the federal government to prohibit states from allowing its cultivation. Its not only interesting reading on an important issue, it also contains some excellent history about marijuana drug laws.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE DISSENT

CLICK HERE FOR AN EXCELLENT ARTICLE ON THE WAR ON DRUGS

(FINDLAW)

OR, TAKE THE DANTE'S INFERNO TEST?
How low will you go?
(Suggested by INJUSTICE ANYWHERE)

ARE YOU A REPUBLICAN?
"Are you a Republican? Answer a few simple questions and you can find out."
(Suggested by MACONDO BLOG)