DOMESTIC GROUPS F-B-EYED!
"Counterterrorism agents" at the Federal Bureau of Investigation have conducted numerous surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations that involved, at least indirectly, groups active in causes as diverse as the environment, animal cruelty and poverty relief, newly disclosed agency records show.
(NYT)

DECLARE VICTORY AND LEAVE!
"The elections represent the last best hope, a narrow -- and closing -- window of opportunity, to leave Iraq on our terms. The United States got rid of Saddam Hussein's government, the Iraqis drafted and ratified a constitution, and in December they will elect a parliament under that constitution. The next political benchmark may not come along for years; as currently written, the Iraqi constitution does not require the government to hold another parliamentary election until near the end of 2009."
(CATO INSTITUTE)

BIG BROTHER BUSH
" In his four-year campaign against al Qaeda, President Bush has turned the U.S. national security apparatus inward to secretly collect information on American citizens on a scale unmatched since the intelligence reforms of the 1970s."
(WASHINGTON POST)

SANTA LYNCHING UPSETS COMMUNITY
A large blindfolded Santa hanging from a noose from a tree in a man's yard has angered homeowners in a Florida neighborhood, according to a local television station.
(WKMG-TV, unearthed by Matt McCarthy)

ILLINOIS JOINS SONY/BMG ROOTKIT FRAY
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Friday she is investigating whether Sony BMG violated privacy and consumer protection laws, noting that her office has requested information from the company regarding anti-piracy software it included on music CDs that experts have shown exposes Microsoft Windows users to security holes and computer viruses
(WASHINGTON POST)
On a personal note, you might remember (see below) my travails with Best Buy and their practice of continuing to sell the products after the Sony recall. After I wrote the story, I returned to the store to exchange my product and ran into their "return of software" policy. I explained to the young lady that this was no mere "I didn't like it" return but that ten days before my purchase Sony had instructed retailers to remove any unsold music discs containing the rootkit software from their shelves. So, I inquired, "Why are you selling it?"

She referred me to the store manager who told me it was my fault for buying a recalled item, that it was a matter between me and Sony and that there was nothing that she would do. She thanked me in that phony Merchandizing 101 tone (you know, the "Hi, How are you doing?, Can I help you find something?") but told me that there was nothing that she could do. "Thank you and (smirk!) Have a nice day, Sir." I left Best Buy, now pissed at them and not at Sony.

My voicemail hell complaints to their national store were finally met with the same response: We don't care that we sold a recalled item, that's between you and Sony.

I'll put my Santana CD in the trunk of my car and when I get over being angry at Sony, Artisa, Santana and, most of all, Best Buy, I may put it in my CD changer and listen to it. That's a shame, because I had been excited at the idea that one of my favorite performers had a new release. I understand that Best Buy made a marketing decision to sell the product because of the impending holidays. But rest assured, my marketing plans no longer call for purchases at Best Buy.

DUMB COPS II
"A San Francisco police officer was suspended and others face discipline after making videos containing sexist, racist and homophobic material for an office Christmas party, officials said. About 20 officers participated in creating or performing in the videos."
(CBS, unearthed by Bill Messick)

WHAT ABOUT THE POSSE COMMITATUS ACT?
"Day after day, reports of suspicious activity filed from military bases and other defense installations throughout the United States flow into the Counterintelligence Field Activity, or CIFA, a three-year-old Pentagon agency whose size and budget remain classified. Programs such as CIFA, Eagle Eyes and Talon -- names unfamiliar to most Americans -- must receive robust scrutiny by Congress and the media,' "
(WASHINGTON POST)

COP SHOOTS PARTNER
"An arrest warrant has been issued for Ronald Jay Dupuis, a former Hamtramck police officer who allegedly used his Taser stun gun on his partner. "
(WXYZ, unearthed by Bill Messick)

MEET THE "DOMINIONISTS"!
"The Dominionists -- biblical literalists who believe God has called them to take over the U.S. government are pressing an agenda that makes Newt Gingrich's Contract With America look like the Communist Manifesto. "
(ROLLING STONE)

BAH HUMBUG!!!
Washington State Police are celebrating the Christmas season by dressing up like the homeless to trap motorists who are not wearing a seat belt. The trick works so well that a trooper in Pierce County issued tickets at the rate of $760 an hour on Saturday.The officer, who was not in uniform, wore a cardboard sign around his neck reading, "Happy Holidays, Buckle Up." Charitable drivers passing by would offer him money to buy food.
(COLUMBIAN, unearthed by Brent Gourley)

NOW THIS IS TAILGAITING!
Police in Tampa busted a 40-foot motor homeconverted into a strip club on wheels, offering alcohol and lap dances to football fans outside the stadium before kickoff of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.
Six women performed lap dances inside the motor home, charging $20 to $40 depending on whether they danced topless or totally nude, police said Tuesday. The vehicle, adorned with a sign for strip club Deja Vu, was parked across the street from Raymond James Stadium.
(AP, unearthed by Joel Sogol)

PLAINTIFFS SOUGHT TO ATTACK DRUG POLICY
"Students for Sensible Drug Policy, one of the largest student organizations in the country, in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union, is seeking plaintiffs for a lawsuit challenging the law that denies federal financial aid to students convicted of drug offenses. Since taking effect in 2000, more than 175,000 students have been deprived of aid under the drug provision of the Higher Education Act (HEA), often for minor offenses such as possession of marijuana."
(DARE GENERATION BLOG, unearthed by Paul Whitehurst)

KATRINA MADE WORSE BY POLITICAL INFIGHTING
Louisiana Sen. David Vitter (R) delivered a message that stunned aides to Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D), who were frantically managing the catastrophe that began two days earlier when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.
White House senior adviser Karl Rove wanted it conveyed that he understood that Blanco was requesting that President Bush federalize the evacuation of New Orleans. The governor should explore legal options to impose martial law 'or as close as we can get,' Vitter quoted Rove as saying, according to handwritten notes by Terry Ryder, Blanco's executive counsel."
(WASHINGTON POST)

KIDS SCARED STRAIGHT
A Moscow wax figure exhibition highlights the dangers of drugs by showing such things as the corpse of a glue sniffer. If this won't scare your kids nothing will.
(MOSCOW NEWS)

BOYCOTT SONY CDS, THEIR SUBSIDIARIES AND BEWARE OF BEST BUY
On November 16, 2005 Sony announced that it had instructed retailers to remove any unsold music discs containing the rootkit software from their shelves.CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO THAT STORY This came on the heels of a firestorm of controversy and criticism from no less than the Department of Homeland Security. CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO THAT STORY
I went to the local Best Buy yesterday (26th) and purchased a few CDs. I have been avoiding Sony CDs because of the latest hoopla. However, when I took my purchases home I noticed an acknowledgement to Sony/BMG on the liner notes to Carlos (Mr Free Spirit himself) Santana's newest Arista album. Apparently Sony has put this software on their other labels. Had I not read the liner notes prior to putting the CD in my machine it would have infected it. And, what is Best Buy doing selling recalled (if the recall extends to Arista) materials?