Diebold is trying to charge a county $40,000 for testing its voting machines. Jackasses.

From the Boston Globe:

WASHINGTON — When President Bush signed the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act this month, he included an addendum saying that he did not feel obliged to obey requirements that he inform Congress about how the FBI was using the act’s expanded police powers. The bill contained several oversight provisions intended to make sure the FBI did not abuse the special terrorism-related powers to search homes and secretly seize papers. The provisions require Justice Department officials to keep closer track of how often the FBI uses the new powers and in what type of situations. Under the law, the administration would have to provide the information to Congress by certain dates. Bush signed the bill with fanfare at a White House ceremony March 9, calling it ”a piece of legislation that’s vital to win the war on terror and to protect the American people.” But after the reporters and guests had left, the White House quietly issued a ”signing statement,” an official document in which a president lays out his interpretation of a new law. In the statement, Bush said that he did not consider himself bound to tell Congress how the Patriot Act powers were being used and that, despite the law’s requirements, he could withhold the information if he decided that disclosure would ”impair foreign relations, national security, the deliberative process of the executive, or the performance of the executive’s constitutional duties.”

We have separation of powers for a reason. When will the people wake up to what evil this administration is doing? The biggest threat to the US since 9/11 has never been Bin Laden; it’s Bush and his imperial presidency.

From security expert Bruce Schneier’s weblog, and also Wired:

It seems like every time someone tests airport security, airport security fails. In tests between November 2001 and February 2002, screeners missed 70 percent of knives, 30 percent of guns and 60 percent of (fake) bombs. And recently (see also this), testers were able to smuggle bomb-making parts through airport security in 21 of 21 attempts. It makes you wonder why we’re all putting our laptops in a separate bin and taking off our shoes. (Although we should all be glad that Richard Reid wasn’t the “underwear bomber.”)

Go read this. MM is the only source of “fair and balanced” media criticism you’ll find.

But that doesn’t make this any less funny: Franz Ferdinand Frontman Shot By Gavrilo Princip Bassist. From today’s Onion, natch:

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND — Lead singer and guitarist for pop band Franz Ferdinand, Alexander Kapranos, is in critical condition today after being shot by a man identified as the bassist for rock group Gavrilo Princip. “We ask fans to cooperate with Interpol to find the assailant, and call upon British Sea Power, Snow Patrol, and The Postal Service for help,” drummer Paul Thompson told music magazine NME Monday. “The suspect had links to The Decemberists and The Libertines, and we are following up on all leads.” It is unclear whether the shooting was linked to The Polyphonic Spree’s invasion of Belgium earlier this week.

The Post has utterly caved to the right, who keep whining about nonexistent liberal bias, by hiring a right-wing blogger. There are no progressive bloggers employed by the Post; just this guy on the right. Josh has more (see link), as does Media Matters here and here.

Cops up there made a sweep of 36 bars last week wherein they arrested about 30 people on charges of public intoxication. Inside the bars. Their rationale? These people might drive later. That one of the bars was a hotel bar, and at least some of the arrested persons were registered there, is apparently irrelevant.

What jackasses. Somebody fire these thugs. More via The Agitator<a/>.

However, it’s probably only hard because, at least in the corporate world, “PR” means “LIES.”

Someone at the Post got an amusing release from some flack somewhere about the valuable role funeral directors will play in the event of a mass fatality event. (I am not making this up.) Post reporter calls back for clarification, and transcribes conversation. Madcap hilarity ensues. (Local Copy)

Marvel and DC are asserting that they own, jointly, the rights to the term “super-hero.”

The marines are tracking down Vietnam-era deserters, presumably to emphasize to the current force that desertion isn’t an option.

The prosecution may well have totally screwed any chance of the so-called 20th hijacker getting the death penalty.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 13 — The sentencing trial of Zacarias Moussaoui teetered on the brink of a mistrial today, as the judge in the case angrily said she might spare him the death penalty following the disclosure that a government lawyer had improperly coached some witnesses. “In all my years on the bench, I’ve never seen a more egregious violation of the rule about witnesses,” Judge Leonie M. Brinkema said.

Shouldn’t this be a slam dunk? Isn’t Moussaoui (a) barking mad and (b) representing himself? They can’t win under those circumstances, so they have to CHEAT, even knowing what the stakes are? Wow.

More here.

They’re going ahead with the RFID passport scheme despite grave concerns about its security. Trust us: we Heathen know from RFID, and this is a bad idea. A very bad idea.

Catholic Charities in Boston will stop helping to place ANY foster children in permanent homes rather than facilitate same-sex adoption.

The controversy began in October when the Globe reported that Catholic Charities had been quietly processing a small number of gay adoptions, despite Vatican statements condemning the practice. Over the last decades, the Globe reported, approximately 13 children had been placed by Catholic Charities in gay households, a fraction of the 720 children placed by the agency during that period.

Yeah, you read that right; 13 out of 720. They’re willing to bail on the 707 to keep from helping the baker’s dozen. Nice move, kids. Clearly, dogma is more important than compassion, though we Heathen think your ultimate boss may disagree.