It’s got everything a fascist dictator might want in a law.

A new provision tucked into the Patriot Act bill now before Congress would allow authorities to haul demonstrators at any “special event of national significance” away to jail on felony charges if they are caught breaching a security perimeter.

[The] measure…would extend the authority of the Secret Service to allow agents to arrest people who willingly or knowingly enter a restricted area at an event, even if the president or other official normally protected by the Secret Service isn’t in attendance at the time.

(via Nathan Newman)

The Committee to Protect Journalists lists 61 reporters killed in Iraq, 13 killed by the US.

Iraq, the most dangerous place for journalists in 2005, also became the deadliest conflict for the media in CPJ’s 24-year history. A total of 60 journalists have been killed on duty in Iraq from the beginning of the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003 through the end of 2005. The toll surpasses the 58 journalists killed in the Algerian conflict from 1993 to 1996.

Reporters without borders lists 79 dead.

I wonder if this recent serious wounding of Bob Woodruff will finally make people notice?

…but I guess everyone has their snapping point. Jaquandor doesn’t usually snarl at people, but he’s done a fine takedown of wingnut stupidity.

What tipped him over? Jonah Goldberg. I can’t blame him—I studiously avoid NRO’s corner because it reminds me too painfully of how idiotic some people can be. The NRO gang are just freepers with Buckleyesque pretensions.

If this sell-out goes down, you can call me an utterly disaffected Democrat. I’ve been a voting Democrat since 1976, but if this current gang of slimy myxomycetes can’t even coagulate together enough fiber to fight Alito, they aren’t my party anymore. I wrote to Howard Dean, to Mark Dayton (I even stooped to writing to Norm Coleman…I know, it was a waste of time, but he is one of my senators. I was being thorough)—I told them all it wasn’t enough to just vote “no” on Alito, I want them to fight against the imperial presidency and for women’s rights.

I’m in complete agreement with David Neiwert. Last chance, Democratic party. Show me you are going to fight for my interests, or goodbye, and you can stop asking me for donations. Anybody know anything about the Green Party here? Or are they a bunch of blithering incompetents, too?

I wonder if the organizers at Yearly Kos are going to retract my invitation if I show up to snarl at Harry Reid.

Georgetown.

…boy, they’ve got some smart college students down there.

The speakers for the science panel at the Yearly Kos convention have been announced, and they are Chris Mooney, some goofy guy named PZ, and Wendy Northcutt. We’re going to Vegas! Since I only drink in moderation, never gamble, and the only showgirl I want to see is my wife (who will be coming along), I’m not going to have much to do other than castigate wobbly Democrats, and maybe argue with those annoying progressive Christians. There better be some firebreathing, let me tell you…the only magic show I want to see is a bunch of Democrats with spines, and skip the animal tamers—I want to see some fierce beasts breaking loose.