Dame Eliza said intelligence often
did not amount to clear evidence

MI5 head warns on civil liberties

She said the suicide bomb attacks in London in July were a "shock", and that the MI5 and police were "disappointed we had not been able to prevent them".
[...]

Legal answers for New Orleans residents

Law experts weigh in on where authorities, citizens stand

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A catastrophe such as Hurricane Katrina has shown how lines of authority can become blurred when it comes to handling an emergency. CNN spoke with a number of legal experts to discuss the law governing the removal of residents from New Orleans.

Q. Has martial law been declared in Louisiana?

A. No.

"People are using that term far too loosely," said Duke University School of Law professor Scott Silliman. "Martial law can only be imposed by a governor or the president of the United States when there is a total absence of any governing authority (meaning no courts, etc). Martial law allows the federal military to come in to preserve the country."

This has not happened.

Q. Who declares the authority to forcibly remove residents in New Orleans?

A. Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco.

The governor is given broad authority under the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act. It allows her to "direct and compel" the evacuation of all or part of the population from any stricken or threatened area within the state if life is at stake or if such evacuation is necessary for the mitigation of, response to, and recovery from a disaster.

A public health emergency prompted Gov. Blanco to declare a state of emergency on August 29, 2005. The declaration allows her to use the National Guard for purposes including law enforcement. Note that she does not have the power to use federal troops; only the National Guard. This police power is always found in state law and can be used for public health emergencies when lives are in danger. Gov. Blanco also has the authority to direct New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to use the National Guard and police to forcibly remove New Orleans residents because of the public health dangers arising from toxic waters, Silliman said.

Q. Does Mayor Nagin also have authority to remove New Orleans residents by force?

A. Yes.

The Louisiana Homeland Security Act gives essentially the same power to parish presidents -- the mayor of New Orleans is deemed the president of Orleans Parish -- as it does to the governor. According to University of Pittsburgh School of Law professor Bernard Hibbitts, parish presidents may "direct and compel the evacuation of all or part of the population from any stricken or threatened area within the boundaries of the parish if he deems this action necessary for mitigation, response or recovery measures."

The mayor's powers seem a bit more narrow than the governor's (no reference to "preservation of life"), but it's enough for Mayor Nagin to remove residents.

The act also says the parish president can control access to and from the affected area. Nagin relied on this act when enforcing his September 6 evacuation order.

Q. What happens if a resident refuses to leave his/her home?

A. Once either the mayor or the governor has issued a mandatory evacuation order, an individual could be arrested or removed from the scene, said Kenneth Murchison, law professor at Louisiana State University. In addition, Louisiana law appears to make a violation of the order a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum $500 fine or a maximum six month prison term in the parish jail.

Obviously, only the force permissible to make a misdemeanor arrest would be allowed, he said.

The district attorney would then have to decide whether to prosecute or to dismiss the charges.

While either the mayor or the governor could order the arrest and removal of people who violate an evacuation order, practically speaking, only the governor could accomplish this in New Orleans. The only law enforcement officers that the mayor controls are the New Orleans police, nearly a third of which are missing right now.

By contrast, the governor controls and commands the state police and the National Guard (even those from other states).

But, Murchison said, "It is inconceivable to me that a thousand or so police officers could arrest and remove the number of people who are said to be in New Orleans in less than a matter of weeks. Even if the governor wanted to force the people out, she would have to devote a substantial portion of her National Guard resources for an extended period of time. Of course, if most people leave without being arrested, either the police or the National Guard could probably remove a couple of hundred (survivors) in a relatively short period of time."

Q. Is there legal recourse for residents who refuse to leave?

A. In theory, if people refuses to be removed, they can go into a court and demand their right not to be removed, said Silliman. But, generally, "the police power of the state trumps an individual's right when there is a public health emergency." [...]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/08/martial.law.qanda/index.html

I guarantee you that when these bad acts were passed into law, not one of the residents that are now being forcibly removed from their homes paid a single bit of attention. They were too busy drinking, dancing and throwing necklaces over each other while the state removed what remained of thier rights.

And then, after taking away these rights, the state collects the money of the people who they have stripped, and spends it on overseas imperialist adventures instead of shoring up defences. When the biggest of disasters arrives, the state does nothing, and treats the citizens like cattle.

The state does this because it can. While people blow on trumpets in the street, dance jigs and party party party, the state has a free hand to do what it wants with the money of the sheeple who reside in these places. They have no rights left, no property, and the government is giving them all $2000 each as a pat on the head. They should of course, be totally refunded by the state for all the money that they paid for services and infrastructure, which would amount to far more than $2000.

Perhaps they should all pool these funds together and sue everyone in charge for gross negligence...after a few mint juleps.

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Without such measures, European states would be fighting terrorism "with both hands tied behind our backs", he said.

How on earth can you have both hands behind your back when you have your hands covering your eyes, your fingers in your ears and also covering your mouth?

George Osborne says the Tories have not won tax trust

Tory shadow chancellor George Osborne is set to make the case for a "flat tax" where is there only one tax rate.

Mr Osborne says the Conservatives have failed to win public trust over pledges of tax cuts because they too often look like "election gimmicks".

Eastern European countries particularly have a "flat tax" where all income over a certain threshold is taxed at the same rate.

In a speech in London, Mr Osborne will say the Tories must examine the idea.

He is expected to appoint an independent commission to look at having "flatter" taxes and even a "pure flat tax" in the UK.

Because, you know, we want to make this society even more stratified. Whoever says it favours the rich is a pinko leftist commie enemy of freedom!!!!@# *foams at the mouth*

What are Audio1 Services?

Audio1 is a web site that features music by independent and underground artists doing alternative music from all over the world. We write about the music and arrange it so you can find what you're looking for in our ever-growing catalog. So basically we are a link between those who make alternative music and those who want to buy it.

What you'll probably notice right away (we hope) is the quality of the music. What makes us different from other MP3 sites is our editorial focus. It's our goal to feature only the best music out there. We devote a lot of our energy to searching for stuff that's worth your time, so you don't have to.

Audio1 is a place to discover great new music. If you browse through the site, we're sure you will not leave without buying a track that you like.

Is Audio1 a Legal Service?

All the music downloads you purchase from Audio1 are legal, so long as you comply with our Terms of Use. We only sell music that has been legally licensed for sale to the general public for personal use.

The Audio1 Services are licensed in accordance with the Licensing Agreement and the License # LS-3M-04-164, issued by the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society. All respective copyrights owners, including songwriters, authors, composers, artists, music publishers and recording companies are fully compensated through the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society (www.roms.ru), which in accordance with the Law of the Russian Federation "On Copyright and Related Rights" is entitled to issue licenses on behalf of different copyright owners and pay them license fees.

Does above-mentioned License cover 100% Audio1 Downloading Services?

Yes. In accordance with the Law of the Russian Federation “On Copyrights and Related Rights” (art.45, clause 3) the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society is entitled to represent and act on behalf of all respective copyright owners in issuing licenses for any copyrighted works. To know more, please click here >>

[...]

Can I share downloded music with my friends?

No. File sharing is not only illegal, it is damaging to the authors who worked hard to create it, as well as to the music industry as a whole. Once you have downloaded music to your computer, it is for your personal use only.

You've smelt it, wafting sweetly across the park, floating over the fence from the pumping party next door, rising to greet you off the plane at Schiphol Airport. Is that a hint of pine? With an undertone of blackberry? Ah, yes, it's the unmistakable complexity of gourmet cannabis.

For an emerging generation of herb elitists, the generic skunk sold on street corners - the plonk of the cannabis world - no longer hits the spot. These media executives, creative professionals and party people choose to have their executive brain functions impaired by only the best brands of cannabis: AK47, Charas, Kali Mist - vintage weeds that represent the summit of 25 years of selective breeding and artisan horticulture.

"Why fly economy?" says Samuel, 34, who works as a graphic designer for the music industry. "Connoisseur varieties are for those who want to smoke but don't want to be monged out or fall unconscious under a radiator." He regularly buys Northern Lights and Charas from a specialist London dealer who delivers via moped, his wares lovingly clingfilmed and neatly compartmentalised in a plastic toolbox.

At £150-£200 per ounce it's not cheap, but for Samuel high-grade weed is a marker of taste. Bringing crisp, silver-tufted, hand-rolled Northern Lights to a party gets him attention. Even bringing it to work can be productive. "You can get things done on this kind of weed," he says. "Deals, creative work, sharing ideas. It dissolves egos and makes everyone happy."

Cannabis growing techniques have reached a level of artistry on a par with the wine industry. The two main plant varieties - Cannabis sativa and indica - have been rarefied and crossbred into hundreds of exotic strains. Each has its own look, taste, and quality of high. A recent upsurge in home growing have made these rarer varieties more widely available. Specialist dealers have stepped in. A thriving "cannaseur" marketplace is blossoming.

Yearly crops are considered with the same scrutiny as a wine buff might give a fine Alsatian white. Good vintage? Organically grown? Properly handled? How does it taste? Citrus? Peppery? Fruity?

The buzz, though, is key. A cannaseur knows the difference between getting stoned and getting high - and savours it. The effects of a good ganja transcend the heavy, mindless "stoner" effects of street weed. Cerebral, lively, trippy, the four-hour high set off by a supreme cannabis produces emotional qualities usually reserved for key life moments. [...]

???!!!

I had to do a double take to make sure where I started reading this really was where I was reading it.

3 entries found for black sheep.

1. A sheep with black fleece.
2. A member of a family or other group who is considered undesirable or disreputable.
   

The Public Value of Science