Like thousands of others, I've been confused about whether to get XM or Sirius or neither. I've been leaning towards XM, and then I stop and ask myself what do I need either for? I can listen to Air America on local radio, I don't spend that much time in the car, and I can watch the news on cable. But I think I just found my reason, and my network.

Legendary folk rocker Bob Dylan will start a new career as a radio DJ when he launches a new weekly music show on XM Satellite Radio next March.... "Dylan will offer regular commentary on music and other topics, host and interview special guests including other artists and will take emails from XM subscribers," XM said.

The full text of the pending Patriot Act renewal legislation, along with the report from the Republicans on the Conference Committee, is available here. [link fixed.]The Table of Contents lists the following provisions specifically impacting Drug Policy.

• Sec. 122. Prohibition of narco-terrorism.
• Sec. 221. Elimination of procedures applicable only to certain Controlled Substances Act cases. (Death Penalty)
• Sec. 410. Uniform procedures for criminal forfeiture.
• TITLE VII--COMBAT METHAMPHETAMINE EPIDEMIC ACT OF 2005 (Sections
  701-756)

Also check out Section 201 which contains the``Terrorist Death Penalty Enhancement Act of 2005''. Sec. 222 adds a new section on indigent defense in death cases (which will now be under 18 USC 3599 in Title 28) instead of 21 USC 848 (q.) Hopefully, they didn't diminish funding.

Background on the use of the Patriot Act to fight the drug war is here. Much of this is the work of Congressman James Sensenbrenner who has become, in my constitutionally protected opinion, a national menace (read about his five years for passing a joint bill and "snitch or go to jail" bills.) As TChris wrote, it's time to Just Say No to Sensenbrenner.

by TChris

Two law professors, Goodwin Liu and Lynsay Skiba, have authored a white paper (pdf) for the indispensable American Constitution Society, exploring Judge Alito�s approach to death penalty reviews during his tenure on the Court of Appeals. Here�s a synopsis (received via email):

In their paper, "Judge Alito and the Death Penalty," Liu and Skiba examine in detail the five capital cases in which Judge Alito disagreed with his colleagues during his tenure on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Liu and Skiba note that Judge Alito has voted to uphold a death sentence in each of these five capital cases. They conclude that, in doing so, Judge Alito "dilute[ed] norms of basic fairness" by taking controversial positions outside-the- mainstream of judicial thought. After noting the implications of both Judge Alito's judicial methodology and his ideology for his jurisprudence relating to the death penalty and the War on Terror, Liu and Skiba propose a series of specific questions that they suggest Senators on the Judiciary Committee pose to the nominee during the upcoming hearings on his nomination.

by TChris

TalkLeft wrote here about Cory Maye, a man who shot a police officer in the middle of the night, after the officer broke down Maye's door, believing Maye was a drug dealer. The cop's mistake (the dealer lived next door) and his aggressive approach to search warrant executions led to his tragic death, but Maye is black and the cop (son of the police chief) was white, so a Mississippi jury found Maye guilty of murder. Maye is facing a death sentence for doing nothing more than protecting his family from a perceived intruder.

TalkLeft credited Radley Balko at the Agitator for pursuing this story. Today, the Public Eye at CBS News reviews the reactions of other bloggers to Maye's case and asks whether the mainstream media will follow the blogosphere in reporting this important story.

Will it? This isn't a story about an attractive white girl gone missing in Aruba, so the answer is: don't count on it.

by TChris

When Sen. Frist was last strutting about, threatening Democrats with the “nuclear option” if they even thought about filibustering a Bush nominee to a federal judgeship, Republicans seemed to hold unassailable power. These days, Frist’s threats seem hollow. In the words of our prophetic president: “Bring it on.” Democrats may finally have developed the backbone to fight against the Republican tactic of changing rules they don’t like.

Minutes after the Senate returned from a three-week vacation [Sen.] Byrd challenged Frist, a Tennessee Republican, in an unusually pointed floor debate.

"If the senator wants a fight, let him try. I'm 88 years old but I can still fight and fight I will for freedom of speech," Byrd said.

by TChris

Senators who oppose a “compromise” that would extend the Patriot Act’s most obnoxious provisions are finding support from editorialists around the country. The San Jose Mercury News reminds readers that "[t]he right to privacy -- the right of ordinary citizens to be free from government snooping -- is paramount to America's democracy, and a handful of provisions in the anti-terrorism law ride roughshod over it." The Vacaville Reporter complains that the proposed revision “still doesn't go far enough to protect individual liberties.” The Honolulu Star-Bulletin urges Congress to allow provisions to expire that infringe on people's liberties.

by TChris

European investigators suspect that prisoners once secretly detained by the CIA in Europe are now being held in North Africa. Senator Dick Marty, who leads the Council of Europe investigation, says it is “still too early to say if there has been any involvement or complicity of member states in illegal actions.” If member countries permitted the CIA to hold detainees “without judicial involvement,” Marty warns that “the member states would stand accused of having seriously breached their human rights obligations to the Council of Europe.” (TalkLeft coverage of the rendition program is collected here.)

by TChris

More details are available today regarding torture at the Iraqi Interior Ministry’s detention centers. Yesterday’s disclosure of the torture is discussed here.

Prisoners had their bones broken and their fingernails pulled out, were subjected to electric shocks and had burning cigarettes crushed into their necks and backs, said the Iraqi official. A 13th detainee there was starved to "bones and skin," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

More than 120 prisoners in two detention centers have been abused or tortured, according to U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad.

What are you thinking about today? If you feel like talking about it, here's some space.

Update: 12:37 am Stanley "Tookie" Williams is dead. He went to his death at 51 years of age. Rest in peace, Stanley "Tookie" Williams. A press conference will begin shortly, with reports from the warden and the media visitors. Here it is (live blogged):

Steve Lopez, LA Times: He came in without resistence, shortly after 12, he was helped onto a converted dentist's chair. He gave no resistance at any point. He lifted his head several times to look at people. He was declared dead at 12:35.

Reporter Two: There was a problem with the second IV, he grimaced at the difficulty. At 12:22, a female guard announced it would begin. So it was a 13 or 14 minute actual execution. He breathed heavily, his stomach area rose several times, then his breathing slowed, and there was no movement.

Reporter Three: Has witnessed six executions, this one was different. Williams had supporters at the back of the room. When he was still conscious, they gave black power salutes to him. On their way out, they yelled "The state of California just killed an innocent man."

Reporter Four: Supporters blew kisses to him, whispered "I love you," "God bless you." He spoke a lot but they don't know what he was saying.

Jane at Firedoglake reports that Washington Post reporter Jim VandeHei dropped a bombshell on Hardball tonight. Crooks and Liars has the video. The money quote (via Lexis.com) from Vandehei:

We still don`t know exactly where Karl Rove originally learned about Valerie Plame. That`s still one of the mysteries. We know one of them he had heard it from Hadley as just sort of chatter inside the office, but he had learned it earlier from some other place. And we still don`t know where that is.

Like Jane, I don't remember anyone reporting previously that Rove learned of Valerie Plame Wilson (by any name) from Deputy National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley. But, it sounds right. [Update: Jane reports that Vandehei now says he misspoke on Hardball and meant to say Libby.] It's hard to believe they didn't discuss her, when Rove's e-mail to Hadley said "I didn't take the bait" and when they were both members of the White House Iraq Group.

A Florida Judge has ruled that even though proseuctors have obtained medical records from Rush Limbaughs' doctors, they cannot question the doctors about his medical condition or about what Rush may have told the doctors while they were treating him. Roy Black, Rush's lawyer, says:

We are pleased with the court's ruling upholding the patient's statutory right of doctor-patient confidentiality. We've said from the start that there was no doctor shopping but Mr. Limbaugh should not have to give up his right to doctor-patient confidentiality to prove his innocence.

The medical records that the State has seized and reviewed now for nearly six months show that Mr. Limbaugh received legitimate medical treatment for legitimate medical reasons. Mr. Limbaugh has not been charged with a crime and he should not be charged.

Congrats to Roy.