Ernie the Attorney writes about the three stages of blogging awareness. Joi Ito has the 4th stage and a test to see if you're there:

4) Oh, no. I'm addicted to blogging...

You are addicted to blogging if you answer "yes" to at least 3 of the following questions:

Do you think about everything in terms of whether it will make a good blog entry?

Do you keep your computer in standby mode beside your bed and wake up at 2am to blog?

Do you skip lunch and blog instead?

Do you accept speaking engagements or make travel decisions based on whether they will make good blog material?

Do you have your RSS newsreader open during meetings and keep hitting "refresh"?

Do you sit around trying to figure out how you can redesign your job so you can blog more?

Do you think blogs will suddenly cause an emergent democracy and save the world?

How did you all do? No surprise, we're there.

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is gearing up for a 2006 gubernatorial bid. [link via Political Wire.]

"Coloradans who clear criminal background checks and pass training courses on handgun use would qualify for permits to carry concealed weapons under a law approved Monday in the state Senate."

"Sheriffs would be required to issue permits to anyone who met all of the qualifications. Current law allows police chiefs and sheriffs to determine who should get permits."

"Senate Bill 24 was one of two gun measures that won Senate support despite vocal objections by gun critics, who said the bills would cripple the ability of cities to keep guns off their streets and out of venues from parks to hospitals."

"The second bill, Senate Bill 25, won final approval on an 18-16 vote and now goes to the House. It bars local governments from enacting ordinances that conflict with federal or state statutes on the sale, purchase or possession of guns. It also allows the carrying of guns in cars for legal purposes within jurisdictions - a provision in direct conflict with current Denver law."

Denver has joined the list of cities that have passed anti-war resolutions. The vote was 7-3.

113 U.S. cities and counties have now passed resolutions opposing the war--you can view the list here.

Gary Hart will be speaking twice tomorrow at the University of Virginia. It's a new speech addressing means of restoring idealism in America. It's not about foreign policy or war. We've read an advance copy, and think it once again shows that Hart offers something different than the other candidates for President. After 8:00 pm tomorrow, you can read it on Hart's website. Here are the details:

"Restoration of the Republic"
4:15 PM — Student Legal Forum
Caplin Pavilion
University of Virginia School of Law
Charlottesville, VA

February 26, 2003:
"Restoration of the Republic"
8:30 PM — Jefferson Society
Jefferson Hall
West Range, University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA

On March 4, Hart will be speaking on the economy in Los Angeles.

Update: Hart's latest comment about his possible presidential bid came at a speech in Denver Monday: "I haven't put together an exploratory committee or raised any money, although I might do that pretty soon," he said."

A website has been established to help free William Mayo. The site relates that Mayo received two life sentences for armed robbery, two twenty year sentences for aggravated assauult and twenty years probation for burglary. He was convicted in Cobb County, Georgia.

There was no murder or serious injury associated with this case. William Mayo has never been arrested or been in any trouble with the law and was 3 credits shy of graduating from Morehouse College in Atlanta. The co-defendents are still incarcerated and are now willing to interview with all media sources to help re-establish the life and liberty that William J. Mayo lost.
On this page you will learn how William Mayo was accomplishing so much in his life, but the one thing he was so proud to do for others would forever change his life. William Mayo was a productive, educated, black male with much determination and only hard work and accomplishments of excellence in his background!

How was an Innocent Man found guilty? On this page you will learn about a trial that didn't have a competent Defense Attorney and a Prosecutor who would do anything to win. The two co-defendants testified with a lie and have stated that in an affidavit and witnesses who testified for the prosecution had shady backgrounds and many different names.

The media is still very interested in William's story but as of November 2002 he has been banned from any further interviews. This we believe was due to the attention of the John Walsh Show.

This website was created by the supporters of William Jonathan Mayo. We encourage you to look through this site and learn about the tragedy of a man who is now living in a hell we just could not imagine for a crime he did not commit.

We wish Mr. Mayo and his supporters the best and are offering a link to the website for anyone who is interested and may want to assist them.

Along with yesterday's arrest and Indictment of internet drug paraphernalia sellers (Operation Pipe Dreams), the Justice Department has seized the sellers' websites and redirected them to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The article with this information apparently appeared on Voice of America, but we can't locate it yet. If you find the link, please post it in the comments section. Here's what we are being told from a reliable source:

State and federal authorities recently conducted raids of various companies and individuals that sell "drug paraphernalia", such as pipes and related materials. Pipes, etc were seized along with their websites.

According to a Voice of America article, Mr. Ashcroft says they plan to redirect the seized websites to to the DEA website.

"Mr. Ashcroft says customers who want to visit some of their favorite drug paraphernalia websites are in for a big surprise in the days ahead. They will be automatically redirected to the website for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration."

In essence the DEA is going to usurp the freedom of speech and expression of the people who run those seized websites. This would be akin to the U.S. Dept of Justice redirecting the "aclu.org" website to the "usdoj.gov" website.

And then there are the serious privacy issues involved if the DEA redirects the seized websites, since they'll be logging all visitors, obtaining their IP address and other highly personal information.

Bottom line is this is a serious issue and if the DEA is able to do this, they could potentially redirect ANY website -remember that the owners of the websites seized have NOT been convicted of any crime."

This takes asset forfeiture to a new and very chilling level.

Update: Here is the VOA article, courtesy of Andy X at In the Land of the Blind.

Confirmation also from the Boston Globe.

Four former bosses (middle managers) at Qwest Communications have been indicted on fraud and conspiracy charges. Qwest issued this statement.

Qwest continues in its efforts to cooperate with the government in connection with the investigations. Fundamental to the Spirit of Service is complete integrity in all we do. As a company and as individual employees, we hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards as we conduct our business."

Today's bail hearing for the professor accused of terrorism charges was continued until next month . He will remain in custody until then.

In his first statement since his arrest, delivered through his daughter, Professor Sami Al-Arian's says his arrest is due to hysteria over 9-11.

"I'm crucified today because of who I am, a stateless Palestinian, an Arab and Muslim, an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights," wrote the tenured computer engineering professor, who has long denied ties to terrorists. "I'm a prisoner because of the hysteria engulfing this country in the aftermath of the 9-11 tragedy, and because there are very powerful political groups which are thirsty for my blood. I'm not the enemy, but the forces of exclusion and intolerance are."

Received from NORML: Protest Ashcroft's "Operation Pipe Dreams":

Recently the federal government has implemented "Operation Pipe Dreams" and "Operation Headhunter," which have resulted in the indictment of at least 50 online paraphernalia distributors.

At a time when our nation is at an elevated risk of a terror attack, it is
preposterous that the U.S. Justice Department would waste limited federal
law enforcement resources chasing after sellers of products such as roach
clips and rolling papers, products which are legally sold at tobacco stored
all across America. These businesses pay taxes and do not in any way
contribute to the crime problem in America. To target them at this time
shows a total lack of understanding as to which risks truly threaten the
health, welfare and safety of America's citizens.

It is time for the Justice Department to reassess its priorities and stop
wasting federal law enforcement resources on such trivial endeavors. Federal
efforts would undoubtedly be better served keeping a bomb out of the hands
of Al Queda than keeping a bong out of the hands of a marijuana smoker.

Please take five minutes to write John Ascroft and tell him to shut down
"Operation Pipe Dreams" and "Operation Headhunter" by visiting here:

Remember Bernadette Devlin? We sure do. Don't miss Lisa English of Ruminate This who today delves into Devlin's recent deportation, wondering if it has anything to do with her current criticism of the war with Iraq.

What a great resource! Check out Flex Your Rights aimed at helping you know and protect your rights during police encounters. We really like the graphic too.
[link via Dan Dodson, Media Affairs Director for NACDL]

Mission Statement: "Flex Your Rights is a nonprofit, educational organization working to train individuals to protect their civil liberties during police encounters. To do this we use creative and interactive teaching methods to provide a hands-on understanding of how the protections afforded by the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution can apply to real-life police encounters. "