Early afternoon anyway.

Some investment advice - Louisville (-4) over Michigan, 6 units (+26 units for MM.) Soccer bonus - ManU pick over ManCity.

Open Thread.

Ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has died. The BBC is providing live coverage of the world's reaction.

She died after suffering a stroke at the Ritz Hotel, where she had been staying since December. She was 87.

She was Britain's first female Prime Minister, and served in that capacity from 1979 to 1990.

R.I.P.

A US airstrike in Afghanistan yesterday targeting a Taliban leader killed 11 children. Also yesterday, 6 Americans including a young female diplomat were killed in a suicide bombing:

The battle unfolded on Saturday, the same day that a total of six Americans, including three U.S. soldiers, died in violent attacks. In addition to the U.S. adviser killed during the operation in the east, two others — a female foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department and an employee with the U.S. Defense Department — died in a suicide bombing in southern Zabul province during a trip to donate books to Afghan students.

The war is in its 12th year, and this was one of the most violent weeks to date.

There are about 100,000 international troops currently in Afghanistan, including 66,000 from the United States. The U.S. troop total is scheduled to drop to about 32,000 by early next year.

More on the Americans killed here.

There is college basketball today. My interest is purely investment related: Louisville (-10) (3 units), Michigan (-2) (5 units.)

31-23 ATS, +24 units for MM.

Open Thread.

Busy day for me. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

President Obama's new budget is likely to include cuts to Medicare and Social Security. About the only details being leaked are:

• a change in the way inflation is calculated which is likely to result in social security recipients receiving less
• cuts in payments to medical providers and drug companies (which will mean fewer doctors for the elderly, a group that is rapidly increasing in size)
• Medicare premiums will be higher for those in upper income brackets.

In exchange for the cuts, Obama is said to be demanding Republicans agree to the tax increases he proposed last year, including higher taxes for wealthier Americans.

Another Obama suggestion: More taxes on cigarettes to cover making pre-kindergarten free nationwide.

George Zimmerman's lawyers have filed a petition for writ of cert in the 5th District Court of Appeals (available here) seeking to overturn the trial court's denial of its request to depose Martin family lawyer Benjamin Crump about his interview with Witness 8, the young woman who claims to have been on the phone with Trayvon Martin minutes before the shooting.

The 43 page petition is supported by a 271 page appendix which includes several transcripts as well as pleadings.

I think Zimmerman should win based on the waiver argument alone. I also don't think Crump comes close to being an "opposing counsel" in the case. In a criminal case, there are two parties: the Defendant and the State. Crump represents the family of the deceased -- that shouldn't make him opposing counsel. Nor does he represent Witness 8. Even if he were "opposing counsel, O'Mara explains why that doesn't prevent his deposition from being taken on the Witness 8 issue. [More...]

I'll be offline for several hours. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Update: Forgot to mention, for those disappointed Richie Sambora won't be playing the upcoming leg of the tour with Bon Jovi, Phil X is filling in. He subbed for Richie in 2011 for a few months and is great. Here's a video. Bon Jovi's brother Matthew tweets the TMZ story about a feud is way off. No one has yet explained the "personal issues" involved, other than Sambora is clearly not in rehab. In Calgary, Bon Jovi told the audience he didn't know Richie wouldn't be coming until he got a phone call at 3:30 pm that day. He'll be missed, but it's still well worth keeping your tickets and seeing the show.

Again, this is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Not long ago, in response to Aaron Swartz' suicide, a bill was proposed to ease the draconian penalties for cyberhacking.

That has not stopped DOJ from supporting an alternative bill, now under consideration, that would increase penalties. A copy of the bill is here.

DOJ has been pushing increased penalties for cyberhacking for some time. See the 2011 Statement of Deputy Section Chief Richard Downing Before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. Details of the current law are in this 2010 Congressional Research Services report.

Via CNet, the DEA is complaining it can't access Apple iMessages with a pen register or wiretap order. Here's the text of the memo CNET obtained:

In 2011, Apple® Inc. developed iMessage®, an instant messaging service capable of sending plain text, pictures, movies, locations, and contacts. On February 21, 2013, the DEA San Jose Resident Office (SJRO) learned that text messages sent v1a iMessages® between Apple products (iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch®, and iMao:ID) are not captured by pen register, trap and trace devices, or Title Ill interceptions. iMessages between two Apple devices are considered encrypted communication and cannot be intercepted, regardless of the cell phone service provider.

[More...]

Former CFO of Enron Jeff Skilling may get his sentence cut appreciably if a deal under consideration between his lawyers and DOJ goes through.

DOJ has sent a written notice to victims:

"The Department of Justice is considering entering into a sentencing agreement with the defendant in this matter...."Such a sentencing agreement could restrict the parties and the Court from recommending, arguing for, or imposing certain sentences or conditions of confinement. It could also restrict the parties from challenging certain issues on appeal, including the sentence ultimately imposed by the Court at a future sentencing hearing."

Skilling, who has served six years, has yet to be resentenced following his appeal that tossed a few counts. He is currently scheduled for release in 2028. Will the deal be for time served?

Both Skilling and Blagojevich are serving their sentences at FCI Englewood. Blagojevich is scheduled for release in 2024. I wonder if they are pals.

Details of Skilling's original sentence here. Posts explaining the ensuing twists and turns are assembled here .

Hours before President Obama arrives to give a speech advocating gun control, more than a dozen Colorado sheriffs held a rally supporting gun rights.

"While these dedicated county sheriffs stand here publicly for the rights of their citizens, the president later today will be hiding behind the walls at the Denver Police Academy, surrounding with a handpicked audience of gun-control supporters and police employees coerced (into attending) his political rally as he declares victory for the Denver Gov. John Hickenlooper," Smith added.

Smith accused Obama and fellow Democrats of exploiting the tragedies of deadly shooting rampages at an Aurora movie theater and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. He said a package of Colorado gun control legislation recently passed by Democratic lawmakers and signed by Hickenlooper would not have prevented those mass shootings.

Colorado just passed new gun control laws last week. Obama is trying to drum up support for changes to federal laws. I doubt he'll get it from Republicans here.