Adm. Dennis Blair, the former director of National Intelligence, speaking at the Aspen Security Forum this weekend, told the audience that it is virtually impossible for the feds to identify and prevent a lone wolf attack like James Holmes, Jared Laughner or the Fort Hood shooter, without severely curtailing civil liberties:

[T]here would need to be a higher level of surveillance and government agencies would have to share more information, which could contradict an individual’s right to privacy, Blair said. “The cost in civil liberties and privacy that we would have to pay to get our intelligence to that level would [be high],” Blair said.

Matthew Olsen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said there's a better way:

While there are 12,000 FBI agents, there are 2 million first responders, Olsen said. The government can help prevent the lone wolf attack by training those first responders on how to identify the potential threat, Olsen said. [More...]

Are you watching the Olympics or following Mitt Romney's latest foibles abroad?

Romney's latest problem at home: Americans just don't like him as much as they do Obama. Here are the Gallup-USA poll numbers.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Happy Birthday to Mick Jagger, who turned 69 on July 26.

There's not many groups that prompt lists of their top 100 songs. Among my personal favorites:

“Gimme Shelter“ (1969)
“You Can’t Always Get What You Want“ (1969)
“Sympathy for the Devil“ (1968)
“Street Fighting Man“ (1968)
"Dead Flowers" (1971)

[More...]

Opening ceremonies will be replayed on NBC tonight. Here's a recap from Reuters.

Who are you expecting to soar? What are the most anticipated events?

Here's a thread to talk about the Olympics.

Update: Absurd decision by NBC to make the opening portion of its Olympic coverage about security and the problems. Plus too many commercials and too much commentary. I'm already done watching -- 8 minutes.

Update: The judge will set a briefing schedule and hearing date on Monday for a newly filed new motion by the media to unseal the court file. The motion is jointly filed by a variety of local and news groups. With exhibits (which include orders from the unsuccessful Kobe Bryant and Perrish Cox prosecutions), it's 85 pages. As to their request to unseal the docket (called register of actions in Colorado courts) I think the argument is good. We should be able to know what was filed, even if the contents of the actual documents are sealed. I don't think every document filed in the case is deserving of sealing, and a showing should be made with each such request. That said, I hope the media doesn't prevail on its request for public access at this juncture to search warrant affidavits.

Lawyers for James Holmes, the suspect in the Aurora movie theater shootings, today filed this motion requesting discovery concerning the federal and state law enforcement agents who were were aware of or involved in the investigation of the package Holmes allegedly sent to a psychiatrist/professor at C.U., details of which were leaked to the media. [More...]

Via Balloon Juice, Jennifer Rubin:

The Obama campaign can’t bear the thought that the well-traveled Mitt Romney will make a nice impression on his overseas tour.

One less thing for the Obama campaign to worry about.

See also Daily Kos Radio, The Ministry of Truth Show, July 27.

Both Matt Yglesias and Kevin Drum simply ask the wrong questions with regard to the disastrous tenure of Tim Geithner as Treasury Secretary.

The startng point of the discussion is Neil Barofsky's criticisms of Geithner's refusal to consider measures that truly help homeowners and consumers if such measures in any way are opposed by the banks.

Using Ezra Klein's interview of Barofsky, Yglesias writes:

The opening ceremony of the Olympics is today.

Yesterday, Mitt Romney easily won the Upper Class Twit Olympics:

[10/15/2024) Embedded You Tube Video deleted due to DCMA complaint by Lumens saying it belongs to NBA]

Open Thread.

At the request of the district attorney, Arapahoe County Chief District Court Judge William Sylvester has ordered the University of Colorado not to turn over James Holmes' school records to the media. The media requested the records pursuant to Colorado open records law. The order is here.

In its motion, available here, the People disclosed some of the charges it will be filing against James Holmes. They include 12 counts of first degree murder, numerous counts of attempted murder and other charges.

Yesterday, the Judge granted a defense motion for law enforcement compliance with its order restricting extra-judicial comments: [More...]

The State's Attorney yesterday filed its 5th Supplemental Discovery notice, stating that pursuant to an earlier court order, it was releasing the names of five witnesses whose statements had previously been provided in redacted form. These are witnesses who appeared in the media and identified themselves. They include Brandy Green, Mary Cutcher and her roommate Selma Mora, Cheryl Brown and her son Austin McClendon, and Cynthia Wibker, former Homeowner Association Treasurer.

Today the state re-released 30 pages of witness statements with the witnesses names filled in. I have uploaded them here. Other witnesses are identified besides the 5 named above.

I think the state misidentified Cutcher and Mora's house number. The notice says it is 2031 Retreat View Circle instead of 2831 Retreat View Circle. 2031 RVC isn't in the first block of houses that back up to the shared path between houses where Trayvon Martin's body was found. I assume it's a typo. (Added: Or else they have moved, but the only address relevant to the case is the one they lived at on 2/26 and that is 2831 Retreat View Circle.)

I think the state should also have released the names of Chad, who has been interviewed with his mother Brandy Green on Fox News, and Witness 18, the "Teacher," who made numerous TV appearances with her attorney. Even though the Teacher didn't use her name, she told her story on TV and the Court's disclosure order isn't limited to those who used their real name.

I'll be on Daily Kos Radio with Jesse LaGreca at 11 Eastern. Listen here.

I'll be discussing gun issues, Mitt Romney and the Supreme Court's role on the issue. And of course we'll be discussing the tax issue and the passage in the Senate of tax cuts for person earning $250K or less.

Open Thread.

Kim DotCom's new video, Mr. President, is out.

What about free speech, Mr. President
What happened to change, Mr. President?
...Are you pleading the 5th Mr. President?
Are you going to fix this Mr President?

It's got cool photos of Anomymous members, the Megaupload defendants in jail, happy people singing in the streets, a catchy tune and good direction and sounds, undoubtedly by Printz Board, the musical director for the Black Eyed Peas, who worked on the MegaUpload song.

I've listened to it 5 times already, and it gets better each time. [More...]