Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Civil liberties fear as US terror suspect list rises to 325,000

Guardian Unlimited Special reports Civil liberties fear as US terror suspect list rises to 325,000


With the list numbers growing swiftly, Timothy Sparapani, a privacy rights expert at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the ACLU's response was one of incredulity, and alarm that many people are likely to be on the list by mistake, with serious impact on their lives and few, if any, means of getting themselves off it.

Tags: civil-liberties

Poetry Rules Valentine's Day Online

Poetry Rules Valentine's Day Online

In the week ending February 11 - leading up to Valentines Day - the search term, "love poems" grew 83 percent. This outpaced searches for Chocolates, flowers and other gifts normally associated with Valentine's day during the same time period.

This news is a positive indication on the general publics view of poetry, at least in a broad context.

Other interesting demographics information can be seen at the story linked.

In Defense of the Vice President

Vise President Dick Cheney is taking a lot of heat over the weekend hunting accident in Texas in which he shot a fellow hunter in the face. I realize that this is a bit uncommon. The last Vice President to shoot a man was on July 11, 1804, when Alexander Hamilton and Vice President Aaron Burr met on the dueling grounds at Weehawken, New Jersey. So it is not like it has never happened before.

Cheney, an experienced hunter had a $125 nonresident hunting license in Texas. But after investigating the incident, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issues a warning to the Vice President because while he had a license, he did not purchase a required $7 special stamp. Officials at the White House said the Vice President was not aware he needed the stamp. Honestly, I would not have thought you needed to buy a $7 stamp to shot someone either.


Tag: Dick Cheney

The Poet Robert Browning on Love

"Take away love and our earth is a tomb."

~Robert Browning

Chalk Lines

Chalk Lines
for Cathy

The gravity of it,
Newton’s hour
When force of physics
Establish its dominance
Pulling you down-
The blue chill of
Mare Moscoviense
On the darkside,
Freeze dries all hope.
I sprinkle what's left
A fine pool cue pumice
To outline your sleep.
If hope is all that I have,
It must be close to you-
A reminder when you awake,
You have all there is of me.

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY SHOOTS FRIEND IN FACE

No, that is not a headline from the Onion - check out Time or CNN. Just think of the options open to Jon Stewart of The Daily Show.

Poetry notes....

1. Check out the John Freeman's review of Love in the Extreme, a poetry book by Richard Siken and published by Grand Rapids Press.
2. Reading: Victor Smith - Friday February 17th at 7:30 pm - The Writers Place- Kansas City native who's poems have appeared in a number of publications, including The Kansas City Star and the Alternative American.
3. OPEN MIC - The Writers Place - Monday - February 27th - 8-10PM

Today's Poetry Quote: "Each man carries within him the soul of a poet who died young." ~Sainte-Beuve, Portraits litteaires, 1862

Saturday Stuff

Thanks to Jilly, I found this piece about Billy Collins and his feelings of being less than a laureate interesting.

The opening ceremony of the Olympics was moving. I always enjoy seeing the attire that each country chooses to wear. Thank God the U.S. ditched the cowboy hats. The lighting of the torch was spectacular. Watched some of the women's hockey today. Excellent games. Looking forward to alpine sking tonight and figure skating.

Worked some this morning on a new poem... still much more to do on it just to finish the first draft.

I'm off to run some errands...