TampaBLAB

President Barack Obama was asked about his administration's use of the state secrets doctrine. Obama said the "doctrine should be modified."

OBAMA: I actually think that the state secret doctrine should be modified. I think right now it's over-broad. But keep in mind what happens is, we come into office, we're in for a week -- and suddenly we've got a court filing that's coming up. And so we don't have the time to effectively think through what, exactly, should a overarching reform of that doctrine take. We've got to respond to the immediate case in front of us.

I think it is appropriate to say that there are going to be cases in which national security interests are genuinely at stake, and that you can't litigate without revealing covert activities or classified information that would genuinely compromise our safety. But searching for ways to redact, to carve out certain cases, to see what can be done so that a judge in chambers can review information without it being in open court -- you know, there should be some additional tools so that it's not such a blunt instrument.

There are valid arguments to use state secrets privilege to protect national security. The doctrine has been used to shield the federal government from embarrassment. Sibel Edmonds worked for the F.B.I. as an interpreter. Edmonds translated intercepted communications. Edmonds is not allowed to speak about why she was fired. John Ashcroft retroactively declared information about Edmonds state secrets.

Part of what is not classified is Edmonds allegations about F.B.I. mismanagement of post-9-11 intellgence.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11 we, the translators at the FBI's largest and most important translation unit, were told to slow down, even stop, translation of critical information related to terrorist activities so that the FBI could present the United States Congress with a record of 'extensive backlog of untranslated documents', and justify its request for budget and staff increases. While FBI agents from various field offices were desperately seeking leads and suspects, and completely depending on FBI HQ and its language units to provide them with needed translated information, hundreds of translators were being told by their administrative supervisors not to translate and to let the work pile up (please refer to the CBS-60 Minutes transcript dated October 2002, and provided to your investigators in January-February 2004). This issue has been confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee (Please refer to Senator Grassley and Senator Leahy's letters during the summer of 2002, provided to your investigators in January-February 2004). This confirmed report has been reported to be substantiated by the Department of Justice Inspector General Report (Please refer to DOJ-IG report Re: Sibel Edmonds and FBI Translation, provided to you prior to the completion of your report). I provided your investigators with a detailed and specific account of this issue and the names of other witnesses willing to corroborate this. (Please refer to tape-recorded 3.5 hours testimony by Sibel Edmonds, provided to your investigators on February 11, 2004).

Today, almost three years after 9/11, and more than two years since this information has been confirmed and made available to our government, the administrators in charge of language departments of the FBI remain in their positions and in charge of the information front lines of the FBI's Counter terrorism and Counterintelligence efforts. Your report has omitted any reference to this most serious issue, has foregone any accountability what so ever, and your recommendations have refrained from addressing this issue, which when left un-addressed will have even more serious consequences. This issue is systemic and departmental. Why did your report choose to exclude this information and this serious issue despite the evidence and briefings you received? How can budget increases address and resolve this misconduct by mid-level bureaucratic management? How can the addition of a new bureaucratic layer, "Intelligence Czar", in its cocoon removed from the action lines, address and resolve this problem?

Edmonds spoke behind closed doors to the 9-11 Commission. Her testimony is classified under state secrets privilege.

I think the Losties and freighter people were suppose to go back in time and make bad things happen. Ben getting shot and becoming an Other is an example. My take is Locke is going to bring the people from the past to 2007. (If it is 2007.) The new people with the guns in 2007 will play a big rolein the final season.

Question: what happened to the Others in 2007?

I heard the Lost theory if you’re shot in the side (Desmond, Locke and Sayid) you live. A shot in the chest is death. Faraday is a goner. He could come back as a ghost or in a flashback.

So: is Obama really Jacob?????

Tim Geithner all the way. His secret plan to back AIG bonuses is the clue.

Eloise provided a character with Mommy issues. I didn’t want to see another character (Jack and Locke) with Daddy issue.

An interesting question I heard is who is the hero of Lost? It isn’t Jack. Sayid has done too many evil things to be the hero. Locke fits the Joseph Campbell hero myth. Sawyer fits the reluctant hero mode. The writers aren’t doing anything with Kate are Juliet this season. There are theories that Ben may turn out to be the hero.

I think Jack was suppose to be the hero. The character has the same problem as Ana Lucia. Too annoying and unlikable. Jack will be around to the end because of the Christian Shepard connection. The producers said the last episode will have a shocker about Jack. That plays into theories about Jack being Jacob. Although, I don’t see how.

In case you missed it, THE NEW TAMPA IKEA STORE

In case you missed it, THE NEW TAMPA IKEA STORE

Come by the shop to get your passports for tomorrows pub crawl.
Single $10 and 2 for $15--you can't beat that. You get a HARTride complimentary 1-day unlimited ride (public transportation means no driving). Help support the green effort and have a great time!

I grew up with two grandparents. My mom's mom (Grandma) and my dad's dad (Pop). They lived in Indiana and we lived in Florida so I usually only saw them once a year. When my sisters and I were younger, my parents would get us up in the middle of the night to begin the long drive up north (it gave them a few hours of peace and quiet). I loved going at Christmas because that meant snow. My sisters and I would build snowmen together and have snowball fights. We spent as much time outside as we could because it never snowed in Florida. We'd stay at Grandma's house and Pop would always come over and visit with us. I used to think Grandma and Pop should get married since they were both single and lived alone. I know now, Grandma would have killed him. They were polar opposites.

Grandma and I had a special bond. My parents lost their eight year old son when he was hit by a teenage driver while walking home from a friend's house. My grandfather had a weak heart already and losing his only grandson was more than he could take. My mom lost her son and father. Grandma lost her grandson and husband. Knowing they couldn't replace their son but wanting another child, my parents decided to adopt a baby. They got me. My mom has told me that I saved Grandma's life. She was near to having a nervous breakdown after her losses. She looked pretty rough the first time she saw me. After that first visit, we were inseparable. Well, as much as we could be living in different states. When we visited her, I slept in her bed snuggled up next to her. When she visited us, she'd stay in my room with me on a cot. We'd drive my mom crazy talking late into the night. I was only in elementary school but apparently had a lot to talk about. As my sisters grew older, my mom and I would fly to Indiana to visit. When I was in junior high Grandma developed Alzheimer's and moved in with us. I spent as much time with her as I could. Then Pop moved in as well when I was in 9th grade. I loved spending time with both of them after school and on the weekends. Eventually, Grandma had to be moved to a nursing home. I'd visit her after school sometimes but it was heart wrenching. I'd have to keep reminding her who I was. I knew she wouldn't make it to see me get married but I just wanted her to see me graduate from high school. She passed away a month before graduation. I was devastated. I'd lost other relatives but I was younger, they were older, and I didn't know them as well. I still miss her greatly. Pop survived long enough to see my two oldest children. I remember the last time I saw him. He gave me a hug and told me he loved me, almost like he knew it would be the last time I'd see him.

A year ago, I got a second chance at having grandparents. No one can ever replace Grandma and Pop, but I am able to get to know the people who are my flesh and blood. My biological mom called her dad and told her that I'd found her. He asked if she was happy. When she replied that she was, he told her then he was happy, too. I remember my first phone conversation with PaPaw. I was in the parking lot at Publix the kids restless in the backseat. It was awkward at first but soon with both began telling stories and getting to know each other. I still have the envelope where I'd written down bits and pieces of our conversation that I didn't want to forget. It was difficult to learn that his wife, my Nanny, had Alzheimer's. Not again, I thought. I've seen Nanny a few times and she stares at me with a big smile on her face. My kids believe she thinks I'm funny looking. I believe she thinks I'm my bio mom. I've visited PaPaw several times since our first meeting and we get along great. While my birth wasn't under the best of circumstances, he loves me just as he loves his other grandkids.

I'm also getting to know my biological dad's parents. They are a cute little couple and I quickly discovered that my overly tall kids didn't get their height from my side of the family. Our first meeting was awkward but went well. They gave me a hug when they walked in and I shared my baby book with them so they could see what a cute kid I was. Like the rest of the family, they have welcomed me with open arms. We are getting to know each other through emails and family get togethers.

Most people don't get second chances in their lives. I sometimes wonder what made me so special that I did. Grandma and Pop will always be in my heart but for now, I'm able to spend time with PaPaw, Nanny, Grammy, and Poppa. They are my second chance.

Neighborhood politics seem to be the most contentious, huh? For ten years or so, the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association wanted to form a separate (but related) not-for-profit group in...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

I have to apologize up front about the quality of the photos I took of the show. They really don't give this amazing experience the justice I wish I could have given it. As many of you know, I'm more of a faux-tographer than a photographer. Thus, my archaic SLR setup doesn't give the kind of clarity in shooting dark scenes as I would prefer. I'm working to remedy this problem with a shiny new F/2.8 70-300mm Canon Lens, but for now please enjoy what I was able to capture.

When I heard Cirque Du Soleil's Saltimbanco show was coming to the Lakeland Center, I knew I had to go. I had seen Cirque before in Las Vegas, but this was a very different show.



The differences are in both scope and scale, but I wouldn't say that either show is better than it's counterpart. The show I saw years ago had a moving stage and this stage was a large part of the act. The traveling Saltimbanco show, a mix of performance pieces including flying trapeze, acrobatic stunts, dance, creative musical numbers, imaginative customs and live music makes up for the moving stage with higher energy and more adventurous stunts.



The show starts off a little slow, introducing the audience to a few characters. Within a few minutes, the band steps up the tempo and with it an array of colorful characters join the mix. The acrobatics and feats of strength are the highlight of the second half, sending performers tumbling into the air. The performance was flawless. It's obvious that the choreographer and the performers for this show make this their dream, and we all can share in that dream if only for a few hours.



Costume design is also top notch on this show. Ranging from the simplest of form fitting one pieces to elaborate head dresses and masks, the colorful ensembles draw your eye across the stage, trying to take it all in at once. As my companion at the show said, "It's sensory overload. You can never take it all in."



The Saltimbanco Arena Tour will stop in Tampa, FL at the St. Pete Times Forum for a limited engagement from June 25 through July 5, 2009. Tickets are on sale and available at cirquedusoleil.com, or by calling 813-287-8844.

The world premiere of Saltimbanco was held in Montreal on April 23, 1992 and featured a cast of 36 performers. During its 14-year tour under the big top, the show visited 75 cities on five continents, for a total of more than 4,000 performances before a combined audience of 10 million people.

In 2007, Saltimbanco embarked on a tour of over 40 arenas across Canada and the United States. The new tour model allows Cirque du Soleil to bring its shows to additional cities, giving more people than ever the opportunity to enjoy a Cirque du Soleil show in their own town.



Saltimbanco belongs to the emblematic style of Cirque du Soleil - a signature Cirque du Soleil show with a style that borrows from theatre, dance and music and where spectacular costumes, lighting and make-up take pride of place. The current cast of 49 artists, 15 of whom were part of the show’s original big top tour, hails from Canada and 20 other countries.



Full of color, amusement and amazement, Saltimbanco is a fun show for the whole family to enjoy, a great outing for everyone!

Scott, now on City Council after a stint on the Hillsborough County Commission, says he will make his future plans known at a Monday news conference. The Times’ Janet Zink reports that it is widely expected to be a mayoral campaign:

Tampa City Council chairman Tom Scott will announce plans “about his political future,” at a news conference Monday. Scott is widely expected to run for mayor in 2011, though he declined to confirm that today.

“A lot of people have been asking questions about my intent. I look forward to sharing that on Monday and put everybody’s mind to rest,” he said.

By Eric Snider
cross-posted from The Daily Loaf

“The whole purpose of the law is to stifle speech against people who speak against the deviant [gay] lifestyle.” —Bill Keller

The first and second installments of The Devi’s Advocate with Bill Keller drew lots of traffic and comments. Welcome to our third Q&A. I’ll be playing the role of Devil’s Advocate.

One of our most controversial religious figures, Pinellas-based Bill Keller is known for his incendiary rhetoric and unbending view of Bible-based morality. He believes homosexuality is an abomination, abortion is murder and … you can pretty much guess the rest. Click here for a bit more detail on Keller’s ministry.

Today’s Topic: The U.S. Congress is in the process of expanding Hate Crimes laws to include “sexual orientation,” “gender” and “gender identity” to federally protected classes that already include race, religion, color or national origin. Bill Keller doesn’t like this at all.

The Devil’s Advocate: By opposing the addition of gender identity to the existing hate crimes bill, does that mean you’re OK with crimes against gays?

Bill Keller: Absolutely not. I’m not in favor of any hate crimes legislation. If there’s an existing crime statute on the books, you’re going to be punished. If you commit a crime against one of the protected groups, what are you going to get? Three life sentences? It’s redundant.

So why are you concerned about adding gender identity to the law?

Let me tell you how this is going to morph: People who put these laws together say it isn’t there intention, but activists groups, the Perez Hiltons, gay activist associations will go out and make the case that the Bill Kellers are inciting people to violence against homosexuals when there’s no evidence of that happening. I don’t say this out of paranoia. It’s happened in Canada and Sweden and other places where these laws exist. In Canada, three pastors are in jail for this very thing.

So you feel as if you’ll be the target of a crusade by gay activists?

Yes. Let me give you an example of a great analogy from my life. CAIR (Council on Arab-American Relations) goes after any media personality that dares to speak out against Islam when, according to the Bible, it’s a false religion.

They said what I was doing was hate speech and inciting violence against Muslims. Eventually CBS [which aired his call in TV show Live Prayer with Bill Keller] gave me the option to stop talking about Islam or they would take my program off the air. There was no way I was going to let them censor me so the show went off the air. So the analogy is on point: If I speak out against homosexuality as it says in the Bible, I’m inciting violence against them, and there’s no proof of that.

I don’t think your analogy works at all. CAIR used their right to speech as a means to pressure an organization, CBS, to take away that avenue of your speech. That sounds like freedom of speech at work. Were you jailed for hate crimes when speaking out against Muslims?

Muslims aren’t a protected group.

Yes they are. The Hate Crimes legislation includes religion. I know you claim that Islam is not a religion but most everyone accepts it as such — certainly with regard to hate crimes laws.

Muslims can say I used hate speech, but everything they said was a lie.

They might argue that you disavowing Islam as a religion is a lie. It seems like two sides, each with the power of free speech, squared off, and in this case CAIR won out. So why, if you weren’t charged with a hate crime when you spoke out against Islam, do you think you’ll fall victim to Hate Crimes laws for speaking negatively about gays?

Here’s the point: Under this new legislation, homosexual groups will be make allegations against people like me and I could be brought into the legal system. The law is designed to scare people form speaking out against homosexuality.

Do you think it will actually have the effect of anti-gay religious leaders being hesitant to speak out?

Sure, we already have a generation of gutless pastors. It’s going to scare the daylights out of those guys.

So this is good news for the gay community.

Absolutely. The whole purpose of the law is to stifle speech against people who speak against their deviant lifestyle.

All right!

Once this law is on the books, mark my words, within 12 months, I’m going to find myself in a legal situation.

It would have to be a criminal legal situation, right?

Yes. I’m interested in seeing how far the courts are going to go in upholding this law.

And seriously, am I going to have to put the name of the low-priced Swedish furniture store in all caps forever?

I digressed. Jeff Houck over at The Stew has a great review of media day yesterday, including the Scan-food offerings. Just love the buffet line photo:

Most everyone was there to cover the furniture and home accessories. I decided to focus on the food.

Why? Because no one can ever get enough pickled herring.

And Ikea was only happy enough to help.

Go to The Stew to read the entire story. Du kommer vara glad att du gjorde.