A noun, a verb, and 6911.

So, did the taxpayers pay for the wig and the pearl necklace, too?

Whatever entity, higher being or biological process that created human beings made a number of mistakes. Chief among them is our need for sleep.

So often we have more ideas than time. Of course, this is preferable to having too much time and no idea what to do with it. But if we just didn't have to do this "sleep thing" we could get so much more accomplished. Maybe insomnia isn't such a bad thing?

The idea of sleep elimination could be a bipartisan issue. Think of all the terrorist plots Jack Bower thwarts in only 24 hours when he doesn't sleep a wink. President Rudy or Romney could torture (or interrogate using enhanced techniques) around the clock. Imagine how safe we'd all be then!   Read more…

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has sent a letter to President Bush’s nominee to replace Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General.

The Senator expressed many of the concerns that Fellows of and contributors to The Mighty Corrente Building have written about.

From the Senator’s letter to Mr. Mukasey:

The Attorney General who recently resigned apparently believed that the President has a commander-in-chief override of the laws of this country, which contributed to his violations of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), his signing statement reservations, and other overreaching. We must explore those topics. For example, do you believe that the President has authority to override legal requirements and immunize acts of torture contrary to our treaty obligations and laws? Do you believe that before Congress amended the FISA this summer, the Authorization for the Use of Military Force passed in the days following September 11, or Article II of the Constitution gave this President authority to override the requirements of that law with respect to wiretapping Americans?

In connection with these matters the Judiciary Committee has been seeking the historical legal analysis of the Department of Justice and this Administration. We have made numerous requests and have even had to subpoena the FISA documents. I want to know whether you will work with us and provide those materials so that we can examine the legal justifications that have been utilized by this Administration to excuse its conduct.

Well done Senator Leahy. Now follow through – please!   Read more…