Here's hoping the feds will mobilize appropriate

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By AARON NICODEMUS, Standard-Times staff writer

NEW BEDFORD -- A senior at UMass Dartmouth was visited by federal agents two months ago, after he requested a copy of Mao Tse-Tung's tome on Communism called The Little Red Book.
Two history professors at UMass Dartmouth, Brian Glyn Williams and Robert Pontbriand, said the student told them he requested the book through the UMass Dartmouth library's interlibrary loan program.
The student, who was completing a research paper on Communism for Professor Pontbriand's class on fascism and totalitarianism, filled out a form for the request, leaving his name, address, phone number and Social Security number. He was later visited at his parents' home in New Bedford by two agents of the Department of Homeland Security, the professors said.
The professors said the student was told by the agents that the book is on a watch list, and that his background, which included significant time abroad, triggered them to investigate the student further.
I tell my students to go to the direct source, and so he asked for the official Peking version of the book, Professor Pontbriand said. Apparently, the Department of Homeland Security is monitoring inter-library loans, because that's what triggered the visit, as I understand it.
Although The Standard-Times knows the name of the student, he is not coming forward because he fears repercussions should his name become public. He has not spoken to The Standard-Times.
The professors had been asked to comment on a report that President Bush had authorized the National Security Agency to spy on as many as 500 people at any given time since 2002 in this country.
The eavesdropping was apparently done without warrants.
The Little Red Book, is a collection of quotations and speech excerpts from Chinese leader Mao Tse-Tung.
In the 1950s and '60s, during the Cultural Revolution in China, it was required reading. Although there are abridged versions available, the student asked for a version translated directly from the original book.
The student told Professor Pontbriand and Dr. Williams that the Homeland Security agents told him the book was on a watch list. They brought the book with them, but did not leave it with the student, the professors said.
Dr. Williams said in his research, he regularly contacts people in Afghanistan, Chechnya and other Muslim hot spots, and suspects that some of his calls are monitored.
My instinct is that there is a lot more monitoring than we think, he said.
Dr. Williams said he had been planning to offer a course on terrorism next semester, but is reconsidering, because it might put his students at risk.
I shudder to think of all the students I've had monitoring al-Qaeda Web sites, what the government must think of that, he said. Mao Tse-Tung is completely harmless.

Contact Aaron Nicodemus at anicodemus@s-t.com

...that already has an airport!

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/25/federal-government-funds-new-million-airport-alaska-town-residents/

Never think that you've seen the stupidest waste of our money by the government. There's something even dumber coming tomorrow.

Next time you make some colossal blunder at work, here's your excuse:  "I was rushed".  Apparently, that's good enough for the feds, who have sent around 10,000 checks to dead people...some of whom were never even in the Social Security system.  Wonder where they're getting the names?

Of course, we knew that the fraud, abuse and waste would be gargantuan since the government has never been able to handle our money without fraud, waste and abuse.

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/your_money/consumer/090514_Dead_People_Get_Stimulus_Checks

he does not get angry with her in public and call her the "C" word like he called his wife.  He is well-known for explosive temper, we must remember.

and THAT's their vision of HOPE.

Hip hop, hip hop, tax cuts to the wealthy way on top, big corps are our friends, forget about the citizens. Yeah, we beat our chest and boast fake tans, cuz we want all the money, screw the little man. So what if we're on the take, let them eat cake. Drivin' my Benz, collectin' big dividends. We hate the poor, shove 'em out the door. No healthcare works well, may their bodies bloat and swell, with the dis-ease of the times, hit 'em with big fat fines. We will collect our swag any way we can, just gotta git rid of that magic black man.  Hey, HO

good things to come.  As Bank of America acquires Merrill-Lynch (whose CEO has the utter gall to request a $10 million bonus pay-out after the ML sell-out) they are refusing credit to Republic Windows and Doors out of Chicago after receiving $15 billion in TARP funds.  The workers are fighting back to recover the pay and benefits they have already earned and their governor is backing them up.  Now that's what I'm talkin' about !

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aw5QzWC86Vl8&refer=home

don't let him blindly lead them down that road. We have a national security force now, the National Guard, but of course, they're stuck fighting for our country since the draft was banned.

We need to get back to draft registration like it used to be, then our military will be good and the Guard can stay home and protect us like they're supposed to be doing.

some us who smell something foul.  Charges "can" be filed against him again.  And for now he is "still in custody."  Pretty soon, Gitmo will be closed and they won't have sufficient evidence to refile charges and they will say they have no choice but to release him...

That's my prediction.

Just want to get this clear.