How many governmental positions can you hold at the same time?

11, at least in NJ, and all those small offers can add up into a big one, pay as much as a Chief Justice.

Murray, a former county freeholder, serves as a municipal court judge in those towns, and they will pay him a combined $287,000 for his services this year, according to figures prepared for a legislative panel by the state Division of Pensions and Benefits.

Of more interest to reform-minded lawmakers and state officials, Murray's eight salaries would qualify him for an annual pension estimated at more than $135,000 even if he were to retire today, at age 57.

The Ocean County lawyer is among more than 5,000 public employees running up pension credits in more than one public job, a hot-button issue at a time when lawmakers are considering fundamental changes to the pension system to rein in expenses.

Murray doesn't hold the largest number of positions -- that distinction belongs to Gloucester County lawyer Jere Powell, a municipal judge in 11 South Jersey communities -- but Murray does earn the most from his multiple posts, the list shows.

The top 25 pension earners on the list will collect more in salary this year than state Chief Justice Deborah Poritz or the $175,000 salary authorized for the governor, the draft shows.

So now shirt w/ Arabic writing is banned on flight

I don't know how it may become true, but it is really happening.

Mr Jarrar's black cotton T-shirt bore the slogan in both Arabic and English.

He said he had cleared security at John F Kennedy airport for a flight back to his home in California when he was approached by two men who wanted to check his ID and boarding pass.

Mr Jarrar said he was told a number of passengers had complained about his T-shirt - apparently concerned at what the Arabic phrase meant - and asked him to remove it.

After a difficult exchange with airline staff, Mr Jarrar was persuaded to wear another T-shirt bought for him at the airport shop.

Maybe someday Chinese will be banned too?

Harris: Seperation of church and state is a lie

I believe lots of right wingers believe in that, but only Rep. Harris has th gut to say it out loud.

U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris told a religious journal that separation of church and state is "a lie" and God and the nation's founding fathers did not intend the country be "a nation of secular laws."

Harris made the comments in the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention, which interviewed political candidates and asked them about religion and their positions on issues.

Separation of church and state is "a lie we have been told," Harris said in the interview, published Thursday, saying separating religion and politics is "wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."

"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin," Harris said.

But, if you google Baptists, you'll find seperation of church and state is one of their fundamental beliefs. Don't know what's really in her mind.

Rabner nominated for NJ Attorney General

He has long to be said the choice of Chief Justice, now Attorney General.

Gov. Jon Corzine today nominated his chief counsel, Stuart Rabner, to replace Attorney General Zulima Farber after her resignation takes effect Thursday.

The choice of Rabner, who jailed corrupt politicians and fought terrorism during his 19 years at the U.S. Attorney's Office, was widely expected and immediately praised by both Democrats and Republicans.

US sues Maine for confirming public announcement

I'm not sure why they did it (as other things I don't understand), but it looks absolutely bizarre

On Aug. 9, the PUC issued a written order requiring Verizon to affirm the truth of seven statements the company issued in two press releases in May. The press releases were included in the company's response to the PUC.

In the unsigned statements, Verizon asserted in broad language that it had not broken any state or federal laws involving the privacy of telephone customers.

In its order, the PUC asked that a responsible company official issue a sworn statement affirming the truth of the statements.

In its lawsuit, the U.S. government said the company could not comply with the order without endangering national security."The United States will be irreparably harmed if Verizon is permitted or is required to disclose sensitive and classified information to the (PUC)."

And it's proud to know my state is also being sued.

On June 14, the federal government sued New Jersey Attorney General Zulima Farber, who sent subpoenas to five telecommunications carriers demanding documents revealing whether they had turned over records without warrants.

On July 24, the federal government sued members of the Missouri Public Service Commission after they had issued subpoenas to AT&T Inc. over alleged violations of state privacy laws.

BTW Attorney General Farber is leaving the post.

Some of the British terror plot suspects are charged

It has been much faster than those held by US at Guantanamo Bay. Not all of them though.

Eight people were charged with two offenses each of conspiracy to commit murder and the intention of committing terrorist acts.

The Crown Prosecution Service identified them as Ahmed Abdullah Ali, also known as Abdullah Ali Ahmen Khan, 25; Tanvir Hussain, 25; Umar Islam aka Brian Young, 28; Arafat Waheed Khan, 25; Assad Ali Sarwar, 26; Adam Khatib, 19; Ibrahim Savant, 25 and Waheed Zaman, 22.

One person, a 17-year-old, was charged with possession of articles that could be used to prepare a terrorist act. He was not identified because of his age. Two others, Cossor Ali, 23, and Mehran Hussain, whose age wasn't released, were charged with failing to disclose information that could help prevent a terrorist act.

Cossor Ali, the mother of an 8-month-old infant, was charged with failing to disclose information about the alleged plot.

If you really look into those crimes being charged, lots of them are actually not committing any terrorism, but not revealing info. Wondering what happens to those not charged, cannot even find out an account of "failing to disclose?"

Hagel: it's not the Republican Party it used to be

Even though I believe Hagel still votes with the Republican majority more than 90% of the time, I believe, and according to Lieberman's standard, that already good enough to make him "well-agreed" with the party. Anyway here is the news.

"First time I voted was in 1968 on top of a tank in the Mekong Delta," said Hagel, a Vietnam veteran. "I voted a straight Republican ticket. The reason I did is because I believe in the Republican philosophy of governance. It's not what it used to be. I don't think it's the same today."

Hagel asked: "Where is the fiscal responsibility of the party I joined in '68? Where is the international engagement of the party I joined — fair, free trade, individual responsibility, not building a bigger government, but building a smaller government?"

His frustration does not lead him to think Democrats offer a better alternative. But Hagel wants to see the GOP return to its basic beliefs.

"I think we've lost our way," Hagel said. "And I think the Republicans are going to be in some jeopardy for that and will be held accountable."

Bush on the NSA decision

He said the judge doesn't know "the nature of the world in which we live."

President Bush on Friday criticized a federal court ruling that said his warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional, declaring that opponents "do not understand the nature of the world in which we live."

Somehow it seems Bush is not in tone with his favorite Supreme Court Justice Scalia's view of the Constitution means what it means when it was ratified.

NJ Attorney General to step down

It has been quite a news for a while. Her boyfriend was pulled over by a cop for a moving violation, and then she showed up at the scene with her State assigned SUV, and said nothing, asked for no favor (according to herself), then her boyfriend was allowed to drive the vehicle (with no proper registration and plate) and leave. Now she's leaving the job for that appearance.

Zulima Farber, who will step down at the end of the month, said she was leaving office "out of respect for the governor" and not because she was asked to do so.

"I admit to being human and making that error. I am truly sorry and apologize to all New Jerseyans for that mistake," said Farber, who appeared at a Statehouse news conference alongside Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

According to this standard probably all ranked executive officials in Taiwan should step down, so should lots of people in the White House. I'm not that sure about this. What else should she have done? Does that mean as an AG, she cannot go to the scene to see her boyfriend? Or she should have gone with her own car? Maybe the latter case was suggested, but, to be honest, if you've been having a ride day in and day out for months, don't you think it straight forward to just take the same ride?

They either confiscate items with absolutely no harm or try to bomb homeless

Of course it wasn't the point of the original story on CNN, but I fully agree with John Aravosis' recap. First read this original

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport planned to give 11 boxes of surrendered items to the city's human services department, which will give the unopened bottles of shampoo, toothpaste and other items to homeless shelters, airport spokeswoman Lexie Van Haren said.

So here comes the problem,

They say the products are unopened, but they're giving them to the homeless in Phoenix. Okay, then how do you know they're not explosives that you're handing to the homeless, since you haven't opened them? Apparently, the airport people, in Phoenix at least, know quite well that the stuff they took off of the passengers in line were not explosives. So why did they take it in the first place?

Why are people spending 5 hrs at security check point

Apparently that's because we don't have an easy and efficient way to detect explosive. You wonder why?

While the British terror suspects were hatching their plot, the Bush administration was quietly seeking permission to divert $6 million that was supposed to be spent this year developing new homeland explosives detection technology.

Homeland Security's research arm, called the Sciences & Technology Directorate, is a "rudderless ship without a clear way to get back on course," Republican and Democratic senators on the Appropriations Committee declared recently.

"The committee is extremely disappointed with the manner in which S&T is being managed within the Department of Homeland Security," the panel wrote June 29 in a bipartisan report accompanying the agency's 2007 budget.

awmakers and recently retired Homeland Security officials say they are concerned the department's research and development effort is bogged down by bureaucracy, lack of strategic planning and failure to use money wisely.

The department failed to spend $200 million in research and development money from past years, forcing lawmakers to rescind the money this summer.

The administration also was slow to start testing a new liquid explosives detector that the Japanese government provided to the United States earlier this year.

Lamont won Connecticut primary

Lieberman conceded, and said he'll run as an independent.

Princeton Republican for Lieberman

It's really funny. They only reported it's "college Republicans," but if you read the email closely, it's actually from Princeton.

---------- Forwarded message ----------Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 18:52:09 -0400From: "[windows-1252] College Republicans" Princeton.EDU>Reply-To: College Republicans <collegerepublicans@PRINCETON.EDU>To: collegerepublicans@PRINCETON.EDUSubject: Unconventional Primary Campaign Opportunity (LIEBERMAN)
Republicans,
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. In June, I informed you all of a campaign opportunity for State Senator Tom Kean race for U.S. Senate in NJ. Continuing the tradition of letting you about summer campaign opportunities here is a much more unconventional option:
Incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman (Democratic Primary) Lieberman is facing a tough primary fight versus far-left anti war activist Ned Lamont.

As I read '09 (not a club member), I thought it looks so much like a Princetonian, and it is. Gee, those '09 dudes. BTW it's more than usual for an '09 not to be a club member, yet.