Thank you for the tremendous sacrifices you have made to defend us and our freedoms that we all too often take for granted.

By Jerry MarkonWashington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, December 11, 2010; 12:32 AM

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. struck back against criticism that the FBI has targeted Muslims in a series of undercover stings, telling a Muslim group Friday night that those who allege government entrapment “simply do not have their facts straight.”

In one of his most pointed and personal responses to allegations that government anti-terrorism tactics are overly aggressive, Holder strongly defended the FBI agents he said are fighting a wave of terrorist plots. Without their efforts, he said in a speech in San Francisco, “government simply could not meet its most critical responsibility of protecting American lives.”

Wading into the most controversial recent case, Holder backed the FBI’s investigation of an Oregon man charged with trying to detonate a bomb at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. FBI technicians had supplied the device, leading some Muslims and civil libertarians to question whether agents went too far by training the man for terrorism.

“I make no apologies for how the FBI agents handled their work,” Holder said. He spoke in a hotel ballroom before an estimated 300 people invited by Muslim Advocates, a group that itself is suing the Justice Department to learn more about investigative guidelines for FBI agents.

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By Keith L. Alexander and Henri E. Cauvin Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, November 23, 2010; 12:06 AM

Prosecutors overcame a lack of any scientific evidence to secure a conviction Monday of Ingmar Guandique in the killing of former federal intern Chandra Levy.

Guandique, 29, will be sentenced in February on two counts of first-degree felony murder, one related to her kidnapping and one related to attempted robbery. He could face up to life in prison without parole.

The Levy case was challenging from the start. There was no forensic evidence linking Guandique to the crime scene in Rock Creek Park, no murder weapon, no eyewitness and no definitive ruling from the medical examiner on what killed Levy. Numerous mistakes by police and forensic scientists further hampered the investigation.

But prosecutors offered a compelling theory of how Levy died nine years ago. They presented believable testimony from a former cellmate of Guandique’s who said Guandique confessed to the attack and the gripping stories of two women who were attacked by Guandique in Rock Creek Park about the same time as Levy went missing in 2001.

Jurors said that was enough to reach a guilty verdict.

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Sarah Palin popularity my keep Bristol on but does not make here a better dancer.  Sarah Palin promoting her family over who is better qualified much like her political career.  Popularity can only take you so far. Do the RIGHT thing.

Submitted by Mechele R. Dillard on 2010-11-17

Bristol Palin has made it into the “Dancing with the Stars” finale, surviving last night’s last regular-season elimination. Bristol will be moving forward along with Jennifer Grey and Kyle Massey, while Brandy was sent home.

Partisanship in “Dancing with the Stars” selection formula?”

“Dancing with the Stars” winners are determined each week by a combination of judges’ scores and people’s votes. Still, “conspiracy theories” are all over the Web, even though it was the fans who ultimately voted Bristol on and Brandy off. Bristol Palin is, of course, the daughter of former Alaska governor and Tea Party champion Sarah Palin. Somehow, critics say, Palin’s influence in politics must be affecting the outcome of “Dancing with the Stars” just as her backing helped put many Tea Party candidates into seats during the midterm elections.

Others, however, believe that the selection of Bristol for the finale was a well-earned victory and deserved. She had no dancing experience coming into the competition, and has worked hard. But, even news correspondents were chiming in on the choice. Today, Carol Costello, a correspondent on CNN’s American Morningblogged, “If Bristol Palin’s presence on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ proved anything, it showed how partisan we’ve become.” Costello cites an example from Seneca Doane from DailyKos.com:

“She (Bristol Palin) is evidently clearly inferior to the other contestants, but Sarah Palinfans keep on voting her in not because of her greater talent but as a tribute to her grifter mom. Evidently, they’re making a political point.”

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