It Must be Thursday, December 29, 2005.

If you are looking for the mushrooming list of links to information on the NSA / FISA / warrantless wiretapping and surveillance stuff, just click HERE! (updated this morning)

Sedition in Montana Update
Yesterday I blogged about Sedition in Montana and a group of law students seeking clemency/pardons for Montanans (Montanians? Montanaonians?) who were prosecuted for criticizing the government during World War II. Infamy or Praise saw the same blurb over at How Appealing and commented on the story last night. No disagreements with Colin's concluding sentence: "As an American, you have the right to root against your own nation in time of war, but doing so does not make you a good American."

Shaming Punishments
Sentencing Law and Policy has an interesting piece today about "Shaming Punishments." The piece points to a Chicago Tribune story on the subject. But there are some really good prior posts by Professor Berman on the subject.

Stupid Criminals
Today's stupid criminal award goes to Jacob Vandeven, 27, of Whitewater, Missouri. Vandeven entered a plea to a reduced misdemeanor DUI (DWI, OWI, depending on your locale) charge and was given a 6 month suspended sentence and 2 years probation. How did Vandeven appreciate the benefits of a plea bargain that let him avoid felony punishment? By going to a bar close to the courthouse soon after sentencing and having a few drinks (which, needless to say, is a violation of the just-imposed probation). How bad is Vandeven's luck? The sentencing judge chose the same bar as his lunch locale and saw Vandeven there drinking. The ultimate consequences are yet to be determined. Vandeven's attorney stated, "I have never had a client so audaciously violate a judge's order that quickly after being placed on probation."