a song

Affirm

Wikileaks cables: US looks to prosecute Julian Assange | World news | The Guardian

Of note:

John H Coatsworth, dean of Columbia university's school of international and public affairs (Sipa), today sent a note to students affirming that freedom of information and expression was at the core of the school's beliefs.

The school's office had sent out a warning from a state department official that their future job prospects could be jeopardised if they look at the leaked cables, which remain officially classified.

Coatsworth said: "Sipa's position is that students have a right to discuss and debate any information in the public arena that they deem relevant to their studies or to their roles as global citizens, and to do so without fear of adverse consequences. The WikiLeaks documents are accessible to Sipa students (and everyone else) from a wide variety of respected sources, as are multiple means of discussion and debate both in and outside of the classroom."

In a Time magazine poll, Assange is the leading contender to be named Person of the Year.

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Wonder

Repost of 73 yr old man rides lawnmower to spring his dog from pound

Man, 73, rides lawnmower to spring dog from kennel

By The Associated Press,

Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 12:49 p.m.

HYDRO, Okla. — An elderly Hydro man landed in jail after springing his prized pooch from the town kennel. Instead of paying a $100 fine for not having his poodle on a leash, 73-year-old Edwin Fry decided to bust Buddy Tough out, driving his lawnmower to the city pound Oct. 13 and breaking into the cage with bolt cutters.

As the pair escaped, police officer Chris Chancellor intercepted them.

Chancellor told The Oklahoman officers had received numerous complaints about Buddy Tough, who had been in the pound before. He said Fry had been told he could retrieve the dog and sort out the fine in court.

"I've been in law enforcement 20 years, and this is the first time I've known of anyone that has busted a dog out of jail," Chancellor told The Oklahoman.

Fry spent several days in jail, and faces a municipal charge of allowing an animal to run at-large.

Fry didn't deny the charges. He told The Oklahoman that he warned police to stay away from his dog unless they wanted to face his shotgun.

As for Buddy Tough, he was euthanized while Fry was in jail.

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Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com

The Associated Press