Federal Government, closed today.

Seems the pres wants to get his picture out (yea, I know the article says that some admin dude requested the pictures) but:

State Department types were taken aback last week to find that a longtime diplomatic photo exhibit along a busy corridor to the cafeteria had been taken down. The two dozen mostly grainy black and white shots were a historic progression of great diplomatic moments, sources recalled.
……
Then they were gone. And what was put up in their place? What else? A George W. Bush family album montage of 21 large photos of the president as diplomat. … There’s one of Bush meeting in happier days with his very good friend Jacques Chirac, president of France, and another with his even better friend, Gerhard Schroeder, chancellor of Germany.

You go read the article and decide whether the replacements are an improvement.
I understand that folks at all levels of the political ladder have a driving need to know their picture is everywhere. Marketing you know.
I wonder how soon the statues will start going up.
Via digby.

The students in Andrew Cline’s EN105 class have joined the blogosphere. Say hello to them at Pirate Blog.

SK Bubba has some words about the miracles wrought with tax cuts and John Williams at Thudfactor extends the analysis.

It is pretty astounding how many things can be done with a tax cut. In particular I like this juxtaposition from the Washington Post article covering the same event SKB commented on:

“The tax relief plan has encouraged Harold and his wife to make additional investment, which is good for the economy,” he said.
As has become typical for Bush travels, Hamilton is a frequent contributor to Republican campaigns.

….

On Tuesday I complained about pending Eurostrictions. Today I’d like to give the EU some credit. Not a lot, but some. In the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights are a couple of articles that might make our Total Terrorist Information Act folks cringe

Article 7
Respect for private and family life

Everyone has the right to respect for his or her private and family life, home and communications.

Article 8
Protection of personal data

1. Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her.

2. Such data must be processed fairly for specified purposes and on the basis of the consent of the person concerned or some other legitimate basis laid down by law. Everyone has the right of access to data which has been collected concerning him or her, and the right to have it rectified.

3.Compliance with these rules shall be subject to control by an independent authority.

This looks pretty good. I give the EU credit for this.

How fragile such protections are, though, when modified with words like “or some other legitimate basis laid down by law.” This phrase contradicts the idea that Article 8.1 is a fundamental right and allows for its abrogration.

Thus we find Statewatch saying that the EU folks, maybe the above referenced independent authority, are “highly critical’ of arrangements being made to give private information to the US. A reading of the report itself suggests they have already buckled under and that it is a matter of how much data for how long not a flat out no.

Yea, they are critical but they are not adamant and when it comes to fundamental rights you must be adament.
Via Bespacific