It appears that Terri Schiavo's life is winding down quickly. Her father says she only has hours left to live. The court appeals are still alive, but winding down as well.

And the dirt continues to fly. Tonight on Greta's On the Record, a former caretaker for Terri named Trudy said she knew Michael Schiavo very well, she was his "confidente" while she worked at the facility caring for Terri. She was adamant that Michael told her several times he and Terri never discussed what to do in this kind of situation, that she had never expressed an opinion, and that he used to ask her (Trudy) all the time, "What should I do."

A lawyer on Greta's show said there was a telephone hearing today because the state and federal courts were closed. I had a federal court hearing today, so I don't think that's true.

And legal analyst Andrew Cohen explains in the LA Times why Terri's parents didn't have a case.

The University of Colorado will hold a news conference at 3 p.m. Mountain Time on the results of its review of Ward Churchill's works and whether it has grounds to fire him.

Update: Denver's 9News will live stream the event at this link.

Live blogging:

Wow, just when you thought it was all over, MSNBC is reporting that a federal judge has granted a new hearing at 6:00 p.m. today based on the new neurologist's affidavit. I don't think there will be a different result. The AP reported earlier:

Bush's challenge to the disagnosis on Terri Schiavo's brain damage is based on the opinion of a neurologist working for the state who observed Schiavo at her bedside but did not conduct an examination of her.

The neurologist, William Cheshire of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, is a bioethicist who is also an active member in Christian organizations, including two whose leaders have spoken out against the tube's removal.

Terri Schiavo is being described now by a doctor on MSNBC as being comatose, and possibly suffering from liver failure and kidney failure. There may be pain, but the hospice will be providing comfort and relief.

Update: The Schindler's spokesman says the family is pinning their hopes on Governor Jeb Bush. The parents will attend the hearing.

The battle to save Terri Schiavo's life is all but over for her, her husband and parents. A Florida state court judge has rejected Jeb Bush's motion to intervene. Here's a not-surprising bit of information on the neurologist that said Terri could recover and whose opinion was included by Jeb Bush in his court petition:

Bush's challenge to the disagnosis on Terri Schiavo's brain damage is based on the opinion of a neurologist working for the state who observed Schiavo at her bedside but did not conduct an examination of her.

The neurologist, William Cheshire of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, is a bioethicist who is also an active member in Christian organizations, including two whose leaders have spoken out against the tube's removal.

Ronald Cranford of the University of Minnesota, a neurologist who was among those who made a previous diagnosis of Schiavo, said "there isn't a reputable, credible neurologist in the world who won't find her in a vegetative state."

Now the death watch will begin. I can't even fathom what the rest of the world, watching on tv, will make of the radical right carrying life-size crosses and engaging in other wierd activity outside the hospice. Actually, yes I can. They will say Amercians are behaving like lunatics. They'll be right.

After the death watch ends, the political fallout will begin. How many days until we can get back to real news?

What kind of parents let their ten year old kid get arrested? Answer: Anti-abortion activists, like those out in force at the Florida hospice where Terri Schiavo is spending her final days.

Earlier at the hospice, veteran pro-life activists skilled in civil disobedience at abortion clinics joined demonstrators to orchestrate the peaceful arrest of 10 people, including three children, ages 10 to 14.

Those arrested were charged with trespassing after their staged attempt to carry Styrofoam cups of water into the hospice. "It's an act of Biblical obedience, not civil disobedience," said Chet Gallagher, 55, a former Las Vegas motorcycle policeman turned anti-abortion activist with Operation Rescue. Gallagher, fired from his job in 1989 after he joined anti-abortion demonstrators whom he was supposed to arrest, has been jailed "at least 100 times" for his activism, he said. Each stepped up to waiting officers, then knelt down and acknowledged that they still wanted to proceed into the hospice.

Police then notified them that they were being arrested, helped them to their feet, and handcuffed each of them, including Chris Key, 43, of Texas, and three of his children. The adults were taken to the Pinellas County Jail. The children went to a juvenile center.

"My 10-year-old said that Jesus said, `If you offer a cup of water in my name, you did it for me.' And he told me that's what he wanted to do," said Key's wife, Gaylen.

Where's Gloria Allred and why isn't she demanding that Social Services remove these kids from their parents custody like she did with Michael Jackson?

A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit has refusedto order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. Her parents say they will now go to the Supreme Court.

An emergency filing to the high court would go first to Justice Anthony Kennedy, a Reagan appointee who has staked a moderate position on social issues. Kennedy would have the option to act on the petition alone, although on previous emergency requests involving Schiavo he has referred the matter to the full nine-member court.

The full decision is here. (pdf)

Last night I began filling out the form for my living will advance directive. I didn't finish because I got stumped in the middle by whether what I was directing would be allowed. Jeff Jarvis had the same thought today.

If I wrote my living will with explicit instructions [again: I'm not going that yet] saying that I would want life support removed but only with sufficient narcotics to cause death, what would doctors and courts do then?

Do we all have to move to Oregon? And if Bush is successful in the Supreme Court this fall overturning Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law, do we all have to move to Amsterdam?

Raw Story obtained a copy of the Republican talking points on the Terri Schiavo bill.

The Judge has not ruled. Since time is so critical, it would seem that he is not going to order the feeding tube reinserted. Jeff Brown, a Tampa defense lawyer who is trying a case in the courtroom next to Judge Whittemore, was on Greta Van Susteren's On the Record tonight.

Update: The hearing adjourned without a ruling. The Judge said he understands that time is of the essence. Predictions?

Update: Liberal Common Sense has a profile of the Judge. Majikthise has a roundup of liberal blog coverage.

Bump and Update: There will be a hearing at 3pm ET in federal court on Terri Schiavo's parents request to reinsert the feeding tube.

The case will be heard by United States District Judge James D. Whittemore, who was appointed to the court in 1999 by President Clinton. David Gibbs II, a lawyer for the Schindlers, told The Associated Press that the judge had sent a message saying he was reviewing the filings in the case.

Bush's statement:

President Bush said in a statement just after 1 a.m.: "In cases like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws, and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life. This presumption is especially critical for those like Terri Schiavo, who live at the mercy of others."

Bump and Update: Midnight, Friday: Supreme Court has denied House of Representatives request to reinsert Terri's feeding tube.

Update: Abstract Appeal is following the legal developments in the case. [Via Crooks and Liars.]

*********
Original Post

Terri Schiavo will be dead within seven to ten days. Her feeding tube has been removed.

I just wish she had left clearer instructions so it could be known that this was her choice. It's too bad the final decision has to be left up to judges who didn't know her before her injury, and who rule based upon their view of the credibility of a spouse vs. the parents. Her parents and siblings have my sympathy.

But I also think that the last minute attempt at personalized legislation by Republicans to keep her alive was a slimy move. This was not a case of assisted suicide. It's a question of an individual's right to determine whether or not to continue treatment. We all should have a right to die.

Wal-Mart gets off cheap, if you ask me, in the federal investigation of its abuse of immigrant workers. It has agreed to pay $11 million to settle the allegations. No criminal charges will be filed. Its total sales for last year were $288.2 billion.

In two separate investigations, authorities uncovered the cases of an estimated 345 illegal immigrants contracted as janitors at Wal-Mart stores. Many of the workers worked seven days or nights a week without overtime pay or injury compensation, attorneys said. Those who worked nights were often locked in the store until the morning.

Wal-Mart's troubles began in 2001.

by TChris

Town officials from Colonie, New York are accused of issuing "pretend subpoenas" to force Time Warner to disclose the identities of town employees who sent anonymous emails that were critical of the job performance of a town official. "Copies of the e-mails, which raised allegations of mismanagement, misconduct and cronyism in Colonie's Emergency Services Department, also were sent to local newspapers." The information disclosed by Time Warner in response to the subpoenas led to disciplinary action against the two employees.

The subpoenas were signed by town attorneys Arnis Zilgme and Michele U. Mercadante. Legal experts consulted by the Times Union questioned whether the town's lawyers have the prosecutorial authority that was needed to issue criminal subpoenas. They said state and federal laws outline who has the authority to issue an investigative criminal subpoena for electronic records. The list includes district attorneys, federal prosecutors, grand juries and judges.

The town claims now claims that it issued "investigative subpoenas" rather than "criminal subpoenas," a muddy distinction that is undermined by the facts.

[T]he subpoenas carried the header "People of the State of New York" and demanded that Time Warner disclose information "in a certain criminal matter." The subpoenas said the records were being sought for a "Colonie Police Department criminal investigation."

Police Chief Steven Heider, grudgingly conceding that there was no crime to investigate, assured the public that "We never intentionally go out to violate anybody's rights."