In the latest case to test how technological developments alter Americans’ privacy, federal court has sided with the Justice Department on police use of concealed surveillance cameras on private property CNET is reporting.

Police are allowed in some circumstances to install hidden surveillance cameras on private property without obtaining a search warrant, a federal judge said yesterday.

CNET has learned that U.S. District Judge William Griesbach ruled that it was reasonable for Drug Enforcement Administration agents to enter rural property without permission — and without a warrant — to install multiple "covert digital surveillance cameras" in hopes of uncovering evidence that 30 to 40 marijuana plants were being grown.

This is the latest case to highlight how advances in technology are causing the legal system to rethink how Americans’ privacy rights are protected by law. In January, the Supreme Court rejected warrantless GPS tracking after previously rejecting warrantless thermal imaging, but it has not yet ruled on warrantless cell phone tracking or warrantless use of surveillance cameras placed on private property without permission.

Griesbach adopted a recommendation by U.S. Magistrate Judge William Callahan dated October 9. That recommendation said that the DEA’s warrantless surveillance did not violate the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and requires that warrants describe the place that’s being searched.

"The Supreme Court has upheld the use of technology as a substitute for ordinary police surveillance," Callahan wrote.

Two defendants in the case, Manuel Mendoza and Marco Magana of Green Bay, Wis., have been charged with federal drug crimes after DEA agent Steven Curran claimed to have discovered more than 1,000 marijuana plants grown on the property, and face possible life imprisonment and fines of up to $10 million. Mendoza and Magana asked Callahan to throw out the video evidence on Fourth Amendment grounds, noting that "No Trespassing" signs were posted throughout the heavily wooded, 22-acre property owned by Magana and that it also had a locked gate.

For more from cnet.com, click here.

President Barack Hussein Obama won a close contest Tuesday night over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as individual votes documented a nation deeply divided.

After running the most personally insulting inaccurate and divisive race in history, Obama spoke to thousands of cheering supporters, praising Romney and promising that better days are ahead.

"While our road has been hard, though our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up. We have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come," he said.

After Romney telephoned the president, he spoke to disappointed supporters in Boston. In a graceful concession, he summoned all Americans to pray for Obama and urged the night’s political winners to put partisan bickering aside and "reach across the aisle" to tackle the nation’s problems.

In Tulsa County, Mitt Romney won the race with 66.8 percent of the vote Obama’s 33.2 percent.  For the second presidential race in a row, all 77 counties of Oklahoma voted Republican.

In the contest to represent the 1st District of Oklahoma in Congress, Republican Jim Bridenstine easily won over Democrat John Olson with 63.5 percent of the vote.

In the 2nd District of Oklahoma in Congress, Republican Markwayne Mullin earned 57.3 percent to Democrat Rob Wallace’s 38.0 percent.  Independent Michael G. Fulks gathered only 4.3 percent of the total.

Incumbent Republicans Frank Lucas, Tom Cole and James Lankford will continue to represent the state in Congress – all by significant margins.

Incumbent Republican Brian Crain will return to the Oklahoma State Senate after defeating challenger Julie Hall, with 56.9 percent to 43.1 percent of the vote.

In the most hotly contested State House race, District 71, Republican Katie Henke beat Democrat Dan Arthrell, 53.2 percent to 46.8 percent.  This race was left undecided by the Courts after a special election was ruled “too close to call” with a certified vote of one in Henke’s favor.

In State House District 76, Republican David Brumbaugh won by 67 percent over Democrat Glenda Puett’s 32.3 percent.

Midtown Tulsa returned incumbent Democrat Jeannie McDaniel to House District 78 with 61.4 percent of the vote and Democrat Seneca Scott won with 72.7 percent in North Tulsa.

Vision2 was defeated in both propositions.  Proposition 1 which focused on infrastructure support for City of Tulsa owned facilities at the Tulsa International Airport Industrial Complex failed with 56 percent voting no.  Proposition 2 which would have funded city and county “quality of life” projects lost with 54.6 percent voting no.  

For more election results, click here for the Oklahoma Election Board. 

The polls are open and busy in Tulsa as the people decide critical national, state and local issues.

Is anyone still deciding on details?  Unlikely in most opinions and many believe that people are very ready for this election to be decided.

Nationally, this scribe has written that Barack Hussein Obama was a socialist beginning in May of 2008.  Obama has further proven to be a bold faced liar so often that history may consider him the biggest joke or jackass to ever hold the office of President.  Which one, I don’t really know, but I am so ready for an American President that actually honors America.  I believe Mitt Romney is that man.

Jim Bridenstine Republican Candidate for the 1st Congressional District of Oklahoma, we believe, will be an honorable active conservative in Congress, click here for our interview.

Markwayne Mullin Republican Candidate for the 2nd Congressional District of Oklahoma will also serve conservative principles and Oklahoma people with honor in our opinion, click here for more.

On State Questions, click here for details.

On the retention of judges serving on the Oklahoma Supreme Court, click here.

On Vision2 for Tulsa, click here for details.

Katie Henke will be a great State Representative for House District 71 and will serve the Brookside area of Tulsa with attentive reasoned positions on difficult issues.  Her opponent is a lifelong lobbyist that now wants to pass out money to his friends and is running a nasty campaign to prove it.  Click here for more.

Brian Crain has served his district well over the years, but his district changed and this race may be more difficult than it should be given his flaky left-wing opponent.  Click here for more.

In general, if the Democrats have not defined themselves differently than Barack Hussein Obama, then you should know by now what they envision for the country.

Regardless, please vote today – it is your responsibility in return for the freedom you enjoy.

Oklahoma’s effort to reorganize, size and hold government accountable advanced Tuesday as all six state questions passed.  

State Question No. 758

The measure places a cap on the level of increase in the fair cash value of homestead exempted property and agricultural land.  Some county assessors have long claimed to be conservative while hiking individual assessments to the maximum allowed by law at every opportunity.  Should this question pass, the existing cap would fall from 5% to 3%.

State Question No. 759

In the areas of employment, education and contracting this measure does not allow affirmative action programs to provide preferred treatment based on race, color or gender.  It permits affirmative action in three instances; 1) When gender is a bonafide qualification, 2) When court orders and/or consent decrees are in force, and 3) When affirmative action is required to keep or obtain federal funds.  

This would remove all Oklahoma government, state agencies, counties, cities, towns and school districts from the “quota” game with the likely outcome to be based on merit.

State Question No. 762

This question amends the Oklahoma Constitution to remove the Governor from the parole process for persons convicted of certain nonviolent offenses.  It enlarges the power and authority of the Pardon and Parole Board in these cases and in others to recommend to the Governor, but not to itself grant, parole for persons required to serve not less than eighty-five percent of their sentence prior to being considered for parole.

History in Oklahoma proves that when any governor is running for re-election, no paroles are granted and the standard for parole unreasonably political.  This is an effort to standardize nonviolent offenses, reduce populations in Oklahoma prisons, and generally move the correction system in Oklahoma to reason rather than revenge.

State Question No. 764

This measure would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to allow the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to issue bonds to fund certain water resource and sewage treatment building programs.  Not more than $300 million in bonds is allowed and the Oklahoma Legislature would oversight the program.

State Question No. 765

This measure amends the Oklahoma Constitution to abolish the Oklahoma Department of Human Services as identified within that Constitution.  It does not abolish services, but places the agency under the authority of the Legislature to administer and carry out laws to provide for the care of the aged and the needy.

This measure is desperately needed.  Oklahoma’s Department of Human Services has been ripe with corruption, administrative arrogance, and incompetence as often noted by Federal Judges reviewing its operation.  

State Question No. 766

This measure would exempt all intangible personal property from ad valorem property taxation.  Intangible Personal Property is that whose value is not derived from physical attributes, but rather from what it represents.  Intangible examples include: patents, inventions, formulas, designs, and trade secrets, licenses, franchise, contracts, land leases, mineral interests, insurance policies, custom computer software, t5rademarks, trade names and brand names.