the 941

 What’s the difference between the free speech zones set up by the Communists in China and those that will be set up at the Democratic National Convention?

• Think being a renter means you’re safe from the foreclosure crisis? Think again.

• So who did compose that forged Iraqi letter? Douglas Feith, perhaps?

• Bush’s White House has its own interrogation room.

• But if Congress arrests Karl Rove, he may be headed elsewhere.

• Update: cops who busted in and shot mayor’s dogs didn’t even have a proper warrant.

• Government thugs threaten family of anti-war website operator.

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The Orange County Register, a newspaper in California, annouced it is outsourcing some of its copy-editing and design to workers in India. Management claims no jobs will be lost. Yet.
This blog, for now, will continue to be produced in Sarasota.

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The Florida Sun-Sentinel has a truly awe-inspiring series of retro cereal box photos posted on their website. Sure, there’s Quisp and and Mr. T cereal, but there are also many I’ve never heard of. Cap’n Crunch’s Punch Crunch. Grins & Smiles & Giggles & Laughs. And, perhaps my very favorite, Crunchy Loggs.

Makes me want to go out and buy whatever movie tie-in cereal is currently available. Maybe Indy’s Crunchy Skulls, or Get Smart Shoe Puffs, or Love Guru Fruity Genitalia. Mmm, artificially-flavored corn-puff penises.

If that’s not enough, here’s another good resource for retro cereal packaging, and another, and this one that’s a tad too high concept to be useful, but interesting nonetheless.

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That was the question posed on Huffington Post and it is a good one. The why is easy — he has no chance of beating Obama in the fall — what happens next is the real question. Here’s the scenario.

• And speaking of McCain, this is really funny.

• We have nothing to fear but Baracknophobia?

• Conservative talk show host calls for assassination of anti-war activist.

• The Democratic Convention is gonna be a doozy.

• Firefox 3 is ready and it rocks.

• And finally, are there really no laws in the universe?

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In a stunning admission, the IRS has backtracked and stated that the taxes owed by one of local U.S. Rep Vern Buchanan’s companies was actually just a clerical error and not due to non-payment. He still has to fix the paperwork and still may face fines and late fees, but he paid the taxes.

• In other tax news, a review of IRS files by ABC News/USA Today showed more than 7,000 filers earned more than $200,000 and paid no taxes.

• One more piece of tax-related news: The dog of late tax cheat and hotel queen Leona Helmsley recently lost $8,000,000 of the $10,000,000 of his inheiritance. A judge ruled the money should have gone to two disinheirited grandchildren and a non-profit foundation. The $2,000,000 should keep Trouble, a nine-year-old Maltese, in kibble for a while, considering his yearly expenses are only $190,000.

• And finally, should employers be required to provide paid sick days?

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Never forget that one likely trotted across your head last night while you were sleeping.

Thanks to uglybug.org

• As I said yesterday, he does not have a chance of succeeding, but it’s still beautiful to watch all 35 articles of impeachment read against President Bush.

• What are the scientists at the South Pole going to do during the next three months of darkness? Get busy.

• Why is President Bush giving nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, home of 17 of the 19 9/11 hijackers?

• And what about the Reconquista?

• The sheriff of Philadelphia, Pa., has not forgotten that he is both to protect and serve.

• And for all you germophobes out there, here’s 10 more places you never expected to harbor dangerous bacteria.

• If you want a good chuckle, check out this sampler of the Best of Craigslist.

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Sounds far-fetched doesn’t it? But maybe not so much…

Also of interest is this graphic, which has been circulating for a little while now:

Don’t think for a second that it couldn’t happen. More here.

• The Blackwater fascist takeover of America continues.

• How bad is the housing market in Southern California? Yep, it’s BOGO time.

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Possible GOP veep candidate and Florida Governor Charlie Crist has been battling the gay rumors for a while, so I suppose it was inevitable that the sex tape was going to appear.

• And speaking of inevitable, English-speakers in Miami are feeling more and more isolated as Spanish-speakers complete their takeover.

• On Friday, a man who’s trying to establish an Extraterrestial Affairs Commission in his home city of Denver, plans to release conclusive proof of alien life on earth. (Insert Hillary joke here.)

•  As if television was not bad enough, ABC is working on a new reality series about life with the border patrol. Boring.

• Another shocker: Exxon Mobil’s CEO does not like environmentalists.

• Math alert: Careful statistical analysis of polling data shows that Barack Obama should win the general election against John McCain this fall, unless the Democrats find a way to implode.

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In yet another sideways nod at the county budget crisis, the Sarasota County Commissioners voted to deploy red-light cameras throughout the city, starting soon. This is despite the fact that the cameras’ use is of questionable Constitutional legality and despite the fact that no one will have any incentive to pay the tickets. Why? Until the cameras are approved by the state, the city can’t do much to scofflaws except revoke their library cards.

• On the good news front, the commissioners decided to drop the really poor idea of charging to park at area beaches.

• The battle for more fair and requitable property taxes continues, but still has a long way to go. Until municipalities are forced to tax a property based on its current use, rather than its “highest and best use” property owners are going to continue to be ripped off.

• The usual spring bump in housing sales failed to materialize this year.

• What’s one sector of the population that’s hurting the most during the current housing crisis? Military families.

• President Bush’s criminal policy of detaining children as enemy combatants. Yep. Kids. Some as young as 10 years old, have been prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

• Today in weird Florida news: Nude maid steals $40,000 in jewels from Tampa couple.

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The U.S. terrorist watch list is approaching the magical one million mark. Are you on the list? You’ll never know until you try to board a plane and get diverted out of the security screening area into a windowless room for a more thorough search.

• And if that’s not bad enough, the government has also compiled a list of up to 8 million names, of people who will be detained when martial law is declared. It’s really hard to overstate what an alarming and dangerous threat this list poses to the fabric of our democracy.

• Another unintended and possible insoluble problem with Guantanamo Bay’s prison for terrorist suspects - what to do with prisoners who can be released, but no country will accept them and that no one wants wandering the streets of America?

• It’s a little early for Father’s Day, but this is a good read.

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