From CBS – Florida Ex-Cons To Regain Voting Rights:

Florida was one of three U.S. states along with Kentucky and Virginia that require ex-felons to take action to restore their civil rights no matter how long they’ve been out of prison. Other states have waiting periods before restoration; most restore rights automatically when felons complete their sentence.

Under the change, which takes effect immediately, Florida officials will automatically begin the rights-restoration process for felons when they finish their sentences. People who previously completed sentences but are still awaiting restoration of their rights will still have to apply on their own because most are not tracked by the state after their release.

The change was urged by Gov. Charlie Crist, who was elected last November. His predecessor, Jeb Bush, had long opposed changing the ban.

“I believe in simple human justice and that when somebody has paid their debt to society, it is paid in full,” Crist said Thursday. “There’s a time to move on, a time to give them an opportunity to have redemption, to have a chance to become productive citizens again.”

If Eliot Abrams can get a government job, some guy who has finished his sentence for kiting checks ought to be able to cut hair or drive a dump truck, as well as voting.

Barbara O’Brien has scoured the ‘Net to cover ScarfGate.

It’s interesting that there are photos of both Laura Bush and Condoleezza Rice in hajibs, while Speaker Pelosi is wearing a scarf.

I admit that I’m old enough to remember when the only women who wore hajibs in the US were nuns. I don’t remember anyone harassing them over the practice: it was part of their religion.

Jeff Masters, the hurricane blogger for the Weather Underground, wants people to remember that the April forecasts from Colorado have shown no skill in predicting Atlantic hurricane activity. Their June forecasts are quite good, so stand by for the June numbers.

The first name up will be Andrea, and as the practice is to reuse names every six years, I could get hit by another Erin, as happened in 1995. I don’t have to worry about another Opal, because the bad storms have their names retired from the lists.

Nancy Pelosi is the perfect person to deal with the Shrubbery. As a grandmother she has a lot of experience dealing with toddlers throwing tantrums.

Presented for your consideration:

On 04/05/07: ‘No deal done with Iran’ – Blair

Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted no deal was done to free 15 Royal Navy crew members, as they arrived in the UK after being held in Iran for 13 days.

They were released “without any deal, without any negotiation, without any side agreement of any nature”, he said.

[snip]

The diplomats insisted the only written communication was an exchange of diplomatic notes several days earlier.

It is thought the British note included an offer to hold discussions to clarify the border line to avoid problems in future, says the BBC’s Frances Harrison in Iran.

On 04/04/07: Iran ‘access’ to Iraq detainees

Iranian officials have dismissed any link between the British crew and Iranian detainees in Iraq, while Britain and the US have said any exchange deal would be out of the question.

On 04/03/07: Seized Iran diplomat free in Iraq

US officials denied any involvement in the kidnapping and said they did not know about the diplomat’s release.

Francis Urquhart: “You might well think that. I couldn’t possibly comment.”

Oh, well, at least they appear to be considering actually drawing the border that everyone keeps pretending exists.

Kevin Drum located this graph which shows who benefits from a Shrubbery Recovery – corporate profits.

It hard for the benefits to flow down to the little people when the government keeps subsidizing corporate dams.

Don’t forget – the tax cuts are supposed to spur investments. Investments don’t appear to be spurred; they appear to be bedded down in their stall.