Identity theft and fraud are big problems, and data accumulator and seller Choice Point seems headed into deep trouble, as the FBI and Secret Service get on its case:

Yesterday, the burgeoning scandal led ChoicePoint to cut off access to some sensitive data to thousands of small businesses. The company also announced in filings with the government that two senior executives were under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission for stock trades that took place after they learned about the scheme last fall but before they made it public.

Iraq insurgents freed Italian hostage and journalist Giuliana Sgrena yesterday. Today, in mistaken attack, U.S. troops fired on her car, wounding her and killing a security agent. Ms. Sgrena is expected to recover.

Imagine going to prison for 11 years, and while there, taking courses, learning a trade and excelling at it. You should be a shoo-in for getting a new start of life as a law-abiding citizen when you get out. Not in New York, not if you want to be a hairstylist and have been to prison.

Mr. [Marc] La Cloche served 11 years in New York prisons for first-degree robbery. While behind bars, he turned his life around. He learned a trade, barbering. He even had the image of a barber's clippers and comb tattooed on his right arm.

In 2000, as he prepared to be freed, he applied for a required state license. He was denied it. But that decision was reversed when reviewed by a hearing officer. For a while after his release, Mr. La Cloche worked in a Midtown barber shop. That job did not last long.

New York's secretary of state, who has jurisdiction in these matters, appealed the granting of the license and won. Mr. La Cloche's "criminal history," an administrative law judge ruled, "indicates a lack of good moral character and trustworthiness required for licensure." In plain language, the fact that Mr. La Cloche had been in prison proved that he was unworthy for the trade that the state itself taught him in prison.

Where is Joseph Heller when we need him?

Via David Sirota at Think Progress:

CLAIM:
“Taking on gang life will be one part of a broader outreach to at-risk youth, which involves parents and pastors, coaches and community leaders, in programs ranging from literacy to sports.”
- President Bush’s State of the Union promise to focus on ending gang activity, 2/2/05

FACT:
“Law enforcers say Bush budget cuts would hamper anti-gang efforts…[b]ecause it proposed to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to state and local programs that help troubled kids and anti-gang efforts.”
- Knight Ridder, 3/2/05

I have a Court hearing early this morning and another big one on Monday. I'll still be posting but I need you readers to help fill in. Here's an open thread for today, your choice. Maybe someone wants to do the Friday funnies, or the stupid criminal of the week. Or rant about Bush, that's always good for a few chuckles. Have fun.

Does something seem askew with this picture? China is criticizing the U.S. for its human rights policy.

China accused the United States on Thursday of using a double standard to judge human rights in other countries, adding to a list of nations suggesting that the government that produced the Abu Ghraib prison abuses has no business commenting on what happens elsewhere.

"No country should exclude itself from the international human rights development process or view itself as the incarnation of human rights that can reign over other countries and give orders to the others," Premier Wen Jiabao's cabinet declared, three days after the State Department criticized China in its annual human rights report.

China isn't the only country expressing its criticism of the U.S.

You'd have to live in a cave not to know that if you're driving and get stopped by a cop, he or she can ask you to take a breath or blood test, and if you refuse, you lose your license for a while. But you also expect that if you choose the blood test, the cops will take you to a hospital or other place where a medical professional draws your blood.

That's changing. Utah now allows cops to needle you themselves, right at the site of the traffic stop. The reason seems to be it saves the state money. Other states plan on following suit. Can this be constitutional? I don't think so. DUI blog provides these thoughts.

The U.S. has increased the number of prisoners it is holding in Iraq. Right now it stands at 8,900. And the jails are overcrowded.

Abu Ghraib's capacity is said to be "ideal" at 2,500. It now houses 3,160 detainees. Camp Bucca has 5,600.

The military must hire enough effective interrogators and military intelligence officers to process detainees quickly, said Bruce Hoffman, an analyst at the RAND Corporation who has worked in Iraq with American policy makers. Otherwise, innocent people will languish in the prisons, a fertile recruiting ground for the insurgents, and could take up arms when they are freed.

A day in the life:

CNN's Inside Politics with Judy Woodruff today did a feature on blogs, and what they are talking about. Crooks and Liars has the video. At the very end, they mention TalkLeft and show our post about Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman mentioning gin when he spoke to 4th graders. They mentioned our comment, "We're with Oscar on this one."

That makes two networks, CNN and MSNBC, (in particular Connected Coast to Coast,) talking about bloggers. It's kind of cool, but it's also a little disconcerting. Until now, blogging has been an in-house adventure with bloggers reading bloggers and bloggers commenting on MSM. Now it's a two-way street.

Related: Skippy writes a letter to CNN.

At 12:01 am ET Friday morning, or tonight for those of us in the CST, MST and PST time zones, Martha Stewart will get out of jail, having served 147 days.

A car will take her to the nearby Greenbrier Valley Airport, where she will be flown by private jet to return home to her 153-acre estate in Katonah, N.Y. There she will serve out five months of home detention as she assembles the ingredients for the next course in her remarkable career in the domestic arts.

Dozens of cameras will be on hand every step of the way, beginning with a photo opportunity at the West Virginia airport, where Stewart is not expected to make a statement.

MSNBC is doing a one-hour live special at midnight, ET, and I'll be providing some of the commentary.

And check out this graphic by the New York Times: The value of Martha's stock in her company has risen while's she been in jail. It's now worth $1 billion.

Much has been made of Congressman Jim Gibbons (R-NV)recent speech intended to rally the GOP.

Patriotic spirits soared as Elko's Grand Old Party had a grand old party Friday night at its annual Lincoln Day Dinner. The fervor was whipped up by a fiery speech by Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., during which he passionately proclaimed his heartfelt support for troops waging the war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan and voiced blistering contempt for certain celebrities for giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

Atrios reports it's been given before - and by someone other than him.

"Gunner Palace," the movie about the troops in Iraq, opens in theatres tomorrow. It sounds like a hit. Background is here and here.

You can view exclusive clips here and here. The trailer is here.