Linked Up

There's a lot going on today. Let's get into some of it:

• A handful of Los Angeles hospitals have been accused of defrauding taxpayer-funded healthcare programs of millions of dollars by recruiting homeless patients for unnecessary medical services. Yet another reason I just can't co-sign on a for-profit health-care system. I blame Richard Nixon. This story prompted my favorite copy editor to wonder, "Why can't people just be regular?" The pursuit of wealth, I suppose.
• Prince Georges County law enforcement agencies might finally be in trouble. Berwyn Height's mayor will almost certainly get the federal investigation that he asked for this afternoon. The problems with PG County's overzealous officers have been well documented by blogger Ta-Nehisi Coates. Thing is, shouldn't it be insulting that it took the shooting death of two dogs to draw national attention into the problems there?
• Speaking of Ta-Nehisi, he linked to this story about a man who pleaded guilty to murder in exchange for a lifetime of buckets of fried chicken, carrot cake, calzones and conjugal visits. I was hoping the guy wasn't black but, uh, the name Tremayne gave it away.
• Our federal government can't be this dumb. Can it? Wait ... I think I already know the answer to that one.
• I'm totally behind Sen. Chuck Schumer on this one. Barack - and the Democrats in general - need to put on the gloves and square up. Playing not to lose is rarely a winning strategy.
• Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. In trouble. Again. Explain to me again how Kilpatrick maintains his grip on City Hall?
• This woman needs serious, intensive therapy. It's really hard to believe that she had a live-in, adult boyfriend at the time of her arrest. He might need to be checked out, too.
• There's a good joke in here somewhere.
• And, finally: Yeah. Sure. Management would never lie, right?