Daily Three

"A Tenor for Heaven's Choir." The world mourns the loss of the most celebrated tenor of the second half of the 20th Century, Luciano Pavarotti. (I'm a John McCormack fan myself). Also now playing in Heaven, Oscar Winning Asian actress Miyoshi Umeki, whom you probably remember not for her Oscar winning or Tony nominated roles, but as the housekeeper from "The Courtship of Eddie's Father."

"Yeah we gotta little ol' convoy, ain't she a beautiful sight?" Today is the day that international trucking rules from the 80s (which seemed to work fine) have been scrapped in favor of a NAFTA friendly scheme to allow truckers from certain Mexican trucking firms to freely haul goods all over the United States. Critics charge there are safety issues, security issues, national sovereignty issues, and that it will drive down wages for American truckers. The head of the teamsters was quoted by USA Today as saying "What is it about safety and national security that George Bush doesn't understand?"

"Film at 11." Last, I bring what can best be called a developing news story. The Feds have arrested 11 public officials in New Jersey, perhaps including "school board members, state lawmakers, mayors and city officials." These officials are expected to appear in court at 2 PM EST. Shortly thereafter, we shall hopefully know who they are and what they are accused of doing. [Reference update here. Second update with much more detail, courtesy of the NYT.]