—We'll have more on recidivism posted later this week. In the meantime, here's would-be A.G. Moonbeam on Oakland's returning prisoners [subscriber only link] in the weekend Wall Street Journal:

As attorney general, Mr. Brown wants to target prisoner recidivism in California, where roughly 120,000 convicts are released annually, and 80,000 returned to prison annually. "They have 8th-grade reading levels, no skills, their attitudes are bad, many are addicted to drugs and they are coming back to disrupt the community," he says. "That's why I'm putting GPS bracelets on them in Oakland. Whether they are active enough that we can root them out of certain neighborhoods at curfew and enforce it -- well, I am at least attempting to compensate for the failed parole system."

—Is there a Villaraigosa-Schwarzenegger alliance in the making? The governor's appointment of the mayor's sister "to a $149,160-a-year judgeship on the Los Angeles County Superior Court" has some Democratic Party loyalists fuming. The Phil Angelides gubernatorial campaign has accused the mayor of placing his family’s finances above his duties to the Democratic party. More likely Villaraigosa would like to see Angelides lose so that he can run for governor in four years when the term-limited Schwarzenegger has to step down."

—And a slap at Villaraigosa, as the Board of Education unanimously selected a new superintendent, retired Navy Vice Admiral David L. Brewer III, an education neophyte, just weeks before new legislation is scheduled to take effect giving the mayor substantial authority over local schools, including the functional ability to veto the hiring and firing of superintendents.

Villaraigosa, who won office in part because of black voters disenchanted with then-mayor James Hahn for his decision to fire black Police Chief Bernard Parks, will have to be cautious in criticizing the board's choice of Brewer, who is black.

—Miami may be known for its pay-to-play culture, but Orlando is making strides. It turns out the Magic, who are in the midst of a deal to build a new arena with about $280 million in taxpayer subsidies, have been caught paying $200,000 in "shut-up money" to well-known radio host, political consultant and so-called "Voice of the People" Doug Guetzloe. The arrangement came just after a report that Guetzloe had been paid $107,500 by the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, an agency he's often criticized, for a two page report.

The Magic's pay-offs were made through the team's law firm, which it turns out has paid another half a million dollars to Guetzloe over the past 10 years, with payments frequently coinciding with the radio host playing a politically active role in cities where the firm faced opposition to development projects they represented.

—In St. Louis, still more allegations of voter fraud directed at the left wing and supposedly grassroots group ACORN.

—In D.C., thugs are going where the money is.