Money, Money, Money,

Money. The Clintons have done very well, indeed, since Bubba left office. About $109 million worth of well, in fact:

The Clintons reported $20.4 million in income for 2007 as they gave the public the most detailed look at their finances in eight years. Almost half the former first couple's money came from Bill Clinton's speeches.

The tax returns are a portrait in post-presidential success. The Clintons, who had lived in taxpayer-paid housing in the governor's mansion in Arkansas or the White House for years, left the presidency struggling with a legal defense fund stemming from a spate of investigations. They now are wealthy enough that she could lend her presidential campaign $5 million earlier this year.

The campaign released tax returns from 2000 through 2006 and gave highlights from their 2007 return. The Clintons have asked for an extension for filing their 2007 tax returns, citing the dissolution of a blind trust last year.

The Democratic presidential candidate and her husband paid $33.8 million in taxes from 2000 through 2007. They listed $10.25 million in charitable contributions during that period.

That rates a medley. Money. Money. Money. And, what the hey, Mony.

Spring, Interrupted

Britain is bracing for a bout of snow, sleet and rain as a massive cold front pummels the country.

(Te)mperatures have hit 64F (18C) in some places this week — the warmest day of the year was on Thursday when temperatures hit 66F (18.9C) in Inverbervie, Aberdeenshire — but a cold front is due to bring heavy rain, sleet and hail, as well as snow on higher ground.

The Met Office expects south-east England to be the only place with temperatures above 50F (10C) on Saturday, while Sunday will be even colder at 43F (6C) during the day and below freezing at night.

Forecasters also warned about the probability of a sharp frost.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: "People from across the country could wake up to find a dusting of snow on Sunday but it should melt pretty quickly."

Here in the Midwest of the United States, it has been a cold and dreary spring so far. Even today, when it was sunny and around 60°  F, there was a cold wind blowing that made it uncomfortable outside unless you were wearing a jacket. The trees are struggling to bud as the overnight temps are dropping into the 20s and 30s.

Mars 3-D

Some stunning pseudo-3-d pictures of the surface of mars from the European Space Agency are featured over at the Daily Mail.

The 3D photographs were taken by a high resolution stereo camera on board the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter and beamed 43million miles to Earth.

They show Hebes Chasma, an enclosed trough, almost five miles deep, in the Grand Canyon of the Red Planet.

It's worth clicking through to the link. Even more over at the ESA website. Some very nice images if you poke around a bit.

Is That A Boa Constrictor In Your Pocket?

Or are you just happy you stole the snake? A woman in Michigan has absconded with a 20-inch boa constrictor using the simple expedient  of hiding the reptile in her pants.

LANSING, Mich. - A woman stole a boa constrictor from a pet store by slipping the snake down her pants, the owner said. The animal was stolen Thursday afternoon from Preuss Animal House in Lansing.

I can promise you that the thief was not my wife. There is no way she would even consider getting that close to a snake. But I di have to show her this article.

On second thought, I'd probably be wise not to.  

Zimbabwe Chaos: Western Reporters Arrested

In the wake of electoral defeat - which must have been so bad that Robert Mugabe couldn't rig his way out of the results - police loyal to Mugabe have begun raiding opposition offices. They have also detained a number of foreign journalist, including Barry Bearak of the New York Times. Aides to the 84 year old socialist icon have begun trying to figure out how to hang on to power. They are discussing the possibility of Mugabe using emergency powers to stall a constitutionally required second round of voting.

Several ruling party sources, including one of Mugabe's closest confidants, said Thursday that three options were under discussion: a negotiated, immediate departure for Mugabe; a second round of voting by April 19 as required by law if no candidate has a majority; or a 90-day state of emergency in hopes of improving conditions before an eventual runoff. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity.

The dire state of Zimbabwe's finances make organizing a second round of voting difficult, sources said. Some ruling party officials are arguing that a runoff this month is impractical and that Mugabe must use emergency presidential powers to delay that vote until June or July.

Amid anxiety about the election results, police in the capital, Harare, raided opposition party hotel rooms and a lodge where several foreigners were staying. Among those detained was New York Times correspondent Barry Bearak, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of Afghanistan in 2002. Police also led away a second journalist and two other foreigners whose identities were not immediately known.

The newspaper issued a statement saying Bearak was being held for violating journalism laws. "We are making every effort to assure that he is well treated, and to secure his prompt release," said Executive Editor Bill Keller.

Zimbabwean officials have barred all but a handful of foreign correspondents from covering the election. Many of those working in the country are without official credentials, which the Information Ministry gives out selectively, mostly to journalists from countries seen as friendly to Mugabe's rule.

The pace of diplomatic activity intensified throughout the day, with South African officials shuttling between Mugabe's camp and Tsvangirai's. Key issues in their talks included whether Mugabe and his allies would receive immunity from prosecution for any crimes against humanity, including the slaughter of thousands from the Ndebele minority group in the 1980s, the sources said. 

Lovely group of folks. Another failed socialist dictator trying desperately to hold onto power. At this point, it is probably best to let him go and give the suffering people of Zimbabwe a chance. The longer he stays in power, the worse it will be for them.