9/20 Morning Communiqué

THESE DAYS

Police arrested an estimated 786,545 persons for marijuana violations in 2005, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual Uniform Crime Report. The total number of marijuana arrests in the U.S. for 2005 far exceeded the total number of arrests in the U.S. for all violent crimes combined, including murder, manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

School officials in upstate New York are apologizing for an X-rated typeface that was used on a third-grade spelling packet. The font showed male and female stick figures in provocative poses to form the letters of the alphabet.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Anthony Hall and Simon Bryun post on all things purple at Vikings War Cry.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

The new and improved South Park Studio, where you can create your own characters

CreateBands allows you to become the next Lou Pearlman

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"It's always had a very special place in my heart and now it's an amazing thought that I'm going to be riding that funny old car at the very end of the parade."

-- Star Wars creator George Lucas, on being named grand marshal of the 118th annual Tournament of Roses parade