​According to the New York Post, wealthy summer residents of Sagaponack, in the Hamptons, are very upset that they were without power (REAL power, not stupid old generator power) for so long following Hurricane Irene. They are so upset that they have made calls to "representatives, senators -- and even the White House" -- alas, to no avail. They are beginning to detect a conspiracy at work. Perhaps society is punishing them for being wealthy.

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​Anders Behring Breivik, who is the world's most recent despicable murderer (in case you've been on vacation, he massacred 90-some people last week in two separate instances), may, upon conviction, be spending the next 21 years (the maximum sentence in Norway) in a relatively tranquil spa-like abode, with lots of perks. That is, Halden Prison, which features rock-climbing walls, personal trainers, private bathrooms, and flat-screen TVs (but no HBO). This is because things are civilized in Norway, even in Norway jails, and "depriving a person of their freedom for a period of time is sufficient punishment in itself without any need whatsoever for harsh prison conditions," a Norwegian prison official told The Daily Mail. Perhaps they have a point, but here in America, we want to see this guy suffer, not enjoy digesting the delectable contents of his mini-fridge, jogging on the nearby trails, jamming with the prison rock band, and skimming through his latest beach read in the comfort of a POÄNG Chair. (Full disclaimer: We don't know whether the prison has Ikea furniture. In fact, it's probably nicer.) More photos here, via the Atlantic Wire. [NYDN]

​America is great, indeed! Remember how terrible we all felt when Christian Lopez, the lucky guy who caught the ball knocked out of the park in Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit, was maybe going to have to pay a bunch of money -- $5,000 to $14,000 -- to the IRS, just because he was coordinated enough to catch said ball, and kind enough to return it? (And was then, in return, given memorabilia, luxury box tickets, and other Yankee goodness by the team?) Taxes ruin everything! Except that Miller High Life has seen fit to "do the right thing" in this instance and will pay Lopez's taxes for him.

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​A Buddhist nun was arrested and charged with being an unlicensed vendor, a misdemeanor, just for handing out prayer beads on Canal Street and taking donations for her burned down house of worship, her lawyer claims. Baojing Li refused a non-criminal plea deal yesterday that would result in just one day of community service, instead demanding the case be dismissed "in the interest of justice." The judge said he could not drop the case without the permission of the DA, who clearly needs to take a closer look at this case. Li came to New York after a fire that also destroyed her home in Georgia, and was passing out beads and taking contributions in a tin while wearing a long religious robe with a shaved head. Her lawyer, who is representing Li pro bono, laid it out: "If this was a Catholic nun in a habit giving out rosary beads, I can't imagine a police officer in the City of New York arresting her." [DNA Info]

​• Happy birthday to George W. Bush, who is 65 today. So is Sylvester Stallone. And it's Nancy Reagan's 90th! Have some cake, guys. [FOX]

• Manhattan prosecutors will meet with Dominique Strauss-Kahn's lawyers today to talk about whether the case against him can be dismissed or resolved in a plea deal. [NYT]

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​Christopher Haynes, a 38-year-old Manhattan man who the Daily News reports "works in finance," is the third person -- at least the third person -- to accuse Johnny Utah's of running amok with their mechanical bull, a dangerous, though not living, beast that has launched many a finance guy into the ether, seemingly as if on purpose! Haynes fractured his left tibial plateau before his ride even got going, which is particularly sucky. If you are to wound yourself on the mechanical bull, you at least want to get a few hat-waves in first.

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​Last week, much ado was made over University of New Mexico football player Deshon Marman, 20, who was kicked off a US Airways flight for wearing saggy pajama pants and booked on suspicion of trespassing, battery and resisting arrest (he has not been charged). Now there's a photo circulating of another passenger, also male, clad in blue women's underwear, a blue crop tank top of sorts, and a sheer white top. He's also got on black stockings. Passenger Jill Tarlow took the photo of the man, who flew from Fort Lauderdale to Phoenix on June 9, six days prior to Marman's arrest. Marman's attorney, Joe O'Sullivan, is arguing that this is a double standard, and that "because Mr. Marman was black, wearing dreds, he was treated differently."

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Crushable calls this "Sunday Cute" but I call it Sunday Borderline Animal Cruelty. Get that turtle off the Roomba, you monsters.

[@_rosiegray]

via crustypunks.blogspot.com

​Something is amiss in the city. No, it's not the bizarre weather (though wasn't it cold yesterday?). Take a look around. What don't you see? Did you say "nomads?" Yep! You're right. There are no nomads this year in Tompkins Square Park. Well, the New York Times is on the case.

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Wikipedia

​Yesterday, Gothamist brought us the story posted on the blog Neither More Nor Less of Lisa, a woman who claimed she was arrested for sitting at a Tompkins Square Park chess table without playing chess, allegedly in violation of a sign that states, "These tables are for chess and checkers only." Not, it seems, a big deal -- is this really a police concern? NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Paul Browne cleared the matter up for us.

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