Bookmarks for October 8th

rakontur links for October 8th:

• Criminals targeted in U.S. kidnap capital (Reuters) - The criminal underworld in the sun-baked Arizona capital of Phoenix has long enjoyed the hot money profits from illicit smuggling of drugs and people over the border from Mexico. But now its members are living in fear as they are stalked by kidnappers after their proceeds, authorities say.


• Top 20 Most Corrupt and Crazy Public Servants (Miami Beach 411) - While this list is by no means complete, it does serve to show just how many of our civic leaders down here have been above the law or on the take. Some might say that is a big part of why Miami has so many problems.


• Miami: Top 5 Daytime Eats (BlackBook) -


• Medicare cracks down on home healthcare companies (Miami Herald) - Since last year, Medicare officials have been acutely aware of billing irregularities in Miami-Dade's estimated $1.3 billion home healthcare industry. That total represents a 1,300 percent spike in billings over the last five years -- about 20 times higher than the national rate.


• Two Miami icons designated historic landmarks (Miami Herald) - Miami Marine Stadium and the big Coppertone Girl sign that hung over Biscayne Boulevard for nearly 50 years, long-neglected icons of Miami's golden age of the '50s and '60s, should be saved for posterity, the city's historic preservation board decided Tuesday.