It should never be a surprise when people find out that sex offenders and other general deviants (criminal and otherwise) use the World Wide Web for just plain icky purposes.

One of the great ironies of the Internet is that it can allow anonymity while also giving people the chance to expose themselves in all sorts of new and fantastic ways.

Hello MySpace, these nice detectives have some questions for you.

Maine’s attorney general has joined up with AG’s around the country to ask MySpace to provide info on the identity of sex offenders who use the site. As has already been pointed out, this could be tough because someone’s user name and profile may not easily jibe with their real-life identity.

It’s interesting reading the reader comments on this story, as some say all the news attention will tip off these sex offenders, while others point out you’d have to be pretty stupid to go ahead and use your real name.

In other tragic-comedic news today, a weatherman-turned DJ got busted for allegedly robbing a couple of convenience stores.

This is one of those things you initially read and laugh at while thinking, "This would make a great Nicholas Cage movie." But then you continue to read it and pretty much feel bad.

As many of you already know the Federal Communications Commission is in town today to hear testimony from people about the importance of localism on broadcast media and the impact of corporate ownership.

Strangely enough, last night NPR featured yet another youth-radio segment from Portland’s own Blunt Youth Radio. Chandra Touch’s story looked at graduation and the transitions in her life and how they don’t always mesh with what her Cambodian-born mom had hoped would happen for her.

Blunt, as many of you may know, operates out of WMPG, the community-run radio station on the University of Southern Maine Portland campus.

Couple of events for the nightcap tonight:

PIRATES & ZOMBIES! I wish I could make this stuff up, but it’s like someone out there’s been reading my diary. Tonight over at Bubba’s is the first Dead Pirate’s Society night, where wenches, pirates, zombies, pirate zombies (wasn’t that a Scooby-Doo episode?) all get in for $3. The rest of us get in for $5.
What exactly is the Dead Pirate’s Society? On the last Thursday of each month digital dori (the lady who brought you 80s night) is throwing the pirate ball complete with rock, punk and metal music.
Tonight’s showcase features WMPG’s Metal Mistress handling hosting duties with Man-Witch and Balls Deep providing the sounds.
Show starts at 9 p.m.

If pirates and zombies are not your thing (and to be fair not everyone is into the threat of scurvy, eye patches and dead flesh) you can head over to Space Gallery tonight for the circus.
Bindlestiff’s Family Cirkus’ summer variety show tour hits town tonight and promises all the real thrills of the circus, minus the elephants and potentially creepy clowns.
What exactly can be expected? Sword-swallowing, precision bullwhip cracking, fire-eating, trapeze stunts and tightrope walking.

True, in some ways that sounds like a Friday night in the Old Port (I’m sorry, that joke was too good to pass up.), but Bindlestiff’s knows what they’re doing and has traveled the world doing it.
It’s 18+, tickets are $12 at the door, or $10 in costume. Doors are at 8 p.m. and the circus starts at 8:30 p.m.

Personally, I’ll be watching the NBA draft tonight, just to see what the Timberwolves do (or most likely don’t do.) Celtic’s fans, I feel we’re in the same boat trying to second guess former Celtics-turned GMs. Yes Misters Ainge and McHale I’m talking to you.

Anyone still think Kevin Garnett might be coming to the C’s next season?

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