There are multiple reports that beach cleanup efforts in the Florida panhandle are moving to nights because of the excessive heat and humidity in North Florida. Today’s Weather.com forecast for Pensacola predicts a heat index of 100 degrees or more from 11 am through 5 pm, and similar conditions in the area have persisted for at least a week. The Pensacola News Journal states that heat indices of 114 have regularly been observed on the beach there. It should not be surprising then, that with the health of cleanup workers in mind, the efforts are being moved to nighttime, when conditions are much more tolerable. Sadly, however, lighting Florida beaches at night is a huge mistake, because hatchling sea turtles orient towards the brightest part of the horizon. Sadder still, we are now at the time of year when these turtles are hatching and trying to return to the sea from the onshore nests where the eggs hatch.

According to BP’s records, only two workers in the oil disaster recovery effort have reported illnesses from chemical exposure while working with oil and dispersants. That’s great news! Except for Louisiana officials say that in reality, more than 70 workers have reported chemical exposure illnesses. So what’s the deal, BP?

Senate Republicans successfully filibustered the scaled-back tax extenders/jobs bill today, by a count of 56-40. All Republicans voting voted against the bill, including such so-called moderate Republicans as Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins and Scott Brown.

This Peterson guy’s got “GOP Veep Nominee” all over him.

And all this time I though the “Sorrow and the Pity” wasn’t about Joe Barton, but occupied France?

Norah Jones — Are You Lonesome Tonight.

The Blues Brothers’ “Mission from God” now has official Vatican approval.

Andy Worthington is posting portions of the United Nations’ “Joint Study on Global Practices in Relation to Secret Detention in the Context of Counter-Terrorism,” a detailed, 186-page report issued last February. The UN report was hardly reported by either the U.S. press or the blogosphere, and deserves wide dissemination.

This November, the citizens of Detroit will get to decide whether to change the city’s charter to make it legal for adults 21 and over to possess less than one ounce of marijuana on private property. If this ballot initiative passes, it will conflict with state and federal law. How federal authorities deal with the potential passage of this local initiative and the much bigger statewide marijuana legalization ballot initiative in California should be very interesting.

Brian Beutler has a disturbing article about House conferees working inside the conference committee on behalf of the New Democrats and the New York delegation to kill or weaken key provisions of the Wall Street reform bill.