The Secret Histories.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Homeless man arrested by secret service.

Early this morning, a local homeless man was arrested by the Secret Service for a variety of charges.  His name was released as one J. Norton.  Norton has been known among San Francisco locals for several years.  He has frequently professed himself "Emperor" of the united States of America, and makes a habit of exchanging his own handwritten bank notes in exchange for loose change.  This activity attracted the attention of the Secret Service, who made the arrest on charges of forgery, attempting to subvert of devalue government issued currency.  Mr. Norton is being held in police custody pending psychiatric evaluation.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's medical correspondent, has remarked that Mr. Norton will likely be found unfit to face charges for reason of insanity.

"We're looking at an individual with delusion of grandeur who is habitually vagrant.  Both symptoms of schizophrenia."

Local attitude of Mr. Norton considered him a harmless eccentric.

"He's just part of the local color." Remarked one resident who asked not to be named.  "I don't know why they're arresting him, he's harmless."

"He's very civic – minded," Another local mentioned "policy on local living, business, projects, schools... You name it he'll hold a civil discussion about it.  Too bad they'll never elect a vagrant, he'd do better than half the city council, and not wind up in anyone's pocket in the process."

Among Mr. Norton's proposals, filed with independent newspapers and local government call for de-centralized power generation from windmills, and the banning of 18 wheeler trucks from a 10 mile radius centered on downtown, shipping within city bounds to be handled by locally owned transport companies.