Or with brute animals

An obit in today’s NYT of an “expert on placebos,” the wonderfully named Dr. Louis Lasagna.

Speaking of my favorite names, Charles Taylor did indeed turn the Liberian presidency over to Moses Blah today (my previous favorite African rulers’ names: Omar Bongo of I believe Gabon, and Canaan Banana of Zimbabwe). Taylor held this ridiculous ceremony to his own ego, with embarrassed speeches by leaders of other African nations, and a choir that sang Onward Christian Soldiers and the theme to An Officer and a Gentleman.

I wouldn’t ordinarily link to a picture of Aahnuld’s head framed by two large naked breasts, but since you might be wondering about references to it in news sources that won’t show you what they’re talking about...

The Guardian’s LA correspondent: “So far the former Mr Universe's policies seem similar to those of Miss World contestants: he wants to help children and old people.” He then comes out in favor of the election: “what is crazier - having an election in which dozens of people participate and dozens of issues are raised or the embalmed world of Washington politics where everyone is already bought and sold? And what is wrong with circuses as long as no dumb animals are harmed?”

A picture of the porn star and the 100-year old woman meeting at the country registrar’s office while registering their candidacies.

Arianna says she will "debate anyone, anytime, anywhere," so maybe she could start with those two.

Sadly, Father Guido Sarducci failed to get enough legitimate signatures. Although I’m not sure I could have voted for him, given my commitment to the separation of fake church and fake state.

North Carolina is going to court to get back its copy of the Bill of Rights, stolen by Union soldiers in 1865. This is the first instance on record of NC showing an interest in the Bill of Rights.

The WashPost Sunday examined in great detail, some of it not previously disclosed, Bushies’ lies and distortions about Iraqi WMDs.

Gray Davis: "I may be old-fashioned, but I come from the school where, once an election has passed, and someone is chosen to be the leader, everyone gets behind that leader and does the people's business for the next four years." There’s a school for that? Obnoxious Arrogance High School?

A story I somehow missed last week: the discovery of a 1962 Vatican document saying that anyone who reported or spoke against sex abuse by priests of “youths of either sex or with brute animals” could be excommunicated. The spokesliar for the US Conference of Bishops said that the text was taken out of context.

The Cal. Supreme Court rules that landlords can pull a unit off the market in order to evict tenants who have made themselves obnoxious by, say, asserting their legal rights to have repairs made.