WhimsyLand

It turns out that bat spit can save your life.  And not just any bat spit, vampire bat spit.  It sent the shares of drug developer Paion AG higher, and they don't even celebrate Halloween in Germany.

Rick Santorum, the conservative GOP Pennsylvania senator once described as "one of the finest minds of the 14th century", is lagging in the polls.  The same article says that Michael J. Fox is leading 3-to-1 in popularity over that blowhard "Oxycontin-Rush" Limbaugh.  Just as the head of the GAO explains the impending doom associated with current deficits, his boss is touting tax cuts.

A research crew will head to an ocean area off the North Carolina shore, hoping to continue salvage operations what is thought to be Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge.  So far, they have found cannons, a bell, gold dust and a "urethral syringe used to treat syphilis with mercury".  Ouch.

The 2007 calendar is now available from Cofanifunebri.  Each month features a coffin and a beautiful woman or two.  This is Miss July.  Thanks to the guy at J-Walk, who has a very interesting blog.

Another funny place I haven't been in years:  Jesus of the Week, featuring Jesus-related paraphernalia sent in by readers.  Recently this has included sacred cross lollipops, The Jesus Pan that will sear his image into grilled cheese sandwiches, and surfing Jesus.

Email exchange between Ann Coulter and Brian Gallagher just prior to her getting booted from her journalistic assignment.  One of her precious email paragraphs:  "Bad, vindictive humor with little substance to back it up is Ann Coulter. It's what you bought when you hired me. I've built a career out of talking directly out of my ass. I'm a demagogue. And I'm not doing real journalism. Not for you. Not for anyone."

Jorie Graham's full name was Jorie Pepper Graham-Galvin, but is presumably now Graham-Sacks.  She was either born in 1950 (Wikipedia and The Academy of American Poets) or 1951 (Encyclopedia Britannica), although her own bios tend toward 1951.  Dozens of sources vary on the year, though May 9th is the usual day of birth cited.

I watched the final table action at the 2006 World Series of Poker.  TV producer Jamie Gold, who ultimately won the $12 million prize, was nauseating.  Also, he couldn't be beaten, drawing almost impossible cards on every other hand.  Over 8,000 players were in the main event, paying $10,000 each to play.

Seth's birthday is tomorrow.  Be nice to him.