SNIPPETS

NOVEMBER 3,  2009

TOKYO (AP) -- Former President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the Japan Series between the Yomiuri Giants and Nippon Ham Fighters. Bush, wearing a Yomiuri warmup jacket, took the mound Tuesday at Tokyo Dome and threw a pitch to Giants catcher Shinnosuke Abe that bounced once in the dirt before being caught.

Of course, whichever team loses can now blame it on BUSH (!!).  Everyone knows it's his fault, because he didn't change the climate, which affected the pitcher, which...  We all know that, with Obama, every team wins.

NOVEMBER 2,  2009

MANASSAS, Va., Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Residents of a neighborhood in Manassas, Va., said someone stole local pumpkins, only to return the items carved in traditional Halloween fashion.  Manassas resident Chrissi Blasius said the mysterious pumpkin carver struck her home recently, stealing a pumpkin from her front porch and returning the item with a face carved out of it, the Manassas (Va.) Journal Messenger reported Friday.

Manassas is also "Bull Run," where the first battle of the Civil War took place.  The local tourist industry could make a mint by claiming that the pumpkins were carved by the ghosts of Civil War soldiers.  Aw, why not?