Blagojevich turns to camera and asks"Is he teasing me or is that legit?"

drawing by marguerita
“In a strange way, I admire him for he has a unique flair for the dramatic.” from the Pink Panther

(We all know from childhood that it’s not nice to make fun of people’s appearance. So I will confine myself to merely observing that whatever covers the governor’s head looks to me like a bowling-ball cozy.)

Is humor out of place on this subject? Probably. In Blagojevich, we are dealing with a sick man. Or, in medical terminology, extreme pathology.

I felt the need to get some expert opinion on just what the ethically challenged governor is a case of. I sought the counsel of the eminent Dr. Willard Gaylin, longtime practitioner and author on such matters — once entrusted with the care and feeding of my own tender psyche. He filled me in.He described what would now be called a “sociopath,” a modern-day term for the older “psychopath.”

It’s a complex, hard-to-treat ailment, and “anti-social” is the key phrase here.Among the prominent traits of one so afflicted is the absence of any sense of guilt or shame. Empathy is unknown. The truth may be told, but only when it serves the often bizarre purposes of the teller. Never for its own sake.How's That Again, Guv? - Dick Cavett Blog - NYTimes.com

Chicago Tails:Blagoceviche or the latest Illinois fishstew

drawing by marguerita
We have seen a lot of political hubris, scratch-my-back politics and sheer stupidity over the years.
But nothing could prepare us for the charges brought Tuesday against Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois.In recent weeks the governor plotted to sell off the United States Senate seat just vacated by President-elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder.
Editorial - The Strange Tale of Gov. Blagojevich - NYTimes.com
The surreal aspects of the case begin with the fallout from the bankruptcy of the Tribune company. The company, which owns the Chicago Cubs, was looking to raise money by selling the team’s home, Wrigley Field, and seeking the assistance of state government in the process.
Blagojevich had a condition for giving the help: the newspaper had to fire a group of editorial writers and editors who had been critical of him.
In these troubled times for newspapers, it’s cheering, in a way, that the Governor thought that a mere editorial page mattered so much, but his manner of showing his respect seems to owe too much to local custom.It is Obama’s good fortune that the Governor seems to be pretty irritated with Obama’s lack of attention to Blagojevich’s needs. In a soon-to-be famous observation on the tapes, the Governor on Obama’s team: “They’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. Fuck them.”The New Yorker

Origin of Ceviche:

One hypothesis suggests that ceviche got its name from the Quechua word "siwichi." However, it is more likely that the name is a cognate of the Spanish word "escabeche" (marinade), derived from the Arabic term "sikbaj." Another hypothesis suggests that its name comes from the word Cebo, the name given to the corvina fish.

Ceviche is marinated in a citrus-based mixture, with lemons and limes being the most commonly used. In addition to adding flavor, the citric acid causes the proteins in the seafood to become denatured, which pickles or "cooks" the fish without heat. Traditional style ceviche was marinated up to 3 hours. Modern style ceviche usually has a very short marinating period. With the appropriate fish, it can marinate in the time it takes to mix the ingredients, serve, and carry the ceviche to the table.

• Denaturation (food) -- intentional adulteration of food or drink rendering it unfit for consumption while remaining suitable for other uses