Darker and Darker: In what may very likely be a brilliant piece of financial sleuthing, Chistopher Byron, Martha Stewart's worst nightmare, sorts out why she has been sitting back knitting thermos cozies all summer. It's not that itty biddy ImClone trade but something far more sinister. Good reading.

Road Rage: We never push commercial products but here's one we couldn't resist. Picture the reaction this will get from the driver staring at your back window. Here's a heads-up, so to speak, in Roll Call.

Busy, Busy, Busy: This mini-bomshell went ka-boom over the weekend in New York when aides to Carl McCall, Andrew Cuomo's opponent in the dem primary for governor, acknowledged that running mate, business man Dennis Mehiel, had two "love children" by two different women while married to his first wife. They say this was a preemptive strike to keep the Cuomo camp from leaking the information. That kind of game cuts both ways. Cuomo may not have "love children" scattered around but his own private life is now fair game. This could be an interesting race after all.

It Felt So Nice, He Did It Twice: Anyone think it odd that Dr. Steven Hatfil called yet another press conference on his lawyer's doorstep on Sunday to rail at Justice and John Ashcroft that he wasn't the Anthrax Killer? Maybe next Sunday he will show up with the proof and this won't get to be a weekly habit.

Thank The Lawyers: In Kathrine Harris' new book (snagged and revealed prepublication by the Tallahassee Democrat) she makes the point that it was Gore's own fault that he lost. His legal maneuvers "unleashed the dogs of war." Just think what life would be like if he hadn't. Sorry, we shouldn't do that to you on a Monday morning.

Ldotter Note: You will note that today's picture has no caption. That's because we felt one wasn't necessary.

-Your Occasionally-Recondite LComStaff