THANKS A LOT, POINT TAKEN

Politics, sports, economics and journalism are boring. So's yer old man.

But, given that we have no idea what's happening to Paris Hilton or to Anna Nicole Smith's remains, how about this? We have a small share of a fashion show tomorrow and will be watching that instead of the Belmont Stakes. The thing's called Hed Kandi and you all probably know more about it than we do, assuming that this kind of stuff is more compelling than your own republic. Ok, we'll grant sports and economics are not everyone's bag. Nevertheless, if you see Hed Kandi in NYC, Milan, Barna, etc., in the coming year, know that all we've done is up our sports unit, pass la plata al hijo, and continue to wear the same pair of pants four days in a row -- and continue to prattle and bore.

Your international correspondent deeply regrets above Eminem/Johnny Thunders moment, but please forgive. Equatorial winter is brutal. 90-plus degrees every day, 99% humidity and no shortage of rain. "High tonight, low tomorrow and pre-cip-itation is expected." Name that tune.

We slept through The Shoe Lady's little visit here and that's a blessed thing because on an ordinary day the traffic's a mess. Taking her risable attacks on Chavez (Christ, $$$ is all that's keeping Keith Olbermann on the air) and the re-ignition of the Cold War in Europe into account, local business community is a little froggy about what's to come. Chavez has his way of doing things in Venezuela. Uribe has his way of doing things in Colombia. Opposites to be sure and Kelso's down with neither, but Torrijos has gotten it right in Panama and we don't need no stinkin' destabilization. Stay away, please. We got the message loud and clear from the bible college folks at the DOJ and are quite happy tucked away in our little corner. But every time we remember that it was Jimmy Carter and Torrijos's dad (R.I.P.) what signed the canal treaty, and see that CITGO sign during ESPN Espanol telecasts of Red Sox games, we take an extra Vasotec! Middle-age is a son-of-a-bitch sometimes.

Dutching HARD SPUN and IMAWILDANDCRAZYGUY in Belmont Stakes.

Kelso's Nuts love you.