This week, we learned that no one can out-diva New York City herself, try hard as they might. And that when NYC has no qualms about strapping on her sharpest pair of high heels and kicking your ass, even her guardian has little choice but to shyly step aside. More sobering is how she's even helped manage to humble once-wealthy wannabes, driving them to ask for alms. But because that's too real and because the President told us last night that this reality looks poised to settle in for a good while longer, let's instead preoccupy ourselves with more obliviously pleasant thoughts -- the likes of which helped us get through the first miserable eight years of this century. Pleasant thoughts like hand-held video games, leather, and Grace Jones.

It should warm your hearts that in light of the unfortunate passing of Natasha Richardson, the world -- mostly Americans, Canadians, Britons, and Spaniards -- has taken to the Internet to offer condolences by way of a few well-meaning but clumsy keystrokes.