OFFICIAL Idiot of the Week (not my choice!)

There'll be plenty to say about the election today, but I couldn't let this news story out of Cleveland go without mentioning it. A judge yesterday sentenced one Shena Hardin to wear a sign at a public intersection identifying herself as an idiot for driving her SUV onto a sidewalk rather than stop while a school bus was unloading children. Video shot from the school bus confirms her offense, despite her "not guilty" plea. In addition to wearing the sign for an hour on two mornings next week, Hardin must pay court costs and go without driving for 30 days while her license is suspended. This should prove an interesting test of whether public humiliation has a deterring effect beyond monetary penalties or imprisonment. People can debate over who has the right to shame other people, and over what, but this particular case seems minor enough to be a no-brainer -- the punishment fitting the crime. So there's one amusing thought for you today.