CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Cynics might think that little will change in Washington, regardless of who's elected, but it isn't true. Last week, Democrats in Congress expanded the federal "hate crimes" law to protect gays from assaults by bigots. It was a historic milestone -- a moral reform that never had a chance while Republicans controlled Washington.

Some woods-lovers notice that sapling-size trees of certain species have larger leaves than full-grown adult trees do. Assistant State Forester Dan Kincaid offers this explanation: In a forest's shady "under-story," where sunlight is scarce, some little trees grow bigger leaves to reap more radiant energy -- but when the trees become tall, receiving light from the sky, they no longer need outsize leaves.

Bearing arms in West Virginia: Michael Messer, 25, of Hurricane, who has a record of drug and alcohol trouble, drew up to 11 years in prison for shooting a man in the abdomen at a Putnam County bar.

Utne Reader touted "50 Visionaries Who are Changing Your World." One crusader in the magazine's lineup was West Virginian Judy Bonds, a fierce fighter against mountaintop-decapitation mining.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was a mighty basher in movies, and he's equally rough as California governor. Last week, he vetoed a bill passed by his opponents in the legislature -- and the first letter of each line in his veto message to lawmakers spelled out a crude sexual insult.

The Vatican has proclaimed five more saints. Since two verified miracles are required for each sainthood, that means 10 more miracles occurred. The Catholic Church has more than 10,000 saints -- thus 20,000 miracles were verified.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Cynics might think that little will change in Washington, regardless of who's elected, but it isn't true. Last week, Democrats in Congress expanded the federal "hate crimes" law to protect gays from assaults by bigots. It was a historic milestone -- a moral reform that never had a chance while Republicans controlled Washington.

Some woods-lovers notice that sapling-size trees of certain species have larger leaves than full-grown adult trees do. Assistant State Forester Dan Kincaid offers this explanation: In a forest's shady "under-story," where sunlight is scarce, some little trees grow bigger leaves to reap more radiant energy -- but when the trees become tall, receiving light from the sky, they no longer need outsize leaves.

Bearing arms in West Virginia: Michael Messer, 25, of Hurricane, who has a record of drug and alcohol trouble, drew up to 11 years in prison for shooting a man in the abdomen at a Putnam County bar.

Utne Reader touted "50 Visionaries Who are Changing Your World." One crusader in the magazine's lineup was West Virginian Judy Bonds, a fierce fighter against mountaintop-decapitation mining.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was a mighty basher in movies, and he's equally rough as California governor. Last week, he vetoed a bill passed by his opponents in the legislature -- and the first letter of each line in his veto message to lawmakers spelled out a crude sexual insult.

The Vatican has proclaimed five more saints. Since two verified miracles are required for each sainthood, that means 10 more miracles occurred. The Catholic Church has more than 10,000 saints -- thus 20,000 miracles were verified.

Here's an indicator of the immensity of the Internet: YouTube, where people post their own videos, now draws "well over a billion views a day," chief executive Chad Hurley said last week. There are 6.3 billion people in the world -- so a giant share of them evidently surf the Net.

The Harvard Health Letter printed spoof medical answers, including these: Q: Is swimming good for your figure? A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me. Q: Is getting in shape important? A: Hey -- round is a shape.

Out in California, Pastor Wiley Drake, part of the Tea Party movement, is praying for President Obama to die. That doesn't sound like our idea of a compassionate minister.

Have you heard of the Quiverful movement? It's composed of white evangelicals who eschew birth control and produce large, male-dominated families. It's based on the 127th Psalm, which says many children are "arrows in the hands of a mighty man" and "happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them." It favors stay-at-home wives who are submissive. Quiverful books say that birth control is disobedience to God, thus sinful.

Journalist Pamela Paul, author of Pornified, says two-thirds of younger American men between 18 and 34 visit a sexual Web site at least monthly.