David Shaw has died. We bloggers poked some fun at his claims about the four experienced Times editors who reviewed everything he said. (We’ll have to have a brief moratorium on that joke for a respectful period of time.) But we should recognize that he did some good work — including, notably, a 1990 series on leftist media bias on abortion. Leftist apologists for Big Media, like Eric “What Liberal Media?” Alterman, found it impossible to deny the force of Shaw’s arguments, so thorough was his research. Good stuff.

Best wishes to Shaw’s family, and may he rest in peace.

First Michel, now Gerry. If you are a recently departed octogenarian fraud named Thomas, beware Roy Rivenburg. He will find you and expose you.

Howard Bashman of the “How Appealing” blog is running a contest “to identify the most dumb-ass question that could possibly be asked of U.S. Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts, Jr. at his upcoming confirmation hearings.” Rules are here. The contest closes at 8 p.m. Eastern today.

My submission is based on a recent dumb-ass statement by Howard Dean. The dumb-ass question is:

Judge Roberts, do you agree with the president and his right-wing Supreme Court that it is “okay” to have the government take your house if they feel like putting a hotel where your house is?

Leave your entries in the comments.