The world is about to get a lot less funny, beginning in January

Dave Barry, The Miami Herald's humor columnist for the past 20 years, said Tuesday that he will take an indefinite leave of absence from the newspaper. He may return in a year. Herald editors wish Barry were making it up. ''Since Dave's columns began appearing every Sunday in The Herald, an entire generation has been born, raised and reached adulthood,'' said Tom Fiedler, The Herald's executive editor. ''Yet his unique sense of humor never grew up and never got old. Learning that Dave wants a breather is like hearing that Peter Pan joined AARP.'' Barry, 57, said he wants to spend more time with his family after a hectic summer trotting from the Democratic and Republican national conventions to the Olympics in Greece and around the country on a book promotion tour.

[I guess I should thank DVD for bringing this to my attention, but I don't feel like it. To hell with not shooting the messenger.]