And now, something from the lighter side:

Residents of Fredericksburg, MD, are enthusiastically waiting to read, at long last, whatever prominent names of local big shots are to be found in the little black book of a madam who was arrested in Novemeber 2000, and got off with a remarkably light sentence considering the immense volume of seized evidence.

Already some citizens have cause for deep disappointment, as their illusions about what's going on around them have been shattered:

Alex of Arlington, Va., said he was about to leave the Marines for graduate school but was strapped for money. A friend suggested that he go into the escort service.

"I didn't even know there was a market for male escorts," Alex wrote. "Is there a demand?"

Ms. Potter advised: "Male escorts are a myth. Women don't have to pay for it. Last try was Bambam. There is no market. Sorry."

Say it isn't so.