From Di’s Ear: The Most Rev. Robert...

From Di’s Ear: The Most Rev. Robert Runcie, who retired in January as Archbishop of Canterbury, is now doing baptisms in Phoenix. Runcie, who married Prince Charles and Princess Diana 10 years ago, presided over the baptism of two children in Phoenix at the San Pablo Mission Episcopal Church while in town for the 70th Triennial Episcopal General Convention. Tom and Gloria Carlson of Tempe, Ariz., the parents of one of the christened children, said it was an honor to have Runcie baptize their 6-month-old son, Benjamin Thomas Carlson.

* What Next? Sheboygan?: We’ll spare you the cracks and just say that Newark lovers from all over are gathered in Newark, Vt., this week to celebrate their Newark-hood. Here are some facts to dazzle your friends: The largest (and biggest joke generator) is Newark, N.J.; the smallest is in the Outback of Australia; Newark, Vt. (est. 1791) is so small that there’s no post office, gas station or store (it doesn’t matter since it’s buried under snow six months of the year.); and David W. Smith, mayor of Newark, Calif., traces the etymology of Newark to Danish roots. It came about after towns were pillaged and rebuilt, thus the Anglicized version of new-work.

* Oh, Give Them a Home: You’d think 11,000 acres would be plenty of room for the buffalo to roam and the deer and antelope to play. Not so, says the National Park Service, which doesn’t want Congress to buy what in gnat circles would be considered a large spread in eastern Kansas. Besides, the ranch isn’t exactly conducive to grazing: Kansas State Highway 177 runs through the property, which also has about 30 oil wells. According to the park service, it would take 10 times as much room for creature comforts.

* Lee-onardo Iacocca: It was simple yet subtle, a bold statement yet understated. It was a painting by Chrysler Corp. chairman Lee Iacocca. The work of art--the word Detroit with the i dotted with a Chrysler logo--fetched the highest bid of $1,100 at the Detroit Institute of Arts’ celebrity auction. “I’m a big Iacocca fan,” said fetcher Cal Odom. “He stands for what American business should be.”