Final lines

As ever, cartoonists duly noted the passing of prominent newsmakers in 2006. “Obit toons” often include a touching pearly gates tribute or a respectfully somber black-bordered salute, prompting letter writers to laud our humanity, our discernment, our sensitivity -- if only for a day. Of course, not everyone in the public eye is missed. Although most get a courteous RIP, some get curtly ripped one last time. Among the many immortalized in ink this year were civil rights icon Coretta Scott King, former Enron CEO Kenneth Lay, animator Joseph Barbera, barbarian Slobodan Milosevic, croc hunter Steve Irwin, economist Milton Friedman and, just last week, former President Gerald R. Ford.

Oh, I almost forgot Popeye, who survived 80 years of brawling and pipe-smoking, only to be brought down by E. coli. May he resk in peask?

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-- Joel Pett