JonBenet, Enron, & Seven Sweaty Bears

1) It was another lousy year on the philanthropic front for John and Patsy Ramsey, who launched the Jon Benet Ramsey Children's Foundation after their daughter was murdered in December 1996. As these just-released IRS records show, the charitable organization--formed to raise money for "children's education and care" and to protect against "the victimization of children"--made no donations and raised only $1405 during 2000, the most recent year for which financial records are available. The 1400 clams brings the charity's total take to a measly $20,000 since its inception. Click here for some prior numbers. (3 pages)

2) Actor Ewan McGregor, Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel, wants the U.S. government to know his opinion on the subject of Puerto Rican polar bears. Hey, doesn't everyone? (1 page)

3) Here are two more amusing letters from former Enron bosses Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skilling (Lay's note went to departing Treasury secretary Robert Rubin, while Skilling wrote to then Governor George W. Bush). Rubin smartly declined Lay's offer of that "intellectually and otherwise stimulating" board seat. And Bush passed up Skilling's tour of Enron's phony "electricity trading floor in Houston," despite that tempting offer to "show you how we do business." (2 pages)