Stumble of the Week

Buddhism. Perhaps jealous of the recent notoriety gained by Catholic priests and Muslim jihadists, Buddhist monks in South Korea’s largest order were videoed drinking, smoking and gambling huge sums of money at a seaside resort just days before the Buddha’s birthday. J.P. Morgan Chase. How can a company whose founders include J.P. Morgan and the Rockefellers be so bad at investing? Fittingly, for an organization that displays Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr’s dueling pistols at its headquarters, the bank lost $2 billion the now old-fashioned way: credit derivatives.

Joe Biden stumbled last week when his public support for gay marriage forced President Obama’s evolving hand. All has been forgiven at the Oval Office, and the expansion of human rights has received a shot in the arm. Here’s hoping that next week Biden stumbles over TransCanada’s Keystone pipeline.

Human Rights fared less well in North Carolina, where an overwhelming majority of voters – in a state that already has a Defense of Marriage Act – passed a constitutional amendment just to be super sure. “We are not anti-gay,” said the movement’s leader, “we are pro-marriage.” Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich, who have had seven wives between them, are elated.

Switzerland lost one of the most famous citizens it never knew it had when Michelle Bachmann renounced her dual citizenship, saying, “I have always pledged allegiance to our one nation under God, the United States of America.”

Stereotypes. Pam Shaw, whose stage name is “The Sexational Pam,” says she is now ready to give up her virginity to the right man. Ms. Shaw is 70 years old.