WHEN IT ISN'T AN INSTRUMENT OF BANALITY IT'S ONE OF EVIL:

Mexico cartel stitches rival's face on soccer ball (OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ, 1/08/10, Associated Press)

The body of 36-year-old Hugo Hernandez was left on the streets of Los Mochis in seven pieces as a chilling threat to members of the Juarez drug cartel. A note read: "Happy New Year, because this will be your last."

To drive home the point, the assailants skinned Hernandez's face and stitched it onto a soccer ball.