Expos fans lost their team and now their mascot. AP

Thinking back on how long it took Major League Baseball to unload the Expos, it shouldn't be entirely shocking that it took even longer to find a home for Youppi!

The erstwhile Expos mascot was recently hired by the Montreal Canadiens, one of about 10 organizations, including a Canadian Football League franchise, that tried to purchase the orange, furry ... umm ... whatever it is.

"With the Expos no longer in existence and him needing a home, I think the Montreal Canadiens and Youppi! will fit nicely together," Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey told the Toronto Globe and Mail.

Exact terms of the financial agreement that sent Youppi! to the Habs were not disclosed, but it's been reported that negotiations escalated to six figures, or, as Expos management used to call such a sum, "enough to pay our entire starting rotation."

A gold medal in 'potty training'

As Chinese officials prepare to host the 2008 Olympics, part of their plan includes cleaning up the "notoriously foul" public restrooms that have plagued Beijing for quite some time.

Authorities in the city's Xicheng District have ordered that "No more than two flies or two pieces of discarded trash or waste are allowed in public toilets at any given time." In July, Beijing launched the largest toilet revolution in its history, and by Sept. 6 had upgraded nearly 1,100 facilities.

While cleaning up refuse left behind in public toilets shouldn't be particularly difficult for the 400 new environmental workers charged with maintaining the new toilet code, the flies likely will be less cooperative. Rumors abound that Chinese officials, in an effort to eradicate the local fly population, are trying to work out a deal with neighboring Japan to purchase from Nintendo several hundred Super Mario Bros.-era Venus Fire Traps.

... and when in Rome ... or, uh, Beijing ... actually, never mind

In a related matter, the Chinese government also is trying to shed the image that many of its citizens are rude. Last Sunday, the Boston Globe reported that China is trying to stamp out public spitting, public urination and convince its citizens to stop cutting in lines. Apparently, "No cuts, no butts, no coconuts" does not translate very well to Mandarin.

Zhu Wei, who manages a maid-referral service that uses British butlers to train employees, told the Globe, "I think they're already too late for the Olympics. They should have started 20 years ago."

Yue-sai Kan, author of Etiquette for the Modern Chinese, somewhat disagreed, saying, "Some people's manners in China are atrocious, but you have to start somewhere. It's great what the government is doing. I wish the New York City government would do this."

When reached for comment, the New York City government made one of those "shah-whatever-like-as-if" head nods, scratched itself and loudly belched.