John McCain has responded to Barack Obama's selection of an old crusty guy with boatloads of Washington experience by picking a youthful, inexperienced outsider. The choice of the 44 year-old Alaska governor Sarah Palin is a huge relief to hard-line Republicans who were dreading a pick who was as weak a conservative as McCain, but is being cast by most in the political blowhard class as an extremely risky pick. In part because nobody knows who the hell she is! So let's get to know the Republican VP with some important Sarah Palin facts:

• Was the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, (population: 5400) before being elected governor in 2006

• Dubbed "Sarah Barracuda" for her aggressive play in high school basketball

• First runner-up in 1984 Miss Alaska beauty contest

• Married to an Eskimo

• Mother of five children. The youngest was born earlier in April and has Down's Syndrome; the oldest is in the military and is scheduled to deploy to Iraq next month.

• Firmly in line with Republican orthodoxy, but disagrees with McCain's opposition to drilling in ANWR and has praised Obama's energy plan.

• Under investigation for possibly abusing her power by dismissing a state official who wouldn't fire a state trooper who was once married to her sister (Pallin reportedly believed that the man was abusive).

• Eats moose burgers (Pat Buchanan mentioned this as a huge plus)

• Has smoked dope

• Avid outdoorswoman

• Sounds a little bit like Frances McDormand in Fargo? You decide.