After much blogosphere speculation, Time has unveiled the 2007 Man (Person?) of the Year, Russian president Vladimir Putin. The article is long, but if you can get past the first page (detailing Putin's blue eyes, how he drinks his wine, and his love of classical music), it might be worth reading. I'm not sure.

We're a little shocked, too, especially since he beat General David Petraeus (and my favorite author, J.K. Rowling, though an explanation for her presence on the list is a bit beyond me).

Here he is, the Man of the Year. (Thanks to Vic Matus for the witty photo caption, featured in the last issue's Scrapbook.)

Also, see Dean Barnett's "Petraeus Doesn't Rank" at THE DAILY STANDARD for more on the tyrant/irrelevant biped of the year.