Arlen Specter, a five-term senator from Pennsylvania, has just died, the AP reports. A Republican since 1965, he switched party affiliations in 2009 and ran as a Democrat, losing in the primary to Joe Sestak. After his defeat, Specter continued to teach law at the University of Pennsylvania, where last year he was named by the National Jurist one of the "23 professors to take before you die." He was 82.

Turns out Arlen Specter, the Pennsylvania senator who jumped the aisle to become a Democrat in 2009, is a sensual man. "Arlen Specter's Memoir: The Five Steamiest Passages" is the headline of an Amanda Terkel Huffington Post article that really delivers. Excerpts:

Remember the nationwide grassroots uprising that miraculously sprung up at town hall meetings last summer? People were furious about health care reform! Well, all of that yelling did accomplish something—the end of civil debate on the campaign trail.

Guess what happened while you were watching Lost on Tuesday night? A revolution! Dozens of people showed up to the polls to vote for change, and hope, and especially, Ron Paul's son, Rand. Want to know who won?

It's election day! And as we all know, elections are about voting out politicians who we hate—especially this year, when a bunch of "establishment" candidates could lose. Let us help you figure out who you should hate today.

Style icon Pat Field turns 68 today. Film director Darren Aronofsky is turning 41. Christina Ricci is 30. Senator Arlen Specter is turning 80. Children's author Judy Blume is 72. Josh Brolin, the actor and son of James Brolin, is turning 42. Locanda Verde chef Andrew Carmellini is 39. Tech visionary Raymond Kurzweil turns 61. Celebrity nutritionist Oz Garcia is 59. Fonzworth Bentley, Diddy's former assistant and now the host of his own show on MTV, is 36. Chynna Phillips is turning 42. And Arsenio Hall turns 55 today. A few people celebrating birthdays this weekend—including Mayor Bloomberg—are below.

Did you know that the GOP agenda killed football hero Jack Kemp? It's true, according to eventual Democrat Arlen Specter!

The National Republican Senatorial Committee launched a robo-call campaign directed at 100,000 Democratic voters. The call includes a quote from the former president talking about how much he loves Specter, the senator who yesterday switched to the Democratic Party from the Republican side.

This cartoon was found on the Web site of Americans For Limited Government, one of the astroturf organizations behind the tea parties. See, Specter's a greedy Jew just like Judas.

On the day you're the guy who switches parties and potentially gives Democrats a super-majority in the U.S. Senate, there are certain perks. Like making people read your boring New York Review of Books piece.

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) is switching parties to avoid a primary fight in 2010, which means the Democrats will have a "filibuster proof" 60-seat majority in the Senate. Except not really.

Republican Senator Arlen Specter is switching parties, upping the Democratic majority to a filibuster-busting 60.

Pat Field turns 67 today. Director Darren Aronofsky is turning 40. Christina Ricci is 29. Josh Brolin is 41. Senator Arlen Specter is 79. Chef Andrew Carmellini is turning 38. Nutritionist Oz Garcia is 58. Ed Lover turns 46. Literary agent Nicole Aragi is 47. Writer Judy Blume is turning 71. Fonzworth Bentley is 35. Chynna Phillips is 41. And Arsenio Hall is celebrating his 54th birthday today.

You know what never gets old? Polish jokes! You know what really never gets old? A Republican Senator telling Polish jokes to a big group including Polish people, for kicks—dumb Polack kicks, ha!