It really wasn't fair.  After observing all the visual evidence (in the January 2009 Playboy magazine and the photos and videos in the Playboy Cyber Club) it's obvious that the competition had no chance against Dasha Astafieva - she was born to be Playboy's 55th Anniversary Playmate of the Month.  At 5' 7" tall and measuring perfect-perfect-perfect, Dasha could just as easily have been walking the runway at the Victoria's Secret lingerie show last month.  Our only complaint is that her magazine pictorial is much too short (come on guys, sacrifice a couple of pages of text for some more extensive pictorials!), which is why we often say "TGFTPCC" - thank god for the Playboy Cyber Club. Lots more Dasha on display in there.

Also measuring perfect-perfect-perfect is Carmen Electra, the January 2009 cover girl and star of the "Icon" pictorial in the magazine.  Even at 36 years old, Carmen is the obvious choice for that photographic retrospective of 55 years of Playboy nude photography.

January is also the traditional month for the Playmate Review, so don't forget to give all of 2008's Playmates another look before placing your all-important vote for 2009 Playmate of the Year.  Consider us "undecided" - Valerie Mason and AJ Alexander are invited to make personal appeals for our ballot.

Tags: Carmen Electra, Dasha Astafieva, Playboy, Playmate, Playmate Review