Logos in the sky with diamonds. Behold, the Floating Logos Project.

Scared of Santa -- enjoy a little holiday cheer in the form of this photo gallery of kids freaking out on Santa's lap. Note that some of the Santas are truly scary and/or unconvincing. More Xmas fun from SouthFlorida.com here -- including Photoshopped Celebrity Santas...uh, for some reason.

Armadillo Cookies! Presumably, you know, not made from armadillo...but very cute nonetheless. Captured by the hilarious Cardhouse at this year's Arizona State Fair -- see his "Pig Parts" photo essay for more strange edibles, 4-H bunnies, and weird art. He's also been to a Japanese toystore and San Fran's Musee Mecanique. Enjoy!

Miss Kim has revived the Friday Five today, with a roundup of year-end questions. Hmmm, glancing at the calendar, I note that there are only 2 more Fridays in 2004...Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Oh my.

What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before? Ate a Scotch Egg, and watched Ben Affleck make a fool of himself in person, at the DNC. In the remaining 14 days of '04, I hope to learn a little stick-shiftin', if ya know what I mean.
What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? A fabulous new job, a book contract....ummm, and maybe one of these?
Did anyone close to you give birth? Like it's going out of style: Aden and Isaac, plus the Henry twins, and next year brings Romeo/Beatrice, Baby Chapman, Baby Tran #2, Baby Matteo, and so forth. Fertile times...
Did anyone close to you die? No. Wow.
What countries did you visit? Just the good old US of A...unless Austin counts as another country? ;-)

"The curse of the Christmas Single." -- This one's for the Natster, the King of Christmas Music. The UK tradition of a one-hit Yuletide wonder is charted here by The Guardian, with their Bottom Ten picks of all time, from Bing Crosby to Run-DMC. Ho ho ho!

This is stunning -- aerial kite photographs of San Francisco in 1906, showing the destruction after the earthquake and subsequent fire. (Via Bifurcated Rivets)

"Quitting the Paint Factory" -- a thoughtful piece from Harper's that asks the taboo question in today's America, Inc. : what's so great about work? And more importantly, why do we spend so much time doing it, even when it's not fun, or challenging, or rewarding? I'm not sure I want to replace my work hours with "idleness," exactly, but how about more time for being creative, playing, reading, writing, taking care of our homes, families, communities? Oh right, we're s'posed to pay someone else to do that for us, right? Sheesh.

I've been Snowdealed! -- Snowdealt? Anyway, over at Eric C. Snowdeal IV's blog (written by ECS III, since IV is only a few months old), the postcard I sent them back in the day has made it into their slideshow, la la la. Eric IV was born very early, and his dad has charted his progress from the NICU rollercoaster to his current happy, healthy babyhood with a zillion photos and entertaining updates on their extended family (including great dogs). My favorite web stop on weekday mornings...imagine what 2005 will hold?

"The Ten Commandments can help a judge know the difference between right and wrong." -- Um, you'd think a judge would look to the law for help on that. But when he's got the Big Ten embroidered on his robe, I guess anything goes. This concludes our Moment of Constitutional Crisis for today...tune in tomorrow for more hijinks as America stumbles towards theocracy!

Mmmm, S'more Nativity. So this and this are OK, but the celebrity wax version is blasphemy? Hmmm...

All I want for Christmas is a BeeGees Rhythm Machine! -- The awesome MiniOrgan.com showcases forgotten toy keyboards like this one, the Speak & Music I spent some happy times with back in the 80's (more than with Speak & Math, anyway...remember that dull robotic voice, "Nine...di-vi-ded by...three...is....You're correct!"). Rock on! Via Mr. Sun.

"If you loathe political debate, join the faculty of an American university." -- So says The Economist, in this short diatribe on the ivory towers of overzealous political correctness. I can see how there's a generally liberal slant in academia, but in my experience undergraduates are some of the most conservative, close-minded people around...until they get their brains forcibly jammed open by the faculty (whatever their personal political leanings) and taught a little critical thinking.

Anyway, in a couple years we won't have to worry about the faculty bias, because a rising tide of Baby Republicans will swamp our universities with Red State values. This fascinating piece from The American Conservative, natch, explores the demographic differences between where Dems and GOPs live, work, and breed: "The white people in Republican-voting regions consistently have more children than the white people in Democratic-voting regions. The more kids whites have, the more pro-Bush they get." Yikes.

Fertilized eggs, hold the sperm -- a stunning development in reproductive biology over in Wales, where human egg cells were prompted to divide by exposing them to an extracted sperm enzyme...but no actual sperm. A potential breakthrough for therapeutic stem cell research, some infertile couples, and mad scientists everywhere.

Chocolate Cthulhu on EBay! -- OK, it's really a chocolate Santa. But it looks like Cthulhu. Caveat emptor: Cthulhu is best enjoyed in plush form. I think I just like typing "Cthulhu."

Today I had a quality Lunchtime Sighting -- on the back of a grimy delivery truck, where unknown wags daub slogans in the road salt like "Wash Me," etc., I saw the following:

* "We are ALL having the same DREAM -- GO RED SOX!"
* "AAA"
* "Ortiz Rulez"
* a peace sign
* "R.I.P. Dimebag"

All on the same truck! Woah.

TinTin! Today's ? du Jour comes in the form of this cool TinTin stamp, and this very weird medical workup of TinTin. Seems like those socialized doctors in Canada have a lot of free time on their hands...

It's been a while since I did a crazy LEGO post, so enjoy Andrew Lipson's Mathematical LEGO Sculptures. Ow, my brain. This man is some kind of evil LEGO genius -- he's also rendered Dilbert and friends, priceless works of art, and a freakin' Hoberman Sphere! All hail!

My Unusual Fortune Cookie Collection -- sounds like a very lame school project, or a fine website! I've actually gotten this one, but this? Seems like clear evidence of cookie tampering by these folks. Caveat eater.

Dear God. Thanks to George for this one. I guess you do have to serve somebody...

"It's only when women are widowed that they discover there's such a thing as a remote control" -- Uh, I'm not sure about that...but the rest of these Battle of the Remote and the Sexes etiquette tips from the BBC are pretty sound. Also, the comments...hee hee hee.

Call me "liberal" -- I don't mind ... unlike, say, John Kerry. How has the word plummeted from an aspirational compliment to a pejorative slur? Hmmm, I wonder if the Svengalis of the 51% had anything to do with it...

Wow -- I really wish I knew how to knit.

Morrisey's Latino connection -- amazing article from The Believer on everyone's favorite mopey Brit and his seemingly inexplicable appeal to a generation of alienated Mexican-American youth in Southern California ("Moz Angeles," to be exact). Who knew that "Piccadilly Palare" and "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" are the soundtrack to cultural assimilation?

"I'm the cheesiest king of the world!" -- Find all your favorites in this Top Ten Cheesy Movie Lines poll. I'd add "Beeee goooood" from E.T., I never liked that one.

Look out, Hollywood! That old charmer Godzilla finally got his Walk of Fame star -- looks like L.A. will be spared his radioactive wrath. More excellent red carpet photos in the Slideshow...

"Please refile it in the fiction section." -- Excellent parodies of the Evolution Disclaimer stickers required by the Cobb County, GA school board in their science textbooks. This evolution v. creationism "debate" continues to crop up...why? Maybe because 45% of American adults believe God created humans instantaneously about 10,000 years ago. *Blinks.*

It's The Sopranos meets Howard's End -- Check out this awful movie deal, for a mobster/British romantic comedy entitled Jersey Dukes. For aspiring screenwriters, I guess this could be a good sign: Hollywood readily wastes millions on recycled dreck like this, perhaps they can be persuaded to produce your yet-unwritten sensitive indie masterpiece. Hmmm. In the meantime, see more future train wrecks (Mrs. Doubtfire 2? Gaaah!) and some possible gems (Backyard Resistance, and a new Nicole Holofcener pic w/Jennifer Aniston and Frances McDormand!) at ScriptSales.com.

It's that time of year again -- time to find something amusing, meaningful and/or relatively inexpensive to gift upon those near and dear to you. The trifecta has been achieved by this do-it-yourself origami dodecahedron desk calendar -- just click, print, snip, fold, glue, give, and it keeps on giving for twelve whole months. Be prepared for gasps of delight/horror, depending on the level of geekiness/trendiness of your recipient. Cheers!

SpongeBob's NYC Thanksgiving Massacre! Well, not really...but he did appear in the Macy's Parade, as this precarious shot shows. I also made an appearance in the tri-state area, but not along the parade route -- just at the dinner table, mmmmm. This year's Parade of Pies at my parents' house was overwhelming: pumpkin, pecan, chocolate, cherry, multi-berry, plus carrot cake or baklava, all topped off with Fat Free or Vanilla (!) Cool Whip. Oy. Actually, we did more damage at Friday's leftover dinner than on the actual day, just before driving deep into the 'burbs to see Arlo Guthrie. Nat and I managed to save room for a trip to Katz's Deli for Saturday lunch with Michelle, and then a winding, scenic, garlic-filled (I ate too many deli pickles) drive back to Boston. Many thanks!

"The class in Civil Procedure...began with a prayer." -- The NYTimes pays a visit to Liberty Law School, an un-accredited program at Jerry Falwell's Liberty U that trains lawyers with a Christian flair. Hold on to your Constitution, people.

"'PC Load Letter'? What the fuck does that mean?!" -- If you, like me, find the scene in Office Space where they beat the hell out of the malfunctioning printer deliciously satisfying, then you'll love this: a junkyard in Spain offers "damage therapy," up to 2 hours of whacking your gadget of choice with a sledgehammer. Yarr!

The future belongs to the Republicans -- well, not necessarily. But they did convince 3 million more voters than the Dems did by talking about the past. So claims this Economist piece -- maybe not entirely accurate, but there's a pointy kernel of truth in there.

It's not easy being endangered. This harlequin toad, from Central America, is on The Red List of species threatened with extinction, along with over 15,000 others. Read more here, as part of the BBC's Planet Under Pressure series.

The New York Times covers O.D.B.'s funeral -- proof positive that a) the Times is desperate to seem hip, b) hip-hop culture officially is American culture, and c) the man lived large.

"I don't think they understand radio." -- Bob Edwards tells all! The former NPR "Morning Edition" host dishes to the Globe: the real story behind his unexpected departure, his switch to XM satellite radio, and his view that NPR has lost its "playfulness" and is now "the New York Times of the air." Yet another reason not to pledge in the neverending fund drive -- if they have enough sponsorship to give away a Land Rover, they don't need my $25. Hmph.

''The hornets have been buzzing at us for 30 years." -- So says Mary Bonauto, gay rights crusader (and fellow Northeastern Law alumna, yeah!), she who won the Goodridge case. Today is the one year anniversary of that decision -- time flies when you're fighting for civil rights! As predicted, the world has not stopped rotating on its axis.

Would the French call this un croque vierge? -- That is, a toasted cheese sandwich with the Virgin Mary's face in the crust. It's ten years old and encased in plastic. And you can bid for it on EBay -- what a country!

Junk in the trunk? Enjoy today's ? du Jour, a display of "fuller figured" mannequins at Macy's in NYC. In other words, they're shaped like average women, not like Supermodel Barbie. What a concept!

The Past, Present, Future blogmeme has arrived, care of Jen's LJ. Read on, if you dare/care:

10 years ago, I was...
A junior at Tufts, working 2 or 3 part-time jobs, taking the bus everywhere, starting up an a cappella group, hosting a late night radio show, and wearing lots of plaid. Good times!
Five years ago, I was...
Working at Reebok while a 3rd year law student at Northeastern, driving this car, living with two gay housemates (not a couple) and a 22-pound cat (also probably gay).
One year ago, I was...
Working at the same place, driving the same car, and dating the same guy...hmmmm...
So far this year, I am...
...living with said guy, yay! Along with my own 9-pound cat, of course. Also teaching a class at Tufts (full circle!) and looking for more gigs. In the last 18 months, 5 babies came into my circle of friends, joining 2 older ones and soon to welcome one more, whew!
Yesterday, I...
Made an unexpectedly enormous quantity of corn chowder.
Today, I already...
Finished off the box of golden raisins in my desk. Sigh.
Today, I will...
Go see Bridget Jones 2 for Ladies Movie Night!
Tomorrow, I will...
Maybe play Scrabble with Peter, and/or work out, and/or watch Law & Order. Will definitely eat some corn chowder. Will be forced to do some laundry.
In one year, I hope I will...
Have a new day job and hopefully some new sidelines also, build up my savings, be able to share a car and get to work on the T, be in better shape, be happy.
In five years, I hope I will...
Be living in a "permanent" home, with my nascent family; be really into my work; be reaching my sexual peak, oo la la; be healthy and happy.

"Music is not a loaf of bread." -- And Jeff Tweedy, the god of Wilco, should know. Excellent interview from Wired, on their new music, new book, and new approach to copyright law.

"Human beings expend staggering amounts of time and resources on creating and experiencing art and entertainment" -- not to mention blogging. Why? An intriguing review of what sounds like a very cool book, "Literary Darwinism: Evolution, Human Nature, and Literature."

Blog Alert -- Shrinkette is a psychiatrist in the Pacific Northwest, with a black blog. Enjoy.

"Even French women's lingerie helps to keep them slim." -- Could it be that the cause of the 'French Paradox' is snug-fitting undies? Um, for les dames, at least.

It's been a long week, people -- allow me to start off this next one with some entertaining asides: A possible Swamp Ape sighting in Florida! Your stero might be staring at you! Hand-knitted wigs!

Phew...now on a cheerful note, watch some Ping-Pong in 'The Matrix.' Sort of. It's low-tech, but somehow much cooler that all that computer-generated stuff. Thanks, honey!

"Hey look, it's Frogger: The Sweater." -- One gay man and his closet...full of hideous 1980's sweaters!

EphemeraNow.com -- As they say, "For whiter teeth, for fresher breath." And for really keen photos and adverts from the Technicolor 1950's ! I love this ad for Hoover vacuums, the perfect Christmas gift...for the man who never wants to sleep with his wife again, that is.

"There is no joy quite like that of the promise of a healthy newborn, especially in a place like Darfur." -- Inspiring BBC report from the refugee camps in Sudan, written by Roberta Gately, a volunteer nurse. This one, seventh in a series, is about the midwives who help laboring women in the camps. Find out more on Darfur here.

A more purple America. It takes a graphic designer to put the election results into perspective -- far from a "broad victory," Bush's 51% of the vote turned some states "red" by a slim margin. By the same token, New Hampshire went "blue" for Kerry by a hair, so the "dueling monoliths" of red v. blue don't really exist. That means the "red states are full of idiots/blue states are full of godless yuppies" line of thinking is going to get us nowhere -- we need to reach out near and far to regain the national advantage for progressive change. Purple: the color of bipartisanship!

Jozu desu ne! -- In Japanese culture, compliments and self-deprecation, served with irony, are a highly-developed art form...hijinks ensue.

Think positive. In the wake of last night's ridiculous Electoral College showdown, and Kerry's disheartening concession today, I've decided to focus on the few bright spots to be found. One is Barack Obama (that's him and family above) and his decisive Senate win in Illinois: a progressive voice with real potential, that's a good thing. Josh Marshall over at Talking Points Memo has a dose of reality and optimism (!) for Dems today: "The other side just got the the ball a yard or two into our side of the field rather than the reverse. And we have to deal with the serious consequences of that. Tomorrow's the day to start. " Yeah! And if you're not quite up to that kind of action yet, check out Mr. Sun and his slightly insane post-election recommendations.

UPDATE: If you're in the mood for some black, black humor, try the legendary Guerilla Girls and their "Advantages of Another Bush Presidency." Ouch!

Don't rain on my parade! I didn't have a bird's eye view like these folks, but the Red Sox victory parade on Saturday morning was a smash! Nat and I staked out a corner on Boylston Street, and at 10:30 the Sox rolled along, cheered by the large, damp, enthusiastic crowds and clouded in red and blue confetti. I waved my pennant and took frantic photos of David Ortiz in his "Big Daddy" sweatshirt, Pedro dancing around with his DR flag-cape and a goofy hat, and best of all Jason Varitek pretending to "row" the boat with a little broom someone had handed up to him. Yes!

"The White House has spent four years creating a fantasy world around Bush." -- Newsweek's Eleanor Clift has a pleasantly optimistic outlook on tomorrow's Vote-ageddon: Bush's house of cards collapses, Kerry rides the no-more-spin momentum to a win. Hmmm, dare we hope? Over at Salon, there's more of the same. Though I doubt much of anything will be decided tomorrow, I'm feeling rather...Clintonian all of a sudden!

"Crack Babies" talk back -- an astonishing article on the 80's mythology of the crack epidemic, and the truth of the children who lived and sometimes thrived despite it. I remember the constant news reports about this, and now these wild pronouncements seem like the worst kind of quasi-medical hysteria, like phrenology or Social Darwinism. Which I suppose it was.

Oprah's Top 50 Chick Flicks -- via Nathaniel, who's man enough to share! :) I found this list a little baffling: where, I say where is Steel Magnolias, the greatest chick flick of all? I would also add Fried Green Tomatoes, The Object of My Affection, Enchanted April and, hello, When Harry Met Sally! I also strongly protest the inclusion of She's Gotta Have It -- a good movie, but not exactly empowering, what with the heroine being constantly called a big slut and graphically assaulted by her ex-boyfriend. Great inclusion of young women filmmakers, though. Other suggestions?

Infield angels. Enjoy a weekend of Red Sox bliss, plus an extra hour of sleep Sunday morning! If I make it through the Sox parade, I'll file a full report Monday...

In honor of the Olde Towne Team, I'll take the liberty of composing a Red Sox Friday Five -- I'm sure Miss Kim won't mind!

Do you own an actual pair of red socks? Umm...nope. I think all my socks are black.

What about Red Sox merchandise? Pedro, Varitek, and Nomar (!) t-shirts, one of which is being worn by the scarecrow in my front yard. I also have a very cool lapel pin, and a Stephen King Red Sox/Lowell Spinners bobblehead doll.

What was your favorite part of Wednesday night? The red moon beaming down good luck vibes on Boston...plus Pedro dancing around with the trophy on his head and the DR flag in his hand!

What's your prediction for the Sox' 2004-2005 season? Provided they re-sign Lowe, Pedro, and Varitek, I have three words: Back. To. Back. :)

Which Red Sox player would you dress up as for Halloween? I think I'd make a convincing Manny...

Cinnamon is imported from another planet. -- Lie! Enjoy some fibs today, at Dave's Web of Lies. (Via Bifurcated Rivets, of course.)

"There's a crack in the Calvinism now." -- The existential implications of the Red Sox' World Series win...if any. Globe columnist and perpetual pessimist Dan Shaughnessy has a similar perspective: "The best team in baseball. I guess we'll have to settle for that." Oh puh-lease...is there anything more Bostonian than faux self-loathing? Sheesh.

Next stop, Rock Bottom -- The GOP sent out an anti-Kerry mailing in PA plastered with pictures of the World Trade Center in flames. Lovely.

UPDATE: an even sneakier trick?

Last Minute Halloween Costume Ideas -- from The Morning News. For the grown-up trick-or-treaters, of course.

Huzzah! So, didja hear the Celtics won last night? Oh yeah, and the Red Sox too! I quote owner John Henry: "This is like an alternate reality." The cosmic tumblers clicked into place last night, under a red moon, 18 years after 1986, 86 years after 1918...spooky! This town is a foot off the ground today -- goodbye, inferiority complex. Bring on the victory parade!

"'Hobbit' Joins Human Family Tree" -- trust the Beebe to have the best headline for the amazing discovery of mini-human remains in Indonesia. My favorite part: the local legends of "little people" living in remote caves may be based in fact! Paging Agent Mulder...

Blue Staters are people too! -- Clever essay on the loathing for all things liberal-Volvo drivin'-Democrat in the real-tuff-'Merica of Bush & Co...which, of course, doesn't really exist. And this Salon piece boldly predicts a decisive Kerry victory (oh please...oh please...) based on the GOP's total misunderstanding of young/black/brown America. Woohoo!

My Own Private Library -- the joy and obsession of collecting lots and lots and lots of books. Mmmmm, books.

"The only possible reason why they would keep such a thing is to challenge voters on election day." -- A disturbing BBC report on the latest evidence of GOP voter intimidation tactics in Florida. Throw this on the pile with the lost absentee ballots and the Delray Beach parking tickets, and smell the recount brewing. Meantime, also check out Mr. Sun's suggestions for Bush's yet-to-be-unveiled October Surprise -- I agree that this is probably not what Karl Rove had in mind. Heh.

Peter Jackson presents: Frodo Shaves Like A Man! -- This is a great idea. Page 4 is my favorite...hee hee! (via Kottke.)

"I'm the biggest sports fan I know who hardly ever watches a game." -- The Red Sox Uncertainty Principle explained. It seems to work for me -- I missed Ortiz's big homer in Game 1, and all of Game 2, and hey, they won. Maybe I'll read while I watch tonight's game...and I'm booked tomorrow and Thursday nights, hello World Series!

They did it! As midnight struck, I was disowned by my loyal-Yankees-fan family in NJ ("I never liked you," joked Uncle Bob), Nat ran out in the yard to tear the Derek Lowe t-shirt off our scarecrow, to wash it and wear it to LA this weekend (hopefully to Sonny McLean's for Game 1 of the World Series!), and I sat on the sofa and felt the surreal joy of Red Sox Nation, redeemed. Miracles occasionally happen, people -- and if Houston wins their Game 7 tonight, we could see Massachusetts beat Texas in two high-profile national events within a week! Go Sox!

"There are 5,949,632,435 people poorer than you." -- Think you're broke, compared to the Rebel Billionaires of the world? Reality checks available from Global Rich List.

The DaVinci Code -- more than just a beach/airport/book club book? This Village Voice essay posits: "The Da Vinci Code...is the popular expression of a desire for a kind of meaningfulness to life that is missing for most of us." Woah! Maybe I should get off my literary high horse and read it....ooh, but wait, later on: "[It] suggests redemption without ever having the courage to destroy anything." Hmmmm....methinks this writer is possessed by the recently departed spirit of Jacques Derrida! Who, by the way, had the best...Onion headline...ever yesterday: "Jacques Derrida 'Dies.'" Hee.

Dirty Tricks are for (Republi)kids -- If you care to dig deeper into the open sewer that is the last two weeks of the Presidential election, allow me to point you in a few unsavory directions. Over at Salon, there's an article on Sproul & Assoc., the "consulting firm" bankrolled by the national GOP that's accused of holding "non-partisan" voter registration drives in the Las Vegas area and then tearing up the Democratic voters' forms and throwing them in the garbage. Nice. In other news, LATimes columnist Robert Scheer wrote yesterday that the CIA is withholding its internal 9/11 report, presumably until after the election, because it "names names" and will embarass the Bush administration. Thank you, Porter J. "Bitchboy" Goss (and check out the classic BBC tagline on that second photo!). And if all this makes you cynical about Election Day, indugle your spleen at OctoberSurprise.net, a site that prognosticates on just how far GWB & Co. will go "to swing or steal the vote." Oy.

Ode to a Bloody (Red) Sock... The Lazarus Sox won again last night, forcing another Game 7 Armageddon tonight in the Bronx (and there endeth all comparisons to last year). Curt Schilling attributed his gutsy performance to his Christian faith: he pitched without his special hi-top shoe and after getting stitches in his dislocated tendon, yeowch. Let's see, we've got blood, miracles...yup, this is a biblical struggle against evil!

The Case of the Stolen Spoon. Today's ? du Jour relates to a hotheaded London chef who accused a high-end customer of stealing the silverware. D'oh!

"Unencumbered and of caucasian appearance" -- Australian woman takes out a billboard to find that special someone, with some highly specific attributes.

Ouch, my Don't-Care-A-Bellum hurts -- Join the amazing Mr. Sun on a journey...inside the mind of the Undecided Voter!

"Rising to the irony and all..." -- Very cool interview with Ben Folds, piano-rock god and producer of William Shatner's new CD, which features cameos by Aimee Mann, Joe Jackson and...Henry Rollins!

"I'm looking for someone right now to be my other." -- If you, like me, saw "I ♥ Huckabees" this weekend, you will grasp why Mark Wahlberg's character has a blog in real life. And for more fake movie-related websites, click over to Huckabees.com, the Open Spaces Coalition, and the existential detective offices of Jaffe & Jaffe -- hey, take their questionnaire!

Idiot's Delight! The 2004 Red Sox seem to come alive only when they've been left for dead, but that's OK with me. David Ortiz hit a 2-run homer at 1:28am to resuscitate the ALCS vs. the Yankees, who've been playing far superior ball all weekend. Thanks to Friday's rainout, Game 5 will be this afternoon (that's right, 15.5 hours after the end of Game 4) at Fenway, Martinez v. Mussina, watch out! Read the NYTimes' coverage here, it's even sweeter.

ConvinceYourMom.com -- Ever wonder how to gently persuade those pesky "undecided voters" in your life how not throw their vote (and Constitutional rights, job security, soul, etc.) away on Bush? Here's the site for you.

And now, the return of the Kimpossible Friday Five! Today's theme -- the art of travel:

When was the last time you were on a plane? Last month on the shuttle to/from Newark. Oops, make that "NYC/Newark Liberty International Airport."
When was the last time you were on a train? I took the Acela to NJ over the summer, a great way to travel: quiet, relaxing, comfy, plentiful snacks and stunning lavatories.
How far will you travel this weekend? Just around the house, hopefully. Next weekend, L.A.!
What is your favorite mode of travel? I think it might be by ferry.
What is your least favorite part of traveling? Unpacking. Also, forgetting my camera in the rental car and having to jump off the shuttle bus to go run back and retrieve it.

Earth shoes, of course. Oh, those Ukranian fashion designers, so punny. Enjoy the ? du Jour...

"People think Minnesota is kinda bland, that the people are boring, but a lot of folks here have Viking blood." -- Rock on, Golden Gophers! Two geeks from Wired are on a trip down the Great River Road...for some reason...through the heartland of hotdish, and they made a stop at the good old Mall of America. Ahh, it makes me long to return...well, not to the Mall, but to the Twin Cities for sure. (Via native son Jason Kottke.)

Should we futz around with "scumbag"? -- On the domestication of formerly profane slang terms. Which suck.

Rap is old, and so are you -- 25 years ago today (that's 1979 for you math-o-phobes), rap music broke through into mainstream pop culture with SugarHill Gang's single "Rapper's Delight." The BBC has put together this interactive timeline of hip-hop's rise to utter domination of the zeitgeist. It's entertaining, though not exhaustive: where are the ladies, from Salt-N-Pepa to Queen Latifah to Missy Elliot? Word.

Stop Sinclair! -- you may have heard that Sinclair Broadcast Group, a TV station conglomerate, will be showing an anti-Kerry film, "Stolen Honor," next week. That is, this federally-licensed broadcaster, who leases the public's airwaves and is supposed to serve the public interest with fair and equitable programming, and is specifically prohibited by federal law from "electioneering," is ordering all 62 stations to show this garbage. You can look up your local Sinclair station (there's only one in MA, and one in ME) and give them a call, and register a complaint with the FCC. Let's get Michael Powell to do his real job for once!

Ouch. Last night was yet another stranger-than-fiction entry in the tattered Red Sox-Yankees notebook...our prize ace crumbles for the first time all year, we're down 8-0 after 6 innings yet manage to claw our way back to within one run, but then we're put away by the funereal Mariano Rivera at the last out, against Bill "Walkoff Home Run Against Rivera" Mueller? Pass the Tums!

"Hit the ball, not the wall." -- Red Sox Nation is up in arms over an official MLB-licensed shirt poking fun at the Sox...thus these creative (?) responses. Hee hee.

"He advised the Ministry that Anus and Pluto be rejected, for example." -- Very odd NYTimes article on Denmark's bureaucracy of baby names. There's an approved list of basic names new parents can choose from, but anything else (i.e. Ashleiy, Molli, Monkey) must be submitted for government review. This would never fly in the US of A, but maybe there's a lesson to be learned...do we really need to saddle kids with MiKaylah and the like? Hmmm, this gives me a good idea for...

...a Name That Friday Five! Miss Kim has flown off again for the weekend, so I'll humbly submit a topic for your perusal:

How did your parents choose your name? They chose Emily after the woman who ran the college volunteer program they did in Appalachia; Katherine is the latest iteration in my mom's family from Ekaterina to Catherine to Mary Katherine to Kathleen to me.
What's your (least) favorite celebrity name? I actually like Apple, but Brooklyn? No. Also no to anything like Lola/Lulu/Lala, anything faux literary (Demi Moore, I'm looking at you), and of course all the poor Zappas.
What would your porn star name be? Fashion designer name? Barfly name? Click here!
Porn star: Maggie Myrtle
Movie Star: Chocolate Alexander
Fashion Designer: Search Henri
Socialite: MeMe Newark (!)
Fly Girl: E.Du (!!!)
Icon: Toffee Milk
Detective: Chick Jersey
Barfly: Cracker Caipirinha
If you were opening a restaurant, what would you name it? Many of my old homeroom teachers had great names for a pub: Braithwaite, Shallcross, Donnelly, Erxleben...
What's the worst name to have with your last name? I think it's Roy.

Is Bush wired? -- Does it ever seem to you that President Stilted might be getting fed his lines from offstage? Hmmmmmm...

Twinkie sushi, anyone? That's right: Twinkie, fruit roll-up and candy sushi, here's the recipe. From the demented mind of Hostess and one Clare Crespo, cupcake queen interviewed on Gothamist today. Mmmmmmmmm.

"Pay the nice lady, and get out of town." -- The people at the Coleman outdoor goods company know everything, and they share it on their website! Check out their tips on everything from picknicking to attending outdoor concerts (#7 is a winner) to backpacking through the hinterlands. I love people who like to plan ahead as much as I do.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to investigate a ghost?" -- This is the eeriest thing...a real-life "Sixth Sense." Countdown to movie adaptation in 5...4...

Miss Kim's out of town -- a perfect chance to catch up with her Fall Friday Five:

What is your favorite season? I like something specific about each one: summer afternoons, spring winds, snowy winter twilight. But fall is great all the time.
How many times have you FALLEN in love? Oh, plenty.
What is the last thing that made your heart FALL? Last night, Nat unintentionally scared the bejeezus out of me in the dark hallway outside the bathroom. BOOO!
How many major waterFALLS have you been to? Hmm, maybe none? Does Paterson count?
What five words best describe your upcoming FALL? Social, scary, candy, sweaters, and CrockPot!

"Dear Mike, Iraq sucks." -- Today's Guardian prints an excerpt from Michael Moore's new book, "Will They Ever Trust Us Again?," a compilation of letters he received from soldiers serving in Iraq after "Fahrenheit 9/11" came out. Wow.

Choose your Prez-O-Lantern! Up at the Topsfield Fair, the Presidential candidates have been captured in pumpkin. Not bad...though Kerry is looking slightly, uh, squashy there.

Are you a bigger Red Sox fan or Patriots fan? -- For me, there's no contest. For you, take this goofy Boston.com quiz and find out. Incidentally, if you're a certain type of Red Sox fan, you might want to check out the t-shirts over at SoxCynic.com. Yeeouch!

The Decay of DeLay -- I'm fascinated (OK, made gleeful) by the gathering scandal around House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX). He's already been implicated in shady fundraising schemes as well as the Texas redistricting plan that resulted in the Lone Star Runaway Democrats debacle. Now, several directors of a PAC DeLay heads have been indicted in Austin, TX for funneling campaign contributions illegally; what's more, two former lieutenants are under federal investigation for bilking $60 million from native tribes for "gaming" consultant fees, having claimed the money bought direct access to DeLay and the White House. Woah! There's also a damning new book, The Hammer, by journalist Lou DuBose -- I heard him on NPR explaining all this muck in detail, and one can only hope the political chickens are coming home to roost, chez DeLay.

ESPN.com's 84 Reasons Why 1984 Was Totally Awesome -- I find #83 the most amazing. As for the rest, allow me to quote one of my favorite 80's flicks: "Iona, if you're not careful you're going to O.D. on nostalgia."

"I'm drowning in the law!" -- I've got a lot of Salon links today, but this one is too good to pass up for my fellow law-talkin' types. The advice columnist addresses a common complaint among big-law-firm lawyers, you know, the constant anxiety, lack of enjoyment in their work, the soul-deadening onslaught of working 7 days a week for years on end, la la la. Answer: escape! I'll also throw in a link to Biens Moebles, a lawyerblog that addresses some of these defects in the profession. As they say, "Res ipsa loquitur."

Autumn leaves... It's that time of the year again...ever wonder why they change color? Geeky theories and sentimental musings abound...and there's a soundtrack to accompany it all. Enjoy!

"Bush lied, my son died." -- Salon has a short piece today about RealVoices.org, a PAC that's put out four gut-wrenching TV spots featuring parents of American soldiers killed senselessly in Iraq. Think one of these ads will run during tonight's debate?

And speaking of Salon, watch the ad to see today's Tom the Dancing Bug comic, it's a brilliant spoof on "The Apprentice." Catchphrase: "You're not fired!"

Bush's Top Ten First Term Flip-Flops -- interestingly, this was compiled by CBS News. I guess the GOP hasn't strong-armed every single reporter over there after all.

"This will be Arkansas...if you don't vote." -- Have you heard about the Republican National Committee's targeted mailing that claims a vote for Kerry is a vote to ban the Bible? Well, see it for yourself. Other "horrors" to be visited upon heathen blue states: abortion rights, same-sex marriage, separation of church and state, "activist" judges, enlightened foreign policy, you name it!

"Give Kerry a helping hand." -- Ah, so this is how low Republican guys will stoop to get some action. Desperate vote-trading, via Wonkette. She's also got a Presidential Debate Drinking Game for tomorrow night, featuring directives like "Do a shot if Bush accuses Kerry of being 'French on terrorism.'" Should be a long night...

Zzzzz...aiieee, disembodied hand! Today's ? du Jour comes from Japan, via the BBC, so you know it's going to be wacky. Say hello to the Boyfriend's Arm Pillow. Yikes.

Down with the Kakistocracy! -- In this week's column, twisted genius/sex columnist Dan Savage revives this fine term, meaning "Government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens." Sound familiar, folks?

Election Protection 2004 -- The People For the American Way Foundation have set up this site to get out the vote and get out volunteers to monitor it this year, when it's expected that millions of voters will be blocked, legally or not, from voting. PFAW and the NAACP released this report on voter intimidation, whether by dirty tricks or "ballot security initiatives," that would make Thomas Jefferson spin in his grave. Also takin' it to the (online) streets is blogger prince Jason Kottke, who put together this Voter Information Guide that's short, sweet, and highly distributable. Vote, people, vote vote vote!

"A culture, stretching across about half the globe, that chews up women and spits them out." -- Absolutely hair-raising NYTimes op-ed by Nicholas Kristof, dateline Pakistan. This story of tribal "justice," rape, and women's oppression should make you thankful that in this country voting out the Chucklehead-in-Chief is the big political obstacle, not dealing with rogue traditional tribes and street vengeance. Well...on second thought...

Viva Iconoclast! -- The Crawford, TX newspaper is endorsing John Kerry tomorrow. Please proceed to relish this news.

Let's go, Red Sox! With last night's win over the woeful Devil Rays, the Sox are headed to the playoffs fer sure...and could get closer to the Yankees, a mere 3 games ahead. Here we see the jubilant players soaking Manny Ramirez in Pert Plus and champagne...perhaps they were listening to the Dropkick Murphys' unofficial Red Sox fight song?