Update? What's that?

So yes, it's been awhile. The campaign has literally eaten up my life, swallowed it whole. Only 9 days until the big day, and I'm working like a maniac. But, to reassure you all (all, oh, 3 of you) that I still care, here's a sampling of the fun I've been missing by not playing around online all day:

• The trailer for the new season of 24 is up. Jack with a Moses beard! Chloe with brown hair! And was that Wayne Palmer (Principal Wood for all you Buffy fans) they were calling "Mr. President"? Whoa... crazy stuff. Season 6 starts in January.
• I don't know how it works, but either this website is really cool, or I'm a musical genius. Maybe it's both.
• If, unlike me, you have free time on your hands, you can try to guess these movie titles. I could barely get half of them, but the movie posters made out of office supplies are hilarious.
• The PA Senate race has made the London Times. How cool is that? Maybe just because I love the Brits.
  
• Also, Rick Santorum compared the war in Iraq to Lord of the Rings. No, really.
• The creepiest e-card ever. EVER.

Okay, that will have to tide you over until E-Day. Don't forget to change your clocks tonight, Happy Halloween (I plan to dress up as an overworked campaign staffer), and VOTE on Nov. 7th! (I'm required to say that at the end of every conversation, email, and blog post.) Oh, and if you live in PA, remember: A vote for Ed is a job for Laura!

Take a picture of this face...

...because it's the last time you'll see it until Election Day.

I started my new job on Tuesday night (after having worked my old job until 5pm on Tuesday). Fortunately, I DON'T have to drive to Plymouth Meeting (yay for no long awful commute), instead, I'm working in the ghetto of Philly.

We're doing mapping - plotting out van routes for E-Day canvassers, preparing maps for van drivers and canvassers, for all of Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. It involves a lot of coloring and making maps on the computer. But - yay! - I got promoted twice in two days. (At this rate, I'll be running the campaign by Election Day.) I'm now executive head colorer. Or something like that.

My new hours are going to be, well, kind of disgusting. We don't start until 10, which is swell, but we go until 9 or 10 at night... and the hours will get longer as we get closer, so I'll probably be staying until 2am or later by the end there. Which means that no one will probably see me again until Nov. 8th.

The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived

I found this list linked at Pop Candy. It's the most influential fictional characters, because just because you're imaginary doesn't mean you're not important (just ask my imaginary friends).

Honestly, I don't know who some of these people are, and there are a lot more I thought, "Them? Influential?" but I'd definitely have to agree with Hamlet (5) (and yes, I'm weird), Cinderella (26), Buffy (44), Nancy Drew (62), and Dorothy (91). Others I would add to my personal list are Winnie the Pooh, the entire cast of the West Wing, the Baker's Wife from Into the Woods, Indiana Jones, and Vicki Austin from the Madeleine L'Engle books.

Who are your influential fictional characters?

Raj Peter Bhakta is an idiot

For those who aren't political junkies like me, Raj Peter Bhakta is running for Congress against Democratic incumbent Allyson Schwartz in the Philadelphia area. Before that, he was fired by Donald Trump from The Apprentice. Clearly, this was because his ideas in the "creativity" department verge on the absurd.

Wonkette has two posts about him... the first detailing his trip to Texas to sneak elephants across the border into the US accompanied by a mariachi band, and the second with video of this stunt, preceded by a 5 minute chase of some Mexican dude.

Seriously, you can't make this shit up...

One Laura-cicle coming up!

It is SO freezing cold in my office right now. Even though it's only like, 50 degrees outside, our building still has the A/C on. Brrrr! I'm supposed to be getting traded to the field dept. sometime this week. I wonder if that office will be warmer... (I really hope I don't end up standing outside on a streetcorner).

So if you're as cold as I am (I'm wearing my outdoor jacket inside, if that's any indication... Brendan just asked for gloves), here are some things to take your mind off of slowly turning into a popsicle:

• The latest dollars and cents from the Governor's race - I think the coolest fact is that the interest alone on our campaign account is over $275,000. (If only I got paid on commission...)
  
• Read the second story on this page... not that the first and third aren't interesting too, but I am most interested in the whereabouts of Flat Eddie.
• Um, yuck: Everything you didn't want to know about bedbugs (and you thought they were just something your mother made up...). I'm sufficiently skeeved out now.
• Trouble in paradise: there was an earthquake in Hawaii yesterday.
• Chattin w/ Batman: Dark Horizons has an interview with Christian Bale
  
• And, just for Becky, the crazy T-shirt website, which I don't get, but am posting anyway. Apparently, for those who require their clothes to entertain them as well as keep them warm, this website offers T-shirts that have codes and hidden messages on them. It also has something to do with CSI...
  

Hahahahaha

I'm not sure which is my favorite part of this story - the fact that Jeb Bush got chased by an angry mob in Pittsburgh, or that he's now denying he had to hide in a closet...

*giggles*

The craziest f*cking thing I've ever seen

Last night was the Casey/Santorum debate... Oh. My. God. Rules? Were there rules to that debate? I honestly expected a fistfight to break out. Seriously, they should have put those podiums farther apart. Those two guys should not be within strangling distance of each other.

You can watch the debate on KDKA's website. I highly recommend it. Even if you have no interest in politics, even if you're not from Pennsylvania, it's still pretty damn entertaining. Funniest thing to come out of PA politics since the flat Eddie commercials.

Or, if you're a slacker, you can catch the highlights of the debate from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and John Baer at the Daily News.

But seriously, watch it.

Morning updates

The plane that crashed into the building yesterday was being piloted by Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle. (I don't actually know who that is, but sports fans tell me he used to play for the Phillies.) Clearly a terrorist attack - I always knew the Yankees hated freedom. Having watched CNN all day, this post from Wonkette cracked me up. Seriously, CNN - 6-way split screen? Is that really necessary? I also liked this description of the location of the building: "midway between Wall Street and… upstate New York."

North Korea intends to conduct more nuclear tests if we don't change our "hostile attitude" - so, um, basically, we're screwed. They claim that they needed to develop nuclear weapons to protect themselves from the "increasing danger of war" from the United States. I don't know whatever gave them that idea. It's not like we start "preemptive" wars with countries we don't like or anything. Here's more on Kim Jong Il's narcissism from Merrill Markoe, which is an entertaining read, but gets a shout-out mostly for mentioning Jack Bauer.

Remind me to stay away from Greenleaf, Idaho. I'd fear for my life.

And here's an interesting NYTimes piece on eating habits, and the crazy things that affect them.

Deja vu, anyone?

A plane crashed into a building in NYC. This seems familiar... but it was a small plane and a residential building, and probably not terrorists.

In other news, Whitney posted a press release on Pop Candy with info on the new season of 24. Chad Lowe, among others, is joining the cast.

Also, the Democrats want you to play hooky. Slackers for democracy, yeah!

Swann is for elephants

The Maryland Senate race may be all about who loves puppies more, but last night's debate featured the candidates' stand on elephants. You can read all about that, and the rest of the debate, in this Daily News piece.

Other interesting things: Here's a cool interactive map that lets you find locations of NYC-set movies.

And apparently, Kim Jong Il was diagnosed with "malign narcissim." Well, good, that makes me feel much better. Although I really liked the last line of the piece: "Even if you say that Kim Jong Il is paranoid, it doesn't mean that someone was not out to get him." It kind of reminds me of a line from the Dresden Files: "Paranoid? Sure. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face." What? The sentiment is the same...

Also, this is just hilarious: Dennis Hastert gave a press conference. In a graveyard. Wonkette has pictures. Jon Stewart commented on it last night, and as soon as the video is posted, I'll let you know.

Colbert-iffic

A great (kinda long) piece on Stephen Colbert from NY Magazine.

Also, Jon Stewart is not running for President, FYI.

Debate Watch

The second gubernatorial debate is tonight. Here's all the info, from the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Tonight's gubernatorial debate between Democrat Gov. Rendell and Republican challenger Lynn Swann will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. on 6ABC. The one-hour debate, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, will take place at the station and will be moderated by 6ABC anchor Jim Gardner. The Pennsylvania Cable Network will show the debate at 8 and 9 tonight, and at 10 p.m. tomorrow and 3 p.m. Sunday.

Watch it!

Buffy alert!

No, this has nothing to do with my recent acquisition of the entire Buffy DVD collection, although I am enjoying them immensely. (I'm currently working my way through Season 2 - ah, the joys of School Hard, Lie to Me, and What's My Line... *fangirl giggle*)

No, this is about Amber Benson, who is going to play me in the movie of my life (release date TBA), but is slightly better known as Tara on Buffy. She's making a guest appearance on Supernatural this week (Thursdays, CW, 9pm), which I don't watch. But I might, just because Amber's so cool. Plus, in an ironic reversal of roles, she plays the head of a vampire coven. Heh.

I don't like Mondays

Still a little sick, but feeling better. I got a parking space at the train station today - guess that's the one good thing about working on Columbus Day.Here's the news of the day:

• North Korea is claiming they've conducted their first nuclear test. This should be fun.
• Philadelphians are united in their hatred of T.O. - Go Eagles!
• Joe Maguire was fired for dissing Ann Coulter (but really, who could blame him?)
• In defense of dolphin intelligence
• What's going on in TV Land
• Especially for Megan: Get a call from Dwight
  

Speaking of TV, I watched the premiere of The Nine last week, and I'll be honest... after watching an entire episode, I still have no idea what's going on. I have about the same level of comprehension that I got from watching the commercials and reading the reviews. I'll probably give it a few more weeks, just to see what happens.

Random stuff

Still sick, so forgive me if I'm not coherent. (But on an unrelated note, aren't cold pills fascinating?)

First, a follow-up to the Amish shooting tragedy, or "why the Amish are better people than the rest of us." I would imagine that forgiveness in this situation would be really hard, and those people were there the same day comforting the shooter's family. That's pretty damn impressive.

And, as it turns out, the Daily Show is "just as substantive as network coverage." Seriously, a study shows that it's a legitimate source of news. I've been saying this all along - even though it's definitely humor-based, you really need a basic understanding of what's going on in the world in order to get the jokes, because they're very much based on current events and newsworthy issues. My roommates have been known to watch it and go, "I don't get it..." because they didn't know about the news story it was mocking. I've never been a big fan of TV news to begin with, so the Daily Show is really the only "TV news" I watch, but it's always nice to have academic studies as back-up.

This is funny: the 80s movie montage Hall of Fame.

Also, maybe you've heard of it, but it's new to me... AIM Fight.

Post-debate spin room

The first gubernatorial debate was last night - if you missed it, you can watch it here. I thought the Gov looked good on TV, I thought he got in a lot of great points, and in general appeared more knowledgeable on the issues than Swann. Swann seemed more poised than he has throughout the campaign, but I felt like a lot of his answers boiled down to, "Rendell's record sucks. I'd do better," without giving any specifics on what he'd do differently. I also thought it was funny that they were wearing the same tie.

You can read two of my favorite columnists, John Baer's and John Micek's takes on the debate.

Best lines from the Gov:

"Lynn, you'll learn that the people of Pennsylvania don't elect you king. You can only propose. The Legislature disposes.''

When Swann tried to interrupt the Gov: ''You can't interrupt. That's against the rules. Remember, you're a guy who grew up listening to the rules … or else you got a penalty.''

"I think a celebrity has every right to run... it's not that he has no ideas, he has bad ideas."

Sick

Ugh. I'm sick. I caught my mother's cold, and I feel like crap. I hate being sick. The medicine always makes me loopy, and I just want to curl up and sleep all day. But I'm at work. :-P Being a grown-up stinks.

TV Roundup

Six Feet Under is back - rerunning on Bravo. I'd forgotten just how much I loved that show. The Fishers are great - they're all so dysfunctional, you just have to love them.

Studio 60 also continues to please me. I'm liking Harriet more (for all the talk about how talented she was, she wasn't being very funny, but this last episode got me) and the Big Three in general crack me up. Jordan - soooo gonna sleep with Danny before this is over. Unless that thing w/ Matt and Danny on the beach pans out... lol. It was like Josh and Sam all over again. Two complaints: First, Bradley Whitford needs to lose the "glasses on the forehead" look. It's just weird, and calls attention to his receding hairline. And second, it's a show about a sketch show. The sketches need to be funny. They're not, so far. I realize Aaron Sorkin writes dramas, but if they're gonna show parts of the "show within a show" then they need to make it funny.

Gilmore Girls continues to be disappointing. There are other things I could do with my Tuesdays, people. I give it one or two more weeks. And that's saying a lot, because I very rarely give up on a show. I watched The West Wing till the bitter, bitter end. I watched Sliders long after it became unwatchable. I've hung on to 24 even when it seemed to be going downhill (and feel I was rewarded, since I think it's going back up in quality again). I generally don't give up on shows. But I might just give up on this one.

Veronica Mars, on the other hand, still as great as ever. Premiere last night was a good mix of funny and mystery and "welcome to college." I was mildly confused by Keith and the Fitzpatrick guy at the end (oh, Kendall...) until Becky explained it to me, and I'm not sure I like the new credits, but other than that, good stuff. I'm glad we actually got to SEE Logan and Veronica together this time (they're so cute!), I like Wallace's roommate (but what kind of a name is Piz? I kept hearing "Piss"), and I was totally surprised when Mac's roommate ended up one of the rape victims. You just knew that was going to be a big mystery, from the episode last season. I wonder if the Arrested Development kids will come back. That'd be cool. For an extra-special treat, here's a blooper reel from seasons 1 and 2 on YouTube.

Tonight is the premiere of The Nine, and from the reviews, it sounds like it might be good. Although Kim Raver's leading role doesn't leave much hope for the future of Audrey Raines on 24...

How to survive a plane crash, and other fairly stupid tales

Just in case that flight attendant demonstration before take-off isn't clear enough for you, the BBC has put together a helpful guide on how to survive a plane crash, for those who really have nothing better to do.

Plus, a funny plane story from the Onion.

In other, unrelated stories, I feel like I have to say something about the Mark Foley thing, since it's been all over the news. So here is Wonkette's summary of events. As for a comment... I refer you to my press secretary, Jon Stewart.

Also from Wonkette: "Ah, Britain — where paging a terrorist to remind him to board a plane is still considered funny, not a felony."

George Clooney fan? It's your lucky day, because he says he plans to date everybody.

And finally, I don't drink coffee, but this website really makes me want to.

Some people are just sick

More on the Amish school shooting, as well as John Baer's take on gun violence (uncharacteristically unfunny, although this is the one issue about which Baer writes without humor). Usually I complain when John Baer's not funny, but this time he's got a pretty good point - it's disgustingly ironic that while this attack is taking place, the PA legislature is in the midst of a session on violent crime - in which they are making it easier to obtain guns and more acceptable to shoot someone just for looking at you funny. Ugh.

Amish school shooting

We've been watching CNN all day (as usual), and there was apparently a shooting in a one-room Amish schoolhouse in Lancaster that killed 6 people. The shooter, who it seems was not Amish, was also killed, and I think there's maybe as many as 10 injured. Here's the report from MSNBC's website.

Who would shoot the Amish? They're peaceful people.

On another note, it seems like there's been an awful lot of school shootings lately. What's that about?

News from the weekend

• More on Bill Clinton's outburst
• News flash: Paris is pretty
• Howard Dean goes to Alaska, or the future of the Democratic Party
  
• The Trib-Review is peddling Excedrin
• Michigan College Republican was beaten up by friends, not liberals
• Racism is funny, but apparently making Virginia look bad
• For some light reading, Gov. Rendell's stump speech
• Which dead celebrity is your perfect match? I got Edgar Allen Poe. I'm not sure what that means...