Abbey LeePhoto: Imaxtree

AP - Who's running for president, anyway?

The ‘Gossip Girl’ Final Point Tally

Well, well, you people certainly had a lot to say about the last episode of Gossip Girl. So much, in fact, that it took us all week to sort through it! There were a lot of themes in your comments, like the inaccuracy of pretty much everything education-related, and the inconsistency of everybody's phones. Many people also noted that Headmistress Queller was probably named after writer Jessica Queller, whom we actually profiled in this magazine this year. And the issue of the seating charts was handled brilliantly by commenters and our good friends at the Cut blog. By the end of our lengthy recap, the totals were:

Reality points: 93
Absurdity points: 59

This seems way off, because some of the crap that went down at that fashion show was right out of a Robert Jordan novel. (R.I.P.) Luckily, you guys came in to even the score. After your comments were added in (23 reality points, 41 absurdity points), the totals came to:

Reality points:116
Absurdity points: 100

Much more fitting. After the jump, which of your awesome insights we agreed with.

Realer Than Chuck and Blair Getting Real:
• Rufus has worn that washed-up rocker rose shirt in the past ... sometime in season 1. Plus 2 for acknowledging that people wear clothes more than once. —CharlieTrout (Who later noted that the shirt was worn "at the VH1 (classics) taping in season 1!! Even better.")

• Plus 2 for Blair's cruel and hilarious burn to Chuck: "The only person with fewer friends than you is Dan Humphrey, and at least his lame 90s dad likes him." Blair would so totally find Chuck's most vulnerable spot and crush him with it! You guys are right, Blair definitely gets the A-list writers... —FiftyFootGirl (Echoed by Jo1435 and others)

• What about "Charlie Trout." Really Dan? Plus 2 because a high school writer would think he's being totally sly when in reality he's being super obvious. —TheRural Juror (Echoed by LeoTheGreat, BCorrado, JStroup, JPJB, EmmyLoser, Jebream, RebeccaRose2004, BritneySpears, AuntTilly, GhostBoy2112, HockeyMomsForObama, NDizzle, NatalieWasRight, and btangonan)

• Plus 3 for the PR girl in the front row with a headset not having a clue what she was doing ... happens at every show. —Switz29NYC.

• Plus 10 for no Nate and Vanessa, not just because I was getting tired of them, but because it highlighted that Chuck and Dan really don't have any friends. —EmmyLoser (Echoed by WeeGee and others)

• How about a plus 2 for Chuck borrowing Blair's writer for a second with his comment "I don't think of you" after Dan storms his apt asking to hang out with him and says "i know you don't think much of me" —kmax (Echoed by Voixoff, DigMurlo, Severin, and Mac6)

• Plus 2 for the exceptional and topical All about Eve reference when Eleanor tries to tell Jenny her behind-the-scenes quasi-scheming is over ala Margo calling out Eve. Because fashion backstage is so this century's source of backstage drama. —LegallyBored

Faker Than Every Single Thing Anyone on This Show Has Ever Said Relating to College Admissions:
• Minus 10 because Serena said she knew of Mapplethorpe's work and was not only OKAY with her mother being one of his subjects but deemed her "the coolest mom on the Upper East Side". Pretty sure if she was actually familiar with his work she would be just a little weirded out by her mother's participation. —SharStar (Echoed by SteveFivel, LeoTheGreat, BecauseIt'sNellyYuki, RogeVampire, and LA10011)

• Blair tells 30-40 models in a major multimillion dollar fashion show after they have been dressed and had their make up done that they were over booked and not a single dresser or make up artist or anybody notices them leave? And then they are replaced with what, five people from the front row who magically fit into the dresses? And Eleanor would have had enough clout with IMG not to get slotted at same time as MJ. Minus 10 —StillmanMeyer (Echoed by XOChuckXO, NonyBotes, and LivelyWaldorf)

• Minus 5 for the fact that Serena fit into Little J's dress - Jenny is totally on the verge of an eating disorder and Serena actually has curves. —DailyIntelRoxMySox (Thanks, btw! People also objected to the idea that the dress would fit into that narrow garment bag. Echoed by Kelly0824, StuckinMidtown, Rach324008, M23, ConversationBreak, RebeccaRose2004, ARPenney, KT123, MissAlyss, KeeKay, SameStar, ReaganBreinholt and CSIMPB)

• Chuck Bass almost raped Dan’s sister. have we forgotten that? There’s no way Dan would throw a punch to protect Chuck. No matter how much he wanted to get that story. Minus 5. —NineDaves

• Minus 3 for Chuck NEVER behaving drunk. Seriously, for someone who always has a drink in his hands, a little slurred-word sloppiness is all my alcoholic self wants. —KaraMichelle (Echoed by Brynnied)

• Minus 5 for the headmistress coming to talk to Jenny alone on a Saturday. Even some public school teachers don't live in the city. —FallenAngel931 (Many others commented that Rufus would have gone with Jenny)

• Minus 2 for Rufus not telling Jenny that her dress at the Eleanor Waldorf show was COMPLETELY inappropriately short. —XOXOLU (Echoed by others)

• Minus 1 for Dan's comment about his application to Yale needing to be in by Monday. Even early decision apps aren't due until December; not even Yale wants to hear from you two weeks after school's started. —NotADoctor

Earlier: Gossip Girl Allows Its Light to Shine

Raise High the Roof Beam, Hip-hoppers

At VH1's Fifth Annual Hip-Hop Honors Awards last night, we learned how the performers alleviate their preshow jitters. Cypress Hill was scouting the Hammerstein Ballroom for a primo place to blaze, while Scarface defied Mayor Bloomberg's smoking laws. Find out other ways to relax from the likes of MC Lyte, Fabolous, and others in our Party Lines slideshow.

Cuffed Castroneves Pleads Innocent

Halle Berry Launches Fragrance; Pete Wentz on ‘Lego Hair’

FRAGRANCE
• Halle Berry is launching a fragrance with Coty Inc., which she calls "uniquely expressive of who I am." How might that smell? Like figs and mimosas, duh. [WWD]

• Avon is making a scent inspired by the Ironman Triathlon. American winner Matt Miller will be the face of the fragrance. Because nothing says "Don't you want to smell like me?" like an Ironman. [WWD]

• Estée Lauder is launching a fragrance at Wal-Mart called C-Thru, marketed to 15- to 24-year-olds. Something about a C-Thru fragrance being marketed to teens makes us uneasy. [WWD]

MAKEUP
• Estée Lauder also created pink-packaged lipstick and pins for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and will donate $500,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. If you're going to wear pink makeup, this is the month to do it. [Beauty Snob]

HAIR
• Pete Wentz on his hair: "I think most people think that I have Lego hair, like I can just take it on and off in one piece, and that’s not quite the case — although pretty close." [Off the Rack/People]

Palin vs. Biden a Super-Big Ratings Deal

Linda Hogan Busted for Lead Foot

The CNBC Emotional Index

CNBC spends its days tracking the Dow, the S&P, the NASDAQ and even the LIBOR. But in these panicky times, who's tracking CNBC?

Yesterday, October 2 — the day after the Senate approved the bailout bill and the day before the House took it up — we went from Wall Street's opening bell to closing bell charting the CNBCEI (that would be the CNBC Emotional Index). Isn't it time to put politics aside and engineer a bailout for Maria Bartiromo?

The CNBCEI scale runs from Great Depression (1) to Bubbly (10)

9:30 a.m. Russell Simmons rings the NYSE's opening bell while wearing a delightfully colorful sweater-vest. 8

10 a.m. Up pops the day's first graphic showing the progress of the Dow. It's down 185. 6

10:31 a.m. Befuddled by a chart on NASDAQ stats, anchor Mark Haines simply blurts out, "What is going on here?" 5

10:46 a.m. Interview with Russell Simmons. Mood is lifted by Simmons's delightfully colorful sweater-vest. 8

11:02 a.m. Reporter Bob Pisani enthusiastically makes the case that we may soon see a bull market. He has three screens with bullet points! 9

11:09 a.m. In argument over whether the government could actually make money from the bailout bill, reporter Rick Santelli looks like he's ready to throw a punch. 7

12:23 p.m. Viewing video of the long-mothballed Intrepid aircraft carrier heading back to New York, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera says, "A strong military is what ultimately defines a strong reserve currency." Others look at her baffled. 4

12:33 p.m. Now-jovial Rick Santelli and Dennis Kneale bet cheeseburgers on the direction of European interest rates. They're going double or nothing! 7

1:43 p.m. Breaking News headline: "Dow down 300+ points." In fact, by the time the graphic loads up, the Dow's down by 310. 4

2:35 p.m. Discussing the downturn in commercial paper, Mary Thompson says, "The chill is causing significant shrinkage." She doesn't even giggle. 3

2:50 p.m. Jim Cramer likens the value of the New York Stock Exchange stock to that of a bowling alley. Erin Burnett laughs and tells him to go take a nap. 6

3 p.m. Amid a day of heavy losses, Maria Bartiromo takes over coverage. When she's not talking, she looks like she's holding her breath. 4

3:26 p.m. Uninterrupted string of Breaking News headlines: "S&P Down almost 4%," "Dow falls over 3%," "Dow below 10,500," "NASDAQ down 4%," "NASDAQ below 2000." Ouch. 3

3:43 p.m. Breaking News headline: "Dow drops almost 400 points." In fact, it's down only 360. How pessimistic. 2

3:48 p.m. Analyzing graphs of data, Jordan Kotick somberly describes the current economic downturn as a "perfect chart storm." 1

4 p.m. NYSE closing bell rung by the CEO of Wendys Arbys Group. Earlier he had enthusiastically implied that a faltering economy would be good news for Wendys Arbys because it would increase the number of people who could only afford to eat fast food. 2

Howard Stern Hitched in All-Star Wedding (E! Online)

E! Online - Last night's vice presidential debate was no second banana.

Molly Sims to Launch Lingerie Line

Molly Sims just announced she's launching a lingerie line for spring 2010. Ex-models doing lingerie is hardly unique, but she's said she wouldn't put things like tassels or leopard print on her pieces. “I want it be what you wear, not what you wish you could wear,” she said. "It’s going to be feminine. It’s like undone-done, so it’s like a reveal-conceal." We love it when designers, ahem, describe things in ways we can clearly picture. [Off the Rack/People]

Guy From Grizzly Bear Now Apparently Into Eagles

1. Department of Eagles, "1997"
Daniel Rossen (also of Grizzly Bear) says he's stopped seeing red on this non-album cut recently recorded in Dumbo, and we think these aching pomo blues suit him much better. [JP's Blog]

2. Annie, "Two of Hearts" (Stacy Q cover)
The beats on this version would've made heads explode in the eighties, before the next decade changed our bpm tolerance forever. Other than that, it's a pretty straightforward cover. [Panda Toes]

3. Fennesz, "Saffron Revolution"
No revolution here, just the same brilliantly spacey sonic landscapes Fennesz has been making his whole career. [Pitchfork]

4. MSTRKRFT feat. N.O.R.E., "Bounce (A-Trak Remix)"
We didn't think a track that proclaims "all I do is party" could be any more fun, and yet A-Track somehow manages to lighten up the original enough to make us want to listen to it again. [Find Voltorb Catch Voltorb]

5. G-Side feat. Enya, "Speed of Sound"
G-Side keep their heads "in the clouds," mostly by cutting the ethereal wispiness of Irish New Ager Enya into the mix. [Ants in My Trance]

Did Toby Young Plagiarize Passages From the ‘Times’ For ‘How to Lose Friends & Alienate People’?

Opening in theaters today, the movie How to Lose Friends & Alienate People is based on Toby Young's lively memoir about a British journalist's cringingly disastrous stint at Vanity Fair. In a recent look back at the 2001 book, we noticed some passages that were strikingly similar to a June 16, 1996, New York Times story by John Tierney. In the story, called "Masochism Central," Tierney colorfully described the habits of the bitchy females and emasculated males at Condé Nast. Here are some comparisons:

Tierney: "350 Madison ... has been called, among other things, the Palace of Pulchritude; the two men's stores flanking the entrance, Brooks Brothers and Paul Stuart, have been compared to sentinels at the Temple of Aphrodite."
Young: "There were so many beautiful girls at 350 it was sometimes named the 'Palace of Pulchritude.' I'd even heard the two men's clothing shops that flanked the building on either side — Brooks Brothers and Paul Stewart [sic] — referred to as 'sentinels at the Temple of Aphrodite.'"

Tierney: "Condé Nasties, as they call themselves, have several techniques for fostering intramural insecurities. The standard punishment for a fashion blunder is a cold stare in the elevator. Critics sometimes affect affability by nodding at the perpetrator's clothes and muttering, 'Very brave,' or the slightly more maddening, 'Aggressive choice.' ... Once a woman has stepped off the elevator, the verdicts might range from 'Awfully matchy, don't you think?' to 'That's over.'"
Young: "As they rode up the lifts every morning, they sized each other up with the cold-blooded hostility of professional athletes ... Disapproving comments ranged from the fairly mild — 'Aggressive choice!' — to the outright rude …." A few pages later: "[The female stripper Young was bringing to the office] caused a sensation in the lift. The two women we happened to be sharing with made no attempt to conceal their disdain. 'That's brave!' said one. The other agreed: 'It's kinda matchy, doncha think?'"

Upon being shown the evidence, Tierney, who had never read the book, concluded it was plagiarism. More bemused than angry, he remarked, "It's at the very least unattributed lifting … It would have been nice to have been credited." Graydon Carter, the editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair who hired and fired Young, agreed: "Certainly looks like plagiarism to me."

Tierney had evidence that at least one of the book's phrases must have originated in his article. He explained, "A bachelor friend of mine had told me that Condé Nast was called the 'Pussy Palace,' but I couldn't call it that in the paper, so some friends and I agreed to call it the 'Palace of Pulchritude.'" Tierney also noted something telling in Young's word choice. "It's funny that he says the same thing, 'awfully matchy,' about a stripper."

When confronted with these similarities, Young forthrightly admitted that Tierney's article was the source for the passages, but he denied that this was "a breach of the code." "I don't think you can call that plagiarism," he said. "I'm not claiming to have coined those phrases myself." (It's worth noting what Young said in 2006 about the Kaavya Viswanathan plagiarism scandal: "The thing that amazes me about cases like hers is why the authors don't bother to put what they've lifted from other sources in their own words. I mean, even when I copied out large chunks from text books in my school essays I knew enough to do that.")

In his defense, Young emphasized that in a footnote on a nearby page he had quoted and cited Tierney's article by name. "I don't think it's a sort of mealy-mouthed or weasely defense to say that the standard that British journalists are expected to hold themselves to are not as high as the standards that some American journalists hold," he explained. "We're a little less precious about this kind of thing." Asked if that double standard also applied to book publishing, he said it did, "absolutely."

When told of Young's invocation of less-than-sterling British standards, Tierney laughed. "Well, that's an interesting defense of plagiarism," he said. "To quote the Condé Nasties: Very brave."

L.C. Laughs Off Justin Bobby Hookup Rumor

Palazzo Chupi Raw, Chafed

The Chupi is getting a face-lift of some kind, and in the meantime it is not looking pretty. Observes Curb's Joey Arak, whose love for the Schnabel family compound is as great as ours: "Its skin is peeling and it looks like there are some deep gashes over its eyes!" Alarming. You'd think they'd at least swathe it in cotton and give it some privacy. [Curbed]

Job: Founder and head of Flying Television Productions, a celebrity wrangling and brokering company
Neighborhood: Gramercy Park

Who's your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Diane Von Furstenberg. She is the ultimate female success story.

What's the best meal you've eaten in New York?
ápizz is phenomenal. Just the thought of the meatballs can drag you out of bed in a snowstorm.

In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
I connect corporate America with Hollywood.

Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
I’ve done it … Used to daydream about what it would feel like to pay my rent on time or own an apartment.

What's the last thing you saw on Broadway?
August: Osage County.

Do you give money to panhandlers?
Yes, and sandwiches, and soup, and any leftovers from a restaurant.

What's your drink?
I love an Arnold Palmer … half lemonade, half iced tea.

How often do you prepare your own meals?
Often. I've spent the summer focusing more on organic foods and trolling the Union Square Greenmarket buying ingredients.

What's your favorite medication?
Airborne … The pink-grapefruit flavor dropped in club soda tastes exactly like a Fresca!

What's hanging above your sofa?
A painting of my Uncle Hymie by my favorite artist, Helene Dolney.

How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
Francky L'Official Salon on Madison Avenue makes me look as if I spent a fortune on my hair … And it's worth every penny!

When's bedtime?
After my daily dose of Larry King, Letterman, and TMZ. Thank the Lord for my DVR.

Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
The lights were, and still are, inspiring … It is the center of the universe.

What do you think of Donald Trump?
Ivanka is the new Donald.

What do you hate most about living in New York?
No cabs on a rainy day.

Who is your mortal enemy?
I want to strangle anyone on line in front of me at a sample sale.

When's the last time you drove a car?
… Is this a metaphor? New Yorkers do drive!

Who should be the next president?
Norman Lear.

Times, Post, or Daily News?
Post and Daily News every day, "Style" section of the Times on Thursdays and Sundays.

Where do you go to be alone?
Under the nail dryer at Dashing Diva.

What makes someone a New Yorker?
When you firmly believe anywhere outside Manhattan is a suburb.

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Oct 2008 | 9:30 pm

PETA’s Halloween Solution: ‘Hairy-Kate and Trashley Trollsen’

Meh.
Photo: Courtesy of peta2.com

If you don't have a Halloween costume picked out just yet, PETA has some suggestions for you. It's part of their latest crusade against the Olsen twins, whom PETA calls "Hairy-Kate and Trashley Trollsen." "After all, only someone as heartless as a troll would wear the skins of dead animals," PETA trumpets. (To hammer their point home in their special PETA way, they've created an interactive feature that allows you to dress up Hairy-Kate and Trashley in dead animals dripping with blood. It's legitimately scary.) They're offering to send free Trollsen masks (pictured above) to anyone who places an order before October 12. Or if you can't wait to get your costume on, you can print out the masks here. You know, PETA, it's a commendable effort, but their hair usually looks way more mussed than that. And Trashley on the left there wouldn't wear red lipstick. When we dress up, we like to be accurate, thank you very much. (That reminds us — holler if you know where we can get Sarah Palin's Alaska earrings.)

Why Not Be a Troll This Halloween? [PETA2.com via MollyGood]

Source: The Cut | 3 Oct 2008 | 9:25 pm

Bill Maher’s ‘Religulous’: Where's the Outrage?

You want a piece of me? Please?
Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate

The good news for Bill Maher? He hasn’t been struck by lightning. The bad news? He hasn’t been hit by anyone else.

So far, everybody’s treating Religulous, Maher's satirical assault on faith, with Christian charity (the Metacritic score hovers at a decent 55), box-office numbers are fine enough ($13,000 at two theaters), and nobody's bashing him with any real zealotry.

Even the protests have been “lame," as Maher admitted at the Toronto Film Festival. And the Catholic League couldn't get too riled up: Spokeswoman Susan Fani said that Maher is "as dogmatic in his hatred,” adding that the comic is “trying to make people look stupid." That's hardly bringing down God’s wrath!

The murmuring within the predictable design crowd did not bode well for democracy. "Where's the booze?" asked a tan middle-aged man with short white hair and Sarah Palin glasses, slouching toward the tubs of Dos Equis. Another be-flanneled guest explained to a friend, "I was going to do it but I didn't have time." Apathy! One wall was dedicated to showcasing the designs, many of which "explored" the meme of the political industrial complex. "Obey Your Thirst and Your Government" advertised one submission called, duh, Sprite House. Another entrant, Brandon Shigeta, had made a White House symbol in the familiar style of the Disney logo. Get it? He received 3,013 popular votes.

The most popular project, Project 655 by Jorge Rocha Antunes, called for encasing the White House in a "bioLogical Protective living organism" or, as Antunes explains, "placenta." That won 4,263 votes online, but was ominously ignored by the jury. Antunes has to make do with a meager $87.60 estimated prize for the popular vote. Instead, the jury awarded $5,000 to J.P. Maruszczak for a project called "Revenge of the Lawn." According to the artist statement, it portrays the "luminous, spellbinding environment of those inhabitants of White Welling who live so close to iDeath and must know the sun not only shines a different color each day, but the world needs constants scripts to renew its own meaning." The winner received only 54 popular online votes, an ironic echo of 2000 and 2004.

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Oct 2008 | 9:00 pm

******** and Friends Rock Out for Twelve Straight Hours

Toronto punk rockers Fucked Up are near and dear to our hearts for forcing the New York Times to write around their name in a concert review (the Times, perhaps excessively, went with "********"). They'll be playing live for twelve straight hours at a Lower East Side storefront on Tuesday, and the list of potential special guests veers from the likely (Vivian Girls, Matt Sweeney) to the wildly ambitious (Mobb Deep, Akon, the Edge). [Matablog via Stereogum]

Source: Vulture | 3 Oct 2008 | 8:59 pm

Hélio, in Chains, Pleads Not Guilty to Tax Evasion

A chained-up, choked-up Hélio Castroneves could barely two-step into federal court today. After surrendering to federal authorities, the 33-year-old former Indy 500 champ...

Source: The Cut | 3 Oct 2008 | 8:49 pm

Has Gentrification Led to Decrease in Ghoulishness of Clinton Hill?

Last year the Clinton Hill Blog posted a photo of a local "haunted" (read: decrepit and/or abandoned) house every day in October, but this year they'll do only one a week. "It took me days of work last year to find 31 creepy houses, upload the photos and photoshop them, and draft up the posts with locations and witty comments," writes blog proprietor Robin Lester. "This year, I do not have the time." Aww. Is a plunge in the haunted-housing stock yet another metric of gentrification? And from the hood that once had New York's quintessential, Dave Chappelle–endorsed haunted house? Sad. Where is the gnarled old lady who snatches and tortures children supposed to live now? Starrett City? That's not very creepy. [Clinton Hill Blog]

Source: Vulture | 3 Oct 2008 | 8:30 pm

How to Make Squirrel Soup

Just because Congress passed the "Financial Markets Bill" doesn't mean everything is going to be okay. The American economy lost 159,000 jobs in September alone. (October isn't looking so hot either: As you can see here, our best friend just got canned!) "I think the future is going to be very cloudy. I think this is the beginning of many days of reckoning," Bob Corker, a Senate Republican who voted for the bill, said today. "I don't see how we avoid a true technical recession at this time."

It's a good thing we ordered Depression Era Recipes by Patricia Wagner while our Wachovia card still worked! We have uploaded her recipe for Stewed Squirrels to our recipes page; you'll be happy to know it is both delicious and in season, and uses local ingredients. According to Patricia, "Grey squirrel is even better than red squirrel, and they are both better tasting when hunted in the fall." And after the jump, Steven Rinella, author of The Scavenger's Guide to Haute Cuisine, explains how you can trap one of those little buggers right here in New York City! Which is technically illegal. But these are hard times.

How To Trap A Squirrel

There are several effective ways to trap squirrels. Basically, you can divide these trapping methods into two categories: homemade deadfalls and snares, and commercially produced traps. The fact that you're looking to trap a squirrel in New York suggests that you do not have the nuanced understandings of squirrel behavior and woodcraft necessary to produce and use homemade traps. Luckily, though, commercially produced traps are readily available and highly effective...if properly used.

Commercially produced traps suitable for the taking of squirrels can be further divided into three categories: box-type live traps (commonly used for humane pest removal and relocation); common snap-type traps (usually featured in cartoons starring mice); and small-framed body-gripping traps (designed for the commercial harvest of mink and muskrat pelts.)

Live traps eliminate the risk of killing non-target animals such as pets and rats. However, they are not practical for the emergency procurement of squirrel meat. They are expensive, their size attracts unwanted attention, and they require the trapper to dispatch the squirrel by hand.

By far, the most economical traps are the common snap-type rat traps available in most of the cities hardware stores. (DO NOT buy the mouse-sized traps; you want the big boys with the 7- or 8-inch baseboards.) The Achilles heal of these traps are the so-called bait-holders, which are insufficient in size and often result in bait theft. For greater efficacy, secure a piece of rubbery dried fruit to the bait holder using a small safety pin or a short piece of wire. Suitable wire can be unraveled from a picture-hanging cable, or taken from inside the cord of a discarded cell-phone charger. For added appeal, I highly recommend rubbing the bait with a little peanut butter or molasses , or, better yet, a combination of both. Before setting the trap, secure it to a plank (a hunk of wooden pallet works great) in order to hold the trap stable when it's getting worked by a squirrel. Set the trap in an area frequented by squirrels. It is helpful to place it in an open area where rats are less likely to get into it. Rats like to stay near overhead cover, while squirrels are usually comfortable in open, park-like areas. Another way to avoid rats is to set your traps during the day and retrieve them at dusk.

Though they are considerably more expensive, serious squirrel trappers rely on the body-gripping traps popularized by commercial fur harvesters. They are strong, fast, nearly failsafe, and widely available from on-line trapping supply houses. Buy the kind suitable for muskrat and mink, usually described numerically as sizes 100 or 110. Once you get a few of these traps, get yourself an equal number of those square-topped 3-4 gallon detergent buckets that are always sitting outside restaurants on recycling nights. Discard the lid. Using a keyhole saw or hacksaw, cut a notch measuring 1 1/2 inches wide and 4 inches deep into one side of the bucket's rim. This notch will accommodate the spring of the set trap, so that the body of the trap is held secure and blocks the opening of the bucket. Place the bucket and affixed trap in an area frequented by squirrels, and bait with peanuts smothered in molasses and peanut butter. Push a wooden stake through the spring to add additional stability to the trap; this will always keep your catch from getting away, though the squirrel is usually killed instantly and humanely with this method. Other guide sticks can be placed near traps periphery to funnel the approaching squirrel into the trigger and the jaws of the trap.

Good luck out there!

Source: Daily Intel | 3 Oct 2008 | 8:28 pm

First Prayers, Then Dollars for 'Fireproof'

Kirk Cameron film is a big hit among evangelicals, with $6.8M at the box office.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 8:25 pm

Yves Saint Laurent: Solemn and Sober (Fashion Wire Daily)

Fashion Wire Daily - The mood got very somber and rather solemn Thursday, Oct. 2, when viewing the spring 2009 collection of Yves Saint Laurent, the first women's show presented by the house since the death of its founder.

Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 3 Oct 2008 | 8:19 pm

Video: Models Leaving Jeremy Scott’s Runway

Artist Jeremy Kost perseveres backstage at Paris Fashion Week with his video camera. When the models exit Jeremy Scott's runway, they can't resist sticking their faces in Kost's lens. They also seem eager to get their jewelry and giant wigs off.

Related: See more videos by Jeremy Kost

Source: Vulture | 3 Oct 2008 | 7:59 pm

Hollywood gets bailout break

Front Page: Tax credit sneaks into Friday's approved bill -- Tax incentive legislation aiding Hollywood was tucked into the mammoth $700 billion bailout plan signed into law Friday by President Bush.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Oct 2008 | 7:51 pm

TV shows taking time to grow

Front Page: 'True Blood' example of ratings patience -- The headlines after the initial Sept. 7 airing of HBO's vampire skein "True Blood" reflected the debut's apparently flat ratings: "Modest bite." "Rocky start."

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Oct 2008 | 7:43 pm

Karl Lagerfeld Buys Home in Vermont

Watch out for cow patties!
Photo: Photo-illustration: Everett Bogue; Photos: Getty Images

We shit you not. Karl Lagerfeld told reporters backstage at the Chanel show in Paris today that he bought a six-bedroom "landmark building" dating back to 1840 on Lake Champlain in Vermont. May as well strike while the dollar's down! “I love it. It’s very much Emily Dickinson,” the Kaiser told WWD, adding that it reminds him of northern Europe. Karl also said he'll start shooting the Chanel campaigns there. And, we imagine, fly-fishing.

So … is country the new chic? Do we need to summer in Vermont instead of the Hamptons? Karl — is your house a SHARE? Because we are so in. Ben & Jerry's, here we come!

Lagerfeld Coming to America [WWD]

Source: The Cut | 3 Oct 2008 | 7:32 pm

The Bollywood Strike Is Over!

Photo: Getty Images

The labor strike that halted production in Bollywood ended earlier today after unions and producers settled on a new deal promising actors, dancers, and technicians better wages and working conditions. Work on sets will resume tomorrow, following an elaborate dance number encompassing the entire city of Mumbai. [AFP]

Source: Vulture | 3 Oct 2008 | 7:15 pm

Is This Dan Aykroyd ‘Crystal Head Vodka’ Ad for Real?

Photo: Courtesy of Crystal Head Vodka

This informercial for Dan Aykroyd's Crystal Head Vodka is so slick and straight-faced that it makes us question whether the comedian is attempting an elaborate practical joke or has lost his mind and is actually peddling a "triple Herkimer diamond filtered Newfoundland deep aquifer pure spirit vodka" bottled in a glass skull that symbolizes our "common universality." After rambling on about aliens, ghosts, and mystical powers, the Ghostbusters star makes a point of referencing "ectoplasm" early in the spot, which has us wondering whether this may actually be a bizarre, extraordinarily deadpan viral-marketing ploy related to the forthcoming Ghostbusters 3.

Crystal Head Vodka [via Alex Blagg]

Earlier: ‘Ghostbusters 3’ Being Written by Guys From ‘The Office’!

Source: Vulture | 3 Oct 2008 | 7:07 pm

'Hairspray' to close on Broadway

Front Page: Harvey Fierstein to return to musical -- Six years after it elevated John Waters from underground bad-tastemeister to Broadway baby, the Tony-winning musical "Hairspray" is expected to shutter its Rialto production in January, with original star Harvey Fierstein poised to step back into the slingbacks of Edna Turnblad for an encore stint.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Oct 2008 | 6:59 pm

Sarah Palin Rocks the Half-Frenchie

ScHairy.
Photo: Huffingtonpost.com

So Sarah Palin dodged questions at the debate last night, Joe Biden didn't connect with the camera blah blah, issues, blah. That's not our terrain on the Cut. But hair is! The Huffington Post pointed out something that kind of bothered us last night: Sarah Palin's half-French braid was "folksy" and unstylish. They've even assembled a slideshow of bad French braids. But before you judge too hastily remember — Biden might have butt hair on his head. [HuffPo via Racked]

Source: The Cut | 3 Oct 2008 | 6:54 pm

The Easygoing Patriot

Jackson Browne on Obama's chances, what he learned from Dylan and living off the grid Making music is one of the greatest pleasures I've ever experienced — and I'm one who sought pleasure," Jackson Browne says with a quiet laugh on an early-autumn afternoon in a New York hotel room. But, he adds, "the heart of my activism is the belief that these pleasures are for everybody. If we continue what we're doing as a country . . . " He pauses. "We're all in the same boat. That's always been the subject of my songs. We only have a little time. It's a mess, so you do everything you...

Source: Rolling Stone: Features | 3 Oct 2008 | 6:51 pm

Right-wing comedy aims for laughs

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 6:40 pm

Why Must Lil Wayne Be So … Normal?

Photo: Getty Images

Back when Lil Wayne was plugging Carter III, he appeared on TRL and we were amazed by how totally normal he seemed. “Aha,” we thought then, “this is a man more in control of his persona than we realized.” But recent Wayne developments along the same normative track have us worried: Is the post–Carter III megastar Wayne actually — gasp — mellowing out?

In the old days, we couldn't go a week without Lil Wayne, mysterious Styrofoam cup in hand, comparing himself to Martin Luther King or explicating why being a whore is a good thing. But recent behavior, like his ESPN blog, is disconcerting. Sure, at first it seemed wacky enough — Look what Wayne’s gotten himself into now! But then we read the thing: It’s coherent, at times nearly informative, and totally, totally boring. To wit: “Some people were also asking if I like college sports, and the answer is yes, I do.” He’s probably got an editor parsing his rambles, but who dares edit Lil Wayne? We want stream-of-conscious garble! More oblique mid-rhyme Roger Federer shout-outs and less lame Steve Bartman jokes, please.

And today MTV reports that Wayne is guesting on Fall Out Boy’s upcoming Folie à Deux. Whaaaa?! He should be off on a codeine bender, not responsibly showing up for other people’s recording sessions! And, okay, yeah, the track might be rad — but it’s just harder to fantasize about Weezy being an actual extraterrestrial when he’s hanging out with Pete Wentz. Be careful, sir. It's a slippery slope to normalcy.

LIL WAYNE BLOGS FOR US: WORLD SERIES? "I SEE THE TAMPA BAY RAYS." [ESPN]
Fall Out Boy's New Album To Feature Lil Wayne, Pharrell And … Blondie's Debbie Harry? [MTV]

Source: Vulture | 3 Oct 2008 | 6:15 pm

Video: Sacha Baron Cohen Wreaks Runway Havoc Again!

How is she keeping a straight face?
Photo: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

Does Paris have a greater sense of humor than Milan? Because it doesn't seem like Sacha Baron Cohen — who's running around posing as Bruno the gay, Austrian, fashion-obsessed journalist — has encountered much resistance at Paris Fashion Week as he films his new movie. Yesterday he sucked tampons on the second row at Stella McCartney, and today he penetrated Jean Charles de Castelbajac's show. Grazia reports:

[H]e whipped out a fold out chair, placed it in front of the front rowers and started writing love letters to girls in the audience. Then he jumped on stage shouting into his mobile phone and walked down the catwalk with the last model.

Above you see Bruno trying to pass a note to one of the models. For video of the incident, click onward!

Bruno strikes AGAIN! [Grazia]
Related: You Won’t Believe What Sacha Baron Cohen Did at the Stella McCartney Show Today
Sacha Baron Cohen Storms the Runway in Milan (Updated With Video!)

Source: The Cut | 3 Oct 2008 | 6:11 pm

The Surreal Life

Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes is obsessed with Prince, suicide, and borrowing his wife's tights. Meet rock's newest damaged genius. • Download music from Skeletal Lamping and watch Of Montreal perform live There are many things that Kevin Barnes' wife might prefer he not talk about. For instance, when she became pregnant a few years ago, the idea of becoming a father so terrified Barnes that he considered committing suicide. Or that after his daughter was born, his misbehavior on the road nearly destroyed their marriage. Or that he suffers from chronic depression, which he treats with the powerful antidepressant...

Source: Rolling Stone: Features | 3 Oct 2008 | 5:53 pm

Ethan Coen Fires George Clooney

Photo: Courtesy Focus Features

"After this last movie, George said: 'That's it, I've played my last idiot.' Ethan said: 'Well, you won't be working with us any more, then.'" —Joel Coen on typecasting George Clooney [Telegraph]

"We put him in the thong, which is CG. We basically took his outfit from the book. But, as in the book, we took it off him. Because he just lets it go. He certainly lets it all hang out." —Zack Snyder on Dr. Manhattan's wang in Watchmen [Movieweb]

"I will not wear tights because according to our research they weren't invented for another 300 years. I apologize to you all and to Sienna Miller." —Russell Crowe, insisting on historical accuracy for Robin Hood [ComingSoon]

"I think in those days, even with that large group of people, they weren't making films to pinpoint certain demographics. Like, 'We need to get the 16-to-25-year-old guys who like to jerk off to girls in bikinis.'" — Simon Pegg on how moviemaking has changed since Casablanca [A.V. Club]

"The Scientologists and the Mormons I think should merge. Call it 'Mormontology.'" —Bill Maher on his new faith [Orlando Sentinel via PopMatters]

"They take a lot of flack from people who have never done fuck all in their life. I think they're great. That's my final word." —Chris Martin adores Nickelback [Spinner]

Source: Vulture | 3 Oct 2008 | 5:40 pm

Placido Domingo to sing in Maya

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo, seen here during a press conference at the archaeological site of Chichen Itza on October 02, 2008, will perform in a concert called "Concierto de las Mil Columnas."
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 3 Oct 2008 | 5:23 pm

Congress OKs historic bailout bill

Front Page: House votes 263-171 for rescue package -- With the economy on the brink and elections looming, Congress approved an unprecedented $700 billion government bailout of the battered financial industry on Friday and sent it to President Bush for his certain signature.

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Oct 2008 | 4:05 pm

A fountain is illuminated by a "Klein" blue light during the Paris cultural event "Nuit blanche" (White night) in 2006

A fountain is illuminated by a "Klein" blue light during the Paris cultural event "Nuit blanche" (White night) in 2006. Senior citizens are to join the party as Paris stages an annual round-the-clock culture...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 3 Oct 2008 | 3:59 pm

Huge audience for VP debate

Front Page: Over 70 million viewers watch Biden and Palin -- Thursday's first and only vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin is expected to easily draw more than 70 million viewers when Nielsen national estimates for the broadcast and cable networks are released this afternoon.        

Source: Variety.com - Front Page | 3 Oct 2008 | 3:39 pm

FOX411: Angelina Jolie's Oscar Bid Brings Her to New York

Angelina Jolie is in New York. She’ll walk the red carpet Saturday night with Clint Eastwood to promote their new movie, “Changeling,” at the New York Film Festival.
Source: FOXNews.com | 3 Oct 2008 | 3:23 pm

Here's 'How to Lose' Movie Audiences

Review: "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People" will alienate movie goers.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 3:20 pm

Top indie star wants to be less liked

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 2:49 pm

'Top Model': 'Hairspray' Star Kicked My Mom

Bianca Golden: "Hairspray" star and dad punched, kicked her mom in July fight.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 2:45 pm

Review: Hathaway dazzles in 'Rachel'

Anne Hathaway lights up the screen in "Rachel Getting Married" as a troubled woman set free from rehab for her sister's wedding. The movie, however, could use more of her spark.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 2:37 pm

Pop Tarts: Heidi Montag Prays for Sarah Palin

Heidi Montag has made no secret of the fact that she supports Republican candidate John McCain for president, but it seems she’s an even bigger fan of his running mate Sarah Palin.
Source: FOXNews.com | 3 Oct 2008 | 2:36 pm

Sandra Bernhard: Never Said 'Gang Rape'

The comedian says media reports mislead women's shelter to cut her appearance.
Source: ABC News: Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 2:14 pm

An Indian lighting assistant at work on a film set in Mumbai

This file photo shows an Indian lighting assistant at work on a film set in Mumbai. A strike that hit production in Bollywood was called off after unions and producers announced they had thrashed out a...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNImagesEnter | 3 Oct 2008 | 2:06 pm

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Not Leaving 'The View'

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is not leaving "The View" despite the rumors, her agent said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.
Source: FOXNews.com | 3 Oct 2008 | 1:57 pm

Sandra Bernhard Says She Never Used Term 'Gang Rape'

Sandra Bernhard says the decision by a women's shelter to cut her act from its annual benefit was based on a misleading account of what she said about Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Source: FOXNews.com | 3 Oct 2008 | 1:26 pm

History's top 5 reasons to cross-dress

Over the centuries, people have had some very good reasons to dress up like a member of the opposite sex.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 1:23 pm

Bernhard: Report was misleading

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 1:20 pm

Her success inspires John Legend

Moved by a 2007 trip to Ghana, singer/songwriter John Legend joined the fight to end extreme poverty in his lifetime. And based on his experiences in poor, rural areas of Africa, he says, real change is possible.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 12:59 pm

A sneak peek at 'Watchmen'

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 12:50 pm

Kingston Trio hitmaker dies

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 12:48 pm

Review: 'Nick & Norah' is revolutionary

The marvelous, magical boy-meets-girl-in-the-city-that-never-sleeps romantic comedy "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist" is a revolutionary movie disguised as a familiar story.

Source: CNN.com - Entertainment | 3 Oct 2008 | 12:31 pm

Valentino to clarify designer's future after show-press (Reuters)

Reuters - Valentino Fashion Group will clarify in three or four days whether designer Alessandra Facchinetti will stay with the fashion house, its CEO said in an Italian newspaper on Friday, amid speculation she will be replaced.
Source: Yahoo! News: Fashion News | 3 Oct 2008 | 12:07 pm

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