Debate schedule—check your local listings for times
VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
When: Thursday, October 2
Where: Washington University, St. Louis
Subject: Domestic and foreign policy
Moderator: PBS' Gwen Ifill

SECOND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
When: Tuesday, October 7
Where: Belmont University, Nashville
Subject: Issues raised by audience members and submitted by Internet participants, in town hall format
Moderator: NBC's Tom Brokaw

THIRD PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
When: Wednesday, October 15
Where: Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y.
Subject: Domestic policy
Moderator: CBS' Bob Scheiffer
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/23/MNEU132TVK.DTL&type=politics

Google 2008 US Voter Info Guide
Find your voting location, registration information and more. Just enter your home address...
Google Public Policy Blog: "Our guide already includes voting locations for a number of states and the District of Columbia, and we are aiming to have voting information for all 50 states added by mid-October. We hope that this tool will equip voters with the information they need to make it to the polls on election day."

California is poised to become the first state to require large chain restaurants to notify customers of the nutritional content of menu items
The bill was one of 300 measures Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed on September 30 before the annual deadline to consider legislation. The law, SB 1420 by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Van Nuys, forces restaurant chains with at least 20 locations to reveal on brochures the amount of calories, saturated fat, carbohydrates and sodium of menu items beginning July 1—or, if not in a brochure, that they post calories on the menu. http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_10602752

Nevertheless dates at least to the 14th century, and has meant "notwithstanding"; "however"; "yet"; and "in spite of that." Just as nevertheless was created by joining together the words never, the, and less, so was regardless the product of regard plus less. The original (and now-archaic) sense of regardless described something "not meriting regard." Since the late 19th century, however, regardless has been attached to a verb to indicate its occuring "without regard to impeding elements, as of prudence, expense, or effort"; "despite everything." Sometime in the early part of the last century, irregardless was coined by blending irrespective and regardless. Irregardless is used—primarily in speech—to mean "regardless." M-W Word for the Wise

To your health
pes•to: sauce made especially of fresh basil, garlic, oil, pine nuts, and grated cheese
Etymology: Italian, from pesto, adjective, pounded, from pestare to pound
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pesto
For variety, substitute arugula, spinach or mushrooms for basil. Substitute walnuts or pistachios for pine nuts.

Use three physicians' skill: first, Dr Quiet,
Then Dr. Merriman and Doctor Diet. The Writer’s Almanac

DMCA junkies, start your engines. Once again, the movie industry is going after a new technology it believes violates copyright laws. The majors—including Walt Disney, Warners, News Corp.’s Fox, Universal, Paramount and Sony—are ganging up to sue RealNetworks Inc. over a new software program, called RealDVD, that lets consumers copy DVDs onto computers. Here are reports from the WSJ and the LAT. The complaint appears to have been filed under seal, but you can find RealNetwork’s opposition to the studios’ motion for a TRO here.
WSJ Law Blog October 1, 2008