Miguel has smuggled out from Vienna conclusive proof of a sinister plot that has ensnared a nation:

Got an e-mail today ostensibly from the Library of Congress, saying that ‘words mean things’ was going to be put into a digital collection of materials relating to 9/11/01. Anyone else get this e-mail? Webarchivist.org and The Internet Archive are listed as organizations affiliated with this effort. What’s interesting was, unlike some sort of advertising come-on (“you can be listed in this exclusive directory for only $49.95”), they didn’t ask you to go to any other site or otherwise respond. But then, why send the e-mail? If I’m not getting compensated for my site being included (if it in fact is), why tell me? This is interesting.

What is the deal with Tiger Woods? He was on Oprah today, and the crowd laughed and applauded at his every gesture and word. I mean, he seems like a nice guy. But his personality wouldn’t fill a thimble, and although he is the best in the world, he’s the best in the world at….golf. This is a guy who’s been on the covers of Time and Newsweek, and is on track to become a billionaire from endorsements by age 30. I just don’t understand it. Because even if it’s just the curiousity value of him being a black golfer, is that enough to explain his monumental popularity in general culture?

In the midst of sections where audience members asked questions like “Are there still times when you amaze yourself?” came the highlight of the show. Tiger was talking about how his superstar friends like Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley help him adjust to his monster fame. (Oh, boo hoo.) Oprah, ever the populist, said, “Well, I know when I was just becoming publicly known, I would call up, say, Quincy Jones or Sidney Poitier, and ask them how they were able to handle it.”

I can relate, Oprah. I can relate.

Have you entered the Hidden City Halloween Contest yet? You could win $50. (That would buy a lot of pudding. Or whatever.) Just write a little Halloween story or draw a Halloween graphic for the site. Come on, it’ll be fun! You know you want to.

For anyone who is interested in knowing my father, just a little bit, rent “The Big Lebowski.” Jeff Bridges’ Dude has so much of my father in him, it’s eerie sometimes. The two scenes that stand out are the opening one in the grocery store, where he is walking through the dairy section in his bathrobe, and then writes out a check for 69 cents – totally Bob Blust. And when the police chief is looking through the Dude’s wallet, and finds a grocery discount card with his name on it and says, “Is this your only ID?” Bob again. The set of his jaw, the way he sat, his tone of voice – so similar.

I feel bad for all the people who never got to know my father. He was truly an original, and brought a lot of good into the world. I think that’s all we can hope for in this life.

The TLC show “Trading Spaces” is fascinating to me, sort of like watching a car accident is to some people. I want to look away from the hideous things they do to each others’ living rooms, but I can’t. On today’s show, they transformed someone’s basement rec room into the holodeck on Star Trek by masking off the white walls with varying widths of painter’s tape, then spraying the entire room, including the ceiling, a dark blue. Peel off the tape and you’re living inside Tron. Gak. I mean, who among us wants their neighbors to come in, make a bunch of furniture from old doors and burlap sacks, paint the walls weird colors, and leave to let us stew in the hideous mess they made?

I would like to know what percentage of those rooms are dismantled the minute the cameras turn off.

Latest commercial: The American Freedom Collection consists of two flags, one standard and one that says “God Bless America”; a sheet of flag cling stickers for windows; and an American flag pin. The entire package, not sold in stores, can be yours for the low low price of only $14.95, plus $4.95 shipping.

Oh my sweet lord.

Mac OS feature I wish Windows had (one of many): spring-loaded folders. If I have a file on my desktop, and I drag it over the My Documents folder, why can’t it open up so I can put the file in one of my many carefully-arranged subfolders?

This Entertainment Weekly ad for the new Superman prequel series “Smallville” is disturbing to me on many levels. (just a quick photo with my digital camera, so please excuse the bad quality)

Interesting article in the New York Times about artists’ ideas for what should be done with the World Trade Center site. (via Mike) I personally think making the site into a park would be giving up too much to the terrorists. Let something new and interesting be built there, something that preserves the business of New York City while saying, you want to knock us down? We’ll come back stronger than ever.