Topical Cream, 9.03.10

Politics are? sexy?: I?m not going to get all political on you here, but it?s clear that politics, which is little more than televised theater anyway, is searching for ?hot? candidates on both sides of the aisle. The website Politics Daily has proclaimed the South Dakota House of Representatives race to be the hottest in the land, not because of the issues at stake in the lightly-populated state, but because both candidates are attractive thirty-something women. For those of us who consider campaign rhetoric to be horseshit, there could be worse ways of choosing a candidate than a personal preference for blondes or brunettes.

Big (possibly crazy) ideas: The online site Big Think is dedicated to thoughtful exploration of ideas, no matter how esoteric. Throughout the month of August, the site posted thirty ?dangerous ideas? and given them serious consideration. Some of the notions explored were ?Tax Fat People? and ?Let Elephants and Lions roam the Great Plains?. Sure, some of it is absurd, but it?s interesting to see smart people really consider the merits of ideas that most people won?t say out loud. The best part is, you can go to the site right now and vote for which one you like best. No. 10 ?Legalize All Drugs? probably has an insurmountable lead by now.

Dinosaur Comics: Some scientists believe that a meteor hit the earth and raised a cloud of dust and/or water vapor that occluded the sun, causing cold-blooded dinosaurs to die out. I have my own theory: this motor-mouth T. Rex talked so much that he used up most of the world?s oxygen. Dinosaur Comics are clever, absurd and feature a velociraptor and the aforementioned T. Rex having far-ranging philosophical, historical (or, I suppose, pre-historical) conversations while stomping on log cabins. You really haven?t lived until you?ve seen a dinosaur roar the words ?I now emphasize my own subjective experience as visionary and transcendental!?

Tailgating time: It?s football season again, and that means the glorious battle for babe supremacy between the sunny

Pac-10 and the sultry SEC. This is a battle in which there are no losers, only winners.

The new season: It?s time for the networks to come up with new shows to replace the canceled or aged shows that have left the primetime lineup. Esquire has a handy photo slideshow to help you choose which new shows you?ll watch based on how hot the primary actress is. Huh huh, huh huh? boob tube.

Tools everyone should own: The list was prepared by the estimable Popular Mechanics magazine, and doesn?t really contain any surprises, but there are a couple of tools that have alternate uses you might have never thought of. I must admit I was a bit bummed that “fine ceramic tea set” didn?t make the list, however.