Page 1 Consider (11/08)

Date Rape Beads: Hey, boys! Wanna have some fun? Aqua Dots let you take playing doctor to a whole new level. (NYT)

Bush Whacked: The House on Wednesday approved a bill granting broad protections against discrimination in the workplace for gay men, lesbians and bisexuals, a measure that supporters praised as the most important civil rights legislation since the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. You'd think the president of this great country would be thrilled to be a part of such a landmark event, part of something so right and so life-changing. Instead we are bracing ourselves for a likely veto, which makes me wonder. What kind of message is it sending to the people of this country -- or of this world -- when the president of the United States says that he is against a bill would make it illegal for an employer "to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to the compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment of the individual, because of such individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation." Is it really any wonder people still murder people just for being who they are? (NYT)

Deal or No Deal? It looks like Rosie O'Donnell will not be facing off with Larry King after all. Two days after NBC acknowledged that it was talking to America's lesbian sweetheart about a possible show on MSNBC, those conversations have stalled, with no immediate prospect of being revived. O'Donnell said as much in a posting to her Web site, rosie.com, last evening. Under the heading "the show that never was," she wrote, "we were close to a deal/almost done." She added: "well what can u do/2day there is no deal/poof/my career as a pundit is over/ b4 it began." Given the fact that insiders say the sticking point was O'Donnell's insistence on a one-year contract (the network wanted at least two), does this mean Barbara Walters didn't actually fire her after all? This is a huge disappointment because gays and lesbians are back to having zero representation on television in this arena, not counting Tucker Carlson. (NYT)

Pluto Attacks! What exactly are the riot police in the republic of Georgia dressed for -- the Disney Country Bear Jamboree? If I ever saw a riot squad coming at me looking like that, I would be too weak from laughing my ass off to put up any resistance. (NYT)

Humdinger of a Project: An Irish New Yorker traces slang to Ireland. (NYT)

Underoos U.K.: Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland escaped censure from England's Football Association (FA) after celebrating his matchwinner against Sunderland on Monday by dropping trou to reveal a pair of underwear bearing the Superman logo. Censure? I think he should be given a special league award for all-around hotness. (UndiesDrawer)

HIV Setback: In a puzzling and potentially troubling development, an AIDS vaccine tested in a closely watched trial might have increased the risk among vaccine recipients of becoming infected with HIV, researchers reported Wednesday at a scientific meeting in Seattle. (NYT)

Not Into the Groove: The buzz isn't good on the West End production of "Desperately Seeking Susan." (DailyMail)

OhWoeIsThem.com: I understand that television, much like the music industry, has not caught up to the digital age when it comes to compensating artists. But when several of the writers and actors from "The Office" expressed their complaints in a video posted on YouTube saying, "You’re watching this on the Internet -- a thing that pays us zero dollars" I couldn't help thinking -- what the f**k are you talking about? We're supposed to pay to watch you bitch online? Do these artists really think the buzz generated from YouTube clips of their shows and people like me "stealing" photos and clips for our blogs doesn't outweigh some minuscule royalties they might get from said acts? (NYT)

Charlie's Favorite Angel: Farrah Fawcett says she's "doing well" since finishing cancer treatments. (Source)