"and now for something completely different."

so here's the latest i could find on the whole "lead in books" thing. the ala website was up the last time i checked but it took some messing around to find anything about this particular issue, so maybe it isn't such a big thing as it appears? i don't know, but i did find this news brief on the original legislation, a letter the ala sent to the consumer product safety commission, and the cpsc's response.

i also tracked down -- again, via neil gaiman's twitter which is just awesome and disturbing by turns -- a different blogger's post about the same subject. the blogger in question, nathaniel grey, went so far as to write to the ala's washington office and excerpts the letter he got in reply.

on the more amusing, less work-oriented front, i happened to luck into a copy of stephen king's latest short story collection just after sunset at the bpl today and ran through the first story, "willa," and half of the second, "the gingerbread girl," on the train home. so far, so good! i'm looking forward to his promised notes at the end of the book since those are always fun.

i also treated myself to two more episodes of the second season of torchwood which, i have to say, does not grow any more reassuring. fine by me so long as they're going to keep up this quality of show -- "meat," "adam," and "reset" were all riveting and i'm making myself be good and save "dead man walking" for tomorrow so that i don't run through my entire weekend treat in one night! i just can't imagine how they're going to ramp up from here to the season finales which i hear are killers. 

and i get to go see the new underworld this weekend -- happy dance! i notice a fair number of critics and fan sites who have already decided they hate it -- *shrug* what's not to like, really? vampires, werewolves, sharp things, leather -- where's the problem?