Disney actually sold "Hunchback of Notre Dame" backpacks for kids. *snort* My friend Dan pointed this out on Facebook. I'd missed them when they were in stores.

Fox's incredible voice of reason (*insert sarcasm drips about here*), Glenn Beck, has had a setback: an arbitrator rejected his claim against a parody site. As Fark noted,

Arbitrator rejects case against Glenn Beck parody site, agreeing with the defense's argument that only a staggering moron would believe it. Beck points to his audience, nodding furiously.

I've just been sent email by a group styling itself FacultyBooks.com, which wants to buy my text books. We've also had someone going door-to-door, stopping by faculty offices to see who wants to sell text books -- he's been around for years.

This is something I just do not do: sell text books sent to me for free by publishing companies. The notion that I would profit from such a "free sample" bugs me. And yet, I also hate stacking the damned things up in my office, especially when book companies send me text books for courses taught by other people.

*sigh*

Wish there were some way to dispose of these in such a way that they would help someone without me feeling like I'd profited from the books.

For those travelling by air during the holidays, things just got a bit more pleasant.

Google Inc., the California-based search engine giant, said it is offering free WiFi service at a number of airports, including Logan International Airport, from now until mid January as a "holiday gift" to travelers.