I almost skipped mentioning the Presidential turkey pardon this year since it rarely varies except for the names of the primary and backup bird. But United Flight 197 reportedly carried two special first class passengers today. After a motorcade ride to Dulles, the turkeys were flown to California to their new home at Disneyland. In the past, the spared turkeys were sent to Frying Pan Park in Virginia to live out their days. These lucky birds will be grand marshals at Disney’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Then Marshmallow and Yam (yup, those are their names) will retire to the comfort of Santa’s Reindeer Ranch in Frontierland. PETA is taking some responsibility for the change of plans, claiming that the conditions at Frying Pan Park are less than ideal.

Local spies report that Johnny Depp has “paid $9.6 million for a stately 1802 clapboard Colonial on 32 acres at 35 Kellogg Hill Road” in Weston, Connecticut. This is a few miles from where I grew up. Friend Keith Richards lives nearby (that would be his friend, not ours).

Like Vanilla Coke and/or Vanilla Diet Coke? Too bad. Coca-Cola is placing those flavors on hiatus at the end of the year. Launching in their stead are Black Cherry Vanilla Coke and Black Cherry Vanilla Diet Coke. Diet Coke with Lemon is also going away, but the Lime and Cherry versions are here to stay.

Very breakable David Bowie collectibles are no longer as appealing to certain Bowie fans who are now mothers of toddlers. But I can still gawk.

Facts about the West Wing’s upcoming live debate episode: They will do two live episodes for East and West coast timing. Forrest Sawyer (“a real news person”) is moderating. Only two commercial breaks are planned, allowing for 10 extra minutes of show. And there reportedly will be regular characters involved, not just the presidential candidates.

One of the common baby photos you see these days is a shot of all the babies from playgroup or moms group or birthing class reunion all lined up together in rows of cuteness. Check out the panda cub version of this photo lineup from the Wolong Panda Center. Sixteen panda cubs! What a rollicking playgroup that must be.

Schroeder (from the Peanuts strip) once picked up his piano and carried it away with him. That’s when I first realized he doesn’t use a full sized piano. Of course I knew it was visually a small object, but with Beethoven emanating from it regularly I never considered it anything but the real thing. I suppose everyone else always knew what I overlooked: Schroeder plays a toy piano. In fact, Charles Schulz was inspired after he bought one for his two year old daughter. But these aren’t chintzy, rinky-dink novelties. There are sophisticated toy pianos manufactured by Schoenhut. These baby baby grands and tiny spinets produce three octaves from hammers hitting metal rods. John Cage composed a “Suite for Toy Piano” in 1948. Pianist Margaret Leng Tan has gained some reknown for her performances on the diminutive instrument, receiving accolades from none other than Schulz.

With Halloween done with, it’s time to focus our attention on the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. This year’s luxury offerings include a GPS dog collar, the Moller Skycar Prototype, your very own instant photo booth, a levitating sculpture, and a green bean casserole of “fresh green beans cloaked in made-from-scratch mushroom soup and crisped with seasoned onion straws.” It sounds strangely familiar, and yet at $65 you may be better off manufacturing your own version.

I’d never heard of Jerry Juhl, or so I thought, but when I read his obituary last week I realized that I’d probably seen and ignored his name a number of times. The Muppets were a large part of my media input as a child and Juhl was their defining writer. Lisa Henson said of Juhl: “He was — in many ways — the real voice of the Muppets and of every project from the Jim Henson Company.” Juhl was the first employee hired by Jim Henson back in 1961, soon turning from performing to writing, shaping that irreverent Muppet humor. He spent six seasons writing for “Sesame Street,” was the head writer of “The Muppet Show,” and co-wrote the various Muppet movies. And I suppose you can blame him for a cartload of bad puns (I just want to know who’s responsible for The Rhyming Song). Kenneth Plume points out that Jerry Juhl remains with us as we hand the Muppet magic down to our children.

It had to happen sooner or later: advertising on the supermarket checkout belt. Next I suppose we’ll be forced to watch commercials on the self check-out video screens since that route exposes us to fewer chances to impulse buy candy and magazines. (via MIT Advertising Lab)