Thanks to all the many who have responded with information about my DSL woes (which it seems would be related to COVAD's woes), I've got quite a pile of suggestions to sort through, but with several helpful sounding suggestions in the lot, I am much more hopeful a solution is in sight. On to a more important technical issue, an obstacle that was slowing progress on configuring the new server has been overcome, so hopefully the moving project will be moving right along too, which we hope will reduce the load on the messageboards, .plans, and other scripted elements.

Link of the Day: Throwdown in Christmastown. Thanks SecretAgentMan. A vote between the two villains in The Year Without a Santa Claus, one of the great all-time Christmas specials.
Story of the Day: UT gives you the skills to be a true hero (Evil Empire Gaming).
Bonus Story: Why Iraq's buying up Sony PlayStation 2s (WorldNet Daily). Thanks ScumHole. This explains the Gulf War, as one will assume they were previously using Atari 2600s.
Weird Science: New Super-Spud Glows Green to Ask for Water (Reuters). Thanks Lenny.