Random links

• Doggy bubble: Coolest inane pet luxury, a fence porthole for your dog, via The Nonist.

• Deadly: October was the deadliest month in 2006 for US soldiers in Iraq; for Iraqis, it's worse, with an average of 43 people killed each day of the month.

• "Place your hand on the Qu'ran." Former Rocketboom vlog-anchor Amanda Congdon interviews Keith Ellison for Minnesota Stories on what it'll be like being sworn in as America's first Muslim Congressman.

• Bush's amnesia: Fibbing is more like it; the president--despite much evidence to the contrary--now claims the White House Iraq strategy was never "stay the course."

• Copyright Merit Badge: The Boy Scouts of America and the Motion Picture Association are teaming up: Scouts can now earn a Respect Copyrights Activity Patch.

• Worldchanging Minneapolis and Beyond: Seattle-based sustainability site Worldchanging is launching satellite sites across the US next month, and they're looking for local bloggers. If you live in Portland, New York, Canada, Minneapolis, Chicago, Washington DC, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Denver, drop 'em a line.
• The Art of Speleology: Caves have been a recurring theme at my day job of late. Closing today at the Walker Art Center is a cave by LA-born, Paris-based artist Cameron Jamie, and opening is the installation Cavemanman by Swiss-born, Paris-based artist Thomas Hirschhorn. Read about the installation and ideas behind the tape-and-aluminum foil hermit's hideout.