Extra, Extra

A new poll shows that McCain and Obama are in a dead heat. [Bloomberg]

Wait, wait, wait: Illinois politics is a family affair? Get outta town. Unsurprisingly, Emil Jones wants his son to take over his state senate seat. [Trib, S-T]

Celebrate your love of encased meats and delicious desserts with a Chicago-style hot dog cake. [Debbie Does Cakes]

After this weekend, this is plan we can heartily endorse: "Seriously, if I ever film a movie where there’s a nuclear explosion, I'm going to have a random extra in big sunglasses look around and ask: 'Is there an air show?' CUT TO WHITE!" [For When I Feel Like Sharing]

Please, oh please, let "lobster college" appear in Chicago next year, and please let it involve eating so, so much lobster. [Trib]

Lesley Gore wrote "Out Here On My Own" from Fame? Amazing! [IMDb]

"Noyes wanted them to move in with him, she said, and his intent was to have sex with the woman and her daughter and breed a family of female sex slaves, according to the affidavit." Uh...what? [AP]

Happy birthday to Patrick Swayze, who's in town filming. [Us Weekly]

If you always wanted to dress your American Girl doll as a Bears-loving, pajama-wearing pimp, your ship has finally come in. [KatisKreations]

"The graphical upgrades alone on the latest version make the one that came out six months ago look like a dump in a waffle iron," said George Washington to Abraham Lincoln. [Thinkin' Lincoln]