Book of the Year!

Jon Stewart's "America (The Book)," the television commentator's million-selling riff on politics and other matters of satire, has been named Book of the Year by Publishers Weekly, the industry trade magazine.

In announcing the award Monday, Publishers Weekly called the book "a serious critique of the two-party system, the corporations that finance it and the 'spineless cowards in the press' who 'aggressively print allegation and rumor independent of accuracy and fairness.' "

Good call, and, incidentally, makes an excellent Christmas present for those hard-to-fill gaps on your list.

From the STFU files

According to a new FCC estimate obtained by Mediaweek, nearly all indecency complaints in 2003 -- 99.8 percent -- were filed by the Parents Television Council, an activist group.

This year, the trend has continued, and perhaps intensified.

Through early October, 99.9 percent of indecency complaints -- aside from those concerning the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" during the Super Bowl halftime show broadcast on CBS -- were brought by the PTC, according to the FCC analysis dated Oct. 1. (The agency last week estimated it had received 1,068,767 complaints about broadcast indecency so far this year; the Super Bowl broadcast accounted for over 540,000, according to commissioners' statements.)

The prominent role played by the PTC has raised concerns among critics of the FCC's crackdown on indecency. "It means that really a tiny minority with a very focused political agenda is trying to censor American television and radio," said Jonathan Rintels, president and executive director of the Center for Creative Voices in Media, an artists' advocacy group.

Not a bad sports week....

No, really. Let's see -- the BCS is once again exposed as a sham. Oh, so sorry, Auburn and Cal -- but that's what you get for not being whiny little pansies (also see: Mack Brown) and having faith in a system that relies on computers and polls (polls? Why even bother playing the games? Let's just recruit and train and vote on it). It's just a joke and will remain that way until they break down and have a simple little playoff. And I know the college presidents will never let it happen. That doesn't mean it's not the way it should be. And Colorado got violated on the field, which is karma if there ever was any on the gridiron this year -- God, what does it take to get fired at Colorado anyway?

Bolts and Chefs won. Bonus: Broncos and Raiders lost. And between the chop-blocks and John Lynch, I'm astonished that the Broncos are trying to be the new Raiders (congrats to Jerry Porter for being the first offensive player I've seen get flagged for unnecessary roughness for punching someone -- Blood Bowl's down the hall, son). Well, at least they have the whole "miss the playoffs" vibe pretty much lined up.

Also: Eagles, for running up the score, for keeping your starters in the game in the fourth quarter when Brett "I actually have a streak here" Favre has the class to sit down, the gridiron gods are paying attention. Oh, and also for letting Terrell Owens bitch his way onto your team. I don't care what happens after this point -- you asked for it.

Oh, and now everyone's astonished that Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi used steroids. Well, gawrsh. I'm glad everyone's suddenly getting worked up about it, but honestly, people, if you haven't noticed that by now, it's just because you weren't paying attention. Or weren't cynical enough. Y'all need to be workin' on that.

I link, you decide

In a sworn affidavit Monday, a former programmer for a NASA contractor said that he developed a vote-rigging prototype at the request of a then-Florida state representative who is now a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

I think it's safe to say you fall into one of two camps: either you don't believe it or you're just not surprised.