Recent findings from the World, a place where I'm frequently astonished to find myself living:

This was an actual ad in a recent Washington CityPaper.

Here are some terms associated with plushophilia, a romatic and/or erotic attachment to stuffed animals. This lexicon is featured on a lovely page that explains plushophilia in sensible terms that are easily understood by uninitiated people like me. And maybe you.

Baptize - The first time one goes all the way with a plush lover.

Beanbag - 1) Palm-sized critter stuffed with pellets instead of fill, and usually covered with fabric instead of plush. 2) Pellet-filled parts inside of a larger plush, providing heft to the paws or bottom.

Begging - When a plushie is posed with its legs spread or bum raised (or both).

Biosexual - A person who prefers sex with biological partners.

Boink - Kinder, gentler, gender-neutral term for plush lovemaking.

Boinkable [by design] - Term applied to a plushie which is seemingly custom-made for pleasuring. A 'talented' plush.

Boink space - A place on a plushie that's pleasing to poke.

Bubble G u n d - A methanol-based plush cleaner. Works great!

Bum - Kinder, gentler term for a plushie's rear end.

'Buy pairs for spares' - Buying two of a favorite cuddle-plush, keeping one as a future replacement.

Character plush - A stuffed representation of a character from a story, film, cartoon, or other entertainment medium.

Crane machine - A coin-operated game of skill which uses a claw-like device to pick up and dispense stuffed animal prizes.

Cuddle-plush - A plushie whose primary function is for cuddling, or for sleeping with. Also: 'snuggle-plush'.

Donut - A plushie posed lying down in a curled position. Often lacks one or more legs. Also: 'bagel'.

eBay - A popular online source for plush, from generic teddy bears to fine antique Steiffs. http://www.ebay.com/

Feed - To give a bodily substance to a plushie. See 'gift', below.

Enjoy this lovely image of Trent Lott revelaing his divine nature by projecting an enormous halo which strangely resembles a wagon wheel.

Read this email I recently received. Please someone tell me if I'm a wimp for being deeply disturbed by this.

Hi, my name is Brandon, i am 19 and live in Dallas, TX. I really got interested in the 7 deadly sins when the movie Seven had just came out, but i really didn't know where to look for more information. (At the time we didn't have the internet.) But now your web site has really got me into all of the sins and I don't know where to look now - for real in-depth info - Ex. Where and how all of the sins came about and who decided that these particular se7en are deadly. And how each of the sins can actually be played out by murder?- I went to a couple book stores to look for some of the books you mention but with no luck. So is there a special kind of book store i should go to? And if there is any other info you know that you don't have in your website could you please send it to me or tell me where i can get it from? Thank you!

Here's the bike I most covet.