ALMOST AS GOOD AS NON-ALCOHOLIC BEER: The Times would like you to know that playing poker with no monetary risk whatsoever is hot, and legal in an increasing number of states, though, as is the case with non-alcoholic beer, I must ask what's the point? Of course, it was right next to this article, which somehow manages to go for a thousand words without making a single reference to either the Village People or the song "In The Navy," which started running through my head moments after reading the headline.

UP ON YOUR FEET! I must be napping, but I just heard on the radio that tonight CBS is airing a One Day at a Time reunion. Usually these shows are disappointing wank-fests, which get old after you get over the shock of seeing how old (or cosmetically enhanced) your favorite show's stars have become in the resulting decades, but the chance to see the Pat Harrington Jr. alone is worth walking upstairs and setting my Tivo now.

BECAUSE OF TITLE 11 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE: Just as the family film "Because of Winn-Dixie" arrives in theatres, Winn-Dixie (the store chain, not the adorable puppy in the movie) has filed for bankruptcy. No word on if this impacts the long-awaited sequel, "On Account of Piggly Wiggly" or the final volume in the trilogy, "As A Result of Schnucks." (Aren't Southern supermarket names fun?)

12 GALAXIES, GUILTED TO A ZEGNATRONIC ROCKET SOCIETY: Frank Chu is a fixture in downtown San Francisco. Yes, he is completely insane,* but he may be the most popular maniac in San Francisco since Emperor Norton I. Heck, I like the guy so much that three years ago, I went as him for Halloween.

And while I knew he had a nightclub named in his honor, it is a great bit of San Francisco style to know that they let him drink there for free.

* opens to video clip

DO WE DO FOOD & WINE HERE? Whether we do or not, SFGate has a fine article about the ins and outs of pairing beer and cheese. Pairing an Old Foghorn or Moylan's barleywine with a stilton sounds especially nice.

TIP--PICKING "SHARK TALE" FOR BEST ANIMATED FEATURE IS UNLIKELY TO HELP: It's now little more than a week till the Oscars. In an effort to build some community around here, I've set up a Yahoo! Pick 'Em Group for the use of this blog and its audience. Group number is 2246 and the password is what comes before the .blogspot in this blog's URL. Sign up, make your picks, and the fine folks around here will put our heads together and try to come up with a suitable prize for the competitor who comes around with the highest score.

"FATE HAD OTHER PLANS FOR BOTH OF US:" While "Idol" is starting, "Everwood" is leaving the air to make way for "Lori Loughlin in a bikini," but at least it does so with a top-notch episode. Gorgeous and accurate Upper West Side location shots, top-notch acting from Treat Williams and Gregory Smith, and high-tier writing (including the return and explanation of the best voice-over device on TV!) combine for one of the best episodes we've seen this season on any show. Also, Blake Neely, the show's outstanding composer, never fails to amaze, writing score pieces in mere days that enhance the feeling of the show (large portions of the show were shot just a week ago, as shots of "The Gates" in the background evidence). Such a shame that we won't resolve the cliffhanger until late April. For those of you who've missed the first two seasons of the show, Season 1 is now available on DVD, and is well worth your investment. In addition, leading actress Emily VanCamp will also grace the silver screen in "The Ring Two" in March, a role which will (hopefully) get her the sort of acclaim and career that followed Amber Tamblyn's appearance in the first one.