Oh, by the way, did you know that our mayor up here in Toronto is some dude named Rob Ford? (Sigh.)

Frankly Curious: The terrifying Sarah Palin. (How a bad economy could make a crazy Republican president.)

Lawyers, Guns & Money: The hope of Elizabeth Warren. (A look at the possible 2016 populist insurgency against Hillary.)

The Moderate Voice: The "mighty middle" strikes back. (Reflections on the electoral wars of 2013.)

Connecting the Dots: The birth of JFK's stardom. (Part 2 of a series of first-hand accounts, looking ahead to Nov. 22.)

Climate catastrophe bonus: The Duck of Minerva: Typhoon Haiyan and Asia's vulnerability to climate-related hazards.

Round-up by Michael J.W. Stickings of The Reaction (Twitter: @mjwstickings). I'll be here all week. Send requests and suggestions to mbru AT crooksandliars DOT com.