The Surprising Topics That Surface in Blogs

Three weeks from now, we'll know who the next President is. The World Series countdown is on. The final Presidential debate is tonight. But Monday's designation as National Coming Out Day moved the late Matthew Shephard to the top of Tuesday's bursty people list. Shepard, for those who don't remember, was beaten to death six years ago in Wyoming because he was gay, and the anniversary of his death has become a rallying point for the gay community, especially teens who face the challenges he did.

Back on the campaign trail, avid readers want to know: Who are some of the nation's best-known novelists voting for this November? Slate.com asked and got these opinions.

Christopher Reeves' death also touched off plenty of discussion and reminiscing among bloggers, many of whom included links to Patti Davis' Newsweek essay on the death of her father, the late President Ronald Reagan. As one blogger noted, get out your hankie.

Also appearing for the first time are references to the recently released report from Human Rights Watch, which found that at least 11 Al Qaeda detainess in U.S. custody are missing. Can't be found. No record of what's happened to them. Not only that, CNN also reports that nuclear materials in U.S.-occupied Iraq also have disappeared. (Do you feel safer yet?)

BLOGPULSE GRAPH OF THE DAY: PRIME-TIME TELEVISION. Which of the new-season TV shows are getting the most traction? Seems those housewives aren't so desperate after all.