2. VIDEO Illinois Tourism Loses Its Mind With a Tiny, Screaming, Hilarious Abe Lincoln: "The Land of Lincoln rolled out a new tourism spot this fall starring "Mini Abe," a tiny plastic version of the 16th president who is seen grunting, groaning and shrieking his way around the state—enjoying everything it has to offer, from riverboats and county fairs to the Willis Tower and Route 66." (AdWeek)
3. INFOGRAPHIC The Number of Farmers Markets and CSAs Per State: [SPOILER ALERT: Texas places LAST] "Getting your food from the region you live in can be good for the environment, good for the local economy, and good for our communities and souls. So let the interstate rivalries begin!" (Upworthy)
4. The Dirty Etymology of 9 Everyday Words: "Within our lexicon lives a library of forgotten stories, developed over centuries and tucked away in words. Thanks to the dirty impulses of our forefathers, quite a few of them also contain filthy chapters, making us the unwittingly foul-mouthed butt of their humor. Here are some of our language’s naughtier practical jokes." (mental_floss)
5. POLL Abbott Leads Davis by 8 Points: "Republican Greg Abbott is leading Democrat Wendy Davis by 8 points in a hypothetical matchup for Texas governor, but it’s a statistical dead heat among women, according to a Texas Lyceum Poll of registered voters released Wednesday." (Texas Tribune)
6. VIDEO 33 Detained at Texas Border Crossing in Undocumented Protest Against Deportations: "On Monday, the 30-plus activists marched across a bridge connecting Mexico to the United States wearing graduation caps and gowns, chanting, "Undocumented and unafraid." (Democracy Now)
7. Troops Forage for Food While Golfers Play On in Shutdown: "Grocery stores on Army bases in the U.S. are closed. The golf course at Andrews Air Force base is open." (Bloomberg)
8. Upgrade your pet dog by dressing it as another animal: "October means Halloween is near, and that means costumes are perfectly acceptable to wear out in public (kind of) both for you and your dog. Chances are, you’re really tired of your dog being, well, just a dog. But now you’re in luck! Finally you can upgrade your pooch to the pet you’ve always wanted by dressing it as another member of the animal kingdom." (death and taxes)
9. In a Time of Shutdown, The Age of the Mayor: [SPOILER ALERT: San Antonio makes an appearance on this list.] "When our federal government is so stubbornly committed to failure, our only recourse is to look to the local. Adapted from Esquire's 80 Things, here are seven mayors from around the country who are actually doing their jobs and doing them well." (Esquire)
10. The Bonehead Mistake That Brought Down an Online Drug-Dealing Empire (Slate)
