Here’s an item I found on bittenandbound.com; keep in mind that it doesn’t attribute its material to anybody more credible than, uh, bittenandbound.com . So for all we know, they made it up. If it’s even partially true, though, it’s a sad, sad day …

"Economic Crisis Hits the Playboy Mansion: Hugh Hefner Facing Bankruptcy

"The economic crisis gripping the US has now reached an entirely new ugly chapter; Playboy billionaire Hugh Hefner has been told to tighten his purse strings or face bankruptcy. If you think you have it bad, think of poor Hef, he may have to sell the mansion and be forced to *gasp* fornicate with only one girlfriend. OH THE HUMANITY! Shares of Playboy have taken a beating lately. The stock has dropped from $11.23 to $2.81, and Hefner has been told to cut his staff in New York and Los Angeles immediately, as in NOW, or face bankruptcy. According to an insider familiar with Playboy finances who talked to the editors at Bitten & Bound, "Only the top brass has known for a while how bad things have been for Hef recently."

… yeah, we know how bad things have been for Hef. The three girlfriends (yeah, two of them are leaving, but have been replaced by 19-year-old twins), with the houseful of wannabes parked right across the street. I hereby volunteer to take his place.

It says a lot about Hef, though, that it has taken three girlfriends to spend him into the poorhouse.

Also, the story didn’t say anything about Hef having to cut back on his Viagra budget. If he has to do that, the afore-mentioned 19-year-old twins might become an afterthought …

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There’s an item in this week’s Kitsap A&E (and currently online at kitsapsun.com/entertainment ) previewing the Jewel Box Theatre ‘s production of "Plaid Tidings ," a holiday-flavored offshoot of the musical "Forever Plaid" they did there a couple seasons ago.

I’d make a date to go see it.

I know the premise (1960s going-nowhere boy band, dies in a freak accident on their way to their biggest gig, but is allowed to come back to perform one last time) sounds geeky. But the original show was full of fresh, original humor (and some groaners), the music was great and the performers (Dan Engelhard , Rod Gray , Kenneth Miller and Eric Richardson ) all fun to watch (clowning) and easy to listen to (singing). They’re all back for "Plaid Tidings," as is director/piano whiz Gwen Adams .

Hokey? Maybe. Dated? Perhaps. Still sounds like a great way to ease into the holiday season. See you there.

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OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE DAILY DRIVEL PORTION OF THIS BLOG THINGIE ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR (AND REALLY ONLY PARTS OF THE NEAR-DORMANT RIGHT SIDE OF HIS BRAIN) AND DO NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS, POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS LEANINGS OR SPORTSWEAR PREFERENCES OF ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, CONNECTED IN ANY WAY TO THE KITSAP SUN, ANYONE WHO READS THE KITSAP SUN, ANY BIRDS OR PUPPIES WHO RELIEVE THEMSELVES ON SPENT ISSUES OF THE KITSAP SUN AS PART OF THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSE-TRAINING OR CAGE-KEEPING ENDEAVORS OR ANYONE WHO HAPPENS TO WALK PAST THE KITSAP SUN OFFICES AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

More later … — MM

I love "by-the-numbers" stuff, so I was struck by an item in the Puyallup Fair’s newsletter.

Some of the really cool stuff included:

1,163,969 — the Fair’s 2008 attendance.

1,034 pounds — the weight of the winning entry in the Biggest Pumpkin contest.

455 — the number of attendees who found lost friends and/or relatives at the Lost Persons center.

No figures yet on how many scones were consumed. I guess we have to wait for the Fischer newsletter for that.

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From the "… and You Wonder Why I Never Take You Anyplace" department:

The big Britney news over the weekend was that she received permission to take her two sons on a visit to her ancestral home and meet the relatives. No sooner did they arrive, though, than 2-year-old Jayden had to be admitted to a Mississippi hospital with some sort of allergic reaction.

It’s probably medically impossible to prove that J-Fed’s reaction could’ve been to being in a room with that many Spearses at once.

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OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE DAILY DRIVEL PORTION OF THIS BLOG THINGIE ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR (AND REALLY ONLY PARTS OF THE NEAR-DORMANT RIGHT SIDE OF HIS BRAIN) AND DO NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS, POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS LEANINGS OR SPORTSWEAR PREFERENCES OF ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, CONNECTED IN ANY WAY TO THE KITSAP SUN, ANYONE WHO READS THE KITSAP SUN, ANY BIRDS OR PUPPIES WHO RELIEVE THEMSELVES ON SPENT ISSUES OF THE KITSAP SUN AS PART OF THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSE-TRAINING OR CAGE-KEEPING ENDEAVORS OR ANYONE WHO HAPPENS TO WALK PAST THE KITSAP SUN OFFICES AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

More later … — MM

So, the folks behind John McCain ‘s presidential campaign are blaming the various antics and foibles of Veep Candidate Sarah Palin for the (electorial) shellacking that Barack O’Bama handed them back on Nov. 4 …

I think that makes Palin — whose biggest attribute and biggest downfall both were that she happened to resemble, in a quite stunningly publicity-worthy way, "Saturday Night Live’s" Tina Fey — the McCain campaign’s equivalent to Elizabeth Berkley , who was made the Convenient Scapegoat when Paul Verhoeven’s "Showgirls " tanked. (And unfairly, too; I found her performance riveting and richly nuanced, even the parts when she wasn’t stark nekkid … that "Versace" bit cracks me up every time.)

At least, to Berkley’s never-ending relief, nobody ever made fun of her on "Saturday Night Live ."

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After the Nov. 7 concert by The Higgins , I’ve got a new rule for all future phone interviews conducted by me here in The Sungeon : It’s called "The Eileen Higgins Rule."

I talked with Eileen a couple of weeks before the show for The Flamethrower’s preview story; a nice conversation that covered a lot of bases. Then she shows up at The Admiral with a Baby Belly …

So, from now on, at some point in every interview, I’m asking, pointedly: "Anybody having any babies any time soon?"

Just joking … best of luck to Eileen, who was five months along as of Nov. 7, and her husband. Babies rule.

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"Daily Drivel ," in case you haven’t already figured it out, is just that — a repository for leftovers, asides, off-the-wall stuff, out-of-left-field stuff, brain clutter and Other Stuff That Otherwise Would’ve Been Left Behind (And Might’ve Been Better Off, at That). It’s the stuff that’ll drift around in my head and keep me from my Fitful Sleep unless I dump it somewhere. I’ll try to add to it, if not actually daily, as often as the Clock on the Sungeon Wall will allow. So read if you like, be amused if you’re of a kindly and charitable heart … but for Pete’s sake don’t take any of it seriously.

OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE DAILY DRIVEL PORTION OF THIS BLOG THINGIE ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR (AND REALLY ONLY PARTS OF THE NEAR-DORMANT RIGHT SIDE OF HIS BRAIN) AND DO NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS, POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUS LEANINGS OR SPORTSWEAR PREFERENCES OF ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, CONNECTED IN ANY WAY TO THE KITSAP SUN, ANYONE WHO READS THE KITSAP SUN, ANY BIRDS OR PUPPIES WHO RELIEVE THEMSELVES ON SPENT ISSUES OF THE KITSAP SUN AS PART OF THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSE-TRAINING OR CAGE-KEEPING ENDEAVORS OR ANYONE WHO HAPPENS TO WALK PAST THE KITSAP SUN OFFICES AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

How’s that for a disclaimer? Anyway, you get the idea. It’s supposed to be fun, so if you comment, try to do so in that same spirit. Thanks eversomuch.

More later … — MM