It's officially October, which means it's time to stop crying over the end of summer and start celebrating Fall. That in mind, here are the top 10 ways to embrace Autumn:

10. Get lost in a corn maze
9. Try a seasonal flavor at Starbucks (Maple Macchiato sounds delicious!)
8. Rake the leaves... and then jump in them!
7. Have a friend over for hot apple cider and gossip
6. Fill your home with the fragrance of fall; keep a pot of water and cinnamon boiling on the stovetop or buy some fall-scented candles
5. Go get a pumpkin milkshake--Artic Circle has a delicious one
4. Watch a high school football game
3. Decorate your home with deliciously soft blankets, textured throw pillows, and seasonal foliage
2. Warm apple crisp with a scoop of French vanilla. Reheating a frozen crisp counts!
1. Take a drive to see the changing colors in your town or city. Pack a fall-themed picnic basket and enjoy the refreshing crispness in the air!

This article from the New York Observer is neither new or fresh, but it is interesting. If you're sick of overgrown sorority girls ending their sentences with inflections instead of owning their thoughts by making declarative statements, you'll enjoy this piece. However, if you follow through on the final premise that this linguistic development could be a positive sign of freshness and viability--not to mention the comparison of Caesar's army to today's army of skanks (20 points for the Mean Girls reference), it kind of makes you want to kill yourself, so read with caution: City Girl Squawk.

More proof that Elton John is becoming just another crotchety old man: he's ripping on "American bands" because he doesn't like their style. In a giant step backwards from breaking down gay stereotypes, John noted that he loves the glam rock look, essentially saying that he wishes American rock bands would drag it up a little. I do have to concur with him that nose rings and excessive tattoos (Tommy Lee, I'm looking at your horribly disfigured self) aren't exciting and aren't attractive. However, I can't get behind the idea that more bands should start sounding and looking the same, just in a different and tired way. Elton, retire to the balcony to boo with your fellow Muppets!

Just when you thought it was safe, I'm back. Apologies for the month-long break with no warning, but I've completed a big move and am almost fully adjusted and ready to get back in the gossipy saddle.

I'm not sure whether it's evolution or devolution, but it clearly looks like Claire Danes is morphing into Gwenyth Paltrow here. If the two had their genes spliced, I'm sure this is what the product would be. Except that if you combined the two, you'd expect their fashion IQ to increase, not decrease. Sorry, Claire--I can't get behind this morose yet beautifully cut dress.

The world is not going to hell in a handbasket after all. The world's second richest man, Warren Buffet, announced that he giving away his fortune. From a man that's worth $40 billion, this is huge. And before you start wondering how you can get ahold of some of the dough, consider this: the bulk of the real estate tycoon's cash will be going to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which funds efforts to cure worldwide diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, as well as other causes, such as libraries and schools. If the two richest people in the world are committed to philanthropy, there's hope for all of us.

At 33, Kevin Richardson is finally moving on from being a Boy. The news broke today that the oldest member of the Backstreet Boys is leaving the formerly ubiquitous boy band. Wait--stop the presses! This is huge news! The Backstreet Boys are still around?!? I had no idea!

Yeah, kudos to Kev for having the chutzpah to get the hell off that train wreck before he was pigeonholed forever as part of the boy band craze. (Wait a minute...) Now he can move on to his true goal: to be pigenholed forever as the guy with huge eyebrows. :)

First Britney Spears dyes her hair black, and now Paris Hilton is running around in a black wig. New trend? Could be, except that the color isn't flattering on either of them... You can check out the pics at The Superficial--one of the most mean-spirited laugh-fests on the Web.

If you're a Matt Groening fan, today is a banner day! Futurama is back, and the new episodes will be aired on Comedy Central. It's only fair, considering that continual reruns of Futurama have been aired on the network for years--virtually since the show's demise in 2003. Either way, the re-run phenomenon worked magic again, stirring interest and maintaining and developing a regular fan base. Like Famiily Guy, execs were able to find a viable interest in a cancelled show via late night cable junkies. The result? More Fry, Leela, and Bender--what's not to love?