"One of the former Viet presidents received these hollowed out elephant feet as a present. Seriously, where's the receipt, 'cause I would have preferred a blender or something more practical." -amayadoyzie

POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS IN CHICAGO [Wal-Mart Watch]
The news today that Wal-Mart is dumping $100,000 into the Chicago elections comes as no surprise. Wal-Mart spent more than $100,000 in the first round of the elections and most of their candidates lost.

New York Rent Too Expensive For Barnes & Noble? [Gothamist]
The bookstore chain Barnes & Noble confirmed that the Astor Place location will be closed due to high rents. A spokesperson told the Post, "We'd like to stay there, but we really can't afford it."

Taxes on home office deduction [Bankrate]
First off, everyone knows the IRS hates home office deductions.

Scope of pet food recall widens [USA Today]
Menu Foods, however, extended its recall to include another month of production — just six days after it reassured consumers that all non-recalled Menu products were safe. Menu's recall, covering more than 90 brands, now includes products made from Nov. 8, 2006 to March 6, 2007 — not starting Dec. 3, 2006. No new brands joined the recall, but 20 new varieties of those brands did.