Blogicized: H-E-A-D-L-I-N-E-S L-I-K-E T-H-I-S A-R-E N-O-T C-L-E-V-E-R A-N-Y-M-O-R-E

• Over at A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago, they’re liveblogging the preliminary rounds of the spelling bee. One kid actually got to spell Grimace as a word. The definition was, assumedly, “A big giant purple… corporate… spokes… thing… oh, whatever, you know how to effing spell Grimace.” [A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago]

• In America, your vote counts. Except when it doesn’t. With Bonus “Press 1 for Spanish” things to anger Joseph Vento! [The West End]

• The Fightin’ Phils sure could use a pitcher. Everyone knows that. So why was their big offseason move — besides the Thome trade — to send Vicente Padilla (a starting pitcher!) to Texas?! Argh! [Phillies Nation]

Quickies: The Write-In Stuff

• Hey, the write-in candidate supported by the city’s Democratic machine might’ve lost, as Tony Payton edged ahead of Emilio Vazquez by 18 votes, with 11 write-in votes still to be counted. And now, for the exciting sequel to the election: The Court Challenge To The Election Results! [Daily News]

• The lawyer for the widow of William Berkeyheiser said he wants to keep the wrongful death suit against the private investigation firm who helped Berkeyheiser’s killer find him in Bucks County. He cited the “power of the press.” Also, he really wants to know who won those Legion games over the summer, and if the trial’s not in Bucks County, how will he be able to find out? [Bucks County Courier Times]

• GM is capping gas prices! Whoo! Er, wait, but you have to buy a new car from GM. And only in Florida and California. And you have to sign up for OnStar. I retract my whoo. [AP/Yahoo!]

• The Trenton mayoral race is over, but the bitching between everyone involved continues. [Trentonian]

Quickies: If It’s Friday, It Must Be The Anti-Smoking Bill

• The smoking bill compromise! Bars and restaurants that go smoke free will get tax breaks. Except that, like the real smoking ban bill, they will talk about the bill a lot, the mayor will do a lukewarm “I support it!” but won’t say whether he’ll sign it and the bill will be forgotten about after City Council goes on vacation. [Inky]

• Whoo, we get to vote about video cameras and ethics reform in the primary! Wait, didn’t we already vote for ethics reform a while back? We have to vote again? Uhm, okay, but it seems a little weird. [Daily News]

• Convicted murderer Thomas Capano’s brother — convicted of destroying evidence and harassing a witness — has given $1 million to two Catholic schools in Delaware. “Eh,” say the schools. “We can only make so much money from Bingo Night.” AP/6 ABC]

• Salon has an excerpt of the somewhat-anticipated Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism. It’s Friday: Take some time out to read. [Salon]