The Turner Prize short list has arrived. (See also this Reuters article.)

I'm sure no one is too surprised at the typically controversial list&#8212recitations of porn film plots, random conceptual projects generated by a computer (such as a KFC menu cast in lead), et cetera. It's what we've come to expect from the Turner.

Two things, however, are especially interesting this year.

First, the list is actually rather less unusual than normal. While the Reuters story attempts to make much of photographer Catherine Yass's choice of subject matter&#8212hospital corridors, toilets,etc.&#8212the fact remains that her choice of medium is far from shocking and her work is nowhere near the bafflingly conceptual levels of most Turner short-listers. Likewise, Liam Gillick's constructed sculptural installations and furniture come nowhere near the pickled-sheep, mussed-bed pinnacles of past Turner shock value.

"Why should this be?" you may ask. It's all due to the second novelty of this year's Turner:

This year the public were asked for the first time to nominate artists. More than 500 names were put forward: three of the four who made it on to the shortlist were public choices.

It seems almost certain that Yass and Gillick were among the public choices. Still, novelties aside, this year's Turner promises to be as entertainingly odd as ever.

Those wacky Brits!

I had very rewarding evening of tea and conversation with Jessa (aka chief editor at Bookslut) last night. Hurrah for rambling conversations!

Somewhere in between discussing what exactly is wrong with Michael Moore and how television shows that are any good tend to be either renewed-but-ruined or permanently cancelled after the first season, we got on the subject of the last presidential election, and the next one.

Jessa's dream race for the last election&#8212and I must say I concur&#8212would have pitted John McCain for the Republicans against Bill Bradley for the Democrats. Imagine that&#8212a choice that might have required pausing for more than 2 seconds to think about it!

One can always hold out hope for some future election, I suppose. My dream race for 2004 looks something like this:

Republicans - Bush / Powell
Let's be realistic about 2 things here: Dick Cheney is not long for this world, and there's not a woman's chance with Ian McKellen of anyone wresting the Republican nomination away from Bush. Under the circumstances, Bush / Powell is the best I can hope for.

Democrats - McCain / Feingold
McCain leaves the Republican party, Jeffords-style, and runs a clean, honest, reform campaign with Democrat finance-reform-law buddy Feingold. Lieberman and Gore either have the good sense to stay out of the race, or else get sand kicked in their faces by McCain in the primary.

Greens - Bradley / Nader
Bradley, meanwhile, leaves the Democrats and endorses the Green party platform plank, board and nail. Nader, who I've never liked nearly as much as I like the Greens' platform, comes along for the ride to avoid thoroughly alienating all those who went with him for the Greens in the last 2 elections, but Bradley is in the seat that counts.

Is it wishful thinking? Probably so. But I think these tickets are at least plausible.

Speak up! What does your dream race for 2004 look like? Who would you vote for in your theoretical dream campaign, or in mine?