The Digest. 10.07.08.

The Illinois Central, Southern California. (Photo by 14-2-1.)

• So long, Main Street U.S.A.: The U.S. has more World of Warcraft players than it does farmers. Wrap your heads around that one.
• A group called Sosolimited, in Boston, is remixing the presidential debates. Tonight, they’ll be at the Art Directors Club in Manhattan. See trailers of their work here.
• More on Saatchi’s new gallery space in London. The Guardian‘s Adrian Searle describes it as “a study in blandness.”
• Sotheby’s stock, like its auctions, are in the pooper. More here. Which probably explains why they’re opening an office in Qatar. Related: The Middle Eastern art market is growing.
• Related: art market getting flushed straight out to sea.
• More of Flaming Pablum‘s lovely pix of NYC.
• Barbara Kruger’s New York mag cover of Eliot Spitzer takes cover of the year award.
• The miniature spaces of Charles Matton.
• Classic cigarette ads. Not sure what’s more disturbing: the baby with the Marlboros or Santa and his Pall Malls.
• Speaking of inappropriate ads: Does the agency that made the Lincoln MKS Liftoff ad realize that David Bowie’s song Major Tom is about an astronaut in a “tin can” who has a dead circuit and can’t get in touch with ground control? I’d love to know who thought this made a good soundtrack for a car commercial.
• The Day in Art Merch: Barry McGee sunglasses.
• Taggers hitting historic monuments in Greece. (Via Hrag.)
• Artist may be thrown in jail for “defacing” his own mural. (Via A.J.)
• Fun with currency.
• From the Department of Does Anyone Care? Dubai to build the world’s tallest building.
• David Adjaye describes the greatest threat to architecture: “Its lack of relevance to contemporary life. Architecture has become more about spectacle than buildings.“
• Philip Johnson’s Glass House needs your money to protect it from an invasive species known as the McMansion. (Via architecture.mnp.)
• A damaged Farnsworth house will reopen for tours: $100-a-head tickets will go towards the home’s restoration. 
• L.A. architecture’s Top 40, according to readers of the L.A. Times.
• Which brings me to… your moment of L.A. Times song dedication, bitch boots edition.