Another week, another debate, and Big Bird has been supplanted by “malarkey” as the political catch phrase du jour. This week also brought another surprise economic number (an unexpected drop in initial jobless claims) and a surprise win for the European Union (a Nobel Peace Prize? Who saw that coming?) Meanwhile, stocks slid, metals stumbled, and corn went wild. We’re bearing down on the holiday season now, and before long we’ll be buried in turkeys, hams, and pumpkin pies. But before we start adding extra notches to our belts, here’s what we’re reading headed into the weekend:

• How futures trading has changed in the last 40 years (Futures Magazine)
• The CCC lays out the arguments for a customer protection fund. Sounds familiar (CCC)
• Will 150 square foot homes solve inner city housing problems? (Christian Science Monitor)
• Prepared for retirement? Turns out not very many Americans are (Reformed Broker)
• Do many people even care whether or not Lance Armstrong was doping? (CNN)

And just for fun:

• The view from the international space station (Fast Co.Design)
• Researchers discover the most unpleasant sound. Thank you? (Popular Science)
• “Not very long ago in a freezer not so far, far away…” (Death Star PR)