Would the Alien Lie?

By Ann Marie Bonardi, Val Castronovo, Daren Fonda, Benjamin Nugent, Michele Orecklin, Victoria Rainert, Julie Rawe, Eric Roston, Josh Tyrangiel

Polls show the presidential race is tighter than Ted Kennedy's waistband, so perhaps it's time for less traditional methods of prognostication. The Weekly World News reports that the space alien who has chosen the winner correctly since 1992 has picked George W. Bush. Not all such scientific methods agree:

WIDE-EYED Boston College's Joe Tecce says whoever blinks more, a sign of stress, loses the election. While Gore blinked less in two of the three debates, he showed stress in other ways, such as half-blinks. Advantage: Draw

MASKED MEN According to Buycostume.com for the past 20 years voters have bought the Halloween mask of the candidate who scares them least. So far, Bushy masks are outselling Gore-y ones. Advantage: Bush

CROWNING GLORY Burke's Peerage submits that the candidate with more royal connections will occupy the Oval Office, a trend that started with George Washington and now favors George W. Advantage: Bush

STAND UP AND BE COUNTED In the television age, it is the man who towers over his opponent who stands tall on Election Day. (Exception: Jimmy Carter in '76.) Gore is 6 ft. 1 in., Bush 5 ft. 11 in. Advantage: Gore