Here’s what’s making the Top of the List for October 2:

1) OHIO ELECTION DAY:  It’s Election Day in Ohio – or more like “Election Month.”  The crucial swing state is starting its five weeks of early in-person voting leading to the November 6 Presidential Election.

Why is this a big deal? Voting history shows that no Republican has ever won the White House without the buckeye state, and only two democrats have won it without their support. This is really turning up the heat on both Mitt Romney and President Obama to crush it at Wednesday night’s debate in Denver.

Stay up-to-date: Here is a map of early voting states: http://www.270towin.com/early-voting-2012-election/

THE POPE’S BUTLER: All eyes on the Vatican, where 85-year-old Pope Benedict's butler takes the stand to deny publishing the pontiff's private correspondence. Paolo Gabriele is accused of betraying the trust of the man he claims to have loved "like a son would love his father". 

SWEDISH CENSORS GONE WILD: Ikea made a mistake, but it doesn’t have to do with their furniture. In their  Ikea catalog is a photo showing what appears to be a Swedish mom and her son at the bathroom sink.  But in Ikea's Saudi Arabia catalog the same picture appears with the woman deleted.

Saudi women are segregated, and, while Ikea was attempting to reflect local standards, the furniture company has now issued an apology for the digital deletion.  

WOUNDED WHALE: A whale has been wounded and PETA's crying foul.  Nakai, an 11-year-old whale, is recovering from a gash it got at SeaWorld in San Diego. The wound is so deep, the orca's jawbone is exposed.

SeaWorld claimed the whale was injured when he “came in contact with the pool.”  A whistle-blower says he was attacked by other orcas. 

The brave whale isn't blubbering though. He's on meds and on the mend.

OSCAR GUY:  Reaction is pouring in over Seth Mcfarlane as the 2013 Oscar host. Ricky Gervais, who is remembered for his "rambunctious" golden globes host job tweeted: “Great choice on their part...don't hold back."  

Do you think Seth is a good choice to host the Oscars? Let us know on our Facebook page.

And now you're caught up and clued in on the top of the list!