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Could your seatmate be your soul mate?

By the time you read this, I’ll be on a flight to New York. And pity the person who has to sit next to me, because I’ll be sniffling, coughing and spreading germs for the duration. Sorry.

Would you pay $5 not to be stuck next to me for 5 1/2 hours? (Of course, under normal circumstances, I am delightful company.) That’s kind of the idea behind Airtroductions ( www.airtroductions.com), a fledgling Web site that allows plane passengers to connect before boarding.

Founder Peter Shankman developed the idea after an enjoyable flight in which he happened to be seated next to Miss Texas. “It was a four-hour flight, and it took about 11 seconds,” he said.

Airtroductions functions like any networking or dating site – it’s free to post a profile, and costs $5 to send an e-mail to someone on your flight. But it’s not a dating site, Shankman says.

“The concept is, you’re paying $5 to avoid the psychological hell that is sitting next to someone you don’t know for five, 10 hours. If you end up dating, great,” he said. “Most likely, you’ll wind up sharing a cab.”

– Pamela Sitt,

The Seattle Times

A sweater for Sparky

Cold weather approaches, so it’s time for knitters to get out the needles to whip up sequined princess sweaters, sports jackets and ponchos. All for your dog, of course.

The newly released “Knitting for Dogs” (Simon & Schuster; $14.95) by Kristi Porter features patterns for pooches and the crafters who love them. Every element of fashion the hautemonde mutt needs is here, including scarves and New Age flea collars.

Our favorite: the faux fur coat. The only thing missing is a poodle skirt.

– Jackie Loohau, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel