consumerist.com

Several copies of Palin’s book, about her experience as John McCain’s running mate in 2008 and life in Alaska, are stacked on the checkout counter at Bookshop Santa Cruz next to a bowl filled with small bags of walnuts — a 2-for-1 special of sorts.

Customers who buy Palin’s book, priced at $29 in hardcover, also get a free bag of “Just Plain Nutz.”

Full Article

She’s actually pretty talented, and I love being entertained by Lady Gaga – she’s so out there and crazy, I’m just entertained.

Click to enlarge.

I remember seeing a KFC in the background of the pyramids behind Obama when he went over for a visit.

Death of ‘Wipeout’ contestant under investigation

(CNN) — The death of Tom Sparks, a 33-year-old former TV host from California who was participating as a third-season contestant on ABC’s reality show “Wipeout,” likely was caused by a pre-existing condition, but the Los Angeles County coroner’s office is still examining all possibilities.

A source close to the production company that produces “Wipeout” for ABC said that Sparks began to complain of knee pain while running through the first part of an obstacle course challenge during taping on October 19.

Although Sparks was in good spirits, the spokesperson said, producers pulled him from the course. Medics realized he was also experiencing shortness of breath and sent Sparks to a hospital close to “Wipeout’s” set.

Full Article

“I think people are really just open to looking for new ways to commemorate their relationship, to celebrate their love and showing it earlier on before the big day,” said Elayne Fluker of brides.com.

In fact, the tradition of presenting his and hers engagement rings to one’s beloved is said to date all the way back to the 15th century. In many European countries, couples exchange matching gold bands before tying the knot. Now, the male engagement ring is starting to take hold here in the United States.

Full Article

Link

The ghost of Sammy Sosa is upon us.

The former Cubs slugger, recently photographed during an appearance at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vega, is drawing attention for his severely lightened complexion.

In addition, he appears to be wearing green contact lenses — a change from his natural brown.

The above photo shows Sosa on the left at a May 2009 People Magazine event. The right is Sosa, who retired in 2007 with 609 career homers, earlier this week in Las Vegas for the Latin Grammys.

Full Article

When the sermon is done, it’s time for communion, and the pastor guides attendees through the ritual. Later, worshippers exchange Facebook and e-mail addresses so they can stay in touch.

There is nothing remarkable about this encounter, which is replicated countless times each weekend at churches around the world. It’s all happening online.

The World Wide Web has become the hottest place to build a church. A growing number of congregations are creating Internet offshoots that go far beyond streaming weekly services.

The sites are fully interactive, with a dedicated Internet pastor, live chat in an online “lobby,” Bible study, one-on-one prayer through IM and communion. (Viewers use their own bread and wine or water from home.) On one site, viewers can click on a tab during worship to accept Christ as their savior. Flamingo Road Church, based in Cooper City, Fla., twice conducted long-distance baptisms through the Internet.

“The goal is to not let people at home feel like they’re watching what’s happening, but they’re part of it. They’re participating,” said Brian Vasil, Flamingo Road’s Internet pastor.

The move online is forcing Christians to re-examine their idea of church. It’s a complex discussion involving theology, tradition and cultural expectations of how Christians should worship and relate. Even developers of Internet church sites disagree over how far they should go. Many, for example, will only conduct baptisms in person.

Full Article

The following rules have been created through many years of exploring the ritual of Shotgun and are designed with the idea of fairness to all as the main priority. They are also the most complete and comprehensive listing of Shotgun rules available today.

www.shotgunrules.com

And for those unfamiliar with the At At

And for all you boys of the 80’s that couldn’t get enough of Princess Leia in that slave bikini, here’s a picture of Carrie Fisher and her stunt double tanning.  But I’ll take it one step further than the stuff you will find on other blogs.  Her stunt double is named Tracey Eddon [IMDB].

Also, I’ve seen this scene from Return of the Jedi a million times, but never noticed this inappropriate grab by Harrison Ford.

Now, however, concerned that Mickey has become more of a corporate symbol than a beloved character for recent generations of young people, Disney is taking the risky step of re-imagining him for the future.

The first glimmer of this will be the introduction next year of a new video game, Epic Mickey, in which the formerly squeaky clean character can be cantankerous and cunning, as well as heroic, as he traverses a forbidding wasteland.

And at the same time, in a parallel but separate effort, Disney has quietly embarked on an even larger project to rethink the character’s personality, from the way Mickey walks and talks to the way he appears on the Disney Channel and how children interact with him on the Web — even what his house looks like at Disney World.

Full NY Times Article

The giant electronics retailer on Tuesday is announcing a partnership with Sonic Solutions‘ Roxio CinemaNow service to deliver first-run DVDs streamed online directly to consumers.

The idea, said Chris Homeister, senior vice president for entertainment at Best Buy, is to let consumers pay once for a DVD and then eventually be able to play it on any device: television, Blu-ray disc player, personal computer, handheld media player or smartphone.

The new service will be a Best Buy-branded offering, available starting early next year.

Full Article

The 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray and DVD of Say Anything came out yesterday, and to mark the occasion, numerous men with lots of free time dressed up in trench coats and hoisted boomboxes above their heads and marched throughout New York City serenading people with the strains of Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” and a cover version of the same song by The Lloyd Dobler Effect. Check them out in the gallery below.

Full Article and more pics

I know the scene, but have never seen the movie.

Full Article

And then there’s Gospelr.

So, what is Gospelr all about you say? Is it just another Twitter service? The answer is no. It’s not just another one in the mix, but rather it’s microblogging-as-ministry: Ministry Microblogging perhaps! Sure, you can tweet from Gospelr but you can also look at Gospelr as an online social bible study as well. Share your dreams, wishes, and prayers with other like-minded Christians.

The purpose is to provide an effective communication medium for sharing thoughts, ideas, words of encouragement, prayer requests, daily scripture readings/devotionals, and more to friends, staff, ministries, family, and others. But our hope is that it becomes so much more than just a Christian-Twitter: Our desire is that it is actually effectual in regards to sharing the Gospel with those who have already heard the Good News (because we all could use a good reminder… daily!) and those that have not. That’s why it’s integrated with Twitter.

Link

No, really. The special edition of this child-rearing game aimed at little girls comes with a baby doll with a slot in its back for the Wii remote, which allows the doll to react “by giggling, gurgling or crying through the Wii remote [speaker].”

Link

That video reminds me of a time when I ate with one of my Aggie friends who never knew the proper way to eat a Freebirds burrito. After I told him he looked around the restaurant in amazement how many people ate their Freebird like I did.