It Takes Planning, Caution To Avoid Being 'It'

Awesome & creative way of staying in touch... hahaaa

Group of Men Have Played Game of Tag for 23 Years; Hiding in Bushes, Cars

Earlier this month, Brian Dennehy started a new job as chief marketing officer of Nordstrom Inc. In his first week, he pulled aside a colleague to ask a question: How hard it is for a nonemployee to enter the building?

Mr. Dennehy doesn't have a particular interest in corporate security. He just doesn't want to be "It."

Mr. Dennehy and nine of his friends have spent the past 23 years locked in a game of "Tag."

It started in high school when they spent their morning break darting around the campus of Gonzaga Preparatory School in Spokane, Wash. Then they moved on—to college, careers, families and new cities. But because of a reunion, a contract and someone's unusual idea to stay in touch, tag keeps pulling them closer. Much closer.

The game they play is fundamentally the same as the schoolyard version: One player is "It" until he tags someone else. But men in their 40s can't easily chase each other around the playground, at least not without making people nervous, so this tag has a twist. There are no geographic restrictions and the game is live for the entire month of February. The last guy tagged stays "It" for the year.

That means players get tagged at work and in bed. They form alliances and fly around the country. Wives are enlisted as spies and assistants are ordered to bar players from the office.

Don King has a dream...

The 10th season of Top Chef has been contentious and more gimmicky than necessary.  My whole issue with the return of former contestants is I feared their presence would overshadow the first-timers. I'm not sure if there would be this much hubbub surrounding Josie if she hadn't been on the show before, but I think she was given more than a fair shot, cookingwise. And don't get me started on C.J...

Don King Explains Why Josie Should Be Voted Back On to ‘Top Chef’

Dream job found.. check!

January 28, 2013

Any interest in working at a Starbucks in Antarctica?

Starbucks Gossip reader John L. writes: "An interesting comment from Howard Schultz in [last week's] earnings conference call in which he referred to selling on '7 continents.' Don’t know if this is a clue about an undisclosed Antarctica location but it would be interesting to know what coffee sales have occurred there… "You can find his comment at the 3:17 mark [of the conference call]."

* No, there is not a Starbucks in Antarctica
* There were 26,506 visitors to Antarctica in the 2011-'12 season

In honor of 30 Rock Finale Week...

Here's to a show that came in carrying a shipload of expectations, took a second to get it's footing, jumped a shark or two, but is pulling into port harbor brilliantly.

Ben & Jerry's 30 Rock Flavor: Ice Cream Chain Announces Newest Member Of Family

The Huffington Post  |  By Carey Polis Posted: 01/28/2013 4:55 pm EST  |  Updated: 01/28/2013 5:05 pm EST

"30 Rock" ends Thursday, January 31. There's only one way for fans to mourn on this sad day: eat a lot of junk food, Liz Lemon-style. Thankfully, Ben & Jerry's has made that a lot easier, by revealing that the company's next ice cream flavor will in fact be in honor of "30 Rock." We're so overcome with emotion about this, that we think we might be lizzing.
The details of the flavor will be released by co-founder Jerry Greenfield at a New York City finale party steps away from Rockefeller Center. Some tickets are available to the public. The flavor will be available at Ben & Jerry's scoop shops starting in February on on grocery shelves shortly after.
While we don't have too many more details to report at this time yet, it is worth noting that a Ben & Jerry's e-mailed press release started with the now-famous Liz Lemon phrase "I want to go to there."
This isn't Ben & Jerry's first foray into the comedy arenas. Last year, the company released Schweddy Balls in honor of the famous "SNL" skit (we're noticing an Alec Baldwin trend here...). Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon both have their own flavors as well.

You Can Eat A 3-D Chocolate Model Of Your Face

Perfect Valentines Day gift!!

Um... no thanks.



What's better - that or Flipping Out when Jeff Lewis told his maid Zoila she couldn't take the day off for her birthday and gave her this as a gift instead?



Sometimes a gift is better not given...  Agree, Shannon? :)

Jabba the Asian/Oriental Terrorist

Lego accused of racism because of the shape of Jabba the Hutt's palace

You can call Jabba the Hutt a lot of things (gross, lazy, terrible to sit next to on an airplane), but calling him racist might be a stretch. Austria's Turkish community wants an apology from Lego, accusing the company of using Istanbul's famous Hagia Sophia mosque as a model for Jabba's Palace in one of its Star Wars-themed sets. The Turkish Cultural Community of Austria referred to Jabba himself as a "terrorist" and complained that "the whole scene smacks of racial prejudice and vulgar insinuations against Asians and Orientals as people with … criminal personalities." A Lego spokesperson politely reminded them that the set was based solely on the "fictional content of the Star Wars saga."

Mozart's the real Menace on the road...

Okay, the science behind this study is pretty questionable, but it's amusing nonetheless.

Back Off the Bach to Drive Safely

Bad Downward Facing Dog?!?

"Bad researcher!", says Dr. Timothy McCall.

This week in "I heart public transportation" news...

As our longing for an efficient public transportation system in Los Angeles is crawling on a slow path to reality...

Lucy's dream is to live above the Americana, I long to walk down the stairs to the first of my Dunkin' empire and down the hall onto the train...  Hope there's a sky loft towering above the Expo Line in my future. Dare to dream...

Also, a mostly obvious cliff's notes to the LA ride: 10 Things To Know About Taking the Bus in Los Angeles...

JT

I don't care if this one is deemed "riveting"... I'm keen on posting it :)  I removed a reference in the article to that chick who shall not be named...

NEWS/Today 12:48 PM PST

Justin Timberlake Back in Studio Recording The 20/20 Experience, Shares New Sexy Pics—Take a Look!

by Alyssa Toomey

Justin Timberlake may not be wearing a suit and tie in these photos, but he's certainly bringing sexy back.

The Grammy-award winning artist, who recently returned to his musical routes after a six-year hiatus, is back in the studio and giving fans a very swoonworthy sneak peek at his recording sessions.

The "Cry Me a River" crooner is busy recording The 20/20 Experience—his first album since releasing the chart-topping FutureSex/LoveSounds back in 2006. 

Listen to "Suit & Tie"!

Less than two weeks ago, J.T. debuted his song "Suit & Tie" featuring Jay-Z—the first single off of the album—which has already broken a Billboard record and climbed to the top of the iTunes chart.

Watch the YouTube video where Justin annouces his new album

"Hi guys, Here's a first exclusive glimpse of Justin in the studio recording The 20/20 Experience. Stay tuned to Justintimberlake.com for new about the album. (PS Be sure to buy "Suit * Tie" at iTunes to jam if you haven't already? Just saying….)," he wrote on his website.

Oh, we're jamming, Justin. And we're ready for a second single to add to our playlist (just ditch the detailed Twitter annoucement, this time around). 

Oh Twinkie where art thou...

It's been over 2 months since Hostess abruptly halted production on our favorite childhood snacks and store shelves lay stocked with unworthy imitations while we await the Mother's Cookies style rescue. Let's take a sugary moment to reminisce through artist's Nancy Peppin's exploration of the"North American Twinkie (twinkopus hostus)".

Study: Spanking spurs violence

Ha!  If this were true, Asians would be the most violent race...  We got beaten for getting Bs on our report cards!!  Looks like an Asian did the "study" though.

Study: Spanking spurs violence
New study lays out a connection between spanking, aggression, anxiety and depression, so examine your actions carefully
By Christine L. Chen Jan 9, 2013 9:44PM

There are few topics that spark controversial discussion more than politics. Here’s one, though: spanking children. If just the topic of spanking makes you tense, consider what a new study is saying about the act of spanking. 

According to researchers, if you spank kids under the age of 1, you’ll have a hitting, screaming, tantrum-prone kid by the age of three. By age five, your kid will have fully identifiable depression and/or anxiety.

There’s a specific relationship between the two: Spanking at age 1 produces greater aggressive behavior, which eventually becomes depressive behavior. “Prior research had indicated that spanking was related to each type of child behavior ,” University of Wisconsin’s Andrea Gromoske told a reporter. "It turned out that spanking was directly related to future aggressive behaviors." 

Many people are pretty quick to nod their heads when asked whether video game violence leads to real violence, and the question of mental health looms large when the country grieves over events such as the Newtown, Conn. school shootings. In adults, depression and anxiety are widely known to manifest as anger and violence. But what if researchers hit the nail on the head… that the seed of violence of any kind by adults could be planted even earlier than we thought, through parental disciplinary action that molds a child’s psyche pretty much right after birth? Should we reshape our views on discipline in the name of anti-violence? 

Like many controversial topics, the answer depends on whom you ask. The jury on spanking is – clearly – still out. In some studies, parental polling shows that nine out of 10 parents think a “good swat on the behind” is fine, while others polls show parents believe strongly in a “good hard spanking” every now and then. Officially, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no spanking, but a three-step approach to discipline instead. 

Many child behavior experts suggest reinforcing positive behaviors and providing structure and routine. Time-outs for toddlers are highly recommended by several child psychologists. KidsHealth.org believes in communicating the connection between behavior and consequence at ages 3 through 8. 

One big thing to remember: Kids are sponges and soak up everything from their immediate surroundings. That amazing ability to absorb a language so easily at a young age also lets them learn behaviors, both good and bad. As adults, our own behaviors are a teaching tool. Be aware that your actions – and interactions – make a strong, lasting impression on your children.

Wait until P.E.T.A. gets an ear of this...

the "i'm a horrible person" post of the week... yum...

Yes, Virgina, Crabs Likely Feel Pain, but They're Still Delicious

Now the world don't move to the beat of just one drum...

RIP Mr. Drummond...

Catfish

Wow... two posts in ONE day!!

This story is crazy... it's the type of story you'd usually see on Dateline, involving people you've never heard of portrayed by actors who look like pretty versions of the actual people. In this case, he is a guy who almost won the Heisman Trophy and whose team almost won the National Championship.

Manti Te’o’s Dead Girlfriend, The Most Heartbreaking And Inspirational Story Of The College Football Season, Is A Hoax

Notre Dame's Manti Te'o, the stories said, played this season under a terrible burden. A Mormon linebacker who led his Catholic school's football program back to glory, Te'o was whipsawed between personal tragedies along the way. In the span of six hours in September, as Sports Illustrated told it, Te'o learned first of the death of his grandmother, Annette Santiago, and then of the death of his girlfriend, Lennay Kekua.

Kekua, 22 years old, had been in a serious car accident in California, and then had been diagnosed with leukemia. SI's Pete Thamel described how Te'o would phone her in her hospital room and stay on the line with her as he slept through the night. "Her relatives told him that at her lowest points, as she fought to emerge from a coma, her breathing rate would increase at the sound of his voice," Thamel wrote.

Upon receiving the news of the two deaths, Te'o went out and led the Fighting Irish to a 20-3 upset of Michigan State, racking up 12 tackles. It was heartbreaking and inspirational. Te'o would appear on ESPN's College GameDay to talk about the letters Kekua had written him during her illness. He would send a heartfelt letter to the parents of a sick child, discussing his experience with disease and grief. The South Bend Tribune wrote an article describing the young couple's fairytale meeting—she, a Stanford student; he, a Notre Dame star—after a football game outside Palo Alto.

Did you enjoy the uplifiting story, the tale of a man who responded to adversity by becoming one of the top players of the game? If so, stop reading.

Manti Te'o did lose his grandmother this past fall. Annette Santiago died on Sept. 11, 2012, at the age of 72, according to Social Security Administration records in Nexis. But there is no SSA record there of the death of Lennay Marie Kekua, that day or any other. Her passing, recounted so many times in the national media, produces no obituary or funeral announcement in Nexis, and no mention in the Stanford student newspaper.

Nor is there any report of a severe auto accident involving a Lennay Kekua. Background checks turn up nothing. The Stanford registrar's office has no record that a Lennay Kekua ever enrolled. There is no record of her birth in the news. Outside of a few Twitter and Instagram accounts, there's no online evidence that Lennay Kekua ever existed.

The photographs identified as Kekua—in online tributes and on TV news reports—are pictures from the social-media accounts of a 22-year-old California woman who is not named Lennay Kekua. She is not a Stanford graduate; she has not been in a severe car accident; and she does not have leukemia. And she has never met Manti Te'o.

Jump, Jump

First JT, then Destiny's Child, now... Kris Kross Will Make You 'Jump, Jump' Once Again

The 1990s rap duo who made wearing your ill-fitting jeans backwards cool are reuniting this summer. And there's nothing wiggity, wiggity, wiggity wack about it. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Standing a little taller nowadays, Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith will combine forces again for a 20th anniversary all-star concert in honor of So So Def Recordings at Atlanta's Fox Theater in February, reports TMZ. Da Brat, Jermaine Dupri, Xscape, Bow Wow and Jagged Edge will join them. TMZ also noted that after over 20 years, Mac Daddy is still sporting his backwards jeans. We'll jump to that. There is, however, no word if either Daddy still misses the bus.

A fitting start...

We decided to create this blog to highlight all the random, offbeat, and ridiculous happenings out there... and those often too close to our own backyards.  These are items that most might find completely mindless and appropriately placed in the crapper...

and on that note...
Toilet Museum Opens in South Korea