Mindsay News Team's MindSay Blog

I Am Legend Trailer

news — 2007-11-03T01:11:34-05:00

"I Am Legend" looks like one of the potentially more interesting films this holiday season. It's sort of the same premise as "Cast Away" - one man by himself on screen most of the time. The difference is that in this case, the man is Will Smith, and he's in New York City. Here's a peek:

The movie has actually been in the works since all the way back in 1994. It's based on the novel "The Last Man on Earth," which might have been a more appropriate title for the film. It hits theatres on December 14th.

The F*ck Index: How Much A$$ Are You Getting this Week?

news — 2007-11-03T02:11:27-05:00

A new Facebook application looks to predict, as the creator so eloquently puts it:

"Your answers [to their quiz] can be calibrated to predict with awesome accuracy, number one, how much as you're going to be getting in the coming week. Number two, how soon you're going be getting that ass. Number three, how attractive that ass is going to be."

We kid you not. Here's a link to the application and one of the more bizarre and awkward marketing pitches I've ever heard:

"Dog" Chapman Gets the Boot; Good Riddance!

news — 2007-11-03T02:11:35-05:00

Duane “Dog” Chapman’s reality show has been pulled from A&E indefinitely, following audio of his racist rant being posted online earlier in the week. According to A&E:

"In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take 'Dog The Bounty Hunter' off the network's schedule for the foreseeable future. We hope that Mr. Chapman continues the healing process that he has begun"

The healing process? Give me a break. The only thing he’ll be healing from is the bitter feeling of getting fired, and maybe some anger over his son ruining his 15 minutes of fame by posting the tape. The guy is a racist shmuck and I’m glad to see A&E swiftly get rid of him.

[link]

Giuliani: "September 12th Happened One Day After September 11th"

news — 2007-11-03T03:11:12-05:00

At a town hall meeting in Iowa on Friday, Rudy Giuliani did not have much to offer in response to a question from an audience member. Smurfy reports:

But the tone of the event changed abruptly when one audience member, Tracy Klujian of Cedar Rapids, asked the GOP frontrunner, "Can you name one thing that happened on September 12?"

Mr. Giuliani seemed taken aback by the question, clearing his throat and drinking from a glass of water as if to buy time before responding.

"That's a good question," Mr. Giuliani said. "September 12 happened one day after September 11 -- and we must never forget the lessons of September 11."

As with any Rudy post, the mandatory picture of America's Mayor in drag on SNL many years back:

[link]

Reminder: Clocks Roll Back One Hour Tonight

news — 2007-11-03T07:11:26-05:00

Tonight marks daylight saving time for most of the United States, with clocks rolling back one hour at 2am. Daylight Saving Time used to be a week ago, but it was changed with the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Many devices updated incorrectly last week based on the old date, including DirecTV’s channel guide!

[link]

NFL’s Game of the Century: Pats vs Colts

news — 2007-11-04T12:11:02-05:00

Today’s game between the New England Patriots (8-0) and Indianapolis Colts (7-0) is a historic one for the NFL. It’s the first time two teams with records better than 6-0 have ever met during the regular season. Given how dominant the two teams have been this year, the winner will have a fair shot becoming only the second team in NFL history to go undefeated.

The game is also a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, which the Colts won 38-34. Despite having won last year’s match-up and being in their own stadium, the Colts are 6.5 point underdogs in the game.

So, with a few hours to go until kickoff, who are you picking, Colts or Pats?

Is Pakistan Falling Apart?

news — 2007-11-04T01:11:41-05:00

Apparently things aren't so hot in Pakistan either. Cosina reports:

"Did you know that things were this bad in Pakistan?

In a dramatic move that made explicit his desperation to preserve near-absolute power, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency Saturday, effectively eliminating the opposition that has built against him in recent months...

Despite his assertions to the contrary, his decision has little to do with terrorism... With the Supreme Court threatening to declare his presidency illegal in a ruling this week, Musharraf has struck preemptively against his foes...

[H]e has sacked more than half of the Supreme Court, jailed up to 500 opposition party leaders, and shut down the independent media – assuming that the United States has invested too much in him and the war on terror to withdraw its patronage. The order may also delay parliamentary elections, which had been scheduled to take place before Jan. 15.

Looks like he was right about the US: Condoleezza Rice called the move "highly regrettable." It's hard to be more lukewarm than that. Bush hasn't said a word."

Writers Guild of America Goes on Strike

news — 2007-11-05T08:11:31-05:00

The headquarters of the Writers Guild of America West became the command center for strike preparations Saturday as guild members met there to finalize plans for the walkout set to begin at midnight tonight.

About 300 strike captains -- guild members who will serve as leaders on the picket lines -- streamed into the building in Los Angeles' Fairfax district to get their marching orders from guild leaders.

Their cars crammed the parking lot of the Writers Guild, and when it was full, the captains parked in nearby lots meant for customers of Kmart and Ross Dress for Less.

"People were pretty united," said Steve Skrovan, a writer for " 'Til Death." "This is it. This is the time in history that a stand has to be made."

The strike preparations came three days after contract talks between writers and their employers broke down amid disputes over the amount of money writers should receive from DVDs and from shows distributed online. The writers' three-year contract expired Wednesday.

Saturday's high turnout gave a glimpse of what is expected to be well-organized and widespread picketing Monday. It is the culmination of a months-long strategy by chief negotiator David Young to mobilize the union's rank and file and prepare them for a possible strike.

[submitted by pimpmunk]

Remember Remember the 5th of November

news — 2007-11-05T01:11:56-05:00

novemberraine17 reminds us that today is Guy Fawkes Night in the UK. From Wikipedia:

"Guy Fawkes Night (more commonly known as Bonfire Night) is an annual celebration on the evening of the 5th of November. It celebrates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of the 5th of November 1605 in which a number of Roman Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

It is primarily marked in the United Kingdom, but also in former British colonies including New Zealand, parts of Canada, and parts of the British Caribbean.[citation needed] Bonfire Night was also common in Australia until the 1980s[citation needed], but it was held on the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June.

Festivities are centered around the use of fireworks and the lighting of bonfires."

Colbert Ends Presidential Run

news — 2007-11-05T09:11:01-05:00

Stephen Colbert, host of “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central, has ended his parody of a Presidential campaign. South Carolina legislators voted to keep him off the state’s primary ballot by a count of 13-3.

After hearing the news, Colbert said: "Although I lost by the slimmest margin in presidential election history—only 10 votes—I have chosen not to put the country through another agonizing Supreme Court battle. It is time for this nation to heal."

Meanwhile, Colbert is not doing a show tonight due to the previously mentioned Hollywood writers strike.

Jerry Seinfeld Makes Larry King Look Like a Fool

news — 2007-11-06T10:11:37-05:00

Larry King has often been accused of making a career out of asking celebrities complete softball questions. On a recent episode of Larry King Live, Jerry Seinfeld takes him to task and calls him out, making fun of him asking the most basic of questions such as “how long were you on the air?” and “you canceled them right?”

Seinfeld comes off as a bit of a jerk, but does a good job of creating an awkward situation and making Larry King look like a fool.

From the Land of Oops

news — 2007-11-06T01:11:31-05:00

As someone who reports the news, I can relate to making the occasional mistake. But this one is pretty egregious. From The Hill:

Last week a Congressional Quarterly reporter put in a ticket in the Speaker’s Lobby to interview Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.). But he was a little late.

The congresswoman died earlier this month after a long bout of breast cancer. The reporter, who will remain unnamed, handled his embarrassment well. When told that Davis was in fact deceased, his face turned red as he replied sheepishly, “Is that a no?”

Last week a Congressional Quarterly reporter put in a ticket in the Speaker’s Lobby to interview Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.).

Ron Paul Sets One-Day Fundraising Record

news — 2007-11-06T01:11:32-05:00

The Interwebs love Ron Paul. Thus, it’s not all that shocking that the Republican candidate has set the single-day political fundraising record. Justjames reports:

"Ron Paul ended up smashing the record for money raised in one day by a Republican presidential hopeful. Through an ambitious online push on Monday, his campaign brought in more than $4 million, surpassing the $3.1 million that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney raised on Jan. 8.

As of 10 a.m. today, Paul's website reported that he had collected nearly $7.3 million of the $12 million goal he has set for the last three months of this year to help him compete in Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan, and South Carolina, the first four nominating contests."

Bush Hits a New Low (In the Polls)

news — 2007-11-07T09:11:45-05:00

President Bush is officially the most disliked President in history, since the Gallop polling system began. captainamerica reports:

According to a recently released gallop poll, sixty-four percent of Americans now disapprove of the job Bush is doing. For “the first time in the history of the Gallup Poll, 50% say they ’strongly disapprove’ of the president. Richard Nixon had reached the previous high, 48%, just before an impeachment inquiry was launched in 1974.”

Bush is now officially the most disliked President in the history of our country and the Gallop polling system.

Like, OMG! Stacy Changed Her Profile Picture?

news — 2007-11-07T11:11:34-05:00

A sketch comedy group put together this amusing video for the "Facebook News Network," which makes fun of the often pointless updates of friend activities that the social network keeps you abreast of. Enjoy!

Suicidal Cow Plunges 200 Feet Off Cliff; Hits Car

news — 2007-11-07T01:11:19-05:00

This would be pretty scary. In Washington state, a Cow fell 200 feet to land on a moving car. From the Associated Press:

Charles and Linda Everson were driving back to their hotel when their minivan was struck by a falling object — a 600-pound cow. The Eversons were unhurt but the cow, which had fallen off a cliff, had to be euthanized.

What a miracle that the couple wasn't hurt!

[link]

China to Ban Bibles at 2008 Olympics

news — 2007-11-07T05:11:45-05:00

Bibles have found their way onto the "prohibited items" list that the organizers of the 2008 Olympic in Beijing have provided to participating athletes. While the organizers plan to offer religious services during the Games, personal religious items have been banned. From CBN:

"The ban seems to undermine comments released by the country's top religious affairs official. Last month, Ye Xiaowen acknowledged that he expected large numbers of religious faithful among the athletes, coaches and tourists ..."

China, under its Communist regime, is an official atheist nation.

Fox News Casserole Dinner

news — 2007-11-07T10:11:17-05:00

From eyesthebye:

Ingredients:

2 Large Shovels Bullshit
1 Hungry Couch Potato
1 (10.5 oz) Mushroom Cloud Soup
1(10.5 oz) Presidential Vietnamese Duck Soup
1 Massive Lack of Own Opinion or Imagination

Stir with Rifle Butt, over heat from global
warming

Guaranteed to rest your brain for another 4 years.

Serve at Half-Time in the Super Bowl

MindSay News Has Launched!

news — 2007-11-08T01:11:23-05:00

Over the past few days we’ve been putting the finishing touches on our new homepage, which we call MindSay News (for you old timers, think of it as MindSay v3.5). The idea is to allow users to submit their favorite blog entries, photos, videos, and links, and we’ll feature the best stuff here on our homepage for the world to see.

We’ve added a lot of new features since we first launched MindSay in 2003, but at our core, we’re still a blogging service, so we think putting a blog at the front and center of our site that showcases the best that our 150,000+ users have to offer makes a lot of sense.

On the blog update page, you will notice a “Submit to News” checkbox. If you would like your entry to be considered for the homepage, simply check it off. Alternately, if you would just like to submit something you think is cool but don’t have time to blog about, use the “Submit News” link at the top of the new homepage or in your Inbox.

Anyways, we’re excited about this new feature and look forward to lots of cool submissions from users. And, just in case you miss the old homepage, we’ve added a “Classic Home” link to the top so you can still access all of those features.

As always, your feedback is welcome and we thank you for your support.

- Adam & Brian

The Rocky Anthology in 24 Seconds

news — 2007-11-08T10:11:11-05:00

In case you don’t want to sit through roughly 15 hours of cinematic brilliance, a YouTube user has attempted to explain all six Rocky movies in a 24 second video:

Hot Topics on MindSay Forums

news — 2007-11-08T12:11:06-05:00

Every week or so we’ll post about some of the hotter / more controversial discussions going on in MindSay Forums. Let’s try and keep the discussion civil though

Dell Dude Re-Surfaces as Bartender

news — 2007-11-08T01:11:08-05:00

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, why is the bartender of this place the Dell Dude? The infamous star of the "Dude you're getting a Dell" commercials - real name Ben Curtis - has re-surfaced as a bartender at a restauraunt called Tortilla Flats, and given an interview to New York Magazine.

Curtis' gig with Dell came to an abrupt end in 2003 when he was busted for marijuana possession.

FAKE PLASTiC RADiO Returns to MindSay

news — 2007-11-09T10:11:17-05:00

One of MindSay's user-produced radio shows is coming back! Check out the fakeplastcradio blog for the details.

Stripper Performs for British High Schoolers

news — 2007-11-09T11:11:42-05:00

From captainamerica, via news.com.au:

"A STRIPPER performed for a classroom full of British teenagers, spanked a birthday boy and asked him to rub cream all over her after a booking error by the teen's mother.

It is believed the mother thought she had booked a gorillagram to rush into her 16-year-old son’s classroom for a birthday surprise - but a stripper turned up instead ... Instead of a gorilla, an adult performer showed up at Arnold High School in Nottingham dressed as a policewoman and spanked the boy 16 times in front of his classmates ..."

If only things like that had happened back when I was in high school ...

A Match Made on MindSay: Two Users Getting Married

news — 2007-11-09T02:11:00-05:00

We just got some really exciting news in our inbox. Two MindSay users who met each other through the site are getting married! From tattooedjen:

"It's kind of exciting because as most of you know, Justin (Intrepid28) and I met on MindSay! He lived in California, I lived in Chicago. I ended up moving to California, we've moved a couple times since but are still in northern Cali, and almost three years later, here we are getting married! I don't know if it'll be a MindSay first or not, but it wouldn't have happened if it weren't for MindSay!"

We’re not explicitly a dating site, but I guess we are an enabler of such things. In any event, it’s awesome to see our service having a positive impact on at least a few people’s lives.

This is the first MindSay wedding we’ve heard of – have we missed previous ones?

The Golden Compass: The Holy War of Films?

news — 2007-11-09T09:11:04-05:00

The Golden Compass promises to be one of the more controversial films this holiday season. From lostsanity:

"There will be a new Children’s movie out in December called THE GOLDEN COMPASS. It is written by Phillip Pullman, a proud athiest who belongs to a secular humanist societies. He hates C. S. Lewis’s Chronicle’s of Narnia and has written a trilogy to show the other side. The movie has been numbed down to fool kids and their parentrs in the hope that they will buy his trilogy where in the end the children kill God and everyone can do as they please. Nichole Kidman stars in the movie so it will probably be advertised a lot.

Phillip Pullman is an atheist and his objective is to bash Christianity and promote atheism. …he has made remarks that he wants to kill God in the minds of children, and that’s what his books are all about.

An article was written about him sad “this is the most dangerous author in Britain” and that Pullman would be the writer “the atheists would be praying for, if atheists prayed." [Pullman] is hoping that unsuspecting parents will take their children to see the movie, that they will enjoy the movie and then the children will want to the books for Christmas. That’s the hook. Pullman says he want the children to read the books and decide against God and the kingdom of heaven."

The Catholic League has called for a boycott of the film, which is being released December 7th from New Line Cinema. Supposedly the movie has toned down the author's atheist overtones, but it nonetheless promises to create a lot of controversey when it hits theaters.

The Writer's Strike Explained

news — 2007-11-11T10:11:28-05:00

askjesse points us to one of the better explanations of why The Writers Guild of America is currently on strike, thus preventing many TV shows from airing new episodes. Check out this interview with Kevin Smith on the Opie and Anthony Show to get some idea of why these folks aren't working.

The Top Ten Film Phrases

news — 2007-11-11T10:11:52-05:00

A recent survey by myfilms.com asked users which phrases from movies they use in every day conversation. Here's the top ten:

“I’ll be back.” from the ‘The Terminator’
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” from ‘Gone With The Wind’
“Beam me up, Scotty.” from ‘Star Trek’
“May the force be with you.” from ‘Star Wars’
“Life is like a box of chocolates.” from ‘Forrest Gump’
“You talking to me?” from ‘Taxi Driver’
“Show me the money.” from ‘Jerry Maguire’
“Do you feel lucky, punk?” from ‘Dirty Harry’
“Here’s looking at you, kid.” from ‘Casablanca’
“Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” from ‘Dirty Dancing’

Do you use any of these? What other lines from films do you often use?

[link]

MindSay Commemorates Veteran's Day

news — 2007-11-11T11:11:47-05:00

Today is Veteran's Day in the US. From Wikipedia:

"Veterans Day is an American holiday honoring military veterans. Both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, it is celebrated on the same day as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I."

To see some posts from MindSay users commemorating the day, click here and here.

Woman Says Yes to Marriage Proposal on Halo 3

news — 2007-11-12T01:11:22-05:00

jedirevan alerts us to one of the more bizarre wedding proposals we've heard of. From xbox.com:

"On November 3, 2007 Moviesign made a Forge map in Halo® 3, and set up what his girlfriend of over two years (furtive penguin) thought was going to be a two-on-two match with his friends. They started the game and Moviesign led furtive penguin to a spot where he claimed he'd put an energy sword. Instead there was a nice top-down view where he had spelled out a proposal in weapons. He then asked her to be his teammate for life."

And we thought we were nerds ...

Corruption Exposed at Charities for Veterans

news — 2007-11-13T12:11:23-05:00

Americans have stepped up to the plate in terms of helping wounded war veterans, donating $464 million to charities that aim to assist them over the last two years. Unfortunately, a lot of that money isn't reaching its intended recipients. Some particularly egregius examples include one charity where only 2 percent of funds actually reached veterans. From ABC News:

"Those failing charities include the National Veterans Services Fund, of Darien, Conn., which took in more than $6 million in contributions last year supposedly to help veterans' families.

It got a report grade of F from the American Institute of Philanthropy, which says the charity gave out only two percent of its money for charity...

Of the 27 military and veterans' charities reviewed by Borochoff's group, 13 were rated F, including the Amvets National Service Foundation, the Army Emergency Relief Fund, Freedom Alliance, the National Veterans Services Fund, the Military Order of the Purple Heart Services Foundation and the Paralyzed Veterans of America."

Where is all that money going? Apparently, much of it is going to the top executives at these charities who are paying themselves handsome salaries. Pretty disgusting.

Is America Headed Towards Becoming a Big Brother State?

news — 2007-11-13T11:11:42-05:00

redwoodpecker is concerned about the potential consequences of too few news outlets in the American media. From his blog:

"The FCC chairman is currently having a hearing to try and further deregulate the media and allow for further consolidation. Of course this is a horrible idea, at least for the public as a whole, which is why they gave 5 days notice for preparation, and are trying to push this through by next month. If this succeeds, we'll see the same thing happen now that happened in the mid 90's when Clinton helped deregulate the media industry ...

... What worries me most about this, besides the rush to get it pushed through as quickly as possible, is the thought of martial law being declared here, and us having one source of news to tell the American public why. This is ju st one more step, whether deliberate or not, towards the complete loss of open society and descent into dictatorship that we're heading for. The big brother state gets closer every day, and this is just one of rungs on the ladder to complete control."

Paranoia, or valid concerns? Discuss!

YouTube: Welcome to Canada!

news — 2007-11-13T11:11:08-05:00

YouTube recently launched a version of its site targetting Canadian users. mschristina decided to celebrate the occassion by creating a video showcasing some of the "inventions" we can credit our neighbors to the north with:

What's the Best Album of 2007?

news — 2007-11-14T01:11:31-05:00

commntyblackman is once again running MindSay's "album of the year" voting. Right now he's looking for members to nominate albums, and in a couple weeks will narrow down the list to the 10 most popular, at which point you'll be able to vote on your favorite.

For all the details and to make nominations, check out his post in the forums.

Natural Justice: Alligator Eats Robbery Suspect

news — 2007-11-14T06:11:10-05:00

A man suspected of breaking into cars in Florida dove into a pond in an effort to evade pursuing police. Unfortunately for him, the pond was filled with alligators, and nature delivered justice in a rather swift and horrifying fashion.

captainamerica shares the following video from Channel 4 explaining the details:

Variety: We Hate the Wii, Because Sony Pays Us To

news — 2007-11-14T07:11:01-05:00

A reviewer at Variety was pretty critical of the Nintendo Wii in a recent review of the new Super Mario Galaxy game with comments like “As good as the game is, though, it’s evidence of how bad the Wii is for third person action games …” and “… Super Mario Galaxy is, in fact, it’s one of the worst two-player experiences ever seen in a videogame.”

However, smurfy had a sharp eye and was able to find a clear conflict of interest Variety has in writing this review. Check out the “sponsored by Sony” (makers of Playstation) logo in the top right:

Busted!

Barry Bonds Indicted on Perjury Charges

news — 2007-11-15T05:11:46-05:00

fiveacez alerts us to breaking news from CNN:

"Barry Bonds was indicted Thursday on perjury and obstruction of justice charges, the culmination of a four-year federal investigation into whether he lied under oath to a grand jury looking into steroid use by elite athletes."

If he's being indicted on perjury charges, it means the grand jury is finally confident in the evidence they have against him. As fiveacez puts it: "I can't believe it. Not that he didn't do it, but that he's been caught. "

Send President Bush a Constitution

news — 2007-11-16T01:11:37-05:00

smurfy reports on an interesting holiday initiative. From democracyinaction:

"With your help, CCR will flood the Oval Office with copies of the Constitution this holiday season. If you sign this letter, CCR will send it along with a copy of the Constitution to the White House as a seasonal reminder that the Constitution needs to be upheld ; not destroyed. We hope to send President Bush more than 5,000 copies of the Constitution by January 2008."

Apparently more than 3,000 folks have already signed up.

Thanksgiving Week on MindSay

news — 2007-11-18T01:11:39-05:00

It will probably be a fairly quiet week here on MindSay as we prepare to enjoy some time off for Thanksgiving. However, people are already starting to post about the holiday, so be sure to add the "thanksgiving" tag to your posts if you'd like to share your plans and thoughts with others.

As always, we're thankful for all of our users. Happy Holidays!

Participate in the CNN/YouTube Debates

news — 2007-11-18T02:11:44-05:00

The Republicans get their turn at the CNN/YouTube debates on November 28th. If you would like to submit your video question to the candidates, you can do so by going here. Let us know if you decide to submit one so we can feature it!

When Rules are Wrong: Border Patrol Stops Ambulance

news — 2007-11-18T10:11:30-05:00

cas shares news of government rules and regulations rum amuck at the US-Canada border:

"An ambulance rushing a heart attack victim to Detroit from a Windsor (Ontario) hospital ill-equipped to perform life-saving surgery was stopped for secondary inspection Monday by U.S. Customs, despite the fact it carried a man fighting for his life.

Rick Laporte, 49 -- who twice had been brought back to life with defibrillators -- was being rushed across the border when a U.S. border guard ignored protocol at the Detroit portion of the tunnel and forced the ambulance -- with siren and lights flashing -- to pull over."

This reminds me of a story a few months back here in Virginia where a husband was pulled over and issued a reckless driving ticket for going over 80mph. The catch: he was taking his wife, who was in labor, to the hospital. It's these people's jobs to uphold the law, but come on, have half a brain and make exceptions for special circumstances!

Celebrity Junk: Louis Vuitton Sues Britney Spears

news — 2007-11-19T10:11:48-05:00

Usually brands pay for celebrities to endorse their products, whether it be a full blown commercial or a passive plug in a song. Not the case for the train wreck that is Britney Spears. Louis Vuitton is suing Spears for $117,600 for using the company’s logo in the video “Do Something.” Vuitton has also had the video pulled from television stations across Europe.

The interesting thing is that the video first appeared in 2005. If the lawsuit is successful, it would set a precedent for brands to go back and sue their unauthorized celebrity endorsers that they no longer want to be associated with.

[link]

November is American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month

news — 2007-11-20T12:11:28-05:00

Several users reminded us that November is American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month. For some good information, check out some historical landmarks at the National Parks Service web site, or learn more about the celebration at IHS.gov.

Bill Nye the Science Guy ... Has a Crazy Ex

news — 2007-11-20T05:11:20-05:00

Bill Nye, who hosted the popular children's show "Bill Nye the Science Guy" during the mid-90s, has requested a restraining order against his former fiancée. People.com explains:

"On Sept. 3 at 11:30 p.m., Tindal, who was dressed in black, "emerged from my backyard ... carrying two plastic bottles filled with some sort of solvent. Apparently she was trying to poison my plants including some vegetable(s)," say the documents. "She fled on foot and then a car sped away from the scene."

And you thought you had a crazy ex! Do you have some stories that can top that one?

MindSay: 5,000,000 (Comments) Served

news — 2007-11-21T11:11:34-05:00

Sometime in the next month or two MindSay will pass a pretty significant milestone – more than 5 million comments posted by members! Since we launched, there have been more than 1.5 million blog posts made on the site, which means each post gets an average of more than 3 comments. It’s pretty awesome and satisfying that our site enables so much conversation between people.

Anyways, once comment number 5,000,000 happens, we’ll announce it here and maybe even throw the user who posts it a t-shirt commemorating the event or something.

Hope everyone is enjoying the easiest workday of the year – Thanksgiving Eve!

Santa's "Ho, Ho, Ho" Offensive to Women?

news — 2007-11-23T04:11:43-05:00

decisiontime alerts us to political correctness to the extreme in Australia. From AFP:

"Santas in Australia's largest city have been told not to use Father Christmas's traditional "ho ho ho" greeting because it may be offensive to women ... Sydney's Santa Clauses have instead been instructed to say "ha ha ha" instead.

... A local spokesman for the US-based Westaff recruitment firm said it was "misleading" to say the company had banned Santa's traditional greeting and it was being left up to the discretion of the individual Santa himself."

I can sort of understand how people get offended when rappers use "ho" in a derogatory way, but Santa Clause's catch phrase? Aren't there more important things to worry about?

Robbery Victim Loses Finger in Purse Snatch Gone Wrong

news — 2007-11-24T10:11:05-05:00

blogging reports on a Black Friday robbery gone horribly wrong:

"A man is being held in the Gwinnett County [GA] Jail without bond after he was accused of tearing a finger off a woman's hand during a purse snatching ... Gwinnett Police Corporal Illana Spellman said the incident took place about 2 p.m. on Wednesday in the parking lot of a Kroger store in Lilburn, a suburb about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. She said Pinkins drove by the victim -- a 55-year-old woman -- swiped the purse and stepped on the gas. As the suspect drove away, one of the victim's fingers was pulled off."

Fortunately, the suspect was captured a few hours later, and is now being charged with both burglary and assault. Unfortunately, surgeons were unable to re-attach the victim's finger. Pretty lousy way to spend your holiday.

Pregnancy Bad for the Planet?

news — 2007-11-26T09:11:56-05:00

A woman in the UK had both an abortion and surgery to make her sterile, claiming that pregnancy is bad for the environment. Toni Vernelli tells The Daily Mail:

"Having children is selfish. It's all about maintaining your genetic line at the expense of the planet ... Every person who is born uses more food, more water, more land, more fossil fuels, more trees and produces more rubbish, more pollution, more greenhouse gases, and adds to the problem of over-population."

I suppose the last part is technically accurate, but is she advocating that humans simply cease to exist after this generation? Perhaps it's not such a bad thing that this woman isn't having kids

Introducing the Hello Kitty Electronic Toilet Paper Dispenser

news — 2007-11-26T01:11:42-05:00

It can be yours for only $220. Only in Japan ...

[link]

Miss Universe Contestant Sabotaged with Pepper Spray

news — 2007-11-27T07:11:30-05:00

During a competition to determine Puerto Rico’s representative in the Miss Universe competition, one contestant broke out in hives. Apparently, it was not an accident. Johnndepp reports via AP:

“Beauty pageant organizers were investigating Sunday who doused a contestant's evening gowns with pepper spray and spiked her makeup … Rivera was composed while appearing before cameras and judges throughout the competition. But once backstage, she had to strip off her clothes and apply ice bags to her face and body, which swelled and broke out in hives twice.”

How evil! Is there any part of our society left where someone doesn’t try to cheat?

Redskins Star Sean Taylor Dies from Gunshot Wound

news — 2007-11-27T08:11:57-05:00

A very sad story out of Miami this morning. Redskins All-Pro Safety Sean Taylor has died, a day after being shot in an apparent break-in at his home. Taylor was just 24 years old and had an 18-month-old daughter.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Sean's family and friends.

More at WashingtonPost.com.

Shooting Death Impacts MindSay User

news — 2007-11-27T11:11:10-05:00

Wow, what a sad day all around. This morning, we reported on the death of NFL star Sean Taylor, and this afternoon, news in our inbox from bandgeek24 about a friend that was killed in a hunting accident with his father. From The Daily Chief-Union:

"Hunter Troxel died Monday evening at Children's Hospital in Columbus. According to a release from the Wyandot County Sheriff's Office, around 3 p.m. Monday, Troxel was hunting with his father, Craig Troxel, from a deer blind near their residence at 3097 CH 62. Hunter fired a .410 deer slug at a deer and his father fired a 12-gauge slug from his shotgun. Craig noticed his son had collapsed and immediately administered first aid and called 911."

bandgeek24 is hoping this tragedy can serve as a way to remind people about the dangers of recreational firearm use and to be thankful for what we've got. We couldn't agree more and send our thoughts and prayers out to Hunter's family.

Helio Castroneves Wins Dancing with the Stars

news — 2007-11-28T10:11:48-05:00

Apparently racecar driver Helio Castroneves won "Dancing with the Stars" last night. I say "apparently" because there is no way on earth I'd ever watch this show.

However, I've also learned that I'm in the minority and the show is one of the more popular in America.

Do MindSay users watch this show? If so, what's the appeal that I'm missing?

Carson Daly = Benedict Arnold

news — 2007-11-28T10:11:18-05:00

Carson Daly doesn't care about the writer's strike, he wants to get paid! The former TRL host will be going back to production on "Last Call with Carson Daly," which airs sometime in the middle of the night on NBC we're told. Granted, Daly isn't a member of the Writer's Guild, but he is the first late night host to go back to work, and certainly won't gain many fans for breaking ranks.

[link]

Hey A$$hole, Turn Your Cell Phone Off!

news — 2007-11-29T12:11:35-05:00

cas reports on a judge who used his power to the max to punish someone who didn't turn their cell phone off in court:

"Apparently, a US Judge was so angered by a cell phone ringing in his courtroom that he threatened to send 46 people to jail if no one would own up to it. Security officers did a quick search, but weren't able to find it, so Judge Robert Restaino sent every last one of them to prison, with $1,500 set as their bail.

One man, according to the report, told the judge: "This is not fair to the rest of us." To which the judge replied: "I know it isn't."

He was later removed from his bench and the hearing was put to a hiatus."

Take that!

Rap Lyrics Explained with Charts and Graphs

news — 2007-11-30T11:11:43-05:00

Someone sent me a link to this morning and I had to post. The Clever Cookie blog has put together a bunch of hilarious charts explaining rap lyrics through charts and graphs. Here are a couple of my favorites:

More here. What songs would you like to see explained in chart format?

Evel Knievel Dies

news — 2007-11-30T07:11:16-05:00

johnndepp alerts us to breaking news, via the Associated Press:

"Evel Knievel, the hard-living motorcycle daredevil whose exploits made him an international icon in the 1970s, died Friday. He was 69 ...

... Immortalized in the Washington's Smithsonian Institution as "America's Legendary Daredevil," Knievel was best known for a failed 1974 attempt to jump an Idaho canyon on a rocket-powered cycle and a spectacular crash at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. He suffered nearly 40 broken bones before he retired in 1980 ...

... Knievel lived with his longtime partner, Krystal Kennedy-Knievel, splitting his time between their Clearwater condo and his Butte hometown. They married in 1999 and divorced a few years later but remained together. Knievel had 10 grandchildren and a great-grandchild."

Here's video of one of his famous jumps:

Sperm Donor Ordered to Pay Child Support

news — 2007-12-03T08:12:26-05:00

This story serves as a warning to sperm donors that try and get involved in the lives of the kids they help produce. A man who helped a lesbian couple conceive a child has been ordered to pay child support for his son, who is now 18 years old.

How did this happen? According to the New York Post:

“The Nassau County man donated his sperm to a work colleague, and included his name on the child's birth certificate, saying it would give the boy an identity, courts documents revealed.

He then blurred the lines between donor and full-time father by sending money, presents and cards signed "Dad" and "Daddy," and having phone chats with the now college-bound teen.”

The vast majority of sperm donors remain anonymous, but in this case, the man’s goodwill seems to have backfired. What do you think, should he have to pay child support?

Australian Hip Hop? Sure, Why Not

news — 2007-12-03T06:12:41-05:00

More at mushrecords. Not sure I get it, but ... thoughts?

People Love a Good Celebrity Tail Spin: Top Search Terms of 2007 Released

news — 2007-12-04T06:12:06-05:00

Yahoo has released a list of popular search trends for the year. Amazingly, each of the top 10 celebrities is one who had a crisis of some sort this year! Check it out:

Meanwhile, here were the top news-related searches:

At least the news stories are all related to fairly important stories. Meanwhile, are you guilty of searching for Britney and Paris?

“Pork Chop” Deemed Politically Incorrect as Baseball Mascot

news — 2007-12-04T06:12:19-05:00

A new minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies had selected “PorkChop” as the name for their mascot after taking suggestions from fans. However, as it turns out “PorkChop” was once derogatory to Latin Americans, and thus, the team is going with “Ferrous” instead.

I’d personally never heard PorkChop used in a derogatory way, or as a nickname of any kind actually. Any ideas what it means?

[link]

The Newest Way to Break Up: Facebook Status Messages

news — 2007-12-04T07:12:26-05:00

I'd been noticing friends of mine communicating with each other in a public, sometimes really sappy way over Facebook Status Message, but now, apparently it has also been used for swiftly ending a relationship:

[link]

If You’re Worth $20 Billion, What Does Your Wedding Look Like?

news — 2007-12-05T11:12:10-05:00

Private islands, private planes, a guest appearance by Bono. Those are just a part of the plans when Larry Page, one of the co-founders of Google, gets married this weekend.

There are 600 guests expected, meaning there aren’t enough rooms on Richard Branson’s Necker Island to accommodate. What to do? Rent out another island of course, neighboring Virgin Gorda.

More details of the extravagant wedding can be found on the New York Post’s Page Six.

Meanwhile, if money weren’t an object, what would your wedding look like?

Under the Moonlight ...

news — 2007-12-05T06:12:21-05:00

blueyeedtawni sent us some kinda cool but weird news: a contraption a couple in Arizona has put together that allows people to "bask in the moonlight." From MSNBC:

"The Chapins built the large, one-of-a-kind contraption that stands in the desert some 15 miles west of Tucson, Arizona, in the belief that moonlight might have applications for medicine, industry and agriculture.|

"So much work has focused on the sun. We have just forgotten about this great object that has been here for billions of years, has affected us in all forms of our evolution," said Chapin, who paid for the project with his own money."

More than 1,000 people have visited the location. Seems a bit loony to me, but who knows ...

8 Months Old, 41 Pounds!

news — 2007-12-06T12:12:04-05:00

An 8-month-old baby in China is already tipping the scales at 41 pounds! The child's enormous appetite requires the baby to be breast fed around 20 times per day.

No word on whether or not the child has any kind of medical condition that's causing the massive weight gain. He looks pretty happy and healthy in the pictures, other than for his immense size.

Future NFL draft pick perhaps?

[link]

Eva Mendes Gets Naked for PETA

news — 2007-12-06T08:12:06-05:00

The often controversial animal rights group PETA is at it again, this time using movie star Eva Mendes nude in a series of new ads that protest fur coats. Eva's thoughts on the issue can be found in a Q&A with PETA, but the real question here is do ads like this cross the line in raising awareness for their issue?

We had second thoughts about publishing the picture, but PETA will be publishing it in plenty of magazines and newspapers in coming weeks, so we figured we might as well show what we're talking about here. Plus, Eva is incredibly hot

NYPD Cop: "My Wife Spiked My Meatballs with Weed!"

news — 2007-12-07T07:12:26-05:00

A NYPD officer is suing to get his job back, after being dismissed in 2005 when he failed a drug test. Counter-terrorism officer Anthony Chiofalo claims that his wife spiked his meatballs with marijuana, and, she admits to it. Apparently, she did so in hopes of getting her husband to retire after 20+ years with the NYPD.

While the story sounds pretty far-fetched, both of the Chiofalo's have passed lie detector tests.

[link]

Today is Pearl Harbor Day

news — 2007-12-07T10:12:32-05:00

saikotikgunman reminds us that today is the 66th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Here is a video featuring FDR's address to Congress the day after, along with pictures relating to the event.

Additional good coverage in The Baltimore Sun.

Michael Vick Sentenced to 23 Months in Jail

news — 2007-12-10T02:12:38-05:00

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has received a 23-month prison sentence from a federal judge for his role in financing a dog fighting operation. Vick still faces charges from the state of Virginia, where the crimes took place. The one-time #1 draft pick also agreed to pay nearly $1 million to care for dogs found on his property.

Now the question becomes, is the sentence too much, too little, or just right? Further, should the NFL permanently suspend Vick, or allow him to re-enter the league once his sentence is up?