In rich people news...

When you are wealthy enough to not have to worry about saving your money, and searching for bargains is more of a "fun activity" than an actual way of life, you are what us regular people would call, "rich". When you are "rich", I have been told one of the things you can do with your gobs and gobs of cash is to go to auctions and spend money on frivolous items like class American movie memorabilia, or baseball cards. Apparently there are a lot more of these "rich" people than I thought (and not all of them are celebrities), as a bunch of them did just that this week! It seems that a rare Honus Wagner baseball card that had been previously owned by Wayne Gretsky, was auctioned off for $2.3 million. For that much, you would have thought that there was a more famous baeball player on the card, because I have never heard of this guy. Apparently the reason why the card is so rare is because the cards were originally sold with tobacco, and Honus Wagner was against tobacco usage, even way back in the day.

That's pretty respectable, gotta say.


The other auction that made news this week featured Audrey Hepburn's infamous black gown from the opening of the classic movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. About $800,000 from the proceeds of the auction are being donated to help build schools in India.

That's pretty respectable too, gotta say.

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Excitement!

The (seemingly) long-awaited 2 hour premiere of cycle 8 of America's Next Top Model airs tonight at 8 on the CW network. As is my custom, I've studied the pics of the new contestants, and picked out my favorite girls, and they are as follows in descending order: Brittany, Samantha, and Jael. As a long -time fan of Top Model, I've watched since the very first cycle, getting numerous friends addicted to it along the way, though I have to admit that I have gotten worse at predicting finalists and the eventual winner as they have gone on. I also have become more of a fan of Tyra Banks, though many have seemed to dislike her more now that she is more than just a pretty face. In any case, I know I will be glued to my screen tonight, and I'm sure millions more fans like me will be doing the same!

*******SPOILER ALERT*************

A big heads up--this year, the girls will going to Australia for their international destination. Let's see if they can handle being fierce in the land down under!

Someone was bound to get him sooner or later

Over-famed blogger Perez Hilton is known for his cutting comments on celebrities of all sorts, coupled with pictures that sport paintworks style special effects, often making it appear as if celebrities have urine running down their leg, or coke dripping from their nose. Other, more subtle posts feature pictures with words scribbled over them, outing closeted celebrities, or just plain calling them names. He often makes it clear who his favorites are, as you will never find a disparaging post on his namesake, Paris Hilton, or “saint” Angelina Jolie, as he likewise makes up unflattering names for those not on his good side. Now one such celebrity is suing him for posting topless photos on his site. It seems that Universal City Studios Productions LLLP, on behalf of Jennifer Aniston, or as referred to on the site, “Maniston”, announced last week that they are suing Mario Lavandeira, otherwise known as Perez Hilton, for posting the photos taken from scenes that were edited out from the final version of the movie The Breakup. Read the full story here.

Hmm, that can't be good

Well now, I am no stock market expert, I don't own any stocks in anything, and I would have to say that my collective knowledge of the stock market would probably be equal to the average person's awareness of the cultural mores of Djibouti--yeah, that's about zero. In any case, its been widely reported today that the Dow plunged by more than 500 points in one day, though it did regain some ground before the bell, closing down at 3.29 percent, signaling the worst day for the market since September 11th. All that stuff I just said might make it seem like I know what I am talking about, but again, I don't, so your best bet would be to read the article on Yahoo through the above link.

By the way, if you were interested, I do know that Djibouti is a country located on the northeastern coast of Africa, right above Ethiopia. They are one of 35 countries where scouting exists, and they have a number of fish that have appeared on their postage stamps.

See that, I just gave you a new wrinkle in your brain.

You are welcome.

Flashback

Penelope Cruz landed herself on many best dressed lists at the Oscars this year in a beautiful and elegant blush colored Atelier Versace dress with a fitted bodice and oversized mermaid train with ruffles. While I thought the dress, and the actress in it, looked amazing, I couldn't help but be reminded of a dress Sarah Jessica Parker wore in the series finale of Sex and the City in 2004, which was also Versace couture.

Penelope's 2007 Oscar gown

Is Versace becoming too predictable?

Carrie Bradshaw's 2004 farewell

Some more Oscar fashions for you...

Not all of the best dressed peeps were Oscar winners, or presenters, or even guests at the actual event. Post-Oscar parties are a big deal in Hollywood, and going means that you might not necessarily have the goods to win the coveted award, but you're hot enough to trot into the biggest parties of the year. Below are my VicPicks for best Oscar party dresses.

Madonna in Dolce and Gabbana at the Vanity Fair party

Ellen Pompeo in Alexander McQueen at the Vanity Fair party


Victoria Beckham in Azzedine Alaïaat the Elton John AIDS Foundation party

Oscar Fashion Report

The 79th Annual Academy Awards were last night, and though on the whole it was rather eventless, as no one streaked or made brash political statements, no one showed up wearing anything unbearable to look at, and the host, first-timer Ellen DeGeneres was funny yet classy and unassuming, the biggest thing was how long the show actually went on for. Coming in at roughly 3 hours and 50 minutes, perhaps its a good thing that there were no major fashion disasters, as having to look at one for that long might permanently burn bad fashion into our brain.

Among the trends, navy was a common color, as Maggie Gyllenhal in Proenza Schouler, Reese Witherspoon in Nina Ricci, Jody Foster in Vera Wang, Emily Bunt in Calvin Klein, and Ellen's girlfriend, Portia De Rossi in Zac Posen, all wore it. There were a lot of strapless dresses with mermaid trains, as well as the Grecian-inspired one shoulder look. American Idol loser/Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson was disappointing in a brown Oscar de la Renta with pockets (which, in my opinion, have no business doing anything on an evening gown). Nicole Kidman struck an always impressively statuesque pose in bright red Balenciaga, but her demure facial expressions are becoming more awkward with the more Botox she uses, and it makes me sad. Anne Hathaway, who recently compared herself to Lindsay Lohan , seemed to learn little from her experiences shooting The Devil Wears Prada, and wore an ill-fitting white brocade strapless Valentino dress with an obnoxiously oversized bow on the bodice. Cameron Diaz could have done better in her white off-the-shoulder Valentino number, but Kirsten Dunst looked dreadful in a confusing silver short-sleeved Chanel Couture dress with feathered bottom.

For my top picks, I actually am going to be on the uneventful side as well, as I enjoyed Nicole's daring red dress, and as blue is my favorite color, I have to say that I liked Reese's and Emily's dresses as well. While some had her on their worst dressed list, I actually liked Gwyneth Paltrow's brick colored short sleeve Zac Posen number, with side-swept stick-straight hair (similar to Nicole Kidman's). Additionally, I thought Kate Winslet's seafoam green Valentino number and Isla Fisher (aka, Borat's girlfriend) looked wonderful as a red-head in an emerald dress by Monique Lhuillier. Cate Blanchette, in a silver one-shouldered Armani Privé dress, kept to her word, and played dress up yet again in an elegant and tasteful way.

I'd like to also give special props to the, ahem, older women at the event, as I felt that both Diane Keaton, a presenter for Best Picture, and Helen Mirren in Christian Lacroix, a winner for Best Actress, looked stunningly beautiful--a coup for women in Hollywood who refuse to do anything but age gracefully! Bravo!


Addendum: When you can't find it out yourself, you just have to find the right People to ask. As per the question posted here, I put in a question at People.com and they answered:

I have been searching everywhere for this! I thought that Diane Keaton looked absolutely beautiful presenting Best Picture, particularly in light of her past fashion faux-pas on the red carpet, but what designer was she wearing this year? – Victoria, CT

Keaton, who copresented the award for Best Picture with Jack Nicholson, wore a belted, long-sleeved Ralph Lauren gown. She dressed up the basic black dress with a sparkly large pendant by Neil Lane Jewelry.

FREE SAMPLE ALERT!

In case you were one of the two people in the world who didn't watch the Oscars last night, during one of the commercial breaks, the winner of the Dove Cream Oil commercial contest was announced. I entered the contest and didn't win (obviously), so because I'm a little bitter, I don't have the name of the girl who won or her comercial here for you. What I do have is a link to get a free sample of the product the commercial was for. Enjoy.

Britney Spears interview 1999

Remembering Britney, as Baby Tries Rehab, One More Time...

I am not now nor have I ever been much of a fan or the former Mousketeer. While you will find some of her songs on my iTunes, that's only because I happened to have a lot of the Now CD compilations. No matter what your like or dislike for Britney, however, it is terribly sad to have to witness the unraveling of a fellow human being in front of everyone's eyes. In tribute, this Friday's VicPick video is of Britney circa 1999, on the Rosie O'Donnell Show, when Brit was about 17. Its hard to believe she was ever that young and innocent--but not that much. Rosie even remarks at one point, "You're a levelheaded young girl and I hope you stay that way and I think you will." At this point, it seems that the most anyone can hope for is for her to get the help she needs and clean herself up so that she can take care of her babies.

Rewards programs

Retail rewards programs are great for frequent shoppers of stores, particularly if you can join these programs for free. Rewards programs are based on the basic premise that you can earn points for spending money at a certain store. These points are able to be "cashed in" for rewards of certain amounts, that can be redeemed very much like gift certificates. Even if you aren't a frequent shopper at certain stores, sometimes you can earn rewards just by signing up or providing certain information. These bonuses are fun to use, particularly if you're itching for a little spending, but don't have that much cash to blow! Below are some rewards programs that I have used.

~ Famous Footwear rewards program I actually just found out about this program yesterday. It looks like you can earn $5 just for joining.


~Best Buy Rewards I joined this program a month ago. You get a card and you earn a point for every dollar spent.


~Staples Rewards I've been a member of this awhile, and it can be hard to earn rewards as the minimum points limit is kind of high, but it can be useful if you know you have big purchases coming up.


~Best of Bob's Rewards A great program that gives you ten rewards bucks just for signing up!

If you can use these rewards programs wisely, they can be very useful, and may actually provide you with some actual rewards. This week alone, I spent my ten dollars in bonus bucks at Bob's, and got a rewards check from Staples in the mail.

Trying to improve literacy in America

Honestly, I am not trying to create fillers here, but I am coming across a ton of articles on finances, taxes, and savings, and all of it seems like it can be very useful, so I'm posting links and summaries of them all here!

Tricks to Soften the Pain of Saving--Its not always easy to save your money, a discussion on how to go about it.

The 8 Qualities of a Wealthy Woman--The amazing Suze Orman talks about qualities that she herself possesses.

How To: File Taxes for Free--An important tip for the upcoming tax season.

Lazy Day

Due to some new freelance work and some other projects that I need to get done, I'm going to be a little lazy with the site this week. Hopefully, you all will bear with me as when I do have more free time again, I have a bunch of great things to post about! In the meantime, here are some interesting articles on finances.

Fear Can Cost You Money--Famous financial analyst and writer Robert Kiyosaki discusses points on why he believes the rich keep getting richer in America.


To Get Rich, Just Follow the Instructions--Former host of Win Ben Stein's Money, Ben Stein, talks about the common sense ways you can keep your financial house stable and in the green.

Some more useful reading

Smart Tax Strategies for Younger Workers--Everyone dreads tax season, as the stress can be overwhelming when it comes to making sure you get all the appropriate paperwork done. However, for young people new to the workforce, there is an added frustration that comes along with the new experiences. This article has some great tips just in time for tax season.

Protecting Yourself When You're Self-Employed--As more and more workers are venturing into self-employment, its important to know the risks and to prepare yourself with as many resources and good, reliable information you can get your hands on. This article, by finance wiz Suze Orman, is a good starting point.

How I got my brains

Some may credit genetics, others, a deeply intellectual academic upbringing, still others may call it the luck of the draw. I now know that my intelligence comes from the caocao bean. That's right, chocolate has made me smart, and I now have the science to prove it! A recent study (funded by candy maker Mars) shows that an ingredient in coacoa can help boost blood flow to the brain for hours. Like another recent study that found a diet that included regular amounts of dark chocolate can help boost good cholesterol, thereby boosting heart health, it seems that science is finally proving the stuff that I've known for quite some time.

CHOCOLATE IS GOOD STUFF!!!

Celebrity Looks for Less: Special Edition Britney Spears' new haircut

While she might not be done figuring out how much her divorce is going to cost her, and she might not know how to keep her bar tab low, but it seems America's former favorite pop princess has figured out a great way to save on haircuts, expensive shampoos and styling products, hairstylists, and extensions. Witness, Britney's own personal tribute to Sinead O'Connor, in all of its hairless glory. It seems Miss Spears was spotted this weekend at a tattoo parlor in the San Fernando Valley with her head completely shaved, where she spent over an hour getting two small tattoos on her wrist. You can read about how she lost her locks here.

MMMM, yummy, reading

Five Ways to Watch TV on Your PC--They're either cheap or free, try it!

Warren Buffett heads list of top 2006 donors--When you don't have to worry about saving your money any more, this is what some people do with it.

Why Women Have Fewer Babies--Some of the reasons may surprise you, and some of them have to do with finances.

Rethinking Retirement Savings (or Not)--Do Americans save too much for retirement?

SNL -- Weekend Update iPhone Special

The Friday VicPick video: oooooo, iPhone...

As I mentioned here a few weeks ago, Apple has debuted a new iPod, that boasts of all the features you can find in a cellular phone and mp3 player, in one fancy-ass phone. In honor of that, SNL had the following skit in the same week. Enjoy!

Where NOT to go on dates if you want to keep it cheap

Forbes just released their list of 25 Most Expensive Cities for a First Date. They used the average cost of a men's haircut, a movie ticket, pizza, a bottle of wine, gas, and dry cleaning as their siginificators for this evaluation of cities 200 U.S. cities with a minimum population of 100, 000 people. The top ten list is as follows:

1. Stamford, CT
2. Newark, NJ
3. New York, NY
4. San Fransisco, CA
5. San Jose, CA
6. Oakland, CA
7. New Haven, CT
8. Hartford, CT
9. Seattle, WA
10. Portland, OR

I'd just like to point out that 6 of the top ten cities are in Connecticut and California. Must be something with the "C" states. Of course, for some great ideas on how to keep your dates on the less expensive side no matter where you are, try some of my tried and true tips and ideas for "First Date Ideas on a Budget".

"I love Archie, and the whole gang!"

While he not be one of the most popular strips in the Sundays, and his comic books are not nearly as popular as they used to be, Archie is still around, and sadly, he lost a friend on February 8th. At the age of 85, Joe Edwards, "an artist who worked on the 1942 debut issue of Archie comics and later created the character Li'l Jinx, has died." You can read more about his passing here.


If you're a big fan, like me, or Archie and the gang, you can check out a really fun website featuring comics, free desktops, and contests, here.

Because its important to have chocolate

If you are, like many in the northeast, snowed in on this Valentine's Day, then why don't you try your hand at some of the absoluely mouth-watering chocolate desserts here. Whether its a Raspberry and Chocolate Dessert Martini, an Upside-Down Black Forest Pie, or a Bittersweet Chocolate Lava Cake (my personal favorite), any of these are just as good (if not better) than being able to go out to eat at a fancy restaurant. Enjoy!

Now that is a real love story

Recently in Rome, archeologists unearthed the skeletal remains of a couple that are believed to be about 6,000 years old. Even more remarkable than the state of their remains, is that the couple is quite visibly holding each other in their arms. While it has not yet been definitely determined that the individual skeletons are that of a male and female, DNA testing will be able to tell that within the next few months, You can read the whole story here.

The Politics of Blogging

Just an interesting story for bloggers in general, it seems that a second blogger has had to quit any and all afiliations with John Edwards presidential campaign due to comments made in their personal blog. You can read the newstory here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Some Valentine's Day Resources:

~Choosing the perfect chocolate gift can set the stage for your romance

~The most searched for flowers and what they mean

~Date Night Movie Guide


~Valentine's Dinner Date Etiquette

What NOT to give on Valentine's Day

The following are all taken from REAL ads in flyers and on the radio.

-"Give a gift she'll really love this Valentine's Day, give the gift of laser hair removal..."

Umm, no she won't, and don't.


-"Give the gift of fitness and health..." (a women's gym membership)

Give this gift, and you can sign the card, "Yes, it does make you look fat." because that is pretty much what you're saying with that one.

If you're really stuck trying to find a last minute gift idea for Valentine's Day, check out my previous post. If worse comes to absolute worse, go with the old stand-bys--flowers, chocolates, and jewelry. Here's a little money saving tip when it comes to buying roses. If you buy a color other than the traditional red, such as pink or white, they'll cost a little less. More than anything, just remember that sometimes the most sincere expressions of love are also the simplest.

Did somebody say Chinese McDonald's?

Did you know that KFC's biggest market is China? With over 1.3 billion people, its not difficult to see that being able to tap into even a small section of the Chinses fast food industry could lead to big pay-offs. But what are the implications of taking sometimes iconic business models and products, and adapting them to a foreign culture? I saw this story on Sunday's NBC Nightly News and found correspondent Mark Mullen's blog entry on the topic to be very interesting. You can check it out here.

The Grammys fashion report

Last night was the 40th Annual Grammy Awards, honoring the best and brightest in people who put stuff on CDs or iTunes. I of course, tuned in, and was very excited to see performances by Christina Aguilera, John Mayer, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Shakira, among others, as well as yet another great Grammy opening performance which featured a reunion by The Police. The stage itself was amazing in terms of modern set design. As for the fashions, according to Yahoo, Subdued styles dominated Grammy fashion, but if they mean that everyone for the most part looked pretty decent, then I agree. There was a lot black, or black with metallic silver or gold, and halter necklines and strapless dresses.


I was slightly embarrassed for Vanessa Minillo and Petra Nemcova, who almost wore the same exact dress.

My favorite was actually Kimberly Caldwell, who wore a beautiful floor length black lace over white dress, that had an elegant mermaid tail that started just above her knees. Her hair was a little funky for the dress, but she's young, and it was the Grammy Awards.

The politically undertoned show featured a prominent shout out to Barack Obama during an improvised lyric in Wyclef Jean and Shakira's performance of "Hips Don't Lie." Additionally, the formerly shunned Dixie Chicks, whose fall-out for a derogatory comment made about the president four years ago inspired their current album, Shut Up and Sing, found sufficient retribution in winning awards in all 5 of the categories they were nominated in.

I was also very proud of Connecticut homeboy John Mayer, who besides winning two awards, classed it up by wearing a black jacket and pants for his performance on stage with John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae, then switching to a stunning black tux in the audience--now if he would only cut his hair and stop making those weird faces when he performs.

Make your own Valentine's Day

As I said in a previous post, Valentine's Day doesn't necessesarily, and shouldn't have to be about expensive gifts like diamonds or iPods. At its most basic (though admittedly, some might say juvenile), Valentine's Day is about simple but pure expressions of like, which is why I have always been fond of the art of making Valentines. During the Victorian era, Valentine making was very popular, as friends and lovers would make ornate cards of paper, ribbon, and lace, to be given and received on this February holiday. To encourage the tradition of homemade Valentine's, here are some tips and ideas for this Wednesday.

-Courtesy of craft-guru Martha Stewart, here you can check out How to make a Valentine's Day heart garland.

-Create a very romantic evening by having an indoor picnic. Clear out the living room, and spread out a nice blanquet. Light some candles, or the fireplace if you have one, and make sure you have a vase of flowers nearby. The menu can be anything that is simple to eat , like fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits, and cole slaw. Other foods that you might have on your menu are assorted sandwiches, fruit, cheese and crackers, spring rolls, pasta salad, fruit salad, and cookies.

-Cheesy, but useful, and can be endearing if you word them right--make your own love coupons good for things like kisses and hugs, back rubs or massages, errands, chores, home-cooked dinners, or if you have any special talents, like playing a musical instrument.

-Even when I was in college, I enjoyed making Valentine's and exchanging them with friends, because I have always thought that Valentine's Day is about any kind of love, and friends should celebrate that regardless of whether or not they have boyfriends or girlfriends as well. While we didn't have desks to hang envelopes from for our Valentines like in elementary school, in the dorm, we made Valentine holders from brown paper lunch bags to hang on our doors. We would put our names clearly somewhere on the front, and then decorate them using whatever we had at our disposal--magazine clippings, markers, stickers, or even paint from my art courses.

-And of course, I highly suggest you try to make some of your own Valentines for the special people in your life. Use glitter, paper doilies, markers, stickers, and construction paper to make them. You can also cut pictures out of magazines or flyers, lace, beads, even wallpaper sample books, or, if you are very artistic, try your hand at some drawing or simple sketches or romantic images like cupids, roses, or other flowers, using colored pencils. Creativity is good for the soul, and is underused by many people which is a shame as it has been proven that you cannot achieve your greatest intellectual state unless both the analytical and the creative hemispheres of the brain are maximized. And you thought that Valentine's Day was all about your heart!

FREE SAMPLE ALERT!

What better way to start off a Monday than to get yourself a couple of free goodies! The first one is for women only (sorry guys, but I bet your aren't).

If you click the link and fill out your info, you can get a sample of the New Always Clean maxi pad.

The second sample, in keeping with "clean" commercial naming trend, is forAquafresh Extreme Clean toothepaste. If you click the link and find the button on the top of the page that says "Savings and Special Offers", you will find an option to request your free sample. You can then chooseto either have your free sample sent in the mail, where you will then be asked for your address, or you can print out a coupon to redeem for your free sample at your local store.

KT Tunstall - Suddenly I See

Friday VicPick video: KT Tunstall--"Suddenly I See"

Since the Grammy Awards are this Sunday night, I thought I would post the latest video from Grammy nominated artist KT Tunstall. Her first single "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" off the album Eye to the Telescope, was nominated in the Best Female Pop Vocal category. I saw this amazing woman perform in December and let me just say, anyone who can perform all her own songs entirely by herself deserves proper appreciation and respect. Think of all the money she saves on a back-up band! Seriously, go out and get her album, its interesting both from a musical and lyrical standpoint, and well worth the purchase. Your bargain today--in this video, you get two KT's for the price of one, for FREE!

Shocker

You know, the one day I'm not at the computer most of the time, and I have to hear about Anna Nicole's death from some woman freaking out and talking way too loud on her cell phone in the home furnishings aisle of Target. Yeesh, you know, there are just some things that no bargain is worth. Anyways, unless you were under a rock and far away from your local Target, then you know that Anna Nicole Smith was found dead in her Florida hotel room at the age of 39. In the end, I feel that it was the cumulative result of her tumultuous life that resulted in her untimely death. This is why they tell you stay away from drugs, kids.



I have no doubt that her daughter, Danielynn Hope, will be well taken care of, as there are 2 men fighting over the opportunity to be her father. Who is going to take care of Sugar Pie?

I see CHEAP travel in your future...

Just a little article I found on Yahoo by Rolf Potts on how to travel cheaply by following some basic tips and advice. Potts is the author of the book Vagabonding, a sort of guidebook for people interested in travelling overseas for an extended period of time. Among his suggestions for extending your travel and reducing your costs, Potts writes, "No matter how intricately you've planned and budgeted your travels back home, what you learn from your first two weeks is far more valuable in the long run. Thus, be prepared to adjust your itinerary and reconsider your budget as you make new discoveries."

Puppy Bowl!

Usually, I watch the Super Bowl for the halftime show, and of course, the ubiquitous ads, but I actually saw neither this year, as I found this much more interesting. They don't have ads, they don't have a football, they don't have uniforms, they don't even have humans, unless of course you count the referee that comes out and vacuums the field every now and then or cleans up after one of the players makes a mess. I'm talking, of course, about the Puppy Bowl III that aired opposite the Super Bowl on Animal Planet. If you missed it, you can check out some of the clips through the links, and don't forget to watch the Kitty Half Time Show sponsored by Bissell.

VicPick: Vo5 Silky Experiences Shampoo

I have always really liked Vo5 Shampoos and Conditioners as they are easy to find (they're sold just about everywhere), they come in a variety of different formulas and scents, and they are CHEAP! Now, once again, don't let the misnomer of thinking that because something is cheap, it must not be a good product, cloud your thinking. I have always taken very good care of my hair and have often received compliments on it. I have tried most of the Vo5 formulas-- from the 5 Vitamin Formulas, to the Moisture Milks (I am a big fan of the "Creamy Fresh Peaches" scent), to the very soothing scentedTea Therapy line. While I discovered my latest find this summer, it is not on their website for some reason, but I HIGHLY recommend their new Silky Experiences line, particularly in the scent "Champagne Kiss." This intoxicating scent has a subtle strawberry tone to it, and makes your hair touchably soft afterwards, with just the right amount of the scent lingering for most of the day. This line boasts of its added silk proteins, and is well worth the 78 cents you can purchase it for!

Gift giving for V-Day

In this modern age of massive commercialism, unremitting capitalistic tendencies, and the indefatigable appeal of the almighty dollar, I somehow am still amazed at how unavoidable consumerism has come to be. For one thing, I am continually blown away by how much couples will spend on each other during the holidays. Now make no mistake, if you are in an important, worthwhile, and lasting relationship, and are financially stable, I see no reason why you can't spend a lot on each other. But when it comes to couples that have only been dating for a short period of time, or are in high school, or college, or are just starting out, isn't it a little ridiculous to spend hundreds of dollars on each other? Hundreds of dollars that could be spent on any one of the numerous monthly bills you are struggling to pay, or tuition, or books, or perhaps, you come to the realization that you should cut up your credit cards and stop spending money you simply do not have? In the spirit of responsible spending--as in the case when it applies to gift-giving within couples for Valentine's Day, I highly suggest you check out this great little article at CNN.

Have you had your (coffee) break today?

There are a heck of a lot of coffee drinkers out there, as evidenced by the amount of Starbucks that inhabit densely populated areas. While I am not a coffee drinker myself (I prefer hot chocolate), I was very amused to hear this report that states after recent comparison taste-testing, McDonald's is the best purveyor of coffee around, beating out both the nearly synonomous Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. While my lack of appreciation for coffee means I cannot confirm or deny the "trained taste-testers" findings, I trust the fellows from Consumer Reports who decided that the cheapest option in the 'fast food' coffee market is also the best tasting. Keep this in mind next time you assume that plunking down 7 bucks for the name-brand grab-and-go java is really your best bet.

Groundhog Day

In honor of this outcast of the popular holidays, and to mark Punxsatawney Phil's annual 15 minutes, today's Friday VicPick video (albeit late today) is of the classic Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day. Like his other great philosophical films, Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2, Caddyshack, and What About Bob?, I've always felt that this movie speaks to the deeper meaning in every day life such as, "why are we here?" and "what is the meaning of life?". Such subtle undertones are what propelled Murray movie's career. They're subtle, but they're there.

As for the official 2007 report, Punxsatawney Phil says:

El Nino has caused high winds, heavy snow, ice and freezing temperatures in the west.
Here in the East with much mild winter weather we have been blessed.

Global warming has caused a great debate.
This mild winter makes it seem just great.

On this Groundhog Day we think of one thing.
Will we have winter or will we have spring?

On Gobbler's Knob I see no shadow today.
I predict that early spring is on the way.

Apologies

Hey kids, I'm out of town for the day, so not a lot of posts until maybe later. Hope everyone has a good day, and I'll be back tomorrow with your Friday VicPick video and anything else I can dig up!