'True' hit

I was so happy to hear from several of my friends over the last few weeks that they are as obsessed with HBO's "True Blood" as I am. And now CNN is jumping on the vindication train. Whoo!
If you've never watched the show (or have only watched one episode), you probably think the viewing population has been drinking some sort of Tru Blood Kool-Aid; I'll admit, I was a little weirded out by the first episode myself. But give it two episodes, and you'll be absolutely hooked.

Anna Paquin ("Fly Away Home" anyone?) stars as Sookie Stackhouse, an innocent-but-feisty Louisiana girl who's got the hots for Bill the vampire in a town where vamps have only recently begun integrating. The ancillary characters have got issues all their own, and there's lots of sex, drugs and blood-thirsty roles.

Read more about how the show has taken off since its September premiere.

Now, I know the haters are probably rolling their eyes over the whole vampire trend (ala "Twilight"), but this show is way, way better--and hotter. (Be warned, True Blood is not for watching with your parents in the room--I don't care how old you are.)

Anyway, give it a shot. Sundays at 9 on HBO. But if you'd like to get the full effect of how incredibly addictive the show is, go online or watch On-Demand and start from the beginning.

And for those of you who already True Blood fans, you'll be pleased to hear that it's been picked up for a second season!

Thanks, Geoff!

More 'Hills'

While my coverage of "The Hills" has been waning in recent weeks, I still thought it fair to post a 'scoop' I heard tonight: After much speculation whether or not MTV's most famous faux-reality show would continue for another season, Audrina Patridge has confirmed that the fifth season is a go.

Lately, Hills protagonist Lauren Conrad has been questioning whether she'd like to continue with the show that made her famous, but apparently she caved. Or maybe she's not even on the show anymore and we'll be watching Audrina and Holly live their lives. Just like watching paint dry.

Check out what Audrina had to say here.

Bet on Brett the Jet, says the pet (ha, POET!)

It's another glorious evening of Thursday night football, and the New York Jets will battle the New England Patriots for first place atop the AFC East.

And you should probably bet on the Jets, not due to the plague of injuries the Patriots have faced this season, but because Princess the camel says so.

Princess, from Lacey Township, NJ, has correctly identified winners in each of this year's NFL weeks, standing at an impressive 10-0 going into tonight's game. Geez, I should call Popcorn Park Zoo for my Survivor Pool pick this week, no?

The owner of the zoo, John Bergmann, chooses a game at random each week and writes each team's name on each of his hands. He puts a graham cracker in both hands and whichever hand Princess eats out of it is her "pick" for the week. This week? It's the J-E-T-S: Jets! Jets! Jets!

The 2,600-pound Bactrian camel had a winning percentage of .647 last year, correctly calling 11 out of 17 games. She also reportedly predicted the Giants would defeat the Patriots in last year's Super Bowl showdown. Smart camel.

I'm sure now that I'm writing about Princess and her accuracy, the Jets will get squashed, Brett Favre will break his leg and the stadium will somehow catch fire (because that's just how my luck has been going these days), but hey, who doesn't love a football-game-winner-picking camel?

"I'll never let go, print journalism; I'll never let go..."

So, I'm depressed. Today, I drove into work for an ominous "all-staff" meeting with my company's executive editors, whom we only see about three times a year. And while we were all surprised that we weren't laid off [...yet], the news was grim. Apparently, the company is beginning its "streamlining" (code for "layoff") efforts, so the writing is on the wall.

Our company's satellite offices (ours included) are all being closed so we can consolidate staff into the main office (which is an hour away from my house). What they're really saying is that we're going to be crammed in like sardines until we're picked off one by one. Rumor has it that we'll each be meeting with the executive editors to discuss our positions, straight up "Office Space"-style.

In another dated movie reference, it's kinda like the Titanic just hit the iceberg and it's only a matter of time til we're all floating dead on planks of wood in the middle of the ocean. God, I love that I went to school for journalism. I mean, I knew the money was awful (my academic advisor told me that the guy who worked across the street at 7-Eleven would make more), but the economy --and the Internet-- are eating my industry alive.

Basically, it's not good... but my one laugh today came after reading an e-mail from my fellow reporter (and blogger), entitled "6 Emails You Get When Your Company is About to Go Under." Check it out and see how many apply to your job, and if it's a lot...start applying to other jobs.

Major FAILs of the week

Here are this week's Major FAILs of the week. Feel free to share your FAIL photos/videos here or by sending them to failpictures@gmail.com.


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Happy Veterans Day!

Happy Veterans Day from The Jerc Store!

Veterans Day was first incorporated by President Woodrow Wilson as Armistice Day in 1919 in honor of the Armistice treaty which ended WWI.

In 1938, Armistice Day was enacted as an official American holiday, but after WWII, citizens felt that the veterans of all wars should be recognized. In 1954, Congress changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day.

In America, the holiday now celebrates the approximate 2.9 million U.S. veterans with parades and ceremonies among other events.

RIP Gus

Sad news, everyone: Gus, the World's Ugliest Dog, is dead.

The 9-year-old pooch, who won the ugly crown in June, lost his battle with cancer today.

Gus, a hairless Chinese crested from Florida, had one eye and three legs. His adopted family reportedly rescued him after learning he was being kept in a crate inside someone's garage. He had one leg amputated because of a skin tumor and lost an eye in a cat fight.

Owner Jeanenne Teed said Gus passed away in her arms this morning. The skin cancer he had been battling had wrapped around his spine and the dog had lost half of his body weight. He was in a lot of pain and needed to be put down, she said.

As World's Ugliest dog, Gus had been featured on the Today show, Fox & Friends, Rachel Ray. He even had his own Animal Planet special.

Chinese crested dogs have a reputation for being pretty ugly, but poor Gus...he was hideous.

Grandpa shooting the 'J

A 73-year-old Tennessee man scored two points in a college basketball game this week.

Ken Mink, a full-time student at Roane State Community College, scored two points Monday night in a 93-42 victory over King College's junior varsity. The shooting guard got in the game with about 16 minutes left in the second half and attempted one shot in three minutes. He came back into the game, was fouled and made two free throws.

The 6-foot-tall septuagenarian said it was the first time he shot a free throw in more than five decades. He played 52 years ago at Lees College in Jackson, Ky, but lost his spot on the team after someone soaped the coach's office and he was expelled during his freshman year. He still says he did not commit the prank.

Mink reportedly runs a 6.6-second 40-yard dash and has a 20-inch vertical. I'm pretty sure he'd beat me out for a spot on the team. That's sad.

The retiree wears number 54 on the team. Last year, after shooting baskets at a neighbor's house, he wrote to several area colleges, and Roane State coach Randy Nesbit agreed to give him a chance. Mink has practiced regularly with the team since school began in August.

“(Mink) gets up and down the floor and can get shots off in practice,” said teammate BJ Ware. “He can definitely still play for being that old.”

Cosby's gone mad

I recently heard the audio of this on my favorite morning radio station and I could not believe how insane Bill Cosby has turned. He sounds like he's doing an impression of Kenan doing an impression of Bill Cosby on All That (remember that show??).

Anyway, take a look. He's out of control. He makes a bunch of crazy noises, forgets the name of the other team and cuts himself off for a commercial break.

His brain cells are torched

A Georgia man set his home on fire yesterday after reportedly trying to clean it with a blowtorch.

Instead of using a broom, Galen Winchell used a blowtorch to clean out the cobwebs from the exterior eaves of his home.

He should take a blowtorch to the cobwebs in his brain, no? There's gotta be a lot of 'em.

Winchell noticed smoke coming from his attic around 11 a.m. Firefighters responded with three trucks and the power company arrived to disconnect the power, which runs through the attic. The fire was contained to one end of the house, however there was water damage and smoke damage throughout. No one was injured in the blaze.

A good piece of advice: The fire investigator warned residents not to use a blowtorch to rid their homes of cobwebs. That's good to know - I was thinking about doing some cleaning this weekend.

To church in a hank-Baskett

Okay, that was a bad pun attempt. Sorry.

I probably wouldn't be writing about some playmate and a football player, but Girl Next Door Kendra Wilkinson has become quite the local celebrity in my town lately now that she's been dating Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Hank Baskett. Apparently the two really enjoy hitting up the Redstone in my town.

The 23-year-old Wilkinson and the 26-year-old Baskett are now officially engaged, sources say. Not only am I happy for them, but this gives me a chance to post my pictures of Hank buying my friends and me shots last summer at McFadden's in Philly. My friends think it's funny that one of our female friends (who shall remain nameless) was repeatedly hit on by Hank that night, but she turned him down; they then deduced that that would make her more unattainable than a Playboy Playmate. Good for her!

Baskett reportedly proposed to Kendra --on one knee-- at the Space Needle in Seattle last weekend. The Eagles were away playing the Seahawks Sunday. Both families were on hand for the proposal.

Hugh Hefner, who was recently ditched by all three of his Girls Next Door, released a statement Saturday, saying that Kendra had found "someone she would like to spend the rest of her life with." He said that he would give her away in a special wedding ceremony at the Mansion in June.

Hef's other former-gf, Holly Madison, has been dating “Mindfreak” illusionist Criss Angel, but I don't think the 82-year-old minds too much: He's "dating" a pair of 19-year-old twins, Karissa and Kristina Shannon. Good for him!

Foxy laaaady

A woman, bit by a rapid fox, ran a mile to her car with the animal still attached to her.

The Arizona jogger said she was running on a trail Monday when she noticed the fox in a clearing. It did not initially appear aggressive, but as she approached, the fox attacked and bit her foot. She grabbed it by the neck but it bit her arm and clamped down. It did not release, even when the jogger tried to choke it, she said.

Concerned that the fox could have rabies, she ran all the way to the car--a mile away--with the fox still biting her arm. She pried the animal's jaw open, wrapped it in a sweatshirt she was wearing and tossed it into her trunk before driving to a hospital.

When an animal-control person removed the fox from the vehicle, it bit the employee, too - oops!

Shockingly enough, it turned out the animal had rabies. Both the jogger and the animal-control person are receiving rabies vaccinations.

Thanks, Dad!

RIP Michael Crichton

Famed writer Michael Crichton died unexpectedly Tuesday night after a private battle with cancer, sources say.

Crichton, a 66-year-old medical doctor, was best known for penning "Jurassic Park" and his work with the television show "ER."

He also wrote "The Andromeda Strain," "Sphere" and "Rising Sun" and his 2004 novel, "State of Fear," in which he took on global warming and the theories surrounding it. He directed "Westworld" (1973), "Coma" (1978), "Looker" (1981) and "Runaway" (1984).

Crichton, who graduated from Harvard Medical School, won an Emmy, a Peabody and a Writers Guild of America Award for "ER," and won other awards as well.

[click here to read his New York Times obit]

He is survived by his wife, Sherri, and daughter, Taylor.

Major FAILs of the week

Here are this week's Major FAILs of the week. Feel free to share your FAIL photos/videos here or by sending them to failpictures@gmail.com.



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The voters have spoken...

In what certainly turned out to be a historic election, a record number of voters hit the polls today and voted for what they're hoping will be the change our country needs.

From AP: Barack Obama was elected the nation's first black president Tuesday night in a historic triumph that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself.

The 47-year-old Democratic senator from Illinois sealed his victory by defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in a string of wins in hard-fought battleground states — Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Iowa.

Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, will take their oaths of office as president and vice president on Jan. 20, 2009.

Congratulations to our new president and congratulations to those of you who voted - you made history!

Election Day 2008!

Happy Election Day
from The Jerc Store!

Choose or Lose, Vote or Die - whichever pro-voting slogan you subscribe to, today is the day for you to Rock the Vote.

Polls are open - go, go, go! Click here for polling places.

And don't forget to check out these free deals once you've done your duty as an American. Enjoy!

RELATED LINKS
Let free-food ring
Decision 2008
Don't vote!
Baby mama ain't Obama
Grand Old convention
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Let free-food ring!

My fellow Americans, tomorrow is Election Day and in the true spirit of our obese country, a bunch of businesses are bribing you to vote with free food!

Democratic, Republican, Independent, Libertarian - whatever. Vote for whomever you want, but make sure you vote! Here are a few freebie deals for you to check out tomorrow after you've hit up the polls:


For starters, Starbucks is offering a free 12-oz (tall) coffee to any voter. The promotion, announced in a 60-second commercial during this weekend's Saturday Night Live, is available all day. The company is going by the honor system, so just let the barista know that you voted and you're good to go! [click here to find a Starbs near you]

Krispy Kreme, on the other hand, is requiring an "I Voted Today" sticker for you to bag your free doughnut. Present the sticker to the cashier, and you'll receive a free star-shaped doughnut with patriotic sprinkles. Go America! [click here to find a Krispy Kreme near you]

You can also satisfy your Election Day sweet tooth by heading over to a Ben & Jerry's "scoop shop" between 5-8 p.m. tomorrow. The company is offering free scoops during that time with their "Democracy Never Tasted So Sweet" campaign. Scoops are limited one per customer.

I've also heard that some Chick-fil-A locations will be offering a free chicken sandwich to those wearing "I Voted Today" stickers tomorrow and those who bring in their political yard signs on Nov. 5. I'd check with your local Chick-fil-A for confirmation, but that's an awesome deal if you're more of a savory person like I am. [click here to find a Chick-fil-A near you]

If you've got any other freebie tips, feel free to post 'em! Happy voting!

RELATED LINKS
Decision 2008
Don't vote!
Baby mama ain't Obama
Grand Old convention
Dems fightin' words

Deja vu debating!

With just two days left til we pick a new prez', you've probably already decided for whom you're voting. This little video won't change your mind, but it should at least give you a good laugh.

Make sure you vote Tuesday! (Bet you've heard that before, too...)

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

"World F----ing Champions"

NOTE: I promised a "Yay Philadelphia" post, so here's another special guest post from Dave, my Philadelphia sports fan friend. If you missed Chase Utley's speech at the celebratory parade (from which this post gets its title), click here.

"The Philadelphia Phillies are World Champions."

I truly never thought I would ever get a chance to say those words. From the bottomless pit that was Philadelphia sports for the last 25 years, Philadelphia finally has a world championship to celebrate. And it feels damn good.

After a 46-hour rain delay, the Phillies were able to edge out the Rays 4-3 to win the World Series. We’ll always remember the names of Eric Bruntlett --who scored the winning run-- Pedro Feliz --who got the winning RBI-- and Eric Hinske --who was the last out of the game and was struck out by Brad Lidge.

Words cannot express what I felt when that last strike was recorded. There are no words. Those who are 4-for-4 fans (Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, Sixers) know what that feeling was. It was something special that cannot be replicated. I really wish I had more words, but there aren’t any. If you’re not a part of this fan base, you’re probably thinking I’m crazy, but those who are a part of it know exactly what I mean.

After the game there was joyous celebration throughout the city. Unfortunately, there were certain cases of idiocy. Cars were flipped over, stores encountered vandalism, and even some police officers were assaulted. Keep in mind, that despite the 117 arrests that night, there were literally MILLIONS of people who celebrated responsibly and correctly. Those who wanted to be jackasses were arrested. If the national media chooses to focus only on 117 bad guys, then shame on them. Philadelphia fans should not care how the national media portrays us right now. This is our time to celebrate. This time is about the people of this city who deserve it and pour their hearts out for their sports teams.

There are so many stories that can be heard on talk radio about loved ones who are no longer with us. The last definitive memory I have of my late grandfather was in July of 1993, just three months before he passed away. He picked me up from school and we watched a baseball game. It was Kevin Stocker’s first game as a Phillie. The game was nothing special: Phillies blow a lead in the 9^th, Dykstra wins it in the bottom of the inning, a pretty typical game for that team. The point is that baseball bonded us, as it has bonded many families, particularly in this area.

This was truly a magical group of players. There was just something different about this team that you could feel for a long time. From the moment Shane Victorino hit the grand slam off CC Sabathia, the most dominant pitcher in baseball; it truly felt like this team was writing its own script.

And so the city finally has a championship to celebrate. The Phillies have ended the 25 years of broken hearts. Somewhere, Ronde Barber is still running toward the end zone with that football, and it doesn’t matter. Donovan McNabb may (or may not, depending on who you ask) be throwing up on that last drive in the Super Bowl, and it doesn’t matter. Most importantly, Mitch Williams, you’re forgiven.

The city that was once starved for a world championship can now taste the fruits of victory. From the heart of this sports fan, I can only say thank you, and please Sports Gods, don’t make me wait another 25 years.

In 1975, when the Flyers were one game away from their first Stanley Cup, their coach Fred Shero gave an excellent quote. “Win tonight, walk together forever.”

The 2008 Philadelphia Phillies surely will.

RELATED LINKS
Another curse broken
Or don't blame it on the rain...
Blame it on the rain
Taco, taco, taco!
World Series set to go
Boston wins World Snoozefest
Speedy Gonzalez
Yo quiero free taco
Dem's fightin' Phils

Fall back, yo

Just a reminder, my friends: Don't forget to set your clocks back!

On the first Sunday in November (tomorrow), clocks are set back one hour at 2 a.m. local daylight time, which becomes 1 a.m. local standard time.

And you know what that means - one more hour to party-it-up tonight! Whoo! (It also means that the clock in my car will finally be right again...)

Your computers might not set themselves like they used to, so beware of that. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 changed both the starting and ending dates of DST. Since 2007, daylight time has started on the second Sunday in March and ended on the first Sunday in November (rather than the first Sunday in April and the last Sunday in October).