I bet I can find Waldo...

[NOTE] This is a special announcement from my friend, Matt, who has organized a fantastic event at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. If you are in that area or know anyone there, spread the word -- You have the chance to do some good while being a part of history and setting a Guinness World Record!

Last year, Matt and more than 700 others set the Guinness World Record for most people dressed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This year, it's all about Waldo, and it won't be too hard to find him with potentially 1,800 people dressed as the stripey fellow. And hey, it's his 21st birthday this year!

Here are the details (ala Matt):

New Brunswick, NJ – On April 2, the Rutgers University Programming Association (RUPA) and Rutgers Student Life will attempt to break another Guinness World Record™. Over 1,500 Rutgers students, faculty, staff and community members are expected to overtake the historic State Theatre located in downtown New Brunswick, New Jersey, dressed as publishing phenomenon and pop culture icon, Where’s Waldo?

For an “entry fee,” each participant will be asked to bring at least one children’s book to donate to literacy efforts in the local New Brunswick School District. In addition to breaking the Guinness World Record™, the goal is to collect over 4,000 books. Candlewick Press, publisher of the best-selling “Where’s Waldo?” series, has also pledged to donate one book for every participant in attendance that evening.

The event will start at 8:00 p.m. with the doors of the State Theatre opening at approximately 7:00 p.m. Event participants are asked to wear blue jeans or pants and will be provided with Waldo’s iconic long-sleeved striped shirt, knit hat and glasses as stipulated in the official Guinness World Record™ requirements.

“The “Where’s Waldo? world record attempt is a truly unique charitable event,” said Matthew Ferguson, Assistant Director for Student Life and RUPA Advisor[ “The ‘double bottom line’ of collecting books for local schools and charities as well as attempting to break the Guinness World Record™ allows the members of our community to get involved with a philanthropic project while being a part of an exciting and memorable event.”

The event is a part of Entertainment Rights’ year-long 21^st birthday celebration for Waldo. Last summer, Waldo got his digital passport as he leapt off the pages of books, joining millions of other 20-somethings to travel the digital highway. An official Waldo online presence was established on key social networking sites including Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Waldo’s official online destination, www. findwaldo.com, launched in September, timed to his 21^st birthday.

In April of 2008, Rutgers University was successful in breaking the Guinness World Record™ for the Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Ninja Turtles.

This event is being co-sponsored by the Rutgers Center for Communication and Health Issues’ RU Sure? Campaign which debunks myths about alcohol-use on campus and encourages students to choose responsible alternatives. Barnes & Noble, the official campus bookstore of Rutgers University, is also a co-sponsor of the event.

Kinda makes you feel nostalgic, right? Thinking about your kiddie crusade to find Waldo amongst the pyramids and vikings. If you can, get out to RU and find/be Waldo! It's a great cause and is sure to get a lot of attention nationwide!

Mmm, vegetable ballsagna

Now, I'm a really picky eater, but trying something out of this new cookbook would be pretty ballsy...

"The Testicle Cookbook: Cooking With Balls," by Ljubomir Erovic, has become the world's first testicle cookbook. Innovative? Sure. Disgusting? Very.

This sounds like it would be useful for some of my friends whose girlfriends keep their balls in a jar on the nightstand. But does the cover photo really need to be that graphic?

Brovic, a testicle cook and gourmet from Serbia (where organs are considered a delicacy), shares his 31 'balling' recipes, including Testicle Pizza, Testicle Pie and Battered Testicles. That last one sounds pretty painful, right boys?

The book was published today as a multimedia e-Book on YUDU, which lets anyone publish, share, buy or sell their own digital documents. You can also view videos demonstrations of Brovic's recipes so you check out peeling and slicing of the testicles.

The book contains recipes for bull, pig, ram, stallion, sheep, ostrich and more. No human balls, though. Shuck.

In a world...where books have faces...

Coming soon to a theater near you...Facebook:The Movie.


Sony confirmed to InternetNews.com that a movie about Facebook is in the works, and that Aaron Sorkin, writer of The West Wing, will be writing the picture for Sony producer Scott Rudin (No Country for Old Men).

The social networking site, which entertains more than 100 million users, has not agreed to cooperate with any film project, according to a rep, but it's "flattered" by the interest.

The plotline won't be some boy-meets-girl on Facebook drama, but rather a look at Facebook's humble--and controversial--beginnings. Harvard alumni magazine 02138 reported the film would be an adaptation of Ben Mezrich's upcoming book, Face Off (working title), which depicts allegations that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg stole his Harvard classmates' idea and source code from the site ConnectU (then HarvardConnection).

Sorkin created a Facebook page to get more acquainted with the site.

"I figured a good first step in my preparation would be finding out what Facebook is, so I've started this page. (Actually it was started by my researcher, Ian Reichbach, because my grandmother has more Internet savvy than I do and she's been dead for 33 years.)" - The Aaron Sorkin and Facebook Movie page.

I think someone should also let Mr. Sorkin know how God-awful the "new" Facebook is, by the way.

And speaking of Facebook...click the box on the left-hand toolbar to become a fan of The Jerc Store on Facebook. (Shameless self promotion, yes indeedy!)

"This life is a short journey"

You probably have no idea who Dave Freeman is, but I'm sure you've heard of his "100 Things to Do Before you Die" -- the guide on places to go and things to do to live your life to its fullest.

Sadly, Freeman died at the age of 47 after a fall in his California home, his father told press Monday.

Items in the book include Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, the Iditarod Sled Race, New Years Eve in NYC, Brisbane's World Championship Cockroach Races and more.

Family members said the author had done/seen about half of the things on the list; you've gotta admit, his untimely death is a bit ironic, and I'm sure there's an obvious joke in that somewhere, but I'm not heartless enough to make it. Think good thoughts for his family and friends, and maybe try out some of the things in the book - you never know how much time you'll have to do all 100!

Betrayed by the 'Bell'

Isn't it the best feeling when you're getting ready for work at 7 a.m., all the while knowing that you can put on TBS and see your friends from Bayside up to their old antics?

"Saved By the Bell" is probably one of the greatest shows of my adolescent life. There is not one episode I have not seen, one backstory I cannot describe in detail or one super corny line that I cannot recite.

But there were some things about the show -
particularly the real lives of its teen-now-adult stars - that I never really knew too much about... And thanks to Dustin "Screech" Diamond, that might soon be changing.

"Behind the Bell," Diamond's planned tell-all book, promises to detail "sexual escapades among cast members, drug use, and hardcore partying" during the SBTB days, according to New York Magazine.

And while this is probably the greatest idea ever --it's enough to make me sing, "I'm so exciiiited, I'm so exciiiited"-- a part of me wants to forever preserve the innocent images of Zack, Kelly, Jessie, Lisa, Slater and Screech hanging out by their lockers and sharing fries at The Max. I don't want to hear if Mark Paul Gosselaar was actually taking drugs; that would be way too Johnny Dakota of him.

...Plus, I really hate Dustin Diamond and think he's a huge douchebag that doesn't deserve to make money like he'll make off of this. Who knows if he'll even be telling the truth. The guy's got serious "angry typecast" syndrome and probably resents the rest of his castmates that went on to do something else with their lives, like not starring in 67 episodes of "Saved By the Bell: The New Class."

Stick a fork in him

This is one of the most disgusting news stories I've seen: Police are saying that a 25-year-old Dallas man allegedly killed his girlfriend and then cooked her remains after they found her ear boiling in a pot on the stove and a slab of human flesh on the table with a fork in it.

Christopher McCuin told his mother to go in the garage Saturday and "see what he had done," and after they fled the scene for help, McCuin called police. Authorities are still unsure if the man had actually eaten any parts of the body.

McCuin is also being charged with stabbing the lover of his estranged wife prior to the slaying of his girlfriend, Jana Shearer. Police believe that the 21-year-old Shearer was abducted from her home after she left the home with no shoes, purse or cell phone Friday night. Neighbors said they had hurt the couple loudly fighting in the past.

I don't know if this guy was delusional and seriously wanted to eat his girlfriend or if he was just looking for a way to make national news, which is so often the case nowadays. This reminds me of that book "Two Bottles of Relish" by Lord Dunsany, except this guy was forthright in his means of murder and was almost bragging about it. Disgusting.

McCuin was charged with capital murder. He was being held in the Smith County Jail on a $2 million bond yesterday and did not have an attorney, officials said. He is scheduled to be arraigned today, and Texas will give him the death penalty for this heinous crime. Good thing this wasn't in New Jersey.

Guns don't kill people; Chuck Norris kills people...and books about him

Last week, everyone's favorite roundhouse-kicking, fear-inspiring, Black Belt Grand Master is suing Penguin Group, Inc. publishing house over the accuracy of new book titled "The Truth About Chuck Norris."

Norris sued the company and the book's creator, Ian Spector, claiming that his good image is being spoiled by a book that depicts him as callous and unlawful and which he says includes false "facts" that are sometimes racist and lewd, according to the Associated Press.

He cannot be serious.

Does he not like being known as the man the Boogeyman checks under the bed for or the reason that Waldo is hiding? Is he denying the fact that when he does a push-up he is in fact lifting himself up and not pushing the Earth down?? I'm sure we could go on for days [click here for an intense list of Chuck Norris "facts"].

In the prologue of the book, the author thanks Chuck Norris for "playing along," but Walker Texas Ranger claims he never authorized anyone to use his name, image or likeness in connection with commercial sales of the book, which was published on Nov. 29.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, a halt to publication and a recall of books already sold. If Chuck Norris really wants those books back, he can seek them down himself. Yeah, that's right. I said it.

Time-honored tradition

Sorry, folks: This year we (or "you") did not even place in the running for Time's Person of the Year. Landing the top spot this year is Russian President Vladimir Putin.


Not completely sure about this, but the article about him is fantastic, a very deep look into his every move and his motivations. Personally, my favorite part is when he reveals to Adi Ignatius that his favorite Beatles song is Yesterday. Or that he's never sent an e-mail in his life.

The runner-up was Al Gore--no surprise there.

And also not surprisingly, author J.K. Rowling placed second runner-up--I mean, she was 2007's Most Fascinating Person, according to Barbara Walters.

Don't forget to check out the list of "People Who Mattered" in 2007, which includes a lot of question marks and some shockers, like Miley Cyrus and Radiohead?? And my favorite is that silly snowmwan who asked the global warming question during the presidential debate--even he made the list!

Who wants to break stuff!?

Today, Nov. 8, 2007, is Guinness World Records Day.

This year, you can receive GWR goodies, be featured on the website and of course, be included in the book next year if your record is kick-ass enough. All you need to do is go to their website and register to break a world record.
I'm sure if you're creative enough, you can come up with something so ridiculous no one has ever even thought to attempt it, like most rattlesnakes sat in a tub with (Jackie Bibby and Rosie Reynolds-McCasland, each with 75 Western Diamondback rattlesnakes), or most books typed backward (Michele Santelia of Campobasso, Italy, typed backwards 58 books (3,204,764 words) in their original languages including The Odyssey, Macbeth, The Vulgate Bible and the Guinness World Records Book 2002).

As you can probably imagine, this site is a lot of fun to play around on.

Also, a Virginia man is being honored today as the tallest man in the U.S.A. at 7-foot-8, two inches taller than Yao Ming, but not tall enough to beat the 8-foot-5.5 man in the Ukraine.

Getting all Mark Twain and ish

If you're itching to write a novel, but really can't move out to a log cabin in the woods and live in seclusion, you should considering participating in NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, which starts today.

If you go to the site and sign up, you join thousands of people across the country all trying to find an hour or two each day to pen their award-winning story.

The goal is to write a 50,000-word novel by the end of the month, Nov. 30. Each day, you can upload what you've written to the site and it counts your words for you. You don't edit or think, you just write. Let the ideas flow and worry about editing in December. Best part is - it's free!!

And if you're catching this post late, there's still time - they take latecomers, no questions asked! Give it a shot!

Stop believin'

Say goodbye to the Sopranos conspiracy theory. Even though nobody has talked about the show in three months, creator David Chase has decided to bring it up again and crush any sort of creative interpretation Sopranos fans dreamed up.

Tony Soprano was not whacked, according to Chase. In fact, he's exasperated at the fact that Sopranos fans were not satisfied by the infamous "cut to black" ending and berates them for wanting to see Tony dead.

First of all, this guy has gotta realize that you can't please everyone ever. Then, he needs to realize the importance of mystery, intrigue, imagination...Why would you create an ending so incredibly open to analysis, and then months later decide the ending for everyone?

Personally, I'm not a Sopranos fanatic, but I found the finale intriguing and wanted to know more. I really liked the Tony gets whacked scenario, flashing back to the conversation on the boat, that "you never see it coming." When I heard that, I thought 'genuius!' But now hearing this? It's so anticlimatic and completely contradictory to the spirit of the cliffhanger. Bad move, Mr. Chase.

Dumbledore out of the closet

So Dumbledore is gay. I don't read Harry Potter books...is this a big deal? What I find to be a bigger deal when a young fan asked if Dumbledore finds true love, J.K. Rowling's response is: "Dumbledore is gay." Flat out, he's gay. So if he's gay he doesn't find true love? There is no fluffy story for little Jenny wondering if one of her favorite character lives happily ever after. "No, Jenny. He's gay so he will be lonely for the rest of his life."

Rowling said that she regarded her Potter books as a "prolonged argument for tolerance," but that certainly doesn't seem to be the case here. Either that, or she's just trying to get people to talk about Harry Potter again because her book will never gain as much press as it did three months ago.

Blast from the Past

Beginning Oct. 1, Cartoon Network has been airing episodes of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series. I remember watching this show after school when I was in elementary school. I happened to stumble upon this while flipping through channels and of course, I got suckered in. Unfortunately, the episode that was on was "Night of the Living Dummy," and I'm not kidding when I say this episode scared the crap out of me when I was 10 and it still scares me. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have nightmares of Slappy the dummy running around my room tonight.

Any obscure Goosebump book title references?? Please share.