WCIU, The U / You and Me This Morning / Home / Micro Art

WCIU, The U / You and Me This Morning / Home / Micro Art

Coolest Alien Ever

I know we've been away from the blog for a while, and I hate to return just for a shameless plug.
Still, I wanted to share this story we did at WCIU.
Feel free to check out more of out stories at wciu.com

Blog on Hiatus

Avid readers of this blog will notice that it has been neglected recently. Life has gotten really busy and the blog has taken a back seat. We really appreciate all the readers who supported us over the last year. The blog will not die. I hope to resurrect it one day. I will notify all of you at that time. Thanks so much. Happy summer!

Funnies leaving newspaper

Out of control bride

Wedding season will be here soon.

Lohan the New Cher?

Apparently Lindsay Lohan is as popular as Cher or Madonna. After all, don't we all just referre to her as Lindsay. That is the story Lohan's lawyers want the court to believe.
In case you have not heard, Lohan is suing E*Trade over their Super Bowl commercial. Lohan is upset over the line “And that milkaholic Lindsay wasn’t over?” According to the New York Times In Lohan says the second baby girl was modeled after her because the one-word name “Lindsay” was identified with her.
Here's the commercial. You decide.

Secrets to a Happy Marriage?

They are at it again. You know They. They are the people who study all things that don't really impact your daily life. This time They is the government, more accurately the CDC Yes, the same people who were on the ball for that whole swine flu thing . A new report tries to unlock the secrets to a happy marriage.

What did they tell us? Depends on who you ask. MSNBC says they headline is "Living together does lead to marriage." ABC News says "Moving In Together Before Wedding Can Decrease Chances of Having a Lasting Marriage."

I guess the bigger question is when did marriage become a disease? I mean why else would the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (I guess they left the P off their initials) spend tax money studying marriage.

Jetsons Here We Come

Plans are in place to make your stove as much of a relic as your land-line telephone. Electrolux is unveiling its kitchen of 2050. Yeah, yeah, I know we were supposed to be in the kitchen of the future like 10 years ago. It is still cool to see what the so-called "experts" are working on. My only quation is where do I park my flying car?

Scary Shit

This will stop you in your tracks.





Watch CBS News Videos Online

Caption Contest

This picture says a lot. Let the caption contest begin!

Hacking Elvis Passport

Elvis Presley got a passport and it worked.

A small world

If you ever wonder how other people live... if they really are so very different from the rest of us, then y0u must watch these stories.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

PSA seen around the world

This PSA is having an impact far beyond its intended target. Some call it the best PSA ever.




http://www.embracethis.co.uk/

Yep, they blurred a tree

I do love the pop ups.

Anchor Barbie

The cliché has become a reality. After years of television executives trying to find the next best thing, the one and only Barbie is stepping behind the news desk.
Mattel's iconic distortion of female reality is getting 2 new jobs: Computer engineer and TV anchor. Providing further proof that this blonde can't hold a job, these are Barbie's 125th and 126th job titles.
Girls picked the TV job in a popular vote. No word on what genius put her in the skirt and shoes that any real reporter will tell you just won't work in the field.

Bush Billboard

I am a little late in getting to this... a billboard along a Minnesota highway shows former President George W. Bush with the words "Miss Me Yet?" There was some mystery over who paid for the billboard. That's been revealed.

The Smurfs Return

Apparently, Hollywood loves blue people. First Avatar and its blue people, now the Smurfs.

Yes, the Smurfs are coming to the big screen. According to several web reports the remake will be a -action/CGI hybrid picture-action/CGI hybrid picture.

Now the word is Papa Smurf will be voiced by Jonathan Winters. the 84-year old actor last appeared in a movie in 2006.

Sports Version of "Dewey Beats Truman"

Big oops! The Virginian-Pilot is quickly trying to clean the egg off its face. People in Hampton Roads woke up to discover Peyton Manning has joined the list of all time greats with a Super Bowl win.
Oh, yeah one problem. The Saints won.
The paper printed the final score Colts 31 New Orleans 17. Here's the hastily rewritten correction.

The editors were so good at getting the page pulled off the web, the only picture we have is the famous Chicago Tribune's original oops.

Shoes....

Need I say more? Ladies, the next time someone says you have too many shoes, point to this story.

Hottest Fashion Accessory: An Orphan

Online video games are not known for their taste and restraint. But, a new one called "My Minx," has people upset.

Admittedly, these are the same people who are still not happy that sitcom couples are no longer sleeping in their Donna Reed-esc single beds.

"My Minx," is under fire because the secrets to being "stylish" are things like buying kids and adopting third-world kids. The so-called real-life kids of celebrity parents are singled out by name. As London's Daily Mail reports, in the game, Angelina Jolie's 4-year-old Zahara is said to be Ethiopian and a fan of eating guinea pigs, while Maddox enjoys cockroaches.

Candidate with a Funny Name

First let me be clear, we are in no way endorsing any candidates here on your (hopefully) favorite blog.
Today is election day in Illinois, the state that made Blagojevich governor. That by itself is always ripe for comedy. But, this ad for comptroller made us laugh.
After all, how many candidates have you seen run on the funny name platform.

Blame it on the Couch?

It is a serious and often heart wrenching topic for many couple, the struggle to get pregnant. Now comes one of the strangest twist on this complicated subject.
Leave it to Cal-Berkeley, but a recent study that your furniture may play a role in fertility. It turns out harmful chemicals found in electronics, furniture, carpets, plastics and upholstery fabrics may be why you're having trouble getting pregnant.
The Sun baked egg-heads at Berkeley 97% of us have detectable levels of PBDEs (or polybrominated diphenyl ethers) in our bloodstream. If 97% of us have it, how can anybody get pregnant.
If you don't want to dig through the academia-talk, here is a version of the story in the L.A. Times. Hey that's as close to an understandable write-up I can find.

Obama as Guest Star

President Obama may be auditioning for his next job. Either that or there is just an eager producer for CBS basketball. Either way, the President's brief stint as color commentator during this weekend's Duke vs. Georgetown game was humorous.

Rewarding Skinny People

Apparently Whole Foods takes the whole healthy body image thing seriously. Maybe a little too seriously. You decide.
The New York Daily News is reporting employees who have lower body mass index, cholesterol, and blood pressure get a bigger discount than others.
It turns out everybody has an advocacy group these days. A spokeswoman for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance was quoted as saying, "Why are you rewarding people who are naturally thin? We believe it's discrimination." The group is calling for a boycott.

After 10 Years it Needed to be BIG

It took this couple 10 years to set a date, so their save-the-date announcement had to be big. This video however, takes big to a whole other level

Rupert Murdoch as American Idol judge

Some think Simon is not replacable on American Idol. Judge Randy Jackson has an idea.

The Real Life Story of Extraordinary Measures

The movie "Extraodrinary Measures" was based on the book "The Cure."

Kimmel on Leno's Own show

What the F***?

Forget eating better or getting in shape. The City Supervisor in San Francisco has a whopper of a New Year's Resolution. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Chris Daly has vowed to dropped the F-bomb in every Board of Supervisors meeting this year.

According to the Chronicle, the board president wasn't too happy about the plan. Board President David Chiu reportedly bought a bar of soap and delivered it to Daly's office.

The $60 Snuggie: It's Electric.. Boogie, Woogie

It's the Blanket with sleeves. It is the Snuggie. You already know they come in your favorite school colors and there are even Snuggies for dogs. Now, there is a new Snuggie hitting the market and this one costs $60.

USA Today reports the next big thing is the "Toasty" a fleece electric blanket that boasts sleeves and a built-in thermostat.

"Toasty keeps you toasty warm all winter without limiting your activities," says Ion Audio (the company that makes the Snuggie) managing director Gregg Stein.

You will have to wait until spring until you get a Toasty

No Cougars Allowed

The cougars of the world will just have to keep their prowling confined to land. After all, cats don't really like water right?

According to the AP, Carnival Cruise Lines has banned any "Cougar" themed cruises. Apparently a singles group in Miami wanted to load a ship up with Cougars and cubs, and watch the debauchery ensue.

While Carnival hasn't given any reason for the ban, industry peeps say it is likely a move to protect Carnival's "family-friendly" image. The singles group says they are having no such problem with Norwegian and Royal Caribbean.

Seriously People it is a MOVIE

Avatar is number one at the box office. As Bina said, it is BIG. Apparently it is too big for some folks. As CNN reports, there is a growing problem with people suffering from "Avatar Depression."
There are even people considering suicide after the movie, because they can't go live with the 10 feet tall blue people.
As one post-Avatar Depression sufferer wrote online, "When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed ... gray. It was like my whole life, everything I've done and worked for, lost its meaning It just seems so ... meaningless. I still don't really see any reason to keep ... doing things at all. I live in a dying world."
You can't make this stuff up. One clinic shrink was even quoted as saying the movie is so engaging that after sitting through the 2 and a half hour movie these people are having classic separation anxiety. Other suffers say they have been helped by playing the Avatar video game. The doctor on the other hand says human connections are what suffers should look for instead of suicide. Of course, if they had any real human connections would they be getting depressed over a movie?

George's Record Toppled

In the show that gave us Festivus, "Master of your domain," and "Yada, Yada, Yada," there was also the George's fictional Frogger hi-score of 860,630. Seinfeld fans will no doubt remember the great lengths George went to in order to save his one big accomplishment (see below.)
Well now George has been bested by A father of two from Westport, Conneticut. As AOL.com reports, Pat Laffaye's 896,980 points was confirmed by a gaming organization.
The standard was set in a 1989 episode, and was so high a gaming company once offered a prize if anybody could top George's score in 2005. Nobody did.
The record-breaking game reportedly took almost 6 hours.
Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza on the sit-com was reached in Hollywood. His quote, "Mazel Tov. You beat a fictional character with a fictional score. Give your parents back whatever they paid for your college."

The most interesting Andy Roddick interview ever

There's not much to say about this. Just watch. Oh yeah, and watch the Koala's over tennis player Andy Roddick's shoulder.

Botox for your Dog

As if the dog Snuggie wasn't proof that we as a society have lost our freaking mind, you can now get your dog plastic surgery. In a scene straight out of the Ricki Lake, the picture to the left comes from AOL and is the before and after of a dog in Australia.

This dog is Roland and was a stray shar pei . According to the Sydney Daily Telegraph the dog's wrinkles caused his eyelashes to turn inwards. That is apparently a common problem with this breed and can cause blindness. So the RSPCS spent a grand to get this DOG-- a full face lift and double eye lift.

The chief vet told the paper the dog is more adoptable because potential owners aren't facing that major financial burden upon taking the pup home.

The Most Useless Machine

In the coming days you are going to hear a lot about the latest "must-have" technology. That's because of the big Consumer Electronic Show in Vegas. That's where all the tech companies unveil their newest "revolutionary" devices. You'll be hearing about everything from Google's new smart phone, to 3D TV, to Apple's tablet.
This is one machine that won't change the world. In fact it is more useless than the old Commadore 64 you have sitting in a closet somewhere. It comes form a company called SaskView, and yes it looks like a wooden box, and is a little creepy. Because as Arthur C. Clarke said, "there is something unspeakably sinister about a machine that does nothing -- absolutely nothing -- except turn itself off."
That's right, once you turn this on all it does is turn itself off. Just watch the video below.

Supreme Court: Sexting at work

When your job pays for your blackberry, sexting may not be a good idea. Yet, for some reason a California cop is suing after he was fired for sending sexually related texts on his work pager. The case is going all the way to the Supreme Court.

Apparently the case could have wide ranging implications, including whether your boss can read your work emails. That's because the The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the cop has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

On the other hand, in today's Chicago Tribune they cite one study, that says fully half of employers said they monitor their employees' Internet usage.

25% say they have fired someone for inappropriate use of e-mail.

The Decade of Double-Talk?

Everywhere you look someone is engaging in the futile effort to define the decade just past (Yes, decades end in 09. I don't care if there was no year 0. It is just easier this way.) It is going to be hard when we can't even agree on what to call the last 10 years. However, a recent Chicago Tribune editorial called this "The Decade of Double-Talk." That seems as good a title as any, but in that same article they outline generations of Extreme Euphemisms.
For example, we have not failed to capture Osama bin Laden. No, former Homeland Security adviser Frances Townsend says it is "a success that hasn't occurred yet."
Nobody likes being laid off. So Nokia conducted a "synergy-related headcount restructuring."
As George Carlin pointed out (below), "shell shock" is now "post traumatic stress disorder."
But, this isn't new. after the Civil War, people often referred to the death of hundreds of thousands as "The Late Unpleasantness."
The again, we may have jumped the shark when some school systems dropped "phys-ed" or "gym" for "kinetic wellness."

Keeping Resolutions

Many of us made New Year's resolutions to live a healthier life. Come February, when the crowds thin out at the gym, here are some tips to remember. You can start my clearing out your kitchen as USA Today suggests.

It is all about New York (Just ask Bina)

If You have not seen Stephen Colbert's duet with Alicia Keys check out Bina's post from a few days ago. Now it appears everyone is getting in on the game. And while folks from New York will tell you there is only one "real" city, CNN reports there are more than 100 remixes of Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind" online. Most are rewritten for other cities. I'll take their word on the numbers, but just go to You Tube and search "empire state of mind" and any your city. You're likely to find something.
Below is one that made me laugh, an ode to the 6,000-person farm town of New Holland in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
"I thought it would be really cool to make a song about my hometown, which is the exact opposite of New York City," said college student Matthew Besson, who wrote "New Holland State of Mind."

You Tube's Top Videos of 2009

2009 will be remembered for a lot of things. I mean nobody will ever be able to hike the Appalachian Trail without laughing again, and a year ago Swine Flu sounded like a bad B movie. But, it was also the year You Tube exploded.
So the folks at You Tube grabbed their top 4 clips of the year. Hopefully, this will be the only time you see any Twilight related video on this sight, but the Trailer for New Moon did get 24 million views in just 7 months.
The top clip was of course, Susan Boyle's breakout on Britain's got talent. As of the end of the year, 83 million people watched that clip on You Tube.

Below are the top 4; Susan Boyle, David after the Dentist, JK Wedding Entrance Dance, and New Moon Movie Trailer.


Susan Boyle Stuns Crowd with Epic Singing - Watch more Funny Videos