| As fair opens, toy makers stress value
A year ago, parents readily splurged on their kids' toys — and the industry unleashed fancy, pricey playthings. Hasbro brought out a talking parrot for $69.99, Spinmaster a transforming robot-helicopter for $110 — and Zizzle a pinball machine, complete with lights and sound effects, for $350. This year, parents dealing with debt, higher energy costs and housing trouble are more reserved — and are likely to opt for budget-friendly toys that lend themselves to long-lasting play, experts say. At the American International Toy Fair, which starts Sunday, manufacturers will emphasize “good play," said Chris Byrne, an independent toy trendspotter for thetoyguy.com. .
Rock Stars in the Greenroom
I wasn't able to spend much time the greenroom today because I was on-set filling in for Gretchen. So, I temporarily deputized Maureen (fellow Jersey girl/make-up artist extraordinaire) and Jeisohn (famed hair stylist) to record all the behind-the-scenes action. Here's what they tell me: Brian Welch has a lot of tattoos. (Actually, I could see that for myself). The former lead guitarist of the heavy-metal band Korn is covered head-to-toe in them. Believe it or not, he got most of them after quitting the band, quitting drugs and finding God. Brian told Maureen that his favorite one is a picture of his daughter Jennea on his left arm. It took three months to get all of the ink done on that tat ... but he says that wasn't even the most PAINFUL one. That would be the flames on the top of his hands.
Monday wild card
Now, the boys are allowed to make the faux flatulence sounds only in the house and the car. Wonder what the neighbors woulda thought of the Armpit Serenade Contest at Cruisers Mini-Sturgis 2006 at Stateline two days ago? Or the Best Butt Crack Contest? When in Rome .
Is Homeland Security Too Focused on “Guns, Guards and Gates”?
September 11th was a brutal reminder that there are people out there who have the desire and means to kill us in a mass attack, and we have to stop them. "The best defense is a good offense", we like to say, but in this case it's a little trickier than that. We need an offense mindful of long-term gains and a defense more nuanced than smash-mouth football. "Guns, guards and gates," our bulwark against external threats, remains an essential part of our defense. Yet consider this: attacks attempted or carried out in the UK involved insiders, young Brits willing to kill their fellow citizens. It's hard to employ a simplistic "us vs. them" strategy, when "they" are living and working alongside us. To better understand this quandry, I recently caught up with Juliette Kayyem, Undersecretary of Homeland Security for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a former adviser with the National Commission on Terrorism.
Samsung Digimax GX-10 Digital SLR Camera
Can changing the name on a camera save you money? Yes, when you take thePentax K10Dand call it the Samsung GX-10 Digital SLR Camera. The former, with a 27-83mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens sells for $800, more or less, while the latter--virtually identical camera body and same lens--sells for $750. Given the GX-10's features, it's a bargain. .
Hyundai Genesis of Super Bowl Ad Fame - All the Details
Editors Note: We like most of you watched the NY Giant Football Team beat the New England Patriots...and we are sure that you were impressed with the new fulll sized Hyundai Genesis. So here are all of the details of this new exciting car. Detroit, 01/13/2008; Hyundai aims to shatter premium automobile paradigms with the North American International Auto Show introduction of its new flagship, the all-new Genesis sports sedan. With capabilities and features comparable to the world's leading premium sports sedans, Genesis will arrive at Hyundai dealerships this summer. Genesis is built on Hyundai's all-new, performance-driven rear-wheel-drive architecture. It offers three powertrains, including 3.3-liter and 3.8-liter V6 engines, and Hyundai's all-new 4.6-liter Tau V8.
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