I miss the days of the good Emmy shows with hosts like Johnny Carson. Those were the days before acceptance speeches were whittled down to forty-five seconds and the winner would thank everyone from the producers to the writers, from the co-stars to family members, from Hosea to Cleveland Amory, from their first grade teacher to their lucky shower cap. With acceptance speeches like that, it was no wonder the Emmy Awards would end close enough to preempt Captain Kangaroo.

I remember seeing Dick Van Dyke winning for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. I can still see the surprise look on his face when his name was called, his genuine adoration for his cast and crew as he wept through his acceptance speech and the reflection of the lights, glaring back at the camera lens, off the trophy.

That's when I decided I wanted one of those. I wanted to stand in front of my peers and knock off some well prepared, glib remarks about show business. I wanted to thank everyone under the sun for making that moment special. I even wrote my acceptance speech that night.

Unfortunately, my acting career came to an abrupt halt after an insensitive director, at a community theater audition for The Odd Couple, told me that my dramatic ability could only be compared to that of Lawrence. “Olivier?” I inquired. “No. Moe and Curly's sidekick,” was his response.

I was surprised. I thought my reading of Oscar Madison was riveting. The director agreed that “it was similar to being fastened to a girder with red, hot bolts of metal.”

As I sat in the audience and watched the performance of The Odd Couple (Billy Kunkle, the director's live-in secretary got the part of Oscar), I noticed the laughs it was getting. The rhythm that Neil Simon had going with his words was pure magic. Every line was a gem. That's when I noted that any live-in secretary could be an actor, but to be able to create these lines and such interesting characters was the true challenge.

It was then that I decided to hell with acting, I'm going to become a writer. I'm going to get my Emmy by writing a fantastic script or a popular series.

I began writing scripts for all the popular shows of the time: Murphy Brown, Home Improvement, The Wonder Years, Coach, Wings, Frasier. My aspirations soared when I got an agent interested in my work. However, my aspirations plummeted when it was discovered that my agent was jailed for Income Tax evasion and probably wouldn't be out until the "98-"99 season.

Fast forward to this year. Another year has come and gone and my mantle is still empty. Well, there's a pair of bookends without any books between them, and a ceramic bust of someone who is supposed to be Mark Twain, but looks more like Don King, however, no Emmy.

So, just in case my time to jump up with delight and weep openly at the Awards Ceremonies never comes, I would like for you to hear my acceptance speech.

First, I would start off by saying, “I'm going to avoid all the old clichés and simply say that I would like to thank the Academy, the hard working producers, actors and crew of (NAME OF SHOW TO BE FILLED IN HERE) for all their support. It's an honor just to have been nominated. To those of you who were nominated with me, I share this award with you. It's a pleasure to be nominated in such wonderfully talented company. My thanks to my mother and father for having me, my wife for encouraging me, and my agent for making bail. Receiving this award means you like me; you really, really like me.

Before I go, there is one person I would really like to thank, someone who helped me early in my career. I would like to thank the lady at the Quickie Print Copy Shop for making copies of my spec scripts to send to agents. What's that? Yes, forty-five seconds do go rather quickly, Mr. Probst. Thanks again. I love you all.”

Okay, so maybe I won't get an Emmy for best writer. So, maybe I am wasting my time trying to tackle such a competitive market. Wait! Do they give Emmys to gaffers? What is a gaffer anyway? How about best boy? That sounds like something I can do. The nominations for Best Best Boy are...

The Mirren Principle

I think is a good principle. When you find out that the football that you bought the kids last Christmas was not in fact stitched together by the manufacturer's grandmother and a couple of her friends over afternoon tea, their hands being lovingly cared for by local children, but by kids of an age should be in school or with their mothers in cramped sweatshop, perhaps you would say to yourself, “well, if Helen can do it so can I”. So maybe in her own way she has done more for the cause of so-called Fair Trade than even Naomi Klein.

Maybe we should have a list. We have lists for everything else nowadays, from 101 Things to do Before you Turn on the TV Tonight 101 uses of a Toilet Roll. With that touch of originality we could even call it the Mirren List of Approved Manufacturers.

The Mirren List

Just think, do we really believe that sugarcane is cut by threshing machines or by 14-year-old with a machete? How ethical is your ethanol? Is that $100 T-shirt really $100 or a one dollar T-shirt put together by a young girl in a hot and sweaty factory with a $99 badge? Put them on the Mirren List!

What about human rights? Perhaps we could look at countries with a less than clean record with regard to human rights and put them on the Mirren List, countries that invade others; companies that sell products that just don't work while making billions; politicians supported by big business. The potential members of their Mirren List are endless. But wait, where would it all end if we all started to take a moral stand? The producers of smack would go out of business in a day, politicians would tell the truth. Welcome back Tinkerbell, we missed you.

Seriously

In all seriousness, the newspaper reports of Mirren's use of cocaine (ignoring her thoughts on date rape, upon which I do not comment) betray a certain amount of disbelief and perhaps irony on the part of the journalists that she actually took the stuff. But I was more surprised by her apparent naivete. Then I thought, am I not also guilty? Ask yourself whether you perhaps have something at home that should be on the Mirren List. Are we not all to some extent guilty of turning, if not a blind eye, a remarkably naïve one? We don't have to be saints, but maybe if we looked at one item on the shelves at home or in the kids' room with open eyes and refused to buy it, just said “no”, the world would be a little better off. 

There were much speculation about the possibility of American swimmer Michael Phelps breaking Mark Spitz' record of seven gold medals won in a single Olympics. True enough, he did not disappoint. He qualified for eight events (400m individual medley, 200m individual medley, 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 4x100m medley relay, and the 4x100m and 4x200 freestyle relays) and won them all world record time, except for the 100m butterfly where he set a new Olympic record. Phelps, in the process of surpassing Mark Spitz' record set at the 1972 Games, matched and then outstripped the record nine career gold medals of Games icons Spitz, Paavo Nurmi, Carl Lewis, and Larissa Latynina to emerge the greatest Olympian of all time.

Lightning Bolt Strikes Thrice

With the two-time world champion Tyson Gay eliminated in the semifinals, Jamaican Usain Bolt seemingly had only fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell to beat in the 100m sprint final. He looked around with only thirty meters left and realized that it was all clear; he breezed through and was still able to shatter his own record with 9.69 seconds. Four days after, he repeated the feat in the 200m final, breaking the 200m world record to achieve the first Olympic golden sprint double in twenty four years; and the first 100-200m victories at world record pace. Two days later, Bolt went on to capture his third gold medal running the third leg of the Jamaican 4x100 meters relay team.

Russian and Georgian Medalists in Symbolic Embrace

While sharing the medal podium, good friends and former teammates of the former Soviet Union, Russia's Natalia Paderina and Georgia's Nino Salukvadze embraced and kissed each other on the cheeks, setting aside the conflict between their two countries and providing a boost to the Georgian team that had considered pulling out from the Games a day earlier. They finished silver and bronze respectively behind China's Guo Wenjun following the dramatic women's 10m air pistol event final. Salukvadze expressed optimism, hopeful that the Games' ideals of peace would be an example for those watching. "If the world were to draw any lessons from what I did, there would never be any wars," she exclaimed. "After all, we live in the twenty-first century. We shouldn't really stoop so low to wage wars against each other."

Injured Liu's Pullout Shocks China

China's 1.3 billion population has been banking on Liu Xiang to defend his 110m hurdles Olympic title won four years ago in Athens. Liu, one of the major faces of the Beijing Olympics, has been bothered by his right Achilles' heel injury for six to seven years and was obviously in pain when he lined up for the race. He would limp down the tunnel of the Birds Nest stadium to a confused silence from the largely nationalistic crowd.

US Gymnast Ends China Run

China emerged as Games new gymnastics superpower after striking gold in both the men's and women's team events. But China's stranglehold on the sport would be broken by Nastia Liukin of the United States who won the women's individual all-around event, with Shawn Johnson, Liukin's compatriot, taking the silver to make it a one-two finish for the United States. The best the host nation could salvage was a bronze medal by Yang Yiling. The triumph somehow atoned for the US women's loss to China in the team event due to costly mistakes on beam and floor.

South African Amputee Inspires the Rest

The 24-year-old Natalie du Toit, who had won six medals at the 2004 Athens Paralympics, desires to inspire others to reach for their dreams after fulfilling her ambition to compete at the Beijing Olympics despite having her lower leg amputated seven years ago in a motor accident. Thus, she became the first amputee to qualify for the Olympic Games since 1936, and would finish sixteenth in the women's 10km marathon swim. Her participation prompted the eventual gold medal winner Larissa Ilchenko of Russia, to insist that du Toit merited a medal just for competing.

Australian Diver Prevents China Sweep

Matthew Mitcham of Australia qualified in second position for the 10m platform event final. With one last dive to go, he was ranked second, 34 points behind China's Zhou Luxin, having experienced mixed success in his first five dives. After Zhou made the worst dive of the final scoring a measly 74.80 points, Mitcham still needed a near perfect score of 107.30 to clinch the gold. His near-perfect final dive drew four perfect tens from the judges and attained 112.10 points, the highest single-dive score in the history of the Olympics. His win prevented China from achieving a clean-sweep of all diving events at the Games.

The Redeem Team Avenges Athens Loss

Following disappointments of placing sixth at the 2002 World Championships and settling for third place at the 2004 Games and the 2006 World Championships, the United States sent a twelve-man basketball team, dubbed the "Redeem Team," in an effort to reclaim the global throne that once belonged to them. The team, consisting of prominent NBA players, included Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard among others. The United States totally conquered Group B in pool play, crushing China, Angola, Greece, world champion Spain, and Germany by an average margin of 32.2 points. Then, the United States soundly defeated Group A's fourth place-finishers, Australia 116-85 in the quarterfinal matchup headed by Kobe Bryant's 25 points, and Manu Ginobili-led Argentinian team (the 2004 Olympic gold medallist) 101-81 led by Carmelo Anthony's 21 points. In the final battle for the gold, the United States defeated Spain 118-107 in a remarkably close game, with the Americans' lead reaching as high as fourteen points, and as low as two points with less than four minutes left to play.

Cancer Survivor Beats the Odds in Swim Marathon

The 27-year-old Dutchman Maarten van der Weijden was diagnosed with leukemia in 2001, but returned stronger following his ordeal to compete at the 2003 open water championships before being crowned world champion over 25km in Seville earlier this year. He compared his gold medal triumph to his personal battle against cancer as he waited patiently for the leaders to set the early pace before a late burst saw him claim gold in a time of 1 hour 51 minutes 51.6 seconds.

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale

Gwen Stefani and her husband Gavin Rossdale just had a baby boy. You won't believe the name they gave him. They named him Zuma Nesta Rock. She named him after a video game. I know she liked the video game, but he's the one who has to live with the name. I shouldn't be surprised since they named their first son Kingston.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban recently had a baby girl. They named her Sunday Rose. She wasn't even born on a Sunday so I don't see the sense in naming her Sunday.

Ingo Rademacher

Ingo Rademacher and his wife had a baby boy. They named him Peanut Kai. I've heard of Peanut as a nickname, but never as a first name.

Jessica Alba and Cash Warren

Jessica Alba and Cash Warren recently had a baby girl. They named her Honor. When I think of the word honor, I would never imagine it being someone's first name.

Stevie Wonder and Kai Morris

Stevie Wonder and his wife Kai Morris had a baby boy that they named Mandla Kadjaly. I don't know if it has a special meaning, but it sounds crazy to me.

Joshua Morrow

Joshua Morrow and his wife named their younger son Crew James. Why torture this child with a name like Crew when the older son has a name like Cooper?

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin named their daughter Apple. Was she eating a lot of apples when she came up with that name?

Donovan and Linda Lawrence

Donovan and Linda Lawrence named their daughters Astrella Celeste and Oriole Nebula. Astrella could always change her name to Celeste, but what is Oriole going to do? Her middle name is no better than her first.

Shannyn Sossman

Shannyn Sossman named her child Audio Science. This has got to be one of the worst names on this particular list. Imagine growing up with a name like Audio Science.

Bob Geldof

Bob Geldof has daughters named Fifi Trixiebell, Peaches, and Pixie. Those poor girls. No wonder Peaches married a man she knew for one month. He was probably the only man she knew who didn't make fun of her name.

That's all for now. I'll write more in a future column. I'm sure there will be more strange names for us to laugh at.

"Hannah Montana" actress Miley Cyrus posted a YouTube video with the help of her friend Mandy making fun of a video also posted on YouTube by fellow Disney channel star Selina Gomez (Star of Disney channels Wizards of Waverly Place)

Selinas' video was made with BFF Demi Lavato (Star of Disney channels "Camp Rock") . The video was of the two girls being goofy and having fun talking about their lives and an upcoming movie on the Disney channel.

Miley and her 21 year old BFF Mandy (A dancer of Miley's) retaliated with a video making fun of Gomez and Lavato. Why would Miley do this, you may ask? Well, Gomez is the new girlfriend of Mileys ex-boyfriend Nick Jonas of the Jonas brothers. Jealous maybe?

I guess 15 year old Jonas didnt think about the rivalry of Gomez and Cyrus when he decided to switch to a new girl. Gomez has been called Cyrus' "heir" to the Disney Channel thrown. There is bound to be some rivalry between the two, without adding boyfriends into the mix.

One question I have is why 21 year old Mandy is BFF with 15 year old Miley. Most 21 year olds would not be caught being BFF with a 15 year old. Is she just there to get famous from the "Pop sensation"? Who Knows, but Mandy may be the reason behind Mileys recent grown-up "mistakes."

So whose team are you on? Team Miley or Team Selina? Personally I am not on either team, I like both girls and both are equally cute and talented. The feud is just so juvenile and I am loving it.

Team Selina its your turn to post a new video!

At the night of the opening ceremony, all the athletes, delegates, special guests, the Olympic staffs and the audiences representing their countries respectively joined together to usher the arrival of the 2008 Olympic Games. Their spirits were high incorporating with the high aims and dreams to fulfill the ultimate goals which would definitely bring fame and name globally for their represented countries.

The 29th Beijing Summer Olympic Opening Ceremony's countdown began at the National Stadium (also known as the Bird's Nest) located in north Beijing, China, on August 8, 2008.

(Photo credit: Adam Pretty/ Getty Images)

The Chinese flag with five yellow stars was escorted by representatives of 56 tribes in China.

(Photo credit: Sohu)

The Chinese flag was carried by a troop of soldiers who walked neatly showing their endless patriotism to China.

(Photo credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The Chinese flag was hosted smoothly as the Chinese National Anthem was played during the opening ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at the National Stadium.

(First photo credit: XinHua)

(Second photo credit: Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images)

The Olympic flag was escorted into the National Stadium.

(Photo credit: XinHua)

TheOlympic flag was raised next to the Chinese national flag.

(Photo credit: XinHua)

Li Ning, the former gymnastics champion of China, carried along the Olympic flame while he was lifted to the air.

(First photo credit: XinHua)

(Second Photo credit: www. Beijing2008.cn)

Li Ning mustered all his courage and effort to “run” through his final destination: cauldron.

(Photo credit: XiaoMing)

Li Ning finally reached his destination. He paused for a while before lighting up the cauldron, marking the official commencement of the 29th Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

(First photo credit: Sohu)

(Second photo credit: XinHua)

The cauldron eventually lit up. Its fire “crawled” with its high spirit to soar as high as it could, highlighting the good start of the commencement of the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

(Photo credit: WeiXiang)

At the night, a day on August 8, 2008, the Bird's Nest was sparkling with gorgeous fireworks. All the people from different races, religions and nationalities gathered here to cheer the arrival of the Olympic with the utmost joyous spirits.

(Photo credit: Jonathan Wong)

The sky of the Beijing was lighted up with extremely beautiful fireworks. It was an amazingly spectacular photo ever captured!

(Photo credit: Jonathan Wong)

These were another spectacular views of the fireworks went off the top of the Bird's Nest during the opening ceremony.

(First photo credit: Olympia)

(Second photo credit: Sohu)

These fireworks formed up numerous spectacular trees suspending high up the sky. While looking at this photo, I was moving with the scene, and some tears were rolling out from my eye sockets.

(Photo credit: WeiXiang)

Tonight, the sky of Beijing was bespangled with unexpectedly magnificient fireworks. Some comet looked like fireworks were merged with some dandelion looked like fireworks. All the eyes in the stadium were sparkled with joy.

(photo credit: XiaoMing)

Wow, amazing shooting up fireworks exploded over the sky! Have you seen them before? They were indeed marvelous and amazing!

(Photo credit: Olympia)

Wow, another spectacular view at the Bird's Nest which turned the entire Beijing into a merry land!

(Photo credit: ChenGong)

This cultural show was about The Silk Road, or Silk Route, which reflects the ancient Chinese history. Historically, the Silk Road had been the main trade route connecting West and East Asia via regions of the Asian continent.

(Photo credit: ChenGong)

This performance presented the sailing boats which reflected the development of the civilization of China as the important route to venture into other civilizations of Persia, Arabia, India, ome, Egypt, and Byzantium. 6oo years ago, that was during the reign of Dinasty Ming, Zhenghe led seven voyages consisting of 27,000 people to carry out his diplomacy task. His first exploration started from Quanzhou of China to as far as the region of East Africa and thus it was later popularized as “Silk Road on the Sea.”

(Photos credit: Sohu)

A view on the performance on “Chinese character” by the performers. The Chinese characters or Hanzhi in Chinese, is one of the oldest characters in the word which carry the underlying meaning of the Chinese culture and civilization.

(Photo credit: CCTV)

This was the vew of the performance on “movable-type printing” which represented the “ancient Chinese keyboard.” It reflected the evolution of the Hanzhi or Chinese characters from the past until now.

(First photo credit: Sohu)

(Second photo credit: Mike Hewitt/ Getty Images)

This performance symbolized 3,000 students of Confucious. The performers were reciting the “Analects of Confucius” or Lunyu in Chinese. Of all, one of the phrases recited was “We're all brothers no matter where we are.” (“sihaizhinei, jiexiongdiye” in Chinese). (the first photo). His students had bamboo books holding in their hands with Confucious's sayings engraved on the texts (the second photo).

(First photo credit: CCTV)

(Second photo credit: Sohu)

Tai chi, a soft Chinese martial art, is a form of meditation (or meditation in motion) that is primarily practised for its health benefits, particurlarly when dealing with tension and stress. Tai chi which was originated from two important philosophical texts of Tao De Ching and I Ching emphasizes the thorough relaxation, characterizing by its slow, and soft movements rather than brute strength. Its history dated back to about the 2nd millennium b.c. and it was then developed by a Taoist monk, Chang Sand Feng to be known as Tai Chi. A man named Yang learnt Tai Chi developed by Chen family and subsequently modified it as the Yang style of Tai Chi Chuan which is the most common traditional style of Tai Chi Chuan practised up to now. According to the Chinese practitioners, one becomes ill as the flow of “chi” (or simply translated as “breath” in English) throughout the body is being blocked or trapped. And thus tai chi is a form of spiritual and physical meditation that promotes the smooth flow of “chi” for the ultimate effect of the natural harmony, natural balance of self and world as designated by its symbol “.”

(Photos credits: AP)

Chinese Opera (or xiqu in Chinese) is a well-known drama and musical theatre in China, in which its stories were taken from the high literate value of historical novels (such as Zajuin the Yuan Dynasty) about the society, political and even military struggles. Of all the regional branches of operas, the Beijing opera is the most popular one. This drama potrays the acting of footwork, gestures and other body movements as expressed in riding a horse, opening a door or rowing a boat accompanying with the colloquial speech. The opera was evolved from dances, talking, antimasque, folk songs incorporating with taditional instruments like the gong, lute, and Erhu.

The first opera school (with its poetic name as “Liyuan”, or “pear garden” in English) was established by the Emperor Taizong during the reign of Tang Dynasty (618 -907). Later, during the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368), the opera was officially regarded by the court officials and the emperors as one of the traditional arts among the Chinese community. For Chinese, particularly the older folks, listening and watching opera is the utmost pleasure. This Chinese opera was then developed in a fashionable form among the ordinary people during the reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) and the performances were made so common in restaurants, makeshift stages, and even the tearooms. Up to now, there are as many as 300 opera styles being developed according to regions and locality.

(Photos credit: Beijinghome)

A stunning performance by 2008 drummers at the National Stadium during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics which won them thunderous applauses from the audience.

(Photos credit: Nakamura)

The Olympic-ring illuminated amidst a plain color background with a halo-like glow, forming a marvelous picture that worth to flame in your photo album.

(Photo credit: Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

The dancers performed flips and other gymnastic feats around the gigantic globe with its show entitled “Beautiful Olympics”, which reflecting its theme of “One world, one dream.”

(Photos credit: XinHua)

The painting scroll symbolizes the development and origin of the Chinese culture and history. It is a white paper with an area of 20x 11m, 20cm in thickness and weighed in approximately 800 kg.

(Photo credit: Beijinghome)

The painting scroll was gradually opened, telling people that everything would be started with its content. In the middle of the painting scroll, there lay a piece of paper, representing that the paper was one of the inventions in the ancient China. The patterns and designs of the painting scroll highlighted the flow of the Chinese origin from rock paintings, pottery and bronze….and its history went up to many dynastical reigns.

(Photo credit: Sohu)

Dancers used their body languages to perform on the scroll, which emphasized the underlying unique features and styles of the painting scroll.

(Photo credit: Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

These footprints fireworks were named as the “Footprints of History”, symbolizing the pace of the successive summer Olympic Games.

(Photo credit: XinHua)

Migaloo's Back in Our Waters

Click here for more images of Migaloo the White Whale.

This white whale was sighted near Yorkey's Knob by a group of fishermen. They saw this albino giant near Pixie Reef, about 40 minutes from Yorkey Knob. Accompanying this white whale was two huge humpbacks. He was spotted on July 15, 2006, July 24, 2007, and July 22, 2008.

Frogs with Disease-Resistance Genes May Escape Extinction

Many amphibians die off around the world, but researchers at Lincoln University in New Zealand may have found certain genes that can help frog populations resist infection to save them from extinction.

New Bird Species

This bird was found on Stratton Mountain in Vermont, and caused quite a stir for scientists. The bird is thought to be a "hybrid of two species, the trush and the veery birds."

A DNA testing will reveal if this new bird species is a result of climate change. Further reading for bird lovers can be found here.

Unicorn Lives in Italy

This one-year-old deer represents the fabled unicorn, a mythological animal, and was born in captivity. He is called, you guess it, "Unicorn", for the single horn on his head, and the director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato believes he has a genetic defect, since his twin has two horns.

Giant Shrimp

A giant creature was caught in the Donetsk region of Western Ukraine, and scientists think that it could be related to the shrimp species. This creature can live in any watery area, including puddles, and is almost 20 centimeters long.

South American Stork

On July 31, 2008, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries showed these jabiru storks. They have a blocky, slightly upturned black beak, and the are shown along with wood storks, egrets, and ibis. These jabiru storks are rarely seen in the North, but are plentiful in South America.

New Manta Ray Species Discovered

Scientists discovered two new types of manta ray species. The more commonly known rays are smaller, and are more commonly seen near the coasts. The larger rays avoid human contact, and have a non-poisonous barb on their tail.

The manta rays can weigh over 4,400 pounds, and their wingspans can reach almost 25 feet.

Golden Retriever Nurses Tiger Cubs

This golden retriever adopted three tiger cubs at the Safari Zoological Park, when their tiger mother abandoned them. Isabella had just finished weaning her own puppies, and Tom Harvey, an owner at the park, put the tiger cubs in her care.

The Safari Zoological Park opened in 1989, and specializes in the care of endangered species.

Tiny Tree Shrew

These tiny pen-tailed tree shrews were discovered by researchers sipping fermented palm nectar, and "show no sign of intoxication." These creatures live in the Malaysian rainforest, and the alcohol concentration that they drink for hours every night was recorded at 3.8 percent.

"Cat Angel"

This cat has two four-inch long wings, and he belongs to Granny Feng. The owner lovingly called him a "cat angel", and complained that after being sexually harassed by many female cats in her area, her cat sprouted wings within a month.

Experts believe that this phenomenon is more likely caused by a gene mutation, and the cat can live a normal life.

Fish Pedicure

This is a new trend in spa pampering, where you can have these little carps nibble at the dead skin of your hands and feet. This fish pedicure is creating a buzz in the D.C. area, and so far 5000 people have taking part in this experiment.

These fish are called garra rufa, also known as doctor fish, and were first used in Turkey.

Rosy-Lipped Batfish

This is the quote directly from the National Geographic website. I thought you should read the comparison: "Like a marine Mick Jagger, a rosy-lipped batfish pouts near Costa Rica's Cocos Island. Batfish are poor swimmers, preferring to use their strangely adapted pectoral fins like legs to crawl about the seafloor."

Venus Comb Shell

This shell is called the Venus Comb, and it is one of the most exotic shells.

With so many wonderful and strange things around the world, these 13 items seem to speak for themselves.

For the first time ever, MGAE has released a Bratz doll who is bespectacled. She is Aubrey, one of the new dolls in the Bratz Passion for Fashion line. With her glasses and short (for a fashion doll) hairstyle, knee socks and flat shoes, she looks like, well, like a nerd. We are told on the back of her box that her friends call her "Quiz Wiz" because "I have all the answers!" She may be a nerd but we're happy to hear that she HAS friends, at least.

The Bratz have always been about cultural blending, characters of many different colors and ethnicities have made the Bratz pack a more diverse melting pot than the crew of the original Enterprise. So it's not really surprising that there would finally be a girl with glasses and questionable fashion sense added to the line.

Or is it?

The Bratz, in their fictional world which spans TV and movies as well as the imaginations of those who own them, have wardrobes full of clothes that most real teens couldn't afford. They frequently go on trips to other countries, with no particular explanation of how their travels are paid for. They were rock stars once, so they probably made some money that way. But I strongly believe that money simply does grow on trees in their world. Wherever it's coming from, they obviously have it. And yet Aubrey can't afford contacts?

I rather think that she doesn't want contacts, because glasses are the new contacts. Nerdy is the new cool. At least it works for some people.

Maybe it's Ugly Betty, or Elphaba in Wicked, who inspire this. But whatever it is, I'm not complaining. As an adult collector of fashion dolls, I think Aubrey is one of the cutest Bratz I've seen in a long time. And yes, it's the glasses that do it.

Now if they'd just make a doll who really does have short hair.

Over here! Standing behind the artificial plant in the corner-see me?

Thanks to my 12th, 13th and 14th viewers who are not even related to me and I did not pay a cent to leave a few nice comments.

Things are really taking off for me at this time with this exciting column. It doesn't seem that long ago when my first, second and third viewers were my mom, my mom and my mom. Now look at me! But I can assure you all that success won't make me snobby or conceited. I shall always remember the “little people” who made me what I am today.

A big thanks to my 5-year-old niece and 8-year-old nephew!

Poor Justin Long is reportedly depressed over his break-up with Drew Barrymore

Seems that “Julia Goulia” was hot and cold with her affections. Now poor Justin is dropping out of the movie in which he was starring and she was directing called “Whip It.” Drew must carry the whip in the family and who knows maybe she just wants Justin to crawl back to her begging for mercy. They were such a cute couple too!

Live from San Diego and Comic-Con!

Here I am only imagining the characters I usually see on my front porch every Halloween. There is Poison Ivy, Batman. Spiderman, Darth Vader and the storm troopers from Star Wars-the same but only taller and much stranger. They scare me, they really do. I mean a kid dressed up like Poison Ivy might be cute, but a 50-year-old male does not look attractive in the leotard costume with ivy dangling from his head. It gives me nightmares thinking about it-really it does.

Hollywood is flocking to Comic-Con as well

There is Keanu Reeves blowing me kisses and Paris Hilton plugging her latest role as a scientist who specializes in organ removal.

No Paris, it's not an organ like a piano. I know you wanted a cute monkey dancing around too, but you need to at least appear intelligent in this sure to inspire acting opportunity! 100,000 people are expected at Comic-Con each day and they are all going to be there just to see you Paris-NOT!

Hundreds of teens camped out overnight at Comic-Con to see early clips of a movie called “Twilight”, based on a book by the same name

It is a love story and fantasy all rolled into one. It is the story of a girl and the “perfect guy” according to author Stephanie Meyer. Wait, did you say the “perfect guy?” I get it now-it truly is a FANTASY!

A Yahoo headline takes on the age-old challenge of “How to Avoid Petty Fights with Your Partner.”

My advice is just don't talk to your partner. That way, you will be blissfully happy!

Did you see Miley Cyrus in her hot pink beret?

What a fashion disaster! What would Heidi Klum say? The things Miley will do to gain a little attention. First “Vanity Fair” and now a pink beret. What would the Green Berets say and do they even care? Do you care? I thought not.

Earth shattering news: it seems that Hollywood stretches the truth in the making of films and many films are proven to be scientifically inaccurate

No! Don't tell me that Tom Cruise in the movie “The Great Samurai” was a fake! It makes me want to jump up and down on Oprah's couch in rage and sing Scientology spirituals!

Matthew McConaughey told “Us” that he has dreamed of being a parent since the age of ten

So did Jaime Lynn Spears. They both have had their dreams fulfilled. Glad you waited Matthew.

According to Yahoo News, Brangelina may have conceived her twins through in-vitro fertilization

How could she use in-vitro with hunky Brad? That my friends is truly inconceivable!

Well I am off to get some shut-eye, even though it is two in the afternoon

Yahoo is reporting that winning the battle of weight loss may be more than simple diet and exercise. It seems that sleep may be the key to looking like a hot swimsuit model. So I am off to bed, by 2PM today, to lose 10 pounds by morning!

Sometimes, someone, somewhere has to speak the truth and unfortunately it is me!

Until next time….all the best!

In case you were washing your hair and missed my previous Yahoo Buzzing and Trend Googling pieces here are the fabulous links:

• Random Bits of Truth: Special Edition
• Random Bits of Truth: Week 5
• Random Bits of Truth 4
• Random Bits of Truth: Numero Tres
• Random Bits of Truth: Numero Dos
• A Column Debut: Random Bits of Truth