(NEWSER) – Wal-Mart has dropped the price of a black Barbie doll in a move that’s raising a ruckus. “Both are great dolls,” carefully emphasized a Wal-Mart spokeswoman. But the price was cut $2 for a black Ballerina Teresa Barbie from the $5.93 for the white version because the black Barbies weren’t selling. “Pricing like items differently is a part of inventory management in retailing,” said the spokeswoman. But a Harlem activist warned that such a strategy in this case “can have collateral damage.”

The “implication of lowering the price is that it’s devaluing the black doll,” said Thelma Dye, the executive director of the Northside Center for Child Development. Wal-Mart could have decided “that it’s important we don’t send a message that we value blackness less than whiteness,” said Los Angeles sociology professor Lisa Wade. Ironically, Wade pointed out, the black dolls may not be selling as well because white parents are more reluctant than blacks to buy dolls of a different race for their children.

Probably the worst thing about the cell phone age is that occasionally, your cell phone dies and you have absolutely no way of re-charging it.

No outlet, no power.  Right?

Wrong!

This Swedish company has developed a cell charger that uses just water and hydrogen.

Click here for the info and to see a video of the charger.

Those Swedes….they’re an impressive lot ain’t they?

(NEWSER) – Lindsay Lohan is apparently famous enough to be known by her first name alone…and she wants $100 million from E*Trade, which dared to use that name without her permission. The “milkaholic” baby featured in the above ad was named after “someone on the account team,” a rep insists, but LiLo’s lawyer pooh-poohs that idea: They’re using Lindsay’s name “as a parody of her life. This is a subliminal message,” she tells theNew York Post.

“Everybody’s talking about it and saying it’s Lindsay Lohan,” the lawyer continues, although Gawkerwriter Maureen O’Connor notes, “Though it is my job to read and spread gossip, this is the first I’ve heard about the above party baby secretly representing the girl occasionally known as Blowhan.” Lohan filed a lawsuit yesterday—in addition to the $100 million, she wants the spot off the air and every copy handed over.

(Newser) – Have you ever wished that skydiving involved more aquatic equipment? Of course you have. Well, behold skyaking, a new extreme sport that consists of jumping out of a plane in a kayak, spinning around a bit, then deploying a parachute and coming in for a water landing. So far, it’s got exactly one practitioner: Miles Daisher, a 40-year-old Idaho native and all-around daredevil—he’s also BASE jumped more than anyone else in the world.

“It took us nearly a year before we could get our wish to come true as no one was really looking to throw a kayak out of an airplane,” Daisher tells the Telegraph, but after a few successful trials those obstacles melted; now, he’s skyaked everywhere from Mexico to Abu Dhabi. He says it’s a unique experience—you fall slower than normal skydiving thanks to the kayak’s surface area, and keeping upright requires “some decent balance skills.”

CSU Junior Chris Miller (a Health and Exercise Major) will take place in the Rock Paper Scissors League Championships in Acapulco over Spring Break.

Wow.  Where was this sort of “sport” when I was in school?

Click here for the story.

If  you’re worried that your ro-sham-bo skills are a bit rusty, let me just give you a quick rundown on the so-called “Great Eight” throwing combinations to watch for in this competition:

1-     There’s the avalanche which is throwing 3 consecutive rocks- according to the USARPS handbook, this is a devastating offensive maneuver which requires bravado bordering on recklessness to execute

2-     The Bureaucrat which is throwing paper-paper-paper- formerly known as “confetti”, the deadpan delivery is the ultimate in passive-aggressive play

3-     The crescendo which is paper-scissors-rock: this is a slow building gambit with the final rock throw delivery a devastating coo-de-graw

4-     The Denomouent, Rock-scissors-paper- the opposite of the crescendo, this is lulling an opponent into submission before beating him with the most subtle of all possible throws

5-     The Fistful of dollars- Rock-Paper-Paper: the rapid switch from offensive to defensive style of play can force an opponent into a vulnerable spot

6-     The Paper Dolls- Paper-Scissors-Scissors- an extremely effective gambit against an overly brave opponent

7-     The Scissor Sandwich- Paper-Scissors-Paper- the main purpose of this play is to unsettle your opponent through the use of concealed scissors

8-     The Toolbox- Scissors-Scissors-Scissors- This play requires steady hands and steely nerves…given the rookie popularity of “rock” this play is not suggested for use against beginners…

 And there you have it…..a quick overview of what’s at stake in the 2010 Rock Paper Scissors Championship and how to keep track of all the action from the safety of your couch should you so choose.

I already have proposals in with several federal offices to corner the market on competitive leagues for Red Light/Green Light, Kick the Can, and Mother May I.

Look for the “Mike Casey Championship Series” for all 3 coming to a TV set near you by 2011.

NEWSER) – In-N-Out Burger’s “secret menu” (veggie burgers, etc.) has gotten way too famous to really be considered a secret anymore—butCoupon Sherpa rounds up little-known items at other fast-food joints:

• Chili’s: Though it’s not on the menu anymore, you can in fact still order the restaurant’s namesake dish.
• Long John Silvers: Ask for a side of crumbs and you’ll get—for free—a box of fried batter parts that fell off the fish or chicken.

• Jamba Juice: This secret menu is still pretty secret, but it includes a drink with the title “Pink Starburst.”
• Chipotle: They’ll make an item with any combination of ingredients they have—a quesorito is a quesadilla with burrito fillings, rolled up and baked.
• McDonald’s: If you can bring yourself to order a McGangBang, you’ll get a double cheeseburger with a chicken patty sandwiched in between the beef patties.
• Starbucks: A Cake Batter Frappucino is a vanilla frappucino with almond and vanilla bean flavoring.

For the complete list, click here.

After I hit this story yesterday, MTN listener Randall and his son actually went to McDonald’s and ordered the uh…..well….you know….

]]> http://blogs.995themountain.com/mcasey/2010/03/09/shh-secret-restaurant-menus/ /feed 0 http://blogs.995themountain.com/mcasey/2010/03/09/heres-why-the-rockies-will-be-contenders-this-year/ http://blogs.995themountain.com/mcasey/2010/03/09/heres-why-the-rockies-will-be-contenders-this-year/ #comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:03:07 +0000 Mike http://blogs.995themountain.com/?p=2606

I know it’s REALLY early to get excited about Rockies baseball, but aside from the obvious improvement to the Rox starting rotation and their bullpen here (in my amateur opinion) is why the Rockies WILL be contenders this year:

Their bench is MONSTROUS.

 At any given moment, Jim Tracy has two solid lefty bats in Jason Giambi and Seth Smith AND he’s got two big right handed bats in Ryan spillborghs and Miguel Olivo who hit 23 homers last season plus he’s got two time all star Melvin Mora on his bench too

Baseball is a loooong season, no one is going to play every game…so a lot of times the thing that makes the difference over the long haul is player versatility and how deep you can go after you get past your starting line up.

At times in the past, the Rockies have struggled with bench depth.  Not this year baby!  I smell a pennant!

 Rox open their regular season Monday April 5 at Milwaukee 

LES is for REAL.  He risks his life to help the rest of us.  He’s an educator, and activist and a true hero. 

Check out the latest:

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/03/05/2584197/missing-skier-safe.html

I know you’ll think I’m making this up…and I’m SHOCKED it’s taken me this long to figure it out, but 99.5 The Mountain News Person Cathy Taylor is like the long lost twin sister of 80s Brat Pack Icon Molly Ringwald!

Seriously!

Once Taylor gets me a picture I will post it next to Ms. Ringwald and let you decide for yourself.

The question that remains is- If Molly Ringwald is my newsperson, does that make me Duckie, Bender, or “The Geek”?

Even my wife, who LIVES for the Oscars, thought the overall show was pretty lame last night.

On this matter, I’m going to have to agree with her.

Maybe you couldn’t suffer through all the smarmy Hollywood glad-handing either but still want to know who won the tiny naked golden statues?

Here ya go.  Never let it be said that I’m not a man of the people.

- Motion Picture – The Hurt Locker

- Actor- Jeff Bridges- “Crazy Heart”

- Actress – Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side.”

_ Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds.”

_ Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.”

_ Director: Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker.”

_ Foreign Film: “El Secreto de Sus Ojos,” Argentina.

_ Adapted Screenplay: Geoffrey Fletcher, “Precious: Based on the Novel `Push’ by Sapphire.”

_ Original Screenplay: Mark Boal, “The Hurt Locker.”

_ Animated Feature Film: “Up.”

_ Art Direction: “Avatar.”

_ Cinematography: “Avatar.”

_ Sound Mixing: “The Hurt Locker.”

_ Sound Editing: “The Hurt Locker.”

_ Original Score: “Up,” Michael Giacchino.

_ Original Song: “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart,” Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett.

_ Costume: “The Young Victoria.”

_ Documentary Feature: “The Cove.”

_ Documentary (short subject): “Music by Prudence.”

_ Film Editing: “The Hurt Locker.”

_ Makeup: “Star Trek.”

_ Animated Short Film: “Logorama.”

_ Live Action Short Film: “The New Tenants.”

_ Visual Effects: “Avatar.”