The Good
The Iowa celebrity train just keeps on rolling. Former Norwalk native Jason Momoa received the role of a lifetime last week when he was cast as the title role of Conan in an upcoming film. Momoa has been featured in a number of water-related TV shows and films including “Baywatch,” “Pipeline” and “North Shore,” but gained sci-fi creditability as Ronan Dex during his four-year run on “Stargate: Atlantis.” Not only does Momoa have a chance to relaunch a treasured film character, he is also lucky enough to have two children with the sexy Lisa Bonet (“Cosby Show,” “Angel Heart”).
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was the original sword-wielding badass, starring in 1982’s “Conan the Barbarian” and 1984’s “Conan the Destroyer,” so a career in politics may be in the mix for Momoa, too.
Have it your way. Really. Last week, Burger King unveiled plans to sell beer and burgers at a Whopper Bar in South Beach beginning mid-February. While the idea of having a cold one with your flamed-broiled burger is enticing, it’s going to cost you. Aluminum bottles cost $4.25 individually, while a Whopper combo will cost $7.99 — approximately $2 more than the same combo with a fountain drink. Currently Burger Kings in Germany and Whopper Bars in Singapore and Venezuela sell beer. Officials say more Whopper Bars are in the works in places like New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
The Bad
Ice is a bitch. Last week’s storm created headaches for citizens and officials, knocking out power to an estimated 24,000 customers across the state of Iowa. The storm covered two-thirds of Iowa with up to a half-inch of ice, and Gov. Chet Culver made an emergency proclamation to the counties of Calhoun, Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Crawford and Sac. Another day, another photo opp.
Is it possible the government was lying to Americans about the H1N1 flu pandemic? According to a number of critics, Swine Flu is a fake pandemic that was created for the benefit of drug companies. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, a human rights watchdog based in France, recommended that the World Health Organization (WHO) Swine Flu pandemic declaration be investigated to see if the health agency acted under undue influence. According to a WHO tally dated Jan. 17, more than 200 countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases of swine flu, including at least 14,142 deaths. This is far fewer than expected to die from seasonal flu, but the figure is likely to exclude many unreported cases. The WHO denies any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, get another shot.
The Ugly
With all the craze about social networking sites for human beings, it was only a matter of time before the phenomenon hit animals. Mattell recently introduced “Puppy Tweets,” a product similar to Twitter, but intended for dogs. Puppy Tweets is a plastic tag with a sound and motion sensor that allows pet owners to attach it to their pet’s dog collar. From there, they can connect its USB receiver to a computer. Triggered by the dog’s activity, the tag has pre-recorded tweets such as “I finally caught that tail I’ve been chasing and ouch!” or “Yahooooo! Somedays you just gotta get your bark on.” The product is on sale for $29.99 and should be a real hit for zoophiliacs who just bought the Snuggie for Dogs.
Strip clubs often deal with unruly customers who cause trouble or don’t want to pay. But last week, a gentleman’s club in Coachella, Calif., had a different type of troublemaker — a goat. Employees at the Lynx Gentleman’s Club were in awe when a 150-pound goat began ramming its hind legs into the building’s glass. The glass broke, and the goat entered the club. Once inside, it didn’t want a private dance but appeared dazed and spent a half-hour staring at its reflection in the mirror. A witness eventually chased the goat out of the club, but it had already caused more than $2,000 in damage. We guess the goat was trying to get some nookie from a nanny. We know, that’s baaaaad.CV
