Tuesday, February 9 Login | Sign Up Featured Links
TXT Twitter KTAR RewardsAll Star Rewards

CLICK CHICK ARCHIVE - July '07 PICKS

7/31: Red Scare- Papa Smurf Was a Commie: Say it ain't so! I was going through the Web searching for fun stuff as usual when I ran across the most popular stuff on Cracked.com. And what's most popular? The column titled '8 Important Lessons Learned from 80s Cartoons.' Being a child of the 80s, what struck me was the number one lesson Cracked.com thinks we should learn from the Smurfs - Communism works. Well, no one told Ronald Reagan that during our Cold War nuclear fears! Now, there's nobody more red, white, and blue than the Click Chick. And I'm no commie pinko red. But it says: "For naysayers who point to the former Soviet Union as proof that communism is inherently flawed, may we merely direct your attention to Smurf village, where everyone shares everything, wears similar utilitarian clothing, battles gargamel and his turn-smurfs-to-gold get rich quick schemes and obeys the dictates of a bearded, red hat-wearing, benevolent authority figure." While some of their arguments are flawed, they make for funny reading. Other tidbits: Popeye teaches us that Spinach is good for you and Scooby Doo taught us to trust no one. Read more from Cracked.com...

Turtle Wars: You guys think turtles are tame, don't you? Someone's pet turtles just aren't getting along near the backyard turtle house. The video is only 34 seconds long, but it's interesting to look at. Watch the non-stop action...

As you know, bombastic talk show host Tom Snyder passed away the other day. Conan O'Brien put together a best of clip montage from Snyder and if you didn't know who he was or if you were a fan - take a look because Snyder interviewed people that wouldn't go on other talks shows... like a young Steven Spielberg, Elton John, and some Beatle guy named John Lennon. Watch the tribute...

7/30: KTAR Weekend Poll Results: Do you think the suspect that led a high-speed police chase should face murder charges after two media helicopters collided while following the pursuit? Fifty-three percent of you said yes, 47 percent of you said no. Former County Attorney Rick Romley said homicide charges would be "hard to prove." Read the story...

For you science geeks out there who have never heard of livescience.com, you're going to love the site. I spent about an hour on it Sunday night just checking out all the cool, neat articles and galleries and videos. What I liked most of all though - was the story of the world's first prosthetic limb. If you thought George Washington's wooden teeth were the first... you're off by centuries. A mummified foot found in Egypt reveals the world's first prosthetic toe! You have to see it to believe it - be forewarned the rest of the foot is mummified. Read about the "old toe"...

Key to a successful marriage is not really helping out with the household chores. It's apparently saying 'Thank You.' So that's how you get out of chores. You just say thanks. Who knew? Read the story...

Top 6 Canned Foods You Should Never Try: What are some of the products mentalfloss.com found that made the cut, you ask? Well, for starters, you may not want to try Pork Brains in Milk Gravy. There's also Fried Dace. It's some kind of fish. But what truly sounds disgusting is Simmenthal jellied beef, - but according to the label it does not contain meat from Simmenthal Cattle. The beef actually comes from Brazil. Well, that makes it so much better. And if you think I'm making this stuff up, then you're wrong! There are pictures of said items. Where you purchase them, I have no idea. See the list...

Alright, just for the kids. Found this site that may be of interest to them. It's The Fin, Fur and Feathear Bureau of Investigation. Yes, it's the FFFBI.com. This site allows kids to go on missions like Rainforest Undercover, or go on Operation: Gas Chicken - where kids are asked to get information and foil plots crafted by CRUST (Confederacy of Rascals and Unspeakably Suspicious Troublemakers). By the way, CRUST members are the bad guys made up of various crustaceans. This site is sponsored by National Geographic and has won a Parents Choice award.
7/27: Now being from California - I share this with you - 40 of the best sand sculptures people have crafted. Don't know when they were done, but they sure are amazing to look at. Check them out...

OK, for those of you who are new to the Valley or KTAR, I'd like to remind you that the Click Chick will give you the sports news that Paul Calvisi won't, now, with Cardinals Camp starting this weekend. By the way, I made a bet with Doug Franz over at good old Sports 620 ktar. We bet a steak dinner over who would win more games this season - the Cardinals or the Raiders. I picked the Raiders and since Al Davis is still around, I think I'm out 100 bucks. Cardinals news...

Well, here it is. It's another edition of the worst celebrity baby names of all time. This was sparked by two English stars - model Jordan and pop star Peter Andre - people I've never heard of, I might add - naming their new bundle of joy Princess Tiaamii. There's Deizel Ky, singer Toni Braxton's son. His brother is Denim cole. There's also Fifi Trixibelle - daughter of Bob Geldolf. Sting and his first wife named their baby Fuchsia. We all know who Moon Unit Zappa is. And recent Oscar winner Forest Whitaker named his kids - Sonnet, True and Ocean. Duran Duran's Roger Taylor named his son Rufus Rocket. But my favorite bad celebrity baby names aren't on the list - Audio Science Sossaman (child of actress Shannon Sossaman) and Moxie Crimefighter Jillette - sister to Zolten Penn Jillette - both offspring of Penn Jillette - the comedian, illusionist. See the names...

Totally cool Star Trek news: Leonard Nimoy will reprise his role as Spock - will reprise his role in the new Star Trek movie scheduled for release in December of '08. William Shatner is expected to make an appearance as Capt. Kirk, as well. Read the story...
7/26: The Click Chick loves Godzilla movies or movies with giant man-eating spiders (see Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King or Harry Potter). Over on good old MSN, they've got video of the giant squid that are invading California. With a last name like Bass, this tells you why I'm not running to get in the water. The giant eyeballs on the squid are kinda spooky, if you ask me. Watch the video...

dogfriendly.com: If you like to take Fido with you when you go on vacation, the dog-friendly Web site will show you how to do just that. This site let's you know which hotels, destinations, parks and beaches that say OK to Fluffy and Shadow. So, I looked up Sedona, and low and behold, the Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa says to pets and offers a Rouge and Pooch package. Motel 6 claims to have over 600 dog-friendly locations.

Help us help the homeless. Get out your credit card and join us as we help the Phoenix Rescue mission today. Just go to www.ktar.com/heatrelief.

Gaydos discussed this last night, and I want to hear what you think. It's also the KTAR Poll of the Day. Do you think two McMinnville, Oregon middle-schoolers deserve jail time and a sex crime record for slapping a fellow student on the behind? According to the story, it was a common way of saying hello akin to a handshake. I wonder how they say good-bye? Read the story for yourself...

couponcabin.com: I LOVE this new Web site. Found it this morning. This Web site has links to online retailers and what discounts they happen to be offering. What's more, if they have a coupon, they list the coupon code (when available) for their current sale items. They also give you the date when the coupon is ready to expire. The Web sites they feature are not retailers you've never heard of, but they even have a coupon for weight watchers which I hear you can do online now.
i-Limb: I have a soft sport for a service people serving overseas and in harms way, having had a brother who was hurt in the first Gulf War. I found this AP video show how one soldier, Sgt. Juan Arredondo, one of the first recipients of a bionic hand with independently moving fingers called the i-Limb. Arredondo lost his left hand while serving in Iraq. There apparently is a microcomputer that makes the hand work. He says his son goes nuts when he sees it. It's pretty amazing and uplifting. Watch the video...

Jet Packs: Now, onto the Jet Pack. Apparently on the History Channel there's a guy on Mail Call you can ask questions about the military or military history. Someone asked if the military ever experimented with jet packs? Yeah...and they were inspired by science fiction. Watch the video...

www.mcphee.com: Archie McPhee's Web site has a plethora of things that geeks like me absolutely would love to find under the Christmas tree. For instance, the Glow-in-the-Dark flesh eating zombie playset. Or Remote control, hopping, yodeling lederhosen? See the YouTube video demonstration. McPhee'ssite is chock full of crazy products you can really buy. Like, for instance, Horrified B-Movie victims for only $14.95 (all my buddies in the Phoenix Film Critics Society are getting those). My favorite - the bacon strip bandages!

Remember, you can leave comments to stories on KTAR.com. From yesterday's story where Newt Gingrich's called the GOP field of presidential candidates "pathetic" and "insane." I thought more people would come to the defense of Arizona's senior senator. But no one did. One comment from John W. said "The truth hurts don't it Juan McLame." Read the story and leave your comments...
7/24: Think you know all 50 states by identifying them? Try this quiz. I do know that I can tell Delaware from New Jersey. And Indiana from Illinois. But Kansas and Nebraska? I flip flopped. No offense to your cornhuskers. 50 States Quiz...

Now this is kinda cool, it's an interactive pin board game. Usually people have these as magnets of various words on their refrigerators and someone always comes up with a new sentence. Well, this Web pin board has other people working on it at the same time and you can see each other working on the same pin board in real time. Don't be surprised if you've got great sentence going someone moves a word. It's lots of fun and totally addictive. Play Interactive Pin Board Game...

I found a Web site with a treasure trove of odd stuff on it. If you have an interest in checking it out, look at the "101 Frightening Ice Cream Flavors from Around the World." How does fish ice cream sound? Or Octopus ice cream? They're only available in Japan. Sweet potato ice cream doesn't sound so bad. Crab ice cream is a bit of stretch along... along fried eggplant ice cream. Of course, for us Arizona folks - there's Cactus ice cream. And just for Popeye - spinach ice cream. Love stout? They've got stout ice cream. See the complete list...

Mitt Romney wants you to lighten up. That was his message for those who are criticizing him for recently posing with a supporter who had a controversial sign that said no "Osama, Obama and Chelsea's Mama". Romney said he doesn't look at all the signs, t-shirts and buttons someone is holding when he takes a picture. Someone in a town hall meeting took him to task over that. Watch the entire word exchange from CNN.com...

Well, I've been trying to get on the site for an hour with no luck. But maybe you might have a better go at it. I meant to mention this site yesterday after getting it pushed in my face multiple times by the good old folks at Fox while watching The Simpsons marathon on Sunday evening. Anyhow, if you go to simpsonizeme.com, you can Simpsonize yourself. Meaning, see what you'd like as an animated Simpsons character. Well, the site is so busy, you can't get on. But I'm going to keep trying and post my Simpsonized pic on KTAR.com as soon as I get on. If you get on before I do, send it to webmaster@ktar.com.
7/23: OK. What does Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Tent City have in common with a prison in the Philipines? Talent. I'm sure you all remember the self-proclaimed Toughest Sheriff in America's Inmate Idol. Well, they're taking it up about 2,000 notches at teh CPDRC prison in the Philipines where the inmates there staged a recreation of this Michael Jackson's ground-breaking Thriller video. Wait, there was one costume. Remember Nola Ray the woman that Michael Jackson terrorized in the video, she is played by a man, dressed like a woman. What you won't believe is that 15 hundred inmates are taking part in this dance production. And they have several videos on the 'Net. That's right, reform through dance. If you go YouTube, you can see their other videos. Just search CPDRC and it all comes up. P.S. They love to do songs from Sister Act. Watch the video...

If you catch Barry Bonds 755th career homerun baseball, would you keep it or throw it back? Well, 62 percent of you guys said you'd keep it.

Since KTAR's Bob McClay did the story of trying to find a Wii video game system for his kid, I have to share this video that someone sent to me awhile ago. Apparently, there's a video game out there called Guitar Hero 2. And of course, some kid who's obviously under 10 years of age has mastered the game - as kids are known to do after hours of play. His high score was somewhere close to 320K. For some reason, guys at the station find it fascinating so I'm sharing it with you. Watch the video...

Everyrule.com: Now, if you're traditional like me and you like to play board games with the kids because you can't figure out your Wii from your PS2, then I've got a useful site for you. It's called Everyrule and it boasts every rule to board games, tv game shows, card games, computer games, casino games, kids games - and you know how their rules ALWAYS change, and every other rule you can think of. They even have toy construction instruction. The site isn't completely user friendly, but once you navigate around you might find it pretty useful.
7/20: First, results of yesterday's Poll of the Day. Connie had me change it to this: Should a transgendered person be allowed to use the ladies bathroom? We're of course talking about that story of the transgendered woman who, along with her friends, was kicked out of a Scottsdale club for using the girls' room. Well, 80 percent of you said, no she shouldn't.

Well, with The Simpsons film coming out, we've seen all kinds of promotions. Remember they turned some 7-11 stores into Kwik-E-Marts. Now, Simpsons' creator Matt Groening was interviewed by the Today show's Al Roker and of course the whole cast was redrawn as Simpson's characters. Watch the segment... By the way, the Simpsons movie opens next Friday.

Harry Potter Review: Two newspapers have published the review of the New Harry Potter book online - the NY Times and the Baltimore Sun. The NY Times said it was able to buy the book from a story Wednesday night. The Sun said it got it by ordinary legal means, whatever that means. Of course, JK Rowling and the publisher are upset. I've got the link to the review if you want to read it. I read the article, it doesn't tell you who dies, but it gives enough away that I'm stopping by the store for a box of Kleenex. You might have to sign in at NY Times to read it, but if you're like me and must know what happens, then have at it. Read the review...

I know this is going to be useful to someone. Sometimes you need something translated from Spanish to English, from English to French, from Wizard to Muggle. But what if you need something translated into pig Latin. Someone has come up with a tool where you type in what you want and it's translated into pig Latin with the click of a mouse. For example: Onniecay ouyay ockray! Someone somewhere will find it useful so the kids don't know what in the world you're talking about. Igpay Atinlay Anslationtray
7/19: So, what do the folks at Disney have up their sleeve next. A 20-something young man in the office who will remain nameless (Darin Trimillos), was highly amused and giggling like a school girl when he got a look at the movie trailer for Disney's next live action - animated film titled "Enchanted." The plot - a animated princess is sent to the real "live action" world of upper Manhattan where her Prince Charming's evil mother has sent her in hopes she'll believes she'll never find true love. What I like about it, every time they break into song - they get interrupted. Dr. McDreamy stars - and he's not animated. Watch the trailer...

Got this Web site from a proud mom and listener. It seems, Mary Ann Stipp's son does movie trailer reviews for Kevin Smith's Web site quick-stop-entertainment. She says her son Christopher is "smart, witty and a heck of a nice guy." So everyone, make Mary Ann Stipp happy. Go read her son's Christopher's movie trailer reviews. Read the 'Trailer Park' movie trailer reviews

Nick Nolte, Pt. 2: OK. You set the bar for celebrity mugshots? It's a tie between Nick Nolte and the Godfather of Soul James Brown. Well, Nick Nolte once again is hitting the tabloids. According to TMZ.com, said actor was "dripping in sweat" and "barely able to keep his bloodshot eyes open" when he passed "out cold on the terminal floor." See the pictures...

Nash vs. Tomlinson: ESPN.com wants you to determine the Ultimate Sports star with their Who's Now competition. Right now, in the Michael Jordan Region - #2 Ladanian Tomlinson vs. #3 Steve Nash. Tomlinson already beat David Beckham. Nash beat Serena Williams in the first round. Results will be at 6 p.m. ET on Sportscenter tonight. Note: Click on the link in red that says "Launch Who's Now" and you can vote and watch the 3-person panel discussion. By the way the panel discussion includes actors Kevin James and Jessica Biel - and let me tell you she added a lot to that discussion. James and Biel were probably only picked because they're in that new movie with Adam Sandler... which I've seen. FYI, fan voting counts 90 percent. Panel voting counts 10. Vote Now!
7/18: Breaking News! And you won't believe it. But I can't not tell you because it's too ridiculous to believe. But it's absolutely true. Paris Hilton is planning a follow-up album! Apparently, record execs are not reading the Click Chick blog. Because not too long ago I shared with you the Spinner magazine list of the 25 most monumental album flops of all time. And Paris' 1st album is on that list coming in at #4 flop of all time with 180,000 records sold.

Yesterday it was scorpions as security guards in the jewelry shop. Today, it's a python that Corey Hicks with Animal Control believes someone used to keep as a pet, but then released it out into the wilds of Holly Hill, Florida. They say it's not really a danger to humans, but doesn't really like us either. Watch the video and see why...

Some people need to be licensed before they're allowed to videotape themselves. Take for instance Jack Brown. Jack Brown looks a lot like Tony Soprano in physical appearance. Imagine Tony Soprano dancing to LL Cool J. Well, that's what Jack Brown did. He made his own hip-hop music video in the hallway in his house. Did I mention that he's only wearing a boxer brief and a sleeveless undershirt? And this guy actually has some moves. I'm telling you, I'm imploring you, check it out. You will be amused. Watch the video...

Need to fly somewhere at the last minute. I mean if find out this afternoon that you have to be at a meeting in Baltimore or Cancun in the morning, you might want to check out 11th hour Vacations. This Web site is dedicated to people who need or want to travel last minute and want a discount with airlines that are looking to fill seats.

If that's not enough for you, check out 1800cheapseats.com. Yes, that's a Web site. You going out of town and want to check out a concert, Vegas show or some sporting events. This Web site is a portal to games, sporting events and tourist activities around the globe.
7/17: In Michigan, one jewelry shop owner is using an unusual method of security. I'm sure he has alarms and bars on the windows. But he also has put a dozen juicy-sized scorpions in his jewelry display. He hasn't seen a surge in business, but it he has had a lot of visitors. I say he should start a reptile zoo and charge entrance fees. Watch the story...

The Simpsons have upset someone new. Apparently, a 180 foot image of Homer Simpson painted into a hillside next to a famous fertility symbol in Dorset, England has pagans in a uproar. They plan some "rain magic" to get it washed away. Now, remember the fertility symbol is close to anatomically correct. You've been warned. See the video...

First Hamas made a Mickey Mouse-like character named Farfour into a martyr. Now, they've brought in a new character, a giant bumble bee named Nahoul who says he's Farfour's cousin. Apparently, his aspirations in life include appearing in every episode of the Hamas TV kid show "Pioneers of Tomorrow" and to become a martyr like Farfour. This is the craziness that they've been teaching little kids for years. Watch the NBC video...
7/16: Tot Uses iPhone: How easy to use is that new iPhone? Someone shot video of 2-year-old Anna navigating on her mommy's iPhone and she selects an mp3 to play. And I have to say the kid has taste in music. She decided on a little Coldplay. The video is interesting just to see how easily kids can pick up gizmos and figure them out and again, this toddler surged around the iPhone like it's Nick.com. Read the story...

This story shocked me when I saw the interview on CNN this morning. Some friends that had gathered for a wine and cheese party were interrupted by a gunman. But then the whole incident ended in a group hug after the party goers offered him some wine and cheese. Read the story...

By the way, remember I told you about that tree robber. That was the guy who strapped tree limbs to his body and then robbed a bank. Well, it shows you the power of the Click Chick. They nabbed him. Read the story...

Work For Diddy: P Diddy - formerly known as Puff Daddy, formerly the boyfriend of Jenny from the Block, aka, J Lo, is looking for a new personal assistant. So, he took his job posting and put it on YouTube last week. Well, after 10,000 inquiries, he felt he needed to go back and clarify what the job qualifications were - basic reading, writing and math skills. Apparently, he's not asking for much. Watch the video...

Movie Trailers: When I go to movie screenings, many times I do not get a look at coming attractions. More often then not they don't show trailers for upcoming features like they do at regular showings of films. So, if you're like me an want to see trailers for coming attractions, check out the comingsoon.net.
7/13: Facebook for Fido?: It was only a matter of time. There's MySpace and Facebook for us two legged humans, but what about our four legged friends? That's right there's catster and dogster.com for your beloved household pets. There are dog blogs, videos, diaries, and of course they select the dog of the day. So far on dogster.com, more than 300K dogs have been added. Over on catster.com, I found video of a tap dancing cat. Of course it's just chasing a ball. But someone will think it's cute. Don't know if there's anything for ferrets yet.

The CEO of Whole Foods Market wrote anonymous online attacks against a smaller rival and questioned why anyone would buy its stock before offering to buy the rival, Wild Oats. Should he be fired? Well, 84 percent of you said yes. By the way, The FTC is trying to block the sale...

Free Tickets: A theater in NYC is looking for a few good virgins. Yes, you can get free tickets to an off Broadway play if you can prove your chastity. How do they verify? With a hypnotist. Read the story...

It started as a flash mob - you know a group of people who send text/email messages to go meet at the same Bat-time, same Bat-station, for example in a store to order the same sandwich. Well, what may have started as a flash mob turned into a giant pillow fight in San Francisco. The feathers were flying and smiles were everywhere.

thedumb.com: Now this site hasn't been updated in a couple of years, but still has some funny stuff. You'll find a collection of some of the craziest laws, wackiest facts, and tons of other ridiculous things. Did you know camel hunting in Arizona is illegal? Don't Try This At Home:
7/12: I didn't believe what I was seeing, but our imaging guy here at KTAR swears it's true. Apparently, the Tom Dixon, owner of the Blendtec blender company will blend anything and post it the video on YouTube.com. Well, guess what he's blended now - an iPhone. He puts the iPhone in the blender and turns it on. When you hear it, you think Chewbacca is in the kitchen cooking. All that was left was some black powder and a metal frame. You have to see it for yourself to believe it. Watch the video...

Alright, the results of yesterday's KTAR Poll of the Day are in. Calif. lawmakers considered a bill that would require most dogs and cats to be sterilized. Would you vote for such a bill. Well, we had a statistical tie -- 696 "yes" votes and 692 "no" votes. But in Florida that means, Bush wins.

7/11: Fall TV: Want to know what's coming up on TV this fall, there's a Web site for all the major networks with previews of their fall shows. Let's say you want to know what's coming on after Grey's Anatomy? It's Big Shots. It's an all-male ensemble drama about CEOs. Yeah, I want to watch a bunch of rich men cheat on their wives and get $100 million salaries for laying off 10,000 employees. All I can say is they better be cute! Check the shows out...

The Get Smart Movie: Get Smart is coming to a big screen near you. And it stars none other than Evan Almighty and the 40-Year-Old Virgin himself, Steve Carrell. He will star in the action, comedy Get Smart as Maxwell Smart along with Anne Hathaway. She will be Agent 99. The Rock is Agent 23. And guess who has the link to the trailer? I do. Watch the trailer...

Fried Green Tomaters: OK. The one thing that stinks about my office is I'm next to the break room. So, I'm one of those people who really doesn't appreciate it when people cook their popcorn a little too long. It's a stink you don't want to smell for hours. Well, someone made something this morning that reminded me of fried green tomatoes (Lucky for them.). I love fried green tomatoes. They're one of the few bad things I still cook because they are fried. However, people always ask me how to make 'em and where to find them. Well, you can find them generally at an AJs or a Food City. Got a recipe from Food Network for you to cook 'em up too. Get the recipe...
7/10: I heard you guys talking about the building that's supposed to look like a flower but apparently some think it looks like a phallus. The designer says it's a flower. The developer says it looks like a phallus. I found the picture. Gosh, Google has everything there. After a simple search - key words: phallus and building and up popped the story from the San Diego Union Tribune - with the artists rendering of said tower. And I have to say it looks interesting. Read the story and see the picture here...

And this isn't the first time I've heard this kind of story. They said the same thing about one of the spires in the artwork for a little Disney film called The Little Mermaid. Yes, there was an urban legend that the castle on the poster or VHS art for the Little Mermaid. But that report turned out to be false. Found a story on that fabricated controversy for to peruse if you're interested. Read the Snopes.com article on it...

Dick is Vlad?: But the falsest picture of something I've seen is something I received from a listener. Said listener thinks that Vice President Dick Cheney is of Romanian descent - ie, he might be Vlad the Impaler, known to many others as Count Dracula. I've got a morphing picture he says is true. Funny, but I can debunk this mystery. Just clever stuff created in Photoshop. Good try, though.

This from AP: Major League Baseball's postseason marketing campaign will include a Web site that allows fans to create their own compilations of past playoff highlights. MLB will launch the "There's Only One October" campaign, featuring comedian Dane Cook, during the broadcast of Tuesday's All-Star game on Fox. Check out actober.com
7/9: Time Waster: My new favorite online game is Chicktionary. I'm obsessed with it. If you like Wheel of Fortune (which I don't, I'm more of a Jeopardy girl), you'll like this game. Chicktionary matches you against seven letters and you must come up with as many words as possible. Of course, it got a bunch of chickens and each egg is a letter and they cluck when you get stuff right and wrong. Great way to pass the time at the airport if your flight is delayed three hours...

One more thing, the new 7 wonders of the world were announced over the weekend. No the Grand Canyon didn't make it. Check out the new7wonders.com the 7 winners and the 21 finalists...

Tree Bandit: New Hampshire police looking to the tree robber. No he didn't steal someone's tree. He robbed a bank dressed as a tree. He used duct tape to attach tree branches to his body as a form of camouflage. And he got away with money. Well, there's a pretty good surveillance photo of the bush-eyed bandit or the deciduous defalcator. Read the story...

Map Test: Kids traveling with you to the office while on summer break? I have a little test for you to give them so their brains don't turn to mush. It's the 50 States Test. They just place the state on the proper place on the map and wah-la! They get points. Oh, on more thing. There are no lines on the map like you'd find on a political map, so it's not as easy as you think.

Michael Dixon, We Hardly Knew Ye: No when you think of Michael Dixon you think, refined, classy. Then he made this revelation on his travel show yesterday when talking about the running of the bulls in the Pamplona, Spain. He says he's always wanted to do it since he was in his 20s. His wife Gayle says no. Why? Because people get gored on a regular basis running with the bulls.
7/8: So, the Click Chick needs something to wake her up. I'm house sitting the Ankarlo dogs and cat and they demanded to be taken out at 2:20 a.m. this morning. This was preceded by guess who's AC deciding to have a breakdown yesterday when she was in Fountain Hills and had to make her way back to Central Phoenix? So, I'm dedicating this to those of you who had a rough day and a rough night last night. I give you this funny from the spoof cop reality show Reno 911. It took awhile to find something perfectly safe for PG eyes. In this video, one of the officers makes a traffic stop and orders a tall cowboy to walk the line... or line dance since he's wearing a 10 gallon hat... and he offers her some suggestions. It's received quite a few hits on YouTube. Watch the video...

The KTAR-Valley Honda Dealers Poll of the Day results. We asked if you think the LA mayor should resign after admitting to an extra-marital relationship with a TV reporter. Sixty-six percent of you said yes. Today's poll - A new study says men talk on cell phones more than women. I want to know if you agree?

Hey dumb criminals, the next time you think about picking the pocket of a senior citizen, let me tell you about 72-year-old Bill Barnes. He's got one of the top videos on MSN and here's why: Someone tried to pick his pocket and well he fought back, I'll let the police tell you what happened. Why did he do it, this is what he told NBC's Lester Holt on the Today show. By the way, Barnes was a golden gloves 50 years ago. Watch the videos...
7/6: You've Come a Long Way, Baby: Someone has posted a guide from 1955 from Housekeeping Monthly and of course it's "The Good Wife's Guide." Some of the suggestions include: "Be happy to see him. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember his topics of conversation are more important than yours. And whatever you do ladies, don't greet him with complaints and problems. Make sure his dinner is ready and make sure you arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. And don't forget to speak in a low, soothing voice." For a good laugh, read the rest of the guide...

And I wondered, why did they talk to women like that? Well, I found a commercial that kind of explains what they thought of us chicks back then. Apparently, they didn't think women were all that bright. Check out the Bactine commercial and several others from the 1950s and 60s on You Tube. You'll laugh at the Colt 45 ads. Its market sure has changed since then.

The Valley Honda Dealers Poll of the Day from yesterday came from Ned's idea. If you could vote on it, what would you make the national anthem? Well The Star Spangled Banner received 43 percent, America the Beautiful (Ned's choice) was close behind with 40 percent and God Bless America earned only 16 percent.

OK, if you're like the Click Chick, you didn't get a chance to see the fireworks last night because you were working or it was just too hot for you to get out there and brave the crowds. Well, have no fear, cyberfireworks.com is the place you should check out. Just turn on your computer, turn off every light in the room and you can create your very own Virtual Fireworks Show. All you do is chose a location, like the Grand Canyon, the White House, Vegas or New York and you use your mouse to start clicking away. Make sure you have the volume turned all the way up to get the full effect. I did watch the Capitol 4th on PBS last night - and Stevie Wonder was AMAZING. If you missed that, you missed a treat.
It's the 4th of July! But the Click Chick is here. She'll never let you down on a holidy, but I guarantee you I won't be here for Labor Day or Christmas. Since it's Independence Day, good old KTAR reporter Bob McClay has compiled a list of some of the biggest fireworks shows.

Valley Honda Dealers Poll of the Day: A taxi driver in the Philipines found $17K left in his taxi. He turned it in and the rightful owner got the money back. His tip was $32. I asked our listeners if they thought that was too cheap and 87 percent of you agreed with me and said yes.

Patriotic Art: This artist does a patriotic canvas piece of art in less than 3 minutes. And how could you not like it? He does it to the music of good old Jimi Hendrix. I won't tell you what it is because he does it upside down and you won't figure out what it is until he's close to done. Check it out below...



Transformers Car Review: One more thing - about Transformers that Michael Dixon didn't tell you that "Bumblebee" is the best part of the movie. I LOVED Bumblebee. It's the new 2008/09 Chevy Camaro concept car. Listen the Click Chick digs hot cars. Found it on a Web site called leftlanenews.com. It's for car enthusiasts. By the way, I thought the movie has spectacular special effects, the acting was actually good, but once the Transformers started talking, well, that gave it a silliness it didn't need. But still, it was good movie going fun.

OK, who's got arachnophobia? If you do, cover your ear. I found something on the web about a giant spider that was hiding behind someone's clock that was hanging on the wall. Apparently, said spider couldn't hid all of its appendages behind the clock and when the homeowner got home, he was brave enough to remove the clock and photograph what he found - a Huntsman spider. I have to say reptiles and snakes don't creep me out - but the looking at the spider kinda did. Check out the spider...

A Minnesota man has created his own city. He named it Mount Holly, population 1 and declared himself "mayor/chamber of commerce/justice-of-the-peace/town drunk." He's also the publisher of the town's online newspaper mountholly-lamano.com. Today's headline reads "population explosion" apparently, there was some type of coup attempt by a warlord - ie, his stepson, and he was forced to accept to new residents - his wife and two kids. If you're like me and like the humor of Mad magazine, then you might find it amusing. It's fun reading. Make sure you click on the Public Works Dept. link.

Since it's the 4th of July, I've got a link to the National Archives. You can check out the Constitution and some other cool historical stuff. U.S. Constitution and National Archives...
7/3: I told you interstellar aliens - are stealing our livestock and taking them back to their planet for weird experiments. Well, the aliens responsible for crop circles have gone 3D. I've got the pictures to prove it. See the pics and read the story...

Imagine Ed Phillips rapping the weather. OK. We don't want to imagine it. But there was a rapping newsman at a Fox affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. His name is Mark Mathis and he's crazy and I have the proof. Apparently he's a legend, there are multiple links of him on the Internet.
Watch Mark Mathis rap his weather...
More Mark Mathis crazy video...

The Valley Honda Dealers Poll of the Day results: Well, it seems that 68 percent of you didn't like the fact that President Bush commuted I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's sentence. Today's poll asks if a cab driver who turned in $17,000 left by a passenger should have gotten a bigger reward than the $32 he actually received. Read the story...

OK, I'm sure everyone knows that the Springfield in the Simpsons is in an as yet to be named state. So the movie company encouraged 14 Springfield's around the country to submit videos and compete to be the host of the hometown premiere of "The Simpsons Movie." Well, I looked at some of the videos. The one from Louisiana shows all the residents are yellow - just like The Simpsons character. Springfield, Illinois, had a character that looked like Kent Brockman - the news anchor interviewing a comic book guy. But of the ones I've seen so far, Ohio's entry is my favorite. It's pretty irreverant and fun like the show. Missouri's is pretty clever by showing how it DOES NOT want to be the home of the premiere. There are said to be some celebrity cameos in some of the hometown videos. Haven't see one yet, but I'm still watching. Check out: www.thesimpsons.usatoday.com
7/2: Press on Nails for Cats?!?: You won't believe this if I tell you. You can solve your cat's scratching problem without having your cat declawed. I know a lot of people object to doing that but their cats don't object to scratching up your $565 armoire you picked up from Cost Plus World Market. Well, a veterinarian invented soft paws that allow you to put a nail cap on your cats claws - all you need is a little adhesive and a cat and it comes in a variety of colors. Basically, it's Lee's Press on Nails for cats. Check out softpaws.com.

Kwik-E-Marts Are Real!: You've probably heard some 7-11 stores have been turned into Kwik-E-Marts in anticipation of The Simpsons movie. Somehow, the geniuses at Fox and 7-11 decided not to do the promotion in the Phoenix. We're the nation's 5th largest city and they put on of these up in Canada, but not Phoenix. It's an outrage.
Read the story and check out some photos...
Bonus: Hear the Simpsons and Apu sing about Kwik-E-Mart...

Remember the Click Chick will give you the sports stories that Paul Calvisi never will. Remember, I was the one who told you why the Cardinals had a problem with its offensive line. Now, I'm giving you the sport that Paul won't cover and you won't hear covered on ESPN, I give you Ninja Warriors, the Japanese athletic tournament. It's more intense than American Gladiators ever was, Ninja Warriors is a Japanese athletic tournament. There have only been 18 of them and only 2 people have ever completed all 4 stages - and they have to compete in all 4 on the same day. I've got video of Makoto Nagano - the second man to ever complete all four stages. 100 start the tournament, but usually only 7 make it past the first course.
Watch the video...
Read about the competition
*Important Info!
Looking for an old Click Chick posting? Check out the Click Chick archive.

Worried about security on these sites you're checking out? My recommendation: Use Firefox. That is an official recommendation by the Click Chick over IE for those who are security minded. There is no question that non-IE browsers are safer although IE 7 is a major step in the right direction.

Disclaimer: While I didn't have any security problems with any of my site recommendations, "your results may vary." *Important Info!
Looking for an old Click Chick posting? Check out the Click Chick archive.

Worried about security on these sites you're checking out? My recommendation: Use Firefox. That is an official recommendation by the Click Chick over IE for those who are security minded. There is no question that non-IE browsers are safer although IE 7 is a major step in the right direction.

Disclaimer: While I didn't have any security problems with any of my site recommendations, "your results may vary."