A small café in Des Moines, Iowa, is selling cookies like hot cakes
after word spread that the café's chocolate chunk cookies are a
favorite of the Obamas. [That market upswing is called the Obama
Effect. Now Detroit is hoping the Obamas will go shopping for a new
car.]

A British man has invented a train set that runs on the ceiling. He's
even patenting his designs, which he says are perfect for train lovers
with little or no extra space. [Hmmm...something to replace the mirror.]

Michael Phelps has been named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the
Year. [An honor that means it'll be at least six more months before
Phelps puts his shirt back on.]

President-elect Barack Obama was in Philadelphia Tuesday
to speak to a summit of the nation’s governors, including Alaska’s
Sarah Palin. [No word yet on who she left behind to keep an eye on
Russia.]

An Italian freediver has set a new Guinness record for holding his
breath -- 18 minutes, 3.69 seconds. Back in April David Blaine set the
old record of 17 minutes 4.4 seconds. [Great, now there's someone else
with as few active brain cells as David Blaine....who isn't in politics.]

The presidential inauguration is shaping up to be the biggest
celebrity bash of the young millennium. [Stars will be partying late
into the night. Then sometime the next day they'll return to rehab.]

An Oklahoma man who saw his pickup truck being stolen jumped into the
bed of the moving vehicle, kicked out the back window and crawled into
the cab to stop the thief. [Just another day in the life of Chuck
Norris.]
Unknown Inspired - 15 years, 5 months, 20 days ago

Researchers have found that female spiders who eat would-be suitors
produce more babies, and those babies are stronger and bigger than
spiders who stick to more mundane fare. [Apparently just eating the
guy is more effective that trying to get any child support out of
him.]

The Republican National Committee has spent more than $150,000 to
clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her
family since August. [Well, it takes a lot of money to get a woman to
look like Tina Fey.]

Beyonce says she has given a name to her alter ego who takes over on
stage -- Sasha Fierce. [That wasn’t her first choice, but "Clay Aiken"
was already taken.]

Al Gore returned to his alma mater to help Harvard University launch
its new greenhouse gas reduction effort. [Turns out if you recycle
just a few ivy league students a year, you can save a whole forest of
tweed.]
Unknown Inspired - 15 years, 7 months, 1 day ago

Researchers reported this week that as much as half of all Americans
have vision problems. [Which explains that line in the National
Anthem: "Oh, say can you see?"]

Best Buy plans to add a dozen vending kiosks inside major airports
across America as part of a new pilot program called "Best Buy
Express." [Which is great, except when you pay for a digital camera
and a Butterfinger comes out.]
Unknown Inspired - 15 years, 8 months, 5 days ago

The Harrold Independent School District in Texas has given approval
for school staff to carry firearms. [Well the debate club just got
interesting.]
Unknown Inspired - 15 years, 8 months, 5 days ago

Researchers say that the most courageous students are least likely to
cheat in class. [That's because the most courageous students are
ditching.]

Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster says that being in her 40s was just
as exciting as her teenage years. [Turns out when you make several
million dollars a year, everything's more exciting.]

One Texas school district will begin allowing teachers to bring guns
to class this fall. [So you kids had better know the answer when
you're called on.]

Chris Kattan and his wife have separated after having only been
married since June. [The problem first arose when the bride suddenly
came to the realization she was married to Chris Kattan.]
Unknown Inspired - 15 years, 8 months, 5 days ago