Get A Free Signed First Edition Of Lilja’s Library: The World of Stephen King”

Are you a collector of the legendary horror writer? Then check out these great Stephen King books as part of the big sale event that’s happening over at VeryFinebooks.com starting today.

You will find some great collector signed first editions here.

If you’re a serious collector , then you deserve to put one of these great books into you library today… You already know who Stephen King is, about all the best-sellers, his world-wide popularity, and his legacy, and you understand why his signed books are so valuable and why they will continue to be so in the future..

So don’t miss out on this one because they are some truly wonderful books here, both rare and of high quality.

Please note that this sale event is open for a limited time only. (it ends this Thursday midnight)

Here’s why:

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FREE BONUS GIFT WITH YOUR ORDER

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Here’s the best part. Your order will qualify for a free Signed First Edition of “Lilja’s Library: The World of Stephen King” dj/HC in Fine/Fine condition. Mr. Lilja will personally sign and inscribe a copy of his new book to you. In fact, the books that Lilja will sign for you are currently with him now  in Sweden where he lives.

He will be sending the books back on Sept. 20th so get your order in before then. He wont be signing any more books for this promotion once it’s over.

Here is the link again to get all the details:

Happy Days ‘Jump the Shark’ Writer Defends His Work

The phrase “jumped the shark” has come to mean that precise moment when a TV show (or more broadly any human endeavor in sports, politics, media) went too far and began going downhill.

But many people don’t realize that the phrase refers to an actual episode in 1977 from the TV show Happy Days when Fonzie literally “jumped a shark” on water skis. There is even a website http://www.jumptheshark.com devoted to the fatal missteps of hundreds of other TV programs.

Today comes an article in the Los Angeles Times by Fred Fox, Jr., the writer of that Happy Days episode defending it, but conceding that the phrase, much to his embarrassment, has now entered the lexicon of public culture.

Check it out HERE.

(Reprinted from USA Today)

Coke Zero: Inverted Pyramid

In grocery stores, products all seem to blend into the shelves. The Leo Burnett ad agency in Manila was tasked to make Coke Zero stand out from the rest.

Their effective solution was to stack the soda in an inverted pyramid shape which visually separated Coke Zero from the sea of bubbly beverages. A 13% sales increase occurred in stores that participated with the unique display idea.

Norah Jones “…Featuring” Due Out November 2nd

On November 2, EMI’s Blue Note Records will release …Featuring, a star-studded collection of singer Norah Jones’s musical collaborations from the past decade. The 18 songs on the album include duets with such legends as Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton, and with 21st Century icons from OutKast to the Foo Fighters.

The tracks on …Featuring span her entire career, from one of her earliest recording sessions (a version of Roxy Music’s “More Than This” with guitarist Charlie Hunter in 2001) to her most recent performance, a song called “Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John” that she cut with Belle and Sebastian, which will also appear on their new album. The result serves as a kind of parallel history to her own four albums, which have sold over 40 million copies worldwide.

These collaborations reveal Jones’s astonishing musical versatility, from jazz to country, hip-hop to rock. The album also includes recordings by some of Jones’s own bands and side projects (The Little Willies and El Madmo), and performances with artists that she’s toured with including M. Ward, Sasha Dobson, and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Songs on …Featuring range from classics recorded by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, and Roy Orbison to new material by such wide-ranging innovators as Ryan Adams and Q-Tip.

The track listing for …Featuring is as follows:

1. Love Me – The Little Willies

2. Virginia Moon – The Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones

3. Turn Them – Sean Bones featuring Norah Jones

4. Baby It’s Cold Outside – Willie Nelson featuring Norah Jones

5. Bull Rider – Norah Jones and Sasha Dobson

6. Ruler Of My Heart – Dirty Dozen Brass Band featuring Norah Jones

7. The Best Part – El Madmo

8. Take Off Your Cool – OutKast featuring Norah Jones

9. Life Is Better – Q-Tip featuring Norah Jones

10. Soon The New Day – Talib Kweli featuring Norah Jones

11. Little Lou, Prophet Jack, Ugly John – Belle & Sebastian featuring Norah Jones

12. Here We Go Again – Ray Charles featuring Norah Jones

13. Loretta – Norah Jones featuring Gillian Welch and David Rawlings

14. Dear John – Ryan Adams featuring Norah Jones

15. Creepin’ In – Norah Jones featuring Dolly Parton

16. Court & Spark – Herbie Hancock featuring Norah Jones

17. More Than This – Charlie Hunter featuring Norah Jones

18. Blue Bayou – Norah Jones featuring M. Ward

Telegram Stop

In a day and age where emails and texts have become standard, it’s nice to know that there are services that harken back to yesteryear. Once you draft a message, Telegram Stop ($6) will send your recipient a telegram that looks and feels like the old timey version right down to the envelope and paper.

Factoid: People would write the word “STOP” on telegrams because punctuation used to cost extra and letters were free, up to a specific limit.

You Tube Time Machine

Looking for a blast from the past? Simply dial in a year between 1897 and the present at the YouTube Time Machine, and it’ll select a random video clip from the year that you select. You can choose music, commercials and events of that year for your viewing pleasure.

The Band Eye Test

The Sound & Vision Eye Chart is made up of 36 letters pulled from classic band logos & album covers – you know, the ones you used to draw on your pencil cases at school. So, with it spanning decades, genres and alphabet systems – how many can you get?

You can purchase the poster HERE.

iPod Watch Band

Thanks to its diminutive size and built-in clip, the new iPod nano isn’t just a music player — it’s a fashion accessory. Make it even more of one with the iPod Watch Band ($17). These 22mm Maratac nylon bands come in a variety of colors and styles to coordinate with whatever color nano you prefer.

Cult Movie Quote Book

You don’t need to be an American beauty or a pretty woman to impress all the usual suspects in your crew. Just study this holy grail of movie quotes to make everyone’s jaws drop. Great for the film fanatic and the rebel without a clue, the Cult Movie Quote Book ($9.99) is chock full of the good, the bad and the ugly of cinema citations. Read it cover to cover, or gather everyone around a plate of fried green tomatoes or chocolat for a trivia-style evening of cult quotes. No matter how you read this book, it will make you nobody’s fool when it comes to film.

Stephen King Talks About Who Should Star In The Dark Tower Movies?

With news that Stephen King’s enormously popular book series The Dark Tower will be coming to a big and small screen near you, Entertainment Weekly reached out to the bestselling author to get a few more answers about the highly-anticipated project. Here’s what he had to say:

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The Dark Tower is such a dense series — did you always think it needed more than a single movie or TV show treatment?

STEPHEN KING: I always thought it would take more than a single movie, but I didn’t see this solution coming — i.e., several movies and TV series. It was Ron [Howard] and Akiva [Goldsman]‘s idea. Once it was raised, I thought at once it was the solution.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What about Ron Howard and NBC makes them a good fit for the franchise?

STEPHEN KING: When working as a director, Ron is very similar to the way I work as a writer. We both tell honest stories that have (I flatter myself) style and substance but not a lot of show-offy frills.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: In a perfect world, who would play Roland? Eddie? Susannah? Jake?

STEPHEN KING: The Twilight cast, of course! Just kidding. I haven’t got as far as casting in my thoughts, but when I write about Susannah Dean, I always kind of see Angela Bassett in my mind’s eye. Mostly I just want good people in those parts. Ron Howard will find them, I’m sure.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: And who would you want to play?

STEPHEN KING: I’d love to be the voice of Blaine the Mono.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: There’s a lot of blood in the series — how much is the TV series going to be censored? It likely would have been easier to join forces with a network without restrictions, à la HBO, no?

STEPHEN KING: I don’t see that as a problem at all! We’ll have just enough latitude to make a great series. I’ve worked in network TV before, and every time I was squeezed a little, it just made me look for creative solutions. Besides, I always like to play in the biggest auditorium available! (Reprinted from EW.com)

New OnStar Coming With Facebook

GM’s next generation OnStar will get a major upgrade and challenge Ford’s Sync system with infotainment options. In addition to OnStar’s well-known unparalleled route guidance and safety assistance services, the new system will get apps like Facebook.

A Bloomberg story outlines the differences in the new version of OnStar, which should focus its attention on more features designed to make Sync less of a deal maker for their rivals and outline the advantages of OnStar’s always-on fat data pipe connection.

They’re reporting it will add text message voice translation and, somehow, Facebook. Will you be able to “like” places you see on the road or “share” routes with your friends? We’ll find out soon. (From Gizmodo)

Aviator Chair

Drawing inspiration from World War II bomber planes, the Aviator Chair ($1,295) from Restoration Hardware features aerodynamic curves hugged in riveted aluminum, while the seat and back are swathed in ribbed leather with the busted-down softness of a vintage bomber jacket. A low seat and raked back give it true flyboy swagger.

Captain America Costume Photos Online

The first photographs of the Captain America costume are now online courtesy of The Daily Mail.

The outfit, seen below, is reportedly worn in these shots by a stuntman and not Chris Evans himself. The scene involves a motorbike chase between Steve Rogers and agents of H.Y.D.R.A.

More images can be found HERE.

Google Announces Instant Search Results Feature

Google revealed “Google Instant” today and it’s pretty much just how it sounds. You begin typing your query into Google’s search box and your search results change in real-time with each additional letter you add, displayed dynamically on the search results page.

“We want search to be fun, fast, and interactive,” said Google’s Marissa Mayer. Currently, the average user takes nine seconds to enter a search query, about one second for Google to return results, and another 15 seconds for the user to make a selection. Total query time: 25 seconds.

With Google Instant, the search engine fetches predictive results to reduce the overall query time by around five seconds. Mayer used the example of searching for “fauvism,” which returned relevant results once she’d typed only the first four letters.

Google Instant will be rolling out today in the US, with an international rollout to follow within the next week. A mobile version is planned as well, due sometime this fall.

MTV Orders More Jersey Shore

Break out the hair gel, MTV is planning more Jersey Shore this year. The network is lining up a pair of specials for after the Miami-set second season finale Oct. 21st.

The first will be a cast reunion show, which will air Oct. 28th. The second is a behind-the-scenes special, for which a premiere date has not been determined.

Season 3, for which the crew goes back to the Shore, will launch next year.

Jersey Shore has been the cable ratings phenomenon of the summer, with each recent week setting an all-time record for the show. The most recent episode drew 6.5 million viewers and a 3.3 adults 18-49 rating.

Stephen King’s Dark Tower Film and TV Projects Officially Announced

Universal Pictures and NBC Universal Television Entertainment have acquired the rights to produce three films and a television series based on the seven epic novels, short stories and comic books from Stephen King’s The Dark Tower.

Ron Howard will direct the first film and the first season of television, which will be written by Akiva Goldsman. Goldsman will produce the film through his Weed Road Pictures with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer for Imagine Entertainment. Howard, Grazer and Goldsman will executive produce the television series for Universal Media Studios. Kerry Foster will executive produce the first film for Weed Road Pictures along with Todd Hallowell and Erica Huggins for Imagine Entertainment.

“I’ve been waiting for the right team to bring the characters and stories in these books to film and TV viewers around the world,” said King. “Ron, Akiva, Brian along with Universal and NBC have a deep interest and passion for the The Dark Tower series and I know that will translate into an intriguing series of films and TV shows that respect the origins and the characters in The Dark Tower that fans have come to love.”

The Dark Tower is Stephen King’s opus of seven bestselling novels with, to date, more than 30 million copies sold in 40 countries. The novels incorporate themes from multiple genres including fantasy, science fiction, horror and adventure. After the series was completed, a prequel of comic books based on one of the characters was also published.

“Building a franchise home for The Dark Tower is an exciting opportunity for this studio, and we’re thrilled that Stephen has entrusted us to bring his beloved novels to the big screen,” said Fogelson.

“Stephen King is a brilliant storyteller who creates imaginary worlds that resonate with the broadest audiences across ages and demographics,” said Gaspin. “We are thrilled to partner with our colleagues in the film division and Brian, Ron and Akiva to bring Stephen’s vision to the largest audience possible through this innovative multi-platform collaboration.”

Howard, Grazer and Goldsman are planning for the first film in the trilogy to be immediately followed by a television series that will bridge the second film. After the second film, the television series will pick up allowing viewers to explore the adventures of the protagonist as a young man as a bridge to the third film and beyond.

“We are excited to have found partners at Universal who understand and embrace our approach to King’s remarkable epic,” said Howard. “By using both the scope and scale of theatrical filmmaking and the intimacy of television we hope to more comprehensively do justice to the characters, themes and amazing sequences King has given us in The Dark Tower novels. It might be the challenge of a lifetime but clearly a thrilling one to take on and explore.”

iOS 4.1 For iPhone, iPod Touch Now Available

Apple today released iOS 4.1 for the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, second, third and fourth-generation iPod touch. The update brings a number of bug fixes and new features, including a fix for the iPhone 4’s proximity sensor, Bluetooth issues, and performance problems on the iPhone 3G. Notably, the iPhone 3G is left out amongst its iOS 4.1-capable peers in support for Apple’s new Game Center social gaming service, which is also included in the update, along with support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography on the iPhone 4, HD video uploading over Wi-Fi, and support for TV show rentals from the iTunes Store. iOS 4.1 is available now as a free upgrade for all compatible devices via the update feature in iTunes.

Apple Releases iMovie 1.1 For iPhone 4 And iPod touch 4G

Apple has released an update to its iMovie application for the iPhone 4, adding support for the fourth-generation iPod touch and several other new features. iMovie 1.1 adds the ability to split video clips and automatically loop music when video extends beyond the end of the music track. Users can also now scrub to preview clips in the Video Browser and view an in-app Tips page to learn how to use key features. The new version also includes an updated Photos Browser with the newest images at the top, a Mute badge to indicate video clips that have audio disabled and additional performance and reliability improvements. iMovie 1.1 requires an iPhone 4 or fourth-generation iPod touch running iOS 4.1 or later and is available from the App Store for $5 and as a free update for current users.

The Elan Soulra

The Elan Soulra ($180) is an iPod and iPhone compatible speaker system that offers a high efficiency solar panel located on top for charging the docked device or for refreshing the rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Designed for outdoor use, the splash-proof, rugged rubberized aluminum body ensures that the speaker system can withstand abuse.

The Soulra includes full range speakers, an auxiliary input and bass boost. A battery charge indicator allows you to see the battery level so you know when to put it back in the sun or plug it in for a quick charge. A remote control is included for full control and convenience.

600 Hanna-Barbera Characters Size Comparison Infographic

Chilean-based graphic designer Juan Pablo Bravo created this detailed infographic featuring 600 different Hanna-Barbara characters, from 1957’s Ruff and Reddy to 1998’s The Powerpuff Girls. All of the characters are drawn to scale, shown grouped by television series in chronological order, with their respective names in english and spanish. The characters are even color coded to show the differences between the main characters, secondary characters and vehicles. Click on the image below to increase the size.

Cold Stone Creamery & Make-A-Wish Foundation Invites You To Participate In The “World’s Largest Ice Cream Social On September 30th

Cold Stone Creamery and the Make-A-Wish Foundation are inviting the country to help make Kate’s wish come true by participating in the “World’s Largest Ice Cream Social.” Kate, an 11-year-old with a life-threatening congenital spinal-cord condition, wished to be the Cold Stone Tastemaster and she’s hoping ice cream lovers around the country will dig into the exclusive ice cream Creation that she developed.

Throughout September, every Cold Stone store nationwide will sell paper wish stars for $1 each. The month-long fundraiser will culminate in the ninth-annual “World’s Largest Ice Cream Social” on Sept. 30th.

During the social, Cold Stone locations will give away three-ounce portions of Kate’s Creation from 5-8 p.m., while encouraging guests to make a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Cold Stone Creamery has supported the Make-A-Wish Foundation since 2002, generating more than $3.6 million in donations.

An ice cream connoisseur, Kate discovered that a wish kid has the responsibility of creating an exclusive Creation for the “World’s Largest Ice Cream Social.” When the Make-A-Wish Foundation asked Kate for her most heartfelt wish, she knew she was the perfect candidate for the position.

In March, Kate traveled to the Cold Stone Creamery World Headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz., to work with the Cold Stone Tastemaster to mix up this year’s Make-A-Wish Creation. Kate was named “Junior Tastemaster” and invented Kate’s Creation: caramel apple ice cream mixed with graham cracker pie crust, chocolate shavings and apple pie filling.

Her exclusive Creation will be featured at Cold Stone locations throughout September. “My wish day at Cold Stone was the most delicious day of my life!” Kate exclaimed.

Ice cream lovers and supporters of the Make-A-Wish Foundation are encouraged to be part of Kate’s wish and visit their local Cold Stone Creamery on Thursday, Sept. 30th.

Amy Poehler Will Host 2010 Saturday Night Live Premiere

Amy Poehler will host Saturday Night Live when the late-night comedy show returns to NBC on Sept. 25th. Katy Perry will be the musical guest. Poehler, who was a member of the SNL troupe from 2001-2008, earned her fourth Emmy nomination this summer for playing Leslie Knope on Parks. The single-camera comedy from Greg Daniels and Michael Schur will begin its third year on NBC later this season.

SNL, which is about to begin its 36th year on NBC, will also add four featured players to the mix this season to help fill the void left by Will Forte. The four additions to SNL are actor/comedian Taran Killam, who’s appeared on Mad TV and How I Met Your Mother, Chicago-based comedians Paul Brittain and Vanessa Bayer and newcomer Jay Pharoah, who has performed on BET’s “One Mic Stand.”

Pixar Posts Defunct Newt Artwork

Back in February, reports surfaced that Pixar would cease production on “Newt,” a romantic comedy about a pair of endangered amphibians, that was to have been the directorial debut of sound whiz Gary Rydstrom. Rydstrom had previously directed the charming Pixar short “Lifted” (about the alien abduction driver’s ed), which was nominated for an Academy Award.

On Friday afternoon before a long weekend, the Disney – Pixar Facebook page, posted the following:

“As most of you already know,” the post read, “‘Newt’ is no longer in development at Pixar. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t share some of the Pixar’s amazing artwork with our Facebook fans!”

See more art HERE. (Thanks for the tip Don)

LightCap Water Bottle & Lantern

Here is a clever multipurpose gadget for campers. The LightCap 300 ($30) is a renewable lantern (via integrated FastSolar technology), a one liter water bottle and a waterproof container for valuables. It also has our own custom wide mouth bottle with a 50% wider opening than standard bottles for easier cleaning, mixing, drinking and storing contents.

ABC Makes ‘No Ordinary Family’ Pilot Available Online

ABC announced earlier today that it has made the pilot of No Ordinary Family available for online screening, at least for the first 50,000 viewers.

Viewing the pilot requires that you login at:

http://www.noordinaryscreening.com

with your ABC.com ID or Facebook, Myspace or Twitter logins and the password is “Extraordinary” (without the quotes).

Here is a synopsis of the upcoming Fall show:

“The Powells are about to go from ordinary to extraordinary. After 16 years of marriage, Jim (Michael Chiklis, The Shield Fantastic Four) feels disconnected from his workaholic wife, Stephanie (Julie Benz, Dexter), and two teenage children, Daphne (Kay Panabaker, Summerland) and JJ (Jimmy Bennett, Star Trek). To encourage family bonding time, Jim decides the family will join Stephanie on her business trip to South America. When their plane crashes into the Amazon River, they barely enjoy a moment to celebrate their survival before returning to the grind of everyday life. But they will soon realize that their lives have been forever changed. Each member of the family starts to show signs of new, unique and distinct super powers. Will their newfound abilities finally bring them together or push them further apart?”

Sorry international readers, the link will not work outside of the USA. (Thanks for the tip Mark Watson)