The video for Prince's new song "Cinnamon Girl" is causing quite a stir before it's even been released, as it follows the hardships of a teen Arab-American girl in a post 9-11 America.

The clip, directed by video veteran Phil Harder, features Oscar-nominated Whale Rider star Keisha Castle-Hughes as an Arab-American girl who is fed up with the anti-Arab sentiments she encounters in everyday life. Disillusioned and angered, New Zealander Castle-Hughes' character detonates a bomb in an airport terminal, exploding herself and others. But a reverse motion immediately following the explosion reveals that it is only a thought of hers.

Prince, who only appears in the video intermittently, sings, "Cinnamon girl mixed heritage / Never knew the meaning of color lines / 9-11 turned that all around / When she got accused of this crime.

--Uh, not sure about this one. Not sure I think Prince has enough artistic integrity to do this the right way. Not sure I even see a real point to it, actually. I'll have to see the finished product.

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Birthday update:

My first birthday as a real worlder in the working arena was a big eye opener: I got stuck in a hearing that lasted from 3 p.m. until (brace yourselves) 1 a.m. No dinner breaks, no nothing. I missed meeting my friends and family for drinks and dinner completely, but they partied without me!

I'd like to go back to being a kid now please.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 10:12 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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1 Crap. That sounds painful. Is it too late for me to change my mind?

Posted by: Kelly at October 13, 2004 10:29 AM (D8Zun)

2 I remember that moment when I realized "damn, this is gonna be different" (except mine was getting married and just when we were comfortable with that, we had our daughter in the house). Sorry to hear your birthday was spent in a hearing!

Posted by: Brad at October 13, 2004 10:35 AM (PS936)

3 That's a real bummer. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find a group to go tonight. There is live music and $2 pints at Rock Bottom tonight.

Posted by: M@ at October 13, 2004 10:38 AM (f2jsN)

4 That's too bad, girl. I remember knowing that things had definitely changed for the worse that first summer. I actually had to work instead of getting it off.

Posted by: GrumpyBunny at October 13, 2004 10:42 AM (w3aVF)

5 Ouch! What kind of hearing was it? Come to the Red Room tonight and have some fun. First martini for you will be on me.

Posted by: Brian D. at October 13, 2004 10:55 AM (iEKK/)

6 A hearing until 1 a.m.? Jinkies.

Posted by: Kevin the Interloper at October 13, 2004 01:19 PM (qb+8W)

7 No fun, so sorry. BUT, that is why when you get older you not longer just have birthday days, you have birthday weeks! Some people I know celebrate the whole month.

Posted by: Lynne at October 13, 2004 02:17 PM (RSvAS)

8 1am? You wuss. 1am is common for many here in the big city!

Posted by: Iceman at October 13, 2004 10:04 PM (KPS1G)

9 I have never heard of such a thing. I have heard of having to wait late for juries until then, but never for a hearing. Oh, well, better you than me!

Posted by: chuck at October 13, 2004 10:48 PM (mtS5a)

10 OOh, that sucks!

Posted by: bogie at October 17, 2004 05:52 AM (al6ob)

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Bet you didn't know that there is an online magazine for LDS (Mormon) teens and young adults called Jen. You'll see that it claims to be a young person's alternative for Modest Clothing, Good Movies and Music, Positive Media, and the Latter-Day Saint Lifestyle.

--Um. Ok. Not sure what I think about this. What's wrong with YM or Teen? Part of life is being exposed to peer pressures, but standing up to them.

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..."jail is a blast!"

Martha Stewart reportedly spent her third day in prison playing scrabble and charming her fellow inmates.

The lifestyle guru, who begun her five-month term at Alderson, West Virginia's federal prison camp on Friday, is "having a really good time" befriending other prisoners and enjoying visits from her daughter Alexis. A source says of Stewart's guests Alexis and an unnamed male, "They were having a really good time. Martha went outside and sat on the swing. She was swinging and they were sitting right next to her on a bench."

--Hysterical.

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It's kind of a big day for the Mills family.

1) I'm the big 2-6 today. Older, definitely not wiser.

2) My parents are moving from here, where we moved when I was 2 1/2, back to where they grew up here in Indianapolis. They're technically going to be here for 4 weeks, then move to their new home here.

We're all so sad (especially me) to be leaving such wonderful people in Vincennes, but we know we'll see them all a lot. It's only a 2 1/2 hour drive, and many of my parents' friends have already planned weekend trips to come stay with them. I know I'll go back often around the holidays to see old friends.

Here's a toast (of coffee, at this hour--I'm not celebrating the bday THIS early!) to this new phase of my parents' lives. It will be great to have them close.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:15 AM | Comments (21) | Add Comment
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1 Happy Birthday! {{{hugs}}}

Posted by: Kate at October 12, 2004 07:20 AM (FcPaN)

2 Hey, Happy Birthday! And Congrats to your parents on the new digs.

Posted by: Robin at October 12, 2004 08:29 AM (qM8fh)

3 Happy Birthday!!!!!! Your parents and I will practically be neighbors, well except for about 2 blocks and a really big gate.

Posted by: M@ at October 12, 2004 08:32 AM (f2jsN)

4 Awesome, M@. You'll have to let me know some good bars, etc. to tell them about!

Posted by: Lawren at October 12, 2004 08:36 AM (sql83)

5 From one October baby to another, happy birthday.

Posted by: Kevin the Interloper at October 12, 2004 08:37 AM (qb+8W)

6 You a Libra too, Kevin?

Posted by: Lawren at October 12, 2004 08:46 AM (sql83)

7 Happy Birthday - and sounds like the celebration comes later today - have fun!!!

Posted by: Kelly at October 12, 2004 08:57 AM (D8Zun)

8 Happy Birthday. Celebrate well and enjoy it

Posted by: Brian D. at October 12, 2004 09:24 AM (bfkgE)

9 Happy B-day! Hope it's a great one!

Posted by: GrumpyBunny at October 12, 2004 09:39 AM (w3aVF)

10 HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Posted by: Kelly at October 12, 2004 09:40 AM (E2iNO)

11 I'm actually a Libra/Scorp. My birthdate is 23 Oct, so I'm right on the cusp. Yeah, I'm a joy to be around! :-p I'm spending my third consecutive birthday in Vegas. It's highly recommended!! Happy birthday.

Posted by: Kevin the Interloper at October 12, 2004 10:35 AM (qb+8W)

12 OOH--I agree. My parents took me to Vegas for my 21st. It was a very good time!

Posted by: Lawren at October 12, 2004 10:41 AM (sql83)

13 Happy, Happy! Love birthdays. I toast you back with my Ty Nant (cool bottle) spring water.

Posted by: Lynne at October 12, 2004 11:13 AM (fKtwY)

14 Happy birthday! Libra seems right for you, and it looks like your moon sign is either aquarius or pisces, depending whn during the day you were born.

Posted by: Jay at October 12, 2004 01:41 PM (wZQAO)

15 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

Posted by: Jennifer at October 12, 2004 02:09 PM (/NTmN)

16 Happy happy birthday from an Indy gal! Hope you have a great day!

Posted by: alexi at October 12, 2004 02:42 PM (ERt2s)

17 Happy B-Day. May you have many happy more. Looks like your parents new digs will be grand! I wondered about that homesite. Now I know, Thanks!

Posted by: Sallie at October 12, 2004 03:01 PM (OLfCp)

18 Happy Birthday, Lawren!

Posted by: Kevin at October 12, 2004 06:46 PM (WGCQv)

19 Happy Birthday. C'mon up or down as the case may be. I'll treat you to a martini.

Posted by: Norman at October 12, 2004 08:59 PM (sANa9)

20 Happy Birthday. Have a martini on me.

Posted by: Jeff at October 12, 2004 09:31 PM (nqfj6)

21 As usual, I'm really late with the birthday wishes - Happy Belated Birthday!

Posted by: bogie at October 17, 2004 05:51 AM (al6ob)

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The Palms Casino Resort is building a two-story suite, named the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, on top of a 40-story tower currently under construction. The Hef villa will have its own glass elevator overlooking the Strip, an indoor and outdoor pool and a facade that will feature a giant illuminated Playboy rabbit head.

Once again, waitresses will wear fluffy tails and pointy ears.

Scheduled to open in early 2006, the tower will also include a boutique casino and a retail store to hawk Playboy's vast collection of mugs, calendars, cocktail shakers and other logo merchandise.

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Zach Braff and Mandy Moore are young Hollywood's new "It" couple. Sources close to the pair say they've been quietly dating for several weeks, even hitting Hollywood hot spots like Spider Club.

Braff, 29, who's currently filming his hit TV series "Scrubs" and working on the animated movie "Chicken Little," split from longtime girlfriend, "NYPD Blue" actress Bonnie Summerville over the summer. Braff and Natalie Portman were linked after starring together in "Garden State," Braff's writing and directing debut, but friends denied they were ever together. Meanwhile, Moore, 20, famously dated tennis ace Andy Roddick until last March.

--I think they are both really talented and cute. I hope it works out!

--P.S. Check out Zach's blog.

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Jib Jab has a new parody out. Click here and then click on the link in the upper-right-hand corner of the screen to watch "Good to be in DC."

--It's just as good as their "This Land is Your Land" parody.

Hat tip: Queen of all Evil.

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SuperSad.

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1 I know! I just saw that

Posted by: Busy Mom at October 11, 2004 09:01 AM (JnTRH)

2 A true hero

Posted by: Stephanie at October 11, 2004 04:08 PM (8jyhS)

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Stolen from Hunny Hive

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1 It says Nay would be The Progressive Girl. It fits pretty well.

Posted by: M@ at October 08, 2004 03:26 PM (f2jsN)

2 I took the quiz and no surprise that I came out as an Uptown Girl

Posted by: Uptown Girl at October 11, 2004 01:05 AM (dUIpl)

3 I'm a hybrid of uptown girl and girl next door

Posted by: t at October 12, 2004 09:20 AM (tNznv)

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Posing for a nude pictorial isn't the way most women plan to spend their 60th birthdays, but Cher isn't like most women. In Touch Magazine reports that the leggy icon, who turns 60 in May 2006, will strip it all off in Hawaiian for a steamy photo shoot to appear in a men's magazine.

A tattler explains, "She looks amazing and wants to capture her physical beauty on film."

--You know, I say "You go, Cher." I think she's amazing. She has a great voice, is an even better actress, and has stood the test of time. I don't really want to see her naked, but I'd love to see her in concert. (Plus, I saw enough in the "If I Could Turn Back Time" video.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:25 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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Because I know you were all DYING to know what's going on with David Hasselhoff:

David Hasselhoff's role in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, due Nov. 19, has the former Baywatch and Knight Rider TV star stoked.

Hasselhoff, 52, is the hero who saves SpongeBob and sidekick Patrick after they get landlocked upon leaving their Bikini Bottom home. "I'm the king of the lifeguards. No one else could play the greatest lifeguard in the world," he laughs.

--Milk that role for all it's worth. How's that album coming, David?

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With its unwieldy name and some high-profile competition from the likes of "Pulp Fiction" and "Forrest Gump," "The Shawshank Redemption" kind of got lost in the shuffle in 1994.

But like "It's a Wonderful Life," the film found new life after its original theatrical run. Although the prison drama underachieved at the box office, it found its own "redemption" on home video, fueled by critical acclaim and positive word of mouth.

For its 10th anniversary, Darabont has spearheaded a bonus feature-laden special edition DVD (which came out Tuesday) and a limited theatrical re-release.

--I can't believe it's been 10 years! I'm going to have to get this new DVD!

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Oh please say it isn't so:

Latino Review spoke with Jamie Foxx while he was doing press for his forthcoming release, Ray. The site asked Foxx about the rumors that he'll be playing Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs in Universal's Miami Vice feature film.

"Yeah man, it's happening," Foxx confirmed.

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Sign it's time to buy a new mattress:

Shelly Neale was rescued by firemen after her buttock got impaled on a bed spring.

The mom, 24, spent three hours in agony after the six-inch coil speared her as she wriggled to get comfy. Her son Ewen, three, heard her cries in the night — but took an HOUR to find her mobile phone. She discovered the battery was flat and he then had to hunt for a charger.

Shelly finally summoned her dad Stephen, 15 miles away. But the spring had twisted through her left cheek and out again. He called the fire department. Shelly said: “I only had my white nightie on and it was a bit embarrassing. I just had to grin and bear it.”

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:20 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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1 Ow.

Posted by: Marie at October 07, 2004 08:49 AM (dTWvv)

2 What's wrong with impaled buttocks? Oh, wait, we're not talking about sex!

Posted by: chuck at October 07, 2004 09:36 AM (671i2)

3 HAHA!

Posted by: Lawren at October 07, 2004 10:02 AM (sql83)

4 Ouch! Did they not have a regular phone with a cord? Perhaps a neighbor? I guess I wouldn't be thinking too clearly with a piece of steel going through my ass so maybe I shouldn't comment. How the heck did she not require medical attention?

Posted by: Brian D. at October 07, 2004 02:42 PM (zj2r/)

5 Couldn't she have gotten up at the first puncture? I mean, how big is this woman?

Posted by: MartiniPundit at October 07, 2004 04:06 PM (Dqx2F)

6 MartiniPundit: 1 stone = 14lbs. 12.5 stone = 175lbs so she is not a big woman at all. Seeing how a spring is corkscrewed by nature I can easily see it going in and twisting. I'm not sure I would want to immediately get up at that point. The article did mention that it eventually went in and out of her left cheeck! No way is anyone getting up at that point.

Posted by: Brian D. at October 07, 2004 07:58 PM (zj2r/)

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Here's another buy that will not only benefit Breast Cancer Research (100% of the proceeds will go to the Foundation), but will make a statement! Wear it with your Lance bracelet!

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What songs were popular when YOU were a senior in high school? Click here and find out!

Ahhh, 1997--Reflections of "Bitch," "Tubthumping," "No Diggity," "Barbie Girl," and "I Believe I Can Fly."

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 02:08 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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1 '93 who can forget "Informer", "Insane in the brain", "It Was a Good Day".

Posted by: M@ at October 06, 2004 02:16 PM (f2jsN)

2 1989...God, now I feel old. "Love Shack" and Martika. Yikes.

Posted by: Stacy at October 06, 2004 02:43 PM (nM8Hz)

3 *You* feel old? I'm looking at Donna Summer, Kenny Rogers and Styx, fer Crisco's sake...

Posted by: LDH at October 06, 2004 03:42 PM (bqPDz)

4 Got ya all beat. "Stayin' Alive" and "Night Fever." God...disco sucked.

Posted by: Nanc' at October 06, 2004 05:06 PM (98muT)

5 Yeah, that was nasty reminder of my aged state... 4 Non Blondes, Soul Asylum... gah. Besides, back then, as now, I listened to The Pixies, Beatles, Bowie, and the Misfits. I'm still trying to figure out who actually bought some of the cds on this list. =)

Posted by: Kevin at October 06, 2004 11:11 PM (GW18l)

6 Argh! Thanks for the reminder that I'm getting old...and that the music of the late 70's rilly, rilly sucked. ; )

Posted by: rita at October 07, 2004 07:45 AM (xYQ/O)

7 Well, I was gonna say that I felt old looking at my list, but after reading some of the posts here, I'd better shush. I do still have a lot of the CDs on my 91 list, though.

Posted by: Robin at October 07, 2004 08:10 AM (qM8fh)

8 What's really depressing is that songs that came out long after I stopped paying attention to new songs (80s, 90s) are now considered "oldies". As far as I'm concerned everything after about 1982 or so is "the new stuff".

Posted by: Lynn S at October 07, 2004 08:25 AM (0pPPA)

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Here's an article highlighting famous people and their majors. Some of them may surprise you.

Some highlights:
James Gandolfini, Emmy award-winning actor, majored in communications at Rutgers.

Richard Gephardt, politician and former Presidential hopeful, earned a degree in speech from Northwestern University.

Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine, majored in philosophy at the University of Illinois.

Lee Iacocca, former head of Chrysler Motor Company, studied history at Lehigh University.

Mick Jagger, lead singer for the Rolling Stones, majored in economics at the London School of Economics.

Ashton Kutcher, actor, majored in biochemical engineering at the University of Iowa.

Lucy Liu, actress, studied Asian Languages at the University of Michigan.

Sandra Day O'Connor, Supreme Court Justice, majored in economics at Stanford.

Brad Pitt, actor and heartthrob, was two credits shy of a journalism degree from the University of Missouri.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California and actor, studied economics at the University of Wisconsin.

Denzel Washington, Oscar-winning actor, has a degree in journalism from Fordham University.

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MSNBC has an article listing the Top 10 Movies about Gambling.

I think they totally missed the boat. I'll give them Bugsy and The Grifters. But where the hell was Casino, Ocean's 11, and Swingers? (Granted, Swingers isn't really about gambling, but how can you omit a movie that has the line, "Vegas, baby, Vegas"?

--Your thoughts?

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1 You are money, Lawren, you are money!

Posted by: Brad at October 06, 2004 09:33 AM (PS936)

2 Casino should totally be on there.

Posted by: Marie at October 06, 2004 09:35 AM (dTWvv)

3 Ocean's 11 is, by and large, my favorite movie of the last few years. But the gambling part is more of a backdrop than a focal point. I think it really falls more into the 'caper' genre of films. I say this with all due respect, though, because I love the movie and love other people who love the movie. :-)

Posted by: Kevin the Interloper at October 06, 2004 09:48 AM (qb+8W)

4 You're probably correct, Kevin. Although, the money that results from gambling is the only motivation for the caper!

Posted by: Lawren at October 06, 2004 09:53 AM (sql83)

5 "Rounders" anyone?

Posted by: Heidi at October 06, 2004 12:38 PM (1cm71)

6 You're point is well-taken, Ms. Lawren. And I know better than to pick a fight with a lawyer/proprietor of this blog. :-)

Posted by: Kevin the Interloper at October 06, 2004 01:51 PM (qb+8W)

7 Pick away! I LOVE good debate! (Hard to believe I want nothing to do with the courtroom, isn't it?)

Posted by: Lawren at October 06, 2004 02:03 PM (sql83)

8 I wouldn't have cared what Ocean's 11 (2001) was about. All that man candy! (Heavy sigh.)

Posted by: Nanc' at October 06, 2004 05:09 PM (98muT)

9 Whaaaat? Casion is THE greatest gambling movie ever! Also the greatest "What you can do with a baseball bat" movie.

Posted by: Mel at October 07, 2004 04:30 PM (v3Xy6)

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The underwear worn by Britney Spears on her wedding day is being auctioned on website ebay.

The lacey white shorts and white bra were taken by a catering assistant at the singer's wedding in Los Angeles two weeks ago.

The seller claims to have a staff pass to prove identity reports The Sun.

Dozens of items from the wedding like invites, goody bags and a red rose are all up for auction on the website.

--Ahhh, doesn't their love make you all warm and fuzzy inside?

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