Matt Damon's uncle, George Brunstad, became the oldest person to swim the English channel in an attempt to raise money for children in Haiti. The 70-year-old former airline pilot made the crossing in just under 16 hours.

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One of these Baldwins is not like the others...

Alec Baldwin's younger brother actor Stephen Baldwin is throwing his support behind President George W Bush in the forthcoming Presidential election - because his country's leader is "being led by God".

The former liberal and now born-again Christian is attending the Republican National Convention in New York to cheer on the current premier, who he deems has more faith than Democrat Presidential candidate John Kerry. Baldwin tells gossip site Pagesix.Com, "I'm there to support the man I believe has the most faith. That's who I'm voting for. I believe the next president should be a guy who is being led by God. I believe there is one guy, and that's the guy I want to vote for."

As for any disharmony between him and his Democratic-supporting siblings Alec and William, Baldwin comments, "I don't have a perception about that."

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I noticed that yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of my blog, and I missed it!

So, Happy Blogiversary to me, 1 day late!

It's been an awesome time! I'd like to thank the Academy, er, my early blog inspirations:

Professor Cooper
Jay Solo
Josh Claybourn
Lori
Ith
Geoffrey
Rachel

And anyone and everyone else who has helped me along the way.

If anyone has any suggestions or complaints, let me know. We'll make year 2 even better than the first!

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:05 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
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1 Happy Blogiversary!

Posted by: Skerdog at August 31, 2004 08:05 AM (VuK7w)

2 Hey, congratulations on a great first year!

Posted by: Jay Solo at August 31, 2004 08:30 AM (a+H36)

3 Woohoo! Happy Blogiversary to you!

Posted by: Kate at August 31, 2004 08:31 AM (FcPaN)

4 Hey, Happy Blogiversary! Don't change a thing. You're doing a great job!

Posted by: robin at August 31, 2004 09:02 AM (qM8fh)

5 Happy Blogaversary!

Posted by: Busy Mom at August 31, 2004 10:37 AM (JnTRH)

6 Congrats for a job well done!

Posted by: Sallie at August 31, 2004 10:45 AM (OLfCp)

7 Happy Anniversary, Lawren !!!

Posted by: Uptown Girl at August 31, 2004 11:55 AM (dUIpl)

8 I was an inspiration?? Cool! Happy Blogiversary!

Posted by: Ith at August 31, 2004 11:56 AM (CRTkm)

9 Yay! Happy anniversary!

Posted by: Kelly at August 31, 2004 12:07 PM (po0se)

10 Excellent - congratulations!

Posted by: MartiniPundit at August 31, 2004 02:32 PM (fLdsW)

11 Happy Birthday, and hope things are fine for your dad.

Posted by: Ted at August 31, 2004 04:40 PM (ZjSa7)

12 One year of MPS. YEAH! Happy blogiversary Lawren!

Posted by: Brian D. at August 31, 2004 06:33 PM (9GmAz)

13 One year? How exciting! Congrats! I enjoy things just like they are, btw...

Posted by: daniel at August 31, 2004 08:21 PM (ConUb)

14 Happy Birthday to your bloggy poo!

Posted by: Lori at September 01, 2004 12:14 AM (kmcg6)

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Kevin Smith, the writer-director of "Dogma," "Chasing Amy" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" told the Associated Press on Friday that he has begun work on a sequel to "Clerks," his homemade indie classic from 1994.

The sequel picks up 10 years later.

The sequel -- titled "The Passion of the Clerks" -- is set to begin shooting in January. Miramax Films, which turned the original into a cult-hit after buying it at the Sundance Film Festival, plans to distribute the follow-up.

--SWEET! I can't wait for this to be released!

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 09:45 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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1 Lawren, that's awesome news. I'm a huge fan of Clerks. One of the best scripts ever.

Posted by: Lucas Sayre at August 30, 2004 10:40 AM (5mVKK)

2 I only fear that the sequel can not be as good as the original because the original was so good!

Posted by: Brian D. at August 30, 2004 11:05 AM (zj2r/)

3 clerks all these years later - - hope it will be good

Posted by: Uptown Girl at August 30, 2004 11:32 AM (dUIpl)

4 Snoogans. He rocks. And no i'm not biased because i am from NJ.

Posted by: garybibb at August 30, 2004 12:41 PM (b/7hi)

5 I just think that is the best title of a movie ever!

Posted by: Kelly P. at August 30, 2004 03:03 PM (kAvTb)

6 I've got to go get the 10th anniversary DVD. It is supposed to have all kinds of really good extras on it.

Posted by: M@ at August 31, 2004 10:46 AM (f2jsN)

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I was shocked when I heard that Laura Branigan died in her sleep at the age of 47.

I just love her music. In fact, "Gloria" and "Self Control" are both on the workout mix I listen to every day.

Many people don't know that most recently, she played the singing version of Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway musical Love, Janis in 2002.

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Scientists have found that eating dark chocolate appears to improve the function of important cells lining the wall of blood vessels for at least three hours.

The study, involving 17 healthy young volunteers who agreed to eat a bar of dark chocolate and then get an ultrasound, found that eating dark chocolate seemed to make the blood vessels more flexible, which helps prevent the hardening of the arteries that leads to heart attacks.

--Awww yeah! I've always liked dark chocolate best anyway!

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:09 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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My dad is having his hip replaced today. Here's to a flawless surgery and speedy recovery, Dad!

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Big congrats going out to a buddy of mine from high school!

Clint Barmes, playing for the Colorado Rockies, hit his first career home run, a three-run shot that accounted for all of the Rockies' runs in a 4-3 loss in Miami Saturday to the Marlins.

Whoo hoo! We always knew you could do it, Clint.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:04 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 As in Barmes Variety?

Posted by: M@ at August 30, 2004 08:29 AM (f2jsN)

2 HA! Well, they may be distantly related, but I know for a fact his immediate family didn't own that store.

Posted by: Lawren at August 30, 2004 08:51 AM (sql83)

3 You can also take a look at the pages on prescription - Tons of interesdting stuff!!!

Posted by: tip at October 04, 2005 11:19 AM (l7QLG)

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It's baby #3 for Posh and Becks:

Pals of former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and her soccer star husband David Beckham have confirmed reports the celebrity couple are expecting another baby are true. The glamorous couple are desperate for a little sister for their two sons, Brooklyn, five, and Romeo, one.

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Here's a report that ranks the deadliest states for driving. The worst states?

Wyoming
Mississippi
Montana
South Dakota
New Mexico

Indiana comes in at #32.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:34 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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You want the designer look without the designer price? This week's People magazine featured a knock-off website that is supposed to be pretty good.

I personally think the bags scream "FAKE," but I may have to order a pair of sunglasses.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:30 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Hollywood beauty Halle Berry has reportedly donated her estranged husband Eric Benet's clothes to homeless Los Angeles residents.

The Monster's Ball star's soul singer spouse Benet moved out of their Hollywood home in October following their split after two and a half years of marriage. According to British newspaper The Sun, Berry has repeatedly asked the hitmaker to pick up his belongings from the house, but finally lost her patience and brought the garments to a charity collection point.

A friend says, "Halle was boiling mad. She found it hurtful having his stuff around. There will be nicely dressed tramps around."

--That's great. You go, Halle.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:15 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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A new reality show will follow rocker Tommy Lee from the classroom to the frat house.

The former Motley Crue drummer has signed on with NBC for an untitled reality show that has him enrolling in an undisclosed college. Lee has reportedly been interested in doing a reality show for awhile, but has been waiting for the right project to interest him.

NBC hasn't announced when the series will begin, but in the meantime, Lee is getting ready for the October release of his autobiography, Tommyland.

--This could be the best reality show yet. Can you see Tommy in Calculus class? Or getting hazed?

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:12 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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The state of Illinois sued the Dave Matthews Band on Tuesday for allegedly dumping up to 800 pounds of liquid human waste from a bus into the Chicago River, dousing a tour boat filled with passengers.

The lawsuit accuses the band and one of its bus drivers of violating state water pollution and public nuisance laws. It seeks $70,000 in civil penalties.

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'American Idol' runner-up recording debut album on tour off-dates:

Like her own music collection, Diana DeGarmo's album will be quite diverse. "I love all genres of music," she said. "I think it helps you become a better performer if you know the different types of music. [On my album] you got the few Celine Dion kind of songs, big-money-note songs, but we also have songs that I want to put on the radio for people my age to listen to, something that if I were in the car, I'd be like, 'All right!' "

DeGarmo has come up with a name for that particular style — rop.

"I know this sounds completely nuts, but it's like pop with a little bit of R&B, it's R-O-P, rop," she said.

--Yeah, we get it, Diana. Very clever.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:17 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I stumbled upon a great website to find cheap air tickets.

It searches all of the major airlines, plus discount places like Cheaptickets and Orbitz. It takes care of having to check them all yourself.

Enjoy! And happy travels!

First seen at Dell's Diner.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 07:13 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Singer and actress Mandy Moore is furious at being "outed" as a secret Republican in the new issue of America's Details magazine.

The publication's upcoming September edition lists Adam Sandler, Freddie Prinze Jr., Jessica Simpson, Shannen Doherty and Moore as silent supporters of current US President George W. Bush who don't join the campaign trail and make their political views known, unlike loud and proud Democrats Ben Affleck and Barbra Streisand.

However, the A Walk To Remember beauty has angrily denied she supports Bush and his party. Her publicist tells American website Pagesix.Com, "Mandy is not, nor has she ever been, a Republican."

--Oh Mandy, chill out. There are worse things you could be called.

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 08:29 AM | Comments (15) | Add Comment
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Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden's 1997 bestseller about a naïve Japanese girl turned big-city working girl, should have been a cineplex slam-dunk by now, but rotating directors and some Hollywood-sized grudges have kept the novel from making it to the big screen.

But finally, Columbia Pictures has just announced that production will begin next month in Los Angeles and Japan with Chicago's Rob Marshall at the helm and Steven Spielberg producing.

--I'm really pumped about this. I just adored this book. I smell some Oscars for this pic!

Posted by: Lawrenkm at 08:21 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Congrats to Dan Beery on your gold medal!

Beery is a member of the United States elite eight Olympic rowing team, which Sunday won America's first gold medal in that event in 40 years.

He's not only from Indiana, but also from Knox County--where I grew up.

And a BIG good luck to the Iraqi soccer team. Beat Paraguay today!

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1 Yes, rowing does have a pround and distinguished tradition in Knox County. People are always rowing across the river to escape into Illinois.

Posted by: chuck at August 24, 2004 10:39 AM (QLmLt)

2 So true, Chuck. So true.

Posted by: Lawren at August 24, 2004 10:59 AM (sql83)

3 Only on Sundays do the row across the river in search of beer :-)

Posted by: Brian D. at August 24, 2004 04:30 PM (DdBc3)

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Here's an interesting little game to keep you busy today.

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