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New eateries expand menu of options
Food Notes: Join Lisa at culinary club's benefit dinner
Spread holiday cheer, not the flu at parties
Sheriff, education group hope to reach children early
Vatican turns toward the heavens
Ask Lisa - Bamboo cutting board
Serve edamame for the nutrition
Newbies get help to start cooking
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Chapel Hill isn't rolling right along
Akron City Council OKs higher speed on I-77
Suitcase causes bomb scare at Akron bus terminal
New eateries expand menu of options
Patrick McManamon: Here's what the Browns should try the rest of the season
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
Stark County engineer dies at 49
Blogs:
Pets:
First Person: Inside St. Louis Pit Bull Shelter
The Heldenfiles:
Tuesday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
An interesting thought from a reader
Akron Zips:
Akron vs. Mount Union — Liveblog
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
Flashes interested in another Cincinnati player
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Cavs: Yeah, on That Issue of Privacy
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes Roll 100-60 / Season Outlook
Varsity Letters:
Twinsburg likes chances, but warns offense needs to deliver
All Da King's Men:
More On The Fort Hood Jihadist
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Simply Incapable of Telling The Truth
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (63) Commonwealth Fund Report on Primary Care
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
Aeromsith looking for new singer as Steven Tyler contemplates solo career
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
Video: 'Modern Warfare 2' hits the streets
By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer
Published on Friday, May 02, 2008
Rock Hall Idolatry. Next week's American Idol theme will be ''music from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.'' So what does that mean?
Well, it means that the final four of David Archuleta, Jason Castro, David Cook and Syesha Mercado should have an easy time finding songs that suit them well. According to the Rock Hall, the songs will come from the hall's list of ''500 Songs that Shaped Rock Music.'' You can find the complete list, from AC/DC's Back in Black to ZZ Top's Legs, at http://www.rockhall.com/exhibithighlights/500-songs. Paula Abdul has already said she likes number 501.
Not that I expect the contestants to be given the entire list of 500 songs to choose from. There are music rights questions, for one thing. And just reading the list would probably make Castro's head explode.
•
More Rock Hall. The hall expects to get some good exposure from the show. It has provided Idol with footage of the place as well as interview segments with hall principals, including CEO Terry Stewart.
The hall does not expect the contestants to come to Cleveland, although at least one Idol winner has made the pilgrimage. Taylor Hicks stopped by while in town for the NBA Finals in 2007.
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Dancing Breakup Denied. Wednesday's column quoted a People.com report that Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff had split. Not so, says Smirnoff.
She told People.com — the online version of People magazine — that she and Lopez are still going strong, and even alluded to roses he had recently sent her.
But the Web site treated that as half a loaf, noting that the couple had not publicly acknowledged their relationship — ''until now.''
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No Nine. Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) has dropped out of a new movie of the musical Nine, Variety reports. Bardem's rep said he was exhausted from other work and from having to pick up bunches of prizes during movie-awards season. He might need a year to recharge, Variety said.
The movie is based on the stage musical of the same name, which was inspired by the Federico Fellini movie 81/2. Still set to star are Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard and Sophia Loren. Rob Marshall (Chicago) is directing.
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Watching in Space. The Web site GovernmentAttic.org (motto: ''rummaging in the government's attic'') has come up with a list of TV shows, movies, books and music being used for off-duty fun on the International Space Station. So if you're zooming toward the moon and suddenly hear someone saying ''lollygaggers,'' well, it's Bull Durham night over at the space station.
Other movies NASA has provided include National Lampoon's Animal House, Air Force One, Die Hard With a Vengeance, Gone With the Wind, Hoosiers, Star Wars, Wedding Crashers and three Harry Potter movies.
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More Space Fun. TV: Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, Everyday Italian, Home Improvement, The Dog Whisperer and others.
Selected tunes: Float On by Modest Mouse, Fly Me to the Moon (Frank Sinatra), Love Me Tender (Elvis Presley), Beethoven's Ninth and Where Is the Love (Black Eyed Peas with Justin Timberlake).
You can find the complete list at http://www.governmentattic.org/docs/ISS_Media_2008.pdf.
/> •
Fake News. From Andy Borowitz: ''Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean expressed fears that if the primary campaign drags on much longer, 'there may not be enough room under the bus for the candidates to throw their aides.'
''With Sen. Obama having thrown Rev. Wright and Samantha Power under the bus, and Sen. Clinton having thrown Geraldine Ferraro, Patti Solis Doyle, and Mark Penn under the bus, 'we may need an additional bus,' Mr. Dean said.''
Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in a blog at http://www.ohio.com. You can find more columns, questions and answers at http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/heldenfels.
Rock Hall Idolatry. Next week's American Idol theme will be ''music from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.'' So what does that mean?
Get the full article here.
