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July 2008
Scrabulous creators launch new word game on Facebook
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The creators of Scrabulous have returned to Facebook with a new name.
The new word game, called Wordscraper, will also have new rules and circular, not square, tiles. Enough changes, hope creators Rajat and Jayant Agarwalla, to avoid costly legal claims by Hasbro, maker of the popular Scrabble game, according to an AP article.
The tiles earning double and triple points have been rearranged, and tiles for quadruple points have been added, says AP.
The change could help it avoid any brand confusion and trademark issues with Scrabble. Scrabulous drew a large audience on the social networking site. As many as 500,000 people played it daily. A Hasbro-sanctioned Scrabble game for U.S. and Canadian Facebook users has not been as popular.
Have you tried the new game?
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Bush signs landmark housing bill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
President Bush has signed a landmark housing bill designed to help tens of thousands of homeowners avoid foreclosure, boost consumer confidence and shore up ailing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 is among the most sweeping housing legislation ever, according to the AP. Among its key elements, the law will offer a temporary first-time home buyer tax credit and help revitalize the Federal Housing Administration. Critics had said the legislation would reward unqualified borrowers.
Do you think the law will help the housing and financial markets? Or will reward unqualified borrowers? Does more need to be done?
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Scrabulous pulled from Facebook in U.S.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Creators of the popular Scrabble knockoff, Scrabulous, have S-U-S-P-E-N-D-E-D the word game on Facebook in the United States and Canada.
Rajat and Jayant Agarwalla suspended the game after being hit with a lawsuit, disappointing wordsmiths who have spent hours playing the game on the social networking site.
Hasbro also asked Facebook to block the program, something the site resisted despite risks of losing immunity protection from copyright lawsuits, according to AP.
Video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. “released an official version for American and Canadian Facebook users under a licensing deal with Hasbro. But the authorized Scrabble has been attracting only 15,000 daily users, compared with some half-million for Scrabulous.”
Are you going through Scrabulous withdrawal? Have you played the official version? Would you give it a thumbs up or thumbs down? Where will you play now?
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How to sell a house
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s a tough housing market out there. Have you come across unusual sales incentives? What kind of offers do you think help sell a home quickly and at a good price?
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Move over Buckhead, here comes Castleberry Hill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
To a newcomer in Atlanta 10 years ago, Buckhead was considered THE place to eat, drink and party hard.
On weekends, the streets were crammed with college students and professionals ready to kick back and shrug off work week’s stress. But as the city has grown, so has the number of options.
AJC reporter Paul Donosky writes about the evolution of Castleberry Hill, once a run-down warehouse district, as a party spot.
“Fashionably dressed young people pack 255 Tapas Lounge, a brand-new hot spot on Peters Street, the district’s main drag, ” he writes. ” A few doors down, hip-hop music thumps inside Slice, a super-chic pizza joint where flat-screen TVs hang on the wall and live DJs spin tunes. The sidewalks teem with revelers laughing, flirting and chatting. Castleberry Hill is, in a word, hot.”
Artists discovered the neighborhood and developers began turning old buildings into apartments, condos and studios. Paschal’s Restaurant, a historic eatery and meeting place during the civil rights movement, opened several years ago.
Do you prefer Buckhead or new spots like Castleberry Hill? Has Buckhead had its day? Are there other hidden gems in the city where people can kick back?
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Emily Post would be proud
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You don’t YELL WHEN POSTING ON THE INTERNET.
But you do yield the right of way when two bowlers are on adjacent lanes. The bowler on the right goes first.
AJC reporter Jamie Gumbrecht recently wrote about proper etiquette in different situations from hockey to knitting.
For instance, you never, absolutely never, interrupt a knitter as he or she counts. And comic book lovers will “Ka-Pow” you big time if you ever take book from its protective plastic sleeve in a store.
What are some of the simple matters of etiquette that people don’t follow and it burns you up? Are there some dos and don’ts you would like Emily Post to tackle?
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Love or hate small American cars?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Attention car buyers: Ford Motor Co. made it official recently. It will retool more of its North American truck and sport utility vehicle plants to build small, fuel-efficient vehicles.
Good news? Perhaps. But when you think about the track record of Ford in producing or marketing small cars, for years it was pretty dismal, up until about a decade ago, when the quality of small American cars improved. Did you ever own a Pinto (right)? A Maverick? The early edition of the Fiesta? How about the Cortina? Or, under the Mercury label, the oft-recalled Capri?
Of course, other carmakers have had their moments, too. Maybe you drove a Chevy Vega or Chevette, or AMC’s Gremlin, Hornet or Pacer, or Plymouth’s Horizon or Dodge’s Omni.
They’re all cars their owners either loved or hated — or both. What’s the story of your American-made small car?
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Where’s Atlanta’s greatest gelato?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now that you’ve read our In the Mood feature on primo sources for creamy gelato, it’s time to get your own proverbial “licks” in.
Besides the spots mentioned in Virginia-Highland, Marietta and Ponce-Midtown, where else can gelato-lovers go for an interesting or irresistible spoonful?
What makes the gelato store you like best unique? And if there was one suggestion you might make to improve the place, what would it be?
Sound off here…
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Doggie day care: Worth the bucks?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Who says day care is just for those with two legs?
AJC reporter Drew Jubera writes about Piedmont Bark, a doggie day care facility in Midtown, which caters to clients like Rusty, Rufus and Scout.
Doggie day care is not a new concept but demand appears to be growing.
Jubera writes that such services cater ” to working singles and couples who don’t want their dogs cooped up in a room or a crate all day at home. Or who don’t trust them to stay in the house by themselves without tearing everything to shreds.”
At day care, pets socialize, exercise and nap. People are willing to spend big bucks on their pets. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 63 percent of U.S. households include a pet. And those pet owners spent more than $41 billion on their pets in 2007.
Would you send your dog to day care? Do you think this is a passing fad?
For more pet stories, blogs and photos, check out ajcpets.com.
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Do you feel safe on two wheels?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rising gas prices are causing more metro commuters to trade in their four-wheel vehicles for those with just two.
AJC reporter Thomas Stinson talks to several cyclists who have paid a hefty price. ) Mike Schatz, for example, recently began two-wheel commuting from Grant Park to his office in West Midtown. Everything was fine until one morning he was struck by a car and broke both elbows.
How safe do you feel on a bike? Any tips on ways bikers and drivers can share the road? Should Atlanta have more bike lanes? Are there roads that you avoid?
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Big Mac…big waistlines. It’s all in the numbers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ever wonder how much that chicken and egg biscuit adds to your waistline?
Some fast-food customers in New York City are finally facing the numbers.
New rules require chain restaurants to post calorie counts on the menu as part of a major anti-obesity campaign. Some restaurants have long included calorie and nutritional information on tray liners and on websites, but not on the menu.
The calories posting rule originally became effective in May, but legal delays forced enforcement until now, according to the AP story. Cathy Nonas, director of the health department’s physical activity and nutrition program, said she wants customers to be more informed about their food choices when they buy. “Obviously, we have an epidemic of obesity across the nation and New York City is no different.”
The rule only applies to restaurants that serve standardized portions and have 15 or more locations nationwide, according to the article. An industry lawsuit is pending.
Should restaurants be required to provide nutritional information for all its products? If so, do you think you would eat differently? Would you back away from the Big Mac?
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Holy snooze button! Was the joke on you?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Were you among the intrepid devotees who went out in the midnight hour to be among the first to see the latest Batman remake, “Dark Knight”?
Was it worth the sleep you lost? Or did you lose sleep afterward trembling over Heath Ledger’s chilling portrayal of the Joker?
If you saw Thursday’s late-night first screening of “Dark Knight,” your opinion matters greatly. It’s expected to be the biggest box office gainer of the upcoming weekend, and people need to know if it lives up to the hype.
Fill us in by rating “Dark Knight” on a 1-to-10 scale, and give us your thoughts. Feel free to offer one word that describes the late Ledger’s performance.
But please, be kind, and don’t spoil the ending for the rest of us.
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Metro to lose 13 Starbucks stores
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s no longer a secret.
Starbucks Corp. has announced that 13 stores will close in the Georgia.
The company plans to close 600 company-owned stores to boost business and shutter unprofitable locations.
Is your favorite Starbucks on the hit list? How will you get your fix now? Just find another Starbucks or try out one of the area’s independent coffee shops? Is Starbucks overrated anyway?
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The scoop on Elton John’s career
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Next week, Peachtree Road resident Elton John is set to celebrate a career milestone. The singer-songwriter will perform for the first time in Vermont.
With the tour date, John becomes one of the few performers to have gigged in all 50 states.
To mark the occasion, Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s has created a special ice cream flavor, the aptly titled Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road and will be donating all profits from sales to the pianist’s pet charity, Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Ben & Jerry’s is offering a very limited batch of the stuff this week and next and at the concert on July 21.
“We think he saved the best for last,” says Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s. “There was only one way we could truly honor Sir Elton, and this monumental occasion, in true Ben & Jerry’s fashion.”
Yellow Brickle Road is humbly described by B&J as “an outrageous symphony of decadent chocolate ice cream, peanut butter cookie dough, butter brickle and white chocolate chunks.”
According to Greenfield, “We were trying to compose a flavor befitting of the energy, creativity and outrageous nature of the artist. We feel pretty good about the final combination we came up with and with having the Rocket Man’s seal of approval.”
“I can’t think of a more fun way to celebrate playing my 50th state, Vermont, than having Ben & Jerry’s create a special ice cream with all of my favorite flavors and ingredients,” said Sir Elton via a statement. “I’m especially pleased that they will be donating the proceeds to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.”
According to EltonJohn.com, the flavor was designed “after earlier meetings between both camps helped indicate Elton’s wish for something containing chocolate and peanut butter.”
Next week, B&J’s retail Vermont Scoop Shops will play Sir Elton’s music on the sound system and air the DVD from his 60th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden.
Regrettably, we’re told that sequins will not replace the more traditional industry standard of sprinkles as a topping for Yellow Brickle Road.
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What makes a great sports bar?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What…a simple burger and a glass of tap beer isn’t good enough for you Atlanta sports fans anymore?
Now you need a sommelier to make wine pairing suggestions and some organic arugula on your plate in order to enjoy a sports bar experience?
Upscale pubs where people gather to dine and perhaps gaze up at the games playing on Hi-Def TV monitors are sprouting up all around town. But is the gentrification of sports bars being taken too far?
If time-worn sports memorabilia, peanut shell-littered floors, bad manners, fast food and second-hand smoke don’t define a truly great sports bar, what does?
Sound off, and let us know what you look for in a sports bar and where you prefer to go out and watch games.
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Anheuser-Busch sells out to InBev
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Budweiser and Bud Light, has agreed to a takeover by InBev, the giant Belgian brewer.
The union, if approved by shareholders and regulators, will create a global beer leader and bring to an end one of the most iconic names in American business.
Do you care?
Does is matter that a quintessentially American company will now be owned overseas, and its name changed to Anheuser-Busch-InBev?
Is this globalization run amok, or just smart business?
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Plan to buy the new iPhone?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The new iPhone hits stores today with a lower price tag and more bells and whistles.
iPhone-mania hits retailers hard in Japan, where buyers started lining up overnight to get the coveted device from Apple. The phone originally went on sale last year and more than 6 million have been sold since June 2007.
Atlanta-based AT&T Mobility is the exclusive carrier. The new phone will have more games, video downloads, GPS applications, according to reporter Kristi E. Swartz in an AJC article.
Do you plan to buy the new iPhone? If so, what do you think about it so far? Did you buy one last year?
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Starbucks closings: Where will you get your java jolt?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Talk about withdrawal.
Starbucks customers dependent on a daily jolt of java are jittery over which stores are destined for the chopping block. Starbucks Corp. said it plans to close 600 under-performing locations in the United States, including 100 previously announced.
For the most part, Starbucks has kept the list of closings under wraps, however, word is slowly leaking out. Coffee and tea lovers at one location in West Virginia were greeted with a sad face posted on the menu and a sign telling them the store’s last day is July 27, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. Closings, which will only affect company-owned stores, will begin in mid-July and go through March 2009.
According to an article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta area has about 130 company -owned stores.
Have you heard about closings in metro Atlanta? Are you a Starbucks junkie? Will you stay loyal to Starbucks and just search for another location or will you try other coffee shops?
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Name your favorite drummers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia teen Matt Smith has been named the world’s fastest drummer (click here for the story). The Rome resident, who wants to attend the Julliard music school and have his own jazz band, names some of the masters of jazz and rock as his favorites: Buddy Rich, Art Blakey, John Bonham. Who are your favorite drummers?
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Madonna seen with husband, not A-Rod
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Despite persistent reports that link Madonna with New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, the pop superstar was seen at dinner Tuesday night in New York, US Weekly reports.
Here’s the story from the US Weekly website:
The same day news of her relationship with New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez spread, Madonna stepped out holding hands with husband Guy Richie in New York City.
Looking tense, Richie, 39, carried the singer’s over-sized Louis Vuitton bag as they headed into her Central Park West apartment following dinner Tuesday night. Madonna, 49, who appeared exhausted, covered her mouth.
Us Weekly also reports in its new issue (on newsstands now) that the singer has also been hosting late-night visits from Rodriguez, 32, at her apartment.
A source tells Us that their relationship grew so close, he he even visited her, possibly as early as the night after his wife Cynthia gave birth to their first child in April.
Watermelon the new Viagra?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Has the zing gone out of your love life? You might want to try eating a slice of watermelon. Not only is it delicious, but it just might increase your libido.
According to Science Daily, scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels.
Here’s a portion of the story from sciencedaily.com:
A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine’s Day. That’s because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido.
“The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body,” said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station.
“We’ve always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study.”
Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil said.
In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients - citrulline - whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.
Scientists know that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino acid that works wonders on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system, Patil said.
“The citrulline-arginine relationship helps heart health, the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said Patil. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it.”
Watermelon the new Viagra?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Has the zing gone out of your love life? You might want to try eating a slice of watermelon. Not only is it delicious, but it just might increase your libido.
According to Science Daily, scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels.
Here’s a portion of the story from sciencedaily.com:
A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine’s Day. That’s because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido.
“The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body,” said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station.
Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil said.
In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients - citrulline - whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.
Scientists know that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino acid that works wonders on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system, Patil said.
“The citrulline-arginine relationship helps heart health, the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said Patil. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it.”
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Club legend out of hiding for birthday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fittingly, the invitation was delivered to Buzz Central with a Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp. After all, for Atlanta nightclub insiders, the announcement is something akin to the Chairman of the Board’s 1976 surprise visit to the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon — with Dean Martin in tow.
On July 10, venerable nightspot Johnny’s Hideaway is hosting “The Annual 39th” birthday bash for the club’s namesake and former owner Johnny Esposito. In 1999, Esposito’s business partners bought him out when he decided to retire. During the transition, some not-so-nice words were exchanged. Mothers may have been maligned. Some witnesses claim hexes were uttered.
As a result, Esposito didn’t set foot in the Sinatra sanctuary for nearly a decade. Until Esposito turned up unexpectedly a few months back for a former customer’s party at the Roswell Road club.
During the visit, some of the iciness between Esposito and current co-owner Mike Dana melted. In recent years, diabetes has taken its toll on Esposito’s circulation and he quit drinking.
“I’m a Catholic, and we were taught forgiveness,” Esposito told us. “Also, they probably know I might be running short on birthdays these days and that I’ll be out of their hair soon! Seriously, it was very nice of them to do this for me.”
“What the hell,” reasoned Dana when we called Monday. “Let bygones be bygones. With a lot of style, we’re going to pay tribute to a nightclub legend.”
Former Atlanta mayor Sam Massell is one of Esposito’s old pallies who’s been invited to speak at the soiree/ceasefire.
“I was surprised for several reasons,” Massell told us. “Yes, I was surprised that the Hideaway is hosting it. It’s a very nice gesture. I was also surprised to learn from the invitation that I’m one of the ‘special guests.’ And I’m surprised that Johnny Esposito is celebrating yet another birthday. You know that he’s older than all of us put together, don’t you?”
So which birthday is this for Esposito?
Says the lifelong nightclub huckster: “People will just have to show up to find that out!”
Complimentary drinks and a free birthday buffet are scheduled from 7 to
8 p.m.
Molotov cocktails are not on the menu.
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Do you prefer public fireworks displays?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlantans will have many options to watch July 4th fireworks displays.
Do you prefer to go to a public fireworks display or have your own July 4th celebration with friends and family? Where are some of the best places and vantage points to watch the fireworks?
