Toothpick City Took 34 Years to Build

A California man has spent the last 34 years building a model of San Francisco out of toothpicks.

Scott Weaver, 49, has used a million tiny sticks to construct the city and its many landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf. "Rolling Through the Bay" also features entry points where ping-pong balls can be inserted to run along tracks. The sculpture is 9 feet tall and 7 feet wide.  Talk about having some serious time on your hands...

NBC News going the way of reality shows?

THE staff at NBC News isn't younger and hotter than the staffs at other network news operations -- it just seems that way. Sources say that when Brian Williams left his desk to deliver Wednesday's nightly broadcast from the middle of the newsroom, producers brought in some ringers. "NBC newsroom staffers don't look like Vogue staffers," said one source. "So they asked less attractive, heavier staffers to move seats and allow younger, thinner members of the staff to act as extras." The "extras," including two interns who normally run errands, were told to sit up straight, look busy and keep their computers on the MSNBC Web site. "No porn behind Brian," our source laughed. An NBC rep denied any reality-altering: "The majority of the people seen on the newscast are the same people who are there every night." As for the interns? "They were serving a purpose. They were helping out with the broadcast."

'Barrel monster' gains following, from North Carolina to South Korea

The Barrel Monster, a playful statue made of orange and white construction barrels, only had a few hours of life but is basking in popularity as news spreads of its suspected creator's arrest by Raleigh police.

In the week since Joseph Carnevale, a student at North Carolina State University, was arrested June 10, both he and the Barrel Monster have attracted attention from around the country, and even the world.

The monster's image was broadcast on national television networks Thursday amid coverage of the mass street demonstrations in Iran to protest the disputed election there. An interview with Carnevale aired that afternoon on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered," a national radio program.

Nearly 3,000 people have joined a page on Facebook, the social networking site, urging Wake prosecutors to drop the charges.

I love this Barrel Monster - perhaps the makers of the construction barrels should use it as a logo or something and pay Carnevale for the idea.  

Adam Lambert and Madonna Duet in the works??

Think about it: Earlier this week, it was reported that Adam had logged studio time with Lady Gaga producer RedOne, so despite his rocker tendencies, theIdol runner-up is clearly not afraid of getting his dance on. And now, if you will, let your mind travel back to Madonna's seminal 1998Ray of Light CD -- yes we are all that old -- an electronica extravaganza that still managed to keep a foot in guitar-rock genre. Suddenly, I'm thinking Adam and Madge could team up for a cover of "Candy Perfume Girl" or "Drowned World/Substitute for Love," or best of all "Swim" (embedded after the jump for the uninitiated).

Not only would the hookup make sense musically, but it would also be a smart career move. For Adam, a Madonna duet would give him instant credibility outside the Idol universe -- something he'll need to break through the anti-Idol prejudice held by many a radio-station programmer. For Madonna, being the first superstar artist to hit the studio with Adam would attach her to a young, exciting artist without the appearance that she's suddenly become a follower instead of a leader (a problem that gave "Me Against the Music" and "4 Minutes to Save the World" a slight whiff of desperation). Plus, girlfriend could use some fresh gay-cred points, no?

What do you think? Would an Adam-Madonna collaboration be a match made in musical heaven, or an aural abomination? And which artist would benefit more from a duet?

Barack Obama: 'I Have Been an Imperfect Father'

President Barack Obama has written a heartfelt Father's Day message acknowledging his own shortcomings as a dad to daughters Malia, 10, Sasha, 8. 

"I know I have been an imperfect father. I know I have made mistakes," Obama admits in a letter to be published in this week's Parade magazine.

Ok, is it just me or is it that Obama keeps jumping into every aspect of our lives.  Why not just rename the country to The United States of Obama already.  I mean come on.  Love him or hate him this guy just seems to love the limelight.  I think he needs to spend more time running the country and less time putting his face all over the place.  "I have been an imperfect father..." No duh dip wad last I checked you can't walk on water or create life from nothing so of course you've been an imperfect father so why do I need to hear about it when I can just look at my own father.

Susan Boyle Cancels Another Concert

Susan Boyle canceled her Thursday performance in Liverpool – the second time she has missed a show on the current Britain's Got Talenttour, after she failed to appear on stage last weekend in Manchester. 

"She had a rest day," says her rep of this latest cancellation, while a source adds that, contrary to some reports, Boyle was not pining for her cat at home. "She certainly wasn't shouting out for Pebbles," says her rep.  

Here's what I'm thinking.  Can you say TOTAL ECLIPSE OF A MENTAL BREAKDOWN here?  This woman was thrust into the spotlight and unlike many others who have had time to embrace their fame she has not.  Add into the mix the paparazzi who we all know are like vultures and possibly just about anyone who ever knew her that now wants something from her and you have a recipe for disaster! 

DNA tests show Michigan man is not 1955 missing toddler

We didn't need Maury for this one... DNA test results reveal that a Michigan man is not a Long Island, New York, boy who went missing 54 years ago, according to the FBI.

Could we now have a lady, any lady just run around and backstage crying NO NO NO!  That would be so Maury!