WEB SITES OF 2011
1. Pinterest.com: It's your virtual corkboard. Put anything you want on there.
2. PayDivvy.com: This bill management site helps you divide up expenses with roommates or even split restaurant bills properly and pay them online!
3. MyBodyGallery.com: This is a website for women to get an idea of what other real women look like and change negative body image perception.

The folks at Kayak.com put together a list of the world's most expensive New Year's Eve Hotel Suites ... a girl can dream, right?!
The Bridge Suite, Atlantis, Bahamas -- $25,000/night
The Penthouse Suite, Regent Beverly Wilshire, L.A. -- $25,000/night
The Ty Warner Suite, Four Seasons, NYC -- $35,000/night
The Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, The Palms, Las Vegas -- $40,000/night

Paying your Verizon Wireless bill will soon cost you extra. Starting January 15th, the company will charge a $2 "convenience charge" for customers who make one-time bill payments using a debit or credit card, either online or by telephone.

Kim Jong-un was publicly declared the supreme leader of North Korea at a rally in Pyongyang yesterday (Thursday), nearly two weeks after the death of his father, Kim Jong-il. The event ended 13 days of national mourning.

Netflix was among the worst performers in customer satisfaction among the largest online retailers this holiday season, according to a new survey. Not surprisingly Netflix saw the biggest decline in customer satisfaction after attempting to raise prices and split its DVD and video-streaming services. The plan was axed after customers defected. Overstock.com was last out of the 40 largest online retailers surveyed.

An elaborate funeral procession was held for Kim Jong Il in North Korea yesterday. Tens of thousands of citizens wailed and stamped their feet in grief for the late dictator during the two-and-a-half hour funeral march. Son and successor Kim Jong Un walked with one hand on the black hearse that carried his father's coffin on its roof, his other hand raised in salute.

Two women claiming to have been injured when the stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair before a Sugarland show in August may face jail time. The women, Stephanie Murry and Sandra Hurn, allegedly filed false reports in an effort to claim money from funds collected for the victims of the August 13th accident. If convicted, Hurn faces 36 years in prison in addition to fines and Murry faces 14 years.

According to a new study, people who quit smoking are happier and more satisfied with their health, compared to those who smoke. Researchers looked at such quality of life factors including health, self-esteem, philosophy of life, standard of living, work, recreation, learning, creativity as well as friendships and relationships with family.

Here's a rundown of the nine fastest-rising Google searches of 2011:

9. Steve Jobs
8. TEPCO (aka Tokyo's Fukushima I Plant)
7. Adele
6. iPhone 5
5. Battlefield 3
4. Casey Anthony
3. Ryan Dunn
2. Google+
1. Rebecca Black

What happens if you received a gift card this Christmas to a store that you never shop at?
Don't worry. A number of websites have been created in recent years that allow consumers to swap unwanted gift cards -- or to sell them. Sites like CardPool.com and PlasticJungle.com allow consumers to buy gift cards on the secondary market, which is a better deal than buying a card from a traditional store.

According to a new study, eating beef every day is good for your heart. Researchers found that diets including lean beef every day are effective in lowering total and LDL "bad" cholesterol. Study participants had a 10 percent decrease in cholesterol from the start of the study, while consuming diets containing 4.0 and 5.4 ounces of lean beef daily.

Lindsay Lohan's New Year's Eve will be quiet. She's turned down several lucrative offers to host a party on New Year's Eve, because she wants to shed her party-girl image. TMZ says Linds doesn't want to "blow the progress she's made with her judge" just to get a check. She plans to ring in 2012 with a few close friends at her home.

Janet Hubert, who played the original Aunt Vivian on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, had a good reason for not appearing at a recent reunion dinner with the rest of the cast -- she still blames Will Smith for her dismissal from the hit sitcom. Jane tells TMZ, "There will never be a reunion...as I will never do anything with an [a-hole] like Will Smith."

What is being called the most expensive divorce in Hollywood history was finalized Friday, as Mel Gibson finally severed the knot with his wife Robyn, sending her home with a parting gift thought to be in the range of 400 million dollars. On top of houses, real estate, cash and film properties, the mother of his first seven children is entitled to half of any money he receives in residuals from the films he made.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver spent the holidays together with their four children and reportedly "had a really nice time." One of the estranged couple's family activities was the Lakers' season opener. Shriver is reportedly having second thoughts about ending her marriage. No word on how Arnold's former maid and mistress -- and the son she had by him -- spent their Christmas.

A woman who was employed for more than a year as a personal assistant to Lady Gaga filed suit against a production company last week seeking $350,000 for what she called unpaid overtime. Jennifer O'Neill, who accompanied the singer on her 2010 world tour, argues that her $75,000 annual salary was not enough to compensate her for being on call 24 hours a day.

In your Firefox or Google Chrome browser, visit Google and search "let it snow." Something special will happen.

An Arizona college student is alive after spending nine days stranded in sub-freezing cold and two feet of snow with only a Snickers and a pack of M&Ms to eat. Lauren Weinberg, a senior at Arizona State University, got lost driving back from her mother's house in Phoenix on December 12th. Her car got stuck and her phone battery died, but she was able to subsist on the candy and water from snow that she melted.

Melanie Amaro won a five-million-dollar recording contract on last night's [Friday night's] X Factor finale

Kim Jong Il was known for making a lot of outrageous claims, like inventing the hamburger or being the greatest golfer in the world. So one blogger wondered what the late North Korean leader's final words may have been -- and you can check it out at KimJongIlsFinalWords.tumblr.com.

Even President Obama has to go Christmas shopping. Yesterday Obama stopped at a Best Buy and PetSmart in Northern Virginia to pick up some toys for his daughters and dog. At PetSmart, Obama bought a $24.99 chew toy and one other item for Bo, who tagged along for the ride. At Best Buy, he bought Just Dance 3 for his daughters. Obama joked with photographers that they'd never get a shot of him playing the game.

Gene Simmons is angry with those who have been attacking Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow over his religious beliefs. He tweets, "Leave Tebow alone. Give him the respect to have his faith. Respect it. I do."

Move over, Gaga -- Rebecca Black is the new queen of YouTube. The teen's "Friday" video was the most popular clip of 2011 with 180-million views. Runners-up were "Ultimate Dog Tease" featuring a talking pooch and a Saturday Night Live digital short featuring Michael Bolton.

Things are turning nasty between Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.

The Latin crooner reportedly "hit the roof" when he saw photos of J-Lo's new squeeze, 24-year-old Casper Smart, bonding with his son and daughter. Now Marc "wants to make Jennifer suffer" by taking primary custody of the kids. Stay tuned.

An Indiana man demonstrated a rather unique grasp of the Christmas spirit this week, when he drove up the steps of the war memorial in Indianapolis, set a fire and began waving around a gun to remind everyone to think of Jesus. Daniel Whitaker, who was wrapped in an American flag through most of the outburst, pulled a handgun and told police, "If you come and join us in Christ, I'll lay my weapon on the ground."

A dozen members of a rebel Amish group in Ohio were indicted on charges for allegedly cutting the beards and hair of members of the Amish community, the Justice Department said yesterday. A seven-count indictment was handed down by a federal grand jury in Cleveland, charging 10 men and two women with conspiracy to violate a hate crimes prevention act as well as obstruction of justice.

The NCAA imposed a one-year bowl ban and other penalties on Ohio State University's football team yesterday for a scandal that had players receiving $14,000 in cash and tattoos in trade for autographed jerseys, rings and other collectibles. Ohio State was hoping to avoid such sanctions with their own self-imposed penalties, which included vacating the 2010 season, returning bowl game revenue and more.

Secret Santas are paying for gifts put on layaway by people they don't even know. According to ABC News, KMart says more than 1,000 such people have paid of more than $100,000 in bills. At a Kmart a man wrote a check for $15,919.61 to pay off the store's layaway items. When Kmart employees informed customers that their bills had been paid, many thought it was a prank call or a lie.

Snooki has been slapped with a $7 million lawsuit.
The Jersey Shore star had partnered with licensing company SRG Ventures to launch a line of merchandise. But Snooks sued them in October to end her contract, claiming they didn't hold up their end of the bargain. Now SRG is fighting back, saying the star sabotaged their agreement by negotiating with brands behind their back.

We're not sure if this is a promise or a threat. But Kim Kardashian, whose family has four reality series under its belt, tells The Hollywood Reporter, "[Our] shows could go on for years. There are so many of us. But I think we'll see more of my younger siblings." Word has it three or four Kardashian spin-offs are already in the works. God help us!

Man, people get so defensive when it comes to their favorite font. Comic Sans gets a lot of criticism, but it has its loyal fan base. So some supporters of the font have created a blog in which they re-create popular brand logos using Comic Sans. Check it out at ComicSansProject.tumblr.com.

AT&T has decided to give up on their proposed merger with T-Mobile and is blaming the federal government for squashing the deal. The communications giant says that consumers will be harmed as a result of the deal not going through, but the feds are calling it a victory for consumers.

Teen Mom Amber Portwood is back behind bars. The single mother was arrested for violating her probation. Amber is expected to spend the holidays in the slammer, which would be the second time in two years she's done so. Last year, she was arrested for domestic battery and neglect.

Kevin Federline says he's "totally happy" for his newly engaged ex-wife, Britney Spears. K-Fed, who divorced the pop princess in 2006, tells Australia's TV Week magazine, "She's doing really well ... [The engagement] is a good step in the right direction." He even thinks highly of Brit's new man, Jason Trawick. "He's a great guy. The kids speak highly of him. Her family loves him."

A former NYU professor claims he was fired for giving James Franco a "D." Professor Jose Angel Santana, who is suing the university, says the celebrity student deserved the grade because he missed 12 of 14 classes for "Directing the Actor II." Santana tells the New York Post, "In my opinion, they've turned the NYU graduate film degree into swag for James Franco's purposes, a possession, something you can buy."

Chaz Bono and fiancee Jennifer Elia have "called off their engagement and are no longer a couple," a rep tells Access Hollywood. Chaz tweeted, "Thanks for your concern about our separation. I'm doing fine, and we remain on good terms with nothing but respect and affection for each other." His proposal was captured by cameras for the recent special Being Chaz.

Are you feeling a little stressed out this holiday season? Worried about the amount of money you're spending on gifts or about having the family over on Christmas? These explosions might help. Press the red detonator and see what happens at DevastatingExplosions.com.

Controversial North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died at 69. The North Korean leader had history of health problems, including a stroke in 2008, and he was believed to have diabetes, heart disease and pancreatic cancer, according to reports. Korean state media reported that Kim died of a heart ailment on a train. They attributed his death to "great mental and physical strain" during a "high intensity field inspection."

Britney Spears and Jason Trawick celebrated their engagement by jetting off to Las Vegas Friday. At the Chateau Nightclub, Britney posed for photos showing off her three-carat Neil Lane sparkler.

A pair of burglars in Wisconsin made it easy for cops to build a case against them -- when one of them accidentally "butt-dialed" 911 and broadcast their entire criminal scheme to authorities. Jason Hamielec and Brian Johnson had just shoplifted a slew of video games and DVDs from a Target store and planned to sell them at a shop down the road. The pair seemed baffled to see a police escort waiting when they arrived.

A cop in Ohio is facing a pantload of charges after being caught wandering through a hotel parking lot trying to peep into the windows of strangers' rooms -- while nude from the waist down. A surveillance camera caught Justin Lunsford, the officer also turned the parking lot into his personal litter box, defecating and urinating at various spots to mark his territory. Lunsford has since resigned from the force.

On Craigslist a "professional lady wants to look good for work" and needs your help. This woman in Murfreesboro near Christiana, TN is asking for someone to come to her house and do her hair on Tuesday mornings. She says it's short and has a "simple cut." By the time you get to her place on Tuesdays, her hair will already be washed and ready to go. Apparently there are no hair salons in Murfreesboro near Christiana.

The Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at the University of Vermont is learning the hard way that rape is no joke. Earlier in the week the frat was suspended after the University of Vermont's interim President John Bramley learned about a pledge survey that included the question, "If I could rape someone, who would it be?"

The man who was accused of stalking singer-actress Selena Gomez has asked a judge to issue a restraining order -- against him! Felony charges against Thomas Brodnicki were dismissed last month when the court ruled that he didn't pose any real danger to Gomez, but now Brodnicki says he actually is a threat.

OOPS, BRITNEY'S BEING SUED AGAIN - Britney Spears' former bodyguards have filed a six-figure lawsuit against the singer for allegedly stiffing them on payments for security services back in 2010. Brit's people fired Advanced Security Concepts after racking up more than $140,000 they also had an iron-clad contract for another year of protection which brings the real total to just over $300 grand. Sounds "Toxic".

A California man caused quite a panic at a train station earlier this week, just by adorning his backpack with his nickname -- which happens to be "Bang." A security guard spotted the bag at a train station in Los Angeles and called cops and the bomb squad, who evacuated the station for more than two-and-a-half hours.

A woman in Washington state won't be getting a gold star from her anger management class since she pulled out a knife and stabbed another student just two minutes into the session. Faribah Maradiaga was charged with second-degree assault after she walked into the class, which had already started, and began making wisecracks when another student told her to give the TV doc a chance, she flipped out and attacked her.

Michele Bachmann may be nearly out of the battle for the Republican Party's nomination for president, but she's not done fighting. Bachmann put her usual attacks on President Obama on hold yesterday to take aim at Republican frontrunner Newt Gingrich. In an interview on CNN, she blasted him as a "big government liberal" in "progressive territory."

President Obama said that the U.S. war in Iraq is over, as he welcomed home the American troops yesterday at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Obama called the end of the war "an extraordinary achievement, nearly nine years in the making," adding, "And today, we remember everything that you did to make it possible."

Timing is everything, Timothy Randal Clar tried to rob a Maryland Wal-Mart of about $600 in video games on what was designated "Shop With a Cop Day." The well-publicized charity event is designed to give underprivileged kids a shot at a nice holiday gift, it also netted an arrest for Clark. Since there were more than 50 officers on hand to take the call, it's unclear who got credit for the bust.

Pennsylvania man who was oh-so-close to getting off the hook on drug charges -- until he asked a judge the immortal question, "Can I have my weed back?" Devonte Jeter had been nabbed with a sizeable amount of marijuana in his car, but his lawyer floated the possibility that the pot actually belonged to someone. But as he was set to be released, Jeter asked if he could take the pot home. The judge, oddly, said no.

A flustered woman is upset with Facebook after they refused to allow her to mention her hometown -- Effin, Ireland. Ann Marie Kennedy, who joined the social networking site in June, says that she's being discriminated against because some folks use her town's name as shorthand for a frowned upon four-letter word. She says "I'm a proud Effin woman. There are other Effin people around the world."

Living in an apartment building and having to share common space with others is hard. And being the superintendent of an apartment building is no picnic either. Super-Letters.tumblr.com features letters written and posted by building supers -- some threatening and others just to remind tenants to have respect for their neighbors.

Donald Trump fired himself yesterday as the host of the Newsmax Republican debate, not because most of the Republican presidential hopefuls won't attend, but because he wants to reserve his right to run for president. He said that some of the Republican candidates wouldn't agree to attend the debate unless he promised not to run for president as an Independent -- and he's not ready to make any such promise.

Claiming that distracted driving "is becoming the new DUI," the NTSB has recommended banning all cell phone use by drivers. Regardless of whether the devices are hand-held or hands-free, the lone exception would be for devices built into cars. The statistics that led to this conclusion are shocking -- last year, 3,092 people were killed in accidents linked to distracted drivers.

Linday Lohan missed another important date yesterday, but luckily for her, it was only a TV appearance and not the court date that she is expected to make this morning. LiLo was supposed to tape an interview for Ellen yesterday to promote her just-published Playboy spread, but she missed her flight back from Hawaii. Lindsay has to appear in court this morning so the judge can determine if she's been a good girl.

John weighs in and lost a total of 220 pounds to become the Biggest Loser last night. Antone weighs in for the last time and lost a total of 202 pounds. Ramon weighs in for the last time and lost a total of 154 pounds. Alison Sweeney informs Jennifer that she has won $100,000.

Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus is currently in Arizona on the set of the feature film, Saving Santa. The movie, on which Kix Brooks is serving as executive producer, also features Trace Adkins. It will be released next Christmas.

PARALYMPIAN WALKS AGAIN AFTER FREAK ACCIDENT - Monique Van der Vorst certainly does. The 27-year-old Dutch handcyclist had been paralyzed from the hip down since the age of 13. While training for the 2012 Paralympics, she got into an accident when another handcyclist hit her, landing her in the hospital. While recovering the accident actually unparalyzed her! She is now training as a cyclist for the 2016 Olympics!

An off-duty Florida cop who was found half-naked and passed out at an intersection insisted that he wasn't affected by booze, but by a concussion he got while playing baseball -- 13 years ago! Fernando Villa was found "unresponsive" in his car, with his foot on the brake and the car in gear. Even though Villa reeked of booze, he was not booked, but was driven to his home to sleep it off.

The bad news is spreading for baking fans in Norway where a butter shortage has caused prices to skyrocket to almost $500 per pound. The shortfall has been blamed on a rainy summer that cut into dairy output in a big way. One man was arrested trying to smuggle 90 pounds of butter across the border.

Here's a great new way to waste time -- you know, in case you've tried everything else. YourOpenbook.org lets you search the Facebook status updates of people who set their profiles to "public." Just type in a keyword, like "Newt Gingrich," and it'll pull up every public status update that includes his name.

On this date in 2003, U.S. military forces captured former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. He was hiding in a hole dug in a farm not far from his hometown of Tikrit.

Dick Van Dyke, turning 86 today, starred in one of TV's most stylish -- and iconic -- sitcoms of the 1960s. Along with Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Richard Deacon and Carl Reiner, they formed one of the wittiest casts in TV history.

Occupy Wall Street protesters may have had their encampments shut down, but they haven't gone away. Yesterday thousands of protesters blocked access to several West Coast ports. The demonstrations slowed down business at ports from San Diego to Anchorage and got plenty of TV coverage, but came short of the protesters' goal of a complete shutdown of West Coast shipping.

The United States asked yesterday for Iran to give back the drone they claimed they recently shot down, President Obama said. Obama said yesterday in a news conference, "We've asked for it back. We'll see how the Iranians respond." The only problem is that a top Iranian military official already said they have no plans to return the aircraft.

Hardware chain Lowe's was defending themselves yesterday against charges of bigotry after taking heat for pulling their advertising from the reality TV show All-American Muslim. Lowe's on their Facebook page called All-American Muslim "a lightning rod" for "strong political and societal views.". Having been given a hard time for advertising on the show, now they are being slammed for leaving show.

While the U.S. Postal Service is struggling, FedEx is thriving. Yesterday was their busiest day of the year -- they shipped about 17 million packages worldwide, according to a company official. They are using 290,000 employees worldwide, 860 aircraft and 90,000 vehicles that will be moving this freight."

Taylor Swift is celebrating her 22nd birthday today. Now that she's accomplished pretty much everything, she tells us, "It would be the coolest thing in the world to keep doing it."
Randy Owen turns 62 today, and it's a good thing that he and his fellow Alabama members are coming back. He says he probably didn't enjoy his career enough the first time around.

Rodney Atkins has announced that he'll re-sign with Curb Records, the label that Tim McGraw has left and LeAnn Rimes is rumored to be leaving. He tells Nashville's Tennessean, "Mike Curb encouraged me to learn about songwriting, how to write songs, how to go in and produce those songs. He allowed me to get in the studio and experiment and learn the process. Hats off to Mike for really sticking with artist development for a long time.

Just ask a Texas man who was convicted of armed robbery despite the fact that he was already in jail at the time the crime went down. LaDondrell Montgomery swore up and down that he had nothing to do with the robbery in question, but couldn't attest to the fact that he was in prison on that day because he's been arrested so often that he's lost track of the exact dates. He still facing 5 other counts of robbery.

Celebrities all like to date each other, and gossip magazines like to keep track of their dating. Fans like to keep track of it too, but over time we forget about who's dated whom. OldLoves.tumblr.com is a blog that features old pictures of celebrity couples, many whom you may not remember.

Brooke Mueller has finally agreed to enter rehab following her drug arrest last week, TMZ reports. Brooke is now admitting she has "major substance abuse problems," and her people are making arrangements to check her into a treatment facility near her L.A. home. According to sources, Charlie Sheen will take care of the kids while Brooke is away.

Lindsay Lohan lost $10,000 in Hawaii over the weekend. Saturday her $5,000 Chanel purse was stolen while she was at a house party. The bag contained the cash, her ID, passport and the probation documents allowing her to go out of state. A local described as "suspicious-looking," who claimed he found it on the street, returned the bag with her passport and other papers, but the cash was gone.

A New Zealand man nearly engineered his own demise by looking for a comfy place to sleep off a bender -- and settling on a set of railroad tracks. Officials discovered the man after a train conductor called police to inform them that he thought he'd run over a person on an overnight trip. When cops went out to investigate, they found the man, flat on his caboose and still drunk but virtually unscathed.

An elderly Massachusetts woman is feeling less than ducky after being hit with criminal charges -- for feeding the ducks at three ponds near her home. Clare Butcher has been spreading joy among the little quackers for more than four decades, but about two years ago, she was ordered to stop by town officials who claimed she was creating a public safety hazard by attracting hundreds of pooping birds.

ListsOfNote.com gathers actual lists written by, or on behalf of, celebrities and other historical figures.

On this day in 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas debuted on CBS. The hour-long TV special has aired every year since.

President Obama is fighting mad over charges made by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney that he's soft on foreign policy. Yesterday he countered Romney's claim that he adopted a foreign policy of "appeasement" by pointing to the killing of Osama bin Laden and 22 out of 30 top al Qaeda leaders who have been taken out while he's been in office.

ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews has filed a lawsuit seeking a total of $10 million in damages after being taped nude through a peephole in her Nashville hotel room in 2008 while she covered a Vanderbilt football game. $6 million, plus costs and interest, from Marriott, hotel and $4 million from Michael Barrett, the Chicago man who pleaded guilty to peeping and sentenced in 2010 to 2-1/2 years in federal prison.

Ashton Kutcher has been made an interesting offer.
Cougarlife.com says it will pay half of his potential alimony payments to Demi Moore for as long as he remains the dating site's spokesperson. Under the contract, he also must "exclusively" date women 10 years his senior and post 15 "mutually approved" tweets a month related to cougar relationships.

Angelina Jolie isn't starving herself to look good -- she's doing it for a good cause. An insider say that the globe-trotting do-gooder "puts herself on fasts to make statements for the children she visits. She says, 'If they can't eat, I can't eat.'" But that doesn't stop Brad Pitt from worrying about her health. According to the source, "He's made her see a zillion doctors, but they keep telling her she's fine."

Rolling Stone has named Nashville the Best Music Scene for 2011. The magazine recognizes hot spots in Music City from venues like Robert's honky-tonk and the legendary Ryman Auditorium, to bars like retro speakeasy Patterson House. They also shine a spotlight on locally owned restaurants, record stores and clothiers like designer-to-the-stars Manuel.

Mindy McCready has sat down with ABC's 20/20 to defend herself against accusations that she kidnapped her son, Zander, from his custodial home. In a clip, she says, "What I did was to protect my child, and there's not a person in the world that's going to tell me that that is wrong." The interview airs tonight.

Miranda Lambert has a simple fitness routine -- she cranks up the music and visualizes a great body. 'Ran tells Shape.com, "I listen to Beyonce's 'Run the World (Girls)' when I exercise. I picture her body and it makes me push harder." She also tries to make better food choices when out on the road. And forget going to the gym while she's touring, she'd rather run up and down the stairs of the arena before showtime.

A Florida man was arrested on charges of pelting a fast-food joint employee with burgers and fries in a dispute over a soft drink. Todd Rogers drove off from the restaurant after a midnight munchies run, but returned a few minutes later saying he'd been shorted on a drink and wanted justice. He threw a bag of food that struck the employee in the head, then threw a second bag of food when the woman closed the window.

Residents of Gavle, Sweden, got some ba-a-a-a-a-ad news when a giant Christmas goat, somehow caught fire. Cops had no idea how the blaze started, but have ruled out foul play. It's the 28th time that the goat has caught fire in 45 years of celebrating the traditional goat erecting. Since 1988 people have been able to legally place bets on whether it will survive, or how long it lasts before being burned down.

There was a time when drive-in movie theaters were all the rage before multiplexes took over and killed the drive-ins. But now, as movie-theater prices continue to rise, the drive-in is beginning to see a resurgence in popularity. The numbers aren't huge, but there are still quite a few drive-in theaters still out there. There may even be one near you. You can search for drive-in theaters by state at DriveInMovie.com.

John Lennon was gunned down on this day in 1980. He was shot as he returned home to his luxury apartment building on New York City's Upper West Side. The shooter was 25-year-old Mark David Chapman, who remains imprisoned at the Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo, New York. News of Lennon's murder was announced by Howard Cosell during a Monday Night Football game between the Patriots and Dolphins.

Harry Morgan, one of TV's busiest character actors, died Wednesday in L.A. at age 96. Best known as Colonel Potter in MASH and Bill Gannon in both the '60s version of Dragnet and its 1987 movie spoof, the Detroit native was known for his wry smile, baritone voice and easy, self-depreciating humor.

THE 12-GAUGE OF CHRISTMAS? Forget TVs, smart phones, and jewelry. One of the biggest black Friday buys this year was guns. According to USA Today gun dealers flooded the FBI with background check requests for prospective buyers on Black Friday, "smashing the single-day, all-time high by 32 percent, according to bureau records." So much for peace on earth this holiday season!

Margarita Salais is suing a car dealership for selling her a 2006 Ford Expedition without telling her that the last owner had kept a dead body in it -- leaving a scent that was hard to pin down, and even harder to stomach. When she brought the vehicle back, a salesperson told her the stench was animal-related, but her insurance company investigated and found the truth. She is suing for $25,000.

NINJA SMOKE OUT - A Florida man who was spotted hiding in some bushes and clutching a machete had a logical explanation for police -- he was going out to buy cigarettes for his girlfriend and needed "protection." The man, who was clad in an all-black ninja outfit, appeared to be disoriented, which he attributed to being in pain from a spider bite. He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon.

North Carolina cops set up a DUI checkpoint emblazoned with the slogan "booze it and lose it," and it didn't take long before they had a winner or loser. Douglas Shane Southard, who was driving with a revoked license, slammed into the mobile unit at a high rate of speed. The city bus-sized unit was not damaged but Southard's 1989 Camaro was totaled. The 21-year-old was charged with reckless driving and DUI.

Business Insider, a popular business and entertainment news website, is known for its analysis of business news and commentary. One blogger wondered what it would have been like if Business Insider had been around for some of the most important historical events. Check it out at IfBusinessInsiderWasAroundWhen.tumblr.com.

Some students in Traverse City, Michigan almost didn't have a "gay" holiday season after a teacher at Cherry Knoll Elementary School changed the word "gay" in the lyrics of "Deck the Halls." to "don we now our bright apparel." because students kept giggling while singing. School Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jane Mohr issued an apology, saying, "We are so very sorry this happened. The teacher made a poor decision."

Alec Baldwin was kicked off a plane yesterday at LA airport after he refused to stop playing a game on his cell. He tweeted, "Flight attendant on American reamed me out for playing Words With Friends while we sat at the gate, not movin'." Country singer John Rich was booted from a Southwest flight after he displayed "drunken behavior."Green Day frontman Billy Joe & Kevin Smith have all been removed from Southwest.

The most common advice Scotty McCreery has been given since winning American Idol has been to stay true to himself. When that advice comes from Carrie Underwood, it becomes even more important. He says, "Coming from somebody who's been through it means a lot more...She says if you can stay the same, stay humble, then you never know what you can do.

Mindy McCready's son, Zander, has been placed in foster care after he and his mother were found hiding in a closet in Heber Springs, Arkansas. According to NBC's Today, Mindy could eventually face federal kidnapping charges and Zander could be returned to her mother's home in Florida, but for now, she is free.

Cops are looking for a Vermont woman who used a dead raccoon to repeatedly slammed against the city hall doors. The woman, who was caught on surveillance tape, dragged the bleeding, apparently dead critter onto the building's steps, then pelted the entryway, leaving it smeared in blood. She's described as white, middle-aged, with short blonde hair. The raccoon was described as ... well ... a raccoon.

How often do you hear this around the holidays -- "It's the thought that counts." The phrase implies that it doesn't matter how lousy a gift is, what's important is the thought of the gift-giver. For instance, let's say you'd love to buy a new Harley for a motorcycle lover on your list. For 99 cents, PartnersAndSpade.com will send your loved one a picture of a Harley, because after all, it's the thought that counts.

First-class mail may not longer mean next-day delivery after the U.S. Postal Service announced yesterday that they're closing 200 mail processing centers as a way to deal with budget problems. The news is problematic for some businesses that use snail-mail to send out invoices and receive checks from their clients. It'll also affect DVD-by-mail service Netflix as well as publishers of magazines and catalogs.

John Rich was asked to exit a Southwest flight headed to Las Vegas Sunday after appearing to be intoxicated, according to TMZ. John reportedly got into an argument with a couple of passengers before boarding and continued to display "drunken behavior" once on the plane. But he was cooperative when asked to leave and made alternative travel arrangements.

For all the girls out there who spend time staring at their guys wondering what the heck they are thinking, new research breaks it down for you. A new study by Ohio State University found that men are thinking mostly about 3 things during the course of a day: sex, food and sleep. The study showed that the average Joe thinks of sex 19 times a day, food 18 times a day, and sleep 11 times a day.

Are you afraid of spiders? Well, there's an app for that. An app called Fear of Spiders Phobia Treatment claims it will help cure your spider phobia. For $2.99, you can get treated with "NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), visualization, and mind mapping methods."

NO BURPING ALLOWED - A teenager in New Mexico was hauled off in handcuffs after he burped during class PE class -- an offense that apparently marked him as a danger to society. His parents have now filed a lawsuit against the Albuquerque school system saying that the boy's rights were violated. A lawyer for the family says, "Criminalizing the burping of a 13-year-old boy serves no governmental purpose."

It doesn't get much funnier than this. A blogger wondered what it would have been like if Alexander Hamilton, one of our nation's Founding Fathers, was the Perez Hilton of his day. So he created PerezHamilton.com.

Oklahoma State's 44-10 victory over arch rival Oklahoma was marred Saturday night when thousands of fans bum-rushed the field, tearing down the goalposts and injuring 13 people, including two who were in critical condition. The riot took place at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, where 58,000 fans packed the stands. It took police 45 minutes to clear the field.

Khloe Kardashian is being sued by a transgender woman who claims the reality star "violently" attacked her outside a Hollywood nightclub in 2009. Chantal Spears, formerly Ronald Spears, tells TMZ that the incident occurred after she made a comment to Khloe's husband Lamar Odom and Khloe pushed her. Chantal alleges she needed medical care and suffered from "severe mental anguish" afterwards.

It's official. Madonna will provide the halftime entertainment for Super Bowl 46 on February 5th in Indianapolis. The NFL and NBC confirmed the Material Mom's involvement during last night's Detroit Lions-New Orleans Saints game. She'll collaborate with Cirque Du Soleil and Jamie King on the show.

Brooke Mueller hit a big bump on her road to recovery. Charlie Sheen's ex-wife -- who finished a 45-day stint in rehab in July -- was arrested Saturday in Aspen, Colorado on charges of assault and cocaine possession with intent to distribute. Brooke, who was released on $11,000 bail, is due in Pitkin County District Court on December 19th.

NBC Late Night host Jimmy Fallon will record a comedy album for Warner Music Nashville -- home to Blake Shelton and Faith Hill. The collection will feature music, parodies and fan-favorite performances from his show. Look for it in the summer.

If you've used Ticketmaster in the past 12 years, you'll be getting a small refund. The proposed settlement of a class-action suit against the ticket giant says that for each purchase made from October 1999 to October 2011 customers will get a code for $1.50 off a future transaction. The maximum number of codes is 17. The company has to pay because it profited off of "processing fees" without saying so.

GARTH BROOKS: Possible Tour in 2014 - Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will become empty nesters in May of 2014 -- that's when his youngest daughter Allie graduates high school and when he hopes to hit the road again. Garth has just entered his second year of residency at the Wynn Encore Theater in Las Vegas.

Despite a judge's order, Mindy McCready says she will not return her son Zander to Florida because she's seven months pregnant. She removed the five-year-old from her father's home and took him to Tennessee, telling the Associated Press that she was protecting her son. The boy's father, Billy McKnight, said Friday morning on NBC's Today show he doesn't think Mindy realizes how much trouble she's in.

A Florida man got check-mated at a pawn shop when he tried to sell the manager some jewelry -- that he'd just stolen from her house! Nathaniel Coleman walked into Marilyn's Boutique with jewelry. When the woman in charge started to look through it, she realized it was all hers and asked Coleman to hang on for a moment -- then went to the back room and called her husband, who brought two cops to the shop with him.

An Ohio man called cops to ask for help because he was locked in a car -- a police car that he was trying to steal. Peter Theado used the cruiser's computer and police radio to ask for help in getting the vehicle in gear, saying he wanted to head out on patrol in order to help protect the citizens of his hometown. The keys were inside the car, but it wasn't running at the time.

It may seem like you spend every minute of your day in front of the computer, but the truth is, you do get up every so often to use the bathroom. The best part about the bathroom break is that even though you're not actually working, you're still at work and are still getting paid. So how much exactly? You can figure that out at HowMuchDoYouGetPaidWhileGoingToTheBathroomAtWork.com.

Coca-Cola's new white "Arctic Home" can campaign, which was supposed to raise money for polar bears, is a bust. The company will change back to a new version of their iconic red can, also featuring polar bears, next week after complaints from consumers who said that white can looked too much like the silver one used for Diet Coke. Some consumers say the soft drink in the white cans tasted different, which Coke deny.

Is the stress of being in the public eye getting to Chaz Bono? According to the National Enquirer, Cher's son had a full-on collapse recently, leading friends to worry about his health. The mag says that Chaz has been packing on the pounds since leaving Dancing With the Stars, and now tips the scales at 270 pounds, and that he's stressed about his relationship with his mom.

A new study found that men actually take longer than women to get ready! Seriously! According to a study done in the UK, men, on average, take 81 minutes to get ready and women take 75 minutes to primp. It breaks down like this: 23 minutes to shower,18 minutes shaving, 10 minutes cleansing and toning (toning?!), and 13 minutes selecting an outfit.

FAKE PLASTIC SURGEON OFFERS CEMENT BUTT IMPLANT - Oneal Ron Morris, who, for the low, low price of $700 will give you the butt implant of your dreams -- filled with the perfect amount of cement, mineral oil and Fix-A-Flat Tire Inflator and Sealant. Oh, and if you're worried about scars from any incisions, don't be -- Oneal only uses the highest quality super glue -- not stitches!

A Colorado man who's serving 11 years in prison for kidnapping a newlywed couple is taking his former hostages to court for turning him over to cops! Jessie Dimmick wants more than $200,000 from the couple, because he says the couple breached an oral contract after promising not to turn him in for the 2009 incident in which he crashed his car into their yard while on the run from police, then held them at knifepoint.

A group of firefighters and good Samaritans in Wales probably felt less than purr-fect after they spent nearly 12 hours trying to rescue a cat trapped in a clothes recycling bin -- only to find that the meowing sound was actually coming from a rubber toy. A local resident had reported a pregnant cat named Puss Puss missing shortly before the discovery, which led one neighbor to call a rescue unit.

We all waste so much time on the Internet looking for all sorts of stupid or funny stuff. But now there's one website you can check out for all your time-wasting needs. Just head to IWasteSoMuchTime.com.

Michael Jackson's Thriller album was released on this day in 1982. It remains the best-selling album of all time, with 110-million copies sold worldwide.

Finally there's a foreclosure story in which the homeowner won -- at least for now. Earlier this week, a bank sent movers and sheriff's deputies to evict a 103-year-old woman and her 83-year-old daughter from their Atlanta home who have lived in the home for 53 years. Yet once the deputies and movers arrived at the home, they decided not to go through with the action.

Courtney Love signed on as Lindsay Lohan's "sober coach." She says, "I went up to Lindsay's room one time and there was a show on called 101 Celebrity Oops and I am like every other one, you know -- boobs out, legs everywhere, throwing [stuff] at Madonna, you know, whatever. I'm like 'Lindsay, look! Drugs are bad!'"

Britney Spears will celebrate her 30th birthday tomorrow, and she may be celebrating another red-letter occasion as well. A source close to the singer tells People magazine that Brit's beau, Jason Trawick is planning to pop the question sooner rather than later.

Kris Humphries doesn't want to get divorced, he's reportedly asking that a judge annul his marriage to Kim Kardashian instead. Radar Online is reporting that Kris is taking this position because he's a religious guy and "he absolutely plans on getting married again. Since the marriage only lasted 72 days, Kris feels that an annulment is appropriate. Kris will formally declare on the documents "legal separation".

Mindy McCready is wanted in Florida after taking her son Zander from her father's home on Tuesday, according to Fort Myers NBC-2. Mindy's mother and stepfather have legal custody of the five-year-old, with Mindy and Zander's father having visitation rights. There's no word why the boy was with her father. A judge gave Mindy until 5 p.m. today to return the boy or face arrest.

Taylor Swift is in the running to play Eponine in the movie version of the Broadway show Les Miserables. But she has some tough competition in Glee's Lea Michele, Scarlett Johansson and Evan Rachel Wood. Word is that Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Geoffrey Rush have already signed on.