"The Hunger Games" Re-Enacted by Beanie Babies (VIDEO)

Here's a way to experience "The Hunger Games" as never before: no, not in 3D, but in a re-enactment by Beanie Babies. Unless you've been living on another planet, or under a very large (and soundproof) rock, you've no doubt heard of the new movie "The Hunger Games," based on the absurdly popular book of the same name. Now you can view a version of the megahit story portrayed by the megahit stuffed toy from the 1990s. What could be better?

“The Beanie Baby Hunger Games," created by Jeff Luppino-Esposito & Jamie T. McCelland, is said to be true to the books. I have not yet read the books, but I know that they involve games, hunger, and a bunch of good-looking young people trying to kill each other. Wait, isn't that "Jersey Shore"?

OK, perhaps not. I do know that the lead character is named Katniss, which makes me think of catnip. And hearing the word "hunger" 20 times a day leaves me thinking of food constantly. I wonder what Pavlov and his famous pooch would make of that.

Even if you're not a fan of hunger, or of games, check out “The Beanie Baby Hunger Games," and leave your comments below on what you think of the video, the movie, the books, or your favorite sandwich. Oh hey, look, it's lunchtime!

Amanda Knox to Go Free: Murder Conviction Overturned

American Amanda Knox was ordered freed in a court in Perugia, Italy in an appeal of the sensational murder case of her roommate Meredith Kercher. A jury acquitted her on almost all charges.

The 24-year-old Knox had been sentenced to a 26-year sentence for the murder of her roommate, Briton Meredith Kercher. Kercher was found stabbed to death in their house in Perugia, where both she and Knox were students.

Knox's Italian boyfriend at the time, Rafaelle Sollecito, was also convicted of the murder. The two had been in prison for the last four years.

Both Knox and Sollecito spoke before the six-person jury shortly before they went into their deliberations. Knox proclaimed "I am innocent" in her statement, which she delivered in Italian. "I did not kill, I did not rape, I did not steal," Knox said in her emotional 10-minute statement to the jury.

Knox was found guilty on a charge of defamation and sentenced to three years, but since she had already served four years already, she was ordered released. CNN reported that she was to head back to prison to collect her belongings and was free to leave the country.

Amanda Knox News: Verdict Due; Acquittal Coming?

Monday, Oct. 3rd is the day that a verdict is set to be announced in the appeal by Amanda Knox. Will she be acquitted of the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher?

Here are some of the latest bits of Amanda Knox news from the world press:
* Amanda Knox proclaimed "I am innocent" in her 10-minute statement to the jury, which she delivered in Italian. The jury began meeting soon afterward
* Australia's Herald Sun talks about how Knox is preparing her final statement to the jury that will decide her fate
* CNN offers an explainer on how Knox's case will be decided;
* another CNN piece looks at the Amanda Knox case timeline
* the Italian town of Perugia has taken a hit to its reputation, with the trial showing its seamy underside of drugs and drunken foreign students

In a previous post I talked about some of the info on Amanda Knox's MySpace page (which was later taken down). You can read what she had on her MySpace page, and see a screen capture of it there.

(See a gallery of Amanda Knox personal photos.)

Knox's appeal is focused on the evidence in the case, or rather the lack of it. Her team has argued that the DNA evidence is sketchy, and that despite the bloody crime scene found around Kercher, Amanda Knox's DNA was not found at the scene. Some of Knox's DNA was found on a knife believed to be the murder weapon, but since Knox and the victim were roommates, it's possible that the DNA got on the knife by completely innocent methods.

The defense has also argued that investigators botched the case by tainting the DNA evidence.

Knox's initial defense had to contend with inconsistent statements made by Knox herself and emotional appeals based on the bloody Meredith Kercher crime scene photos.

The six-person jury is expected to deliver its verdict on Monday in Perugia; the families of both Amanda Knox and Meredith Kercher will be in attendance.

Casey Anthony Acquitted; World Waits for Nancy Grace's Head to Combust

Casey Anthony: "Hmm, book deal? Movie deal? 'Dancing With the Stars'?"

The Casey Anthony jurors have spoken, and the world holds its collective breath for the coming cataclysm: Nancy Grace's head exploding, or imploding, or bursting forth like a supernova. No doubt Grace was fuming after the acquittal of Casey Anthony in the death of her daughter Caylee, and probably spent her entire show Tuesday screeching "Tot mom! Tot mom! Tot mom!" at the top of her lungs. (She did apparently say that "the devil was dancing" at the verdict.)

The way Grace substitutes "tot mom" for the name "Casey Anthony" every chance she gets, you'd think she's trademarked the phrase. Maybe Grace is planning on marketing a series of "Tot Mom" t-shirts and coffee mugs? Or maybe she has a clause in her HLN contract that give her a nickel every time she utters the phrase "tot mom" on the air.

Nancy Dis-Grace certainly has plenty of devoted viewers, but plenty of folks find her act of proclaiming every development as "Stunning!," "Blockbuster!," "Bombshell!," etc. pretty tiresome.  The New York Daily News called Grace “everything that’s wrong with cable TV.” And you have to wonder if it was news "personalities" like Grace that Ted Turner had in mind years ago when he lamented that cable news had descended into "pervert of the week" coverage.

Nancy Grace: expect her head to explode in 3, 2, 1... Photo: Vidiot

CNN has marketed Grace in the past as a "tough-as-nails former prosecutor," but her pit-bull style has earned her a lot of criticism and condemnation, even in her law career. The Supreme Court of Georgia has criticized her not once but twice, according to Wikipedia, including a heroin case in which she "'exceeded the wide latitude of closing argument' by drawing comparisons to unrelated murder and rape cases." In another case, the Court determined that "the conduct of the prosecuting attorney [Grace] in this case demonstrated her disregard of the notions of due process and fairness, and was inexcusable."

Grace isn't the only anchor to go overboard regarding the Anthony trial at HLN (the CNN channel formerly known as Headline News). Over the weekend we saw video of Jane Velez-Mitchell literally running after the defense attorneys to try to get a comment. And after the verdict was announced, the usually watchable Vinnie Politano fell way off the wagon and veered sharply into Nancy Grace territory. He pounded on the table and going on and on about Caylee Anthony being dumped like a pile of garbage, how could Casey Anthony not say anything for a month knowing her daughter is dead, etc., neglecting that those charges were not part of the State's indictment.

HLN should have pulled Mr. Politan off the air until he could compose himself, or take a Xanax or something. He embarrassed himself, and I'm sure a number of viewers were turned off by his over-the-top, one-sided harangue.

Watch Lady Gaga's "Judas" Video

Lady Gaga has unleashed the video for her latest single "Judas" (above) and it combines some typical Gaga elements with a biblical theme. The singer dancing around in her underwear? Check. Crazy costumes, makeup, and hair? Check. Team of lithe, half-naked dancers? Yep. Throbbing dance beat? Oh hell yes. The "Judas" video has a motorcycle-gang motif going on, with the easy riders apparently the apostles of Jesus (names like "Peter," "Judas," etc. appear on the back of their leather biker jackets, along with the skull and crossbones).

Speaking of bikes, WWJR (What Would Jesus Ride?) Would he be a Harley guy, or would he go for an imported make like a Moto-Guzzi or a Swedish Husqvarna... OK, back to the "Judas" video. Lady Gaga at one point pulls out a big, shiny silver pistol and points it at Judas's head, but instead of bullets lipstick emerges from its barrel, and Judas gets a touch-up on his face with it.

Later on, Gaga is in a hot tub with Judas and Jesus, and Judas has a six-pack of cans with him. Is that biblical beer? At one point he pulls out a can and pours the liquid on Gaga's back, and it looks more like root beer. I don't know if they had motorcycles, lipstick guns, or root beer back in biblical times, but there is a foot-washing scene and Jesus does wear a crown of thorns, so Lady Gaga does make a few attempts at historical accuracy.

If Judas were alive today he'd probably want one of those bad-ass motorcycles -- and a leather biker jacket -- instead of the pieces of silver he got for betraying Jesus.

Kate Middleton For the Win! - Photos of the Duchess of Cambridge with Hilarious Captions

We don't know what Kate Middleton, the new Duchess of Cambridge, is really thinking as she meets ordinary Britons or goes through other rituals of her royal routine, but fortunately the Tumblr blog Kate Middleton For the Win! lets us imagine. Whether she's looking glamorous or awkward in the photos, this website puts some hilarious thoughts into her head.

Most of these captioned photos were created before the wedding, but you can expect to see many more as Kate and her new hubby make appearances around Britain, its far-flung former empire, and the world. And as they try not to look absurdly out of place as they visit alternative schools, put on har hats to view construction sites, meet meet bizarrely dressed native from countries around the world, and more.

With so photos to be taken of Kate, there are sure to be many priceless expressions to be mined for comic gold.

The creator of also has a Twitter page (tweeting as the Duchess) at @PrincessKateFTW.