Crazy Baby Names

In a world where celebrities name their babies Apple (Gwyneth Paltrow), Pilot Inspektor (Jason Lee), and Jermajesty (Jermaine Jackson), it seems we've really heard it all. But this has got to be the most bizairre baby-namin' I've ever heard.

TV Chef Jamie Oliver (sometimes referred to as The Naked Chef) has four children:
Poppy Honey Rosie (2002)
Daisy Boo Pamela (2003)
Petal Blossom Rainbow (2009)
and newborn son, Buddy Bear Maurice (2010)

Seriously, say these names out loud. Yeah.

Rosie the Riveter Dies at Age 86

Original story, posted December 30, 2010: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/30/rosie-riveter-dead-geraldine-hoff-doyle_n_802772.html

Geraldine Hoff Doyle, the inspiration for "Rosie the Riveter," died on Sunday at the age of 86 due to complications from arthritis, the Washington Post reports.

Rosie's story began in the 1940s, when the 17-year-old Doyle was working at a metal factory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A visiting United Press International photographer snapped a pic of her on the job.

The image was then used by artist J. Howard Miller for the "We Can Do It!" poster, released during World War II. As the Washington Post writes, "For millions of Americans throughout the decades since World War II, the stunning brunette in the red and white polka-dot bandanna was Rosie the Riveter." A later "Rosie the Riveter" interpretation, done by Norman Rockwell, was featured on the Saturday Evening Post in 1943. Ultimately, the idea of "Rosie the Riveter" came to represent all female factory workers at the time. But for decades, Doyle had no idea that her
likeness was used on the original poster.

The New York Times writes: Mrs. Doyle was unaware of the poster's existence until 1982, when, while thumbing through a magazine, she saw a photograph of it and recognized herself. Her daughter said that the face on the poster was her mother's, but that the muscles were not. "She didn't have big, muscular arms," [her daughter Stephanie] Gregg said. "She was 5-foot-10 and very slender. She was a glamour girl. The arched eyebrows, the beautiful lips, the shape of the face -- that's her."

According to the Wall Street Journal, Doyle quit after just one week at the factory where her picture was made famous. "She later married a dentist and raised a family in Lansing, Mich.," the Journal reports.

Doyle is survived by five children, 18 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

Congratulations, Zac!

Remember all that nostaglia stuff? Well, it goes for music too. Last Christmas my parents gave me an iPod... I've got it packed with every Pop and R&B hit I loved in the 90's. Guess I know what they mean when they say, "You can take the kid out of Generation X, but you can't take the Gen X out of the kid". Okay, maybe no one says that.

Anyway, my first musical love struck me in 7th or 8th grade when I stumbled across Hanson's MMMBop music video. Thus began a borderline-unhealthy obsession that lasted ever since (though I would have denied this in my high school years). Zac Hanson, they youngest and seemingly more attainable portion of the trio was my favorite. My parents didn't allow me to date then, but I was even smart enough to striked a deal with my dad that I could date Zac, if he ever asked.

Well, we've all grown up... even little Zac! He and wife, Kate, welcomed their second child, a girl, last Wednesday. Congratulations!

Hamill.

View all Seattle events on Eventful

Gaga.

I love Lady Gaga. Her music, yes, but mostly her. This being said, I am not a music video person. I haven't seen most music videos, even insanely popular ones. I love Michael Jackson, too, and I had never seen more than his Thriller video until last weekend on our birthday when they played a marathon of his videos on the TV in my nail salon. Last night we gathered around the computer and my husband showed me the Paparazzi video. I think I official fell head over heels in love with L.G. after that. The clip was so freakishly fabulous, and reminded me of a Marilyn Manson video I saw once, but with a sexy, glamorous twist. Old news to you, I'm sure, but here is the video:

birthdays.

As you know, my birthday is coming up. I've always known that I shared "my special day" with Michael Jackson, and I'm prepared for the second year of letting him steal my spotlight on August 29th since his passing.

The anticipation of my 24-hour "Me Spree" got me curious about other upcoming celebrity birthdays. Check out who else is blowing out candles this month:

Today, 8/25:
Billy Ray Cyrus
Tim Burton
Gene Simmons

Tomorrow, 8/26:
Mother Theresa

Friday, 8/27:
Pee-Wee Herman

Saturday, 8/28:
Jack Black
Shania Twain

Monday, 8/30:
Cameron Diaz

Tuesday, 8/31:
Nobody interesting at all.

Happy 47th Birthday to rapper Sir-Mix-a-Lot.

Seattle native, and close friend of my mother-in-law, Tandy, celebrates the big four-seven today. Anthony Ray (born August 12, 1963), better known by his stage name Sir Mix-A-Lot, is an emcee and producer based in Seattle, Washington. The founder of the Nastymix record label, he debuted in 1988 with Swass. In 1992, he debuted on a major label with his album Mack Daddy, whose single "Baby Got Back" reached the top of the American singles chart and won a Grammy Award.
--From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I got some awful news yesterday.

While enjoying the new Kevin James' movie, Grown Ups, last night with my closest friends, I received some terrible news. Jim Varney, the actor best known for his role as Ernest P. Worrell in various movies (such as Ernest Scared Stupid and Ernest Goes to Jail), TV shows, and commercials, passed away in 2000 at the age of 50. Anyone growing up in my era can appreciate the ridiculous impact he had on entertainment in the 1980s.