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Obama Camp Raffles Dinner With Clooney to Donors

Matt Cantor — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:03:54 CDT

Dinner with the president not enough for you? You're in luck: The Obama campaign has sweetened the deal. George Clooney will also be joining winners of the campaign's "Dinner With Barack" contest, which offers a monthly chance at a presidential meal for donations as low as a dollar. "Any donation...

Girl, 9, Wins $15K in Google Doodle Contest

Rob Quinn — Fri, 28 May 2010 03:40:49 CDT

A Missouri third-grader's doodle topped 33,000 entries in this year's Google Doodle contest. Makenzie Melton's "Rainforest Habitat" drawing appeared on Google's front page all day yesterday. Google has awarded the 9-year-old artist a netbook and a $15,000 scholarship. Her school was given a $25,000 grant toward a...

French Language Cops Go After English Slang

Harry Kimball — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:21:00 CDT

A French panel has made its decision on a handful of English-based buzzwords it hopes to replace. Begone “le buzz” for Internet rumors; enter “le ramdam.” The winners, suggested by students, will be forwarded to the 18—18!—government committees that guard the language. If the new words pass muster,...

Sweepstakes as an Obsession, and a Cash Cow

Kevin Spak — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:46:06 CDT

Looking for a hobby that’s brainless and profitable? Then you might want to join the ever-growing ranks of “sweepers,” people who enter as many sweepstakes as they can, assuming they’ll eventually win something. The Wall Street Journal has managed to track down many who’ve done just that. “I wanted to...

Chatroulette Penises in Peril

Harry Kimball — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:13:09 CDT

Chatroulette is an intriguing, innovative social networking/chat/video site with a huge problem: penises. A study says 13% of users are “perverts”—use your imagination—and that makes potential advertisers understandably skittish. If you think you can help solve the "penis problem," Nicholas Carlson of Silicon Alley Insider wants to hear...

Solve Toyota's Acceleration Problem, Win a Cool $1M

Kevin Spak — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:04:41 CST

Edmunds.com is offering a $1 million prize for anyone who can replicate, diagnose, and fix Toyota’s unintended acceleration problem. Sure, Toyota’s US president told Congress that the issue was fully resolved, but the auto information site isn’t convinced. “He said himself that he’s not 100% certain that this is...

Small Firm Nabs $650K Prize for Super Bowl Ad

Harry Kimball — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:48:00 CST

A crafty dog and a bag of Doritos combined to create a memorable Super Bowl ad and a big payday for a small North Carolina production company—$650,000. The firm won $50,000 for the spot originally and another $600,000 for taking the runner-up spot in real-time viewer...

American Apparel Wants Your Butt

Evann Gastaldo — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:28:00 CST

American Apparel’s latest disturbing bid for publicity is ... the search for America’s Next Bottom Model. The clothing chain is asking ladies to submit photos of their booties—clad in, what else, American Apparel products—which will then be rated by, well, everyone who clicks here . Your votes won’t determine the...

Fla. Keys Family Gets White Christmas

Will McCahill — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 05:11:45 CST

Even as the Weather Channel delivered news of a too-white Christmas to many Americans yesterday, it was also delivering snow to a place that hasn’t seen much since the last ice age. A Florida Keys musician got 20 tons dumped on his waterfront property after winning a contest in which...