by Claudine Zap It's been one wild ride for Joaquin Phoenix. The acclaimed Oscar-nominated star )" Walk the Line "( announced in 2008 his retirement from acting and the start of a hip-hop career. Now there's a film that follows his transformation. But is it real? Or a really good put-on? There is no denying that the ex-actor has been acting â€" and looking â€" odd.

by Mike Krumboltz Baskin-Robbins is making a few changes. The ice cream retailer, famous for its 31 flavors, has announced that five of the flavors are going into what it calls "deep freeze." Think of it as the ice cream equivalent of forced retirement. The five flavors on the cusp of retirement include Campfire S'mores, Apple Pie a La Mode, Caramel Praline Cheesecake, Superfudge Truffle, and, in a sign that no flavor is safe, French Vanilla. French Vanilla!

by Claudine Zap While the new movie " Inception ," which stars Leonardo DiCaprio , is about a stealer of dreams, one blog is calling the soundtrack a nightmare. The movie music's serious offense? The foghorn sound that you hear â€" a lot â€" if you listen to the background music of the trailer. The Atlantic Monthly actually presents the "Inception" trailer alongside the sound of a vuvuzela , and asks readers to weigh in on which sound is more annoying.

by Claudine Zap A summer blockbuster where thinking is involved? Yes, " Inception ," has lots of action and chase scenes. But the sci-fi thriller that stars Leonardo DiCaprio also has an intricate plot, a large part of which takes place in the sleeping minds of its characters. Needless to say, the movie's mazelike story left critics confused â€" not that there's anything wrong with that. Or is there? The movie, like a dream, is subject to interpretation.

by Mike Krumboltz On July 7, something unusual happened near the Xiaoshan Airport in Hangzhou, China. An oddly shaped bright light appeared, forcing the airport to close down and delay 18 flights. Things are now back to normal, but people are wondering, what was that "thing"? An ABC News article on the mysterious sighting explains that some who witnessed the light are calling it a UFO. But, keep in mind, a UFO doesn't necessarily mean little, green men.

by Mike Krumboltz Darth Vader is such a powerful icon, it's not surprising that it took three actors to portray the character in the original " Star Wars " trilogy. James Earl Jones did the voices. Sebastian Shaw 's face was used in the closeups during the end of " Return of the Jedi ." And David Prowse was the guy walking tall in the black suit and helmet. Mr. Prowse does have an important place in "Star Wars" lore,

by Claudine Zap As soon as the iPhone 4 was introduced, a storm of complaints followed. And now there's the dreaded "recall" talk. But there seems to be a disconnect between Apple and users of the snazzy gadget. Some iPhone owners have noticed problems with reception. Apple first said it was all talk. Then the company blamed the problem on a software glitch that mistakenly showed reception as better than it actually was â€" placing the blame with its carrier, AT&T.

by Mike Krumboltz Calling all Hobbits! Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson , the man who brought the " Lord of the Rings " trilogy to life, is reportedly meeting with actors who he may cast in "The Hobbit," another epic based on a novel by "LOTR" scribe J.R.R. Tolkien. It's worth noting that " The Hobbit " hasn't been given the official green light yet. The Hollywood Reporter explains that while Jackson appears close to agreeing to direct the two-part "Hobbit,

by Mike Krumboltz A barn in Hood County, Texas, has become ground zero in the hunt for the chupacabra . Earlier this week, animal control officer Frank Hackett shot and killed what was unquestionably one of the ugliest creatures to ever walk the planet. That much we know. What's less clear is whether or not the departed creature was the elusive goat-sucking beast. Interestingly, that wasn't the only chupacabra sighting around Hood County.

by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. Al Pacino )Searches increased by 1,499%(.The veteran actor is starring in his first commercial ever, for coffee . Sunscreen )+1,360%(. The cancer death-ray block only works if you put it on right . United States Mint )+315%(. Hey high rollers: Why mess around with plastic poker chips when you can get a gold and silver version from the U.S.? "Covert Affairs" )+200%(. Just in time for the summer TV doldrums,

by Mike Krumboltz We haven't heard much from singer Jewel lately. Or maybe she's just been in disguise. The incredibly popular folk singer and part-time yodeler went undercover at a Los Angeles karaoke bar to sing some of her best-known songs to a confused and delighted audience. With a crew in tow from Funny Or Die , the singer played the part of a mild-mannered business woman named "Karen," who had to be egged on to take the stage and sing.

by Claudine Zap You know the owner of the Yankees is really dead when the owners of the Mets say nice things about him. As soon as the news broke of George Steinbrenner 's death, fans of the man hit the Web. Searches were out of the park for " george steinbrenner ," " steinbrenner dead ," and " george steinbrenner net worth ." It's true that even in death, the man nicknamed " The Boss ," is larger than life. In his years as owner, the Yankees owner ran through 15 managers,

by Mike Krumboltz The Holocaust is one of humanity's darkest hours. It's impossible to imagine what it was like in Auschwitz, the infamous Nazi concentration camp. Instead, we'll point you toward this video of an elderly man, who survived his years in Auschwitz. With some help from his young relatives, the man dances to )wait for it( "I Will Survive.

by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. Hugh Hefner )Searches increased by 15,182%(. The Hef wants the Playboy empire all to himself . Bottled water )+2,822%(. The city of San Francisco has proposed banning the bottled form of the beverage at city events . Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 )+2,221%(. Check out what the name of the sequel could be . Jon Bon Jovi )+1,754%(. The rock star pulled a muscle on stage, but the show went on . Mel Gibson tape )+720%(.

by Claudine Zap Sarah Palin is a force to be reckoned with: This last quarter, her SarahPAC raised more money than any other Republican aside from Mitt Romney - $865,800. And she's spreading it around to Republican candidates she endorses across the country - $87,500, to be exact. This puts her in serious presidential candidate territory for 2012. But then she starts to talk. The conservative Fox host Bill O'Reilly had her searching for specifics on illegal immigration.

by Mike Krumboltz Monday's announcement that Switzerland won't extradite Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski to the United States has set off a firestorm of buzz. More than 30 years ago, Polanski fled the U.S. on the eve of his sentencing after pleading guilty to unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl. He is now a free man . Last year, Polanski was unexpectedly arrested in Switzerland while there for a film festival.

by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. Total solar eclipse )Searches increased by 1,413%(. Unless you happened to be in a Pacific island this weekend )lucky you( you missed seeing this live. Enjoy the amazing view here . World Cup 2010 winner )+601%(. Spain won the cup. South Africa won the world stage, and an octopus won the prediction game . Weekend Box Office )+460%(. "Despicable Me" is despicably number one . "Twilight" convention )+402%(.

by Mike Krumboltz If you're a fan of the sporting life, this was one of your bigger weeks. Not so much for the games that were played, but rather for the bizarre announcements that riled up folks across the United States and around the world. LeBron James and Paul the Octopus have little in common, save for their exceptional talents for ticking off some sport fans while delighting others. LeBron's big announcement The plan: To build excitement over which team LeBron James ,

by Claudine Zap What's up with the Snoop Dogg ? Recently, rapper Snoop Dogg has fetched some serious buzz. The hip-hop impresario has gone international in his tastes - he recently tried to rent a country, and he may be a soap star in the near future. Here's your buzz roundup. Snoop Dogg )who was born Cordozar Calvin Broadus( may be the protégé of Dr. Dre . And sure, he may even have spun out the quadruple platinum singles " Gin and Juice " and " What's My Name .

by Mike Krumboltz This December, Queen Elizabeth II will become a great-grandmother. Elizabeth's grandson, Peter Phillips , and his wife, Autumn , are expecting their first child, "a baby who will be Queen Elizabeth II's first great-grandchild," according to the AP . For folks used to hearing only about Princes Charles , William , and Harry , this may come as a bit of a surprise. Indeed, the queen's royal family does extend beyond that well-publicized trio. Peter Phillips, 32,