by Molly McCall Well, it's about time. For 50 long years, the humble, hard-working penny has made its way with little fanfare or recognition. Now, the one-cent currency is getting the respect it's due. For the first time in half a century, the U.S. Mint will redesign the copper-colored coin. The new look will sport four spiffed-up sides , each celebrating a different stage in the life of Abraham Lincoln.

by Claudine Zap Thanks for the memories . With apologies to " yogi berra ," )+1,665%( it's over. Fans and players paid their respects to the 85-year-old Yankee Stadium , and looked forward to the plush $1.3 billion " new yankee stadium " )+412%(, going up next door. But hey, who needs Yankee history when the new seats have cupholders? You can check out amenities of the new stadium, slated to open for the 2009 season, here . Trick or treat . You've decided on a costume.

by Vera H-C Chan Emmy has not aged well. Actually, let's take that back. For a lady who celebrated the big 6-0 on Sunday night, the winged statuette still shone with luster. But the people who threw her the partyâ€"for shame. Hollywood Reporter wrapped up the sour and dour critical reaction, and Fresno Bee observed that circus elephants fed on a month-long diet of "rancid chili and rotten boiled eggs ... could not create a bigger stinker.

by Mike Krumboltz Sometimes movies based on a Disney attraction are a huge success )see: " Pirates of the Caribbean "(. Sometimes, as in the case of " The Haunted Mansion ," they're a crashing bust. Mickey, Goofy, and their army of shareholders are surely hoping an upcoming flick based on Disney's " Tomorrowland " is more Captain Jack than spooky specter. One thing the recently announced " Tomorrowland " does have going for it: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson .

by Mike Krumboltz Hurricane Ike flattened just about everything in its path. Well, almost everything. Pictures of a lone home that managed to survive the storm's fury are causing a ruckus in the Buzz. Gilchrist, Texas was right in the storm's path. A large section of the town was completely leveled except for the bright yellow home owned by Warren and Pam Adams. Theirs is )literally( the only house left standing.

by Claudine Zap ... Put on your eye patch . Ahoy, landlubbers. Remember, today be " international talk like a pirate day " )+195%( as all ye who dared look it up on Search by now know. Started by two friends, John Baur and Mark Summers, in 1995 as a lark, the hoax of a holiday is heartily observed around the world and is getting some pretty serious buzz. Arrr. ... This is your brain on Rove . Remember the guy they used to call " Bush's brain ?

by Vera H-C Chan Obsession with a twist rules the eclectic showings at the Buzz Multiplex this week, from a black cop against miscegenation, to a hunchbacked scientist who creates good for an evil science fair, to a spurned suitor who sends his piggish pal to the object of his fascination. 1. " Lakeview Terrace " )PG-13(. Director Neil LaBute 's creative history has had some critical highs )" In the Company of Men "( and some whomping lows )" The Wicker Man " remake(.

by Molly McCall Break out the nameplate necklaces, girls. Carrie Bradshaw is back . Or, she will beâ€"in a much younger form. HarperCollins announced this week that it will publish two novels about " Sex and the City " character Carrie Bradshaw in her high school years. The prequels will be written by Candace Bushnell , the author of the New York Observer columns that inspired the HBO hit and launched a thousand cosmos across bars nationwide.

by Mike Krumboltz Darth Vader didn't run the galaxy all by himself. But with his mind tricks, neck snaps, and formidable combat skills, he sure made it look easy. Still, such a workload had to be exhausting. Perhaps that's why the heavy breather hired an apprentice in " The Force Unleashed ." The game, which places you in the shoes of Vader's special helper, is garnering mixed reviews. But that hasn't slowed its buzz. Like a father determined to slice of his son's hand,

by Claudine Zap ... Her right to choose . A top fundraiser for Hillary Clinton, " lynn forester de rothschild " )+14,948%(, announced she's throwing her support to Republican John McCain. The reversal sent the telecom tycoon's name shooting up Search. According to Huffington Post , a Clinton spokeswoman said that the New York senator disagrees with Rothschild's decision to endorse the Republican candidate. ... Baring all .

by Vera H-C Chan Let's get this out of the way: Supporting actors and actresses are not second-fiddle. Television history has shown time and time again how a secondary character, or even a cameo, emerges to be bigger than leads or the show itself. USA Today casts a series of well-deserved "spotlights" on Emmy-nominated supporters, probing Amy Poehler about her pregnancy, John Slattery on his first nomination in a 20-year career,

by Claudine Zap ... So long, hell raiser . Searches for " hells angels " )+751%( revved up for the funeral for San Francisco chapter president Mark "Papa" Guardado )+2,065%(. In true rebel form, Guardado met his end shot in a barroom brawl, apparently at the hand of a member of the rival " mongols motorcycle club " )+808%(. According to USA Today , 2,000 Hells Angels and their Harleys attended the funeral to pay their respects.  ... A world of difference . Brangelina.

by Molly McCall Hurricane Ike scraped its way across the southern United States, leaving a wake of destruction in its path. But on a beach in Alabama, the storm unearthed unexpected treasure in the form of a mysterious shipwreck . According to news reports, the nautical ruins, which had previously been buried under sand at Fort Morgan, reveal a " badly burned " ship that is 150 feet long and built of heavy timbers.

by Claudine Zap If you skipped a summer vacation, now's your chance to take in the " fall colors " )+46%(. Some of the best places to view the foliage are in your home state or one nearby. So, grab a " fall colors map ," your camera, and your car keys and find the " best places for fall colors ." Where to go for " fall colors in united states "? According to Road and Travel magazine , for the best places to see " fall colors 2008 " )+ 50%(,

by Vera H-C Chan And the predictions are in. The approach of the 60th annual Emmy Awards has let loose a critical wish list of what and who should win. Not surprisingly, people agree to disagree. A TV Guide and USA Today face-off , for instance, reaches accord only about 60% of the time. As critics and viewers well know, the Emmy Awards isn't always a popularity contest. It isn't always about quality either,

by Mike Krumboltz Congratulations! If you're an American tax payer, you now own part of AIG . The insurance giant was bailed out by the United States government in effort to keep the economy from having a total freak out. It's too soon to say if the bailout will assuage consumer fears, but it has sparked a tremendous amount of interest in the American International Group. Queries on " aig " soared 808% and related lookups for " aig stock price ," " latest aig news ,

by Vera H-C Chan Time for Electoral College class again: In the close contest that is the 2008 U.S. presidential election, how each state as a whole will swing for a candidate determines the next four years of political leadership. )Well, except for Maine and Nebraska, who divvy up the electoral votes.( Of course, the scenario is far more nuanced then that. Reader's Digest, for instance, introduces readers to " Supervoters ,

by Claudine Zap ... Dark side of the moon . Fans of the band " pink floyd " )+1,250%( wanted an education on news that Richard Wright , founding keyboardist and songwriter for the group, had died of cancer. USA Today called Wright "the key sonic architect in constructing the musical foundation for Pink Floyd." ... It is your destiny . Gamers, get out your light sabers. The new online version of the " Stars Wars " epic is out today.

by Molly McCall Charlie Gibson interviewed Sarah Palin last week. In the life cycle of politics, that's a gazillion years ago. And yet, the ABC chat gave rise to a question that continues to ricochet across the Web: What is the Bush doctrine ? When Gibson asked the governor what she thought of the president's plan, she seemed not to know. Searchers appear to feel equally baffled. Over the past week, lookups like " bush doctrine ," " bush doctrine text ,

by Vera H-C Chan Imagine, if you will, a Halloween without Disney. Okay, wipe your tearsâ€"it can't be done. Seemingly every year, Disney-themed costumes top the Search charts. Specific character costumes, as noted in an earlier log , may be pop culture-influenced, but the Magic Kingdom nearly owns All Souls' Eve. Many of the other thematic costume queries stick to tried-and-true Western traditions, from shipsacking robbers )#4( to the Wild West )#19(.