The heartland’s favorite gajillionaire, Warren Buffet, this week convinced 40 of the wealthiest Americans to donate half of their money to charity.  This hasn’t happened in a long time.  Well since the good old days when Carnegie bought his way into heaven by creating a University, Getty provided the world with a parting gift of not one, but two beautiful museums, and countless other robber barons left their houses and extensive art collections to posterity.  It warms the cockles of my little heart to hear that Bill & Melinda Gates (Buffet’s partners in the effort), won’t be only the billionaires waiting for me at the Pearly gates.  They’ll be joined by Larry Ellison, Jimmy Buffet and George Lucas.  Sure their kids are probably freaking out, but it’s not like they’re going to have to get jobs or anything.  Half a gajillion dollars is still a lot of money.

Full disclosure:  I’m actually pretty impressed by this.  I don’t know I’d be selfless enough to give up half the lily pad if asked.  You go rich guys!

Single again.  Any takers?

Update:  Bristol Palin reveals they broke up the night of their Us Magazine shoot because Levi Johnston revealed he may have fathered another child with a teenage girl.  Wow, how could you not want to marry this guy?!

Headline: Gulf spill unleashes 4.9 million barrels of oil

First thing I saw in the news this morning

…and now I’m going to be sick.

“Buyer beware”, yeah be very, very ‘ware.  The Frog sent me an article this morning about a family who had purchased a foreclosed home at auction.  They thought they’d gotten the bargain of the century, a house in California for just under $100 grand.  What they really bought was the second mortgage on the house.  Unbeknownst to them the Bank holding the first Mortgage (Wachovia, now Wells Fargo), sold only the second mortgage at the foreclosure auction.  They then proceeded to let the family move in and renovate to the tune of $13,000 before showing up at their door and foreclosing on the first mortgage effectively taking the house and their $97,606 from them.  Dirty tricks?  For sure, but it appears this may actually be legal.

The lawyer said – and the judge agreed – that the auctioneer has no obligation to disclose whether loans being sold are first or second liens.

You know that hundreds of paparazzi are camped out in the bushes tonight near the Lynwood Correctional Facility.  You see Lindsay Lohan, former child star and all around great girl, is set to be sprung from prison tonight.  Yes, like Angelina Jolie’s dramatic 2 a.m. helicopter airlift from a French hospital with her twins, Linday’s release is being choreographed like a military campaign.  Stylists and make up artists are on high alert.  Extensions have been ordered and 6126 leggings have been delivered to the prison facility so that Lindsay can re-enter society looking like a true star and not the haggard, lost little girl that we’ve all come to expect on the cover of Star and The Enquirer.  I’m astonished by all the effort since her next stop is rehab, but then I’ve never had to resurrect my dead career at the tender age of 24.  Ah well, this is America.  By 30 she could have her big comeback.  I mean Britney Spears shaved her head and she hasn’t disappeared from the public eye yet.  Not that I wouldn’t pay to see that happen too!

American Idol is pink slipping it’s panel of judges this week.  Apparently it’s not enough that Simon Cowell, arguably the only draw of this show, made his exit this year.  Now they’ve sacked both Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi.  Personally I’ve always believed that you could put what Ellen DeGeneres knew about music into a thimble, but DioGuardi actually had a singing career.  Okay, I can’t back that up, but she’s claims she did.  I guess she just couldn’t cut it as the “new Paula”.  I mean really, nobody brings the crazy like Paula Abdul.

The names being bandied about for new judges aren’t exactly what you’d expect.  So far I’ve heard Steven Tyler, Harry Connick, Jr. and JLo mentioned for the show.  How about we hire a producer in there somewhere folks?  Simon wasn’t a singer, he was a star maker.  Fill the judging panel with “artists” and the show’s appeal will tarnish pretty quickly.  Besides I can’t see Harry Connick, Jr. trash talking the contestants.

My question is if you were hiring for American Idol who would be your dream judges?

Listen…and understand! The Frogette is out there. She can’t be bargained with! She can’t be reasoned with! She doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And she absolutely will not stop, EVER, until the blog is hers!

— Kvatch Reese

I was taken aback last week when I read that Kate Gosselin (of John and Kate Plus 8 and Dancing with the Stars fame) and Sarah Palin (well you know who she is!) went on a camping trip together.  It’s just so bizarre.  I mean, how did they even meet?!  Is there some book group for fame whores?  Do they share a publicist?  Did they meet at an Ed Hardy trucker hat giveaway suite?  The mind simply boggles.

Sarah Palin is set to give the kids a lesson on how to avoid bears.  Yeah, I guess it’s one of the few subjects the self proclaimed, “Mamma Grizzly” actually knows about.  I wonder if she’ll bring her gun?  Personally, I think the kids would be better off if someone had taught them how to avoid Sarah Palin.  I mean if you thought mom and dad’s custody battle was ugly, wait until Levi Johnston crashes the camping trip.  Let the fireworks begin!

I don’t get why you are spending so much of your personal fortune to attain the governorship of California.  Seriously, what is the draw?  California’s finances are in chaos, the democrat controlled State Legislature is going to hate you on sight and let’s face it you’re not pretty enough for television.

You’ve been a successful business woman.  Maybe it’s time to retire and find a hobby.  Heck, buy an island.  Just get out of politics before it’s too late because you’re basically going to be as exciting (and effective) as Grey Davis, and that ain’t a good thing.

Headline: New NFL locker room poster warns of head injuries

Ah USAToday.com you provide hours and hours of family fun.  I giggled when I saw this headline yesterday.  You don’t pay these guys millions and millions of dollars not to mess themselves up.  You pay them so they do just that.  What’s even funnier is that the New York Times threw up a shot of the poster (below).  I’m not sure there’s a guy in the NFL who could actually read this thing.  May I suggest a poster with illustrations instead?