CELEBRITY
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune picked up a story from AP. It was about which celebrities are the best and worst for signing autographs. Clearly this calls for some scientifisizing and other analysis . . .Remember, this is a level of analysis that nobody else is bringing to the table.

Since I have a hard time gauging how popular famous people are, I decided to use the number of google hits that came up when I searched their name as an indicator of Star Power. The best are, in order, with their Star Power ranking are:

(1) Colin Farrell (348,000);
(2) Kate Bosworth (86,800);
(3) Asia Argento (140,000);
(3) Jennifer Love Hewitt (686,000);
(4) LeAnn Rimes (242,000);
(5-6) The Osbournes (447,000);
(7) Jessica Alba (449,000);
(8) Jennifer Garner (436,000);
(9) Kelly Hu (609,000); and
(10) Jessica Simpson (580,000).
Star Power average for this list = 402,380

The worst, in order, with their Star Power ranking:
(1) Cameron Diaz (1,040,000);
(2) Bruce Willis (1,070,000);
(3) Demi Moore (416,000);
(4) Orlando Bloom (928,000);
(5) Shannon Elizabeth (884,000);
(6) Janet Jackson (1,170,000);
(7) Catherine Zeta-Jones (241,000);
(8) Eric Bana (97,700);
(9) Hugh Jackman (183,000); and
(10) Christina Aguilera.(1,500,000).
Star Power average for this list = 752,970

First, it appears that generally, the more google hits for your name, the less likely you are to be a sport about giving autographs. Eric Bana, with 97,700 hits appears to be a statistical outlier that may simply mean he is a jerk. This is interesting, since I don't have the vaguest clue who this clown is. Second, my familiarity with the celebrity has no bearing on their willingness to give autographs, since there are two members of each list I have never heard of (Kate Bosworth, Asia Argento, Orlando Bloom, and Eric Bana). Third, women may be slightly more likely to be good autographers (9 of 11 on the best list are women, whereas 6 of 10 on the worst are women), but 60% of the worst are women, whereas the best is male.

CONCLUSION: generally, if you actually want someone's autograph because you know who they are, they will be a-holes about it.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR
In my old neighborhood in Lakeview there was a Jeep that had a bumper sticker that said, "Jesus loves you. Everyone else thinks you're an a-hole." That bumper sticker cracked me up every time I saw it. Just thought I’d share.

LIES, DAMNED LIES, AND STATISTICS
I recently saw this on the web. Posting it here keeps me from having to e-mail it to lots of people. God, this is so funny… "Apparently, 1 in 5 people in the world are Chinese. And there are 5 people in my family, so it must be one of them. It's either my mum or my dad... or maybe my older brother Colin. Or my younger brother Xiao Lu. But I'm pretty sure it's Colin."

AND YOU THOUGHT THE SHOTS WERE BAD
The Straights Times of Singapore is reporting that researchers are researchers have developed a zebra fish that produces vaccines in its muscles. The only catch is that if the fish is cooked, the vaccine is destroyed. Hence, the zebra fish must be eaten raw. The guy who developed this is best known for producing a zebra fish that glows in various fluorescent colors. I think is name might be Doctor Moreau, although I could be wrong about that.

By the way, Johnny Cash and John Ritter both died last night.