Printable Version

Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Saturday, April 19, 2008

This list for April 6

Pandora.com | “How I Met Your Mother” | Consumerist.com

HEAR THIS

Have you already tried out Pandora.com? Don’t say no. That’s crazy talk!

Pandora.com is a Web site that plays free radio stations built with music you enjoy.

“I already own iTunes, dude.”

I don’t care. Pandora is different. It uses the Music Genome Project to find music you didn’t even know you liked.

How it works is simple. You type in a good song or band and Pandora builds a radio station around that type of music.

How does it work? Small gnomes spy on you to find out what music you like … Who cares how it works! It’s just cool that it does.

I tried out an Incubus radio station and was a huge fan of a few of the bands that the site played. I actually bought a few CDs because of it.

So, if you are looking for new music, give Pandora.com a try.

- Curt Trnka, La Crosse Tribune

WATCH THIS

Britney Spears’ guest star appearance may have given “How I Met Your Mother” (7:30 p.m. Monday on CBS) a ratings boost, but the show was legen — wait for it — dary before Spears’ stint.

The show follows a married Ted (narration by Bob Saget) telling his teenage daughter and son how he met their mother. Flip to present-day New York: Single Ted (Josh Radnor) experiences numerous adventures with his best friends, Marshall (Jason Segel), Lily (Alyson Hannigan), Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin (Cobie Smulders), while trying to find his soulmate.

Single people can probably relate to Ted’s desperate search for love and probably have a friend similar to Barney, who isn’t looking for love or a relationship and delivers classic and hilarious lines, such as “Suit up!” or “Have you met Ted?” Also keeping Ted busy is his crush on Robin (and it’s no secret she’s not the “one”), who loves guns, her career and her independence; Marshall and Lily’s relationship; and career antics.

Now that the writers’ strike is over, Season 3 has returned with new episodes. Season 1 and 2 are available on DVD and are worth checking out. Robin’s secret and hilarious past and the “slap bet” are two good reasons to meet Ted and his friends.

- Jennifer Weinlaeder, La Crosse Tribune

BLOG THIS

Forget the consumer hotline. If you have a problem, let The Consumerist know. Better yet, before you buy anything, make sure The Consumerist hasn’t already discovered its fatal flaws.

The blog (Consumerist. com) is dedicated to, you guessed it, consumer news. There is a team of editors who write daily on everything from privacy issues with GoogleMaps, hidden credit card fees and the $100-million idea Kraft allegedly stole from a small New York company.

The editors rely heavily on tips from readers and those in the know. They offer how-to’s as well as tips for the best online shopping deals. The site has separate pages for information about class-action suits, banks and airlines.

- Sally Dadisman, McClatchy Newspapers