BuzzSugar

Kristen Bell and Rob Thomas, Together Again?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:33:19 PDT

If Rob Thomas is the busiest man in television, then his former Veronica Mars star, Kristen Bell, may be about to be the busiest woman. E! is reporting that Bell is in talks to join one of Thomas' three shows this fall. And here's a hint: It's not 90210 .

Instead, the gossip is that Bell will be offered the role of one of the daughters in Outrageous Fortune, Thomas' remake of a New Zealand series about a family of criminals trying to give up their scheming ways. Rene Russo is reportedly in talks to play the mother, who is inspired to start a legit life when her husband is jailed. In the New Zealand version of the show, the family has two daughters: Pascalle, a wannabe model who spends a lot of time lazing around and waiting to be discovered, and Loretta, a vaguely goth-y teen who spends a lot of time hanging out at the local video store without actually working there. Does either sound like a role for Bell?

I like the idea of seeing the former crime-solver hanging around with a family of criminals, but really, how on earth is Bell going to do it? She's the voice of Gossip Girl, and she's probably also coming back to Heroes, at least for a little while. But hey, if Thomas can have three shows, why not K-Bell?

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Rob Thomas = The New Josh Schwartz?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:32:06 PDT

OK, so it's not like Josh Schwartz needs to be replaced - with Gossip Girl and Chuck both coming back for second seasons, the OC ingenue is doing just fine, thanks. But Rob Thomas, creator of the late, great Veronica Mars, seems like he's about to give Schwartz a run for his money for the title of busiest man in TV.

We were impressed when Schwartz got two pilots last season; Thomas now has three: a remake of his own 1998 show, Cupid for ABC; a Beverly Hills, 90210 spinoff for the CW; and, most recently, a remake of New Zealand's Outrageous Fortune, also for ABC. Whew.

It's not just the sheer volume of work that makes me think Thomas is the Schwartz of this year's pilot season. They've got some other things in common, too:

They both discover unheralded young talent. Schwartz gets to claim Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson, Adam Brody, and a big chunk of the cast of Gossip Girl. But Thomas has a big-time rising star in his own back pocket: Kristen Bell. Does one sassy teen detective trump a whole quiver of rich kids?
They both write great teen heroines. Thomas' Veronica Mars experience is what gives me hope for the 90210 project, while Schwartz takes the Dawson's Creek-style "nobody talks like that, but man, I wish they did" dialogue to a whole new level.
They both respond well to adversity. Just months after Schwartz's first show was canceled, he was back with two pilots - both of which have gone on to become buzzed-about series. Thomas spent his year post-Veronica Mars bouncing around various ABC shows (Big Shots, Miss/Guided), but now he's found his footing by reworking three older series - including one of his own that he wants to do better.

Not to mention, if networks keep pushing so hard for reality programming, pretty soon a huge percentage of our comedies and dramas will be written by these two guys. To see a short promo for the show Thomas most recently signed on to remake, about a criminal family that tries to go legit, just

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Organic vs. Conventional: Price Breakdown of 10 Common Groceries

SavvySugar — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:00:59 PDT

To choose organic, or not to choose organic: that is the question. Whether it is nobler to choose better quality and suffer the outrageous fortune at the cash register or buy conventional items that are lighter on the wallet. Luckily, we have done the dirty work for you by comparing the prices of 10 common groceries. You might be surprised how comparable some of the prices are. If you choose the completely conventional route, all of these groceries add up to $34.22 a week. Likewise, if you opt for 100 percent organic fare, you will pay $53.41 a week. That's a $19.19 difference, which may seem pretty steep.

You'll notice we have checked off our Savvy Picks. You might be wondering why we're opting for the more expensive organic animal products. If you haven't seen Food Inc., you should definitely educate yourself on the conventional animal farming practices in the USA. Think: cramped animals in unsanitary conditions that are fed hormones, steroids, and antibiotics to synthetically accelerate their growth and prevent illness. In our opinion, sometimes the quality of organic food trumps the price of its conventional counterpart, and our Savvy Picks reflect which foods we think are worth going organic.

Ultimately, only you can decide what feels best for you and your budget. It might make sense for you to buy cheaper coffee and cereal to save up for organic milk. Or, maybe you're paying off a credit card, and every cent you save counts. Now's the time to calculate all of your options, so you can stick to your budget while shopping.

See the complete breakdown of organic vs. conventional foods here.