The cool cats over at Zeus Jones put together the most awesome online holiday gift guide.  The search interface is flawless and straight-forward, and the products are unique.  Stop here and consider your holiday shopping done.  Link

Do you think this couple had a good death?

IKEA's 'Hulda Dans' quilt set [via Cribcandy]

Sure, I'm an Apple fan, but you won't find me frequenting the local Apple stores to check out the iPhone or next gen iPods (Jeesh, I don't even have an iPod.  GASP!), especially now that Apple will begin charging an entrance fee to all of their Apple stores.

"Part of the move was to limit crowds to keep the stores safe, but also we wanted to keep the right kind of people in the stores," said vice president of retail outlets, Vince Sciopiano.  "By 'right kind of people' I mean true Apple customers with money, willing to pay just to look at our newest wares."

While Apple Geniuses patrol inside the store, Apple "Muscleheads" will guard the window displays and entrances.

For the $5 fee, customers will get an Apple button which will allow them entrance into the store and is used to track the customer's movements.  Sciopiano noted that the $5 fee could be applied to purchases on that visit.

If you are a black licorice lover -- not many of us are -- and want to get your hands on the good stuff, you may want to visit an online store I discovered when searching for a Christmas present for my black licorice addict hubby. 

Licorice International is a Nebraska based company that sells licorice from all around the world.  They have samplers, bulk items. baskets, and a Licorice of the Month Club.  I've only ordered from them once, but my experience with them was excellent.  I received my shipment promptly and they included a free sample package of a licorice they thought we might like. 

Good licorice is hard to find so be sure to check out their site.