For the last two months in the world of hip hop, all eyes have been on the throwdown between 50 Cent and Kanye West. For those of you who haven't heard, here's the story:

Originally slated for release on September 18th, Kanye West decided to move the US release date of his new album, Graduation, to September 11th — which just happened to be the same day that Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson was set to release his new album, Curtis.

And thus, a beef was born.

50 Cent said he'd hang up his mic and retire if Kanye's album outsold his in the first week. After a public (but insincere) reconciliation, 50 said that he knew his threat was idle because he's sold something like four times as many records as Kanye.

While I applauded 50's chest-thumping confidence at first, I'm starting to think his late-round antics may hurt his chances. He's made Kayne the underdog in this battle. And coming from the streets, 50 should know that everyone roots for the underdog. My money would have been on 50 Cent upfront, but now I'm kind of pulling for Kanye.

In the meantime, the media binge continues — the pair co-presented an award at last night's VMAs and will face off on BET's 106 & Park on Tuesday night — but the ultimate heavyweight champion has yet to be crowned. The albums drop this week, so soon we'll see who takes the prize, and who's left to lick his wounds and possibly retire (though if 50 ends up short, I suspect a "comeback" album won't be far behind, a la Jay-Z).

So who do you think deserves to win? Who's got the goods to back up all this hype? To judge for yourself, check out videos from their newest albums on the 50 Cent v. Kanye West Channel.

Movies, movies, movies - you love them, we love them! So it's with pride that we now present some great Paramount Pictures' movies in the UK, France, Germany and Spain. There's some real fantastic stuff - Patriot Games, Star Trek: Insurrection, The Golden Child, The Phantom and loads more and some of your favorite actors like Harrison Ford, Kathrine Hepburn, Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglas, Clint Eastwood and many more! So, if you're bored of the rugby or just fancy relaxing for a couple of hours, find your favorite movie snacks, turn up the sound and immerse yourself in a movie on Joost.

Check out what's available for starters below:

Paramount Pictures (DE) - http://www.joost.com/0910079
Paramount Pictures (ES) - http://www.joost.com/0910077
Paramount Pictures (FR) - http://www.joost.com/0910078
Paramount Pictures (UK) - http://www.joost.com/0910076

As a final adieu, I always wanted to say this, so here goes: "Engage!"

p.s. we hope to be able to offer Paramount movies in other countries soon, so stay tuned.

Why do they tease us with the fashions we'll be wearing in the spring just as summer is ending? I know it's for the buyers and the stores and the magazines, but have pity on a girl who mourns the end of summer and the beginning of a long, grey winter.

Of course, buyers and stores and magazines have more influence on the fashion industry than my distaste for winter, and we're now in the midst of "Fashion Month." From now until the end of the September, designers are previewing their spring and summer 2008 collections at the New York, London, Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks.

Unfortunately, I'm not the Joost fashion coordinator (although I do sometimes order T-shirts), so I don't get to go to all of the shows. But I'm enjoying dispatches from this year's New York Fashion Week on CHIC.TV. I also spend some good-quality time with NYLON TV, Ford Models, Fashion Television and Threadbanger running in the corner of my screen. Not only do I pick up some excellent tips — I may dye an old pair of jeans in coffee to this weekend — but watching models in the corner of my screen keeps me from reaching for more of those stroopwaffles* that folks from our Leiden office bring for us!

* I'm not exactly sure what's in these, but they're goopy, syrupy wafer cookies that I'm sure are not healthy.

Growing up in suburbia, my life had a pretty orchestrated schedule. I went to school and to sports practice, went home and ate dinner, did homework and watched TV. And as the oldest of four, I spent a lot of Friday nights babysitting.

This week I've rediscovered some viewing staples from my childhood on the WBTV: Before They Were Mega Stars channel. First up: Growing Pains. Back then, I had a huge crush on Kirk Cameron. Later on, when an orphaned Leo DeCaprio moved into the Seaver household, he became the object of my affection. I probably would've had a crush on Brad Pitt, too, but I totally missed his episode.

Two words explain it all: the hair.

From Kirk to his younger sister Candace - and one "big hair" star to another - we have Full House, a cornerstone of my Friday night babysitting routine. Watching now, I can't help but wonder if John Stamos and Brad Pitt had the same hairstylist.

These shows are pure comedy, and it's not just the "where are they now and what are they doing" factor. I've actually found myself laughing out loud while watching these shows. Sometimes it's because of the outfits, but sometimes the scenarios and the writing are legitimately hysterical.

For me, these shows are true classics. Anyone else?

In the immortal words of Master Shake, "I was not put on this Earth to listen to meat!" He's right — listening only to meat would be unbalanced and irresponsible. Listening to meat, french fries and a milkshake — now that's a well-balanced cartoon.

I don't know anybody who's only seen a few episodes of the adult swim series Aqua Teen Hunger Force — you've either seen one or you've seen them all. When I saw the first episode a few years back, the one where the Force unites against the evil Rabbot (you know, a robotic rabbit), I thought, "It's about time this story was told."

Allow me to introduce the high-calorie, New Jersey-based ATHF. Master Shake is a tax-evading, squirting milkshake; Frylock a computer-savvy, goatee-clad box of fries; and Meatwad, an underage, hip-hop loving wad of meat who plays with dolls. The "Hunger Force" part is pretty self-explanatory, and I suppose it's Meatwad who adds the "Teen" element. Don't ask me about the "Aqua" ... you think it's because they spend so much time wading in their neighbor Carl's pool?

I guess Superman's cool and Spiderman's all right, but don't forget that Clark Kent and Peter Parker are saddled with day jobs. The Aqua Teen Hunger Force, albeit chronically poor and lacking ambition, are the first superheroes I've seen who don't need to "fit in" or "make a living."

As Master Shake teaches us, oh so sagely, "Playing is for pleasure."

When I was a child, I guessed the number of jelly beans in a huge glass jar. I won the contest and the jelly beans, and a lifelong pursuit to recapture that winning spirit was born. I still join just about every contest — whether it's a friendly game of cards or an office competition to guess how many consecutive days a colleague will wear a pink shirt.*

In the spirit of fair competition, right now two of our advertisers are running contests. Now these might appear to appeal more to guys than to girls, but free trips for two are involved, plus you get to watch some fine athletes.

Option one for the "players" out there is the Gillette Champions sweepstakes. Watch Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Thierry Henry share some of their secrets. While you're watching, click on the Gillette icon at the top of the screen and follow the links for your chance to win.

Option two brings you back to my old hometown, San Francisco, for Esurance Icer Air. It's coming up quickly, so if you want to learn more, check out this video.

* He went 14 days. I thought he'd last for 17.

fa•nat•ic — n.
A person marked or motivated by an extreme, unreasoning enthusiasm, as for a cause.

I am a baseball fanatic. Because I know exactly what it's like to have the entire psychology of your day dictated by the score of last night's game. Because I know what it's like to feel the rush of hitting the ball out of the park, even if it's been more than 25 years since that has happened for me. I understand that extreme, unreasoning enthusiasm because I know what it's like to share the passion of 50,000 people cheering on their home team on a crisp fall October evening.

I'm a fanatic, but I'm living in London, which means that if I get to see Playoff and World Series games at all, I have to stay up all night, every night, for a month. So when I learned that October baseball is coming to Joost, I got down on my knees and raised my hands to the heavens.

Starting October 4th, whether you're a casual follower of the game or an obsessed fanatic like myself, you'll be able to see a 30-minute highlight reel from the previous night's games on Joost. But that's not all. People outside of the United States and Japan will get to watch the entire games - every inning, every pitch, every stolen base, missed sign, bunt, home run and grand slam - for free.

As you can tell, I'm pretty excited — but I have a favor to ask. I need you to pray at the temple of baseball for the Chicago Cubs.

I'm a Chicago Cubs fan. And that means I'm working with 99 years of futility — 99 years since we've won a World Series. But we're close, so please — urge the Cubbies on so that all of us ex-pat Chicagoans, and all the great fans around the world, can watch the Cubbies in the post-season on Joost. This could be our year!

I live in a rent-controlled tenement building in Manhattan. I think it's fabulous because it's cheap, relatively spacious and excessively charming; my father thinks it lacks many of life's modern (and not-so-modern) conveniences.

I do have a TV, complete with rabbit-ear antennas (a not-so-modern inconvenience, my father would point out). My at-home TV viewing experience consists of me jiggling the rabbit ears every time I get up (no idea where the remote is) to switch between the major networks.

As a result, I recently discovered How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) on CBS. While I do spend a fair amount of time watching CBS, I used to stick to the crime dramas (the CSI: shows, NCIS and so on) and avoid the sitcoms. Then they aired a HIMYM marathon, and I was hooked. I thought it was a total chick show until I went out to dinner with one of my guy friends and HE brought up how much he liked it.

The only thing is, it's on at 8 p.m. on Monday nights, and I'm usually not home. (See inconveniences mentioned above, and make assumptions about my kitchen — which I've never used.)

But now I get to watch HIMYM and all the CBS shows on Joost the next day. Just now, while finishing up this post, I watched Monday's episode — I would've watched yesterday but it's been a busy week. And yes, I am a brilliant multitasker — I watch in window mode so I can work at the same time.

Anyway, I'm guessing Ted didn't meet his kids' mother while sitting at home at watching sitcoms, but maybe he met her online?