A Perky Farewell

GOODBYE, KATIE: In the biggest news since the miraculous birth of the Brangelina baby, "Today" show queen Katie Couric bid adieu to her early-morning perch of 15 years, packing up to head up the staid news division of CBS. And, as they likely did when would-be anchors Walter Cronkite, John Chancellor and Tom Brokaw left their morning shows, the AP was on waterworks-watch. (It certainly wouldn't be because Couric's a woman, right?) According to the AP, which apparently was counting, "forty-two minutes into the show, Couric couldn't hold back the tears any longer." Cohost Matt Lauer was kind enough to bring tissues. Couric's slated to start on CBS in September. [AP via CNN]
Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

» WHERE DOES A QUASI-REALITY STAR go when MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" becomes stale? Why Los Angeles County, of course, and its more elevated environs. Lauren Conrad is heading up the 405 to the big, sprawled-out City of Angels for a MTV spin-off show called "The Hills." When we read John Maynard's preview of "The Hills" in The Post, we thought for a second that Conrad should watch her back, because Paris Hilton is probably peeved. If you remember -- and who couldn't -- Hilton's stellar performance in the not-really-reality-but-it-sort-of-was 2004 epic of drugs and suburban crime "The Hillz," the hotel heiress probably can't stand Conrad's encroaching on her turf, despite the fact that the show's name is spelled with an "s" instead of a "z." It's one letter, but Hilton has gone on the attack for lesser reasons.
» "MTV Beach Bunch Gets a Taste of Reality in 'Hills'" [WaPo]

» CHOCOLATE: We've always liked dark chocolate more than milk chocolate. But from Reuters, we learn that there's a new study out there that says that milk chocolate may help your brain functions. So if you eat a lot of it, you may get fat, but at least your cognitive abilities will be top-notch. [Reuters]

» ENTREPRENEURS/SCAM ARTISTS: Remember in "Office Space" when Tom Smykowski developed his ingenious idea for the "Jump to Conclusions" mat? The one that was universally hailed as a stupid idea? He'd have been better off if he came up with this instant moneymaker instead. [One Thousand Paintings via Boing Boing]

With contributions from Donn M. Fresard