I love the flavor of mint, and using it to enhance drinks like lemonade and cocoa is especially refreshing. So I am intrigued by the appearance of Sprite Ice, a new mint flavored (well, “flavoured” actually) soda that is available in Canada and Belgium. It’s the same lemon-lime Sprite but with a “hint of mint” that is supposed to make it extra refreshing. Hopefully it doesn’t give your tastebuds a reminiscence of mouthwash or toothpaste. (via Pop Culture Junkmail)

A new mobile phone from MyOrigo Ltd incorporates some interesting user interaction. The screen automatically adjusts its orientation depending on which way the user is holding the phone. Similarly, a user can tilt the phone to scroll to different areas of the content being displayed. There is haptic feedback; when virtual keys are pressed, the screen vibrates in response. The touchscreen also uses gestural input. You can turn a page by making a flicking motion. I’m curious to see how phone manufacturers balance use of virtual keys and physical keys in the next few years.

Before TechTV (which used to be ZDTV) there was a show on MSNBC called “The Site.” It was a refreshing look at the daily tech news, and it was hosted by Soledad O’Brien, who was not a geek. But she was as smart as a geek, and a solid contributer to the show, not just a pretty talking head. She rose up the NBC ranks to host Weekend Today, as close as she could get to her idol Katie Couric’s position without Katie leaving the show. Now she’s left NBC to take on CNN’s morning show. But I bet if Katie ever leaves, she’ll be thinking hard about going back.

Understanding the appeal of the sparkling rock, the Smithsonian is exhibiting seven of the world’s rarest diamonds at the Natural History Museum through September 15. On loan for exhibit are the DeBeers Millennium Star (by far the biggest of the bunch at 203.04 carats), the yellow Allnatt (101.29 carats), the Steinmetz Pink (59.60 carats), the Heart of Eternity (blue, 27.64 carats, pictured in the middle of this page), the Pumpkin Diamond (orange of course, 5.54 carats), the Ocean Dream (blue-green, 5.51 carats), and the Moussaieff Red (5.11 carats). The Smithsonian, of course, already has the infamous Hope Diamond on display. (Here’s a page of famous diamonds.)

UFOs galore can be sighted at the new Alien Museum in Portland, Oregon. Skeptics and serious ufologists will find something to entertain or educate. There’s even a sheaf of “authenticated wheat from the Forest Grove Crop Circle.”

Want to recreate the McDonald’s experience at home? Yeah, I figured you didn’t. Well, just in case you are craving a recreation of the Big Mac experience, the McBurgers website has all the details on the steps to making your very own version. (via larkfarm)

Featured in the suitably named Tacky Living site is a writeup on tacky television antennas. If the simple, classic rabbit ears aren’t fancy enough for you, there are directions for building your very own antennas to decorate the interior and exterior of your home. (via Yahoo Picks)

The Chocolate Exhibition that was developed at The Field Museum in Chicago is now enticing visitors at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. On their schedule are weekly free chocolate tastings (yum!) from chocolate makers and pastry chefs.

Pottery Barn has launched a catalog specifically for teens. PB Teen has no online shopping yet, but the catalog promises “hip, exclusive designs. From shag rugs and CD racks to furniture and frames.”

There was no mention of controversy in the NY Times Vows column on the baseball-themed nuptials of Lauren Ackerman and Paul Forte, which took place at Shea Stadium on June 14th. But a quick search through Google News reveals a bit of grumbling over the event, as Newsday and the NY Post report that the division championship games for the city’s high-school baseball teams were scheduled for Shea that weekend. But the wedding took precedence and the games were moved to KeySpan Park in Brooklyn. The bride is the daughter of Queens Democrat, Rep. Gary Ackerman. And it wasn’t actually the wedding that conflicted with the games, but the rehearsal.