"birthdays" news and stories

When I was applying for my first waitress job, my total lack of experience qualified me to work at two types of places: Coney Islands, the Greek diner/chili parlor mash-ups that are ubiquitous in southeast Michigan, and family dining chains clustered around highway exits. I opted for the former, mostly so I wouldn't have to sing.

I haven't visited a Lone Star Steakhouse since the mid-1990s, but the restaurant's original shtick included a server-led birthday boot scoot that involved way more coordination and tune-carrying than I could possibly muster. Even if I'd been blessed with Ethel Merman's pipes, I'm not sure I'd have been any more gung-ho about breaking out in birthday song: The whole routine seemed designed to shame the staff and mortify the celebrant.

It looks like meat ice cream isn't the only tasty treat that zoo animals are getting this summer. The giant panda Xin Xin, who resides at the Wild Animal Rescue and Breeding Center in Xi'an, China, celebrated his first birthday this month with apples, watermelon and - of course - birthday cake. We have no doubt that the cake was made with panda-friendly ingredients, but it actually looks pretty good. And Xin Xin is certainly enjoying it.

He's not the only panda to get served birthday cake, though. Click past the jump for some more pictures of pandas with their cakes.

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We mentioned earlier that our sibling site, Engadget, had selected the winner in their "Bake a Birthday Cake for Engadget." The winner, who receives a grand prize of a very spacey looking Alienware contraption (I'm a food freak, not a gadget geek), baked a working Palm Treo cake.

Engadget has posted photos of all the entries over a series of posts. Take a peek - even some of the non-winning cakes are incredible!

Gallery I
Gallery II
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A few days ago, we posted that our geeky (but lovable) cousin, Engadget, had turned two years old, and to celebrate, the engadget team sponsored a birthday cake contest.

Lots and lots of engadgeteers sent in stories and photos of birthday cakes, and Engadget has chosen the winner of the Alienware gift - the cakeis "working" Palm Treo. Take a peek at some of the prize-winning cakes, some of which could rival professional pastry chefs!

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