According to a 30-second NPR brief titled “Pink Flamingos Are ‘Bees Knees’ In Madison, Wisc.” (September 3, 2009), the town has officially made the the plastic flamingo its official bird.

Yep, that’s right. A fake, plastic flamingo that you stick in your yard is the legal, official bird of Madison. Sweet.

Even better, the decision was mad in honor of a 30-year-old college prank involving more than 1,000 of the faux birds (and probably just as many drunk students).

I like that idea so much I’d like to propose a parallel video game designation.

Title: Sims 2 Apartment LifePrice: $19.99System(s): Windows PCRelease Date: August 28, 2008Publisher (Developer): EA (EA)ESRB Rating: “Teen” for crude humor, sexual themes and violencePros: Witch character class/lifestyle, reputation system, apartments, new items/clothing/decor and a new neighborhood.Cons: Adding this to the other expansions can slow down your game a bit, custom content you’ve downloaded may not be compatibleOverall Score: One thumb up, one sideways; 88/100; B+; *** and 1/2 out of 5

The Sims 2 Apartment Life is a memorable expansion pack for the Sims 2. It features a slew of new gameplay additions, lots of extra items, a witch/wizard character class/lifestyle and the ability to have multiple households in a single home. In short, the expansion gives fans of the game a lot of things they’ve wanted, all in a single package.

It is easily one of the best expansion packs released for the game. If you’re a newcomer to the series, Apartment Life, Nightlife, University and Seasons are definitely the four expansion packs you will need to maximize your Sims 2 experience…

EA has just announced a new Stuff Pack for The Sims 2. The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff is going to include new objects, wallpapers, floorings, architectural elements and clothing for The Sims 2. EA is going to make sure this addition is out in time for the holidays, so on November 14, 2008 you can find this addition in stores.

The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff contains extras to make glamorous locations. There are loads of garden and natural items, along with expensive looking decorations and design elements. The game also includes three decorating themes that many of the included items fall into – Art Deco, Morrocan and Second Empire…

EA Games has just announced the track list and artists whose music will appear in the background of The Sims 2 Apartment Life. Its a interesting mix of stars from around the world, with talent like Good Charlotte, Katy Perry, Wainwright, Vanilla Sky, Ranetki Girls, Jem, Lola and Gabriella Cilmi lending their songs to the simulation.

The Sims 2 Apartment Life is the much anticipated Sims 2 expansion pack which will allow users to create apartment buildings in their games. It also will add social networks to the game, along with new items and outfits. Its coming out on August 26, 2008 in North America – I can’t wait!

The Sims 2 Apartment Life soundtrack will include the following tracks…

The Sims 2 H&M Fashion Runway contest has ended, and EA and H&M have announced that Beau Fornillos’ winning outfit will be sold in H&M stores worldwide. Let me back up – EA held a contest on TheSims2.com Exchange, where players could submit an original outfit created with the help of The Sims 2 Body Shop. The top outfits were shown on a Yahoo! The Sims 2 H&M Fashion Runway, where people could vote on the winner.

The winning outfit, shown at right, will be released in H&M stores in July. In Belguim, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Sweden and UK, the outfit will be available after July 6, 2008. It will be available in US and Canada after July 31, 2008. It will cost $14.90. 1,000 H&M stores will be carrying the outfit, and you’ll be able to identify it by a special tag that mentions The Sims 2.

The Sims 2 fans, the time has come. While you wait for the The Sims 2 Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff Pack to arrive on April 15, 2008, kill time with the new expansion, The Sims 2: FreeTime. This latest upgrade, which hits stores February 26, 2008 for $29.99, tosses tons of brand new hobbies at your virtual people. All of the new objects, attire and interactions center around activities that can be done in the characters’ down time, and all of them seem pretty impressive.

Many of the new hobbies now help generate money. For example the auto mechanic, ballet, pottery, sewing, cooking and video game hobbies all offer the opportunity to not only build skills, but make money in competitions or by selling the finished products. Sims can also now engage in sports bigger than pillow fighting, as basketball and soccer are both included in this expansion.

The Breadbox Band is a quirky group that sounds like Nine Inch Nails meets Bob Marley. Their music is easy to groove with, as many have been enjoying through Electronic Arts’ The Sims games.

Composed of five members with different influences, Breadbox infuses its crowds with music that promotes high spirits and positive energy. Their sound track titled N is featured on the latest Sims project, The Sims 2 Seasons Expansion Pack, and can be heard on the band’s myspace page.

There is a new upgrade for the popular Sims 2 Franchise: Sims 2 H&M Fashion Stuff, featuring branding from the Swedish fashion chain H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB. This expansion pack provides tools for players to create their very own fashion statement.

Along with the expansion pack is a contest titled Sims 2 H&M Fashion Runway. Electronic Arts and H&M have announced three design themes, including “Night Out,” “Let’s Go to the Beach” and “Red Carpet.” Players may submit their designs and their Sims online and …