“When something’s gone / I wanna fight to get it back again” shouts Eddie Vedder in the already-smash-hit The Fixer from Pearl Jam’s new and long-awaited album Backspacer. We know they’ve been gone a long while, but we hate to have to break this to him: Eddie’s not going to have to fight to get anything back, because it’s definitely apparent that Pearl Jam still has it.

It’s been almost 4 years since Pearl Jam’s last album and as Josh Modell at Spin writes, it’s like “the explosion at the end of an extremely long fuse.” He couldn’t be more correct. We’re already on our second time through. Ear buds tucked tight, volume maxed out, and reminiscing about our younger days listening to Ten and Vs. in our garages on clunky, beat-up single disc boom boxes. We think it’s safe to say these albums, along with Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream and Nirvana’s Nevermind, helped define a good chunk of the 90s generation. A few of us admittedly took a fan’s leave-of-absence after Vitalogy to pursue our taste in other music genres, but it’s good to be back. And Backspacer has definitely welcomed us with open arms.

We’d be hard pressed to find a track on this album we didn’t like, and if we had to choose our favorites, the tracks that will be the most responsible for the soreness in our necks tomorrow, they’d definitely have to be: Got Some, The Fixer, and Johnny Guitar. All 3 take on a notably more upbeat and optimistic tone, which might not sit well with some long-time fans who prefer the more grungy, melancholy sound characteristic of their earlier albums. But some of us think it’s a nice departure. If nothing, it shows that Pearl Jam is still capable of experimenting with their sound, refusing to be pigeon-holed into a single, limited category. An early Rolling Stone review noted “the more you listen, the more it just sounds like Vedder’s spending a nice day surfing. After toughing out the Bush years, Pearl Jam aren’t in the mood for brooding; at long last, surf’s up.” Oh, and we can’t forget Amongst The Waves. “Love ain’t love until you feel it / Up riding high amongst the waves / I can feel like I / Have a soul that has been saved / I can see the light / Coming through the clouds in rays.” The weather today might be a little depressing, but Backspacer has made our morning anything but. If only we could go surfing…

If you haven’t heard the album, the band has apparently cut a deal with MySpace where you can listen to it for free (with a few commercial interruptions, naturally). What do you think? Has Pearl Jam exploded out of their hiatus with a hit? Take this poll and tell us what you think.

For your viewing pleasure, here’s the video for The Fixer. Does anyone else think Eddie looks like The Dude from The Big Lebowski in this video? Just sayin’. Enjoy!

Don't you wish you could rock out in front of hundreds of thousands of screaming fans for a living? Unfortunately, most of us don't have the musical skills to pay the bills. Instead, we like to get our fill of musical glory by shredding the guitar or banging the drums with games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. These games are so popular that now we can even pretend to be a part of some of our favorite bands of all time like Aerosmith, Metallica, and soon, The Beatles.

The Beatles Rock Band is about to come out and looks awesome, but there are plenty of others out there that absolutely rock. One of our favorites is the AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack. This adds almost 20 new songs, all by AC/DC, to your Rock Band repertoire. If you're a fan of AC/DC you will agree with Saire's realization that, "live tracks translate well as you are on a virtual stage performing," and Julio, who says "the live dimension gives this game an extra edge."

If you'd rather get your fill with the Guitar Hero brand instead of Rock Band, you've got plenty of options to choose from! Guitar Hero Aerosmith gives you a whole series of Aerosmith classics to play at your leisure. Die-hard Aerosmith fans like Sergio point out that this game makes "hardcore Aerosmith fans rejoice," but if your guitar hero skills are off the hook then beware, Roger tells us he easily, "ran through the whole thing on hard in one sitting." Evidently Joe Perry is no match for Roger!

And for all you headbangers out there, give Guitar Hero Metallica a shot. Benjamin says that "there are few others that can compare," and unlike Roger's claim to Aerosmith's easy fame, he also adds that "the speed and complexity of the solos in this game are ridiculous." That's pretty fitting, frankly, since Metallica is one ridiculously good metal band.

As if all of these band specific rock games weren't good enough, you'll soon be able to woo the ladies like Lennon, or shred like Van Halen when Beatles Rock Band and Guitar Hero Van Halen are released. So when you're done rockin' out for your siblings and goldfish, head on over to LivingSocial: Video Games to tell everyone what you think about these rockin' games, and vote for your favorite - Rock Band or Guitar Hero - by taking our LivingSocial Rock Video Game Poll!

You wouldn’t be surprised if we said reality fashion shows are popular. And as much as the “characters” hide behind giant glasses and fret over eating a fry, it makes for good television. From Heidi Klum’s “Auf wiedersehen” to Rachel Zoe’s “I die!!” to Tyra Banks’ constant attitude, these now classic realities – Project Runway, The Rachel Zoe Project and America’s Next Top Model – are premiering new seasons now. So get watching, then get rating!

Possibly the most well known of the genre, Project Runway, the brainchild of supermodel Heidi Klum, pits aspiring designers against one another in some bizarre challenges (such as creating a garment out of edible food items). Joining Klum are three other major fashion personalities: stylist Tim Gunn, designer Michael Kors, and Marie Claire editor Nina Garcia, who each bring their own element of the fashion world to the judging. Angel loves watching Kors, saying “he’s a real trip,” and Lauren adores Gunn, describing him as “delightfully witty.” But the show is also about the contestants, who, of course, come with outrageous creativity. S.J. watches to see what outfits will parade down the runway: “Sometimes I can’t help but ask, ‘What were they thinking?’ ”

Waiting in the wings to be reviewed by LivingSocialites, The Rachel Zoe Project follows celeb-stylist Rachel Zoe, her two dueling assistants, and her quest to become a brand while keeping her clients appeased. It may seem like a boring premise, but with Zoe’s quirky comments (“That's bananas!”) and crazy tangents (she prefers to shop for herself when she’s shopping for clients), you’ll be easily entertained and amusingly hooked.

Moving from the creative types to the “pretty” types, America’s Next Top Model whittles down a group of Gisele wannabes to the one poised for success in the fashion business. While most winners never make a name for themselves, the idea is funny and the process funnier. With diva-esque Tyra Banks as host, flanked by photographer Nigel Barker and runway coach Miss J, plus a houseful of competitive, skinny women, ANTM is “full of drama, drama, drama,” in the words of Natasha. Julia distills it to “catty people, pretty clothes” before laughing, and Christy admires “how they turn strange looking girls into pretty pictures.”

So whether you see yourself on the catwalk, backstage or in the front row, these shows will fill your fashion void. Not a fashion insider? Doesn’t matter. Share your thoughts on style, television and wild competitions at LivingSocial: TV Shows!

This week we found a cool article from British newspaper The Guardian talking about how more than 4000 people have signed up for a Facebook group in support of ice cream icon Ben & Jerry's launching a library-themed ice cream flavor after a campaign by a New Jersey librarian gathered thousands of supporters.

Naturally, we decided to see what the 26,000+ fans of our Visual Bookshelf had to say about the matter, which confirmed our assumptions: LivingSocial Books readers are quite the creative lot! Below you'll find a list of just some of the creative names we received - can you pair them with the book they're named after?

• Kit Kat in the Hat
• Munch a Goo About Nothing
• The Best of Limes, the Worst of Limes
• The Apple Cider House Rules
• A Strawberry Named Desire
• Hucklebutter Finn-ger
• The Orient Espresso
• All Marshmellow on the Chocolate Front
• Harry Potter andt he Prisoner of IzeCreamMan
• Grapes of Rathberry
• Even Cowgirls Get the Blueberries
• To Kill a Mocha-curd
• Life of Pi-neapple
• Pride and Pistachio
• David Choco-field
• Last of the Macaroons
• Of Mint and Marshmellows
• Gone with the Mint

Do you have another creative gem to share with us here at LivingSocial? Visit our Visual Bookshelf Fan Page to let us know or vote for your favorite listing here by taking our poll or creating one yourself!

Here at LivingSocial we've had eating healthy on the brain for a few weeks now because two of our colleagues decided to challenge one another to a weight loss competition. Ever since, we’ve been talking salads, calories, and pounds on the regular...we even bought scales for official weigh-ins...this is serious, folks! Since there is a lot riding on this bet, in this post we’re going to look at some healthy dining options.

We’ll start in Washington D.C., where LivingSocial is based. Turns out D.C. is home to Restaurant Nora, which is America’s first certified organic restaurant. Nora’s promises seasonal, fresh organic food that is prepared in a healthy way. Tracey gives it “two thumbs up” while Alseta calls it “the best when it comes to healthy, organic fine dining.” Katherine said she went for her birthday a few years ago and that “they were wonderful, (even) with a very large group to accommodate.” Sounds like this might be a good place for the dieting duo to celebrate the end of the challenge in a healthy way!

Eating healthy seems to be the trend out in sunny California, where organic restaurants and being vegetarian are becoming the norm. Chez Panisse in Berkeley claims to be a longtime leader in the movement, touting the work of Chef Alice Waters with farm-fresh vegetables, fruit, and seafood straight from the beautiful Pacific Ocean! Pam says that the food is “incredible” and “made with the freshest of ingredients" and that the service is fantastic. Dyan points out that although it's pricey, “it’s worth the price and wait!” Nothing like walking away from a healthy meal feeling utterly and completely satisfied! Who says veggie food is for the birds?

Stephanie says she’s “not a vegetarian - not even remotely” but has to say that some of the best food she has ever eaten was at Red Bamboo in NY. “I never would have known I wasn’t eating chicken or fish if I weren’t told so,” she adds about the vegan/vegetarian dishes she tried. Andrew agrees saying that it “tastes just like the real thing" and that "it's good food, no matter what your taste preference.”

On behalf of our dedicated dieting colleagues, we thank you for your healthy recommendations! We'd love to know Your Top 5 Favorite Healthy Restaurants, and don't forget to give them props at LivingSocial: Restaurants! Til' next time...eat green, be lean, and keep on LivingSocial!

What is LivingSocial Deals?

Each day, LivingSocial Deals features a single amazing deal such as discounts to restaurants, attractions, or shopping. Using group purchasing power, LivingSocial Deals enables you to save serious bank on top merchants in your city, as long as other users in your city also purchase the deal.

Do I have to invite someone to get the deal?

Absolutely not. However, a large portion of our users do invite friends because they want to share the deals.

I want to get Today's Deal. How do I buy it?

Click the "Buy Now" button on the deal page at any time before 11:59pm. Remember - you will only get the deal if enough users have also agreed to purchase that day's deal. If the minimum number isn't met, your credit card won't be charged. At the same time, many of our merchants have put limits on how many users each deal can get - once we hit that number, we can't sell any additional deals that day.

Today's deal hasn't hit the minimum number of users to activate. What does that mean?

The deal won't activate if the minimum number of users isn't reached, and therefore, no one wil be charged. If you really want a deal to activate, you can always share the deal with your friends through Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail.

When and how do I use my deal?

Once a deal is activated, we will charge your credit card. Within 24 hours, you'll receive an e-mail confirmation which you print out and take it to the merchant. The deal works very similar to a gift card. Please make sure to read the confirmation e-mail from us, as most deals have an expiration date and a specific number of deals that can be used per table or visit.

When am I billed for purchasing a deal?

Once a deal reaches the minimum number of users, we will charge your credit card within 24 hours. The charge will show up as "LIVINGSOCIAL" on your credit card statement.

What credit cards do you accept?

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and Diner's Club.

Is my personal information safe?

LivingSocial uses 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption to protect your credit card information. Additionally, we don't sell your personal information to any third parties, including merchants who you have purchased a deal. For more information, you can check out our full Privacy Policy.

Can I return a deal?

If you have a problem with a deal you've purchased, please contact us at deals@livingsocial.com or 202-470-1686.

My business wants to be a part of LivingSocial Deals. How can I?

Drop Liam Darmody, the community manager for LivingSocial, a line at liam@livingsocial.com or (202) 470-1686.

Is LivingSocial Deals moving to more cities?

Right now, we're limited to Washington DC, but we've committed to running the service in Boston and NYC in Fall of 2009. Feel free to drop us a line at support@livingsocial.com if you have ideas or recommendations on where we should move next.

Who is LivingSocial?

LivingSocial Deals is a project of LivingSocial (http://livingsocial.com/), the leading online social network for cataloguing, reviewing and sharing all sorts of products, services, and restaurants. With over 50 million users on Facebook, LivingSocial is one of the largest application developers. For more information on LivingSocial, check out http://www.livingsocial.com.

What if I have a question not listed here?

Drop our customer service team a line at deals@livingsocial.com or call us at 202-470-1686.

Hi everyone,

There have been a few articles and posts in recent days that claim LivingSocial sells or shares private user information from Facebook or our applications with advertisers. The claims are untrue, and are based on (false) assumptions and unchecked facts.

LivingSocial does not sell or share data with brands or advertisers.
We don’t share, sell or expose individual user data, Facebook profile information, or even anonymized aggregate data to others. Period.

Here’s how we work with advertisers: we allow them to request that we display advertising around specific areas of interest, like movies and music, in our application screens and on our main web site. An example of this would be if you're browsing lists in our music section, you might see an advertisement for a concert tour of a band. This is similar to how a sports site might have an advertisement for sporting tickets. But we do not pass, send, or sell any of your private data to them as part of that process.

We value your trust, and will continue to respect your privacy. As always, thanks for being part of LivingSocial.

Tim O'Shaughnessy
CEO

By now there can’t be anyone alive who doesn’t know that Michael Jackson passed away last Thursday from a heart attack. It’s been all over every news station in virtually every country and the web is overloaded with MJ-related information. When I initially wrote our first blog post about Jackson’s passing, I posted it to our Albums, Movies, and Book categories, thinking that those were the only places where Michael Jackson had a presence. Not true! Thanks to my trusty Google Reader, I was able to find out that Michael Jackson a) had a video game for Sega Genesis called Moonwalker; and b) that there has been a huge spike in sales for the game on eBay since Jackson’s passing. A quick stopover at ebay yielded a bunch of versions of Moonwalker ranging in price from $.01 to $1999.99 USD. Will you be buying one?

Pick Your Top 5 Michael Jackson Songs

Pick Your Top 5 Michael Jackson Albums

What’s the Best Michael Jackson Album?

What’s the Best Michael Jackson Video?

And of course, you’ve always got the option to create your own Poll in honor of Michael Jackson to share with friends.

We’re very excited to announce that Newsweek has integrated LivingSocial user reviews into it’s 50 Books of Our Time piece. Have you read/reviewed any of the books on that list? If not, do so and let your thoughts be known to the masses!

As always, thanks for LivingSocial and sharing your thoughts about books on the Visual Bookshelf!

It’s a sad day for millions all over the world today as we cope with the loss of Michael Jackson, the undisputed “King of Pop,” who passed away yesterday at 50 years of age. Jackson was not breathing when the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call at 12:30pm (PST) yesterday, June 25, 2009. They attempted to resuscitate him, but to no avail. Jackson was pronounced dead at UCLA Medical Center at 2:26pm (PST).

The media has covered this extensively in the last 12 hours and major TV networks even canceled regularly scheduled primetime programming to run specials highlighting his life and times last night. Vigils were said to have taken place in multiple cities across the globe, honoring the late great pop star and proving that despite his increasingly reclusive nature and admittedly strange behavior in recent years, Michael Jackson had a tremendous impact on millions of people.

Jackson’s death comes at a time when he was gearing up to start another world tour including shows in London’s O2 stadium that were widely regarded as the “Hottest Tickets on the Planet”, selling some 750,000 tickets at rates of 11 per second, 657 per minute, and 40,000 per hour, prompting this comment from a Ticketmaster representative: “We often talk about unprecedented demand, but this week we have witnessed a live entertainment phenomenon. Today, we saw well over 250,000 fans hitting the Ticketmaster site at 7am for the general sale tickets. This was undoubtedly the busiest demand for tickets for an event which we have ever experienced.”

His musical career spanned nearly 4 decades, beginning in 1971, and included sales of 750 million albums, 13 grammy awards, and 13 number 1 singles, earning him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Most Successful Entertainer of All Time.” He was known as someone who was very generous with charities and had an affection for children he claimed to be innocent, but that raised many eyebrows and actually landed him in court a few times. His life certainly seemed to be a rollercoaster with some great highs and some awful lows, which might explain why it was a heart attack that ultimately put an end to it. And yet, despite all the controversy surrounding him, one thing is certain: he will go down in history as a legend, the King of Pop, forever. He is survived by his three children, Prince I, Paris, and Prince “Blanket” II.

It’s not surprising that LivingSocialites love Michael Jackson as well. His major records show up in 15,209 collections and have been reviewed 700+ times. We’ve also got a whole host of books written by or about MJ in our Visual Bookshelf. Have you had the chance to review your favorites? If not, visit our Michael Jackson albums section to catalog your King of Pop albums and review them, or the Michael Jackson books section to do the same for literature.

We’re also seeing a lot of activity in our Pick Your Five and Polls applications, with many people picking their favorite Michael Jackson songs and videos. If you’d like to do the same, follow the links below!

Pick Your Top 5 Michael Jackson Songs

Pick Your Top 5 Michael Jackson Albums

What’s the Best Michael Jackson Album?

What’s the Best Michael Jackson Video?

And of course, you’ve always got the option to create your own Poll in honor of Michael Jackson to share with friends.

She's the 2nd most powerful celeb on the 2009 Forbes Celebrity 100 and made $275 Million in 2009. She's built one of the largest entertainment/lifestyle enterprises in the world, and what Oprah likes, people get! So what is the entertainment diva recommending that you read this summer? Here's a list of O Mag's Top 4 Picks for Your Summer Reading as reported to ABC by Gayle King, editor of O Mag:

Columbine by Dave Cullen

"It's been a decade since the shocking school massacre at a Colorado high school stunned the nation, and journalist Dave Cullen's "Columbine" offers vivid details about one of the most disturbing days in the nation's history. It was a reported piece; he spent 10 years looking into it," King said. "He really paints the story and tells us things you didn't know." As it turns out, the LivingSocial community is ahead of Oprah's recommendation, and has plenty to say about "Columbine", overwhelmingly pointing out that it is a delicate balance between a morbidly disturbing and thrillingly informative read. Check it out this summer, if you haven't already done so!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

This is what happens when you take one of the most well-known classics of all time and mash it up with themes from b-level movies with zombies and other shenanigans. Think Swan Lake ballet meets Rocky Horror Picture Show and you've got this unorthodox read in which a plague befalls a quiet town, causing the dead to return to life. The main character, Elizabeth Bennet is dead set (pun intended) on eliminating the presence of zombies in her fair town, but gets distracted by Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a lighthearted, cheeky read that includes romance and heartbreak, cannibalism, swordfights, and plenty of other gruesome things that would probably make Jane Austen roll over in her grave. The LivingSocial community seems mixed on this read, the main argument surrounding whether or not this is injustice to a classic or a funny, lighthearted satire worth reading. Throw in your two cents!

Provenance by Laney Salisbury & Aly Sujo

"In "Provenance," authors Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo tell the tale of an elaborate 20th century hoax in which John Drewe forges letters, doctors exhibition catalogs and bamboozles art experts into accepting a slew of "masterpieces." The investigative reporters detail the spectacular scam." As it turns out, LivingSocialites haven't yet sounded off about Provenance, but we're betting that changes now that Oprah's recommended it. If you've read it, be the first to dish the scoop to the rest of the LS community!

Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horn by James Gavin

The beautiful Lena Horne became a pioneer for African-Americans in the arts. The singer and actress was the first African-American woman to win an Academy Award for best actress, and "Stormy Weather" offers insight into her career and personal life. As with Provenance, Stormy Weather is still awaiting some good ol' fashioned LivingSocial critiquing, so be sure to leave your thoughts if you've read it, or once you have done so!

So go on, LivingSocialites, and get your read on this summer. And if you happen to knock these out and want to learn a bit more about the gal who recommended 'em to you, go ahead and scoop up The Uncommon Wisdom of Oprah Winfrey: A Portrait in Her Own Words and give it a read as well.

Let's talk about Kindle, Google, and the digitization of books in general for a second. We here at LivingSocial have a Kompany Kindle, and we like it plenty. The size, weight, and convenience make it a pretty cool little device to have, especially for gadget geeks. And hats off to Amazon for making the screen so realistic looking - it's hard to even tell you're not reading an actual page sometimes. That being said, there has been some serious resistance to the digitization of books because people argue that nothing can compare to the actual feel of a book - some people say they even love the smell of their books! Typically I'm not smelling my books, but I suppose I see where they are coming from.

The question is, can it be prevented? Is it even worth asking that question at this point or is the digitization force one that cannot be stopped? The recently released $489 Kindle DX, which boasts a larger screen designed specifically for periodicals, textbooks, and other large-format reading sold out just 3 days after it started shipping this month. And earlier this month Jeff Bezos reported that of the 300,000+ books available through Amazon for purchase, either for the Kindle or in physical form, Kindle orders represent 35% of all book orders. Promising numbers for Amazon supported by people like Scott Stein who wrote on the CNET gadget blog, Curve, that Amazon is cheaper, more convenient, and even enables people to download books to their iPhones by way of the Kindle app, a feature that is really quite convenient. Of course, the flip side of that argument comes from traditionalists who argue that there's just no replacement for a real book.

And of course, as with any popular internet trend, it's only a matter of time before Google latches on and decides it wants to find a way to reinvent the wheel. Most recently, Google has been battling with the Department of Justice and Librarians everywhere for the rights to make millions of books available for reading and purchase on the internet. Arguments against Google surround privacy, as well as a monopoly that enables Google to inflate prices of books and have zero competition in the space. But those in favor point out that bringing books to the internet for the masses is a positive thing that will ensure books remain relevant in these ever-changing times.

So what do you think? We here at LivingSocial aren't exactly sure what to think. Our VisualBookshelf application serves as the online bookshelf for millions of books cataloged by millions of avid readers out there, and clearly it would take a lot of room to house that many books. Plus, we think the Kindle is nifty, but what about the age-old feeling of getting wrapped up "in a good book"? "Getting wrapped up in a Kindle" just doesn't have the same ring to it....

One part of LivingSocial that you have probably never seen is our LivingSocial Events page. Our events page help bring LivingSocial users in New York City, and soon others cities, together for free cocktails.

This event at China 1, is just one of our many upcoming events where you can meet other LivingSocial users away from the computer or just get all of your friends together for a free drink. Just RSVP to any of these events online, print out your code and show up for free drinks and a lot of fun.

If you attend one of these events or you have any suggestions, let us know what you think by emailing us at feedback@livingsocial.com or tweet us @LivingSocial.

Cheers from the team at LivingSocial!

A lot has been going on here at LivingSocial lately. You already know all about our nine LivingSocial categories and the PickYour5 Facebook application. Recently you might also have noticed our

Here is one example of the many polls you can take and share on Facebook. Plus, if you can’t find a Poll you want to take you can just create it yourself and share it with all of your friends. Once you take or finish creating a poll you can choose to display it in your Facebook feed so your friends can comment and take the poll themselves.

Some of our most popular polls include:

• Who is better Messi or Ronaldo
• What’s the best soda?
• Nike or Adidas?
• Who is your favorite comedian?
• Which actor is best?

Between the nine LivingSocial categories and the PickYour5 application on Facebook, a lot of things (from albums to video games) are being rated, reviewed, picked, and added to collections by the LivingSocial community. That begs the question: Which things are popular lately? Based on various stats from April, we’ve compiled popularity rankings for a few of our subject areas as well as the LivingSocial app.

Artists (based on LivingSocial: Albums)

1. Metallica
2. Pink Floyd
3. U2
4. Nirvana
5. Led Zeppelin

Beer

1. Corona
2. Heineken
3. Guinness
4. Blue Moon
5. Budweiser

Movies

1. Twilight
2. Titanic
3. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
4. The Notebook
5. The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring

TV Shows

1. Lost
2. House
3. Friends
4. Heroes
5. CSI

Video Games

1. Call of Duty 4
2. Final Fantasy XII
3. Halo 3
4. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
5. Resident Evil 4

Pick Your Five lists (based on LivingSocial Pick Your Five)

1. Favorite movies of all time
2. Best TV shows
3. 5 Things i don’t leave the house without!
4. Favorite Sports Teams
5. Favorite beer