Gordon Lightfoot: This is your death on Twitter

Welcome to another chapter of life and death at broadband speed.

If we could read his mind, we'd know that singer Gordon Lightfoot is alive and well, despite reports to the contrary that bounced around Thursday afternoon online -- bouncing that included mainstream Canadian media websites and a Canadian news service. The singer was on his way home from the dentist, he told news station CP 24, when he heard word over the radio that he'd died.

(Click on the next link to see the first tweets mentioning Lightfoot's death -- MediaStyle has done a good report that we can't improve upon, so check it out. But come back here after you read it, OK?)

Now, before we all pile on poor, misunderstood Twitter, know that there was also an offline component to the hoax. [Updated at 5:40 p.m. Feb. 19: If you're coming to this post and haven't seen today's follow-up clarifying how the hoax started -- with phone calls, not with Twitter -- make sure you click here to get the details.]

The PREACH IT! 2009 year-end celebrity gossip quiz!

How well do you know your 2009? How well do you know your gossip? How well would you do in one giant year-end quiz that combines all the great taste of 2009 with the heady texture of celebrity gossip?

We have just such a quiz! We’re entertainment reporters. It’s our job to write quizzes for you.

Take your best shot at these 10 questions -- and Happy New Year from the divine folk at Ministry of Gossip. A link to the answers is at the end.

 1. Who was in jail in 2009?

(a) Lil' Kim

(b) Lil Wayne

(c) Lily Allen

(d) T.I.

2. It was a big year for shaking down celebrities. Who did not reportedly get threatened with extortion in 2009?

(a) Cindy Crawford

(b) David Letterman

(c) John Stamos

(d) 50 Cent

3. What was the name of the failed TV show self-produced by Richard “Balloon Dad” Heene?

(a) "Fun With Helium"

(b) "Box Time Playhouse"

(c) "Making Crawl Spaces Fun"

(d) "Fairy Tales for Grownups"

Why so trendy, Charlie Brown?

Why are "Charlie Brown" and "Great Pumpkin" trending topics on Twitter? Good grief! Must we always spell it out?

If we must: It's that time of year, ABC just aired "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and there's something about a childhood memory that makes a person want to commune with as many strangers as possible.

So now that we're feeling all warm and mushy, let's squash that sentiment by watching Jimmy Kimmel's "Great Pumpkin Remix!"

(By the way, if you missed the real Peanuts classic on TV and don't feel like waiting for Netflix, you can find it on YouTube.)

-- Christie D'Zurilla