Monitor Picks

Name game

There's King James and The Truth, Chairman Yao and The Answer. The question? Who are some of the stars in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game (TNT at 8 p.m EST). LeBron "King" James, Allen "The Answer" Iverson, and the big East take on top vote-getter Yao Ming and the best of the West. See if they can handle "The Truth" (Paul Pierce).

No need to wait for Oprah's next book recommendation. At Dearreader.com, a free service, simply specify what you enjoy reading - categories range from business books to thrillers - and the site will send you daily e-mails with short excerpts from new releases. If you like what you've sampled, the site encourages you to head to your nearest library or bookstore.

ABC's Dancing With the Stars (Thursdays, 8 p.m. EST) is the ultimate guilty pleasure. Marginal celebrities (Drew Lachey from boy-band 98 Degrees, Lisa Rinna of "Soap Talk") team with professional dancers to waltz, samba, and occasionally stumble their way into viewers' hearts. Our favorite: Stacy Keibler, the consistently graceful wrestler (yes, wrestler).

BET has an all-star lineup for its sixth Celebration of Gospel (Thursday, Feb. 23, 9 p.m EST/PST): Shirley Caesar, CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and many more. This feel-good celebration is as much about the music as the message - the live audience sings and dances and so will you. While the standards are great fun, the show ends on a more sober note, with tributes to the Katrina victims and a stunning turn from a New Orleans pastor singing "Amazing Grace."

If your valentine forgot the sweets, treat yourself to Dale & Thomas's gourmet popcorn (daleandthomaspopcorn.com). It comes in all sizes - samplers to 3-1/2 gallon party drums. Try the Chocolate Chunk N' Caramel. Or the Peanut Butter & White Chocolate DrizzleCorn. Or both.