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It never ceases to amaze me how businesses underestimate the potential appeal or consequences in offering a huge discount.

The 23-cent price of a pizza is an homage to LeBron James' jersey number. (Tony Dejak/The Associated Press)

Take the great 10-cent beer fiasco of 1974.

Or, more recently, a furniture giveaway west of Charlotte that backfired.

Now it's Papa John's turn to be amazed regarding their 23-cent pizza deal in Ohio yesterday.

"We're certainly a bit surprised about how darn popular this is," Tim North, vice president of the company's northeast division, told The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer.

One woman is heard in this AP video saying she waited 5-1/2 hours line to get one.

Hey, times are tough and Papa John's makes pretty good pizza, but having to wait 5-1/2 hours in line to save about $10?

No matter how you slice it, that doesn't sound like a deal to me.

Possible Mother's Day gift: 7-inch Panasonic digital picture frame for $49.99 at Sears (regular $79.99).

Holds up to 600 photos.

Deal ends Sunday.

We had lots of good responses to the Mother's Day camcorder giveaway, so I asked News & Record Assistant Features Editor Mike Kernels to help me pick a winner.

Drum roll please...the winner is...Keyonna. Congrats!

Keyonna, just stop by the main entrance to the News & Record office in Greensboro east of Davie and west of Church streets (facing Market Street on the south side) with your ID between 8:30 and 4:30 p.m. tomorrow and you're all set. The entrance to visitor parking also faces Market Street. Just make an immediate left onto Schlosser's Way after pulling into the entrance.

And to everyone else, stay tuned for future contests. You may win something just yet.

Update: Deadline has passed. Thanks for playing. Check back later today to see who the big winner is.

The clock is ticking: deadline is noon today regarding giving away a brand spankin' new camcorder for Mother's Day.

Note: to be fair to everyone, you will not be able to enter after the noon deadline. But I'm sure that won't be a problem because your mom raised you right in following the rules, respecting fairness and making deadlines, am I correct? I thought so. She'd be so proud of you.

Here's the deal: tell us why you think your mom deserves one of those easy-to-use Flip camcorders and you could be eligible to win one.

Submit your entries in the comment section at the bottom of this blog entry.

The winner can pick it up at the News & Record office on Friday using a valid ID such as a driver's license.

I'll announce the winner here later today.

A sampling of deals I've seen at grocery stores in the Triad regarding Mother's Day, which is Sunday (you didn't forget, did you?):

Twelve-inch message cookie for $5.99 at Harris Teeter, decorated bar cakes at Lowes Foods for $10.99, 8-inch single layer cakes at Food Lion for $5.49, heart cakes at Kmart for $8.99.

Tip from former N&R staffer Amy Buchanan at her shopping blog regarding getting accounting software worth $169.99 for free.

The trend among fast-food and regular restaurants in recent years has been to downsize their menu offerings both in price and size. Not to worry: you can still go to Hardee’s and get a Homer Simpson-drooling, 1,420-calorie Monster Thickburger.

Huge marketing blitz right now from KFC regarding it's 99-cent Snackers, which have actually been around for several years. Back when it started selling them in 2005, KFC called the item the most successful sandwich launch in the brand's history. But it's interesting to point out that this was launched during better economic times, so maybe consumers like to, gee golly Beaver, I don't know, save money all the time, not just when it's trendy.

But does that mean people are spending less in restaurants when all is said and done? Not necessarily.

"People in focus groups tell us they want control, they want to eat lighter," Steve Provost, Quiznos chief marketing officer, told the AP regarding their discounted $2 mini "Sammies" sandwiches they began offering in November. "The fact that they are buying more than one and are buying a chip or a drink with us shows us they are choosing to fill up their plate again."

I'll be the first to admit my wallet, stomach and waistline are locked in a never ending battle every time I step foot in a restaurant. Will one Jr. Whopper be enough? Better get two just in case.

Nine Inch Nails is offering its new album, “The Slip,” through its Web site for free.

"Thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years — this one’s on me," band leader Trent Reznor said in a post on Nine Inch Nails' Web site.

Looks like Radiohead started a nice trend, although that band is apparently only doing it once.

Procrastinator alert: We're on the home stretch regarding giving away a new camcorder for Mother's Day. Deadline is noon Thursday, so you've been warned.

Here's the deal: tell us why you think your mom deserves one of those easy-to-use Flip camcorders and you could be eligible to win one.

Submit your entries in the comment section at the bottom of this blog entry.

The winner can pick it up at the News & Record office on Friday using a valid ID such as a driver's license.

I'll announce the winner here.

Walgreens is running a great sale on Domino sugar this week: $1.99 for five pounds. Limit two with the coupon in this week's sales paper.

The deal is even better if you have the coupons from Sunday's paper. In the Redplum insert, there's a coupon for 30 cents off any Domino sugar product. That'll make a five lb. bag just $1.69, which is cheaper than most store brands.