November 12, 2009 Post

FIVE HIDDEN HOTEL HEALTH HAZARDS:

You've heard this before, but it's worth repeating during flu season: hotels are a breeding ground for disease. In case you're going somewhere this weekend, here are five hidden hotel health hazards to keep in mind . . . to make sure you don't get a cold, swine flu, or worse.

#1.) HOTEL DRINKING GLASSES. If you get thirsty, don't drink out of the glasses the hotel provides. A news station in Atlanta recently investigated and found that a lot of hotels never wash them. The housekeepers just wipe them down and put them back.

#2.) BED BUGS. They're hard to get rid of because they've become resistant to a lot of the chemicals used by exterminators. It's so bad that the Environmental Protection Agency hosted a "National Bed Bug Summit" in August to come up with ways to get rid of them. --They hide in the seams of the mattress, so the hotel might not even know they have them. And the worst part is, you can carry them home on your clothes.

#3.) HOTEL DOORKNOBS. The flu virus can live on a doorknob for two hours. But you also have to worry about pink eye, staph, and HPV. Hotel doorknobs see a lot of traffic, which is why they're particularly dangerous. So carry hand sanitizer with you at all times.

#4.) HOTEL SHOWERHEADS. A University of Colorado study found that dirty showerheads have a shocking amount of bacteria on them, and the big concern is lung disease. Basically, you can inhale the bacteria while the water is spraying you in the face.

#5.) HOT TUBS AND SWIMMING POOLS. Three cases of Legionnaires' disease . . . a deadly form of pneumonia . . . were linked to a Hampton Inn hot tub in 2008. And two more cases were reported at a hotel in Alabama. -And even though STD's are mainly transferred through direct contact, they can also survive up to 45 minutes in warm water. (Insure.com)

FOUR MUGGERS RETURNED A GUY'S WALLET WHEN THEY LEARNED HE WAS AN ARMY RESERVIST:

Yesterday was Veterans Day, and thankfully, most people showed the proper respect and appreciation our soldiers deserve. Even criminals. Check this out . . . --At around 1:15 A.M. on Tuesday, an unidentified 21-year-old Army reservist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was walking home from work, when he was jumped by four men wearing masks.

One of the men pulled a gun on the reservist, and told him to lie face-down on the ground. Then they took his wallet, cell phone and keys. --But while they were looking through the wallet, one of the robbers noticed the guy's Army ID. At which point they returned the guy's possessions and actually THANKED him for his service.

According to the reservist, quote, "The guy continued to say throughout the situation that he respects what I do, and at one point he actually thanked me, and he actually apologized. --"The leader of the group actually walked back, [and] gave me a quick fist bump, which was very strange."--After returning the reservist's belongings, the four men walked off. The police are still looking for the muggers, who are suspected of committing two other robberies that night. (Yahoo News)

A GUY WAS BUSTED PRETENDING TO BE A DECORATED WAR HERO AT HIS HIGH SCHOOL REUNION:

Nobody wants to show up at their high school reunion feeling like a loser who's done nothing with their life. But that's no excuse to pull something like THIS . . . Last month was the 20-year reunion for the Class of 1988 from Alhambra High School in Martinez, California.

One alumnus, 39-year-old Steven Burton, decided to show up wearing his U.S. Marine Corps uniform . . . complete with medals including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and the Navy Cross. Steven said he'd earned the medals fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The only problem is that Steven was never in the military. He works for a bank in Palm Springs, and the whole thing was just a put-on so he'd seem cool to his former classmates. --And Steven might have gotten away with it. Except that another member of Steven's graduating class, Colleen Salonga, actually IS a Navy commander. v--Colleen became suspicious of Steven, so she took a photo of him in uniform and sent it to the FBI. Long story short, Steven was arrested for impersonating a soldier. He's been charged with the unauthorized wearing of military medals. (Smoking Gun)

(--Check out a photo of this moron wearing his fraudulent Marines uniform. . .)

WAL-MART IS GOING TO STAY OPEN ALL NIGHT ON THANKSGIVING IN ORDER TO AVOID MORE BLACK FRIDAY TRAMPLING DEATHS:

It seems like every year on Black Friday, someone gets trampled to death by a stampede of early-morning bargain hunters. Just last year, it happened to a Wal-Mart security guard in Long Island, New York.

Well this year, Wal-Mart officials are trying to avoid a repeat performance of that nonsense by keeping most of their stores open all night on Thanksgiving.--The logic is that if customers aren't forced to line up outside, there won't be a mob rushing into the store as soon as the doors open.

The only problem is that the sales still won't officially begin until 5:00 A.M. Friday. --In other words, you can camp out inside Wal-Mart all night on Thanksgiving. Or you can join the rest of us in the 21st century and take care of your holiday shopping online. The choice is yours. (Holidash)

APPARENTLY, THIS YEAR'S MUST-HAVE HOLIDAY GIFT IS SOMETHING CALLED THE ZHU ZHU PET:

What do Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle-Me Elmo and the Furby all have in common? At one point or another, they were all must-have holiday gifts . . . and it was almost impossible to get your hands on them.

Well, this year's must-have holiday toy seems to be something called Zhu Zhu Pets. Basically, they're little, motorized hamsters that zoom around a hamster "funhouse," complete with slides, ramps and tunnels. (???) (--If you need a visual demonstration, check out an ad for Zhu Zhu Pets here . . .)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFWsvsQSoLM

Anyway, Zhu Zhu Pets were first released last month and they've been flying off the shelves. It's gotten to the point that the Zhu Zhu Pets, which sell for $8 at Wal-Mart, are fetching as much as $30 when resold on Amazon.com. (--You can link to the official Zhu Zhu Pets website here . . .) http://www.zhuzhupets.com/

(Wallet Pop)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW

CARRIE PREJEAN went on "Larry King Live" last night . . . and got her breast implants in a bunch when he tried to ask her about her settlement with the Miss California USA organization. (--Check out this video of Carrie taking off her microphone and trying to ignore Larry . . .) http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=4de8baa9-52d4-4395-8140-240bc5346f23

ADAM LAMBERT did indeed break up with his boyfriend, Jake LaBry. Fellow "American Idol" stud KRIS ALLEN says, quote, "[Adam is] doing good. --"He's obviously not completely happy about it, but I think it was just something that needed to happen." (--Kris did NOT address the rumor that Adam is already enjoying saucy backdoor relations with a songwriter who worked with him on his new album.)

NICOLAS CAGE WAS ONCE STALKED BY . . . A MIME???

There are some pretty bizarre celebrity stalker stories . . . but this has to rank as one of the strangest. Although it also sounds like one of the LEAST threatening.

When NICOLAS CAGE was shooting the 1999 movie "Bringing Out the Dead", he was stalked . . . by a MIME. --He says, quote, "I guess it would fall into the stalker category more or less. I was being stalked by a mime . . . silent, but maybe deadly. Somehow, this mime would appear on the set and start doing strange things.

"I have no idea how it got past security. Finally, the producers took some action and I haven't seen the mime since. But it was definitely unsettling."

MIKE TYSON PUNCHED OUT A PHOTOGRAPHER AT AN AIRPORT:

MIKE TYSON was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport yesterday . . . after he punched out a paparazzi scumbag who was following him. --The incident went down at the United Airlines ticket counter at about 4:30 P.M. We don't know what set Tyson off, but witnesses say he floored the guy with a single punch.

The victim ended up with a cut on his forehead, and was treated at a nearby hospital. There's no word how bad it was. --Tyson was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor battery and released on $20,000 bond. --But Tyson . . . who was traveling with his wife and 10-month-old daughter . . . wants battery charged filed against the photographer. --Tyson's rep says the guy was, quote, "overly aggressive" and Tyson was acting in self-defense to protect his child. --

A police spokesman says, quote, "There's a lot of different versions to this story and that's all going to come out later. There were numerous witnesses and that's what this whole case is going to depend on."

JON GOSSELIN MOCKS HIMSELF IN A "FUNNY OR DIE" VIDEO:

JON GOSSELIN has become self-aware!!! In a new Funny or Die video, Jon pokes fun at himself . . . and says that he's going to go back to his pre-"celebrity" days, to revert to his, quote, "normal, simple life." (--Here's the link . . .)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/82ee1f0bd5/jon-gosselin-goes-back-in-time

IS AEROSMITH BACK TOGETHER???

For being in their late 50s and early 60s, the guys in AEROSMITH sure move fast when it comes to creating and debunking hysteria over their status as a band. --On Tuesday night, STEVEN TYLER joined guitarist JOE PERRY onstage at the Fillmore in New York . . . during a JOE PERRY PROJECT show. --Steven told to the crowd, quote, "I just want New York to know I'm not leaving Aerosmith . . . and Joe Perry, you are a man of many colors, but I, mother(effer), am the rainbow!" (???) Then, they performed the Aerosmith hit, "Walk This Way". (--You can see fan-shot video of this at the link below.
***WARNING***: It's UNEDITED, so you can hear Steven say "mother(effer)". And about 20 seconds later Joe says "bull(crap)" while he's introducing the song.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC7EK68tdEY

--Although, Joe has been outwardly frustrated with Steven ever since their tour was cancelled after Steven fell off the stage at a show back in August . . . the talk about Steven leaving the band just began LAST WEEK. --Here's the quick timeline . . . Last Sunday, Aerosmith played a gig in Abu Dhabi. After the show, Steven told "Classic Rock" magazine that his next project would be something all his own . . . quote, "Brand Tyler." When Joe read this ONLINE, he thought Steven had QUIT.

--Then, on Monday, Joe posted messages saying that Aerosmith wasn't breaking up, but he added, quote, "In the meantime Aerosmith is positively looking for a new singer to work with. You just can't take 40 years of experience and throw it in the bin!"

--That was just over 24 hours before Steven appeared onstage Tuesday night.

--After the show, TMZ caught up with both of them. Joe confirmed that Steven was back, and added, quote, "He just couldn't stay away." When asked about the rumors of a split, Joe said, quote, "None of that's true. I don't know [where that started]."

--When Steven was asked about the break-up, he said, quote, "There is absolutely no validity to the rumor that Aerosmith is breaking up . . . mother(effer)!" (--You can watch the clip, which contains BLEEPED PROFANITY, here . . .)

http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=4f60c1a0-72a6-4da6-921e-c32944138abd

(--Just as a side note: In the video, Joe is signing all kinds of autographs . . . but says he doesn't sign guitars. I'm assuming that's because of endorsement deals or something, but I don't know. Just thought that was interesting.)

OR . . . ARE THEY STILL WALKING THEIR OWN WAYS???

So now that STEVEN TYLER has shared a stage with JOE PERRY . . . and they both adamantly denied that the band was splitting up . . . Aerosmith is okay, right? --Nope. Joe says they're still as "up in the air" as they were earlier this week. (???) --Joe gave all sorts of interviews yesterday explaining how Steven's appearance at his show was unplanned . . . and they still haven't hashed anything out.

--He told "People" magazine, quote, "I was totally surprised. I had no idea he was going to show up. We walked off stage and were sitting taking our break [before] the encore and there was a bunch of commotion and I looked up and Steven was there." --Then, to "Billboard", he added, quote, "[Steven] said, 'How ya doin'? What's going on? What songs are you playing . . . anything good or what?' I said, 'Well, we've got a couple more to go . . . you want to come and sit in with the band?' --". . . and he said 'Yeah' and [chose] 'Walk This Way'. I was really blown away that he came to the show, but he showed up and was really anxious to come and sit in and play, so I figured, what the hell?" --But Steven didn't stick around to hang out with the band afterwards. Joe says, quote, "He came up and sang and that was the last I saw of him."

Because they didn't get to talk about the future, Joe still doesn't know what's next for the band. He's under the impression that Steven wants to take TWO YEARS OFF . . . and if that's still true, Joe says Aerosmith may continue on without him. --He says, quote, "Nothing has really changed between two days ago and today. He wants to take two years off from the band. The rest of the band wants to keep on working. We have so many different options to fill up that time. --"Anything is possible at this point . . . but the band's too good to let it sit around. We're not going to wait for Steven." (--I can't WAIT to hear what happens next.)

FERGIE SAYS THE BLACK EYED PEAS AND KANYE WEST HAVE MADE HIP-HOP MORE "GAY-FRIENDLY":

In a new interview, FERGIE says that hip-hop and the gay community are cool with each other . . . and she credits her band, the BLACK EYED PEAS, and KANYE WEST for bringing them together.

-She tells "The Advocate", quote, "[The guys in my band] are completely gay-friendly. Are you kidding me? Look at how they dress! --"Kanye West really did a great thing for hip-hop and made it very mixed and open."

***THE 43RD ANNUAL CMA AWARDS ***

In case you didn't hear . . . it was TAYLOR SWIFT night at last night's "43rd Annual CMA Awards". Totally. Taylor won all four of the awards for which she was nominated . . . and at 19 . . . became the YOUNGEST performer to ever win CMA Entertainer of the Year. (--And the first solo female act to win that award since SHANIA TWAIN did it back in 1999.)

Ironically, Taylor won Best Video for "Love Story". The trophy was passed out before the show, but don't worry, BRAD PAISLEY and CARRIE UNDERWOOD managed to squeeze in the inevitable KANYE WEST joke. You can check that out here . . . http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20316530_20319261,00.html