Friday, June 19, 2009

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR HATE

HERE ARE EIGHT TIPS . . . TO HELP YOU HATE PEOPLE LESS:

There are certain people who I WANT to like . . . but the truth is that I just can't stand them. If you feel the same way, here are EIGHT TIPS to help you hate those people LESS.

#1.) See them more often: If you hate someone, you probably want to avoid them. But, because of a psychological phenomenon called the "Mere Exposure Effect", the more often you see someone . . . the more you tend to like them.

#2.) Do nice things for them: For some reason, we tend to like people after we've done nice things for them . . . even more than we like people who've done nice things for us.
#3.) Give them a brief touch: Subliminal touching . . . which is when you touch someone so lightly that they don't even notice . . . increases positive feelings and our sense of well-being.

#4.) Lighten up: If something bugs you, joke about it. Laughing helps neutralize bad feelings.

#5.) Act friendly: We think we act because of the way we feel. But the truth is that a lot of the time . . . we FEEL because of the way we ACT. So just act as if you like someone, and it'll help you hate them less.

#6.) Cut the criticism: If you voice your complaints, it makes you feel more negatively about what you don't like. So if you can resist talking about them, it's easier to change your opinion.

#7.) Remember happy shared experiences: Thinking about good times will boost your mood and lead to warmer feelings.

#8.) Be grateful: If you can focus on reasons to be grateful instead of reasons to be angry or annoyed . . . it'll help improve your view. (Yahoo Shine)

FLYIN THE VERY FRIENDLY SKIES

MEMBERS OF BRITAIN'S ROYAL AIR FORCE OFFER WOMEN RIDES IN THEIR JETS . . . IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR UNDERWEAR???

Apparently, there's an unofficial rule in Britain's Royal Air Force that if a woman wants to take a ride in a pilot's jet . . . she has to hand over her UNDERWEAR as payment. (Sun)
(-Check out evidence of this policy at Britain's Mount Pleasant airfield in the Falkland Islands.)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (6-19-09)

LET THE RUMORS THAT MILEY CYRUS IS DATING HER CO-STAR BEGIN:

After MILEY CYRUS was photographed kissing co-star . . . 18-year-old Australian actor LIAM HEMSWORTH . . . for A SCENE IN THEIR MOVIE, people started insinuating that maybe they're more than just colleagues.

But now, Miley has allowed those rumors to reach the next level, by doing some RECREATIONAL JET-SKIING with Liam. Obviously, you CAN jet ski platonically . . . but there's no story in that. (--Check out some pics . . .) http://x17online.com/celebrities/miley_cyrus/x17_xclusive_miley_gets_cozy_with_her_costar_off_screen-06172009.php
And notice, by the way, that Liam DRIVES. Remember, when Miley and Nick went jet-skiing, Nick assumed the role of the CHICK.

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BRITNEY SHOUTED, "WHAT'S UP, LONDON?" . . . IN MANCHESTER:

BRITNEY SPEARS was performing in Manchester, England on Wednesday night . . . and asked the crowd, "What's up, London?" (--Of course, there's video. Scroll forward to the 1:22 mark . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ghMhV8QTgs

Meanwhile, Britney would like you to know that she's not some overmedicated robot being wheeled out onstage night after night by her dad to generate large piles of cash. This comeback was HER idea. And she did it to shut down the HATERS.

She says, "A lot of people thought I wouldn't make it. People thought I was finished, didn't they? I guess for a while last year it looked that way. -"Nothing I can do about the past. But I'm hoping to prove them wrong now. And I have really put everything I have into this new show."

She adds, "I'm not sad any more. I was just so sad for such a long time, but not any more. And you know what? That feels really, really good. I'm happy. Truly. I feel like the girl who has it all. I have my family, my boys, my friends, my fans, this show."
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CHECK OUT THE TEETH OF CELEBRITIES . . . BEFORE THEY GOT THEM FIXED:

Some celebrities had pretty gnarly teeth before they got famous and got them fixed. Check out this gallery . . .http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/18/daddy-got-a-new-pair-of-teeth/

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JON AND KATE GOSSELIN WILL PROBABLY ANNOUNCE THEIR DIVORCE ON MONDAY:

A one-hour "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" airs Monday night at 9:00 P.M. And I hate to spoil it for anyone, but it's pretty much a guarantee that Jon and Kate will be announcing their DIVORCE.

In a promo clip for the episode, Kate says, quote, "Recently, we've made some life-changing decisions. Decisions that will affect every member of our family, ones that we hope will bring each of us some peace." (--Watch the promo for yourself here . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIkdOHbtY1E
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HE IS THE SHAT!
Did you know that WILLIAM SHATNER can't even do the Vulcan hand greeting??? That came out during a particularly HI-larious segment on "The Tonight Show" Wednesday night. You can watch the whole interview here . . .http://www.tonightshowwithconanobrien.com//video/clips/william-shatner-061709/1127321/

DON'T LOOK AT ME

SEVEN IN TEN AMERICANS FEEL SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT THE WAY THEIR BODY LOOKS DURING THE SUMMER:

I suppose there are a few narcissists out there who are completely satisfied with the way they look. But the majority of us . . . are NOT.

Listen to this . . . According to a new survey from a website called www.ZoneDiet.com, SEVEN in TEN Americans are self-conscious about the way their body looks during the summer.

And nearly HALF . . . or 49% . . . say their insecurities keep them from taking part in warm-weather activities such as going to the beach.

Overall, 84% of Americans admit they obsess about their weight and build. And the average person thinks about their body EIGHT TIMES a day . . . or 56 times a week. (PR Newswire)

Be proud of who you are!! And always remember: "Shake what ya mamma gave ya!!"

GO AHEAD, ASK HIM OUT

FIVE TIPS FOR ASKING A GUY OUT:

#1.) BE CONFIDENT AND CALM. Or, at least pretend to be. Even if it's your first time asking a guy out, he doesn't have to know.

#2.) DO IT CASUALLY. Look for an opening in the conversation that makes it seem like the idea came naturally. It's as simple as finding yourselves talking about a new movie you're both looking forward to seeing.

#3.) BE DIRECT AND SPECIFIC. Instead of asking, "Would you like to hang out sometime?" . . . have a date and an activity in mind.

#4.) KEEP IT SIMPLE. For a first date, casual and relaxed is better than something romantic. Dinner at your place should wait until something more substantial develops.

-If you're interested in seeing a movie, suggest a Sunday matinee, since Saturday-night dates are packed with expectations.

#5.) DON'T OVERWHELM HIM. Many guys are perfectly cool with . . . and even attracted to . . . the idea of a woman who will make the first move. But there are still guys out there who are more comfortable with traditional ways. If he's not receptive to your invitation and doesn't suggest an alternative, move on. If he DOES accept, the ball is in his court to ask you out for your second date. (Happen Magazine)

Thursday, June 18, 2009

OBAMA WITH DOMINOS??

ELEMENTARY STUDENTS FROM MASSACHUSETTS CREATED A MURAL OF PRESIDENT OBAMA . . . USING 2,420 DOMINOS:

Whether you like him or not, you have to admit PRESIDENT OBAMA inspires a lot of people.

In fact, he's so inspiring that students at Franklin Avenue Elementary School in Westfield, Massachusetts spent two months creating a mural of Obama . . . out of 2,420 dominos.

The students call their creation "Obaminos". (WWLP News 22 - Springfield).)

MAKEOVER CAMP??

WOULD YOU SEND YOUR DAUGHTER TO . . . MAKEOVER CAMP???

Ladies . . . if you have even a single feminist bone in your body . . . prepare to be outraged. I just learned there's a two-week summer camp in Canada for girls . . . called Makeover Camp . . . which has just ONE GOAL. Are you ready for this? -- To help little girls boost their self-confidence and become "proper" ladies . . . by improving so-called "skills" such as:
--Posture
--Voice
--Proper table settings and manners
--Conversation skills
--Wardrobe choices
--Hostess and party-planning skills
--Music appreciation
--Makeup application
According to one of the camp's founders, "We see a lot of young ladies who can benefit from a makeover program. They need to develop their presence . . . Look, this is not a boot camp to reinforce the notion that girls should stay home. It's not sexist." (--Oh, well if you say so . . .) (Macleans / Jezebel)

HE IS THE BACHELOR

CHACE CRAWFORD IS "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE'S HOTTEST BACHELOR:

"Gossip Girl" stud CHACE CRAWFORD has been named "People" magazine's Hottest Bachelor of the Summer.

Those who came close . . . but not close enough . . . include:
--SHIA LABEOUF
--ADAM LAMBERT
--DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON
--"Twilight's" KELLAN LUTZ
--ZAC EFRON
--BRADLEY COOPER
--PRINCE HARRY
--"Scrubs" duo ZAC BRAFF and DONALD FAISON

(--For more coverage , hit up the following link . . .)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (6-18-09)

BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE HAVE GIVEN AWAY ANOTHER MILLION BUCKS:

You may have heard earlier this week that BRAD PITT and his family donated $1 million to a cancer center in Springfield, Missouri . . . which was renamed The Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center, in honor of his mother.

Well, yesterday, Brad and ANGELINA JOLIE dropped ANOTHER MILLION to charity. Their Jolie-Pitt Foundation handed over the money to aid refugees in Pakistan. (--Millions of people have been driven from their homes, thanks to the resurgence of the Taliban there and in Afghanistan.)

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RUSSELL CROWE AND ADAM SANDLER WILL GET STARS ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME NEXT YEAR:

The list of celebrities who'll get stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year have been announced. Here are the big ones . . .

--RUSSELL CROWE
--ADAM SANDLER
--RINGO STARR
--JAMES CAMERON
--JOHN CUSACK
--RANDY NEWMAN
--EMMA THOMPSON
--MARK "MARKY MARK" WAHLBERG
--JON CRYER
--PETER GRAVES . . . (--THE star of the original "Mission: Impossible" TV series in the '60s and '70s. He was also Captain Clarence Oveur in the "Airplane!" movies.)
--JIMMY KIMMEL
--JULIE LOUIS-DREYFUS
--BRYAN ADAMS
--ZZ TOP
--VAN MORRISON
--ALAN JACKSON
--CHAKA KHAN (--Chaka Khan. It is ILLEGAL to say "Chaka Khan" only once. Chaka Khan.)

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MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!
Reviews are beginning to come in for "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen". And one of them revealed something interesting about one of the robots. Apparently, there's a scene in which a robot called Devastator . . . who's made up of several construction vehicles . . . is climbing up the side of a pyramid.

In one shot, the camera is looking up at him from below, and two WRECKING BALLS can be seen dangling from his crotch. In other words, they gave the robot TESTICLES. (--No big deal, really. In fact, it's kinda funny. )
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DANCING WITH GMA
MELISSA RYCROFT . . . the woman who was DISSED on "The Bachelor", and became a STAR on "Dancing With the Stars" . . . has scored a gig with ABC's "Good Morning America". She'll do, "uplifting, summer-type pieces" for the show. (--There's no word yet on when she'll start.)

GET THEM OUT OF THERE (6/18/09)

***REASONS TO KEEP YOUR KIDS OFF THE COUCH THIS SUMMER***

The days when kids spent all summer playing outside are long gone. Now there are 400 TV channels to watch . . . the Internet . . . and Playstation. Exercise has fallen to the wayside, but here are seven reasons to keep your kids OFF the couch this summer . . .

#1.) EXERCISE HELPS PREVENT CHILDHOOD OBESITY. The obesity rate for young children has DOUBLED in the last few decades, and the rate in adolescents has more than TRIPLED, from 5 percent in 1980 to 18 percent in 2006.

#2.) IT REDUCES THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE. A 2008 study showed that kids who ARE obese tend to have arteries that look like the average 45-year-old's. And as a result, kids will likely end up dealing with heart disease at a MUCH earlier age.

#3.) IT IMPROVES TEST SCORES. The California Department of Education found that kids who are in shape generally score TWICE as high on academic tests as kids who are overweight.

#4.) IT HELPS KIDS GET A BETTER NIGHT'S SLEEP. In 2006, researches divided 100 INACTIVE kids into three groups. Some had to exercise 40 minutes a day, some had to exercise 20 minutes a day, and some didn't have to exercise at all.

-The results were published in "Obesity" magazine, and, as you might expect, the kids who exercised MORE got a better night's sleep because of it.

(--More importantly . . . there's a magazine called "Obesity": http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=1467-7881.)

#5.) EXERCISE IMPROVES SELF-ESTEEM. According to a study released in March, 20 to 40 minutes of exercise a day can drastically increase the self-esteem of an overweight child . . . even if that child doesn't lose any weight because of it. (The Complete Sheet)

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

American Idol Auditions!

Greetings!!

This past weekend I braved the rain and the UNBELIEVEABLY loooonnnggg lines as I went to the American Idol auditions. I thought it would be a fun time and an unforgetable experience... well I was right! Even though I woke up at 3am and stood in the rain for over 5 hours just for a 20 second audition, it was worth it



To answer your question... NO I will not be your American Idol haha! BUT I will be your night DJ!! I wouldn't trade that for ANYTHING!!! Besides, I work with Ryan Seacrest everyday as it is lol



Here are just a few pictures from my day at Gillette Stadium, but you can view ALL of my photos at my MySpace page : AshleyATNight




I wasn't nervous lol




Singin in the rain :)



Ryan Arrives!


He strikes a pose for me but blinks when I snap it... figures lol

More photos posted on my MySpace page! AshleyATNight

SILLY VIDEO'S OF THE DAY

THE WEIRD ONE RETURNS


Here's the music video for WEIRD AL YANKOVIC'S new song, "Craigslist", which parodies THE DOORS' song "When The Music's Over".http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R32aFmxL9HY(Search Terms: Weird Al Yankovic Craigslist music video)



THIS ONE'S KIND OF FUNNY.

This fake news report from "The Onion" explains that gymnast SHAWN JOHNSON was euthanized after breaking her leg while practicing on the uneven bars. (--Don't miss 1:54, where her fake father talks about her like she's a horse and says, "Shawn was only 17 years old, so we never got to breed her.")http://www.theonion.com/content/video/gymnast_shawn_johnson_put_to?utm_source=videoembed(Search Terms: Shawn Johnson gymnast euthanized video)


AMAZING SHOT!

At the Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup parade, a fan threw a football across a street and into a fourth-story window. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg6cG-k_DGQ(Search Terms: amazing football toss Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup parade video)

CELEBRATING THE 4TH

MILLER-COORS IS SENDING 8,000 CASES OF BEER TO TROOPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST . . . TO HELP THEM CELEBRATE THE FOURTH OF JULY:

It's a shame that while we all get to celebrate the Fourth of July from home, the people who actually risk their lives defending our interests . . . meaning the MILITARY TROOPS . . . are stuck in foreign countries. Which is what makes THIS so cool . . .

This weekend, MillerCoors will ship 8,000 cases of beer . . . (--4,000 cases of Miller Lite and 4,000 cases of Coors Light) . . . to troops serving in the Middle East, in order to help them celebrate the Fourth of July.

And, as if that's not enough, MillerCoors has also purchased 25,000 pizzas from Uno Chicago Grill . . . which they're donating as well. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

HOT STUFF

JULIANNE HOUGH, LEANN RIMES AND MARTINA MCBRIDE ARE ON THE COVER OF THE NEXT "SHAPE" MAGAZINE . . . WEARING BIKINIS:

The fine people at "Shape" magazine asked JULIANNE HOUGH, LEANN RIMES and MARTINA MCBRIDE to share the cover of their July issue . . . and all three said yes. And that's not even the best part. "Shape" persuaded all three of them to pose in bikinis. It's not the first time for LeAnn and Julianne. Each of them have posed on the cover before . . . but how awesome is it that "Shape" convinced Martina McBride to show off her rockin' 42-year-old body.
Martina tells Nashville's WKRN-TV how it went down, "I got there and I'm thinking, okay, you know, I've been working out a little bit, I'll wear a tank top, maybe a pair of shorts, show a little legs, show a little arms. --"They whip out the bikini and I say, 'Oh, that's cute. Who's that for?' And they're like, 'Oh, that's yours' . . . I'm like, 'Hmmm, I'll be right back.'"

-Martina sneaked off to another room and called her husband for approval. And God bless the man, he was cool with it. She continues, "I said, 'John, I think I'm going to be in a bikini on this thing,' and he's like, 'That's awesome!'"
-The issue of "Shape" hits newsstands THIS WEEK. Here's a sneak preview of the cover . . .

POOR LINDSAY

SAMANTHA RONSON DUMPED LINDSAY LOHAN AGAIN . . . VIA TEST MESSAGE:

It's over . . . AGAIN . . . between LINDSAY LOHAN and SAMANTHA RONSON. (--Sam and Lindsay first broke up in April . . . but they got back together last month.)

Samantha reportedly dumped Lindsay Monday night, following a huge argument that started over . . . NICOLE RICHIE. Sam is good friends with Nicole . . . and Nicole HATES Lindsay. So that was already causing some friction. But last week, Nicole invited Samantha to a party . . . and told her she couldn't bring Lindsay. Sam went to the party, and Lindsay went DOG NUTS.

On Monday night, Sam and Lindsay went at it pretty seriously . . . then Sam went off to dinner with Nicole. After dinner, Sam broke up with Lindsay via TEXT MESSAGE . . . and told her it was over for good this time.
By the way . . . Here's a quick update on that Lindsay Lohan jewel heist nonsense: It was actually $410,000 worth of bling that was stolen from that "Elle" magazine photo shoot in London. But "Elle" says Lindsay is in no way a suspect . . . and, for the time being at least, it doesn't look like Scotland Yard is interested in interviewing her.

WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE?

HAVING A PURPOSE IN LIFE CAN CUT YOUR RISK OF DYING . . . IN HALF:

Do you have a purpose in life? The reason I ask is because, according to a new study from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, people who have a strong purpose in life . . . no matter how ambitious it may be . . . are about HALF as likely to die as people with less purpose.

A woman named Dr. Patricia Boyle led the study. She says: "We found that people who reported a greater level of purpose in life were substantially less likely to die over the follow-up period [of about three years] . . . as compared to people with a lower level of purpose.

-"What this is saying is, if you find purpose in life, if you find your life is meaningful and if you have goal-directed behavior, you are likely to live longer." (Health Day)

BEYONE'S NEW VIDEO

CHECK OUT BEYONCÉ'S "BROKEN-HEARTED GIRL" VIDEO:

BEYONCÉ has released her newest artsy black-and-white video. This one's for "Broken-Hearted Girl", and it features her frolicking in slow-motion on a beach. But don't get your hopes up too much . . . she's wearing a full-length dress most of the time.

(--You can check it out here . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp9VROTLA7M


CHUCK NORRIS FACTS

CHUCK NORRIS IS WRITING HIS OWN BOOK OF "CHUCK NORRIS FACTS"!!!

Everyone has a favorite CHUCK NORRIS FACT. (--Mine is: "Chuck Norris can blow bubbles with beef jerky.")

There's even a book of Chuck Norris Facts, called "The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 Facts About the World's Greatest Human".

As you may recall, though, Chuck actually SUED over the book. But not because he's against Chuck Norris Facts.

In his lawsuit, he said he felt some of the jokes in the book were, "racist, lewd or portrayed [him] as engaged in illegal activities." Well, Chuck eventually DROPPED his lawsuit over that book . . . and now, he's writing his OWN book of Chuck Norris Facts for the Christian publishing company he worked with on his last book.

Chuck's book won't be a straight-up comedy, though. Each "joke" will be followed by an essay about why that particular "fact" has special meaning for him. The publisher says, "The facts themselves will be humorous, but he will have basically a 250-word commentary on each fact. He talks about his movie career and different things that have happened to him in his life. He'll take the humor as a jumping-off point."

DO YOU HEAR WEDDING BELLS?

***FIVE REASONS YOU SHOULDN'T ELOPE***

If you're thinking of running off to Vegas this weekend for a spur-of-the-moment wedding . . . you should probably reconsider.

A lot of couples elope because of difficult family relationships, pregnancy, or because they just think weddings are meaningless.

And, while it's true that most people don't have money for a big wedding right now, here are five reasons why you SHOULDN'T elope . . .

#1.) PLANNING A WEDDING IS GOOD PRACTICE. It helps a couple learn how to make big decisions together, handle arguments, and decide how much pull your parents will have in your life. All of those things will come up again and again during marriage.

#2.) YOU DESERVE TO BE THE STAR FOR A DAY. For some people, being the center of attention is a scary idea. But everyone deserves to receive the star treatment a few times in their life. And a wedding is the perfect time to play the "princess card".

#3.) IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR MARRIAGE. Some people get so hung up on the wedding, they forget that the MARRIAGE is what's really important. Agreeing to marry someone is a life-changing event. And you should treat it that way.

#4.) YOUR WEDDING DAY IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. Marriage might be between two PEOPLE, but it's also about the joining of two FAMILIES. Your family and friends have been there for you on your bad days, and they'll want to CELEBRATE the good ones.

#5.) IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BREAK THE BANK. SOME weddings are expensive, but others are very modest. Whether you have your wedding at the Ritz or in someone's backyard, it can still be a beautiful, special day. And it will be much more meaningful than hitting up a drive-thru chapel or taking a trip to the courthouse. (I know a great DJ/ Event planner who won't break the bank!!- Wink Wink) (Yahoo.com)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

BUSTED AT THE DRIVE THROUGH

UNDERCOVER COPS IN ARIZONA ARE STAKING OUT LATE-NIGHT DRIVE-THRU WINDOWS . . . LOOKING FOR DRUNK DRIVERS:

Recently, the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Arizona started a new program . . . called Operation WULF . . . which stands for . . . get this . . . Would U Like Fries.

It involves using undercover officers to stake out fast food drive-thru windows . . . in order to bust DRUNK DRIVERS with the late-night MUNCHIES.

If the undercover officer notices anyone with the classic symptoms of being drunk . . . like slurred speech, red or watery eyes or beer breath . . . they'll radio a uniformed deputy stationed down the road and have them pull the driver over.

According to the officer in charge of Operation WULF, "The idea is to get the [drunks] before they get back on the road." (--I'm sorry, but this is BRILLIANT. I don't know why more police departments don't do this. Really, this is police work at its finest.) (Arizona Daily Star / Fox News)

SMARTER KIDS

BREASTFEEDING FOR AN EXTRA MONTH INCREASES THE CHANCE THAT YOUR KID WILL GO TO COLLEGE . . . BY 1.4%:

. . . if you want your kids to go to college and become successful . . . and I KNOW you do . . . there's a simple thing you can do to improve their chances.

What is it? --BREASTFEEDING.

Get this . . . A new study from American University and the University of Colorado at Denver has found that for every additional month a mother breastfeeds, her child's high school grade point average increases by 0.019 points.

For example, an extra month of breastfeeding would raise your GPA from a 3.1 to a 3.119 -And each additional month of breastfeeding also increases the chance that your kid will go to college . . . by 1.4%. (Yahoo News)

CHRIS HAS A NEW RIHANNA??

CHRIS BROWN ATTENDED SUNDAY NIGHT'S BASKETBALL GAME WITH A RIHANNA LOOK-ALIKE:

CHRIS BROWN watched the Lakers win the NBA Championship Sunday night . . . with a RIHANNA LOOK-ALIKE by his side. This wasn't some kind of weird P.R. stunt, though. The woman's name is TEYANA TAYLOR, and she's been friends with Chris for years.

As for her look, she seems to think the similarities are a coincidence. She says, "I've always dressed like that. I've always had style . . . I've had that Mohawk now for months."


JUST DON'T LOOK

CALVIN KLEIN UNVEILED A NEW BILLBOARD IN NEW YORK THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK IS BORDERLINE PORNOGRAPHIC:

Calvin Klein unveiled a racy new billboard in New York City, which features a TOPLESS woman lying on top of a shirtless guy . . . while making out with another shirtless guy. And lying on the floor is . . . you guessed it . . . yet another shirtless guy.

Anyway, as usual, some people are saying the billboard is borderline pornographic. But, according to a company spokesman, it's only meant to, quote, "create a very sexy campaign that speaks to our targeted demographic."
--People, if you haven't figured it out already, the only reason Calvin Klein puts up these kinds of billboards . . . is because they know people will make a big deal about it and give them tons of free advertising and cool points with the kids.

-In other words, if you want Calvin Klein and other companies to stop using sex to sell their products . . . then you need to stop freaking out every time you see an ad.
(WCBS News 2 - New York)

***THE TEEN CHOICE AWARDS***

THE TEEN CHOICE AWARDS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED:

The 2009 Teen Choice Awards nominations have been announced, and not surprisingly, the vampire sensation "Twilight" leads the pack with 12 nominations. That includes the Romance and Drama movie categories, as well as Best Movie Actor and Actress in a Drama, for ROBERT PATTINSON and KRISTEN STEWART.

-MILEY CYRUS, "High School Musical 3", and "Gossip Girl" each have 10 nominations . . . And the JONAS BROTHERS . . . who are hosting the ceremony . . . have nine nominations, including Music (slash) Dance movie, TV Actor in a Comedy, Breakout TV Show, and Love Song.

-The show airs live on Fox on Monday, August 10th.

(--You can check out all the nominees here . . .)

http://eonline.com/uberblog/b129243_twilight_leaps_away_with_12_teen_choice.html

(--And you can vote, here . . .)http://www.teenchoiceawards.com/webdev/index.php

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LITTLE MILEY IS GROWING UP SO FAST!

MILEY CYRUS is getting some action on the set of her new movie, "The Last Song". Check out these pics of Miley making out with co-star LIAM HEMSWORTH . . .



TALK THE TALK

***RECESSION LINGO YOU SHOULD KNOW***

All this talk about the economy is a downer, but as depressing as it might be, you should still know the jargon so you'll understand what's going on.

Here's a short lesson for people who think a bailout involves a sinking ship . . .

#1.) BAILOUT. As you may have heard, some businesses are just "TOO BIG" to go under. Before President Bush authorized a $700 billion bailout plan in October, the last bailout went to the airlines. They got $15 BILLION in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks crippled the industry.

#2.) CONSUMER CONFIDENCE. It's a gauge of how good the average consumer feels about the economy. The monthly Consumer Confidence Index is watched closely by investors, and in October of last year, it hit an all-time low.

#3.) DEFLATION. It's a general decline in prices. That might sound like a good thing, but it has major consequences. When prices fall, consumers actually spend LESS, which results in more unemployment. And deflation could be followed by massive INFLATION . . .

-. . . which means a rise in the general level of prices. And when that happens, each of your dollars buys fewer goods and services. In other words, your money is now worth LESS.

#4.) STIMULUS. A stimulus could be a tax rebate, a boost in unemployment benefits, or increased government spending on public projects, which creates jobs. The most-recent stimulus was in May of last year when payments of $600 were sent out to qualified taxpayers.

#5.) RECESSION. It's a significant decline in economic activity that lasts more than a few months. On average, recessions last around 14 months, but according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the United States has been in recession since December of 2007.

#6.) DEPRESSION. It's a prolonged recession that includes extremely high unemployment, falling wages, and the general collapse of the economy. Things might feel bad now, but during America's last depression in the 1930s, unemployment hit 25 PERCENT. (RealSimple.com)

Monday, June 15, 2009

TECHNOLOGY TROUBLE

700,000 PEOPLE CALLED THE FEDERAL DIGITAL TV HOTLINE LAST WEEK:

For the past several months . . . even YEARS . . . the Federal Communications Commission has been warning people about the nationwide switch from ANALOG TV . . . to DIGITAL TV.

Well, the switch was finally made on Friday, and according to the FCC, the federal digital TV hotline was swamped last week . . . with nearly 700,000 calls from people having trouble operating their digital converter boxes.

Overall, more than 317,000 people called the hotline on Friday alone. (Google News)

(--In other words, yes, a lot of people procrastinated on the whole digital switchover . . . . If you're one of those people and you're having trouble with your digital signal, you can call the hotline at 1-888-CALL-FCC.)
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MORE THAN 500,000 PEOPLE GRABBED THEIR OWN FACEBOOK VANITY URL . . . IN THE FIRST 15 MINUTES:

You may have heard that last Friday, Facebook started a new service allowing users to set up their own vanity URL. (--Basically, that means they can set up their own, personalized URL . . . such as www.Facebook.com/1055JYY, for example . . . in order to direct other people to their Facebook page.)

Anyway, according to a Facebook spokesman, in the first SEVEN MINUTES, more than 345,000 people had set up their own, personalized URL. -And in 15 MINUTES, more than 500,000 had. (Tech Crunch)

NO WATER FOR YOU

AND NOW . . . KATE GOSSELIN IS DENYING HER KIDS WATER???

It'd be really nice to ignore all this "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" hysteria. But if KATE GOSSELIN is more concerned with the reality show than keeping her kids HYDRATED . . . that's something we definitely need to call her out on.

There's a video making the rounds online, which appears to be behind-the-scenes footage from the filming of their stupid show. While Kate and the kids are waiting to tape an interview, one of the girls begins whining about how she's thirsty and is feeling "dehydrated." Kate just responds, quote, "Yes, me too." So Kate asks the crew if she can have a bottle of water. They hand her one . . . and she drinks it in front of the thirsty kid then puts it on the ground next to her chair WITHOUT GIVING HER DAUGHTER A SIP.

The girl even says, "You're drinking it right in front of me." Kate tells her daughter she'll get her a drink AFTER the interview. The kid says, "You're really, really mean. You drank right in front of my face."

Then, Kate actually appears to have a change of heart. She starts reaching for the bottle, but realizes that the interview is about to start. So she tells her thirsty daughter, quote, "We can't right now, we're going on."

(--Here's the video . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjohryb6xAU

(--Wow. Talk about a parent who clearly doesn't have her priorities in the right place to raise eight kids. This footage is supposedly from this past January . . . long before this show was the MEDIA SENSATION that it is now.)

So if there's one positive side to the way the show has BLOWN UP in recent weeks, it's that maybe Kate has to be a little more civil and attentive to her kids, now that the whole freakin' country seems to be watching.

MIROR IMAGE

I'M SEEING DOUBLE!!

Two women who work for the same company but in different cities believed they are identical twins after a chance encounter.

It came about after the owner of a fashion shop in Xiamen in southern China's Fujian province went to inspect a branch shop in Quangang, reports Chutian Metropolis News.

He was amazed to find what appeared to be a worker from his headquarters working there without his permission

"I thought she must have been dispatched from HQ, since she looked exactly the same as my other staff member," said the company owner. When Zhuang Yanhong and Gong Jingjing, both 18, met up, it turned out they were almost identical - both even had four moles in the same place on their right hands - but their home towns were thousands of miles apart.

"We even have the same features, hobbies and habits," said Zhuang Yanhong. The pair initially thought it was just an amazing coincidence. Zhuang is an adopted child from Jiangxi, while Gong, had always thought her parents were her biological parents.

But then she got the surprising news from her parents that she too had been adopted from Jiangxi. The girls are now convinced they are twins - although Gong added: "We don't want to do DNA tests. No matter what happens, we are sisters."

SUPPRESS YOUR APPETITE

***SEVEN FOODS THAT SUPPRESS YOUR APPETITE ***

More people worry about getting in shape NOW than any other time of year. Hitting the gym can help get you ready for beach season, but you won't get REAL results unless you control your diet. Here are seven appetite-suppressing foods that help you eat less . . .

#1.) APPLES. One large apple has FIVE GRAMS of fiber, which makes you feel fuller, longer. And apples don't make your blood sugar level spike the way carbohydrates do. When your blood sugar spikes, it eventually crashes, and you have to eat again.

#2.) CAFFEINE. Most people drink caffeine to wake up, but it also suppresses your appetite. A small cup of coffee every few hours tends to keep people from snacking in between meals.

-Just be careful HOW you get your coffee. Most Starbucks drinks are LOADED with calories and fat.

#3.) WATER. People often mistake HUNGER for THIRST. When you're dehydrated, it can make you feel tired, and when you're tired, your brain automatically releases a hormone that tells you to eat . . . even though you don't really need to.

#4.) WASABI. Spicy foods in general are good appetite suppressants. But WASABI . . . that spicy green stuff you get with sushi . . . is especially good. It makes you feel less hungry, AND it's been shown to lower your risk of cancer.

#5.) OATMEAL. A bowl of unsweetened oatmeal in the morning will curb your late-morning cravings. Oatmeal contains more fiber than most cereal, and it's low in sugar, which means your blood-sugar won't spike, then crash.

#6.) SALMON. Salmon is a good appetite suppressant because it has a lot of healthy fat. And that good fat will keep you feeling full and satisfied a lot longer than carbohydrates will.

#7.) ALMONDS. They ALSO have a lot of healthy fat, and they're easy to snack on between meals . . . Just don't eat too many. Nuts are good appetite suppressants, but it takes about 30 minutes before they make you feel full.

-So make sure you eat them BEFORE you start feeling too hungry. If you're famished and you reach for some almonds, you'll either eat WAY too many, or you'll end up eating something else too. (AskMen.com)