NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEO'S OF THE DAY

SILLY VIDEO'S OF THE DAY

#1.) After winning the 400 meter hurdles at a track meet in Germany, Jamaica's MELAINE WALKER hopped on the back of the Berlin mascot "Berlino" for her victory lap . . . then Berlino ran straight into the back of a truck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rsHLCuJrMY
(Search terms: Melaine Walker Jamaica 2009 Berlin mascot fail video)

#2.) A guy tries to do a backflip off a wall, but his foot goes straight through it.http://www.break.com/index/two-wall-flips-one-fail.html(Search Terms: flip foot through wall fail video)

NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

THE WORLD'S LONGEST-SERVING BARTENDER IS ABOUT TO RETIRE AFTER 77 YEARS ON THE JOB: (!!!)

On April 7th, 1933, Angelo Cammarata started his bartending career just ONE SECOND after Prohibition officially ended.

Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because 95-year-old Angelo, who's recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's longest-serving bartender, is about to retire after 77 years on the job.

So how does Angelo feel about all the time he spent behind the bar? -He says, quote, "It was a pleasure because I met so many wonderful people." (--You just know Angelo has some great stories. ) (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)


THERE'S A NEW WEBSITE FOR ONLINE DATERS WHO WANT TO VERIFY THAT THEIR PROFILE PICTURE IS ACTUALLY OF THEM:

According to a new study, more than FOUR in FIVE online daters say they've suspected that a potential date's profile image was a FAKE, and more than ONE in THREE say they've discovered that someone's actual identity doesn't match their "online persona".

Enter CheckedProfile.com . . . which is a photo verification system for online daters who want to make sure that a potential date's profile picture is actually of them and not some other person who's much more attractive. So how does the system work?

#1.) Upload the profile picture you'd like to be verified.

#2.) After the picture's been uploaded, Checked Profile will give you a "unique code".

#3.) Take another photo of yourself holding the unique code and send it back to Checked Profile.

#4.) One of the site's "experts" checks to make sure it's the same person in each photo.

#5.) If successful, users are given a unique stamp which they can upload onto any website verifying that it actually is them in their profile picture.

--The service is FREE for women, and it costs just $1.99 for men. (PR Newswire)(--Take a look at this website here . . .)http://www.checkedprofile.com/

NUDITY NEWS

SUNDAY IS THE SECOND ANNUAL "NATIONAL GO TOPLESS DAY":

Last year, a bunch of free-spirited women decided it was unfair that men can go topless in public, but women can't.

So they got together and held an event called National Go Topless Day . . . which was basically just a series of rallies around the country where girls took off their shirts.

Anyway, it seems the event was such a hit (--and why wouldn't it be?) that this Sunday, August 23rd, has been declared the second annual National Go Topless Day.

(--Find out if there's a National Go Topless Day event in your area here . . .)(--WARNING!!! NUDITY AT THIS LINK!!!) http://gotopless.org/(Fleshbot)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (8-21-09)

THAT VH1 REALITY SHOW CONTESTANT HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER:

Yesterday, we learned about this VH1 reality show contestant who supposedly killed his wife, stuffed her in a suitcase, and then tossed the suitcase in a Southern California dumpster. Well, he's still on the run, but he's now been charged with murder.

32-year-old RYAN JENKINS has been charged in the death of 28-year-old swimsuit model JASMINE FIORE. He has apparently escaped into Vancouver and the Canadian authorities have launched a manhunt.

For everyone who isn't completely up to speed on this riveting saga, Ryan Jenkins appeared on not one, but two VH1 reality shows . . . "Megan Wants A Millionaire" and "I Love Money 3".

VH1 has stopped airing "Megan Wants A Millionaire", and "I Love Money 3" will probably never air, because it just finished taping last month and Ryan supposedly won the $250,000 prize.

Anyway, Ryan met Jasmine Fiore about five months ago, then married her two days later in Vegas. The murder theory now is that Ryan found out she was texting an old boyfriend last Friday . . . and that was the last time anyone saw her.

Here's the sick part. Authorities say that Jasmine was strangled . . . then stripped. But before her body was stuffed in a suitcase and tossed into a dumpster, Ryan cut off her fingers and removed her teeth, to make her body harder to identify.

So assuming Ryan killed her . . . . one has to wonder how such a scumbag managed to get on two VH1 reality shows. Surely he had a clean record and this is the first time he's ever done anything against the law, right? -WRONG. It turns out, Ryan was charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly hitting Jasmine back in June. And he was convicted in 2007 for assaulting a previous girlfriend!

A spokesperson for 51 Minds Entertainment, which produced "Megan Wants A Millionaire", says, quote: "Obviously, if the company had been given a full picture of his background, he would never have been allowed on the show . . . --"The company did have in place what it thought was a thorough vetting process that involved complete background checks by an outside company for all contestants on its shows. Clearly, the process did not work properly in this case."


MICHAEL JACKSON MADNESS

#1.) MICHAEL JACKSON isn't going to be buried on August 29th after all. JOE JACKSON says the family needed more time to prepare for the burial . . . whatever that means . . . so August 31st is the new date. (--The 29th would have been Michael Jackson's 51st birthday. The burial hasn't been rescheduled yet.)

#2.) TITO JACKSON will attempt to get over his brother's untimely death by touring! He'll be opening for GLADYS KNIGHT on a quick European tour in October. He'll be performing with his 14-piece band, the Funk Brothers.


MOVIE TRAILER'S

The trailer for JAMES CAMERON'S new sci-fi movie, "Avatar", is up on the Internet. It looks amazing. The movie, which stars Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, and Michelle Rodriguez, comes out December 18th. Check it out: http://avatar.substance001.info/

It doesn't come out for another six months, but the preview of "The Wolf Man" is already up. The movie, which stars BENICIO DEL TORO and SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS, is a remake of the CLASSIC 1941 werewolf flick that starred LON CHANEY JR. (--It comes out in February of next year. Check it out . . .)http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810007466/video/15143214

LOU FERRIGNO IS UPSET WITH "DANCING WITH THE STARS":

Earlier this month, "Incredible Hulk" stud LOU FERRIGNO was pumped because he'd just had a "really positive meeting" with the producers of "Dancing with the Stars" . . . but when the cast list was announced this week, he wasn't on it.

And he's a little TICKED OFF about it . . . at least, according to his wife, Carla. --She tells Radar Online, quote, "They never even had the class to give Lou a call and tell him that he was not going to be chosen. This is the second time they haven't selected him . . . but it WILL be the last.

"Lou is an American icon and we had a lot of fans contacting us who were excited about him appearing on 'Dancing with the Stars'. The producers told us he would have made an excellent contestant . . . it just does not make any sense at all."

She adds, quote, "We couldn't believe some of the people they picked . . . I mean TOM DELAY, a corrupt politician . . . a skateboarder who nobody has ever heard of . . . and what exactly has ASHLEY HAMILTON ever done?" (--You know, she has a point. Tom DeLay is a stunt. Ashley Hamilton is . . . well, he was married to SHANNEN DOHERTY in 1993. That's all I got.)

(--The "skateboarder that nobody has ever heard of" is actually a pro SNOWBOARDER that nobody has ever heard of named LOUIE VITO. Does this make any sense? Is it possible they just announced the wrong Lou???)

"THE BIGGEST LOSER" IS DOING AN ALL-STARS SEASON:

If you haven't heard, the upcoming season of "The Biggest Loser" will give former contestants a "second chance" at losing weight on national TV. So it'll be kind of like an all-stars season . . . only it'll be filled with losers. http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/video/clips/the-biggest-loser-preview/1142261/

KISS HAS UNVEILED A NEW SINGLE:

KISS is streaming their new single, which is called "Modern Day Delilah", on their website. (--It'll be the first single off their upcoming Wal-Mart album, "Sonic Boom", which comes out on October 6th. Here's the link to the song . . .) http://www.kissonline.com/stream/article/display/id/18409

SINGLE TOO LONG

FIVE SIGNS YOU'VE BEEN SINGLE TOO LONG:

#1.) YOU ASSUME YOU REPULSE THE OPPOSITE SEX. When someone cute walks by and smiles at you, you should take it as a compliment. But being single and out of the game for a while can start to wear on your confidence.

Before you know it, you'll start assuming these flirtatious glances are really smirks at your expense, probably aimed at your bad hair or frumpy outfit. And attracting anyone with that kind of attitude will be nearly impossible.

#2.) YOU DEVELOP BAD EATING HABITS. It takes effort to cook for one, and falling into the trap of eating like a bachelor is easy. If your cupboards are filled with food that can be cooked in less than five minutes, you've probably been on your own for too long.

It's not hard to get back on the right path: Head to the grocery store for a big order and shop for the basics like rice and pasta, pick up a spice rack, and invest in a cookbook that specializes in simple meals for one.

Sure, it's always going to be easier to just pop a dinner into the microwave, but look at it this way: When you DO start dating again, you'll be able to cook for your date.

#3.) YOU GUSH ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS TO YOUR FRIENDS. If you're answering your friends' small-talk questions with long, emotional rants on your lonely single life, you need to get a grip.

You shouldn't bottle up all those feelings, just learn to pick and choose who hears them and when to let them out.

#4.) YOUR DATING STANDARDS PLUMMET. When the dumpy girl down at the video store or the creepy older guy at the bar start to look like pretty good options to you, it's time to reevaluate your dating standards.

Just because you've been single for a while doesn't mean you should take whatever you can get. Keep your standards up, and the right person will eventually come along.

#5.) YOU GOOGLE OLD FLAMES. If you find yourself up late at night typing an ex's name into Google, wondering what they've been up to and hoping you guys could work out your differences, you should stop immediately and take a long, cold shower.

And social networking sites like Facebook have taken cyber-stalking to a whole new level. These sites offer a glimpse into your exes' social life complete with pictures, comments and more. Take a look if you have to, but DON'T attempt to contact them. (Ask Men)

NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

A SOUTH AFRICAN SPRINTER TOOK A GENDER VERIFICATION TEST TO PROVE THAT "SHE" ISN'T ACTUALLY A "HE":

Yesterday, an 18-year-old sprinter from South Africa named Caster Semenya destroyed the competition and won gold in the women's 800-meter dash at the World Athletic Championships in Berlin, Germany.

But it seems some people aren't ready to recognize Caster as the next big thing in track and field just yet. Why? - Because critics think SHE . . . is actually a HE.

According to a spokesman for the International Association of Athletics Federations, quote, "At this moment in time we do not have any evidence to stop [Caster] from running. It would be wrong today to make a decision to withdraw an athlete."

For what it's worth, South African officials swear Caster is in fact a woman. And, to prove it, Caster has undergone "gender verification" testing. --The results of the test won't be known for a few more weeks. (Daily Mail)

(--Check out some photos of Caster and decide for yourself. . .)

TWO GUYS WERE FIRED FROM THEIR JOBS AT BEST BUY FOR . . . *PREVENTING* A ROBBERY???

Here's even more evidence that it just doesn't pay to do what's right . . . --Earlier this month, an unidentified shoplifter stole two cell phones from the Best Buy store in Broomfield, Colorado.

But as the thief was leaving the store, he was tackled by a 20-year-old Best Buy employee named Jared Bergstreser. Listen to this . .

On Sunday, Jared and another co-worker who helped him catch the robber, 23-year-old Colin Trapp, were both FIRED from Best Buy. Why? -Because Best Buy has a corporate policy against chasing shoplifters outside the store. Since Jared and Colin broke the rule, they had to go.

Anyway, the shoplifter and two knife-wielding accomplices got away and haven't been caught yet. And an unidentified manager from Best Buy suffered a cut to the hand in the incident, but she's expected to be okay. (Denver Post)

(--For what it's worth, officials at the Broomfield Best Buy say they didn't want to fire Jared and Colin, but the word came down from corporate and they had no choice.)


LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE U.S. HAS RISEN TO AN ALL-TIME HIGH OF NEARLY 78 YEARS OLD:

Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that life expectancy in the U.S. has risen to an all-time high of nearly 78 years of age, and death rates for almost every leading cause of death (--meaning cancer, heart disease, etc . . .) have fallen.

But, overall, the U.S. still trails about 30 other countries in life expectancy, including Japan which has the longest life expectancy in the world at nearly 83 years of age. (Yahoo News)

(--You can get more information, and check out a diagram charting life expectancy rates since 1975, here . . .)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090819/ap_on_he_me/us_med_life_expectancy

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (8-20-09)

JON GOSSELIN WANTS TO STAR IN A NEW REALITY SHOW . . . WITH MICHAEL LOHAN???

"Jon and Kate Plus Eight" JON GOSSELIN wants to star in a new reality show called "Divorced Dads Club". And it sounds like he's developing it with LINDSAY LOHAN'S all-star father, MICHAEL LOHAN.

A production company called Endermol . . . (--the people behind "Big Brother") . . . says Jon approached them with the idea for the show, and they're running with it. But they may have to do it WITHOUT Jon.

That's because TLC . . . the network that airs "Jon & Kate" . . . essentially OWNS Jon, and they would have to sign off on him doing another show. Naturally, they're NOT interested in sharing him.

However, Jon and TLC aren't exactly on the best terms these days. TLC has reportedly accused him of violating the so-called "morals clause" in his contract. They're upset with how he's always in the tabloids, boozing it up at various bars.

And Jon feels that he's being stiffed out of his "Jon & Kate" paychecks. TMZ says TLC was paying the Gosselins in a joint account . . . but a judge recently put KATE GOSSELIN in control of the family's money because she's more responsible.

Supposedly, Jon blew through his share . . . while Kate did the right thing, and dumped most of her cut into a college fund for the kids. Now, Jon only has limited access to his money . . . and THAT'S probably why he's looking for another gig.

THE CW IS ADVERTISING "THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE" WITH NAKED PICTURES OF THE CAST:

The CW network isn't all that good at coming up with compelling TV shows . . . but they're REALLY good at making SEXY ads to promote those shows.

Case in point: Their upcoming show, "The Beautiful Life", sounds forgettable . . . (--it's about "male and female models, who live together in New York") . . . but the ads feature the cast . . . NAKED, and just barely covered where they need to be.

The ads feature Sara Paxton, "High School Musical" stud Corbin Bleu, Ashley Madekwe and Ben Hollingsworth. "The Beautiful Life" also stars Elle Macpherson and Mischa Barton . . . but they weren't included. (--Here are the ads . . .)

THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A GIANT MICHAEL JACKSON ROBOT IN LAS VEGAS:

Of all the reasons to be sad about MICHAEL JACKSON'S death, this is probably the most heartbreaking: Now there will never be a giant Michael Jackson robot in the Las Vegas desert.

Check this out: In the years following Michael's 2005 acquittal on child molestation charges, there was talk of Michael doing a residency at a Vegas casino. At times, that talk got pretty serious.

In 2007, Michael even had designers working on plans for a 50-foot robot of himself that would have stood in the Nevada desert as an advertisement for his show.--None of this ever happened, because Michael couldn't raise the cash for such an expensive venture. Then he signed the deal to do his "This Is It!" concert series in London, and that sort of put the whole idea to bed. --But not quite. The guys who designed the robot retooled it and turned it into an entire Michael Jackson-themed hotel and casino.

Michael never actually saw that design . . . but the guys responsible for it say they had a meeting scheduled with him for this coming November. Obviously, that meeting has been canceled, and there are no plans to build the robot or the casino.

(--But you can check out a PICTURE of the robot / casino that COULD HAVE BEEN below. Sure, it's cool . . . but could this thing have ever actually been built???)

ANDY WARHOL'S MICHAEL JACKSON PAINTING JUST SOLD FOR OVER A MILLION BUCKS:

ANDY WARHOL'S 1984 painting of MICHAEL JACKSON just sold for over $1 MILLION. There's no word who bought it. (--On May 13th . . . just over a month before Michael's death . . . this same painting sold for a mere $278,500. Check it out here . . .


VH1 HAS TAKEN "MEGAN WANTS A MILLIONAIRE" OFF THE AIR . . . BECAUSE ONE OF THE CONTESTANTS MIGHT BE A MURDERER:

VH1 has taken the dating show, "Megan Wants a Millionaire" off the air . . . because one of the millionaire contestants MIGHT BE A MURDERER. The network released a statement saying, quote, "Given the unfortunate circumstances, VH1 has postponed any future airings. This is a tragic situation and our thoughts go out to the victim's family."

You may have heard something about this already. Here's the deal: -The man who allegedly caused all this chaos is 32-year-old RYAN JENKINS. About five months ago, he met 28-year-old JASMINE FIORE . . . a woman who had appeared in "Playboy" and was doing swimsuit modeling and the like.

They got married two days later . . . in Vegas . . . which is always such a good idea. --Then they moved to L.A., where Jasmine was hoping to get into real estate or become a personal trainer . . . while Ryan apparently set his sights on being a reality TV whore.

This past Saturday, a woman's body was found stuffed into a suitcase in a dumpster in suburban L.A. She'd been strangled to death. Later that same night, Ryan called police to report Jasmine missing. --Once police determined that the woman in the suitcase was indeed Jasmine Fiore, they could no longer find Ryan Jenkins. So now they're looking for him, and they consider him a, quote, "a person of interest" in the case.

(--In other words, they're suspicious . . . and they probably think he could have done it . . . but they don't want to say that publicly yet.) --A supposed "representative" of Ryan's had issued a statement saying that he'll turn himself in . . . but it hasn't happened yet. Police are worried he may have fled to Canada, because he's originally from there.

On "Megan Wants a Millionaire", Ryan was one of the rich suitors trying to woo MEGAN HAUSERMAN. She was one of the skanks on two other VH1 shows, "Rock of Love 2" and its spinoff "I Love Money".

Ryan was billed as a real estate investor worth $2.5 million. --In last weekend's episode, he took Megan to dinner in an Aston Martin DBS Coupe, and spent about $1,500 on her. --The show wrapped last winter . . . and we're hearing that Ryan was a finalist, but he didn't win. --In addition to yanking the show off the air, VH1 also took all information related to it off its website. And episodes are no longer available for purchase on iTunes.

Ryan also competed on "I Love Money 3" . . . which just finished taping last month. And sources say he WON that show . . . and the $250,000 prize. --VH1 has already removed all mentions of that show from its website, too. There's no airdate scheduled, and there won't be as long as its winning contestant is a possible murder suspect.

1ST TIME HOMEBUYER MISTAKES

FOUR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER MISTAKES

Home prices are down more than 15 percent from this time last year, which is good for buyers . . . but prices are also UP 4 percent compared to early this year, which is good news for SELLERS.

Great deals are still out there, but they might not be for long . . .

If you're thinking of buying property while prices are still low, make sure you know what you're doing. Here are four mistakes first-time homebuyers make . . .

1.) FALLING IN LOVE WITH THINGS THAT DON'T ADD VALUE. A lot of people see an in-ground swimming pool and immediately want to sign on the dotted line. But swimming pools are expensive to maintain and don't really add that much value.

So, don't get attached to that house by the freeway just because it has a wet bar or a pool table.

2.) OVERLOOKING POTENTIAL REPAIRS. If something in your APARTMENT breaks, you call the landlord. But once you buy a home, YOU'RE on the hook. So keep an eye out for central air units, water heaters, and other pricey items that look old.

3.) OVERESTIMATING THE TAX SAVINGS. You CAN take a tax deduction on the interest you pay for your mortgage, but remember . . . when you RENT, you don't have a mortgage at all . . . so you don't have to pay interest on a gigantic loan.

4.) NOT RESEARCHING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Check out the school districts . . . even if you don't have kids. It affects the resale value, plus, you might decide to have kids down the road. Also, it's a good idea to knock on some doors.

Hopefully, your potential neighbors aren't FREAKS, but it's better to know NOW than LATER. Plus, no one knows the area better than the people who live in it. They can answer most of the questions you have . . . and some you never even thought of. (AskMen.com)

NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEO'S OF THE DAY

HE'S STILL GOT GAME!

Check out this video of 46-year-old MICHAEL JORDAN schooling CHRIS "THE GHETTO BIRD" YOUNG . . . who plays in a full-contact basketball league called "Slamball".

(--They start playing one-on-one at :40.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JswfzDKYr04
(Search Terms: Michael Jordan Chris Young video)

NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

AN 80-YEAR-OLD RODE HIS BIKE NEARLY 3,700 MILES ACROSS THE COUNTRY:

People are always complaining about all the stuff they CAN'T do. So it's nice to hear about people who've stopped complaining and are actually doing what they want, like THIS guy . . .

For the last six months, 80-year-old John Damiano of Delran, New Jersey has been training to take a cross-country bike trip.

Well, earlier this summer John finally did it riding 3,685 miles from Oregon to New Hampshire in just 50 days. (--That's an average of about 74 miles a day.) John says, quote, "I wanted to see if I had the strength and stamina to do it. Some days we'd get up at 4:30, then get on the bike [and] go 120 miles. We did 100 miles five days in a row. "I want to see all the developments. I want as many years as I can get."

Now John's got his sights set on his next bike trip . . . making the 2,555 mile journey from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Istanbul, Turkey (WPVI News 6 - Philadelphia)

IN 26 YEARS OF MARRIAGE, A BRITISH GUY BOUGHT HIS WIFE NEARLY $500,000 IN JEWELRY . . . TO MAKE UP FOR HIS DOZENS OF AFFAIRS:

Ladies . . . I would never tell you how to react if you should ever catch your guy cheating. But you need to know that if you play your cards right, your man's infidelity could be extremely profitable for you. Observe . . .

In 1948, a British businessman named Robert Charlton got married to a woman named Elizabeth, and they were together until Robert's death in 1974. But it seems Robert had a hard time being faithful, and every time he cheated on Elizabeth, he got into the habit of buying her a piece of jewelry to help ease his guilt over the affair.

Anyway, 43 pieces of Elizabeth's "guilt jewelry" were recently auctioned off . . . to the tune of nearly $500,000. That's right. Robert cheated on Elizabeth so many times (--again, at least 43 times) that she managed to amass a small fortune in "guilt jewelry".

According to a spokesperson for the auction house that handled the sale, quote, "[Robert] bought her a lot of things to keep her happy and to ease the pain of his many affairs. I think everybody knew it was a fairly open secret." (Yahoo News)

PEOPLE ARE HAPPIEST WHEN THEY EARN $50,000 A YEAR:

We've all heard that money can't buy happiness. And, actually, according to several different studies, there's some truth to that. --But let's be honest . . . if you're living paycheck-to-paycheck and are about to get evicted from your house, there's NO WAY you're as happy as the rich guy living it up in his mansion on the hill.

So that begs the question: How much money is just enough? --Well, one study found that people are happiest when they earn $50,000 a year. Why? In most parts of the country, $50,000 is enough money to cover all your bills and other expenses, and to have a little left over for fun.

But it's not so much that you get caught up in the "hedonic treadmill", which is what an economist named Richard Easterlin calls it when we get a raise, spend it, adapt to our improved circumstances and start trying to get even more money. (--In other words, your mean boss might make more money than you, but that doesn't mean he's any happier. In fact, he might be much more miserable. And, with that thought, all is right in the world once again.) (Mint)

HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO COPE WITH A MISERABLE JOB:

Are you stuck at a miserable job? You hate it, but you can't quit . . . and you can't find ANOTHER job to replace it. If that sounds like you, here are four reasons you might hate your job . . . and how to deal with them until the job market improves . . .

1.) YOUR BOSS. Try to make his or her job easier. If he's had to make cutbacks, he's probably stressed and overworked. If you make HIS life easier, YOUR life will get easier too. Plus, it'll make your job more secure.

2.) YOU DON'T FEEL CHALLENGED. Set goals for yourself . . . even if they're outside your job description. It gives you a way to challenge yourself and measure your success, which can help you feel more invested in your job.

3.) YOU FEEL INSIGNIFICANT. Focus on how your job affects other people. How does it make other people's lives better or easier? Connecting what you do at work to what's happening in the REAL world can help you find purpose.

4.) YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT LOSING YOUR JOB. If you're worried you might get laid off, then get prepared. Update your resume, and keep your eye out for job opportunities. Planning ahead can relieve your anxiety and make life easier.

--And stay positive. You haven't lost your job YET. So go the extra mile. The more valuable you are to the company, the less likely you are to get fired.(Yahoo.com)

TIPS TO KEEP FROM GETTING ROBBED

HERE ARE 13 TIPS TO PROTECT YOU FROM BEING ROBBED:

You may think the average criminal is just a lazy moron who's too stupid to get a real job, so they resort to a life of crime. But that's not always the case. In fact, some criminals are pretty shrewd about how they conduct their illegal "business".

With that in mind, here are 13 things that a burglar won't tell you (--you know, assuming a burglar would tell you ANYTHING).

#1.) Some burglars work day jobs as deliverymen or repairmen in order to case out locations without drawing suspicion.

#2.) And some of those burglars working as deliverymen or repairmen will ask to use your bathroom. But while they're in there, they'll unlock the window.

#3.) The stuff outside your house clues burglars in on what you've got inside. For example, the flowers in your garden show you have good taste, and all those toys your kids leave out indicate you probably have a Nintendo Wii or Playstation Three.

#4.) Burglars look for newspapers piled up on your driveway or front porch. And they may even leave a flyer on your front door to see how long it takes for you to remove it.

#5.) If it snows while you're gone, you might want to get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks. Untouched snow is a dead giveaway you're out of town.

#6.) If you have decorative glass in your entryway, don't let the alarm company install the control pad where a burglar can see if it's activated. Again, this is a dead giveaway.

#7.) You probably want to put alarms and motion sensors on all your windows, including the ones on the second floor.

#8.) A burglar doesn't care that the only reason you forgot to lock your door is because it was raining and you were fumbling with your umbrella. They'll still steal your stuff.

#9.) That guy who just knocked on your door and asked for directions? Yeah, he was just checking to see if anyone was home.

#10.) Burglars always check dresser drawers, the bedside table and the medicine cabinet. ALWAYS. So don't hide your most valuable stuff there.

#11.) But burglars almost NEVER go into the kids' rooms.

#12.) A burglar might not have time to break into your safe. But if it's not bolted down, they have no problem taking it with them.

#13.) A loud TV or radio may be even better at preventing a break-in than an alarm system. (Reader's Digest)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (8-19-09)

KELLY IS IN LOVE WITH CARDBOARD

This past Saturday night, KELLY CLARKSON serenaded "Twilight" stud ROBERT PATTINSON at a concert at the Illinois State Fair. Now, I know what you're thinking: "What was Robert Pattinson doing at the Illinois State Fair???"

Well, he wasn't ACTUALLY there. Instead, Kelly sang her song . . . "I Want You" . . . to a CARDBOARD CUTOUT of Robert.
(--You can check out video of this, along with a few stills, at this address . . .) http://www.wtforks.com/2009/08/16/kelly-clarkson/

DR. CONRAD MURRAY POSTED A MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE:

DR. CONRAD MURRAY has posted a minute-long message on YouTube, thanking his patients and friends for all their support. Murray claims he had to do it this way because he's AFRAID to return phone calls and e-mails, due to everything that's going on.

At the end of the clip, he says, quote, "Please don't worry. As long as I keep God in my heart and you in my life I will be fine. I told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail." (--Here's the clip . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1bjDWRJx9I

FOUR OF MICHAEL JACKSON'S NEVERLAND RIDES WILL BE AT THE CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR:

Four of the rides from MICHAEL JACKSON'S Neverland Ranch will be featured at the California State Fair, which opens this Friday in Sacramento and runs until September 7th.

They're all kiddie rides . . . they include a merry-go-round and one of those circular tracks with Jeeps going around it. And they'll be FREE to the first 5,000 guests every Friday during the fair. --The rides are being brought to the fair by Butler Amusements . . . which bought them from Michael last year.

BRETT FAVRE IS GOING TO PLAY FOR THE VIKINGS:

How can you tarnish a legacy as great as BRETT FAVRE'S??? If you want the answer to that question, just ask Brett Favre . . . because he's doing a fantastic job of it. Brett has UN-RETIRED yet again, and he WILL play for the Minnesota Vikings this season.

A similar thing happened last year, when Brett retired from Green Bay as a HERO, then changed his mind. He sparred with the Packers a little bit, because they'd already moved on and committed to AARON RODGERS as their starting QB.

And while they didn't want Brett playing for someone else, they finally relented and traded him to the New York Jets. Brett "retired" from the Jets at the end of last season . . . but we see how long that lasted.

Brett . . . who'll be 40 in October . . . had arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder in May. Late last month, he told Vikings head coach BRAD CHILDRESS he planned to stay retired. Throughout training camp and the Vikings' preseason opener this past Friday, TARVARIS JACKSON and SAGE ROSENFELS had been competing for the starting QB position.

Talking about his decision yesterday, Brett said, quote, "I felt I did everything I possibly could do to get where I need to be. --"You're 39, your arm may not feel like it did at 21. But the pieces are in place that you don't have to do that much and I agree with that. If they were willing to take that chance, I was, too."

Favre hit the practice field with his new team yesterday, wearing the #4 jersey . . . the same number he wore all those years for the Packers. --Now, the Packers and Vikings are rivals in the NFC North. But Brett didn't do this for spite, and he's not holding a grudge. Or so he claims. --He said, quote, "This is not about revenge or anything like that, believe me. You can't take away the 16 years I had in Green Bay. They've moved on. I've moved on. I think it's great for football."

(--The teams will play each other on October 5th in Minnesota, and on November 1st in Green Bay.)

SIMON COWELL SAYS PAULA ABDUL WAS THE "HEART" OF "AMERICAN IDOL":

SIMON COWELL is still talking about how sad he'll be without PAULA ABDUL on "American Idol". He tells Fox News, quote, "I always thought she was the heart of the show. I'm not the heart, I'm not even the brain actually. But she was the heart, so you've taken that away so it's a different show. I'm sad, I am."

And he adds, quote, "She's taken the decision in her life now, which you have to respect her for making the decision. --"I didn't want to get involved in what was going on because it wasn't really any of my business but I spoke to her a lot through the whole process. --"I'll probably see her next week. I'm going to listen to what she wants to do next. I will support her in anything she wants to do next. I think she is TV gold, genuinely."

(--Whether you LOVED Paula or HATED her, you have to admit . . . it WILL be a different show without her. To call her the "heart" of "Idol" may be debatable, but I think we can all agree that she was, as Simon puts it, "TV gold.")

RANDY JACKSON has also issued another comment . . . He said, quote, "[We] started this journey together so I'm really shocked and really proud and really just couldn't believe she's not here. We love her . . . It was a really a tough time as you can imagine."

THE ODDS-ON FAVORITE TO WIN "DANCING WITH THE STARS" IS . . . AARON CARTER???

Just one day after the new "Dancing with the Stars" cast was announced, BoDog.com has put together this season's odds.

We know you don't actually bet on "Dancing" . . . (--right?) . . . but it's still interesting to check out the line. Especially since they've tagged AARON CARTER as this season's odds-on favorite.

Here's the full rundown:
--AARON CARTER, 3:1--MYA, 4:1--MACY GRAY, 5:1--DONNY OSMOND, 5:1--NATALIE COUGHLIN, 7:1--MICHAEL IRVIN, 7:1--KATHY IRELAND, 10:1--ASHLEY HAMILTON, 12:1--MELISSA JOAN HART, 12:1--LOUIE VITO, 12:1--CHUCK LIDDELL, 15:1--MARK DACASCOS, 15:2--JOANNA KRUPA, 15:2--DEBI MAZAR, 19:2--KELLY OSBOURNE, 20:1--TOM DELAY, 25:1

HOW DO YOU WALK?

WHAT YOUR WALK SAYS ABOUT YOU

The way you walk, actually says a lot about your

personality. Whether you're on a job interview, a first date, or you're just walking down the street, here are ten different types of walks and what they mean . . .

1.) IF YOU'RE A FAST-WALKER . . . You might also be a fast WORKER . . . which is a good signal to send out in a job interview. But it also might mean you tend to overlook things.

2.) IF YOU STRUT . . . You look confident and capable, but you also look like you have a big ego, which is a turn-off on a date. Strut around the office if you want, but make sure you also smile and show an interest in your co-workers.

--If you don't, they'll think you're an egomaniac.

3.) IF YOU MAKE A LOT OF NOISE . . . You're not afraid of being noticed. When you take heavy steps or wear shoes that click against the ground, people tend to assume you're important. But if you work in a quiet office, you might just be annoying them.

4.) IF YOU'RE A SILENT WALKER . . . You probably DON'T like being noticed. And you might also be the type of person who lets their hard work go unnoticed.

5.) IF YOU LAG BEHIND . . . It sends a signal that you either can't keep up, or you're not interested in other people, which is a problem in the workplace. And when you're out with a group of friends, it looks like you're being antisocial.

6.) IF YOU WALK WITH YOUR SHOULDERS SLUMPED . . . You look like you have no confidence. It can make potential bosses think you're incompetent, and on a DATE, it can make you come across as a loser.

7.) IF YOU WALK WITH YOUR EYES STRAIGHT AHEAD . . . People will think you're confident and focused. Good salesmen tend to do it.

8.) IF YOU WALK REALLY SLOW . . . It might annoy people you're walking with. But a slow walker is usually thoughtful and detail oriented. Slow strolls are good for dates, but pick up the pace if you're walking down the hallway with your boss.

9.) IF YOU ZIG-ZAG . . . You're probably not the most-efficient person in the world. If it takes you twice as long as it should to get from point A to point B, your boss will assume you waste a lot of time in general.

10.) IF YOU STARE AT THE GOURND . . . You're focused on the "here and now" instead of thinking about the future. You probably tend to over-think things, which isn't necessarily bad. But be sure to at least make eye contact. (CareerBuilder.com)

NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

A GUY IN COSTA RICA HAS A 1,000-POUND PET CROCODILE THAT HE SWIMS WITH AND HAND-FEEDS:

Nearly 20 years ago, a guy from Costa Rica named Chito found a crocodile, named Pocho, which had been shot in the eye and was dying on the bank of a river. So Chito took Pocho home and nursed him back to health.

Now, Pocho is nearly 17-feet long and weighs almost 1,000 pounds. But that doesn't stop 52-year-old Chito from SWIMMING with, and even HAND-FEEDING, his pet crocodile.

Chito says, quote, "When I found [Pocho] in the river, he was dying. So I put him in my boat and I brought him into my house. --"After ten years I started to work with him. At first it was slow. I started to play with him, touching him a little bit and then slowly doing more. Then I found that when I called his name he would come over to me . . . --"I just wanted him to feel that someone loved him, that not all humans are bad. I love all animals, especially ones that have suffered. It meant a lot of sacrifice. I had to be there every day." (Daily Mail)

(--If you're not totally convinced that Chito has a death wish, you need to check out some photos of him "playing" with Pocho. . .)

WOMEN GAIN WEIGHT WHEN THEY'RE STRESSED ABOUT LOTS OF STUFF . . . BUT MEN ONLY GAIN WEIGHT WHEN THEY'RE STRESSED AT WORK:

It's no secret that when people get stressed out, they tend to pack on the pounds. But it turns out that even though men and women BOTH gain weight when they're stressed, they don't do it in the same ways.

A new study from Harvard University has found that WOMEN gain weight when they're stressed out about lots of stuff including work, finances, and family relationships . . . plus the general frustration they feel over how much their lives suck overall. --But the only thing that causes MEN to gain weight is when they're stressed out about WORK . . . specifically, when they don't have the authority to make decisions or when they've been passed over for promotions or other opportunities. (Yahoo Health)

--So what can you take from this? Well, it depends on how you look at it. On the one hand, you can make the case that men, in general, are BETTER than women at handling stress and that's why less stuff causes them to gain weight.

--But you can also make the case that the REAL reason guys don't gain weight over family and other concerns is because they just DON'T CARE as much as women. In that case, a guy actually contributes to his lady's weight gain.

NINE THINGS WOMEN DO BETTER THAN MEN

Even though men tend to be bigger and stronger than women, they don't rule at EVERYTHING.

Here are nine things women do better than men . . .

1.) WOMEN EVOLVE HOTTER. A study showed that women are getting better and better looking every decade. After following 2,000 people for 40 years, the researchers found that ATTRACTIVE women had 16 percent more children.

And they were 36 percent more likely to have a daughter as their first child. And all those good genes get passed down.

2.) WOMEN SURVIVE CAR ACCIDENTS. According to a study by Carnegie Mellon University, men are 77 PERCENT more likely to DIE in a car crash.

3.) WOMEN TALK ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS. A survey of 2,000 people showed that 53 percent of women talk to their friends about what's stressing them out. But only 29 percent of men do.

4.) WOMEN ARE MORE RECESSION-PROOF. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 80 percent of the people who have lost their jobs since December of 2007 have been men.

-It's because the male-dominated fields . . . like manufacturing and finance . . . have been hit the hardest.

5.) WOMEN GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE MORE OFTEN. Not only do more women ENROLL in college, but they're also more likely to graduate. And MEN are more likely to take longer than five years.

6.) WOMEN EAT HEALTHIER. A survey of 14,000 people done by the University of Minnesota showed that men are more likely to eat things like frozen pizza and red meat. While women are more likely to fill up on fruits and vegetables.

7.) WOMEN HAVE STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEMS. Estrogen gives women an edge when it comes to INFECTIONS. That's because estrogen fights off a certain enzyme that weakens your body's defense against bacteria and viruses.

8.) WOMEN LIVE LONGER. Yes, it's true. Women generally live five to ten years longer than men do. But they can also live A LOT longer. 85 PERCENT of people who make it to 100 are women.

9.) WOMEN COMMUNICATE MORE. Women can actually process more words than men can. A study by the University of California at San Francisco showed that men can process about 7,000 words per day . . . compared to 20,000 words for women. (Cosmopolitan.com)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (8-18-09)

Question: Did this dude get a picture with AEROSMITH singer STEVEN TYLER . . . or an OLD LADY flashing some cleavage??? (--You be the judge . . .)

(--That IS Steven . . . amazingly. You can see him wearing a sling on his right arm. He broke his shoulder falling off a stage earlier this month.)

THE MOST RANDOM CELEBRITY VIDEO YOU WILL EVER SEE:

If I asked you to use your imagination to come up with what you think would be the most RANDOM CELEBRITY VIDEO that could ever exist, you wouldn't even come close to formulating something as random as the video I'm about to show you.

It was shot at a restaurant called Spago in Beverly Hills. I don't know WHY it happened . . . but I'm not sure I WANT to know. Some things are better left in the dark.

But for some reason, MICKEY ROONEY, "ROWDY" RODDY PIPER, ROSEY GRIER and MAUD ADAMS all did "The Hokey Pokey" together.

Mickey Rooney is, of course, a legend. And Roddy Piper is one of the greatest to ever set foot in a pro rasslin' ring. --Rosey Grier was an NFL stud who went on to work as a bodyguard for Senator Robert F. Kennedy. When Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, it was Grier who subdued the shooter, Sirhan Sirhan, and took his gun away from him. --He also parlayed his fame into several award-worthy acting roles, such as his guest appearance on "The Brady Bunch" and his co-starring turn in "The Thing With Two Heads". --Maud Adams was, is and always will be OCTOPUSSY . . . in the James Bond flick of the same name.

And now, without further ado, watch these FOUR RANDOM MEGA-STARS DANCE!!! . . . http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=42d0b81e-8a7b-4a47-91f2-a55439a6815f


CHECK OUT MISCHA BARTON FALLING WHILE GETTING OUT OF HER TRAILER:

I hate kicking people when they're down . . . but I love videos of people falling. And that usually supercedes everything else. So enjoy this video of MISCHA BARTON wiping out while stepping out of her trailer . . .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX127A-RhE8


MICHAEL JACKSON WILL BE BURIED AT FOREST LAWN ON HIS BIRTHDAY . . . WE THINK:

We finally might know when and where MICHAEL JACKSON will be buried. MAYBE. His dad, JOE JACKSON, says he'll be laid to rest on his birthday . . . August 29th . . . at 10:00 A.M., at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Michael would have turned 51 this year. (--Of course, let's not forget that Joe isn't exactly a font of reliable information.) Joe also said there really ISN'T a plan in the works to dismantle the Neverland Ranch and rebuild it as a tourist attraction in Las Vegas. But E! Online claims that possibility is still very much on the table.

After the burial, Joe and his daughter LA TOYA will go to Vegas, where Michael is being honored at the Brendan Theatres . . . a cinema that Michael and his kids went to often. --There will also be a tribute show that may or may not feature performances by USHER, DONNY & MARIE OSMOND and WAYNE NEWTON. (--Depending on who you ask, as usual.)

Moving on to other subjects, Joe said he was worried that some people responsible for Michael's death might not get what they deserve . . . because the cops are focusing all their attention on DR. CONRAD MURRAY.

While he claims he's supportive of the LAPD's investigation into Michael's death, he added that they might be making Dr. Murray, quote, "the fall guy for a whole lot of people."


SYLVESTER STALLONE, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER AND BRUCE WILLIS WILL FILM A SCENE TOGETHER IN "THE EXPENDABLES":

BRUCE WILLIS says that he, SYLVESTER STALLONE and ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER will unite for a cameo in Stallone's upcoming action flick, "The Expendables". Willis says, quote, "I don't know anything about [my character] yet, haven't seen any pages yet. But I'm excited about it."

Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Willis were the three biggest action stars in the world at one point . . . and they founded Planet Hollywood together. But they've never done a movie together.

While Willis and Schwarzenegger are just doing cameos, the regular cast is pretty loaded. --In addition to Stallone, it includes Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, UFC fighter Randy "The Natural" Couture and Mickey Rourke. --The movie is about a team of mercenaries who go to South America to overthrow a dictator. It's scheduled to hit theaters in April.

THE "DANCING WITH THE STARS" CAST HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED:

Yesterday, the cast of the ninth season of "Dancing with the Stars" was officially unveiled on "Good Morning America".

Here's the list:

--AARON CARTER . . .
--R&B singer MACY GRAY
--R&B singer MYA
--Former model KATHY IRELAND
--MELISSA JOAN HART . . . (--You know her as the star of "Clarissa Explains It All" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch".)
--Model JOANNA KRUPA . . . (--Earlier this summer, she was on the ABC show, "Superstars", where she famously cussed out her partner, TERRELL OWENS.)
--Former NFL star MICHAEL IRVIN--DONNY OSMOND . . . (--His sister, MARIE OSMOND, was on Season Five.)
--KELLY OSBOURNE . . . (--She's OZZY OSBOURNE'S daughter, of course.)
--Actor ASHLEY HAMILTON . . . (--He's the 34-year-old son of GEORGE HAMILTON . . . who did "Dancing" a few years ago . . . and ALANA STEWART. Ashley was married to SHANNEN DOHERTY for five months back in 1993.)
--Actor and martial arts superstar MARK DACASCOS . . . (--He serves as The Chairman on the Food Network show, "Iron Chef America".)
--Actress DEBI MAZAR . . . (--She has a recurring role on "Entourage".)
--UFC fighter CHUCK LIDDELL
--Olympic swimmer NATALIE COUGHLIN
--Pro snowboarder LOUIE VITO
--62-year-old disgraced former Congressman TOM DELAY . . . . . . (--He was the Republican House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005. He was forced to step down after being indicted on criminal campaign finance charges.)

You've probably noticed this is a HUGE cast. It's definitely bigger than usual. Well, host TOM BERGERON announced some rule changes that'll take care of that. --He said, quote, "In the middle of our season, over three weeks, we're going to have double eliminations. We'll lose about half of our cast within that period. It will be a ballroom bloodbath."

So, this means PAULA ABDUL will NOT be joining "Dancing with the Stars" this season . . . at least as a competitor. --Some of the other RUMORED "stars" that didn't pan out include: Jermaine and La Toya Jackson, Tori Spelling's husband Dean McDermott, "Incredible Hulk" stud Lou Ferrigno, and fashion designer Vera Wang. --The upcoming season will premiere at 8:00 P.M. on September 21st.


SHANIA TWAIN WILL BE A GUEST JUDGE ON "AMERICAN IDOL":

SHANIA TWAIN will be the next "American Idol" guest judge to take PAULA ABDUL'S seat. According to "People" magazine, Shania will be sitting in on the Chicago auditions, which will take place August 30 through the 31st. (--VICTORIA "POSH SPICE" BECKHAM sat at the judges' desk for auditions in both Denver and Boston, and MARY J. BLIGE joined the panel in Atlanta. KATY PERRY is also in line to do it, but we don't know what city she'll be doing.)

Also, CYNDI LAUPER would be up for doing an episode . . . if she gets the call. She tells "In Touch Weekly", quote, "Of course I would [do 'Idol']. I think there is a lot I could do for the kids."

One person who WON'T be a guest judge is . . . JESSICA SIMPSON. --Yesterday, the "New York Post" said they "heard" that her dad, JOE SIMPSON, was trying to convince "Idol" producers to bring her on the show as Paula's permanent replacement. But Jessica's rep says that's, quote, "not true at all." --Joe also responded to the report on Twitter . . . quote, "So, I am in Thailand . . . but, of course, the 'Post' says I am in town trying to get Jess to be the replacement for Paula Abdul. Do the lies ever stop????"

WHERE'S MY EMMY!!

"Family Guy" is up for the Best Comedy Series Emmy this year and the show is apparently launching a viral campaign to lobby the Academy for votes. (--You can check out the first video, here . . .)http://www.youtube.com/user/WheresMyEmmy

KISS' NEXT ALBUM WILL BE A WALL-MART EXCLUSIVE:

The next KISS album, "Sonic Boom", will be released on October 6th . . . as a three-disc set that'll be sold exclusively at Wal-Mart. (--It's their first new studio album in 11 years. The last one, "Psycho Circus", came out back in 1998.)

It'll be like the Wal-Mart exclusive that JOURNEY did . . . in that it'll include a CD of new material, a "greatest hits" disc, and a concert DVD. The whole set will run you just $12. (--FOREIGNER is doing one of these, too.)

PAUL STANLEY hypes "Sonic Boom" as, quote, "bar none our best album in 30 years, if not our best album period." (--You can find more info on the set, here . . .) http://www.kissonline.com/stream/article/display/id/18374

YOU COULD LIVE TO BE 100

HERE ARE 12 SIGNS YOU'LL LIVE TO BE 100 YEARS OLD:

Let's face it . . . we all want to live as long as we can, and making it to the age of 100 seems like a pretty good goal. But that begs the question: What are my chances of actually living that long?

--Well, here are 12 signs that you'll live to be 100 years old:

#1.) You're the life of the party: A study from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that outgoing people are 50% less likely to develop dementia than introverts.

#2.) You run for 40 minutes a day: Researchers from Stanford University found that middle-aged people who jog for 40 minutes a day, or about five hours a week, function better both physically and mentally as they get older.

#3.) You put raspberries on your oatmeal: A Dutch study found that eating 24 grams of fiber a day cuts your risk of heart disease by 17%. If you eat just one bowl of oatmeal with raspberries, you're already halfway there.

#4.) You feel 13 years younger than you are: A study from the University of Michigan found that people who "feel" younger than their actual age are less stressed and have better immune systems than people who feel their age.

#5.) You started menopause after age 52: Studies have found that women who experience menopause later in life live longer than women who go through it earlier.

#6.) You embrace techie trends: Twitter and Facebook may be stupid, but they help you keep in touch with family members and friends, as well as help keep your brain cells young and healthy.

#7.) You make your calories count: A study from Washington University found that people who take in 1,400 to 2,000 calories a day (--which is about 25% fewer than the average person) have hearts that function like those of people 15 years younger.

#8.) You had a baby later in life: Researchers from the University of Utah found that women who gave birth after the age of 44 are 15% less likely to die in any given year than women who gave birth earlier in life.

#9.) Your heart beats once per second: The average person's heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. But the closer you are to 60 beats per minute, the healthier your heart is.

#10.) You don't snore: Snoring is a major sign of obstructive sleep apnea, which is a disorder that can cause high blood pressure, memory problems, weight gain and depression.

#11.) You have a relatively flat belly after menopause: According to the National Institute on Aging, women with relatively flat bellies after menopause are 20% less likely to die than women who are just a little more delicious.

#12.) You get your blood tested for Vitamin D levels: Vitamin D helps ward off osteoporosis and may reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease and infection. Unfortunately, a study from the University of Colorado found that FOUR in FIVE Americans are Vitamin D deficient. (MSNBC)

SILLY VIDEO'S OF THE DAY

HULA & RUN!

On Saturday morning in San Francisco, a group of about 25 hula dancers walked into different businesses and started hula dancing inside them. They call it "Hit and Run Hula". Here they are taking over an Apple computer store. Could this be any more annoying?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8nB9yJqOOw
(Search Terms: "Hit and Run Hula" San Francisco Apple store video)

====================================================================

WATCH OUT BELOW!

A guy hangs onto a giant crane as it swings him out over a lake. Then he lets go and does a backflip into the water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-CDly8SUkg
(Search Terms: kid swings from crane hook video)

NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF

THE MAYOR OF MILWAUKEE WAS BEATEN WITH A METAL PIPE AFTER COMING TO THE RESCUE OF A WOMAN WHO WAS BEING ATTACKED:

Now it's time to recognize our Hero of the Day . . . 55-year-old Tom Barrett, a.k.a. the mayor of Milwaukee.

On Saturday, Tom was leaving the Wisconsin State Fair with his family when he heard an unidentified woman screaming for help. So Tom went to see what was going on.

He found an elderly woman protecting a baby from a 20-year-old guy named Anthony Peters who was carrying a METAL PIPE.

According to a spokesman from the mayor's office, quote, "The mayor stopped and said something like, 'Let's all cool down here, I'm going to call 911' . . . [But] when he took out his phone, that's when [Anthony] attacked him."

Anthony hit Tom in the head and torso with the metal pipe. But Tom fought back and punched Anthony so hard that he FRACTURED HIS HAND. Tom was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery to repair the broken bones in his hand. He's in stable condition.

Anthony was arrested but, as of last night, he hadn't been charged with anything yet. Fortunately, the woman and baby were both unharmed. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel / CNN / AOL News)

====================================================================

ARE VIDEO GAMES CONSIDERED BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLIES???

Well, the summer is almost over and that means the kids are about to go back to school. But I have to ask: Are VIDEO GAMES and other electronic gadgets considered back-to-school supplies?

The reason I bring this up is because, recently, the state of New York started a new program giving low-income parents on welfare $200 for each school-aged kid they have, in order to buy back-to-school clothing and other supplies.

Well, the money was distributed last Tuesday, and almost immediately, the New York Department of Human Services was flooded with calls from Wal-Mart employees saying they thought welfare fraud was going on. Why? -Because as soon as the money became available, there was a run on VIDEO GAMES, TVs and other high-end appliances at the store.

For what it's worth, state officials say that the rumors of widespread welfare fraud are overblown and they expect the program to continue. (Democrat and Chronicle)

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (8-17-09)

STEVEN IS ON THE MEND

On Friday, AEROSMITH cancelled the rest of their tour so that STEVEN TYLER could recuperate from falling off a stage . . . and on Saturday, Steven stopped by a liquor store in Pembroke, Massachusetts. (--Check out the video . . .)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gADLBlVmp9U
(--Amusing note: Doesn't it seem like the dude is COVERTLY filming his buddy and Steven with his cell phone, while PRETENDING to be taking a call???)

====================================================================

MILEY CYRUS' BROTHER BELIEVES HE CAN BEAT UP THE JONAS BROTHERS:

MILEY CYRUS' 20-year-old brother TRACE would like you to know that he could, if necessary, defeat any of the JONAS BROTHERS in hand-to-hand combat.

In an interview for the September issue of "Details" magazine, Trace was asked if he could take the Jonases. --And he said, quote, "I don't think any of them would be much trouble. I'd never lay a hand on NICK . . . I love that kid . . . but the other two better not get in my way."

Keep in mind that "Details" BAITED Trace into talking about this. So I doubt that he's trying to BEEF with the Jonas Brothers. He was just playing along with the interviewer.

However, he did have a little more to say about them, while discussing his own musical path. He said, quote, "I'm not trying to clean up my image to make anyone happy. "I could have gone the route of the Jonas Brothers. Those guys can't live their lives freely. They have to put out this image that's totally fake." (--Trace is the guitarist and singer for a rock band called METRO STATION. He also has lots of tattoos. He's SUCH a rebel.)

====================================================================

GEORGE MICHAEL WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT OVER THE WEEKEND:

GEORGE MICHAEL was involved in a car accident early Saturday morning in England, which is his native country. --Police say his Land Rover rear-ended a truck at about 1:00 A.M. George was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, but was released five hours later without being charged.

Later that day, he released a statement saying he was, quote, "Neither of us was charged because we were both stone cold sober. We both think the other is to blame so this is just an insurance fight."

But the driver of the truck told London's "Daily Mail", quote, "Michael seemed completely disoriented, like he had no idea what was going on. He looked totally dazed and even tried to climb into the cab of my [truck]." He said he saw George Michael's car weaving across the highway in his rearview mirror before the crash, and claims George was going at least 100 miles per hour.

This is the latest in a long line of vehicular mishaps for George Michael. In June of 2007, he lost his license for TWO YEARS, after pleading guilty to driving under the influence of drugs. He hit three parked cars and took off without notifying the owners.

In 2006, he was found asleep behind the wheel of his car TWICE . . . and both times he was cautioned for possession of marijuana. (--You can check out some pictures of George's smashed up Land Rover here . . . http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2590744/First-picture-of-George-Michaels-written-off-Range-Rover-destroyed-in-high-speed-crash.html

====================================================================

MICHAEL PHELPS WAS *NOT* AT FAULT FOR HIS ACCIDENT:

MICHAEL PHELPS did NOT cause the three-car accident he was involved in Thursday night in Baltimore. Police say a Honda ran a red light and struck Michael's Escalade . . . then bounced off and hit the third vehicle.

But TMZ says Michael WAS driving with a suspended license, and he'll have to go to court for that. --Police say Phelps definitely wasn't drunk . . . although he did admit to them that he'd had one beer about an hour before the crash. (--Phelps said on Facebook that his ankle was sore from the crash, but it wouldn't disrupt his training schedule.)

====================================================================

A PROPOSED JACKSON FAMILY TOUR WOULD PAY JANET $4 MILLION . . . AND LA TOYA $500,000:

Reporter Diane Dimond says there's an offer on the table for all eight of MICHAEL JACKONS' siblings to team up for a 10-city U.S. tour. --The only problem is, the family is squabbling over the fact that they wouldn't all get equal paychecks.

The word is that they've offered JANET the big money . . . $4 million. -Each of Michael's brothers . . . Jermaine, Jackie, Randy, Marlon and THE INCOMPARABLE TITO . . . would bank $1.5 million. --LA TOYA would only get $500,000 . . . while eldest sibling REBBIE . . . (--who's never even been a performer) . . . would get $250,000. --The Jacksons are seriously considering the offer, but Dimond says the bickering among the family is threatening to torpedo the whole deal.

THE JACKSON FAMILY NEVER EVEN AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEMORIAL SHOW JERMAINE JACKSON IS PUTTING TOGETHER IN VIENNA:

JERMAINE JACKSON has been saying that his family was going to participate in that MICHAEL JACKSON memorial concert he's putting together in Vienna, Austria. But the truth is, none of them have even agreed to do it yet. And what's even worse: THE INCOMPARABLE TITO JACKSON says he was NEVER EVEN INVITED.

TMZ says, quote, "The family isn't happy with Jermaine because the concert may now be in jeopardy and stories are being written that the brood caused the concert to crumble. --"[But the bottom line is that] Jermaine was out on his own again pitching his stuff and the family was out of the loop."

BACK TO SCHOOL RULES

FIVE BACK-TO-SCHOOL RULES FROM TEACHERS

The school year is starting back up again. Last year, "Good Housekeeping" magazine went to classrooms around the country and asked teachers how parents can help their kids be better students.

Here are the top five things they said . . .

1.) DON'T BE A STRANGER. Parents that are actively involved in their kids' education tend to see better results. So stay in touch with your child's teacher. Five minutes at parent-teacher night isn't enough. If you can't talk face to face, try email.

2.) LEARNING SHOULDN'T STOP AT 3:15. One of the reasons you should ask your kids what they did at school is . . . it gives them another chance to go over the material. PLUS, it boosts their confidence. Remember, if YOU show an interest, your child will too.

3.) LET YOUR KIDS MAKE MISTAKES. Teachers don't want PERFECT students. They want students who TRY HARD. But some parents become so worried about GRADES that they review their kids' work for mistakes before they let them turn it in.

-But teachers need to see those mistakes so they know what your child is struggling with.

4.) YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GENIUS. Even if you FLUNKED algebra, you can still help your kids study it. Just paying attention can motivate your child. And if you don't understand the material, try having THEM teach YOU.

5.) REMEMBER, THE TEACHER IS ON YOUR SIDE. Some parents trust their kids WAY too much. When kids complain about a teacher, it's easy to go into attack mode. But remember, your kids might just be blowing off steam.

--Most teachers DO have the student's best interests in mind. (Good Housekeeping)