Wednesday, February 3, 2010

February 3, 2010

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW
HERE'S A MASSIVE LIST OF "WE ARE THE WORLD" PARTICIPANTS:

Now that the performances for the new "We Are the World" are in the can, we can finally give you a comprehensive list of everyone who participated. --Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake were rumored to be participating, but they ended up not being involved. --And even though Michael Jackon's vocals from the original are being used, Janet Jackson is going to record his part too, sometime this week. --The song's pretty much just a cover of the original, except for a new hip-hop break that references the earthquake. Anyway, here's the list . . . --Wyclef Jean, Will.I.Am, Miley Cyrus, Keri Hilson, Zac Brown, Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber, Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand, Carlos Santana, Natalie Cole, BeBe Winans, Heart, Harry Connick Jr., Earth Wind & Fire, Kanye West, Usher . . . --Brian Wilson and Al Jardine of the Beach Boys, Tony Bennett, 3T . . . which is a group made up of Michael Jackson's nephews Taj, Taryll and TJ, the sons of the great Tito Jackson, Patti Austin, Celine Dion, Gladys Knight, Akon, Brandy, T-Pain . . . --Mya, Katharine McPhee, Randy Jackson from "American Idol", Joel and Benji Madden of Good Charlotte, Faith Evans, Sugarland, Jennifer Hudson, Jason Mraz, Tyrese Gibson, Jamie Foxx, Pink, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J . . . --Jordin Sparks, Rob Thomas, Enrique Iglesias, Robin Thicke, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, The Jonas Brothers, Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, Julianne Hough, Drake, Busta Rhymes, Bizzy Bone, Kid Cudi, Swizz Beatz . . . --Rashida Jones . . . the daughter of Quincy Jones, who produced the original "We Are the World" and the new version, Nicole Richie . . . the adopted daughter of Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the original "We Are The World" with Michael Jackson . . --And, for some reason, Jeff Bridges and Vince Vaughn. (--Check out a brief clip from the recording session here . . .)http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631021/20100202/west_kanye.jhtml


CHECK OUT SIMON COWELL'S CHARITY SINGLE:

The charity single organized by SIMON COWELL has found its way online. You can listen to it here . . .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKpffYrOKqE (--But don't record it. BUY it when it goes on sale this coming Sunday.) The song is a cover of REM'S "Everybody Hurts", featuring Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart, Miley Cyrus, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Buble, Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis, James Blunt and SUSAN BOYLE, to name a few.


MEL GIBSON CALLED A REPORTER AN (A-HOLE) FOR BRINGING UP HIS ANTI-SEMITIC RANT:

If MEL GIBSON wants to become a movie star again, he's going to HAVE TO deal with people asking him about his drunken, anti-Semitic tirade four years ago. --Unfortunately, time after time, he's proving himself unable to address it without letting his ANGER take over again. --Mel was being interviewed via satellite yesterday on Chicago's WGN-TV, and the reporter brought it up . . . as any good reporter would. --Mel didn't blow up right on the spot. But after the interview concluded, when Mel thought he was off the air, he called the reporter an (A-HOLE). (!!!) (--You can watch the video here . . .)(--WARNING!!! This is unedited!!! . . .)http://www.wgntv.com/entertainment/viral/wgntv-mel-gibson-anchor-lash-out-video,0,5791834.story


DO SHIA LABEOUF AND ZAC EFRON HATE EACH OTHER???

The "National Enquirer" claims that ZAC EFRON and SHIA LABEOUF have HATED each other since 2006, when they competed for a role that they both lost. --It was the lead in a science fiction movie you didn't see called "Jumper". HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN ended up getting the part . . . and Zac and Shia became enemies. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "Zac really wanted the role, and he felt that Shia sabotaged him with producers . . . calling him a 'pretty boy' and bragging that he was a better actor. Zac never forgave Shia for dissing him." (--"Jumper" came out in 2008.) --Things only got worse when Shia got the role as Indy's son in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull". The source says, quote, "Zac felt that was the part that would have turned him into an instant A-list movie star." --But it was Shia's turn to get jealous last summer, when Zac allegedly had a romantic dinner with MEGAN FOX while she was on a break from her boyfriend, BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN. --The source says, quote, "Shia was envious beyond belief. He's had a crush on Megan since they made the first 'Transformers' film in 2006. Shia felt that Zac was not only always horning in on his film roles, but that he was taking his dream woman as well."
JOHN MAYER'S TAKE ON THE TIGER WOODS SITUATION:

We've waited long enough, but it's finally here: JOHN MAYER'S take on the TIGER WOODS situation. --He says, quote, "Tiger Woods' problems come from him being married. The end. It has nothing to do with control. If Tiger Woods was a single guy, what sort of angle would there be to a text message? --"If Tiger Woods was single, and he texted a girl and said 'I wanna wear your ass like a hat,' why would that ever hit the news?" --He adds, quote, "I can text whatever I want to anybody in the world; I'm not married. I write a lot of dirty text messages to girls, and you've never seen any of them. --"Why? Because if a girl brought a dirty text message from me to the newspapers, they'd say 'I don't have an angle here. Someone wants to wear your ass like a hat? Big deal. He's 32 years old. He's a single guy. --"'If John Mayer has a wife and sends dirty texts, then we got a story.' And that's why I won't do that. When I get married that's gonna be my vows, 'Do you, John Mayer, take this woman to have and to hold, to wear her ass like headgear?' --"'Yes, I do; you're the one whose ass I wanna wear like a hat for the rest of my life.'"


GISELE BUNDCHEN SAYS GIVING BIRTH WASN'T PAINFUL:

I know you ladies don't need another reason to be jealous of GISELE BUNDCHEN, but I've got one anyway: She experienced NO PAIN WHATSOEVER during childbirth. -She says, quote, "It wasn't painful, not even a little bit. The whole time, my head was so focused . . . every contraction, the baby is closer, the baby is closer. So, it wasn't like, 'Oh, what pain.' It was, 'With every contraction, he is getting closer to me.'" --And by the way . . . she popped that kid out drug-free. She says, quote, "I wanted to be conscious and present for what was happening. I didn't want to be anesthetized. I wanted to feel." --And she was back on her feet almost immediately . . . quote, "The second day, I was walking, I was washing dishes, I was making pancakes in the kitchen." (--Gisele gave birth to TOM BRADY'S baby boy, Benjamin, on December 8th. It was a water birth. She popped him out in the bathtub of their Boston condo.)


IS DR. CONRAD MURRAY GOING TO SURRENDER TO POLICE FOR MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH???

DR. CONRAD MURRAY . . . the man at the center of the MICHAEL JACKSON death investigation . . . is in Los Angeles as we speak. And if it comes down to it, he's ready to SURRENDER to police. --Prosecutors are most likely going to charge Murray with involuntary manslaughter . . . and according to some reports, it could happen today or tomorrow. --Murray's spokeswoman says, quote, "Dr. Murray is in Los Angeles for a dual purpose . . . on family business and to be available for law enforcement. We're trying to be as cooperative as we can." --Murray's lawyer adds, quote, "Dr. Murray is more than ready to surrender and answer to any charges."


THE OSCAR NOMINEES

JAMES CAMERON WILL BE BATTLING HIS EX-WIFE FOR TWO OSCARS:

Nominations for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards were announced yesterday . . . and JAMES CAMERON will do battle with his ex-wife for TWO Oscars. --He's up for Best Director for "Avatar" . . . and ex-wife KATHRYN BIGELOW is nominated for "The Hurt Locker". And both movies are up for Best Picture. --They also lead the entire field, with NINE nominations each. (--Bigelow was the THIRD of Cameron's FIVE wives. They were married from 1989 to 1991.) --Kathryn has already beaten James for this year's Directors Guild Award. That makes her the frontrunner. The Directors Guild winner has gone on to take the Best Director Oscar all but SIX times since 1948. --"Inglourious Basterds" came in a close second with EIGHT nods. It's also up for Best Picture and Best Director . . . for QUENTIN TARANTINO, obviously. --"Precious" and "Up in the Air" have SIX each. Both are also up for Best Picture. --As you've probably heard, the Academy bumped the number of Best Picture nominees from five to 10 this year. Here are the other five . . . --"The Blind Side"--"District 9"--"An Education"--"A Serious Man"--"Up" . . . (--This is only the second animated movie to get a Best Picture nomination. The first was "Beauty and the Beast", back in 1991.) --MERYL STREEP is up for Best Actress for "Julie & Julia". That's her 16th nomination, which is the most of any actor or actress. (--Despite all those nominations, she's only won TWICE . . . for "Kramer vs. Kramer" in 1979 and "Sophie's Choice" in 1982. So yeah, it's been 27 YEARS since she's actually won. Is she overrated or what???) --As expected, SANDRA BULLOCK got a Best Actress nomination for "The Blind Side". Which means she could conceivably win an Oscar AND a Razzie in the same year. It would be the first time an actor or actress has done that.--The Oscars go down on Sunday, March 7th at 8:00 P.M. on ABC. ALEC BALDWIN and STEVE MARTIN are hosting.

BEST PICTURE:--"Avatar"--"The Blind Side"--"District 9"--"An Education"--"The Hurt Locker"--"Inglourious Basterds"--"Precious"--"A Serious Man"--"Up"--"Up in the Air"

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:--"Coraline"--"Fantastic Mr. Fox"--"The Princess and the Frog"--"The Secret of Kells"--"Up"

BEST DIRECTOR:--James Cameron, "Avatar"--Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"--Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"--Lee Daniels, "Precious"--Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"

BEST ACTOR:--Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"--George Clooney, "Up in the Air"--Colin Firth, "A Single Man"--Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"--Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"

BEST ACTRESS:--Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"--Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"--Carey Mulligan, "An Education"--Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"--Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:--Matt Damon, "Invictus"--Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"--Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"--Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"--Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:--Penelope Cruz, "Nine"--Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"--Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"--Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"--Mo'Nique, "Precious"


OPRAH WINFREY WILL HAVE A REALITY SHOW ON HER NEW NETWORK . . . ABOUT "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW":

OPRAH WINFREY'S cable network, OWN, will debut in January of next year . . . and while she may someday host a talk show on it, she's contractually prohibited from doing so until September of 2011, when her syndicated show comes to an end. --But Oprah's team found a creative way around that. Here's the deal: --She's doing a reality show for OWN about the final season of "The Oprah Winfrey Show". It'll be called "Behind the Scenes: Oprah's 25th Season" . . . and it'll air weekly, beginning in January of next year. --There aren't a lot of details about the show, but it sounds fairly self-explanatory. --OWN executive Christina Norman said "Behind the Scenes" will be, quote, "The thing that everybody wants to see, in some ways: How does it get made? What happens when it goes wrong and what happens when it goes right?" --In addition to the behind the scenes footage and interviews, Oprah will reminisce on the past 25 years . . . and share some of her favorite memories. (--Just to be clear: There's still no definitive word that Oprah plans on hosting another show on OWN once her syndication contract expires.)


FOX HAS HAD "CONVERSATIONS" WITH CONAN O'BRIEN:

It's been less than two weeks since CONAN O'BRIEN reached an exit agreement with NBC . . . so maybe it isn't surprising that there's still no serious talks between Conan and Fox. But that doesn't mean their interest is waning. --Yesterday, Fox czar Rupert Murdoch said, quote, "Sure, there have been some conversations . . . [but] no real negotiations. If the programming people can show us we can do it . . . and make a profit . . . we would do it in a flash." --You'd think that Conan would be a HOT commodity for Fox . . . especially considering how his fan base seems a little juiced-up after the whole NBC fall-out. --But Murdoch says that the syndicated stuff they're running from 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. is very profitable for their affiliates. Of course, Conan could air at 11:30, but then he'd lose the head start he could have on JAY LENO and DAVID LETTERMAN.


LENO WILL TAKE ON THE "JERSEY SHORE" CAST:

RadarOnline.com reports that the cast of "Jersey Shore" is taping some sort of "appearance" for JAY LENO'S return to "The Tonight Show". It's being filmed this week . . . and it'll air on March 3rd, his third episode back at the reins. --There are no details on what's going down, but it might not be JUST a straight-up interview. If it was, it wouldn't need to be filmed a month in advance . . . and it could probably air on "The Jay Leno Show", which is on until next Tuesday.

#1.) Here's something you might not have known: MIKE TYSON is on "Dancing with the Stars" . . . in ITALY. --Seriously. And thanks to YouTube, you can watch him get down. (--It's pretty amusing. To check out Iron Mike's moves, hit up this link . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srLQyf2alV4(--There are five judges on the Italian show . . . and Mike scored two 10s, a 9, an 8, and a 100!!! Actually, that was probably a 10, too. I'm not used to Italian humor.)


#2.) It isn't official yet . . . but so-called "sources" tell E! Online that JOE JONAS will guest-star on an upcoming episode of "Brothers & Sisters". --The word is that he'll be playing a younger version of BALTHAZAR GETTY'S character, Tommy. Also, RACHEL LEIGH COOK is supposedly in line to play the younger version of SALLY FIELD'S character. (--There's no word on an airdate yet. When we know more, we'll pass it along.)


IS FALL OUT BOY JUST ON A BREAK . . . OR ARE THEY DONE???

Officially, FALL OUT BOY is only "on a break" . . . but it's starting to sound like that break is going to be permanent. -In a chat with fans on Twitter, bassist PETE WENTZ cast some serious doubt on his future with the band. He told one fan, quote, "Don't you get it? A hiatus is forever until you get lonely or old. I don't plan on either." --When another fan specifically asked about his future with the band, he responded, quote, "I can't imagine playing in [Fall Out Boy] again. Something would have to change in my head or my heart . . . not my wallet." --He added, quote, "I didn't want you to hang on a string. [At the] same time, if it happens, [I] don't want to feel like a liar. [The band] might happen without me. Oh, well." --It's unclear what prompted all of this, but Pete said fans could quote, "attack him . . . [and] blame it all on him." He also said, quote, "If you only knew how I felt." --Then, to complicate this further, Pete posted a few more messages on his website. In the first one, he said, quote, "Every day for the past seven years of my life I woke up with a purpose. I felt driven. This was all that kept me going." --"When I lost that, I lost part of me . . . that's not to say count me out. I'm gonna jump back in. I just know that I have to be patient and wait for the right idea. I can't just jump the gun and do whatever. --"Letting go of this giant part of my life has been hard, but I am convinced I will find something new that sparks me in a similar way. This is not a vacation. But I want to be back on tour, having my son watch me from the side of stage, and that will happen . . . when I find the right magnet." --Then, he followed that with yet another post . . . saying, quote, "I don't know the future of Fall Out Boy. It's embarrassing to say one thing and then have the future dictate another. As far as I know, Fall Out Boy is on break. --"As much as I don't have a solo project, I also can't predict that I'd ever play in Fall Out Boy again. Not due to personal relationships as much as a band we grew apart. --"In this statement I'd like to include there is the possibility that F.O.B. will play again without me or I will be a part of it when everyone is on the same page. It is no one's fault and there is no animosity about the decision. --"I felt as fans you deserve to know. There is no singular reason for this. The side projects or bands are supported by all members of the band. I am the single biggest fan of F.O.B. and if this is our legacy [then] so be it. I am proud of it." --Meanwhile, in a separate interview with Spin.com, singer PATRICK STUMP also seems ready to close the book on Fall Out Boy . . . at least for now. --He says, quote, "I'm not in Fall Out Boy right now. One way or another, the band will always be around. STEVEN TYLER isn't in AEROSMITH anymore, but his gravestone will probably say something about Aerosmith. --"Whether we play again or not, I don't know. If we do, it will be for the right reasons. If we don't, it will also be for the right reasons. --"I'm really not worried about Fall Out Boy. I'm so psyched about where I'm at right now, recording this solo album." (--On his website, Patrick writes, quote, "I'm working on an album. I'll be writing / producing / performing everything myself.") --As for the other guys, drummer ANDY HURLEY posted a message on Twitter saying, quote, "I quit too." And guitarist JOE TROHMAN Tweeted, quote, "I just did interviews with Span Magazine, Rabbling Stone and Blunder about how much quitting I done." (???) (--The band's reps declined to comment.)


IN A "KANYE RANT," BEYONCÉ'S SISTER SAYS SHE DOESN'T THINK BEYONCÉ IS GETTING ENOUGH RESPECT:

BEYONCÉ cleaned up at the Grammy Awards on Sunday. She won SIX awards . . . which was the most Grammys won by a woman in a single night. --But she lost the big one: Album of the Year, to TAYLOR SWIFT. --And perhaps because of that, her sister, SOLANGE KNOWLES, doesn't think Beyoncé's getting enough respect for what she did accomplish. --In a few Twitter posts, she said, quote, "I'm sorry but I'm having another KANYE [WEST] rant moment. My sister BROKE THE RECORD for the MOST GRAMMYS IN ONE NIGHT BY ANY FEMALE. --"So why do I KEEP seeing "other artist" as the night's "big winner" . . . (*Kanye shrug here)????" (--I'm assuming she meant "ANOTHER artist" . . . and that she was referring to Beyoncé's new nemesis, Taylor Swift.) --Moments later, she added, quote, "Wowzers 2 some responses. Good darnit . . . I'm glad folks agree. Ok. On to the next one." (???) And that was the end of that.


#1.) SHAKIRA, ALICIA KEYS and USHER will perform during the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 14th. Usher will perform before the game . . . Shakira and Alicia will perform during the halftime show. --The game will be broadcast live on TNT, beginning at 8:00 P.M. Eastern.


#2.) MTV, VH1 and CMT will join forces . . . for the first time ever . . . on a show celebrating this past decade in music. It's happening on October 10th . . . or 10 / 10 / 10. --It's being described as a, quote, "very special live musical event" . . . but that's all we know for now. (--More details will be announced in the coming months.)


#3.) LADY GAGA celebrated her Grammy wins by getting a new tattoo on Monday night. And we know this because she posted a picture of it on her Twitter feed. --It says "Little Monsters" in cursive . . . and it's located on the inside of her left arm just beneath her bicep. (--"Little Monsters" is what Gaga calls her fans. You can see the picture, here . . .) http://twitpic.com/112xya


HERE'S THE VIDEO OF TAYLOR SWIFT DROPPING ONE OF HER GRAMMY TROPHIES BACKSTAGE SUNDAY NIGHT:

TAYLOR SWIFT dropped one of her four trophies while posing for pictures backstage at the Grammys Sunday night. (--In case you haven't seen the video, here it is. She drops it at the very beginning, so don't blink . . .) http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2010/02/taylor_swift_drops_grammy_awar.php
NAZZY'S RANDOM STUFF
IT TURNS OUT ABSTINENCE-ONLY SEX ED PROGRAMS JUST MIGHT WORK AFTER ALL:

There seems to be two schools of thought when it comes to SEX EDUCATION. --The first is that kids should only be told not to have it. And the second is that they should be told not to have it . . . but they should also learn about contraception and STD prevention just in case they do. --Anyway, a bunch of recent studies have found that abstinence-only sex ed just doesn't work. But now a new study from the University of Pennsylvania has found that maybe it does. --The study involved 662 sixth and seventh-graders. Some of them took part in abstinence-only programs, while others took part in more comprehensive programs. --Within two years, just ONE in THREE students in abstinence-only programs had become sexually active. That's compared to 52% of students who took part in the comprehensive programs. --A guy named John Jemmott led the study. He says, quote, "I think we've written off abstinence-only education without looking closely at the nature of the evidence . . . --"The take-home message is that we need a variety of interventions to address an epidemic like HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy . . . This study suggests abstinence programs can be part of the mix of programs that we offer." (Washington Post)


OBESITY TRIGGERS EARLY PUBERTY IN GIRLS . . . AND LATE PUBERTY IN BOYS:

A recent study found that obesity somehow triggers early puberty in girls. Now, a new study from the University of Michigan has found it may have the exact opposite effect in boys by DELAYING puberty. Listen to this . . . --Researchers kept tabs on roughly 400 preteen boys, and found that by the time they were 11-and-a-half years old, just 7% of normal-weight boys hadn't started puberty yet. That's compared to 14% of chubby boys who were still waiting to hit puberty. --Put another way, chubby boys are twice as likely to start puberty late compared to normal-weight boys. --A professor named Dr. Joyce Lee led the study. She says the study, quote, "confirms that obesity has effects on children's growth and development for both genders . . . --"With the epidemic of childhood obesity, there's concern this is going to have a negative effect on growth and development." --Now, if you're wondering WHY obesity seems to have a different impact on girls and boys, well, nobody really knows. But the general thinking is it has something to do with the fact that fat tissue converts male hormones into the female hormone estrogen. (ABC News)


AN HOUR OF SUNBATHING CAN BOOST A MAN'S SEX DRIVE BY 69%:

Guys . . . if you seem to have lost a little something in the bedroom, there's a simple thing you can do to increase your girl's pleasure. --All you have to do is lay out in the SUN for about an hour. Listen to this . . . --A new study from the Medical University of Graz in Austria has found that just an hour of sunshine can boost a man's testosterone level by 69%. --Basically, exposure to sunlight increases a man's level of Vitamin D, which causes him to produce more testosterone. And higher levels of testosterone will in turn cause a man's sex drive to increase. --By the way . . . if you're wondering, a man's sex drive is lowest in the month of March because of the weak solar radiation during the winter. And it's at its highest in the late summer months. Just thought you might like to know. (Daily Telegraph)


GUYS SHOULD SHOW OFF THEIR MUSCLES IN A DATING SITE PROFILE PICTURE . . . AND WOMEN SHOULD SHOW SOME CLEAVAGE:

If you're on a dating website like eHarmony or Match.com, the PROFILE PHOTO you post just may be the single most important aspect of your entire profile. --With that in mind, here are some tips to help you post the best profile picture, from a new study by a dating website called OKCupid.com:

--The most effective profile shots for WOMEN are:
#1.) Those where she's making a "flirty" face while looking directly into the camera
#2.) MySpace-style photos where she uses her cell phone to take a self-portrait
#3.) And those where her cleavage is prominently displayed

--And the most effective profile shots for MEN are:
#1.) Those where he's posing with an animal
#2.) And those where he's not wearing a shirt (???)
--And according to the study, the worst profile picture a woman can post is one where she's posing with an animal, while making a "flirty" face and looking away from the camera. --The worst profile picture a man can post is one where he's on vacation, while making a "flirty" face and looking away from the camera.--And it actually doesn't make much difference if your profile picture shows your face or not. In fact, posting a photo that's unusual, sexy or mysterious can actually generate more interest than if you post a photo that shows your face. (OK Trends)


THE AVERAGE PERSON IS ONLY *REALLY* FRIENDS WITH 38% OF THEIR FACEBOOK FRIENDS:

In the 1990s, a researcher named Robin Dunbar concluded it's physically impossible for a person to have more than 150 friends, because the human brain can't comprehend social circles larger than 150 people. --Anyway, researchers at Oxford University in England wanted to find out if the study still stood up in the age of social networking sites, where people regularly have 500 or more "friends." --So they conducted a study basing the idea of "friendship" on three factors:
#1.) Regular involvement in one another's life#2.) A strong emotional connection#3.) And a continual effort to stay in touch--What they found is that . . . going by just those three criteria . . . the average person is only REALLY friends with 38% of their friends on Facebook. (Switched)


TEXT MESSAGES ARE THE BIGGEST RIP-OFF ON THE MARKET:

Recently, the finance gurus over at CNN put their heads together and compiled a list of the nine biggest RIP-OFFS in America. Check it out:
#1.) Text messages: They're basically free to send and receive. Meaning it doesn't cost the phone company anything to handle them. But on pay-per-text plans, phone companies will charge as much as 20 cents apiece. That's a 6,500% markup.
#2.) Hotel mini-bars: At an average hotel, mini-bar items typically cost three to four times the retail price. And at "fancy" hotels, it's not uncommon to markup mini-bar items by as much as
1,300%.
#3.) Movie theater popcorn: A medium bag of popcorn costs about 60 cents to make, and it sells for about $6. That's a 900% markup.
#4.) Wine at restaurants: Most restaurants double the price of their more expensive bottles, and triple the price of their cheaper ones. And if you just buy a glass instead of a bottle, you're going to pay a 500% markup.
#5.) Hotel in-room movies: A movie rental at Blockbuster will run you about $5. But in a hotel, you'll pay anywhere from $10 to $15. That's a 200% markup.
#6.) Name-brand painkillers: A bottle of Advil costs $8.49, while a bottle of the generic stuff goes for $5.29. That's a 60% markup, even though the no-name stuff works just as well.
#7.) Super gasoline: Typically, you're going to pay about 20 cents to 40 cents more for premium gas than the regular stuff. At $2.72 a gallon for regular gas, that translates to a markup of 15%.
#8.) College textbooks: Since 1986, the cost of textbooks has increased at double the rate of inflation. Now, an average college student will shell out around $900 a year for textbooks.
#9.) "Free" credit reports: We've all seen those god-awful ads from FreeCreditReport.com. The only problem is their service isn't actually free. It costs $14.99 a month, or $179 a year. (CNN Money)
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A MID-LIFE CRISIS:

It's almost impossible for a guy in his 40s to buy a sports car without a bunch of cynics remarking that he must be going through a MID-LIFE CRISIS. --But now, a new study from Tel Aviv University in Israel has found that the mid-life crisis is nothing but a MYTH. --In fact, contrary to popular belief, middle-aged people actually tend to be HAPPIER than younger people because they've already got careers, financial stability and families. --Put another way, middle-aged people have less uncertainty in their lives, and that helps them to appreciate and enjoy life to its fullest. --A guy named Carlo Strenger led the study. He says, quote, "We have surveys of around 1,500 middle-aged people. Most of them say that they are better off and happier and more balanced than they were when they were 20 years younger. It's quite surprising . . . --"A rich and fruitful life after 50 is a much more realistic possibility." (My Fox - Washington, D.C.)


NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) During this news report from a bank in Australia, one of the bank's employees is in the background looking at semi-nude photos of MIRANDA KERR on his computer.http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/broker-caught-assessing-kerrs-assets/story-e6frg6n6-1225826045130(Search Terms: Macquarie bank adviser Kerr)


#2.) These Afghanistan army trainees can't seem to figure out how to do jumping jacks.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoDn_Iw7CD4(Search Terms: "jumping jacks saga continues" video)
#3.) This guy asks a girl to help him with a magic trick by holding a bowl of water against the ceiling with a broom handle. Then he spanks her, the bowl falls, and she gets soaked. (--It falls at :39.)(--WARNING!!! There's some profanity in this clip . . .)http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2010/02/02(Search Terms: water ceiling prank video)
#4.) Someone's pet reindeer had to have its leg amputated, so the owners had a special prosthetic leg made. Here's a news report.http://www.abc6onyourside.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wsyx_vid_2434.shtml(Search Terms: WSYX reindeer prosthetic leg Granville, Ohio)
FIVE OFFICE FASHION TIPS FOR MEN AND WOMEN:

CareerBuilder.com has a list of five office fashion tips for men and women. Different offices have different dress codes, so all of these might not apply to you. But a few of them probably will. Here's the list . . . #1.) ACCESSORIES. Women should wear 11 accessories or less. Simple is best, so if something's too big or obnoxious, don't wear it. --Guys don't really wear accessories, but for those of you who do . . . you should have more fingers WITHOUT rings than with rings. And if you wear a watch, it should look professional. Which means it should have either a leather band or a metal band.
#2.) FACIAL APPEARANCE. Women should wear make-up that isn't over-the-top. So go easy on the red lipstick and eyeliner . . . and no glitter.--For guys, showing up clean-shaven is always appropriate, and a well-groomed beard is okay too. But make sure you keep it trimmed. More companies allow the 'five o'clock shadow' these days, but it depends on where you work.
#3.) HYGIENE. This one's pretty obvious. Bathe regularly and brush your teeth. But one thing a lot of men and women BOTH do is use too much perfume or cologne. No one wants to smell you BEFORE they see you. And some people are allergic to it.
#4.) CLOTHING. Women have more options than guys do. You can wear skirts, dresses, pants, or a suit. Or if you don't have a strict dress code, you can get away with jeans. --For guys, if the dress code is strict, wear a suit. If it's business casual, that means pants and a button-down shirt. And if it's REALLY casual, you can wear jeans and a t-shirt . . . but stay away from shorts. No one wants to see your legs, dude.
#5.) SHOES. Women are obsessed with the idea that shoes can make or break an outfit. Fine. But pick shoes that are PRACTICAL. That means they should look professional AND be comfortable.--For guys, the safest thing is to stick with plain black or brown dress shoes, since they go with dressy clothes AND jeans. Just make sure you shine them every now and then. (CareerBuilder.com)

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