HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (05-24-10)

THE "LOST" SERIES FINALE

THE "LOST" FINALE . . . SPOILERS AHEAD!

So, in case you haven't heard, last night was the series finale of "Lost". And while they didn't answer most of the "micro" questions that have been lingering for up to seven years, they did, somehow, find a way to make sense on a "macro" level. --In the finale, Jack and Locke, the two characters representing good and evil, battled it out . . . and almost took the island down with them. In the end, Jack sacrificed himself to keep the island's "light of life" going. --He also managed to kill Locke, keeping him and his evil from getting off the island and, in theory, destroying all of mankind. Before Jack's sacrifice, he appointed Hurley, who was always the show's emotional center, as the new island protector. --The show did explain what had happened in the "sideways" flashes the characters were having all season . . . which showed the characters living idealized versions of their lives in Los Angeles, as if their whole island adventure had never happened. --During the sideways flashes, sometimes the characters would interact with each other, and that would make them have memories of their island lives. By the end of tonight's finale, all of the characters had that moment of awareness. --And that's when we learned: The sideways flashes were PURGATORY. All of the characters reunited when they were dead and, once they all realized they were dead and let go of their past hang-ups, they could move on. --In the end, the characters were all reunited and happy in purgatory, and walked into a bright white light . . . which was, ostensibly, the way to heaven. The show ended back in non-purgatory with Jack dying on the island, having saved the world. --So no, we didn't get answers to all of the little things. We don't really know why Walt had special abilities or why Libby was in Hurley's mental institution or who put the big Egyptian statue on the island. That's the minutiae of "Lost". --Instead, the show gave an emotional conclusion, where all of its major characters were reunited for a happy ending and, in theory, all got the redemption for the mistakes they made in their lives. --And now we can all move on to trying to decipher all the mysterious lore behind "CSI: Miami".


BRET MICHAELS SHOWED UP FOR THE "CELEBRITY APPRENTICE" FINALE LAST NIGHT . . . AND WON:

BRET MICHAELS showed up for the live finale of "Celebrity Apprentice" last night . . . and WON. --He beat out money-raising juggernaut HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE . . . who set a "Celebrity Apprentice" record for raising the most money for charity. --Bret wasn't in solid shape physically. When he was introduced, he kind of shuffled onto the stage, and gingerly hugged his fellow cast mates. --But he didn't SOUND any different, and he definitely showed up to win. (--He was even feeling chipper enough to notice that Holly had worn a, quote, "baby-making dress" to the finale.) --DONALD TRUMP revealed that he spoke with Bret's doctors before the show, and they absolutely did NOT want him to attend the finale. Donald asked Bret if he was risking his life by being there. --He replied, quote, "Lately it seems like me just standing up is risking my life . . . I've become like the ratboy, the medical experiment over here." --He added, quote, "I'm glad I'm here and yes, it's been a risk, but I wanted to be here, and all respect to Holly [but] . . . I didn't travel this far in this much pain to lose. I came to win and I'm glad to be on the show." --TMZ caught up with Bret before the show, and he told them he wasn't, quote, "feeling super-great" . . . but he was genuinely excited to be well enough to attend. (--Here's video . . .)
http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=aa74405c-63d3-4522-b4e3-6de07fc1d8b6


BRITTANY'S MURPHY'S HUSBAND WAS FOUND DEAD:

Simon Monjack . . . the 40-year-old British screenwriter who was married to BRITTANY MURPHY . . . was found dead at his home in Los Angeles last night. --There wasn't a lot of information available how he died, just that Brittany's mom found him unconscious in a bedroom around 9:30 at night, and called 911. (--He's lived with Brittany and her mom for the past few years. He married Brittany in May of 2007.) --He was pronounced dead after the paramedics arrived, and the LAPD is investigating. --Brittany died last December after catching pneumonia and going into cardiac arrest. She'd been taking a whole bunch of over-the-counter and prescription drugs though, so even though it was "accidental," people treated her death like a drug overdose.


HERE'S A PREVIEW OF JESSE JAMES' "NIGHTLINE" INTERVIEW:

The big JESSE JAMES interview airs in two parts on ABC . . . tomorrow morning on "Good Morning America", and tomorrow night on "Nightline". Here's a preview . . . --Jesse straight up admits to cheating on SANDRA BULLOCK, and says, quote, "I took a pretty amazing life and marriage and threw it away." --He also says he might be, quote, "The most hated man in the world." --At one point during the interview, he actually gets choked up and has to walk away for a while. He tells the interviewer, quote, "Let me take a break for a second."
(--Here's a video preview . . .)
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/exclusive-jesse-james-opens-sandra-bullock-nightline/story?id=10703212


LINDSAY LOHAN IS BACK IN THE STATES:

If LINDSAY LOHAN skips court this morning, she's going to need a REALLY airtight excuse . . . because everybody knows she's in L.A. --Lindsay landed at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday night at around 7:00 P.M. (--Lindsay was able to avoid the paparazzi for the most part, but at least one photographer did catch her. Here's the video . . .)
http://www.tmz.com/2010/05/22/lindsay-lohan-landed-lax-photo-cannes/
-At today's hearing, she'll probably be ordered to wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet and submit to random, weekly drug tests.


MELISSA ETHERIDGE'S EX-PARTNER UNLOADED ON HER ON HER BLOG:

MELISSA ETHERIDGE'S ex-partner, TAMMY LYNN MICHAELS, has dropped some hints on her blog that their breakup was NOT mutual . . . and that she was totally blindsided by it. --Well, she hit her blog again the other day . . . and this time, she unloaded some HEAVY baggage. Here are some excerpts . . .
"Things can be a long time coming to one
And smash the hell out of another:
Hit and run not even staying to clean up the mess
Secrets, with-holding, whispering to all but
The one whom holds the vows and the toddlers"
"Sideswiped and left mangled
Up to my eyes in toilet training toddlers
And sounds of a guitar wailing letting me know
You would probably leave me soon
I know those heart-ache wails by now"
"I did not go anywhere, honey.
And you and i both know it
Please stop telling the press it was mutual"

(--There's so much more to it than that. Check it out here . . .)
http://hollywoodfarmgirl.blogspot.com/2010/05/no-more-censorship-for-me.html


DAVID BOREANAZ BOUGHT HIS WIFE SOME "I CHEATED" JEWELRY:

DAVID BOREANAZ has taken a page out of the Kobe Bryant playbook. According to "In Touch Weekly", David purchased a $30,000 bracelet for wife JAIME BERGMAN, to make up for the TWO OR MORE affairs he's had. --It was a Cartier.
--A source says, quote, "David's been doing whatever he can to try and make it up to Jaime. He knows that he can't buy his way out of this one, but he's still trying to spoil her with gifts."


DOES TIGER WOODS HAVE $750 MILLION TO GIVE TO ELIN NORDEGREN???

This sounds absolutely INSANE, but the "Chicago Sun-Times" says that ELIN NORDEGREN wants TIGER WOODS to cough up a $750 MILLION divorce settlement. --Tiger hasn't agreed yet, but for that kind of money, he wants Elin to sign a confidentiality clause . . . FOR LIFE. Meaning she can NEVER do interviews or write a book about the relationship. --And that's something she's not interested in doing.


DOES TIGER WOODS HAVE A NEW, BLONDE GIRLFRIEND???

TIGER WOODS was reportedly seen on the golf course in his gated community with a new blonde chick. Witnesses say she looked a lot like his wife, ELIN NORDEGREN. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "She was sitting in the golf cart while he was playing. They were talking and laughing and obviously having a good time."


"SHREK 4" DIDN'T DO NEARLY AS WELL AS THE PREVIOUS SEQUELS:

"Shrek: The Final Chapter" had a strong $71.3 million opening, but that was still below expectations. "Shrek 2" opened with $108 million and "Shrek the Third" opened with $121 million, so it's got to be disappointing that this sequel failed to break $100 million. --"MacGruber" was also an underachiever this weekend. It tanked with a meager $4.1 million to land at #6. Here are the Top 10 movies in the country . . .

1.) (NEW) "Shrek: The Final Chapter", $71.3 million
2.) "Iron Man 2", $26.6 million (--Up to $251 million in its 3rd week.)
3.) Russell Crowe's "Robin Hood", $18.7 million (--Up to a total of $66.1 million in its 2nd week.)


ASHLEY GREENE AND HAYDEN PANETTIERE WILL PROBABLY STAR IN "SCREAM 4":

ASHLEY GREENE and HAYDEN PANETTIERE will most likely star in "Scream 4". --Ashley . . . who plays Alice Cullen in the "Twilight" movies . . . has been offered the lead role in "Scream 4". She'll play the cousin of NEVE CAMPBELL'S character, Sidney Prescott. Hayden will play her best friend. --Ashley's character is being groomed as the star of the franchise from here on out. RORY CULKIN is in negotiations to play Ashley's love interest . . . and LAKE BELL will play a cop who knew Sidney in high school. --Neve Campbell, COURTENEY COX and DAVID ARQUETTE are all returning from the original "Scream" trilogy. --"Scream 4" is due out next April.


JAMES FRANCO WILL STAR IN "RISE OF THE APES":

JAMES FRANCO will star in "Rise of the Apes" . . . a prequel to the "Planet of the Apes" franchise. --It sounds like this movie will be a prequel to the 1968 "Apes" movie, and not TIM BURTON'S pointless and disappointing 2001 remake . . . mainly because the events lead up to the apes taking over the EARTH. --As you may recall, that was the AWESOME twist ending to the original "Planet of the Apes" . . . that the planet was actually Earth in the distant future all along. --In Burton's substandard remake, the Planet of the Apes was a different planet altogether. --Franco will play a member of a scientific team that's working on a cure for Alzheimer's, and testing it on apes. When a test subject named Caesar starts to evolve rapidly, he takes him home to protect him from further study. (--Eventually, apes get smarter, then revolt, and eventually take over. But it's not clear how far this movie takes the story.) --This time around, the apes will not be men in suits. They'll be DIGITAL . . . and they'll be created using some of the same techniques seen in "Avatar". --Speaking of James Franco, the "Star" tabloid claims he was kicked out of one of his classes at New York University earlier this month . . . for TEXTING during the lecture. --A source says, quote, "The professor was so annoyed that James wasn't paying attention; he told him to go wait outside the class. He didn't care James is a celebrity." --James later told classmates he, quote, "felt like a kid" after being reprimanded.


WILL PAULA ABDUL RETURN TO "AMERICAN IDOL" THIS WEEK?

SIMON COWELL will undoubtedly receive some sort of send-off on the "American Idol" season finale Wednesday night . . . and a source tells "People" magazine that it might include a cameo appearance by PAULA ABDUL. --The source adds that other unnamed "Idol" personalities will also be returning. --"People" also reports that CHRISTINA AGUILERA will be one of the performers. --There's no official word on this . . . and there probably won't be, considering how the show typically likes to keep most of the finale shenanigans under wraps. (--We'll let you know if we DO hear anything definite.) (--Simon, of course, will end his run on "Idol" this week. He'll then take a year off, before launching the American version of "X-Factor" in the fall of 2011.)


MONDAY TV REMINDERS: (--Check your local listings.)

--"Dancing with the Stars" [Performance Show] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Erin Andrews, Evan Lysacek and Nicole Scherzinger perform a freestyle dance.)

--"24" [SERIES Finale] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. (--"ER's" Eriq La Salle guest stars as a UN Secretary General.)

--"Chuck" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC.

--"How I Met Your Mother" [5th Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on CBS.

--"Rules of Engagement" [4th Season Finale] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS.

--"Two and a Half Men" [7th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on CBS.

--"The Big Bang Theory" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS. (--"Blossom's" Mayim Bialik guest stars and she is paired up with Sheldon through an online dating service.)

--"10 Things I Hate About You" [SERIES Finale] . . . 8:30 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC Family.

--"The Bachelorette" [6th Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. (--This season's bachelorette is Ali Fedotowsky. She's an online advertising account manager for Facebook who chose her job over Jake Pavelka on "The Bachelor".)
--"Law & Order" [SERIES Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBS. (--Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn guest stars as a union employee.)

--"CSI: Miami" [8th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS.


BONO HAD EMERGENCY BACK SURGERY ON FRIDAY:

BONO . . . the third-world Jesus who moonlights as the lead singer of U2 . . . had emergency back surgery last Friday, after suffering an injury during preparations for the next leg of the band's tour. --For now, there aren't any specifics on the injury . . . or how it happened . . . but according to a statement on U2.com, it WILL affect their upcoming tour.
--It reads, quote, "Bono has today undergone emergency back surgery. He was admitted to a specialist neurosurgery unit in a Munich hospital . . . Bono will spend the next few days there, before returning home to recuperate. --"Once his condition has been assessed further, a statement will be made regarding the impact on forthcoming tour dates." --The tour was set to begin in Salt Lake City on June 3rd. There are two months of North American dates, and then it's scheduled to move to Europe on August 6th. --Technically, the impact on the entire tour is still unknown . . . but for now, U2 has only postponed that first show in Salt Lake City. As of last night, the second date, in Anaheim on June 6th, was still a go. (--You can check for updates, here.) --The band's manager Paul McGuinness says, quote, "It's unfortunate that we're inconveniencing fans . . . and we will make plans to reinstate these dates as soon as possible."


THE NEW STONE TEMPLE PILOTS ALBUM IS STREAMING ONLINE:

The STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' new self-titled album . . . which hits stores TOMORROW . . . is now streaming on Billboard.com. (--Here's the link . . .)
http://www.billboard.com/news#/news/stone-temple-pilots-exclusive-album-debut-1004092887.story
(--This is STP's first album since "Shangri-La Dee Da", which came out in 2001.)


MILEY CYRUS ENCOUNTERED A SCORPION:

MILEY CYRUS interrupted a recent radio interview . . .. . when she encountered a SCORPION. --Miley was calling in from Nashville, when all the sudden she exclaimed, quote, "Oh my God, oh my God! That scared me! [There's] a scorpion in our room right now . . . oh my God!" --She later added, quote, "I didn't even know they had scorpions in Nashville." (--So either this was a rare scorpion-sighting . . . or Miley needs to brush-up on her knowledge of arthropods indigenous to Nashville. Here's the audio . . .)
http://tmz.vo.llnwd.net/o28/newsdesk/tmz_audio/052110_miley_cyrus_audio.mp3


AND NOW . . . JOE JONAS IS WORKING ON A SOLO ALBUM:

The JONAS BROTHERS will spend most of this summer and fall on tour . . . but afterwards, it sounds like they'll go back to doing their own thing for a while. Why? Because JOE JONAS has announced that he's working on a solo album. --He tells JustJaredJr.com, quote, "Yeah, there's nothing to hide. We're just waiting for the right timing. There's a lot of Jonas stuff going on this year, so once there's a place for that record, we'll release it. You'll hear a lot of new music from us."
(--When NICK JONAS announced that he was doing that NICK JONAS & THE ADMINISTRATION album last year, it sent SHOCKWAVES of "OMGs" pulsating through the Internet with rumors of a Jonas Brothers split.) (--But since then, it's become evident that the Jonas Brothers plan on sticking together despite their solo ventures . . . and plus, this is Joe we're talking about. Let's be real . . . he's the LEAST likely to walk away from the group.)



SLASH SAYS TODAY'S ROCK 'N' ROLL IS WEAK SAUCE:

You probably don't need someone like SLASH to tell you that today's rock 'n' roll is pretty weak . . . but for those of you who do, here you go: -Slash says, quote, "I usually hate talking about the state of rock music, because there's nothing positive to say about it. The whole vibe of new, exciting hard rock bands seems non-existent right now. --"I always say that the heavy metal spirit is alive and well and holding its own, but the broader rock 'n' roll thing of bands like AC/DC or Guns N' Roses seems pretty slim. The rock 'n' roll spirit is extremely diminished. --"There's no shortage of bands out there trying to make it, but they're hard pressed to get a foot in the door. There's no movement on the streets." --Slash believes that the proliferation of pop music has played a role in the decline of rock . . . but he doesn't completely discredit pop. --He says, quote, "As a musician who has played with a lot of pop artists over the years, I can appreciate anyone who is truly gifted in one genre. --"Like in any genre, there's a couple of people in the pop world that are brilliant and then there's a lot of fluff and crap. You can't hold it against pop music for being popular."


LIZA MINNELLI HAS RECORDED A COVER OF "SINGLE LADIES":

LIZA MINNELLI has recorded a cover of BEYONCÉ'S "Single Ladies" for the "Sex and the City 2" soundtrack. (--The movie hits theaters this weekend.) Liza says, quote, "It's a wonderful number. We had a blast. It's rock and roll." (???)
(--Listen to Liza's version of "Single Ladies", here . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLCRisDDjxI


LADY GAGA HAS BEEN TESTED FOR LUPUS:

LADY GAGA may be genetically predisposed to have LUPUS . . . but she wouldn't want you to worry. --She tells the U.K. newspaper, "The Times" that she does experience heart palpitations . . . but, quote, "It's just from fatigue and other things. I'm very connected to my aunt, Joanne, who died of lupus. It's a very personal thing. --"I don't want my fans to be worried about me. Yes, [I have been tested for it]. But I don't want anyone to be worried." --She also adds, quote, "My schedule is such that I don't get very much time to eat . . . the other day, in Tokyo, I was having trouble breathing. I had a little oxygen, then I went on stage. I was OK. But like I say, I don't want anyone to worry."


LADY ANTEBELLUM WILL LAUNCH THEIR FIRST HEADLINE TOUR IN THE FALL:

LADY ANTEBELLUM will launch their first full-scale headline tour . . . which they're calling "Need You Now 2010" . . . in September. DAVID NAIL will be the opener. Dates and details are still being finalized.
(--The tour is supposed to kickoff September 20th . . . but the new dates were not posted last night when we checked. If you want to hit up their site . . . just scroll past their spring and summer dates opening for TIM MCGRAW.) http://ladyantebellum.com/tourdates

NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF

A 4-YEAR-OLD GIRL SAVED HER DAD'S LIFE BY CALLING 911 AFTER HE SLIPPED AND CRACKED HIS HEAD OPEN:

Now it's time to recognize our Hero of the Day . . . 4-year-old Lexi Ostrand of Port Richey, Florida (--about 25 miles northwest of Tampa). --Last month, Lexi's father, Ed, was dumping a bucket of pool water off his dock when he slipped and fell five feet, landing head first in an oyster bed in low tide. --Ed says, quote, "The oyster beds are like razors. It split my forehead and nose open. When I surfaced, blood was just pouring down my face. She said, 'Daddy you're hurt and bleeding bad.'" --Fortunately, Lexi had learned in her kindergarten class to call 911 in case of an emergency. So she ran inside the house and did just that. --Ed needed 50 stitches to close up his wounds, and he also suffered three bulging discs in his spine, but he's expected to make a full recovery. And it's all thanks to Lexi. (WTSP News 10 - Tampa)


HERE ARE TEN THINGS AMERICANS CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT:

Recently, "U.S. News and World Report" ran an article looking at sales figures going back to the start of the economic downturn in 2007. --Other than essentials like food and shelter, the idea was to find the ten things Americans can't live without even when times are tough. --Things like cigarettes, pornography, and even toilet paper all took hits. Here are ten things that didn't:

#1.) Laptops: According to the Consumer Electronics Association, laptop sales this year are expected to be twice what they were in 2007.

#2.) High-speed Internet: In a Pew Research Center survey last year, high-speed Internet was one of just three things people said was more of a necessity now than in 2006.

#3.) Smart phones: Overall, cell phone sales dropped last year for the first time ever, but sales of smart phones were actually up by 7%. And sales are expected to increase another 25% this year.

#4.) Education: Between 2008 and 2010, enrollment in private schools fell by less than 1%, while college enrollment has gone up.

#5.) Movies: Last year's total box office gross was more than $10.6 BILLION. That's a five-year high.

#6.) TV: According to a recent survey, the average American watches 18 hours of TV a week. That's two hours more than last year . . . maybe because everyone's sitting at home unemployed.

#7.) Music downloads: Last year, CD sales dropped by 21%, but song and album downloads increased by nearly as much.

#8.) Pets: For the past several years, the amount of money we spend on pet food, supplies, and veterinarian visits has continued to rise by about 5% a year.

#9.) Alcohol: Bar and restaurant sales are down, but overall sales of beer and wine are both up. In other words, people are drinking more, but they're doing it at home.

#10.) Coffee: According to the National Coffee Association, Americans have cut back on coffee from Starbucks and other restaurants by about 5% this year. But the number of Americans who make coffee at home has increased by about 4%.
(U.S. News and World Report)


COUPLES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BREAK UP WHEN THE MAN IS HAPPIER THAN THE WOMAN:

I have this friend who's always doing whatever his wife tells him . . . even if it makes HIM more miserable. And whenever anyone gives him a hard time about it, all he ever says is "happy wife, happy life." --It's a lame excuse. But if you want your relationship to succeed, it's actually a pretty good strategy. --At least that's according to a new study from Deakin University in Australia, which found that when a man is happier than his wife, it increases their risk of divorce. But when it's the woman who's happier, it doesn't. --It has to do with something known as the "Happiness Gap." That's what it's called when one member of a relationship is more satisfied than the other. --When women are unhappy, they're more likely to think something is wrong with the relationship, and to ask for a divorce. Meanwhile, guys almost seem to expect unhappiness, so they're more likely to try and stick it out. --Overall, researchers say the "Happiness Gap" widens when the woman makes more money or does most of the housework, or when the couple comes from different social backgrounds. It also widens when couples are just shacking up instead of married. --But the gap closes when couples have similar backgrounds, have a common religion, or when the woman is a housewife, a student or is retired. --In other words, men can either be happy, or have a lasting relationship . . . but having both is going to be tough. (--Happy Monday, guys!) (Daily Mail)


A TEACHER IN INDIANA GOT FIRED FOR PLANNING A "PREGNANT STUDENTS" SECTION IN THE YEARBOOK:

K.C. Salter is a teacher in Knightstown, Indiana (--about 35 miles east of Indianapolis). --Last week, officials at Knightstown High School informed him that at the end of the year, his contract won't be renewed. They say it's because of "poor performance" in the classroom. But that's not exactly it. --See, K.C. is in charge of the school's yearbook committee. And, apparently, he was planning a "Pregnant Girls" section of the yearbook devoted to the school's 10 or 12 students who are knocked up. (???) --According to the principal, quote, "There had been a student who had taken offense to being approached by another student wanting to take a picture, and that student got upset. --"And we responded firmly and seized the operation that was going on, and performed an investigation from that point." --School officials say K.C. can finish out the rest of the year, and will also help complete the yearbook. But they'll be keeping a close eye on the finished product.
(WISH News 8 - Indianapolis / WLKY News 32 - Louisville)


IF YOU REALLY LOVE YOUR DOG, YOU'LL MAKE A "BUCKET LIST" FOR IT:

You're familiar with the concept of a Bucket List, right? It's a list of things to do before you die, so you can feel like your life was fun and fulfilling. --Well, I randomly stumbled across a blog by a woman named Lorrie Shaw. She thinks everyone should have a Bucket List . . . including our PETS. (???)

--Here's some of the stuff Lorrie's doing for her two dogs before they die:
#1.) Allowing them to bark at and taunt squirrels.
#2.) Feeding them popcorn and popsicles.
#3.) Occasionally setting up a tent in the backyard so they can "camp out."
#4.) Taking them sledding in the winter.
#5.) Filling up the kiddie pool in the summer.
#6.) Looking the other way when they dig holes in the lawn.
#7.) Letting them run through mud puddles and sprinklers whenever they want.
(--This lady's out of her mind, right? You can email Lorrie at ppsa2mi@gmail.com.)
(AnnArbor.com)


HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY OVERHEARING A STRANGER'S CELL PHONE CONVERSATION IS SO ANNOYING?

There's nothing more annoying than when you're out in public, and some loudmouth is sitting next to you talking on his cell phone. Now, researchers at Cornell University think they know WHY it's so annoying. --They say it's because only hearing half a conversation requires more attention and concentration than when two people are talking, which is draining. And it's also harder to divert our attention away from conversations where we only hear one side. --Put another way, hearing only half a conversation feels like WORK that's been thrust upon you by a random stranger. --A woman named Lauren Emberson co-led the study. She says, quote, "We have less control to move away our attention from half a conversation than when listening to a dialogue. --"Since 'halfalogues' really are more distracting and you can't tune them out, this could explain why people are irritated . . . When you hear half of a conversation, you get less information and you can't predict as well. It requires more attention." --According to the researchers, overhearing cell phone conversations can make it more difficult to do lots of stuff in our daily lives, including driving. --That means if a passenger in your car is chatting on their cell phone, it actually makes it more difficult for you to concentrate on the road. (Reuters)


BEING BULLIED COULD ACTUALLY BE *GOOD* FOR YOUR KID:

This probably flies in the face of everything you've ever heard, but according to a new study from UCLA, being bullied can actually be GOOD for your kid. -The catch is that it's only good for them if they stand up for themselves. --According to the study, kids who fight back against bullies are more popular and are more admired by both their friends and teachers than kids who don't fight back, or kids who aren't picked on in the first place. --It's because when a kid stands up to their bully, they're seen as braver, more mature and more socially competent. --And the study also found that when students have a "mutual dislike" for each other, it actually helps them develop healthy social and emotional skills. --In fact, it can even have a bigger impact on their development than friendships. --A woman named Melissa Witkow led the study. She says it backs up the findings of a previous study, which found that when a kid is being bullied, it's better for teachers to stay out of it, and let the bullied kid work things out on their own. (Daily Mail)


QANTAS AIRLINES WASHES AND REUSES PLASTIC SILVERWARE UP TO 30 TIMES BEFORE THROWING IT AWAY:

The next time you take a trip, you might want to think twice before using the plastic silverware you get on the plane. --That's because according to a new study in Australia, Air New Zealand washes and reuses plastic silverware as many as ten times before throwing it away. --And Qantas Airlines has been known to reuse plastic silverware up to 30 times before throwing it out. -For what it's worth, airline officials swear the silverware is completely sanitized before it's reused. And the only reason it's reused at all is to reduce the amount of waste. But it probably doesn't hurt that it also helps them save a few bucks. --It's unclear how many other airlines reuse the plastic silverware on their planes. (New Zealand Herald / Sunday Telegraph)



NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) HERE'S A FAKE AD FOR "THE GOOGLE TOILET":
In case you didn't know, the way Google makes money on advertising is that they monitor your Gmail account and your search history, and use the information to figure out what type of products you're interested in. --So somebody made an animated parody about the "Google Toilet." Every time you go to the bathroom, it analyzes what you do and figures out what type of food you like. (--Search for "The Google Toilet.") (--Warning: This video includes bleeped profanity and the word "ass.") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZE7lOy8b3w

#2.) A RUSSIAN GUY AUDITIONED TO BE THE GORTON'S FISHERMAN: A Russian guy auditioned to be the Gorton's Fisherman, and hearing him read the lines with a thick Russian accent is hilarious. (--Search for "Russian audition fish ad.") http://www.break.com/index/weird-russian-audition-for-fish-ad.html


#3.) NIKE RELEASED A COOL WORLD CUP COMMERCIAL:
Nike has a new commercial for the World Cup, with the biggest soccer stars in the world . . . plus Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Homer Simpson. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE

#4.) A GUY STOLE A POLICE CAR, THEN SHOWED IT OFF TO HIS FRIENDS:
A British guy did donuts in a police car. And when he says he stole it from a police station, his friend thinks it's hilarious. (--Search for "kids steal police car.") (--WARNING: There's some unedited profanity in this clip.)
http://www.break.com/index/couple-kids-steal-police-car.html

#5.) A PERSON IN A REALISTIC T-REX COSTUME THREW OUT THE FIRST PITCH AT A BASEBALL GAME: At a recent minor league baseball game in Memphis, a puppeteer in a realistic baby dinosaur costume threw out the first pitch. (--Search for "Memphis Redbirds t-rex.") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnAnL5H074Q

#6.) A GUY LIT HIS BACKYARD ON FIRE: A guy poured gas on a pile of branches he wanted to burn, but he used too much and when he lit it, it burned his yard and the edge of his cornfield. (--Search for "man engulfs backyard flames." He lights it at :30.) (--WARNING: This video includes the "S-word.")
http://www.break.com/index/man-engulfs-his-backyard-in-flames.html


EIGHT CONDIMENTS WITH SECRET HEALTH BENEFITS:

If you use a lot of condiments, your diet might be healthier than you think. New research shows that some can help with digestion, improve your memory, and even fight cancer. Here are eight condiments with secret health benefits . . .

#1.) HOT SAUCE. According to new research in the "European Journal of Nutrition", you'll eat less if you eat something that contains capsaicin (--pronounced cap-SAY-a-sin.) It's what makes peppers taste hot. -Capsaicin curbs your appetite because it reduces levels of the hormone that tells your brain you're hungry. And it also boosts an appetite-suppressing hormone called GLP-1.

#2.) BLACK PEPPER. A University of Michigan study showed that you can prevent potential tumors with a compound in pepper called piperine (--pronounced PIP-er-een). And unlike salt, you can use as much pepper as you want.

#3.) OLIVE OIL. It boosts your long-term memory because it has an omega-9 fatty acid that helps keep your brain cells healthy. --And a new study from the University of California Irvine showed that rodents who ate olive oil were better at remembering how to perform certain tasks.

#4.) KETCHUP. It lowers your risk of heart disease because the tomatoes it's made with have lycopene in them. And a recent study showed that ORGANIC ketchup is the best. It has up to 60% more lycopene than the regular stuff. --Actually, your best option is organic ketchup that's as dark as possible. The darker it is, the more lycopene it has.

#5.) SAUERKRAUT. It's good for your digestive system because it's full of probiotic bacteria that help relieve gas. And eating a half-cup of sauerkraut a day helps 95% of people who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

#6.) HORSERADISH. It helps you detox. Compounds in the roots and leaves of the horseradish plant increase your liver's ability to deal with carcinogens, and they might help suppress the growth of existing tumors.

#7.) HONEY. Dark honey like buckwheat or blueberry honey fights aging because it's loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants protect your cells from free radicals, and can lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and macular degeneration.

#8.) CINNAMON. It stabilizes your blood sugar, which is especially important if you're diabetic. --The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a series of studies showing that if you add a teaspoon of cinnamon to your dessert, your blood sugar rises more slowly than if you eat it WITHOUT cinnamon. (Prevention.com)