Wednesday, June 30, 2010

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (06-30-10)

DID A "TWILIGHT" PRODUCER JUST CONFIRM THAT ROBERT PATTINSON AND KRISTEN STEWART ARE DATING?

"Twilight" fans seem to RABIDLY OBSESS over whether or not ROBERT PATTINSON and KRISTEN STEWART are actually dating in real life. --Well . . . there's a chance that one of the producers of the new "Twilight" movie "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" just outed them as a couple. That producer, Wyck Godfrey was doing an interview with "Time" magazine and said . . . --Quote, "I think about, 'Oh my God, I hope they stay together.' Because it could be awkward on set in the next movie if they have a huge falling out. They have to portray this love story through two more movies. God I hope they stay together." --He also said he doesn't know if people even care anymore. Quote, "If you look at people who have a stable personal life, the [gossip] rags get tired of them. I think we're heading to that place where they're together and that's their life."


ANGELA FROM "THE OFFICE" HAS DIVORCED HER HUSBAND:

ANGELA KINSEY, who plays the character Angela on "The Office", is divorcing her husband. His name is Warren Lieberstein. They've been together for 10 years and have a two-year-old daughter. --They've been separated since February of 2009, but they've stayed amicable . . . which is good, because Warren is a writer and producer on "The Office".


LIEV SCHREIBER WENT TO TAHITI TO DEBATE WHETHER OR NOT TO DUMP NAOMI WATTS:

It must be nice to be a celebrity . . . you've got to make a difficult decision so you just hop on a plane and fly to a POLYNESIAN PARADISE for a week. --LIEV SCHREIBER and NAOMI WATTS have been having relationship problems . . . so, according to sources close to him, he decided to take a quick trip to TAHITI to decide whether or not to dump her. --They've been together for five years and have two sons together. Apparently they've been having so much tension for a while that he had to get away to, quote, "sort things out mentally."


WHAT DID JUSTIN BIEBER THINK OF THE RUMORS THAT HIS MOM MIGHT BE IN "PLAYBOY"?

There were rumors going around last week that JUSTIN BIEBER'S mom . . . 34-year-old Pattie Lynn Mallette . . . might pose topless in "Playboy". Over the weekend, she shot down the rumors. --Well . . . yesterday, Justin tweeted HIS thoughts about the rumors. Quote, "My mom is a moral woman . . . let's just leave that one for what it is . . . because that rumor just grossed and weirded me out." (--For what it's worth, he spelled weirded "wierded". For what else it's worth, he's homeschooled by a tutor. For what else of what else it's worth, I guess you can't misspell weirded because technically it's not a word.)


KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN HAS HER SIX-MONTH-OLD SON SLEEP WITH HER IN BED . . . AND IS WONDERING IF THAT'S A GOOD IDEA:

Now . . . it's YOUR chance to help KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN. Although not in the "intervention" way that you're thinking . . . Kourtney needs parenting advice. --Kourtney and her boyfriend SCOTT DISICK have their six-month-old son Mason sleep in bed with them. And she's wondering if that's a good idea. --On her blog, she wrote, quote, "I just love [it] . . . how when you sleep with your baby you breathe together on the same pattern. [We've] been able to bond so much more. --"But [some] people are telling me the longer he sleeps in the bed with us, the harder it will be to get him to sleep on his own down the line. Do you allow your baby in bed or keep your little one in a crib? Tell me your thoughts."


NAOMI CAMPBELL IS BALDING . . . AND HER LOVE OF HAIR EXTENSIONS MAY BE THE REASON:

There are some photos floating around of NAOMI CAMPBELL from a recent photo shoot in New York and now, at age 40, she's missing some HUGE patches of hair. --The reason might be something called TRACTION ALOPECIA . . . that's hair loss that happens when too much braiding or too many extensions cause a person's real hair to break or suffer permanent damage.


LIZABETH EDWARDS SAYS JOHN'S BEHAVIOR WAS "TERRIBLE" AND SHE CAN'T BELIEVE HE WAS ATTRACTED TO HIS MISTRESS:

ELIZABETH EDWARDS hasn't said much since her husband JOHN EDWARDS cheated on her in the middle of her battle with cancer. (--John's the former senator who was JOHN KERRY'S VP candidate.) Elizabeth and John separated in January. -She has two new interviews that are coming out today . . . one that's in this week's issue of "People" and one on "The Today Show" this morning . . . where she finally shared her thoughts. --ON JOHN'S BEHAVIOR. Quote, "John's conduct through this whole thing was terrible and it makes people want him to pay for it. On a personal level, he's paid a lot." --ON HER FEELINGS NOW TOWARD JOHN. Quote, "I think I did marry a marvelous man, he changed over time. He's no longer the person who I married. I still admire an enormous number of things about him." --ON HANDLING THEIR SEPARATION. Quote, "I'm not just a cuckolded wife. I think about SANDRA BULLOCK, who I don't know at all, what an incredible year she's had. She wants to reclaim who she is in the same way I [do]." --ON JOHN'S MISTRESS, RIELLE HUNTER, BEING ON "OPRAH". Quote, "At first, I didn't watch it. Then I thought, 'Well, that's silly.' I still think [she's] so completely unlike me that it's hard to imagine the same person could marry me and be attracted to that." --ON HER BATTLE WITH CANCER. Quote, "It's gotten worse, with tumors in [my] legs, spine and skull. But it can't migrate to your brain. I don't let my head go to [thoughts of dying.] I want to live at a normal cadence with my children."


PAT O'BRIEN IS WRITING AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY COVERING HIS DIVORCE AND REHAB:

PAT O'BRIEN is continuing down the traditional path a celebrity takes after a sex scandal. He's admitted an addiction . . . he went to rehab . . . he got divorced . . . and now, it's time to cash in with a book deal. --Pat is writing an autobiography that will cover his divorce, his time in rehab for alcoholism . . . and, if there's room, he'll probably mention his TV career too. --In case you forgot, Pat used to be on "Access Hollywood" and "The Insider". In 2004, someone leaked a bunch of NAUGHTY voicemails he'd left on an anonymous woman's voicemail. His wife divorced him and he blamed his alcoholism.


JEREMY PIVEN HAD *ANOTHER* INCIDENT AT A SUSHI RESTAURANT:

Back in 2008, JEREMY PIVEN suffered mercury poisoning . . . and he blamed it on eating bad sushi. It forced him to pull out of a play he was doing on Broadway . . . and he ended up getting SUED for breach of contract. --Well, he's back to going to sushi restaurants . . . and back to having awful luck at them. On Saturday he was at Sunda, a sushi place in Chicago . . . eating vegetarian rolls only . . . and he dropped his BlackBerry down the toilet.


A CINCINNATI BENGALS RUNNING BACK WAS ARRESTED FOR A FIGHT. . . WHICH HE BLAMES ON "WHITE BOYS GANGING UP ON ME":

It's not an NFL offseason without someone on the Cincinnati Bengals getting arrested, right? CEDRIC BENSON, who's a running back for the Bengals, continued that proud tradition yesterday when he turned himself into the police. --Back in May, Cedric was at a bar in Austin, Texas, and got into a fight with an unknown man. As bouncers tried to get him out, he yelled, quote, "all these white boys are ganging up on me" . . . and allegedly PUNCHED a bouncer in the face. --He was charged with "assault with injury." He could get up to a year in jail. Both the NFL and the Bengals say they're waiting to see what happens in court before they take any possible action, like suspending Cedric.


LANCE ARMSTRONG SAYS THIS YEAR'S TOUR DE FRANCE WILL BE HIS LAST:

Last year, LANCE ARMSTRONG returned to the Tour de France after taking four years off. He finished in third place, breaking his streak of SEVEN wins in a row . . . all of which happened after he BEAT CANCER --So he REALLY doesn't have anything left to prove . . . and he knows it. Lance announced that he'll compete in this year's Tour de France . . . then retire from the race permanently. But he may still compete in other races. --The Tour de France begins on July 3rd in the Netherlands and ends on July 25th in Paris.


"THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE" HAS ALREADY SET A RECORD . . . AND IT DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO SELL ANY TICKETS TO DO IT:

The third "Twilight" movie, "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse", opened at midnight and it's already set a record. (--And I'm guessing it's not "World's Best Screenplay.") --"Eclipse" was booked on a record 4,416 screens nationwide. That beats out "Iron Man 2", which was on 4,380 screens its opening weekend. --The last "Twilight" movie, "New Moon", set a record for the best opening day ever with $72.7 MILLION.


CHECK OUT THE TRAILER FOR THE NEW ANIMATED JOHNNY DEPP MOVIE:

JOHNNY DEPP is taking another crack at the world's easiest paycheck . . . by doing a voice for an animated movie. He's the title character in the new movie "Rango", which is about a weird-but-lovable chameleon in the Mojave Desert. --The movie is set to come out in March of 2011. You can check out the new trailer here . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQjJEYTiga0


JUDE LAW HAS SIGNED ON TO STAR IN MARTIN SCORSESE'S NEW MOVIE "HUGO CABRET":

MARTIN SCORSESE just broke his CAL RIPKEN-esque streak: He's about to make a movie WITHOUT LEONARDO DICAPRIO. --JUDE LAW just signed on to star in Scorsese's next film, "Hugo Cabret" . . . and that pretty much rounds out the cast. --SASHA BARON COHEN and BEN KINGSLEY are also in the film. The lead role is going to be played by 13-year-old Asa Butterfield, who was the kid in "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". --It's based off of a popular kids' book called "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" about an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station in Paris and meets a bunch of eccentric characters. The movie comes out in December of 2011.


WOODY ALLEN HAS REALLY BAD TASTE IN WOODY ALLEN MOVIES:

In a new interview with the London "Times", WOODY ALLEN revealed his list of the six best movies he's ever done. Neither "Annie Hall" nor "Manhattan" made the list . . . in fact, it'd be IMPOSSIBLE to guess his six. --They are: "Purple Rose of Cairo", "Match Point", "Bullets Over Broadway", "Zelig", "Husbands and Wives" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona". (???)


"LARRY KING LIVE" IS COMING TO AN END:

LARRY KING has decided to end his nightly CNN talk show, "Larry King Live". He made the announcement last night. The final episode will air sometime this fall. --"Larry King Live" has been on the air for 25 years. It premiered in June of 1985. --On last night's show, Larry said, quote, "Before I start the show tonight, I want to share some personal news with you. 25 years ago, I sat across this table from New York Governor Mario Cuomo for the first broadcast of 'Larry King Live'. --"Now, decades later, I talked to the guys here at CNN and I told them I would like to end 'Larry King Live', the nightly show, this fall and CNN has graciously accepted, giving me more time for my wife and I to get to the kids' little league games." (--That's Larry's oh-so-subtle way of reminding actor Hector Penate to stay the hell away from his wife. Penate was their little league coach when he started giving it to Shawn King.) (--She wasn't the only one who had an affair though. Larry was supposedly nailing her sister. So it's all good.) --Anyway, Larry will remain at CNN . . . but on a more part-time basis. --He explained, quote, "I'll still be a part of the CNN family, hosting several Larry King specials on major national and international subjects." --And Larry added, quote, "I'm incredibly proud that we recently made the 'Guinness Book of World Records' for having the longest running show with the same host in the same time slot. --"With this chapter closing I'm looking forward to the future and what my next chapter will bring, but for now it's time to hang up my nightly suspenders." --CNN has said they'll announce their plans for the 9:00 P.M. hour, quote, "in the weeks ahead." It's unclear whether they'll launch another show like "Larry King Live" or do something completely different. --If it's another talk show, a lot of names have already been rumored as possible replacements. A few of them are: Ryan Seacrest . . . of course . . . "America's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan and Katie Couric.


JANEANE GAROFALO HAS BEEN CAST IN THE "CRIMINAL MINDS" SPIN-OFF:

"Entertainment Weekly" reports that JANEANE GAROFALO has been cast in the upcoming "Criminal Minds" spin-off, which will premiere sometime midseason. (--That means it'll likely debut on CBS in January or February.) --The show, which will be called "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior", will star FOREST WHITAKER. He'll be heading up a team of elite agents in the FBI's Behavior Analysis Unit. Janeane will be one of his agents. (--Janeane also played an FBI agent on the seventh season of "24".)


CBS IS DEVELOPING A NEW SITCOM STARRING JASON BIGGS:

CBS is developing a new sitcom starring "American Pie" star JASON BIGGS. The show, which is titled "Mad Love", is about four, "single friends in New York City . . . two who are falling in love, and two who despise each other." --It'll also star SARAH CHALKE, who played Elliot on "Scrubs" . . . JUDY GREER, who played Kitty on "Arrested Development" . . . and chubby character actor TYLER LABINE, who has recently starred in the shows "Invasion", "Reaper" and "Sons of Tucson". --"Mad Love" will premiere midseason. (--So look for it in January or February.)


ELIJAH WOOD HAS BEEN CAST IN AN UPCOMING FX COMEDY:

ELIJAH WOOD has signed on to star in a new series that FX is developing called "Wilfred". It's a comedy . . . but there aren't a lot of REAL details on the plot. --Executive producer David Zuckerman says it's about, quote, "a guy, the girl next door and a mixed-breed dog [named] Wilfred, who is part Labrador Retriever and part Russell Crowe on a bender." (???) (--The Russell Crowe reference IS puzzling, but not COMPLETELY random. "Wilfred" is based on an Australian show . . . and Russell grew up in Australia. But that's all I got.) --Also, the dog occasionally appears as a human in a dog costume. Yeah, pretty weird. (--This is Elijah's first regular TV gig. A pilot will be filmed this summer, but there's no word on when it might make it to TV.)


THE RETURN OF "FUTURAMA" WAS HUGE IN THE RATINGS:

"Futurama" returned to TV last Thursday night . . . for the show's first new episode in SEVEN YEARS. (--Fox canceled it after four seasons, back in August of 2003.) --And the show is now airing on Comedy Central and it came back strong. The premiere drew 2.9 million viewers, which made it Comedy Central's most-watched series premiere for an animated series since "South Park". (--Calling it a "series premiere" is a bit of a stretch . . . considering it has an established audience from its days on Fox and its subsequent DVD releases . . . but that's still a pretty impressive audience for Comedy Central.)


THE KARDASHIANS WILL GUEST STAR ON "90210":

The KARDASHIAN sisters . . . KIM, KHLOE and KOURTNEY . . . will "guest star" on the third season premiere of the new "90210". It'll air in September. --Not at all surprisingly, they'll be playing themselves. --Meanwhile: "In Touch Weekly" is claiming that Khloe and her husband, Los Angeles Laker LAMAR ODOM, will be getting their own reality show on E! this fall. --A JEALOUS-sounding "insider" says, quote, "They'll be starting to tape in the next few weeks. It's about their life. […] Everything that family does turns to gold. They are all making tons and tons of money." (???)


THE "SISTER, SISTER" GIRLS ARE RETURNING TO TV!!!

Remember "Sister, Sister"? The absolutely INGENIOUS late '90s sitcom starring identical twins TIA and TAMERA MOWRY. Well, if you do . . . and if you loved it as much as I did . . . watch yourself, because I'm about to DROP A BOMB. --Tia and Tamera are returning to TV . . . together!!! They're doing a special on the Style Network called "Tia and Tamera Take 2", which will follow them as they do crazy stuff like going on blind dates and getting tattoos! It'll air on July 17th. --For now, it's just going to be a one-night thing. But if it becomes a SENSATION . . . and you have to believe that it will . . . Style says they could make it a regular series!


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

--"So You Think You Can Dance" [Performance Show] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox.

--"America's Got Talent" [Auditions] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC.

--"Are We There Yet?" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on TBS.

--"The Real World: New Orleans" [24th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV.

--"Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" [4th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TBS.

--"In Plain Sight" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on USA.

--"Locked Up Abroad" [4th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on National Geographic. (--Stories of people who've been arrested while traveling in other countries. Tonight's story is about the college student who was locked up in a Turkish prison and later had his story turned into the film "Midnight Express".)


FOUR DAYS BEFORE VINCE NEIL'S DUI HE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED WEARING THE EXACT SAME SHIRT:

Yesterday, we told you about VINCE NEIL getting arrested in Las Vegas early Monday morning for allegedly driving drunk. We also had his mugshot, where he was wearing a white-and-gray, floral-patterned, button-down shirt. --Well, TMZ found some photos of Vince hanging out at a club in Toronto on Thursday . . . just four days earlier . . . and he was wearing the EXACT SAME SHIRT. --Vince is out on bail after the latest DUI arrest.


A GUY SUES LED ZEPPELIN FOR STEALING "DAZED AND CONFUSED" FROM HIM . . . 41 YEARS TOO LATE:

This is just weird. A songwriter named Jake Holmes is claiming he wrote and copyrighted a song called "Dazed and Confused" in 1967, two years before LED ZEPPELIN released THEIR famous song "Dazed and Confused". --And now, 41 years later, he's FINALLY decided to sue for copyright infringement. --He hasn't said why he waited so long to file, but he really screwed himself . . . because of the statute of limitations he can only sue for damages from the past three years. (--So basically, he can only ask for a piece of what Zeppelin's "Dazed and Confused" has made since 2007. And how much could that possibly be???)


A TIRE BLEW OUT ON PINK'S TOUR BUS . . . AND SHE WAS THRILLED ABOUT IT:

PINK'S tour bus had a tire blowout while on the highway yesterday morning . . . and Pink, who was on the bus, wasn't scared. She was THRILLED. -She Tweeted, quote, "Our bus had a tire blow out on the highway! Thank you Ian for the driving skills! My first tour blow out. Rock n roll highway!"


THE BUSH "REUNION" WON'T REALLY BE A REUNION:

BUSH announced that they'd reunited last week . . . (--which was exciting news at first, until I remembered how most of their albums kinda sucked.) --But as it turns out, it won't really be a reunion after all. Unless, that is, you were excited about seeing singer GAVIN ROSSDALE re-team with original drummer ROBIN GOODRIDGE . . . because that part is still happening. --But original guitarist NIGEL PULSFORD and bassist DAVE PARSONS are not coming back. Guitarist CHRIS TRAYNOR and bassist COREY BRITZ will fill in. (--Pulsford quit Bush before their final tour in 2002 . . . saying that he wanted to spend more time with his family. Traynor took over for him then, and has been working with Gavin ever since.) (--He was in Gavin's short-lived band INSTITUTE . . . and was the guitarist on Gavin's 2008 solo album, "Wanderlust".) (--It's unclear what happened to Parsons . . . or who this Corey Britz dude is.) (--So now this Bush "reunion" has now been reduced to, essentially, the equivalent of Gavin doing another solo album with Goodridge on drums. But as "Bush," I guess they can play old Bush songs on tour without feeling lame.) (--Although that's inevitable anyway if they attempt to play anything other than the old "Sixteen Stone" classics.)


EMINEM'S "RECOVERY" HAS SCORED THE HIGHEST-SELLING DEBUT WEEK SINCE 2008:

Nielsen Soundscan has confirmed that EMINEM'S new album, "Recovery", sold 741,000 copies in its first week of release. That makes it the best debut of the year, and the top-selling first week since October of 2008, when AC/DC'S disc, "Black Ice", sold 784,000 copies in its first week. (--This week's full "Billboard" 200 albums chart will be released later today.) --Eminem's last album, "Relapse" . . . which was released in May of last year . . . sold 608,000 copies in its first week. --Of course, Eminem is used to setting sales records. In the decade from 2000 to 2009, Eminem sold 31.1 million albums, which was more than any artist in any genre. THE BEATLES were second . . . with 27.6 million copies during that period. --By the way, when Eminem saw that MTV left him off their annual "Hottest MC in the Game" list last year, he wasn't MAD . . . he was MOTIVATED. --He told "Vibe" magazine, quote, "I took it not as a slap in the face but more so like, 'Maybe I'm not on that list for a reason. Maybe I'm not doing the things that I need to be doing. Maybe I need to look at myself and step it up.' --"I don't know what I would have thought being in the mind state that I was in. I just felt like maybe I need to do better."


NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF

CHECK OUT HOW FACEBOOK GETS PEOPLE IN TROUBLE DURING MESSY DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS:

If a messy divorce is in your future . . . or any divorce at all, really . . . it's time to clean up your Facebook account. Here's why . . . --According to The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 81% of the group's 1,600 members . . . that means divorce lawyers . . . either used or faced evidence from Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn, in the last five years. --Facebook was by far the leading source: 66% of the lawyers surveyed said they'd dealt with evidence from Facebook during a divorce proceeding. MySpace came in second at 15%, and Twitter was at 5%. Check out some of the examples they cited: --Incriminating photos with a mistress or lover . . . --A husband who forced his son to de-friend his own mother . . . --A mother who denied in court that she smoked weed . . . but posted photos of herself partying and smoking pot on Facebook . . .--A husband who went on Match.com and described himself as single with no kids . . . while seeking primary custody of the kids he DOES have. --A husband who accused his ex-wife of not deserving custody of their children, and used online records from "World of Warcraft" to show that she was gaming with her boyfriend when she was supposed to be out with the kids . . .


ONE OF OUT EVERY FOUR AMERICANS PRAYS DAILY WHILE THEY'RE ON VACATION . . . AND OTHER RANDOM FACTS ABOUT TRAVELING:

The Marriott hotel chain recently did an online survey of 1,000 customers. So here are the Three Random Facts you now know about your fellow travelers . . .

#1). One in four Americans prays daily while they're on vacation. About a third pray to calm their nerves before a flight.
#2.) 17% said they can't go on vacation without checking their email or using their smartphone. That means 83% of us CAN go on vacation and ditch our email, BlackBerrys, and iPhones. Not bad. And finally . . .
#3.) Of the respondents who regularly use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter: Over HALF said they DON'T log on when they're on vacation. --Again, pretty impressive, when all you ever hear about is how ADDICTED to media we all are. (AOL)


HOW BAD DO THE AIRLINES SUCK? PART 1 . . . LUGGAGE FEES:

Remember how the airlines started charging luggage fees to make up for lost profits, back when the cost of oil soared? Yeah, THAT'S not going to be changing anytime soon. --According to recent statistics from the Department of Transportation, airlines in the U.S. made $256 million a month in checked-luggage fees over the first three months of this year, for a grand total of $769 million. --That's an increase of 33% over last year, when they ONLY made $578 million in the first three months. Add to that the $554 million they charged for changing reservations, and $534 million for "other" services, like the sale of frequent-flier miles, and pet fees. --And that DOESN'T include the money they made from food, drinks, pillows, blankets, entertainment, or seat assignments. Overall, all those fees helped the 21 airlines that make up the U.S. airline industry scrape in a first quarter profit of $12 million. --In other words, luggage fees aren't going anywhere, anytime soon. But you already knew that. In fact, we'll probably see MORE fee options in the near future, like checking bags for "free" while moving to the front of the security line or boarding early . . . all for a fee. (ABC)


HOW BAD DO THE AIRLINES SUCK? PART 2 . . . FOOD:

The phrase 'airplane food' has become sort of a punch line over the years. At least, back when the airlines actually served food. --But when you consider all the fees they're hitting us with, combined with their lousy service, they could at least hook us up with some roach-free chow. Unfortunately, that's not the case. --In case you haven't heard, documents released this week by the Food and Drug Administration show that FDA inspectors cited the catering facilities that prepare airline food for MAJOR health and sanitation violations, both this year and last year. --Here's what I mean by major: Many facilities stored food at improper temperatures, used unclean equipment, and employed workers who practiced poor hygiene. --And at some facilities, the FDA inspectors found cockroaches . . . both live, and dead . . . as well as flies, mice, and other signs of, quote, "inadequate pest control." --The inspections took place at three catering companies. Two of which are considered two of the world's biggest airline caterers. Together, the three companies operate 91 kitchens and make over 100 million meals a year for loading at U.S. airports. --That means they provide meals for most of the big airlines, including Delta, American, United, US Airways, and Continental. (--Happy eating!) (USA Today)


IF YOU'RE SICK OF BEING PUT ON HOLD BY CUSTOMER SERVICE, THERE'S A SERVICE THAT'LL WAIT FOR YOU:

Customer service is one of those things like air travel: It's actually getting WORSE as time goes one. It's 2010, and your phone lets you watch unlimited free porno. But it still takes FOREVER to get a real human being on the line when you call customer service. --If you're sick of waiting on hold . . . say, to find out why you've been charged hidden fees . . . there's a new service that'll wait for you. It's called LucyPhone, and it was started in March. Here's how it works: --Go to LucyPhone.com, type in the customer service number you want to reach, and type in your own number. 'Lucy' calls the number, then calls you, to patch you in. Then, unfortunately, you still have to navigate through the company's annoying phone menu. --But once you get to the part where you're inevitably put on hold, YOU disconnect, and the service waits on hold for you. Once you get a real person on the line, Lucy calls you back immediately to connect you with the customer service rep. --Here's the catch: When the customer service rep finally picks up, THEY get a recorded message. It's from LucyPhone, telling them to press 1, to be connected with you. And let's face it, the customer service agent might hang up on YOU at that point. --But so far, LucyPhone says less than 10% of their users have had an agent hang up on them. When it does happen, they're telling users to bombard companies on Twitter, so that they'll be cool with the concept. (NY Times / Yahoo Finance) (--If you've heard of this before, it's because some companies do it to keep you from getting annoyed while you're on hold . . . they call YOU when they're ready. But this is the first service to put US in the driver's seat. And I'm all for it.)


THAT EXPERT ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GETTING? IT'S MOSTLY WRONG:

There's a new book out called "Wrong", and it's basically about how most of the expert advice we're getting is eventually proven . . . you guessed it . . . wrong. Here's what I mean: --Two-thirds of the scientific findings published in top medical journals are proven WRONG within the next few years. And supposedly the studies published in economics journals are even worse. --Up to 90% of the medical knowledge held by physicians has been found to be either substantially wrong, or COMPLETELY wrong. And there's a 1-in-12 chance that a doctor's diagnosis will be SO wrong, that it could significantly HARM you. --Professionally prepared tax returns are actually MORE likely to contain significant errors than SELF-prepared tax returns. --HALF of all newspaper articles contain at least one factual error. --The book was written by a guy named David Freeman, and he says the bad expertise is because scientists and other experts are just like us: They're human beings who want to advance their careers, get published, support their families, and get answers. --He says, quote, "If there's a certain answer that you want, for example, an exciting research finding that's going to get published in a research journal, then you will probably find some way to achieve it." --The problem is, there's so much information out there, you can find the data to prove almost ANYTHING. Which is why one week, you see a study proving one thing, and another week . . . you see a study that proves the exact OPPOSITE. --So the trick is to sort through the expert advice YOURSELF, and figure out the difference between the good and the bad. Here's how: ---Basically, bad advice tends to be definite and universal. GOOD advice tends to be complex and uncertain. But we tend to go for the bad advice because it's simplistic, new, sexy, or exciting. --According to David, quote, "It probably would be helpful if all study reports came with a little warning label like cigarette packs, that simply spelled out generically that, by the way, experts are usually wrong." --And in case you're wondering whether David and the experts in his book are wrong TOO, he's got an answer for that . . .-He says, quote, "You should not trust me either . . . Of course, I'm biased. I want a nice sexy story. How boring would it be for me to come out and be like, 'You know, those experts, they're pretty good, they're right a lot of the time.' --"We wouldn't even be having this conversation if I said that . . . But I'm not trying to give people answers here . . . We should all try to be smarter about how we pick our advice. (--Well, at least my man is honest.) (Time)


LISTENING TO MOZART DOESN'T MAKE YOU SMARTER, AND IT NEVER DID:

A lot of people think listening to Mozart makes you smarter. I don't mean just for babies, and I don't mean just listening to Mozart. I mean that whole idea that listening to classical music is somehow conducive to learning, studying, or whatever. --It's called 'The Mozart Effect' . . . and the whole thing is bogus. At least that's according to three researchers from the University of Vienna in Austria. They looked at 40 different studies on the topic over the last 15 years. --In case there's any confusion about what they found, they published their findings in a scientific journal called "Intelligence" and titled it "Mozart Effect, Schmozart Effect". In other words, there's no specific evidence that listening to Mozart helps your brain. --The whole thing started in 1993: Someone did a study on 36 college kids, and found that students who listened to Mozart . . . instead of a monotone voice, or nothing at all . . . scored higher on a test afterwards that measured something called spatial reasoning. --Only . . . the effect wore off after 10 or 15 minutes, and there was ZERO effect on general intelligence. Not in the short-term, and not in the long-term. But SOMEHOW, the whole urban legend of "Mozart Makes You Smarter" was born. --It got so bad that in 1998, the governor of Georgia issued a bill providing every new mother with a free classical music CD. And the same year, Florida passed a law requiring state-funded day-care centers to play at least an hour of classical music a day. --But before you throw out your stupid "Baby Mozart" CDs and we put this thing to bed, there's THIS: Researchers DO say that listening to music IN GENERAL actually DOES stimulate your brain, and COULD boost cognitive capacity. Whatever that means. (Politics Daily / Science Daily)


HERE'S A LIST OF 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD *ALWAYS* BUY USED:

According to "U.S. News And World Report", a lot of things are a MUCH better deal if you buy them used . . . so that's what you should always do. They suggest 21 things, but here are the Top Ten . . .

#1.) DVDs and CDs: Because they'll play like new if they were taken care of. And if they're NOT perfect, there are still ways to remove the scratches and make them playable.

#2.) Books: Because . . . why not? Nothing really changes from a new book to a used book. Also, there's this thing called the LIBRARY.

#3.) Video Games: Since kids get sick of them really fast, or beat the game quickly, you can find cheap used versions online right after the release date. And most video game stores have a 'used' shelf.

#4.) Clothing For Special Occasions: Most people take really good care of formal clothing, but only wear it once or twice. It might sound strange, but if you hit up thrift stores, yard sales, or go online, you can get sweet deals on used formal-wear.

#5.) Jewelry: Jewelry is marked down a TON when it's re-sold . . . even diamonds. It's actually pretty ridiculous. You just have to be willing to hit estate sales or half-way reputable pawn shops.

#6.) Ikea Furniture: Don't bother assembling that crap on your own. Pick it up for dirt cheap . . . or even free . . . on Craigslist. Right now's a good time too, since college students are changing apartments and cities, and ditching their stuff.

#7.) Toys: Just like the video games, it's pretty rare these days for a kid's toy to amuse the little guy for very long. So go online, or just ask neighbors, friends, and family to trade with you.

#8.) Maternity and Baby Clothes: This one's sort of like the formal wear. There's such a brief window when the stuff actually fits, and you can save a ton of money. If the 'used' part freaks you out, friends and family may be the way to go.

#9.) Musical Instruments: When you're a beginner, there's just no reason to shell out for a new instrument. Because the lessons aren't cheap either.

#10.) Pets: Professional breeders and pet stores are expensive. You're looking at several hundred dollars, or even several thousand dollars. And occasionally, those places are shady. But here's all you really need to know . . . --According to the Humane Society of the United States, four million cats and dogs are put down EACH YEAR in shelters across the country. So ADOPT, people. It's such a waste.
(--You can check out the full list and their explanations here . . .)
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/21-Things-You-Should-Never-usnews-2356162080.html?x=0


NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) A GUY IN TORONTO RANTED OUTSIDE A SHOPPING MALL BECAUSE IT WAS CLOSED:

Parts of downtown Toronto closed down last weekend because of the G-20 summit. And now there's a video on YouTube of some crazy guy who stood outside a shopping mall and yelled because he couldn't get in. --What's great about it is, he probably just wanted to buy some jeans. But HE thought he was protesting something SIGNIFICANT. (--Search for "retail rage Eaton Centre.")
(--WARNING: This video includes the F-word.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl_yUR8MNMM


#2.) A WOMAN SET A NEW WING-WALKING RECORD BY STANDING ON TOP OF A MOVING PLANE FOR FOUR HOURS STRAIGHT:

Last weekend, a woman in San Francisco named Ashley Battles broke the world record for longest "wing-walk" by strapping herself to the top of a small airplane, and standing on top of it for FOUR HOURS while it flew 100 miles an hour.
(--Search for "wing walking world record Ashley Battles." Before the video starts, you have to watch a brief ad.)
http://tiny.cc/omqry


THREE THINGS MEN WISH WOMEN DID LESS:

Here's a list from "Glamour" magazine of three things men wish women did less. They're not necessarily things women SHOULD do less. They're just three classic things that would HAPPEN a little less if guys had their way . . .

#1.) GETTING READY. Men appreciate the fact that women take the time to put on make-up, do their hair, and look good. But if guys absolutely HAVE to, they can get ready in five minutes. --So an hour in front of a mirror is hard to understand, especially when you're running late, and you have reservations.

#2.) GOSSIPING. Most guys just don't enjoy gossip the way women do. And it might even stress them out. Because when you tell a guy something scandalous about your friend, it's like forcing him to keep a secret for you. --Plus, gossip is almost always negative. And watching you enjoy your friends' problems isn't exactly a turn-on for him.

#3.) SECOND-GUESSING THINGS. Ladies, when a guy says something, you always want to know what it REALLY means. And then you treat it like a riddle you have to solve. --But the truth is, unless a guy's lying or trying to be manipulative, he's not working at that level most of the time. Guys usually just say what they're thinking. And they get annoyed when women try to dissect everything. (Glamour)


LIFESTYLES:
www.SponsorMyDegree.com

This new website has made headlines and inspired some heated message-board debates with its upstart blend of social networking and a process it refers to as “micro-philanthropy.” The site enables college students to create Facebook-style profiles and plead their case to site-browsing prospective donors as to why they deserve, need or just plain want some help financing their education. Donations and micro-loans can help cover increasing tuition costs, ranging anywhere from $10 up to the cost of an entire semester


BOOM! POW! Stay Safe On The Fourth

Fireworks are an Independence Day tradition, but every year hundreds of Americans lose a digit or more from fireworks injuries. The National Fire Protection Association has released a new video on their website (http://nfpa.org/fireworks) to help Americans use fireworks properly. In addition to blowing off fingers and hands, more than half of all fires over the Fourth of July holiday result from fireworks, according to the NFPA. Check out these NFPA stats from 2008, the most recent year numbers are available:
· Fireworks caused an estimated 22,500 fires in 2008, including 500 vehicle fires. These fires resulted in one death, 40 injuries, and $42 million in property damage.
· In 2008, U.S. emergency rooms treated an estimated 7,000 people for firework-related injuries; 53% of emergency room firework-related injuries were to the fingers, hands and arms; 37% were to the head.
· On a typical July 4th, more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day of the year, and fireworks account for more than half of those fires.


The World’s Weirdest Lakes

Earthquakes, volcanoes, meteorites and glaciers created many of our world’s magnificent lakes. Lakelubbers, an online guide to 1,625 vacation lakes, has released its list of the world’s most unusual lakes.

· Florida’s Draper Lake is a rare coastal dune lake that consists of both freshwater and saltwater.
· 13,020 feet above sea level on Hawaii’s Big Island, the tiny Lake Waiau freezes during winter.
· Through a natural phenomenon, Virginia’s Mountain Lake has emptied and re-filled about six times in the past 4,500 years.
Lakelubbers describes these and seven other unusual lakes at www.lakelubbers.com/newsletter-06-2010.html.


Is The World Cup Cramping Your Summer Dating Plans?

A recent poll by AreYouInterested.com discovered single people are spending less time looking for romance and more time watching the World Cup. While soccer is gaining popularity in the United States, it’s the No. 1 sport in many parts of the world. Other survey highlights reveal:

· 58% of World Cup watchers are spending less time looking for a date because they’re more interested in watching the World Cup.
· 40% of those polled would cancel a date to watch the World Cup Championship game.
___________________________________________

Got Milk?

Your family could join the nearly 300 celebrities who have donned a famous milk mustache and be featured in a “got milk?” ad. Nabisco Cookies and the National Milk Mustache “got milk?” campaign have teamed up to give one lucky family a starring role in their very own milk mustache ad. Now through July 15th, you can visit www.Facebook.com/NabiscoCookies to submit a photo and caption that represents the perfect Nabisco Cookie and milk moment. The winning family will appear in Kraft’s Food & Family magazine later this year.

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