HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (07-14-10)
OKSANA FIGHTS BACK IN THE LATEST MEL GIBSON TAPE:
More MEL GIBSON audio was leaked yesterday . . . and it's really more of the same, although this time, OKSANA GRIGORIEVA gets a few shots in. http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/07/exclusive-audio-another-mel-gibson-slur-caught-tape-crazed-rage-listen-it-here --Mel spends much of the tape berating Oksana for using him and spending his money. He calls her a whore, the B-word, the C-word, and just about any other word you can name. --But Oksana stands up for herself and tells Mel, quote, "You made me moneyless. I used to have $100,000 a year when you met me. You took me, you possessed me. --"Everything I am you owe me with my liver and my kidneys and my thoughts and my soul . . . You control me like [a marionette]. I don't belong to myself, only to you. I can't do anything and I walk on eggshells always with you." --To which Mel replies, quote, "That's because you're a (effing) using whore." (???) --This is also the tape in which Mel uses the derogatory term "wetbacks". He drops it during an argument over an employee Oksana wants to continue using. --Mel says, quote, "I will fire [her] if she's at your house. I will make it known and fire her. I'll report her to the (effing) people that take (effing) money from the wetbacks, ok?" --Mel also accuses Oksana of sleeping with another man, which she denies. --And here's our Mel Gibson Psychotic Line of the Day: "What are you talking about, you (effing) ignorant (B-word). I don't understand you! You're saying stupid (crap)! --"How dare you (effing) insult me with some of the stupid reasoning you have? Your logic sucks, because you're a (effing) mentally deprived idiot!" -The conversation ends when Oksana tells Mel that their daughter is crying. Mel tells her to go take care of HIS child. --When Oksana points out that it's her daughter, too, Mel says, quote, "Yeah I know, unfortunately you (C-word) whore! I hope she doesn't turn out like you!"
POLICE ARE LISTENING TO THESE INSANE MEL GIBSON TAPES:
Police investigating domestic assault accusations against MEL GIBSON are indeed taking these psychotic audiotapes into consideration. --A spokesman for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department says, quote, "We are reviewing the tapes." --So-called "sources" also claim that police want to interview Oksana's 12-year-old son, Alexander Dalton, because he lived with Mel and Oksana while they were together, and witnessed many of their blow-ups. (--Alexander's dad is former James Bond star TIMOTHY DALTON.)
DID MEL GO TO THERAPY OVER HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OKSANA???
These audiotapes we're hearing sure make it sound like MEL GIBSON NEEDS therapy. But according to one source, he's already HAD therapy. --A so-called "friend" of Mel's says, quote, "He realized how unhealthy the relationship was and recognized that they were in a bad place and he was getting his buttons pushed. --"He wanted to figure out how to extricate himself from this unhealthy relationship peacefully and calmly. Which is what he did." (--He did??? In what universe???)
LINDSAY LOHAN'S POST-PRISON INTERVIEW OFFERS ARE NOW OVER $500,000:
We heard that LINDSAY LOHAN was hoping to get $1 million for her first post-prison interview. Well, she might. --The bidding is on among various news organizations, and according to the "New York Post", the offers coming in are now topping $500,000.
LINDSAY LOHAN HITS BACK AT JOAN RIVERS:
SAMANTHA RONSON already delivered a verbal beat-down to JOAN RIVERS for dissing LINDSAY LOHAN on Twitter. But now, Lindsay is standing up for herself. --Lindsay said that Joan and her dad, MICHAEL LOHAN, are, quote, "a match made in Heaven" . . . then added, quote, "All he needs is her botox doctor. Dr. Drew, any ideas? Botox rehab reality show?" --Dr. Drew, who tried to butt into the Lindsay Lohan situation a little while back, actually responded, saying, quote, "Sounds like a terrific plan! Actually happy to see you have retained your sense of humor despite your circumstances." --Then Lindsay responded, quote, "In the words of 50 Cent, 'You shouldn't throw stones if you live in a glass house, and if you got a glass jaw, you should watch yo mouth'."
PENELOPE CRUZ AND JAVIER BARDEM ARE MARRIED:
PENELOPE CRUZ and JAVIER BARDEM got married earlier this month at a friend's home in the Bahamas. Only family members were present . . . and that's basically all we know about the wedding at this time. --Penelope and Javier have been together since 2007. He's 41 . . . she's 36.
IS BRET MICHAELS ENGAGED???
After BRET MICHAELS almost died, like, 12 times this year, he talked about FINALLY making an honest woman of Kristi Lynn Gibson, his on-and-off girlfriend of the past 16 years --Well, a so-called "source" says that Bret popped the question over the 4th of July weekend at his ranch near Scottsdale, Arizona . . . and she accepted. --The source says, quote, "Bret felt like now was the time because Kristi has been through so much with Bret and has been by his side every step of the way. He's woken up. He now knows he wants to be a husband." --Bret and Kristi have two daughters together . . . 10-year-old Raine and 5-year-old Jorja.
VINCE VAUGHN IS GOING TO BE A FATHER:
VINCE VAUGHN and his wife, Kyla Weber, are expecting their first child. There's no word on a due date. Vince and Kyla . . . who's a real estate agent from Canada . . . got married in January.
IS RIHANNA BACK IN TOUCH WITH CHRIS BROWN???
As far as we know, RIHANNA is still dating MATT KEMP of the Los Angeles Dodgers. But that hasn't stopped her from getting back in touch with her ex, CHRIS BROWN. --"Heat" magazine says Rihanna called Chris recently . . . quote, "It's been almost a year since they last spoke, but Rihanna felt like she could try to be friends with Chris again. --"Seeing how emotional he was on set [at the BET Awards] really touched her. She'd never seen him like that before. --"Chris told her that he felt like he's grown up in the past year. He's said he's so happy to be back in touch with her. --"They were each other's first love and he's missed her so much. Rihanna knows that if she wanted him back, he'd be there in a second." (--Technically, Chris and Rihanna can't meet face-to-face. After he assaulted her last year before the Grammys, he was ordered to stay at least 100 yards from her for the next five years.)
LARRY HAGMAN . . . WHO PLAYED J.R. EWING ON "DALLAS" . . . IS NOW SHILLING SOLAR ENERGY:
Here's some new millennium irony for you: LARRY HAGMAN is best known for playing greedy oil magnate J.R. Ewing on the '80s drama "Dallas". And now, he's shilling SOLAR ENERGY. --Larry is actually big into solar . . . and has what he believes is the nation's largest residential solar energy system at his home in Los Angeles. --Now, he's the new face of a company called SolarWorld, whose slogan is "Shine, Baby, Shine." That's a take off on the pro-oil slogan, "Drill, baby, drill", obviously. --Hagman says, quote, "When affordable oil gives out, we're in real trouble . . . I mean the collapse of civilization, within 15 to 20 years." --He also believes solar can be a good source of employment . . . quote, "We've got a work force that's looking for jobs. We've got a long line of people returning from wars."
GEORGE STEINBRENNER IS DEAD:
Legendary New York Yankees owner GEORGE STEINBRENNER died following a massive heart attack yesterday morning in Tampa, Florida. He was 80 years old. He had been in failing health due to a series of strokes over the past few years --Steinbrenner and 15 limited partners bought the Yankees from CBS for a mere $8.8 million in 1973, and turned them into a billion-dollar franchise. (--They're worth an estimated $1.6 billion today.) --Under his watch, they went to 11 World Series and won seven of them. -Steinbrenner wasn't the easiest guy to love, though. He feuded with several players, including REGGIE JACKSON, LOU PINIELLA and GOOSE GOSSAGE. --His most legendary feud was with manager BILLY MARTIN, whom he hired and fired FIVE TIMES from 1975 to 1988. --In another infamous career moment, Steinbrenner fired YOGI BERRA as manager just 16 games into the 1985 season. He publicly apologized to Yogi in 1999. --Yogi said yesterday, quote, "George and I had our differences, but who didn't? We became great friends over the last decade and I will miss him very much." --In all, there have been 22 managerial changes since Steinbrenner took ownership of the team in '73. (--Although he's basically been retired since 2006, so he really had nothing to do with the last change . . . which was the hiring of Joe Girardi in 2008 after the departure of Joe Torre.) --Steinbrenner was also suspended from baseball twice. First, for making an illegal contribution to RICHARD NIXON'S re-election campaign in 1974. That was supposed to be a two-year suspension, but it was later reduced to 15 months. --In 1990, he was suspended FOR LIFE for hiring a small-time gambler to dig up dirt on former player DAVE WINFIELD . . . who was suing Steinbrenner for failing to pay his charitable foundation an amount that was agreed upon in his contract. --That suspension was lifted three years later. --In the 1990s, George became a network TV star . . . sort of . . . when he was added as a character on "Seinfeld", after George Costanza . . . (--played by JASON ALEXANDER) . . . got a job with the Yankees. --Steinbrenner himself never appeared on the show. He was played by an actor who was only shown from behind, and his voice was provided by series co-creator LARRY DAVID. --Steinbrenner did shoot three scenes for the Season 7 finale, but they were edited out because the show was running too long. You can see them on Disc 4 of the Season 7 DVD.
(--You can see some of his work at this YouTube link . . . but the audio is kind of messed up and out of sync . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LD3udSurzw
--Here's what Seinfeld had to say about Steinbrenner's death . . . quote, "Who else could be a memorable character on a television show without actually appearing on the show? --"You felt George even though he wasn't there. That's how huge a force of personality he was. --Steinbrenner is survived by his wife Joan, two sons and two daughters. (--This is actually the SECOND Yankee death in the past few days. Legendary Yankee Stadium announcer BOB SHEPPARD died Sunday, at the age of 99.)
BEN ROETHLISBERGER WAS INVESTIGATED FOR PEEING ON A GOLF COURSE:
BEN ROETHLISBERGER'S "little Ben" almost got him into trouble again last Friday. -Ben was golfing at the Muirfield Village Country Club in Dublin, Ohio, when someone reported that a man fitting his description was seen urinating on the course. --Police were called, but nothing came of it. Ben was long gone, and there wasn't really any evidence that a crime had been committed. --A rep for the golf course says, quote, "We had a full slate of golfers that day . . . it may have been anyone."
LAWRENCE TAYLOR HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY:
LAWRENCE TAYLOR pleaded NOT GUILTY yesterday to charges that he had sex with an underage prostitute in an upstate New York hotel room back in May. He's due back in court next month. --Taylor is facing numerous charges, including third-degree rape, sexual abuse, endangering the welfare of a child and patronizing a prostitute. If convicted on all charges, he could be looking at four years in prison.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ WILL MAKE HIS MOVIE DEBUT:
New York Yankees stud ALEX RODRIGUEZ will make his movie debut in "Friends with Benefits" . . . a comedy starring JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and MILA KUNIS. The story follows two friends as they come out of disastrous relationships. --It also stars Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Andy Samberg and Emma Stone. There's no word whether A-Rod will be playing himself . . . but we're gonna go ahead and assume so, since he doesn't have any acting experience. --Alex will shoot his scenes when the Yankees have days off. (--A-Rod is dating Justin's ex, CAMERON DIAZ . . . which may have helped him land the part.)
MARIO LOPEZ IS GETTING HIS OWN VH1 REALITY SHOW:
"Saved By the Bell" legend MARIO LOPEZ will star on an upcoming reality show. But don't get too excited. Why? For starters, it's a VH1 reality show. --If that alone isn't enough of a turn off . . . the show will follow Mario and his girlfriend, Courtney Mazza, as they, quote, "prepare for the birth of their first child." --If you're still not off this yet, here's the kicker: The drama will be racheted-up by the challenges Mario faces as he bravely balances his career . . . hosting "Extra" and "America's Best Dance Crew" . . . and fatherhood. (--Yeah . . . no thank you.) --It'll premiere sometime this fall.
IT'S OFFICIAL: SELA WARD IS COMING TO "CSI: NEW YORK":
When MELINA KANAKAREDES announced she was quitting "CSI: New York", we heard SELA WARD was in line to replace her. Well, it's now a done deal. --Sela will play "an experienced investigator from Washington D.C., whose work is driven by her empathy for the victim." --The usual, boring statements have been released . . . the show's producers are, quote, "delighted" to have Sela, and Sela is, quote, "thrilled" to be joining the show.
HERE'S SOME FOOTAGE FROM CAPTAIN PHIL'S LAST "DEADLIEST CATCH" EPISODE THAT AIRED LAST NIGHT:
Before "Deadliest Catch" star CAPTAIN PHIL HARRIS died back in February, he allowed the show's cameras to film his final days. Well, the last of that footage aired on last night's episode. (--"Deadliest Catch" airs on the Discovery Channel.) (--Captain Phil died less than two weeks after suffering a brain hemorrhage.) --The episode featured Captain Phil's sons, Jake and Josh Harris, saying goodbye to their father. It was pretty sad. (--You can watch some of the footage, here . . .)
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b190231_deadliest_catch_shows_captain_phils.html
WEDNESDAY TV REMINDERS: (--Check your local listings.)
--"The 2010 ESPYS" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. (--"Saturday Night Live's" Seth Meyers is your host for the 18th annual sports awards. (--The Arthur Ashe Courage Awards will be given to an Iowa family that forgave a former player who murdered the town's long-time football coach.)
--"Big Brother 12" [Power of Veto competition] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS.
--"So You Think You Can Dance" [Performance Show] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. (--The top seven dancers perform.)
--"America's Got Talent" [Results Show] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Four acts will be chosen for the Top 24.)
--"Ghost Hunters International" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Syfy.
--"The Real World: New Orleans" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV.
--"Psych" [5th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on USA.
BONO SAYS HE WAS "REBUILT BY GERMAN ENGINEERING" . . . AND U2 IS READY TO TOUR AGAIN:
U2 was forced to postpone the North American leg of their 360 tour back in May . . . when BONO underwent emergency spinal surgery after somehow injuring himself during rehearsals. --Well, U2 is ready to hit the road again. They'll return to the stage on August 6th . . . in Europe. The European tour was initially in doubt, but now that Bono has recuperated, it'll go on as planned. --The 16-date North American tour, which was supposed to kick off last month, was scrapped . . . but the band has rescheduled all the shows for next year. --The new dates will stretch from May 21st in Denver . . . through July 23rd in Minneapolis. (--If you still have tickets from any of the cancelled shows, they'll still be good for the new shows . . . or you can get a refund.)
(--You can find all the rescheduled dates at U2.com, here . . .)
http://www.u2.com/news/title/north-american-tour-2011-rescheduled-dates
--In a YouTube video, Bono jokes, quote, "I'm ready, rebuilt by German engineering. Better design, I'm told." --He adds, quote, "I'm very well. I can sit. I can stand. I can move around a bit. Feeling strong, feeling confident, know what I'm saying? --"I actually wanted to apologize for the trouble that this injury has put you all through and those of you that bought tickets and organized hotels and travel plans, it's a very big deal . . . we don't take you for granted. --"It was not a lot of fun for me, the injury was quite serious." (--You can watch the full video at the link below. It's very D.I.Y. . . . in fact, the video ends, strangely, with 40 seconds of an empty, black screen.)
(--Maybe it's somehow supposed to symbolize the plight of the poor people in Third World countries who don't have access to the Internet . . . and are thus unable to watch U2 video messages. Hey, would it surprise you if it was???)
http://www.u2.com/news/title/were-coming-back/
SEAN LENNON LET LADY GAGA PLAY JOHN LENNON'S PIANO . . . AND BEATLES FANS FREAKED:
JOHN LENNON'S son SEAN LENNON . . . the kid he had with YOKO ONO . . . recently let LADY GAGA play John's infamous white Steinway piano, and then posted a picture of it on Twitter. --And in the picture Lady Gaga was wearing a skimpy outfit . . . naturally. Sean's caption read: Quote, "With Gaga at mom's house, she's belting on the white piano." --Well, that didn't go over well AT ALL with Beatles fans, who immediately began screaming bloody murder to Sean on Twitter. It got so intense that Sean eventually took the picture down . . . but he also wants everyone to CHILL OUT. --Sean said, quote, "Pianos are meant to be played. Why is everyone so uptight? What should we do, lock it away in a dusty room? So judgmental. --"Firstly, [John] gave that piano to my mother for her birthday, it is hers, secondly, he was not uptight the way you seem to be. Come on, lighten up . . . life's too short, there're enough real problems in the world."
MUSE "SOLD THEIR SOUL" TO BE ON THE "TWILIGHT" SOUNDTRACKS:
MUSE have appeared on all three "Twilight" soundtracks . . . and the band admits that in doing it, they sold out a little, but they needed it to become bigger in America. --Bassist Chris Wolstenholme explains, quote, "I'm not sure how cool it is to be on those kind of things . . . --"But sometimes you've just got to get your music out there in different ways. You have to take every opportunity you get . . . and sometimes you have to sell your soul."
LIL WAYNE SPENDS A LOT OF HIS TIME IN PRISON ON THE PHONE:
LIL WAYNE has put up yet another letter to his fans on WeezyThanxYou.com . . . and in this one, he details his daily routine at Rikers Island prison. And man, it sounds like he spends a TON OF TIME talking on the phone. --He said, quote, "I wake up around 11:00 A.M. Have some coffee. Call my kids, and my wonderful mother. I then shower up. Read fan mail. Have lunch. Back on the phone. Read a book or write some thoughts down . . . --"Have dinner. Phone. Push-ups. Then I listen to ESPN on the radio. Read the Bible, then sleep. That's my day." --Wayne also said he's been writing some killer lyrics . . . quote, "There's no word that I can think of that properly defines them. 'Amazing' would be too typical, and 'perfect' would be unfair." (--"Marvelous," maybe? Read Wayne's letter, here . . .)
http://weezythanxyou.com/2010/07/13/letter-04-as-time-flies/
NAZZYS RANDOM STUFF
20% OF PEOPLE HAVE SENT A DIRTY TEXT TO THE WRONG PERSON:
--According to a survey by a British company called Sell My Mobile, a full 20% of people, or one out of every five, have accidentally sent a dirty text to the wrong person. --People under 25 are the sloppiest . . . 43% have sent a nasty text message to the wrong person. There's no difference between men and women . . . both are equally careless. --Family members are most likely to get an errant dirty text . . . 40% of the people who've screwed one up have sent it to a parent or relative. --27% have accidentally sent one to a friend, 11% to an ex and 10% to a co-worker. --The survey also found that about 20% of people don't bother to wipe out their contacts, messages and pictures before they sell, give away or recycle their old cell phones. (Washington Post / WebUser.co.uk)
MEN ARE BETTER ENTREPRENEURS THAN WOMEN BECAUSE OF HOW OFTEN WOMEN REJECT THEM:
Here's a good thing to think about when you use a GENIUS pick-up line on a woman and, for some reason, she rejects you. Each time you get turned down by some random girl, you're one step closer to starting the next Google or Apple. --According to a report published in the "MIT Entrepreneurship Review", men are far more successful at starting businesses than women because they're so used to getting rejected. --Quote, "Asking someone out is not unlike trying to start a business. You will be met with rejection, from investors, customers, friends, family, hapless observers, perennial cynics." --"By the time they are 18, most boys are far more amenable psychologically to entrepreneurship than most girls because of the coping mechanisms boys have developed [thanks to female rejection]." --The report also has a second theory why men are generally stronger entrepreneurs than women. Males and females seem to be programmed to handle risk differently . . . and in a way that seems to favor men in the business world. --Studies of younger children show that girls worry about ALL the possible risks of an activity . . . while boys only worry about BIG risks, but are more willing to take little ones. --For example, a girl on a swing would think "how likely is it that I'll get hurt if I jump off this swing?" while a boy would think, "how badly will I get hurt if I jump off . . . and if it's not that bad, I'm going to do it." (Jezebel)
THE WORLD'S FIRST LASAGNA SANDWICH HAS DEBUTED IN ENGLAND:
If you think America's the only country trying to create the world's most delicious and unhealthy food mash-ups, the good people of England would like you to know they can construct monstrous fattening creations as well as we can. --The British supermarket chain Tesco just released the world's first LASAGNA SANDWICH. And yes, that's two pieces of bread with several layers of meat and cheese lasagna shoved in between. --The sandwich isn't actually that big, but it still squeezes in 565 calories and 27 grams of fat. They're being sold for about $3.75. (Daily Mail)
WORKERS IN LONDON ARE TRYING TO REMOVE 1,000 TONS OF SOLIDIFIED FAT FROM CITY SEWERS:
In London, lots of restaurants tend to dump their cooking fat down the drain instead of into the garbage. And it's causing a problem: The London sewers have been COMPLETELY OVERTAKEN by FAT. --Right now, sewer workers are removing more than 1,000 tons of solid FAT from the pipes, to prevent a major plumbing disaster. And the problems was so bad, they had to bust through a four-foot wall of solidified fat just to enter the sewers. --The cleanup will take about two months, and it's happening under one of the city's main tourist attractions . . . Leicester Square. (--It's pronounced "Lester" Square.) (AFP)
MEN ARE AFRAID TO ORDER VEGETABLES OR YOGURT BECAUSE IT MAKES THEM LOOK "GAY":
Apparently, there's a reason men go to restaurants and order things like steak and gravy. And it's not just because they're delicious. No . . . men order those things so they look HETEROSEXUAL. --A new study found that men at restaurants gravitate to stereotypically manly things, like the words "heavy" and "hearty," and foods like gravy and meat. And they stay away from stereotypically female things, like vegetables, white wine, and yogurt. --Even if a man really wants a delicious pasta with a white wine sauce, he might order meat sauce instead, because, quote, "men forgo their preferences to conform to a masculine gender identity." -Or, as "Toronto Life" magazine puts it in their write-up of the study, quote, "guys are socially conditioned to think [ordering things like] yogurt makes them gay." --The study did find that men WILL sometimes order feminine-sounding foods when they have less time to order. --In other words, if they have less time to think about how they'll be judged for their order, the more likely they are to order what they really want . . . no matter how feminine it is.
(Toronto Life)
THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE GETTING FOOD POISONING FROM SALSA AND GUACAMOLE HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED:
I'm not usually one to be suspicious of the Mexicans . . . but I have it on good authority that they got us addicted to their delicious food, and now they're using it to POISON US. --According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people who got food poisoning from salsa and guacamole has more than DOUBLED in the last decade. --Between 1984 and 1997, about 1.5% of food poisoning cases at restaurants were connected to salsa and guacamole. Between 1998 and 2008, that exploded to 3.9% of cases, or one out of every 25 cases. --The main reason is that Mexican food has gotten more popular, so more people than ever are eating salsa and guacamole. --And since those two foods don't require any cooking . . . where the heat could kill the bad bacteria . . . it's easier for them to cause an outbreak. --Bad storage times and temperatures were responsible in 30% of the Mexican food poisoning cases. A food worker passing his own germs into your salsa and guacamole was responsible 20% of the time. (--The CDC didn't say what the cause was the other 50% of the time.) (Wall Street Journal)
PERFECTIONISTS ARE 51% MORE LIKELY THAN SLACKERS TO DIE AN EARLY DEATH:
If you're the kind of person who religiously pays every bill on time, alphabetizes your CDs and DVDs, and makes sure every single detail in every e-mail you send is absolutely perfect . . . here's some bad news. --The guy with the 543 credit score who's smoking reefer on the stained, used couch he bought from Goodwill is probably going to outlive you. --According to a study by Trinity Western University, perfectionists are 51% more likely than laid-back people to DIE AN EARLY DEATH. --The stress and anxiety that come with perfectionism take enough of a toll on the body that they can cause health problems that shrink your life expectancy. Stuff like heart disease and hypertension. --The study did find one big health benefit to perfectionism though. If you've got type two diabetes, your perfectionism helps you keep your blood sugar levels where they need to be. --Perfectionists were 26% less likely than slackers to die from diabetes or its complications. (New York Daily News)
EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED DOESN'T REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
People love catchphrases like "expect the unexpected" or "be prepared" or "keep your head on a swivel." Unfortunately . . . it turns out that those sound cool but don't actually WORK. --A study at the University of Illinois found that whether you're "expecting the unexpected" or just kinda hanging out, if someone surprises you, you'll react the same way and with the same response time. --When something happens suddenly, it takes a moment for you to process it . . . and then your brain instinctively responds, whether you were expecting to be surprised or not. (Businessweek)
LIFE ON EARTH GETS WIPED OUT EVERY 27 MILLION YEARS. FORTUNATELY WE'VE GOT A FEW LEFT:
Bad news and good news here. The bad news: According to scientists from the University of Kansas, they're 99% sure that all life on Earth is wiped out every 27 million years. The good news: We've got a solid 16 million until that happens again. --The researchers at Kansas found that there's a mass extinction every 27 million years . . . and, usually, it's from a comet or asteroid crashing into the Earth. --The last one hit about nine million years ago, so we should all probably be gone by the time the next one comes. Probably. --The most popular theory for the dinosaurs' extinction was an asteroid hitting the Earth. The asteroid is estimated to be about nine miles wide and hit with a force about ONE BILLION times stronger than an atomic bomb. (Daily Mail)
A COLLECTION AGENT CALLS A HOUSE TO TRY TO TRACK DOWN A LATE PAYMENT . . . AND ENDS UP SAVING A FOUR-YEAR-OLD BOY'S LIFE!
I'm about to utter a sentence that's never been said before in the history of mankind: Today, we're celebrating a COLLECTION AGENT as a true American hero. --Chamara Washington of Richmond, Virginia, works at a Capital One credit card call center. Last week, she was making collection calls and ended up calling a house in Georgia. --A four-year-old boy answered the phone, crying. Chamara says he sounded DESPERATE and she could tell something was seriously wrong. --He asked Chamara to come help him . . . the adult he was with fell asleep three days ago and hadn't woken up. He said he'd just made himself cereal for dinner, he was incredibly scared, and he couldn't figure out how to turn on the TV. --Chamara decided to step in, and called the police. They traced the call to the home in Georgia, where they found the boy and his deceased relative. The boy was put in the care of the Georgia Child Protective Services agency. --Chamara's supervisor called her a, quote, "hero. She did the right thing and saved the boy's life." (CBS 6 - Richmond)
NEED A FRIEND? THERE'S A WEBSITE THAT WILL LEND YOU ONE FOR $10-AN-HOUR:
For some reason, this seems REALLY creepy to me . . . but not like Craigslist Casual Encounters creepy, more like sad and uncomfortable creepy. --There's a website called RentAFriend.com that lets you, yes, rent a friend. The price starts at $10-an-hour . . . and when you pay, some stranger will come hang out with you, talk to you, eat meals, go shopping, whatever. --A 30-year-old guy named Scott Rosenbaum founded the site. He says it's popular for people who are visiting new cities and want a tour guide or someone to eat with . . . or people who need a second opinion for shopping or buying a car. --The service isn't cheap, though. To rent a friend you need to become a member, at $25-a-month or $70-a-year. Then you have to pay your friend between $10- to $50-an-hour . . . plus pay for their meals and other expenses when you're together. --The membership fee is there to try to keep the sketchy people out . . . by becoming a member, the site can run a background check on you and make sure you're not a serial killer. It's also how the site makes all of its money. --If you want to sign up to be a rentable friend, there's no fee, and you get to keep your entire hourly wage. Right now about 22,000 people have signed up to be people's friends . . . and it's as easy as setting up a profile on the site. --And, since you're clearly wondering what we were clearly wondering, NO, this can't be used for sex. If the site gets word you're asking for or offering sexual services, your account is cancelled immediately. (ABC News)
PRESIDENT OBAMA IS "GUARANTEED" TO BE RE-ELECTED ACCORDING TO A NEW PRESIDENTIAL PREDICTION FORMULA:
Good news if you're one of the 48% of Americans who still approve of PRESIDENT OBAMA. According to a professor at American University, there's a 100% guarantee he's going to be re-elected in 2012. --The professor is Allan Lichtman, and he says he's come up with a foolproof method to predict the presidency. And it doesn't have anything to do with opinion polls or trends. --It takes into account 13 different major political keys and uses those to figure out whether the incumbent's party is going to win or the opposition party is going to win. --If five or fewer of the keys are false, the incumbent's party will win the presidency. If six or more are false, the opposition party wins. Right now, only four of the 13 are false, so things look good for Obama. --The four things going against him are: No major foreign policy victory . . . having his party lose Congressional seats in midterm elections . . . slow economic growth . . . and the fact that he's not viewed as a charismatic national hero any more. --Some of the things going for him are: There's no strong candidate from his own party who will battle for his nomination . . . he's had no major international failures . . . he's effected major changes . . . and he hasn't had a major scandal. --Lichtman says, quote, "The keys show elections are not horse races. The American [voters] choose a president according to the performance of the party holding the White House as measured by consequential events." (Politics Daily)
NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) NOW THERE'S A YODA VOICE FOR YOUR GPS:
In May, a company called TomTom released a Darth Vader GPS voice. And they made a YouTube video of fake Vader outtakes from the recording studio to promote it. --Now there's a new one of YODA that shows him struggling to give directions without rearranging the words of the sentences. (--Search for "Yoda TomTom GPS YouTube." Here's the Yoda video and the Darth Vader video.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdcJVuylmsM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ljFfL-mL70
#2.) HERE ARE THE BEST SOCCER "FLOPS" OF ALL TIME:
The one amazing thing about watching the World Cup was seeing all the players PRETEND to get injured. --There's a video on YouTube that shows some of the worst soccer flops EVER. And it's set to a hilarious acoustic version of "The Imperial March" from "Star Wars". (--Search for "worst football dives ever ham actors.")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ioyt2zzm530
#3.) AND NOW . . . "DEER MAN":
Some guy used a ton of body paint to make himself look like a deer, and he even made antlers and a snout. But he ended up looking like something out of a nightmare. (--Search for "the deer man StupidVideos.com.")
http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/The_Deer_Man/
THREE QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD NEVER ASK YOUR TEENAGER:
If you want to be a good parent, you're supposed to stay active in your kids' lives and ask a lot of questions. But try telling that to people who have teenagers: If you ask questions in the wrong way, you'll get nothing.
--So here are three questions you SHOULDN'T ask your teenager . . .
QUESTION #1.) "HOW WAS YOUR DAY?" It's worse than saying nothing, because it's vague and you don't sound like you really care. So they'll just say, "It was FINE." -So try to ask questions about specific things. If they had sports practice that day, ask what happened. Or if you knew they had a test, ask how it went. If they say it went "FINE," ask what some of the questions were.
QUESTION #2.) "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Teenagers are impulsive by definition. For real: The pre-frontal cortex of the brain regulates decision-making and impulse. But in teenagers, the pre-frontal cortex is still developing. --So when you ask what they were thinking, and they say, "I don't know" . . . it might actually be true.
QUESTION #3.) "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY NO?" Obviously, peer pressure and the need to fit in are HUGE with teenagers. --And according to a 2006 study by the Boys and Girls Club of America, teenagers think the most annoying advice their parents give them is to "just say no." What they WANT is advice on HOW to say no. (GALTime.com)
SITE FOR SORE EYES:
www.retailmenot.com/coupons/airlines
Airline fares might keep going up, but you can knock down the price with coupon codes for travel booking sites like Expedia.com, Orbitz.com and Travelocity.com, as well as individual airlines, at this neat website.
LIFESTYLES:
COMPANY COMPUTER SNOOPING ON THE RISE
A new survey released by computer security firm Cyber-Ark has found that snooping is on the rise among American companies. In fact, 40% of IT workers said they or someone they know has used an administration password to get confidential or sensitive information on a worker. Most employees agree that e-mail snooping takes place, but even more say they don’t believe their employer snoops on them.
_____________________________________________
THE PERFECT TEMPERATURE
Believe it or not, a new study has discovered there is a perfect temperature that enables workers to be the most productive. While some say they work better when it’s warm, others say they work better when it’s cooler. But the survey posted on www.TheAtlantic.com, says performance increases with temperatures ranging from 60 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, productivity decreases with temps between 73 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. After crunching the numbers, researchers determined the perfect temperature for greatest productivity is 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
FACEBOOK FATIGUE
Too much of a good thing can flat wear you out! About 90% of online teens use at least one social networking site, Facebook being the top destination, but 19% who are on Facebook say they no longer visit the social site or are using it less, according to a new survey from online gaming site Roiworld.com. The survey found that while teens spend a significant amount of time on social networks – around 80% of their online time – Facebook’s popularity is beginning to dwindle. Why?
· 45% have lost interest.
· 16% are leaving because their parents have joined.
· 14% think “too many adults/older people” now use the site.
· 13% are concerned about their personal privacy.
However, Facebook remains the most popular social network among teens – 78% have created a profile and 69% are still active. YouTube ranks second with 64% of teens claiming to have an active account, while MySpace comes in third (41%) and Twitter fourth (20%).
WOULD YOU PAY FOR E-MAIL?
Just over half of Americans communicate via e-mail every day, but if they were charged even a small amount for each one sent, e-mail use would drop dramatically. A new Rasmussen Reports survey finds that 51% of adults use e-mail every day, while another 15% utilize it almost every day; 14% write e-mails either once a week or several times a month, while 18% have never used e-mail. If charged a small amount for each e-mail sent, 39% of Americans say they would stop using it completely. Forty-three percent say a small fee would greatly reduce their use of e-mail, and another 11% would continue to use it as they do now.
More MEL GIBSON audio was leaked yesterday . . . and it's really more of the same, although this time, OKSANA GRIGORIEVA gets a few shots in. http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/07/exclusive-audio-another-mel-gibson-slur-caught-tape-crazed-rage-listen-it-here --Mel spends much of the tape berating Oksana for using him and spending his money. He calls her a whore, the B-word, the C-word, and just about any other word you can name. --But Oksana stands up for herself and tells Mel, quote, "You made me moneyless. I used to have $100,000 a year when you met me. You took me, you possessed me. --"Everything I am you owe me with my liver and my kidneys and my thoughts and my soul . . . You control me like [a marionette]. I don't belong to myself, only to you. I can't do anything and I walk on eggshells always with you." --To which Mel replies, quote, "That's because you're a (effing) using whore." (???) --This is also the tape in which Mel uses the derogatory term "wetbacks". He drops it during an argument over an employee Oksana wants to continue using. --Mel says, quote, "I will fire [her] if she's at your house. I will make it known and fire her. I'll report her to the (effing) people that take (effing) money from the wetbacks, ok?" --Mel also accuses Oksana of sleeping with another man, which she denies. --And here's our Mel Gibson Psychotic Line of the Day: "What are you talking about, you (effing) ignorant (B-word). I don't understand you! You're saying stupid (crap)! --"How dare you (effing) insult me with some of the stupid reasoning you have? Your logic sucks, because you're a (effing) mentally deprived idiot!" -The conversation ends when Oksana tells Mel that their daughter is crying. Mel tells her to go take care of HIS child. --When Oksana points out that it's her daughter, too, Mel says, quote, "Yeah I know, unfortunately you (C-word) whore! I hope she doesn't turn out like you!"
POLICE ARE LISTENING TO THESE INSANE MEL GIBSON TAPES:
Police investigating domestic assault accusations against MEL GIBSON are indeed taking these psychotic audiotapes into consideration. --A spokesman for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department says, quote, "We are reviewing the tapes." --So-called "sources" also claim that police want to interview Oksana's 12-year-old son, Alexander Dalton, because he lived with Mel and Oksana while they were together, and witnessed many of their blow-ups. (--Alexander's dad is former James Bond star TIMOTHY DALTON.)
DID MEL GO TO THERAPY OVER HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OKSANA???
These audiotapes we're hearing sure make it sound like MEL GIBSON NEEDS therapy. But according to one source, he's already HAD therapy. --A so-called "friend" of Mel's says, quote, "He realized how unhealthy the relationship was and recognized that they were in a bad place and he was getting his buttons pushed. --"He wanted to figure out how to extricate himself from this unhealthy relationship peacefully and calmly. Which is what he did." (--He did??? In what universe???)
LINDSAY LOHAN'S POST-PRISON INTERVIEW OFFERS ARE NOW OVER $500,000:
We heard that LINDSAY LOHAN was hoping to get $1 million for her first post-prison interview. Well, she might. --The bidding is on among various news organizations, and according to the "New York Post", the offers coming in are now topping $500,000.
LINDSAY LOHAN HITS BACK AT JOAN RIVERS:
SAMANTHA RONSON already delivered a verbal beat-down to JOAN RIVERS for dissing LINDSAY LOHAN on Twitter. But now, Lindsay is standing up for herself. --Lindsay said that Joan and her dad, MICHAEL LOHAN, are, quote, "a match made in Heaven" . . . then added, quote, "All he needs is her botox doctor. Dr. Drew, any ideas? Botox rehab reality show?" --Dr. Drew, who tried to butt into the Lindsay Lohan situation a little while back, actually responded, saying, quote, "Sounds like a terrific plan! Actually happy to see you have retained your sense of humor despite your circumstances." --Then Lindsay responded, quote, "In the words of 50 Cent, 'You shouldn't throw stones if you live in a glass house, and if you got a glass jaw, you should watch yo mouth'."
PENELOPE CRUZ AND JAVIER BARDEM ARE MARRIED:
PENELOPE CRUZ and JAVIER BARDEM got married earlier this month at a friend's home in the Bahamas. Only family members were present . . . and that's basically all we know about the wedding at this time. --Penelope and Javier have been together since 2007. He's 41 . . . she's 36.
IS BRET MICHAELS ENGAGED???
After BRET MICHAELS almost died, like, 12 times this year, he talked about FINALLY making an honest woman of Kristi Lynn Gibson, his on-and-off girlfriend of the past 16 years --Well, a so-called "source" says that Bret popped the question over the 4th of July weekend at his ranch near Scottsdale, Arizona . . . and she accepted. --The source says, quote, "Bret felt like now was the time because Kristi has been through so much with Bret and has been by his side every step of the way. He's woken up. He now knows he wants to be a husband." --Bret and Kristi have two daughters together . . . 10-year-old Raine and 5-year-old Jorja.
VINCE VAUGHN IS GOING TO BE A FATHER:
VINCE VAUGHN and his wife, Kyla Weber, are expecting their first child. There's no word on a due date. Vince and Kyla . . . who's a real estate agent from Canada . . . got married in January.
IS RIHANNA BACK IN TOUCH WITH CHRIS BROWN???
As far as we know, RIHANNA is still dating MATT KEMP of the Los Angeles Dodgers. But that hasn't stopped her from getting back in touch with her ex, CHRIS BROWN. --"Heat" magazine says Rihanna called Chris recently . . . quote, "It's been almost a year since they last spoke, but Rihanna felt like she could try to be friends with Chris again. --"Seeing how emotional he was on set [at the BET Awards] really touched her. She'd never seen him like that before. --"Chris told her that he felt like he's grown up in the past year. He's said he's so happy to be back in touch with her. --"They were each other's first love and he's missed her so much. Rihanna knows that if she wanted him back, he'd be there in a second." (--Technically, Chris and Rihanna can't meet face-to-face. After he assaulted her last year before the Grammys, he was ordered to stay at least 100 yards from her for the next five years.)
LARRY HAGMAN . . . WHO PLAYED J.R. EWING ON "DALLAS" . . . IS NOW SHILLING SOLAR ENERGY:
Here's some new millennium irony for you: LARRY HAGMAN is best known for playing greedy oil magnate J.R. Ewing on the '80s drama "Dallas". And now, he's shilling SOLAR ENERGY. --Larry is actually big into solar . . . and has what he believes is the nation's largest residential solar energy system at his home in Los Angeles. --Now, he's the new face of a company called SolarWorld, whose slogan is "Shine, Baby, Shine." That's a take off on the pro-oil slogan, "Drill, baby, drill", obviously. --Hagman says, quote, "When affordable oil gives out, we're in real trouble . . . I mean the collapse of civilization, within 15 to 20 years." --He also believes solar can be a good source of employment . . . quote, "We've got a work force that's looking for jobs. We've got a long line of people returning from wars."
GEORGE STEINBRENNER IS DEAD:
Legendary New York Yankees owner GEORGE STEINBRENNER died following a massive heart attack yesterday morning in Tampa, Florida. He was 80 years old. He had been in failing health due to a series of strokes over the past few years --Steinbrenner and 15 limited partners bought the Yankees from CBS for a mere $8.8 million in 1973, and turned them into a billion-dollar franchise. (--They're worth an estimated $1.6 billion today.) --Under his watch, they went to 11 World Series and won seven of them. -Steinbrenner wasn't the easiest guy to love, though. He feuded with several players, including REGGIE JACKSON, LOU PINIELLA and GOOSE GOSSAGE. --His most legendary feud was with manager BILLY MARTIN, whom he hired and fired FIVE TIMES from 1975 to 1988. --In another infamous career moment, Steinbrenner fired YOGI BERRA as manager just 16 games into the 1985 season. He publicly apologized to Yogi in 1999. --Yogi said yesterday, quote, "George and I had our differences, but who didn't? We became great friends over the last decade and I will miss him very much." --In all, there have been 22 managerial changes since Steinbrenner took ownership of the team in '73. (--Although he's basically been retired since 2006, so he really had nothing to do with the last change . . . which was the hiring of Joe Girardi in 2008 after the departure of Joe Torre.) --Steinbrenner was also suspended from baseball twice. First, for making an illegal contribution to RICHARD NIXON'S re-election campaign in 1974. That was supposed to be a two-year suspension, but it was later reduced to 15 months. --In 1990, he was suspended FOR LIFE for hiring a small-time gambler to dig up dirt on former player DAVE WINFIELD . . . who was suing Steinbrenner for failing to pay his charitable foundation an amount that was agreed upon in his contract. --That suspension was lifted three years later. --In the 1990s, George became a network TV star . . . sort of . . . when he was added as a character on "Seinfeld", after George Costanza . . . (--played by JASON ALEXANDER) . . . got a job with the Yankees. --Steinbrenner himself never appeared on the show. He was played by an actor who was only shown from behind, and his voice was provided by series co-creator LARRY DAVID. --Steinbrenner did shoot three scenes for the Season 7 finale, but they were edited out because the show was running too long. You can see them on Disc 4 of the Season 7 DVD.
(--You can see some of his work at this YouTube link . . . but the audio is kind of messed up and out of sync . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LD3udSurzw
--Here's what Seinfeld had to say about Steinbrenner's death . . . quote, "Who else could be a memorable character on a television show without actually appearing on the show? --"You felt George even though he wasn't there. That's how huge a force of personality he was. --Steinbrenner is survived by his wife Joan, two sons and two daughters. (--This is actually the SECOND Yankee death in the past few days. Legendary Yankee Stadium announcer BOB SHEPPARD died Sunday, at the age of 99.)
BEN ROETHLISBERGER WAS INVESTIGATED FOR PEEING ON A GOLF COURSE:
BEN ROETHLISBERGER'S "little Ben" almost got him into trouble again last Friday. -Ben was golfing at the Muirfield Village Country Club in Dublin, Ohio, when someone reported that a man fitting his description was seen urinating on the course. --Police were called, but nothing came of it. Ben was long gone, and there wasn't really any evidence that a crime had been committed. --A rep for the golf course says, quote, "We had a full slate of golfers that day . . . it may have been anyone."
LAWRENCE TAYLOR HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY:
LAWRENCE TAYLOR pleaded NOT GUILTY yesterday to charges that he had sex with an underage prostitute in an upstate New York hotel room back in May. He's due back in court next month. --Taylor is facing numerous charges, including third-degree rape, sexual abuse, endangering the welfare of a child and patronizing a prostitute. If convicted on all charges, he could be looking at four years in prison.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ WILL MAKE HIS MOVIE DEBUT:
New York Yankees stud ALEX RODRIGUEZ will make his movie debut in "Friends with Benefits" . . . a comedy starring JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and MILA KUNIS. The story follows two friends as they come out of disastrous relationships. --It also stars Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Andy Samberg and Emma Stone. There's no word whether A-Rod will be playing himself . . . but we're gonna go ahead and assume so, since he doesn't have any acting experience. --Alex will shoot his scenes when the Yankees have days off. (--A-Rod is dating Justin's ex, CAMERON DIAZ . . . which may have helped him land the part.)
MARIO LOPEZ IS GETTING HIS OWN VH1 REALITY SHOW:
"Saved By the Bell" legend MARIO LOPEZ will star on an upcoming reality show. But don't get too excited. Why? For starters, it's a VH1 reality show. --If that alone isn't enough of a turn off . . . the show will follow Mario and his girlfriend, Courtney Mazza, as they, quote, "prepare for the birth of their first child." --If you're still not off this yet, here's the kicker: The drama will be racheted-up by the challenges Mario faces as he bravely balances his career . . . hosting "Extra" and "America's Best Dance Crew" . . . and fatherhood. (--Yeah . . . no thank you.) --It'll premiere sometime this fall.
IT'S OFFICIAL: SELA WARD IS COMING TO "CSI: NEW YORK":
When MELINA KANAKAREDES announced she was quitting "CSI: New York", we heard SELA WARD was in line to replace her. Well, it's now a done deal. --Sela will play "an experienced investigator from Washington D.C., whose work is driven by her empathy for the victim." --The usual, boring statements have been released . . . the show's producers are, quote, "delighted" to have Sela, and Sela is, quote, "thrilled" to be joining the show.
HERE'S SOME FOOTAGE FROM CAPTAIN PHIL'S LAST "DEADLIEST CATCH" EPISODE THAT AIRED LAST NIGHT:
Before "Deadliest Catch" star CAPTAIN PHIL HARRIS died back in February, he allowed the show's cameras to film his final days. Well, the last of that footage aired on last night's episode. (--"Deadliest Catch" airs on the Discovery Channel.) (--Captain Phil died less than two weeks after suffering a brain hemorrhage.) --The episode featured Captain Phil's sons, Jake and Josh Harris, saying goodbye to their father. It was pretty sad. (--You can watch some of the footage, here . . .)
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b190231_deadliest_catch_shows_captain_phils.html
WEDNESDAY TV REMINDERS: (--Check your local listings.)
--"The 2010 ESPYS" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. (--"Saturday Night Live's" Seth Meyers is your host for the 18th annual sports awards. (--The Arthur Ashe Courage Awards will be given to an Iowa family that forgave a former player who murdered the town's long-time football coach.)
--"Big Brother 12" [Power of Veto competition] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS.
--"So You Think You Can Dance" [Performance Show] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. (--The top seven dancers perform.)
--"America's Got Talent" [Results Show] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Four acts will be chosen for the Top 24.)
--"Ghost Hunters International" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Syfy.
--"The Real World: New Orleans" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV.
--"Psych" [5th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on USA.
BONO SAYS HE WAS "REBUILT BY GERMAN ENGINEERING" . . . AND U2 IS READY TO TOUR AGAIN:
U2 was forced to postpone the North American leg of their 360 tour back in May . . . when BONO underwent emergency spinal surgery after somehow injuring himself during rehearsals. --Well, U2 is ready to hit the road again. They'll return to the stage on August 6th . . . in Europe. The European tour was initially in doubt, but now that Bono has recuperated, it'll go on as planned. --The 16-date North American tour, which was supposed to kick off last month, was scrapped . . . but the band has rescheduled all the shows for next year. --The new dates will stretch from May 21st in Denver . . . through July 23rd in Minneapolis. (--If you still have tickets from any of the cancelled shows, they'll still be good for the new shows . . . or you can get a refund.)
(--You can find all the rescheduled dates at U2.com, here . . .)
http://www.u2.com/news/title/north-american-tour-2011-rescheduled-dates
--In a YouTube video, Bono jokes, quote, "I'm ready, rebuilt by German engineering. Better design, I'm told." --He adds, quote, "I'm very well. I can sit. I can stand. I can move around a bit. Feeling strong, feeling confident, know what I'm saying? --"I actually wanted to apologize for the trouble that this injury has put you all through and those of you that bought tickets and organized hotels and travel plans, it's a very big deal . . . we don't take you for granted. --"It was not a lot of fun for me, the injury was quite serious." (--You can watch the full video at the link below. It's very D.I.Y. . . . in fact, the video ends, strangely, with 40 seconds of an empty, black screen.)
(--Maybe it's somehow supposed to symbolize the plight of the poor people in Third World countries who don't have access to the Internet . . . and are thus unable to watch U2 video messages. Hey, would it surprise you if it was???)
http://www.u2.com/news/title/were-coming-back/
SEAN LENNON LET LADY GAGA PLAY JOHN LENNON'S PIANO . . . AND BEATLES FANS FREAKED:
JOHN LENNON'S son SEAN LENNON . . . the kid he had with YOKO ONO . . . recently let LADY GAGA play John's infamous white Steinway piano, and then posted a picture of it on Twitter. --And in the picture Lady Gaga was wearing a skimpy outfit . . . naturally. Sean's caption read: Quote, "With Gaga at mom's house, she's belting on the white piano." --Well, that didn't go over well AT ALL with Beatles fans, who immediately began screaming bloody murder to Sean on Twitter. It got so intense that Sean eventually took the picture down . . . but he also wants everyone to CHILL OUT. --Sean said, quote, "Pianos are meant to be played. Why is everyone so uptight? What should we do, lock it away in a dusty room? So judgmental. --"Firstly, [John] gave that piano to my mother for her birthday, it is hers, secondly, he was not uptight the way you seem to be. Come on, lighten up . . . life's too short, there're enough real problems in the world."
MUSE "SOLD THEIR SOUL" TO BE ON THE "TWILIGHT" SOUNDTRACKS:
MUSE have appeared on all three "Twilight" soundtracks . . . and the band admits that in doing it, they sold out a little, but they needed it to become bigger in America. --Bassist Chris Wolstenholme explains, quote, "I'm not sure how cool it is to be on those kind of things . . . --"But sometimes you've just got to get your music out there in different ways. You have to take every opportunity you get . . . and sometimes you have to sell your soul."
LIL WAYNE SPENDS A LOT OF HIS TIME IN PRISON ON THE PHONE:
LIL WAYNE has put up yet another letter to his fans on WeezyThanxYou.com . . . and in this one, he details his daily routine at Rikers Island prison. And man, it sounds like he spends a TON OF TIME talking on the phone. --He said, quote, "I wake up around 11:00 A.M. Have some coffee. Call my kids, and my wonderful mother. I then shower up. Read fan mail. Have lunch. Back on the phone. Read a book or write some thoughts down . . . --"Have dinner. Phone. Push-ups. Then I listen to ESPN on the radio. Read the Bible, then sleep. That's my day." --Wayne also said he's been writing some killer lyrics . . . quote, "There's no word that I can think of that properly defines them. 'Amazing' would be too typical, and 'perfect' would be unfair." (--"Marvelous," maybe? Read Wayne's letter, here . . .)
http://weezythanxyou.com/2010/07/13/letter-04-as-time-flies/
NAZZYS RANDOM STUFF
20% OF PEOPLE HAVE SENT A DIRTY TEXT TO THE WRONG PERSON:
--According to a survey by a British company called Sell My Mobile, a full 20% of people, or one out of every five, have accidentally sent a dirty text to the wrong person. --People under 25 are the sloppiest . . . 43% have sent a nasty text message to the wrong person. There's no difference between men and women . . . both are equally careless. --Family members are most likely to get an errant dirty text . . . 40% of the people who've screwed one up have sent it to a parent or relative. --27% have accidentally sent one to a friend, 11% to an ex and 10% to a co-worker. --The survey also found that about 20% of people don't bother to wipe out their contacts, messages and pictures before they sell, give away or recycle their old cell phones. (Washington Post / WebUser.co.uk)
MEN ARE BETTER ENTREPRENEURS THAN WOMEN BECAUSE OF HOW OFTEN WOMEN REJECT THEM:
Here's a good thing to think about when you use a GENIUS pick-up line on a woman and, for some reason, she rejects you. Each time you get turned down by some random girl, you're one step closer to starting the next Google or Apple. --According to a report published in the "MIT Entrepreneurship Review", men are far more successful at starting businesses than women because they're so used to getting rejected. --Quote, "Asking someone out is not unlike trying to start a business. You will be met with rejection, from investors, customers, friends, family, hapless observers, perennial cynics." --"By the time they are 18, most boys are far more amenable psychologically to entrepreneurship than most girls because of the coping mechanisms boys have developed [thanks to female rejection]." --The report also has a second theory why men are generally stronger entrepreneurs than women. Males and females seem to be programmed to handle risk differently . . . and in a way that seems to favor men in the business world. --Studies of younger children show that girls worry about ALL the possible risks of an activity . . . while boys only worry about BIG risks, but are more willing to take little ones. --For example, a girl on a swing would think "how likely is it that I'll get hurt if I jump off this swing?" while a boy would think, "how badly will I get hurt if I jump off . . . and if it's not that bad, I'm going to do it." (Jezebel)
THE WORLD'S FIRST LASAGNA SANDWICH HAS DEBUTED IN ENGLAND:
If you think America's the only country trying to create the world's most delicious and unhealthy food mash-ups, the good people of England would like you to know they can construct monstrous fattening creations as well as we can. --The British supermarket chain Tesco just released the world's first LASAGNA SANDWICH. And yes, that's two pieces of bread with several layers of meat and cheese lasagna shoved in between. --The sandwich isn't actually that big, but it still squeezes in 565 calories and 27 grams of fat. They're being sold for about $3.75. (Daily Mail)
WORKERS IN LONDON ARE TRYING TO REMOVE 1,000 TONS OF SOLIDIFIED FAT FROM CITY SEWERS:
In London, lots of restaurants tend to dump their cooking fat down the drain instead of into the garbage. And it's causing a problem: The London sewers have been COMPLETELY OVERTAKEN by FAT. --Right now, sewer workers are removing more than 1,000 tons of solid FAT from the pipes, to prevent a major plumbing disaster. And the problems was so bad, they had to bust through a four-foot wall of solidified fat just to enter the sewers. --The cleanup will take about two months, and it's happening under one of the city's main tourist attractions . . . Leicester Square. (--It's pronounced "Lester" Square.) (AFP)
MEN ARE AFRAID TO ORDER VEGETABLES OR YOGURT BECAUSE IT MAKES THEM LOOK "GAY":
Apparently, there's a reason men go to restaurants and order things like steak and gravy. And it's not just because they're delicious. No . . . men order those things so they look HETEROSEXUAL. --A new study found that men at restaurants gravitate to stereotypically manly things, like the words "heavy" and "hearty," and foods like gravy and meat. And they stay away from stereotypically female things, like vegetables, white wine, and yogurt. --Even if a man really wants a delicious pasta with a white wine sauce, he might order meat sauce instead, because, quote, "men forgo their preferences to conform to a masculine gender identity." -Or, as "Toronto Life" magazine puts it in their write-up of the study, quote, "guys are socially conditioned to think [ordering things like] yogurt makes them gay." --The study did find that men WILL sometimes order feminine-sounding foods when they have less time to order. --In other words, if they have less time to think about how they'll be judged for their order, the more likely they are to order what they really want . . . no matter how feminine it is.
(Toronto Life)
THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE GETTING FOOD POISONING FROM SALSA AND GUACAMOLE HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED:
I'm not usually one to be suspicious of the Mexicans . . . but I have it on good authority that they got us addicted to their delicious food, and now they're using it to POISON US. --According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people who got food poisoning from salsa and guacamole has more than DOUBLED in the last decade. --Between 1984 and 1997, about 1.5% of food poisoning cases at restaurants were connected to salsa and guacamole. Between 1998 and 2008, that exploded to 3.9% of cases, or one out of every 25 cases. --The main reason is that Mexican food has gotten more popular, so more people than ever are eating salsa and guacamole. --And since those two foods don't require any cooking . . . where the heat could kill the bad bacteria . . . it's easier for them to cause an outbreak. --Bad storage times and temperatures were responsible in 30% of the Mexican food poisoning cases. A food worker passing his own germs into your salsa and guacamole was responsible 20% of the time. (--The CDC didn't say what the cause was the other 50% of the time.) (Wall Street Journal)
PERFECTIONISTS ARE 51% MORE LIKELY THAN SLACKERS TO DIE AN EARLY DEATH:
If you're the kind of person who religiously pays every bill on time, alphabetizes your CDs and DVDs, and makes sure every single detail in every e-mail you send is absolutely perfect . . . here's some bad news. --The guy with the 543 credit score who's smoking reefer on the stained, used couch he bought from Goodwill is probably going to outlive you. --According to a study by Trinity Western University, perfectionists are 51% more likely than laid-back people to DIE AN EARLY DEATH. --The stress and anxiety that come with perfectionism take enough of a toll on the body that they can cause health problems that shrink your life expectancy. Stuff like heart disease and hypertension. --The study did find one big health benefit to perfectionism though. If you've got type two diabetes, your perfectionism helps you keep your blood sugar levels where they need to be. --Perfectionists were 26% less likely than slackers to die from diabetes or its complications. (New York Daily News)
EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED DOESN'T REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
People love catchphrases like "expect the unexpected" or "be prepared" or "keep your head on a swivel." Unfortunately . . . it turns out that those sound cool but don't actually WORK. --A study at the University of Illinois found that whether you're "expecting the unexpected" or just kinda hanging out, if someone surprises you, you'll react the same way and with the same response time. --When something happens suddenly, it takes a moment for you to process it . . . and then your brain instinctively responds, whether you were expecting to be surprised or not. (Businessweek)
LIFE ON EARTH GETS WIPED OUT EVERY 27 MILLION YEARS. FORTUNATELY WE'VE GOT A FEW LEFT:
Bad news and good news here. The bad news: According to scientists from the University of Kansas, they're 99% sure that all life on Earth is wiped out every 27 million years. The good news: We've got a solid 16 million until that happens again. --The researchers at Kansas found that there's a mass extinction every 27 million years . . . and, usually, it's from a comet or asteroid crashing into the Earth. --The last one hit about nine million years ago, so we should all probably be gone by the time the next one comes. Probably. --The most popular theory for the dinosaurs' extinction was an asteroid hitting the Earth. The asteroid is estimated to be about nine miles wide and hit with a force about ONE BILLION times stronger than an atomic bomb. (Daily Mail)
A COLLECTION AGENT CALLS A HOUSE TO TRY TO TRACK DOWN A LATE PAYMENT . . . AND ENDS UP SAVING A FOUR-YEAR-OLD BOY'S LIFE!
I'm about to utter a sentence that's never been said before in the history of mankind: Today, we're celebrating a COLLECTION AGENT as a true American hero. --Chamara Washington of Richmond, Virginia, works at a Capital One credit card call center. Last week, she was making collection calls and ended up calling a house in Georgia. --A four-year-old boy answered the phone, crying. Chamara says he sounded DESPERATE and she could tell something was seriously wrong. --He asked Chamara to come help him . . . the adult he was with fell asleep three days ago and hadn't woken up. He said he'd just made himself cereal for dinner, he was incredibly scared, and he couldn't figure out how to turn on the TV. --Chamara decided to step in, and called the police. They traced the call to the home in Georgia, where they found the boy and his deceased relative. The boy was put in the care of the Georgia Child Protective Services agency. --Chamara's supervisor called her a, quote, "hero. She did the right thing and saved the boy's life." (CBS 6 - Richmond)
NEED A FRIEND? THERE'S A WEBSITE THAT WILL LEND YOU ONE FOR $10-AN-HOUR:
For some reason, this seems REALLY creepy to me . . . but not like Craigslist Casual Encounters creepy, more like sad and uncomfortable creepy. --There's a website called RentAFriend.com that lets you, yes, rent a friend. The price starts at $10-an-hour . . . and when you pay, some stranger will come hang out with you, talk to you, eat meals, go shopping, whatever. --A 30-year-old guy named Scott Rosenbaum founded the site. He says it's popular for people who are visiting new cities and want a tour guide or someone to eat with . . . or people who need a second opinion for shopping or buying a car. --The service isn't cheap, though. To rent a friend you need to become a member, at $25-a-month or $70-a-year. Then you have to pay your friend between $10- to $50-an-hour . . . plus pay for their meals and other expenses when you're together. --The membership fee is there to try to keep the sketchy people out . . . by becoming a member, the site can run a background check on you and make sure you're not a serial killer. It's also how the site makes all of its money. --If you want to sign up to be a rentable friend, there's no fee, and you get to keep your entire hourly wage. Right now about 22,000 people have signed up to be people's friends . . . and it's as easy as setting up a profile on the site. --And, since you're clearly wondering what we were clearly wondering, NO, this can't be used for sex. If the site gets word you're asking for or offering sexual services, your account is cancelled immediately. (ABC News)
PRESIDENT OBAMA IS "GUARANTEED" TO BE RE-ELECTED ACCORDING TO A NEW PRESIDENTIAL PREDICTION FORMULA:
Good news if you're one of the 48% of Americans who still approve of PRESIDENT OBAMA. According to a professor at American University, there's a 100% guarantee he's going to be re-elected in 2012. --The professor is Allan Lichtman, and he says he's come up with a foolproof method to predict the presidency. And it doesn't have anything to do with opinion polls or trends. --It takes into account 13 different major political keys and uses those to figure out whether the incumbent's party is going to win or the opposition party is going to win. --If five or fewer of the keys are false, the incumbent's party will win the presidency. If six or more are false, the opposition party wins. Right now, only four of the 13 are false, so things look good for Obama. --The four things going against him are: No major foreign policy victory . . . having his party lose Congressional seats in midterm elections . . . slow economic growth . . . and the fact that he's not viewed as a charismatic national hero any more. --Some of the things going for him are: There's no strong candidate from his own party who will battle for his nomination . . . he's had no major international failures . . . he's effected major changes . . . and he hasn't had a major scandal. --Lichtman says, quote, "The keys show elections are not horse races. The American [voters] choose a president according to the performance of the party holding the White House as measured by consequential events." (Politics Daily)
NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) NOW THERE'S A YODA VOICE FOR YOUR GPS:
In May, a company called TomTom released a Darth Vader GPS voice. And they made a YouTube video of fake Vader outtakes from the recording studio to promote it. --Now there's a new one of YODA that shows him struggling to give directions without rearranging the words of the sentences. (--Search for "Yoda TomTom GPS YouTube." Here's the Yoda video and the Darth Vader video.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdcJVuylmsM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ljFfL-mL70
#2.) HERE ARE THE BEST SOCCER "FLOPS" OF ALL TIME:
The one amazing thing about watching the World Cup was seeing all the players PRETEND to get injured. --There's a video on YouTube that shows some of the worst soccer flops EVER. And it's set to a hilarious acoustic version of "The Imperial March" from "Star Wars". (--Search for "worst football dives ever ham actors.")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ioyt2zzm530
#3.) AND NOW . . . "DEER MAN":
Some guy used a ton of body paint to make himself look like a deer, and he even made antlers and a snout. But he ended up looking like something out of a nightmare. (--Search for "the deer man StupidVideos.com.")
http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/The_Deer_Man/
THREE QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD NEVER ASK YOUR TEENAGER:
If you want to be a good parent, you're supposed to stay active in your kids' lives and ask a lot of questions. But try telling that to people who have teenagers: If you ask questions in the wrong way, you'll get nothing.
--So here are three questions you SHOULDN'T ask your teenager . . .
QUESTION #1.) "HOW WAS YOUR DAY?" It's worse than saying nothing, because it's vague and you don't sound like you really care. So they'll just say, "It was FINE." -So try to ask questions about specific things. If they had sports practice that day, ask what happened. Or if you knew they had a test, ask how it went. If they say it went "FINE," ask what some of the questions were.
QUESTION #2.) "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Teenagers are impulsive by definition. For real: The pre-frontal cortex of the brain regulates decision-making and impulse. But in teenagers, the pre-frontal cortex is still developing. --So when you ask what they were thinking, and they say, "I don't know" . . . it might actually be true.
QUESTION #3.) "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY NO?" Obviously, peer pressure and the need to fit in are HUGE with teenagers. --And according to a 2006 study by the Boys and Girls Club of America, teenagers think the most annoying advice their parents give them is to "just say no." What they WANT is advice on HOW to say no. (GALTime.com)
SITE FOR SORE EYES:
www.retailmenot.com/coupons/airlines
Airline fares might keep going up, but you can knock down the price with coupon codes for travel booking sites like Expedia.com, Orbitz.com and Travelocity.com, as well as individual airlines, at this neat website.
LIFESTYLES:
COMPANY COMPUTER SNOOPING ON THE RISE
A new survey released by computer security firm Cyber-Ark has found that snooping is on the rise among American companies. In fact, 40% of IT workers said they or someone they know has used an administration password to get confidential or sensitive information on a worker. Most employees agree that e-mail snooping takes place, but even more say they don’t believe their employer snoops on them.
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THE PERFECT TEMPERATURE
Believe it or not, a new study has discovered there is a perfect temperature that enables workers to be the most productive. While some say they work better when it’s warm, others say they work better when it’s cooler. But the survey posted on www.TheAtlantic.com, says performance increases with temperatures ranging from 60 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, productivity decreases with temps between 73 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. After crunching the numbers, researchers determined the perfect temperature for greatest productivity is 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
FACEBOOK FATIGUE
Too much of a good thing can flat wear you out! About 90% of online teens use at least one social networking site, Facebook being the top destination, but 19% who are on Facebook say they no longer visit the social site or are using it less, according to a new survey from online gaming site Roiworld.com. The survey found that while teens spend a significant amount of time on social networks – around 80% of their online time – Facebook’s popularity is beginning to dwindle. Why?
· 45% have lost interest.
· 16% are leaving because their parents have joined.
· 14% think “too many adults/older people” now use the site.
· 13% are concerned about their personal privacy.
However, Facebook remains the most popular social network among teens – 78% have created a profile and 69% are still active. YouTube ranks second with 64% of teens claiming to have an active account, while MySpace comes in third (41%) and Twitter fourth (20%).
WOULD YOU PAY FOR E-MAIL?
Just over half of Americans communicate via e-mail every day, but if they were charged even a small amount for each one sent, e-mail use would drop dramatically. A new Rasmussen Reports survey finds that 51% of adults use e-mail every day, while another 15% utilize it almost every day; 14% write e-mails either once a week or several times a month, while 18% have never used e-mail. If charged a small amount for each e-mail sent, 39% of Americans say they would stop using it completely. Forty-three percent say a small fee would greatly reduce their use of e-mail, and another 11% would continue to use it as they do now.
posted by Nazzy @ 6:09 AM
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