HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (12-14-10)
MILEY GETS HIGH
Salvia Is Way More Popular Now That Miley Smoked It:
No big surprise here: Salvia . . . the hallucinogenic, non-addictive and sometimes-legal herb that MILEY CYRUS was caught on video smoking . . . has gotten a lot more popular since that video hit the web. --TMZ spoke to several "head shops" in California . . . one of the states where salvia is legal. And they say sales are a lot HIGHER, if you'll pardon the pun, thanks to Miley. --In fact, a lot of customers can't remember the name of it, so they just ask for, quote, "the stuff Miley was smoking." --According to the website SageWisdom.org, salvia is illegal in 15 states: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Virginia. --In four states, it's legal only when NOT intended for human consumption. Those states are Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Check Out the Animated Taiwanese "News" Reports About Miley's Bad Behavior:
Those crazy Taiwanese animators are at it again . . . this time with a video "news" report about MILEY CYRUS' bad behavior. Like many of their previous videos, this one is an instant classic. --Miley takes her bong hit and hallucinates a giant brown bear. Then she throws up. --The video also shows TISH CYRUS leaving BILLY RAY for BRET MICHAELS . . . who's shirtless but wearing a top hat. -In one of the more random moments, a teenage boy looks at a racy picture of Miley, and gets attacked by a nun. --And in the end, Miley crashes through a window and drives off with either BRITNEY SPEARS or LINDSAY LOHAN in Herbie the Love Bug. (???) (--Obviously, the Love Bug is a reference to Lindsay, who starred in "Herbie: Fully Loaded". But the driver looks more like Britney.)
(--Forget salvia . . . I want whatever THESE people are smoking. Check out the video here . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYZtIP4dhAU
Did Miley's People Try to Obtain All the Copies of Her Smoking Video?
TMZ says that MILEY CYRUS' people had been trying for a few weeks to stop that video from coming out. Obviously, they failed. --Supposedly, at least two college kids in California contacted Miley's people and said they had copies. In each case, the kids surrendered their computers to Miley's handlers, and received brand new computers in return. --It doesn't appear that either of them got any money.
Was Miley Cyrus a "Mean Girl" in School?
Not to pile on when a girl is down, but one of MILEY CYRUS' old school friends says that Miley was a MEAN GIRL --Miley has talked about not fitting in and being bullied in school. But Nicole Mullen-Holm . . . who was friends with Miley in grammar school and junior high . . . says it was pretty much the opposite. --She says, quote, "Miley is a liar who bullied girls and was a real (B-word) to everyone . . . --". . . I remember her shouting at an overweight girl calling her 'lesbian' and 'dyke'. Miley was a cheerleader and was with the 'in' crowd. She was never bullied in elementary or middle school. --"If anyone even touched her it would have been the end of the world. Her dad would own the school!" --But Nicole adds, quote, "Miley is a good girl at heart but I've been seeing how she's been partying and acting and she's looking like Lindsay Lohan. --"I don't want her to be the mean girl that she was in middle school and I would hate to see her become the next train wreck. She's very lucky and should show some humility."
Did Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens Break Up?
VANESSA HUDGENS turns 22 today . . . and she might be doing it alone. Pretty much everybody is reporting that she and ZAC EFRON broke up. --A source says, quote, "It's nothing dramatic. There's no third party involved. They were together for so long. It just ran its course." --Another source says, quote, "They are 100% still good friends." (--Zac and Vanessa have . . . or HAD . . . been together for about four years. As your kids probably know, they co-starred in all three "High School Musical" movies together.)
"Dexter" Co-Stars Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter Are Getting Divorced:
MICHAEL C. HALL and JENNIFER CARPENTER are getting divorced after just two years of marriage. --Hall plays the lead character on the Showtime series "Dexter" . . . and Hall plays his sister. That's the slightly deviant story of how they met. --In a statement announcing the divorce, Michael and Jennifer said they've been, quote, "separated for some time." --They got married in December of 2008 . . . and stayed together through Michael's battle with cancer. Michael finished successful treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma earlier this year. The fifth season finale of "Dexter" was Sunday night.
Pink Is Not Having a Water Birth:
"In Touch Weekly" says PINK is having a water birth. But it's not true. Here's the denial Pink posted on Twitter . . . quote, "My mom just told me that "in touch" has informed her that she is invited to my delivery, and that I want a water birth. --"She asked me if she needs to get a snorkel. This is all news to me. Amazing. Good reporting."
Check Out Video of Nicolas Cage Having a Fit Outside a Bar in Romania:
There's a video making the rounds in which NICOLAS CAGE is having an absolute FIT outside a bar in Romania. (--He's there filming "Ghost Rider 2".) --It's impossible to tell WHY Nic is so mad, and it's hard to make out a lot of what he's saying. But he seems to be yelling at a guy and two women. Some other people jump in and try to pull him away.
--Here are a few quotes we've been able to pull from this clip . . .
--"I'll (effing) die because of honor! I'll (effing) die right now!"
--"You wanna (effing) kick me in the head? Go for it!"
--"Don't touch me you little (B-word)."
--"See this in my eyes . . . respect them as you'd respect me!"
(--Here's the video . . .)
(--WARNING!!! This clip contains bleeped profanity . . .)
http://laineygossip.com/Nicolas_Cage_screaming_match_Romania_13_dec10.aspx?CatID=0&CelID=0
Dan Aykroyd Won't Work With Anyone But Famous People:
DAN AYKROYD has been in showbiz for over 40 years. So you might say he's earned the right to be picky about when he works . . . and who he works with. And he is. --Dan has no interest in working on small, indie films with unknown people. --He says, quote, "I will walk out the door for the paycheck I deserve and working with the superstars. Otherwise, I won't work as an actor. --"I'm sorry. I don't have to, and why shouldn't I get what is commensurate with what my market will bear today?" --He adds, quote, "It's not the salary I used to get, and I don't care if I play a supporting part. Fine. I'm reasonable. --"But I'm not going to work for nothing, and I'm not going to work for people who are unknown. I can't do it." (--In the meantime, enjoy Dan Aykroyd's ridiculous infomercial for Crystal Head, the brand of premium Canadian vodka he's associated with. Maybe THIS is why he doesn't have to work as much these days. Although somehow I doubt it . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKqjIv91Zx8
Carrie Fisher Admits She's Slept with "Star Wars" Nerds:
Every male "Star Wars" fan has fantasized about sleeping with CARRIE FISHER. And Carrie admits that some of them have REALIZED that fantasy. --She says, quote, "I certainly have, along the way, slept with a nerd . . . Nerds will surprise you. They're way more enthusiastic. More bang with your buck." --"I had one situation with a nerd who was a fantastic kisser." --Carrie also said she snagged the role of Princess Leia by, quote, "sleeping with some nerd." She added, quote, "I hope it was George [Lucas]. But I took too many drugs to remember."
Check Out a Trailer for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides":
"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" hits theaters on May 20th. But the trailer hit the web yesterday. (--Check it out here . . .) http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/pirates-caribbean-on-stranger-tides.html
Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese are Teaming Up Again:
ROBERT DE NIRO and director MARTIN SCORSESE are teaming up again . . . this time for "The Irishman". It's a crime drama about Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran . . . a union official who becomes a hitman. --De Niro and Scorsese's other collaborations include "Mean Streets", "Taxi Driver", "New York, New York", "Raging Bull", "The King of Comedy", "Goodfellas" and "Casino".
Yet Another Singing Competition Show Is in the Works!
If you were planning on making your New Year's resolution: "Watch more reality singing competition shows" . . . you're in luck! NBC is developing yet another one, which is being "aggressively" rushed to TV. (--Sounds exciting, right?) --This one will be called "The Voice of America" . . . and like all the other singing shows, it's not original . . . both in theory and execution. (--So it's similar to the other domestic singing shows, AND it's a copy of one particular foreign show.) --It's based on a Dutch show called "The Voice of Holland" . . . which is currently burying "Dutch Idol" and their version of "X Factor" in the ratings. --"The Voice of America" is a lot like "American Idol" . . . and almost exactly like what the American "X Factor" will be . . . with these differences: --The judges will be referred to as "coaches" instead of "judges." And during the audition phase, the "coaches" will turn their chairs so they're facing away from the contestants . . . so they can only evaluate them based on what they hear. --The coaches push buttons saying whether or not they'd be willing to mentor the contestant. If more than one coach says "yes," the singer can choose their coach. --Then . . . during the equivalent of "Hollywood Week" . . . the contestants work with their coaches, and are put into teams that compete against each other in sing-offs. --After that, it basically becomes "American Idol". A limited number of contestants begin a live portion of the competition, which relies on viewers' votes. --Casting for "The Voice of America" is already underway . . . and it's expected to premiere this spring. There's no word yet if it'll compete against "Idol" directly. (--Then there's Fox, which has "American Idol" . . . and SIMON COWELL'S American "X Factor" coming this fall.)
The Two Best Players in "Jeopardy!" History Will Face Off Against a Computer in February:
KEN JENNINGS and BRAD RUTTER . . . the two best players in "Jeopardy!" history . . . will face off against an IBM supercomputer called WATSON. The episodes will air on February 14th, 15th and 16th. --The winner gets $1 million. IBM says it'll give the money away if Watson wins. Jennings and Rutter have both said they'll donate HALF. --Jennings has the longest winning streak in "Jeopardy!" history. He won an amazing 74 straight games during the 2004 - 2005 season. --He won about $2.5 million during that run . . . and he now has about $3 million in total "Jeopardy!" winnings after going on to take second place in a "Tournament of Champions". --Rutter, meanwhile, has the record for most "Jeopardy!" winnings. After his initial appearance on the show, he went on to win THREE tournaments. His winnings total almost $3.3 million.
(--You can read more about Watson and what it's capable of . . . and NOT capable of . . . here . . .)
http://blogs.forbes.com/bruceupbin/2010/12/14/ibm-to-ken-jennings-you-will-beg-for-mercy/
Tuesday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"I Want a Dog for Christmas Charlie Brown" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.
--"NCIS" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. (--A Deputy DA takes an interest in Tony while working with the team to locate a missing petty officer who is the only witness in a murder trial. She's played by Annie Wersching, a.k.a. Renee Walker on "24".)
--"The Biggest Loser" [10th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC.
--"The Millionaire Matchmaker" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Bravo. (--Patti's help editor Judith Regan, the chick who tried to publish O.J.'s "If I Did It" book.)
--"Explorer: Born to Rage?" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on National Geographic. (--Former Black Flag singer Henry Rollins helps explore a theory that there's a genetic predisposition toward violence.)
--"Being Terry Kennedy" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on BET.
THE SPIKE VIDEO GAME AWARDS
"Red Dead Redemption" is the 2010 Game of the Year:
Spike TV's Video Game Awards returned to Los Angeles on Saturday. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS hosted the event and he even picked up an award for voicing Peter Parker in "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions". -The big winner of the evening was "Red Dead Redemption". The best western game ever made was named the Game of the Year. "RDR" also picked up wins for Best Downloadable Content, Best Original Score and Best Song in a Game, "Far Away" by Jose Gonzalez, who performed the acoustic melody during the show. --The VGAs are as much about the games of the future as they are about celebrating the previous year's releases. This year the big announcements did not disappoint. --Bethesda Softworks, makers of " The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivian" and "Fallout 3" announced the next game in The "Elder Scrolls" series, "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim". Check out the teaser here. --The director of "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Hellboy" GUILLERMO DEL TORO officially announced his horror game "Insane". The teaser will make your skin crawl here. -Perhaps the biggest video of the night was the first cinematic trailer for the third game in the smash hit "Uncharted" series, "Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception". Nathan Drake's first foray into the desert can be viewed here. (--Here are all the winners you might care about . . .)
Game of the Year: "Red Dead Redemption"
Best Multi-player: "Halo: Reach"
Best Xbox 360 Game: "Mass Effect 2"
Best PS3 Game: "God of War III"
Best Handheld Game: "God of War: Ghost of Sparta"
Best Wii Game: "Super Mario Galaxy 2"
Best PC Game: "StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty"
Best Shooter: "Call of Duty: Black Ops"
Best Action Adventure Game: "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"
Best RPG: "Mass Effect 2"
Best Individual Sports Game: "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11"
Best Team Sports Game: "NBA 2K11"
Best Driving Game: "Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit"
Best Music Game: "Rock Band 3"
Best Soundtrack: "DJ Hero 2"
Best Performance by a Human Male: Neil Patrick Harris . . . as Peter Parker / Spider-Man in "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions"
Best Performance by a Human Female: "Battlestar Galactica's" Tricia Helfer . . . as Sarah Kerrigan in "StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty"
Most Anticipated Game: "Portal 2"
NEW ON VIDEO TODAY
--"The Other Guys" - Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson are NYPD's finest detectives . . . while Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are "the other guys", two desk cops who stumble onto a major case while trying to prove themselves.
--"The A-Team" - The big screen remake of the '80s TV show stars Liam Neeson as Hannibal, Bradley Cooper as Face, "District 9's" Sharlto Copley as Murdock, and UFC fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as B.A. Jessica Biel is also in it.
--"Cyrus" - A comedy starring John C. Reilly as a guy struggling to hold onto a new relationship with Marisa Tomei after he realizes that her grown son can't stand him. Jonah Hill plays Cyrus, her overprotective son.
--In stores this Friday . . . "The Town" - Ben Affleck plays a bank robber who falls in love with a hostage . . . and then has to choose between betraying his friends and losing the woman he loves. "Hurt Locker's" Jeremy Renner is his trigger-happy partner and "Mad Men's" Jon Hamm is an FBI agent obsessed with hunting them down.
--"Despicable Me" - Steve Carell plays a super-villain whose evil plans are interrupted by three orphaned girls decide they want him as their father. "iCarly's" Miranda Cosgrove does the voice of the oldest girl.
--"Nanny McPhee Returns" - Emma Thompson returns as Nanny McPhee, the magical nanny whose face reflects the ugly behavior of children, until they fix their bad behavior and her beauty is restored. In this one, she helps Maggie Gyllenhaal raise five kids while her husband is off at war.
--In stores this Friday . . . "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole" - An animated flick about a group of owls trying to find the mythical guardians of their world, to protect it from an impending attack. Some of the voices of the older owls are done by Hugo Weaving, Geoffrey Rush, and Helen Mirren.
TV Series On DVD:
--"Army Wives: The Complete Fourth Season" . . . a four-disc DVD set.
--"24: The Complete Eighth Season" . . . a six-disc set of the show's final season.
--"Leave It to Beaver: Season 5" . . . a six-disc DVD set. (--It ran for six seasons.)
--"Hawaii Five-0: Season 10" . . . a six-disc DVD set. (--It ran for 12 seasons.)
--"Gunsmoke: Season 4, Volume 2" . . . a three-disc set. (--It ran for 20 seasons.)
--It hit stores this past Sunday . . . "Married... With Children: The Complete Series" . . . a 32-disc DVD set. (--It ran for eleven seasons.)
NEW ON VIDEO NEXT WEEK
--In stores December 21st . . . "Salt" - Angelina Jolie plays a suspected double agent who escapes from CIA custody and tries to stop an assassination attempt. Liev Schrieber is a fellow agent trying to bring her in.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Easy A" - Emma Stone builds a slutty reputation by pretending to have sex with random losers to boost their social status. She then starts wearing a red letter A on her clothes . . . just like the chick from "The Scarlet Letter".
--In stores December 21st . . . "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" - Michael Douglas returns as Gordon Gekko, who's out of prison and trying to reconnect with a daughter who wants nothing to do with him. Shia LaBeouf plays her fiancé, who just happens to be a young Wall Street trader in need of Gordon's help.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Step Up 3D" - The third flick hooks up an Australian minx named Sharni Vinson with former Abercrombie & Fitch model Rick Malambri. The supporting cast includes former contestants from "So You Think You Can Dance".
--In stores December 21st . . . "Devil" - A horror flick about five people trapped in an elevator . . . who soon learn that one of them is actually the Devil. It's directed by the guy who did "Quarantine" but the story came from "the mind of M. Night Shyamalan."
--In stores December 21st . . . "Family Guy: It's A Trap!" . . . their third "Star Wars" parody, on a single-disc.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Futurama: Volume Five" . . . a two-disc DVD set.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Caprica: Season 1.5" . . . the other half of the interrupted first season, on a 3-disc DVD set.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Gene Simmons Family Jewels: Season 4" AND "Gene Simmons Family Jewels: Season 5" . . . each on a three-disc DVD set.
NEW MUSIC RELEASES
This Week's Main Releases:
--"Michael", Michael Jackson (--An album of music that Michael Jackson left unfinished to varying degrees. The songs were completed by producers, including Teddy Riley . . . and guest artists, including Akon, 50 Cent and Lenny Kravitz.)
--"Love Letter", R. Kelly (--His 10th album includes a cover of Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone" and the uncomfortably titled single, "When a Woman Loves".)
--"Basic Instinct", Ciara (--It includes the singles "Speechless", "Gimme Dat", and "Ride", which features Ludacris.)
--"Farmer's Daughter", (Reigning "American Idol" runner up) Crystal Bowersox (--It includes her cover of the Buffalo Springfield classic, "For What It's Worth".)
Urban Releases:
--"Last Train to Paris", Diddy & Dirty Money (--Dirty Money is a "group" featuring former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richards and songwriter Kalenna Harper.) (--Diddy has described "Last Train to Paris" as a, quote, "electro-hip-hop-soul funk" concept album. (???) The story follows Diddy's character as he travels from London to Paris, chasing after a woman.) (--In a love way; not a stalkerish way. I think.) (--The album features an epic parade of guests . . . including T.I., Drake, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Usher, Trey Songz, Rick Ross, Justin Timberlake, Grace Jones, Skylar Grey, Wiz Khalifa, Swizz Beatz and the late Notorious B.I.G.) (--Biggie is on the single "Angels". It's a verse from his song "My Downfall".)
Music Coming Out Next Week:
--In stores December 21st . . . "Best Night Of My Life", Jamie Foxx (--The first single, "Winner", features Justin Timberlake and T.I. Other guests include Ludacris, Soulja Boy and Drake.)
--In stores December 21st . . . "Apollo Kids", Ghostface Killah (--Guests include Busta Rhymes, Roots singer Black Thought, Fabolous and several of his buddies from the Wu-Tang Clan.)
--In stores December 21st . . . "Death of a Pop Star", rapper David Banner & producer 9th Wonder (--It features appearances by Ludacris, Erykah Badu and Anthony Hamilton.)
--In stores December 21st . . . "No Boys Allowed", Keri Hilson (--Guests include Chris Brown and Rick Ross.)
--In stores December 21st . . . "Calling All Hearts", Keyshia Cole (--Guests include Faith Evans, Timbaland, Tank, and Nicki Minaj on the single "I Ain't Thru".)
--In stores December 21st . . . "The Letter", R&B singer Avant (--It includes the single "Kiss Goodbye".)
George Clinton Is Accusing the Black Eyed Peas of Ripping Him Off:
Funk legend GEORGE CLINTON is suing the BLACK EYED PEAS for copyright infringement. He claims they sampled his song "(Not Just) Knee Deep" in remixes for their song "Shut Up", which was originally released in 2003. (--"(Not Just) Knee Deep" was released on Funkadelic's 1979 album "Uncle Jam Wants You". In all, it's 15 minutes long.) --Clinton says he became aware that the Peas were sampling his song . . . without permission . . . when a producer for the band asked him for permission to use the song on a new "Shut Up" remix called "Shut the Phunk Up". --He refused . . . but the Peas did it anyway, and released the remix in the deluxe editions of their album, "The E.N.D.". Eventually, Clinton found out about it . . . and the previous remix, which was released in 2003 with the original. --According to the "Hollywood Reporter", "Clinton is seeking maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per infringement and an injunction prohibiting further distribution of the infringing song." --The Black Eyed Peas have not commented. -It seems pretty obvious that the Peas heavily sampled, lifted or borrowed the Funkadelic track . . . the question is whether Clinton can do anything about it.
(--You can find the full version of Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep, here . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-20v1b5jKY
(--Here's Black Eyed Peas' first "Shut Up" remix . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YbBiMDt1Is
(--And here's the Peas' new remix, "Shut the Phunk Up" . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08GeKWJvhec
(--Remember: The Black Eyed Peas' new song, "The Time (Dirty Bit)", borrows heavily from the "Dirty Dancing" theme "(I've Had) the Time of My Life".)
The Most Annoying Christmas Songs . . . According to Bulgarians:
It's a good thing that Christmas music is a seasonal thing . . . because very few us could tolerate listening to it for more than one month a year. (--Or if you work in retail, it's more like THREE months a year. Poor souls.) --But Americans aren't the only ones with Christmas music on our last nerves. Just ask Bulgarians. And interestingly enough, someone did. --The site NoHoHoHo.org . . . (???) . . . conducted a poll asking over 28,000 Bulgarians for their take on The Most Annoying Christmas Songs. And as it turns out, Bulgarians most detest WHAM'S "Last Christmas". --It's a Top 10 list, however two of them weren't written in English. And since the Bulgarian alphabet includes letters that we don't use, we couldn't even GUESS the titles or artists. Apparently they're LOCAL ear-sores. --Here are the results of the poll, along with the percentage of the votes that each song received:
#1.) "Last Christmas", Wham! . . . 18.7%
#2.) "All I Want for Christmas Is You", Mariah Carey . . . 15.4%
#3.) [Some Bulgarian Song] . . . 13.7%
#4.) "Jingle Bells", Lucifer . . . 12.1% (--This is another one that stumped us. We could find no record of a version of "Jingle Bells" by a band called Lucifer.) (--According to Wikipedia, there's a Japanese rock group called Lucifer, but we don't even know if that's the group they're talking about. Puzzling.)
#5.) "Jingle Bell Rock", Bobby Helms . . . 10.2%
#6.) [Some Bulgarian Song] . . . 9.7%
#7.) "Feliz Navidad", Jose Feliciano . . . 6.2%
#8.) "Santa Baby", Eartha Kitt . . . 5.2%
#9.) "Let It Snow", Dean Martin . . . 4.8%
#10.) "Wonderful Christmastime", Paul McCartney . . . 4.1%
(--If you can read and speak Bulgarian, you can check out the two non-English titles at the website below. Click on the Bulgarian word on the RIGHT.)
http://www.nohohoho.org/
Some High School Kid Synchronized His Family's Christmas Lights to go Along with Taylor Swift's Song "Love Story":
TAYLOR SWIFT is more accessible than your average superstar. Why else would random dudes go to so much trouble to get her attention? The latest example is Alex Winters, an 18-year-old high school kid from Oviedo, Florida. --Alex programmed all the Christmas lights at his family's house to play to the tune of her song "Love Story". And get this, if you're driving by, you can even tune your radio to 91.7 and hear the song while you're watching the lights. --The display runs every night from 6:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. --And his parents must be totally cool because, well, there's the enormous electric bill . . . and there's also the inconvenience. Alex says you can't even go upstairs when the display is going because all the bedroom lights are flashing on and off. --There's a video of Alex's display floating around the web. As you'd expect, he opens with a plea for Taylor's approval. He says, quote, "Taylor, if you're watching this, send me a message and let me know what you think."
(--You can check out the light show and song, here . . .)
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/wannnacruise/?action=view¤t=LSTOrYCRHISTMASYOuTUBE.mp4
SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Animal rights groups are upset that NICOLE RICHIE and JOEL MADDEN had an elephant at their wedding.
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b215904_Nicole_Richie_Wedding_Elephant__Not_Cool__Say_Animal_Rights_Groups.html
Are SARAH and BRISTOL PALIN at war? The "National Enquirer" says so.
http://www.nationalenquirer.com/bristol_plain_war_with_sarah_baby_presidency/celebrity/69812
Former Food Network chef JUAN-CARLOS CRUZ has been sentenced to NINE YEARS in prison for trying to hire two homeless guys to murder his wife.
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b215907_food_networks_calorie_commando.html
BRETT FAVRE'S streak of consecutive starts ended at 297 last night. Favre didn't even suit up for Minnesota's loss to the Giants due to a shoulder injury.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/gameflash/2010/12/13/4253_recap.html
JIMMY KIMMEL has re-upped with ABC for two more years. That'll take "Jimmy Kimmel Live" through its 10th season.
http://insidetv.ew.com/2010/12/13/jimmy-kimmel-signs-for-two-more-years/
NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF
The Top 10 Twitter Topics of the Year Include Two Huge Disasters, the World Cup, Tech Products, and, Naturally, Justin Bieber:
Twitter has released its list of its top 10 trending topics for the year. There aren't too many surprises here . . . other than maybe the Chilean miners and the midterm elections being left off. --Instead, we've got two major disasters . . . two big movies . . . two big tech products . . . three things World Cup related . . . and, of course, that one gott damm teenage pop star who is fast approaching world domination. Here's the top 10:
#1.) The Gulf oil spill
#2.) The World Cup
#3.) "Inception"
#4.) The earthquake in Haiti
#5.) Vuvuzelas
#6.) The iPad
#7.) The Google Android
#8.) Justin Bieber
#9.) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"
#10.) Paul, the World Cup Predicting Octopus
(Twitter)
In the Past 30 Years, the Prices of Basic Items Have Actually Gone Down . . . But Health Care and College Prices Have Skyrocketed:
"Bloomberg BusinessWeek" just finished a major study comparing the prices we pay for things today with what we paid 30 years ago, in 1980. And their big finding is . . . on a day-to-day basis, most basic stuff costs LESS now than it did back then. --But . . . when it comes to big ticket items, like college, health care, and technology products, we're spending FAR more today than we were in 1980. Here are some of the comparisons, transforming 1980s dollars into today's dollars.
--One personal computer, down 80.8%. In 1980, a home computer cost $1,565, which is about $3,700 in today's dollars. The average computer today runs $710 . . . and is exponentially more powerful.
--Coffee, down 55.9%. In 1980, one pound cost $3.18, which is $8.38 in today's dollars. Today it costs an average of $3.70.
--Coca-Cola, down 54.9%. In 1980, a two-liter of Coke cost $1.27, which is $3.35 in today's dollars. The average two-liter today costs $1.51.
--Milk, down 28.1%. A half gallon of milk cost $1.06 in 1980, which is $2.79 in today's dollars. A half gallon today averages $2.01.
--Gasoline, down 14.8%. Even with gas prices where they are, we still pay less. In 1980, the average gallon cost $1.26, which is $3.32 in today's dollars. The latest average price was $2.83 for a gallon.
--Movie ticket, up 1.1%. In 1980, a ticket averaged $3.31, which is $8.72 in today's dollars. The average ticket is now $8.82, or ten cents more.
--A house, up 3.4%. In 1980, the average home price was $64,200, or $166,946 in today's money. Now the average home price is $172,600.
--A new car, up 16.5%. In 1980, the average new car cost $7,574, which is $19,790 in today's dollars. The average new car runs $23,051 today.
--College tuition, up 123.5%. In 1980, a year of tuition, room, and board cost $3,499, or $9,142 in today's dollars. College costs have skyrocketed up to an average of $20,435 per year today . . . more than doubling the cost 30 years ago.
--Health care, up 167.2%. In 1980, the average American had $1,100 in annual health care costs, which is $2,874 in today's dollars. Today, the average American runs $7,681.
--Cigarettes, up 293%. Cigarettes had the biggest jump of any item on the list. In 1980, a carton of 10 packs averaged $5.32, or $14.02 in today's dollars. Now, that carton costs $55.10.
--Internet and cell phone service, not applicable. Back in 1980, no one was paying for Internet, and only a tiny handful had cell service. Today, the average person spends about $1,000 on those two services.
--One more note . . . overall, household income is up 8% from 1980. The average income then was $17,710, which is $46,109 in today's dollars. According to the latest Census numbers, the average income today is $49,777. (Businessweek)
Rich People Have More Trouble Reading Your Emotions Than Poor People:
Maybe your boss ISN'T trying to be such an a-hole . . . he just can't pick up those looks of SEETHING RAGE on your face when he tells you that you don't get any days off in the next three weeks. --According to a new study at the University of California, San Francisco, rich people have a MUCH harder time reading other people's emotions than the rest of us. --Michael Kraus is a postdoctoral psychology student who led the study. He says, quote, "We found people from a lower education and income level performed better in terms of emotional intelligence and ability to read emotions others are feeling." --He believes that this happens because people with less money are more used to having to rely on others for help . . . so you become better at reading the feedback you're getting to know whether or not the person's going to help you. (MSNBC)
Which Emoticon Do People Hate the Most?
A new survey by Mashable.com has finally revealed which EMOTICON people hate the most. And no, "all of them" wasn't a choice. --The most hated emoticon is . . . a colon with a lowercase "p", which vaguely looks like someone sticking out their tongue. :p
--46% of people say that's their least favorite.
--The second-most hated, with 39% of the vote, is the angry face emoticon . . . that's a greater-than sign for angry eyebrows, a colon for eyes, and a left parenthesis for a frown. >:(
--The classic smiley face . . . just a colon and a right parenthesis . . . came in as the third-most hated emoticon, with 8%. :)
--The "confused" face, which is a colon with a forward slash, came in fourth, with 6%. :/
--And finally, the frowning face . . . a colon and a left parenthesis . . . came in fifth with 2%. :(
(Switched.com)
You Can Keep Yourself From Overeating During the Holidays By . . . Imagining Yourself Overeating:
We're smack in the middle of overeating season. And if you'd like to keep yourself from packing on your annual Christmas 15 this year . . . a team at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has a suggestion. --They found that if you IMAGINE yourself overeating right before you eat, you eat less. Instead of thinking about how delicious the first bite of a steak or an ice cream sundae will be, you need to picture yourself fighting down the last few bites. --In experiments, they found that people who visualized themselves overeating ended up eating LESS than other people. (Science Magazine)
People Don't Just Overeat During the Holidays Because the Food's Delicious . . . We Also Overeat Because Of Stress:
If you find yourself in a ham-and-pie-induced coma this Christmas, we're here to help you shift the blame. --According to the American Psychological Association, people don't just overeat during the holidays because the food's so good . . . we also overeat because this time of year can be REALLY stressful. --In a new survey, they found that 40% of Americans said they've overeaten or eaten unhealthy "comfort foods" in the past month because of stress. (PR Newswire)
The Ten Most Dangerous Foods To Eat While You Drive are All Hot, Greasy, or Messy:
I think it's fairly dangerous to eat ANYTHING when you're driving . . . even having one hand on a Pop Tart knocks your safety down a little bit. But according to car insurers, the foods on this list crank the danger up even more. --Here are the ten most dangerous foods to eat while you drive. And they all seem to have at least one of three qualities: They're either hot, greasy, or messy. Well, except for soda. Not sure how that snuck on this list. Anyway, check 'em out . . .
#1.) Coffee.
#2.) Hot soup.
#3.) Tacos.
#4.) Chili.
#5.) Hamburgers.
#6.) Barbecue.
#7.) Fried chicken.
#8.) Jelly donuts.
#9.) Soda and other soft drinks.
#10.) Chocolate.
(Top Cultured)
The New Nissan Quest Minivan Has a Strip Club Finder Built Into Its GPS:
You've got to give Nissan credit for this: Just because you drive a minivan to drop the kids off at school, that doesn't mean you can't swing by the strip club for a lap dance afterward. --In the 2011 Nissan Quest minivan, if you get the GPS navigation system, it's got a built-in category for "Adult Entertainment destinations." Meaning that if you want to find a strip club . . . or, I guess, a legal brothel . . . they've got you covered. --According to the car experts at AutoBlog, this is the first time they've seen strip clubs built into a car's factory navigation system. (AutoBlog)
Word of the Day: Embarrorist:
embarrorist (noun) /ehm bear roar rist/ - a person who has the knowledge to politically embarrass a country. --Example: It's going to be hard to prosecute the Wikileaks guy . . . but we can't let an embarrorist just get away with it. Plus he's so smug. Can't we just punch him in the face?
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Check out this family in Delaware with a massive Christmas display: It uses a million bulbs, and would cost $82,000 to light every night in the month leading up to Christmas, or $686 an hour:
http://io9.com/5712711/it-costs-82000-to-light-the-one-million-christmas-lights-at-this-house
A father in England faked a burglary so neighbors would donate Christmas gifts to his family:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/offbeat/121310-british-dad-admits-faking-christmas-burglary-for-gift-donations-ncx
Remember this list of Christmas gifts NO ONE wants, including a wrist strap to attach your iPad to your arm . . . an automatic dog petter . . . and the "banana guard," a plastic carrying case for your banana.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/473/20-unusual-gifts-nobody-wants/
In case you still haven't figured it out, here's a list of things that'll set off airport scanners: Anything wrapped in aluminum foil, snow globes, underwire bras, hair bands that have metal inside, and retractable keys, since they look like knives:
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-36945856
Check out a list of toy fads we're embarrassed we bought: Pick Up Sticks, the Magic 8 Ball, Ouija boards, Silly Bandz, and the Easy Bake Oven:
http://shine.yahoo.com/event/holidayguide/20-toy-fads-we-cant-believe-we-bought-into-2415843/
Thieves broke into a 'free store' to rob it. It's a place where needy people can go and take items for free when it's open:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/12/12/edm-free-store-robbery.html
Researchers used a microscope to reveal tiny symbols in the eyes of the Mona Lisa. One eye has the initials LV . . . which is obviously Leonardo da Vinci's initials . . . but the other eye is harder to read. It says either CE, B, 72, or L2:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/12/13/da-vinci-code-sequel-hidden-numbers-and-letters-found-in-the-mona-lisa/
NAZZYS SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) Someone Made an Alternate Ending to "Yogi Bear" . . . Where Boo Boo Takes Out Yogi with a Shotgun Blast:
Someone posted a "Yogi Bear" parody on YouTube yesterday, and it's so well done, it looks likes it could be from the new animated movie that's coming out. The difference is . . . Boo Boo shoots Yogi in the back with a shotgun to cash in a $5,000 reward. --It's a reference to the scene in the 2007 BRAD PITT movie "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". Warner Brothers isn't affiliated with the video in any way . . . but they're not trying to have it taken it down either. (--Search for "Yogi Bear alternate ending." And while the violence isn't bloody in any way, this isn't the type of thing you'd let a Yogi-loving six-year-old watch.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6w0r-ScEG4
#2.) Is This the Coolest Thing a Marching Band Can Possibly Do?
During the halftime show at a recent University of Hawaii football game, the marching band did something pretty spectacular . . . for a MARCHING BAND, that is. --The individual band members formed the shape of a stick-figure football player that was as tall as the field is wide. Then the stick-figure ran in slow-motion across the field and "kicked" a giant football. (--Search for "Hawaii marching band kicker." The figure starts 'running at :22.)
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/81224543/
#3.) Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly Remade the David Bowie-Bing Crosby "Little Drummer Boy" Video:
Last week, JACK BLACK and JASON SEGEL released a cover of DAVID BOWIE and BING CROSBY'S 1977 version of "The Little Drummer Boy". And CollegeHumor.com had an animated music video to go with it. --But now WILL FERRELL and JOHN C. REILLY have done one for FunnyOrDie.com, and theirs is a shot-for-shot remake of the original video from 1977. Ferrell plays Bowie, and Reilly plays Bing Crosby. --And the only time they change the script is at the end, when they try to see who can hold the last note the longest . . . and end up cursing each other out. (--Search for "Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly's Little Drummer Boy.")
(--WARNING: This video includes bleeped profanity.)
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6f62088f27/peace-on-earth-little-drummer-boy-with-will-ferrell-john-c-reilly
#4.) And Now . . . Dogs With Human Hands Doing Christmas Activities?
A charity called BestFriends.org wants you to adopt a dog this Christmas, but even if there's no chance you will, you should still check out their new ad on YouTube. --They dressed a bunch of dogs up in Christmas outfits, then people put their hands through the sleeves so it looks like the dogs are doing Christmas activities, like decorating the tree and making cookies. (--Search for "Jolly Holi-dog.")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG3O6UBLGbA
#5.) Here's Fitz from 'Fitz in the Morning' Getting Felt Up by the TSA:
If you haven't flown since the new airport security screening procedures took effect, and you want to know what a full-body pat down looks like . . . you're in luck. Because it looks like Fitzmas came early this year. (???) --Check out one of TSA's finest groping our good friend Fitz from 'Fitz in the Morning.' --100.7 The Wolf, KKWF Seattle and KBWF San Francisco.) He was leaving Seattle for San Francisco a few days ago, and he got his security pat-down on video. --We're not sure if it's the super-slo-mo crotch groping at the end . . . or the sweet strands of Boyz II Men on the soundtrack . . . but the whole thing is amusing. Merry Fitzmas! (--Search for "Fitz in the Morning is touched by the TSA.")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6aPdbOvTXM
#6.) Vladimir Putin Sang "Blueberry Hill" at a Charity Benefit:
It's not as embarrassing as Boris Yeltsin dancing, but here's Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin singing "Blueberry Hill" at a charity dinner on Friday night in St. Petersburg, Russia. --The live backing music sounds like a cheap karaoke track, and the audience cheering him on includes Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, Sharon Stone, and Gerard Depardieu. (--This is a man who could probably have them all killed.)
(--Search for "Putin over the top of 'Blueberry Hill' with piano solo." He starts singing at 1:25.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV4IjHz2yIo
Five New Year's Resolutions From "Men's Health":
If you're looking for a good New Year's resolution, here's a list from "Men's Health" of five habits you should break . . .
#1.) Stop Watching So Much TV. Obviously if you watch TV all night, every night, you're not living life to its fullest. But it also messes with your body. --According to one study, people consume up to 71% more food while they're in front of the TV. And watching more than 19 hours a week increases your odds of being overweight by 97%. --Plus, researchers at Case Western University found that for every hour of TV you watch each day beyond 80 minutes, your risk of developing Alzheimer's increases by 30%.
#2.) Stop Smoking the Occasional Cigarette. Smoking even a few cigarettes a week hurts the walls of your blood vessels, which can cause heart disease. --Plus, having one cigarette every now and then is how a lot of people get hooked. And if THAT happens, you'll have a much longer list of health concerns.
#3.) Stop Using Your Cell Phone While Driving. You've probably heard the statistic that texting while driving is more dangerous than DRINKING and driving. --But according to one study, even having a hands-free phone conversation slows your reaction time by 20%.
#4.) Stop Listening to Loud Music. Your body doesn't have a very good defense mechanism for loud noises, and you don't feel pain until the volume exceeds 120 decibels. And at that point, your hearing is already being damaged. --Eventually, your brain adjusts to it, so loud music sounds normal. The trade-off is, it gets harder to hear SOFT sounds. But you can re-train your brain to hear those sounds again if you force yourself to listen to music at a lower volume. --As long as you haven't caused PERMANENT damage to your ears, your hearing should go back to normal in about a week.
#5.) Stop Drinking So Much Caffeine. Too much caffeine can increase anxiety, and make you feel more on edge. --And in one study, people had the equivalent of four 8-ounce cups of coffee a day for one week . . . and had a 35% decrease in their sensitivity to insulin. So in other words, too much caffeine might increase your risk of developing diabetes. --But if you're truly ADDICTED, you'll have headaches and feel fatigued if you go cold turkey. So experts suggest taking it slow . . . --First, you're supposed to keep a "food diary" for a few days and write down everything you consume that contains caffeine. Then tally up how many milligrams of caffeine you get on average, and dial it back by 10% every few days. (Men's Health)
Salvia Is Way More Popular Now That Miley Smoked It:
No big surprise here: Salvia . . . the hallucinogenic, non-addictive and sometimes-legal herb that MILEY CYRUS was caught on video smoking . . . has gotten a lot more popular since that video hit the web. --TMZ spoke to several "head shops" in California . . . one of the states where salvia is legal. And they say sales are a lot HIGHER, if you'll pardon the pun, thanks to Miley. --In fact, a lot of customers can't remember the name of it, so they just ask for, quote, "the stuff Miley was smoking." --According to the website SageWisdom.org, salvia is illegal in 15 states: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Virginia. --In four states, it's legal only when NOT intended for human consumption. Those states are Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Check Out the Animated Taiwanese "News" Reports About Miley's Bad Behavior:
Those crazy Taiwanese animators are at it again . . . this time with a video "news" report about MILEY CYRUS' bad behavior. Like many of their previous videos, this one is an instant classic. --Miley takes her bong hit and hallucinates a giant brown bear. Then she throws up. --The video also shows TISH CYRUS leaving BILLY RAY for BRET MICHAELS . . . who's shirtless but wearing a top hat. -In one of the more random moments, a teenage boy looks at a racy picture of Miley, and gets attacked by a nun. --And in the end, Miley crashes through a window and drives off with either BRITNEY SPEARS or LINDSAY LOHAN in Herbie the Love Bug. (???) (--Obviously, the Love Bug is a reference to Lindsay, who starred in "Herbie: Fully Loaded". But the driver looks more like Britney.)
(--Forget salvia . . . I want whatever THESE people are smoking. Check out the video here . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYZtIP4dhAU
Did Miley's People Try to Obtain All the Copies of Her Smoking Video?
TMZ says that MILEY CYRUS' people had been trying for a few weeks to stop that video from coming out. Obviously, they failed. --Supposedly, at least two college kids in California contacted Miley's people and said they had copies. In each case, the kids surrendered their computers to Miley's handlers, and received brand new computers in return. --It doesn't appear that either of them got any money.
Was Miley Cyrus a "Mean Girl" in School?
Not to pile on when a girl is down, but one of MILEY CYRUS' old school friends says that Miley was a MEAN GIRL --Miley has talked about not fitting in and being bullied in school. But Nicole Mullen-Holm . . . who was friends with Miley in grammar school and junior high . . . says it was pretty much the opposite. --She says, quote, "Miley is a liar who bullied girls and was a real (B-word) to everyone . . . --". . . I remember her shouting at an overweight girl calling her 'lesbian' and 'dyke'. Miley was a cheerleader and was with the 'in' crowd. She was never bullied in elementary or middle school. --"If anyone even touched her it would have been the end of the world. Her dad would own the school!" --But Nicole adds, quote, "Miley is a good girl at heart but I've been seeing how she's been partying and acting and she's looking like Lindsay Lohan. --"I don't want her to be the mean girl that she was in middle school and I would hate to see her become the next train wreck. She's very lucky and should show some humility."
Did Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens Break Up?
VANESSA HUDGENS turns 22 today . . . and she might be doing it alone. Pretty much everybody is reporting that she and ZAC EFRON broke up. --A source says, quote, "It's nothing dramatic. There's no third party involved. They were together for so long. It just ran its course." --Another source says, quote, "They are 100% still good friends." (--Zac and Vanessa have . . . or HAD . . . been together for about four years. As your kids probably know, they co-starred in all three "High School Musical" movies together.)
"Dexter" Co-Stars Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter Are Getting Divorced:
MICHAEL C. HALL and JENNIFER CARPENTER are getting divorced after just two years of marriage. --Hall plays the lead character on the Showtime series "Dexter" . . . and Hall plays his sister. That's the slightly deviant story of how they met. --In a statement announcing the divorce, Michael and Jennifer said they've been, quote, "separated for some time." --They got married in December of 2008 . . . and stayed together through Michael's battle with cancer. Michael finished successful treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma earlier this year. The fifth season finale of "Dexter" was Sunday night.
Pink Is Not Having a Water Birth:
"In Touch Weekly" says PINK is having a water birth. But it's not true. Here's the denial Pink posted on Twitter . . . quote, "My mom just told me that "in touch" has informed her that she is invited to my delivery, and that I want a water birth. --"She asked me if she needs to get a snorkel. This is all news to me. Amazing. Good reporting."
Check Out Video of Nicolas Cage Having a Fit Outside a Bar in Romania:
There's a video making the rounds in which NICOLAS CAGE is having an absolute FIT outside a bar in Romania. (--He's there filming "Ghost Rider 2".) --It's impossible to tell WHY Nic is so mad, and it's hard to make out a lot of what he's saying. But he seems to be yelling at a guy and two women. Some other people jump in and try to pull him away.
--Here are a few quotes we've been able to pull from this clip . . .
--"I'll (effing) die because of honor! I'll (effing) die right now!"
--"You wanna (effing) kick me in the head? Go for it!"
--"Don't touch me you little (B-word)."
--"See this in my eyes . . . respect them as you'd respect me!"
(--Here's the video . . .)
(--WARNING!!! This clip contains bleeped profanity . . .)
http://laineygossip.com/Nicolas_Cage_screaming_match_Romania_13_dec10.aspx?CatID=0&CelID=0
Dan Aykroyd Won't Work With Anyone But Famous People:
DAN AYKROYD has been in showbiz for over 40 years. So you might say he's earned the right to be picky about when he works . . . and who he works with. And he is. --Dan has no interest in working on small, indie films with unknown people. --He says, quote, "I will walk out the door for the paycheck I deserve and working with the superstars. Otherwise, I won't work as an actor. --"I'm sorry. I don't have to, and why shouldn't I get what is commensurate with what my market will bear today?" --He adds, quote, "It's not the salary I used to get, and I don't care if I play a supporting part. Fine. I'm reasonable. --"But I'm not going to work for nothing, and I'm not going to work for people who are unknown. I can't do it." (--In the meantime, enjoy Dan Aykroyd's ridiculous infomercial for Crystal Head, the brand of premium Canadian vodka he's associated with. Maybe THIS is why he doesn't have to work as much these days. Although somehow I doubt it . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKqjIv91Zx8
Carrie Fisher Admits She's Slept with "Star Wars" Nerds:
Every male "Star Wars" fan has fantasized about sleeping with CARRIE FISHER. And Carrie admits that some of them have REALIZED that fantasy. --She says, quote, "I certainly have, along the way, slept with a nerd . . . Nerds will surprise you. They're way more enthusiastic. More bang with your buck." --"I had one situation with a nerd who was a fantastic kisser." --Carrie also said she snagged the role of Princess Leia by, quote, "sleeping with some nerd." She added, quote, "I hope it was George [Lucas]. But I took too many drugs to remember."
Check Out a Trailer for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides":
"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" hits theaters on May 20th. But the trailer hit the web yesterday. (--Check it out here . . .) http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/pirates-caribbean-on-stranger-tides.html
Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese are Teaming Up Again:
ROBERT DE NIRO and director MARTIN SCORSESE are teaming up again . . . this time for "The Irishman". It's a crime drama about Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran . . . a union official who becomes a hitman. --De Niro and Scorsese's other collaborations include "Mean Streets", "Taxi Driver", "New York, New York", "Raging Bull", "The King of Comedy", "Goodfellas" and "Casino".
Yet Another Singing Competition Show Is in the Works!
If you were planning on making your New Year's resolution: "Watch more reality singing competition shows" . . . you're in luck! NBC is developing yet another one, which is being "aggressively" rushed to TV. (--Sounds exciting, right?) --This one will be called "The Voice of America" . . . and like all the other singing shows, it's not original . . . both in theory and execution. (--So it's similar to the other domestic singing shows, AND it's a copy of one particular foreign show.) --It's based on a Dutch show called "The Voice of Holland" . . . which is currently burying "Dutch Idol" and their version of "X Factor" in the ratings. --"The Voice of America" is a lot like "American Idol" . . . and almost exactly like what the American "X Factor" will be . . . with these differences: --The judges will be referred to as "coaches" instead of "judges." And during the audition phase, the "coaches" will turn their chairs so they're facing away from the contestants . . . so they can only evaluate them based on what they hear. --The coaches push buttons saying whether or not they'd be willing to mentor the contestant. If more than one coach says "yes," the singer can choose their coach. --Then . . . during the equivalent of "Hollywood Week" . . . the contestants work with their coaches, and are put into teams that compete against each other in sing-offs. --After that, it basically becomes "American Idol". A limited number of contestants begin a live portion of the competition, which relies on viewers' votes. --Casting for "The Voice of America" is already underway . . . and it's expected to premiere this spring. There's no word yet if it'll compete against "Idol" directly. (--Then there's Fox, which has "American Idol" . . . and SIMON COWELL'S American "X Factor" coming this fall.)
The Two Best Players in "Jeopardy!" History Will Face Off Against a Computer in February:
KEN JENNINGS and BRAD RUTTER . . . the two best players in "Jeopardy!" history . . . will face off against an IBM supercomputer called WATSON. The episodes will air on February 14th, 15th and 16th. --The winner gets $1 million. IBM says it'll give the money away if Watson wins. Jennings and Rutter have both said they'll donate HALF. --Jennings has the longest winning streak in "Jeopardy!" history. He won an amazing 74 straight games during the 2004 - 2005 season. --He won about $2.5 million during that run . . . and he now has about $3 million in total "Jeopardy!" winnings after going on to take second place in a "Tournament of Champions". --Rutter, meanwhile, has the record for most "Jeopardy!" winnings. After his initial appearance on the show, he went on to win THREE tournaments. His winnings total almost $3.3 million.
(--You can read more about Watson and what it's capable of . . . and NOT capable of . . . here . . .)
http://blogs.forbes.com/bruceupbin/2010/12/14/ibm-to-ken-jennings-you-will-beg-for-mercy/
Tuesday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"I Want a Dog for Christmas Charlie Brown" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC.
--"NCIS" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. (--A Deputy DA takes an interest in Tony while working with the team to locate a missing petty officer who is the only witness in a murder trial. She's played by Annie Wersching, a.k.a. Renee Walker on "24".)
--"The Biggest Loser" [10th Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC.
--"The Millionaire Matchmaker" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Bravo. (--Patti's help editor Judith Regan, the chick who tried to publish O.J.'s "If I Did It" book.)
--"Explorer: Born to Rage?" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on National Geographic. (--Former Black Flag singer Henry Rollins helps explore a theory that there's a genetic predisposition toward violence.)
--"Being Terry Kennedy" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on BET.
THE SPIKE VIDEO GAME AWARDS
"Red Dead Redemption" is the 2010 Game of the Year:
Spike TV's Video Game Awards returned to Los Angeles on Saturday. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS hosted the event and he even picked up an award for voicing Peter Parker in "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions". -The big winner of the evening was "Red Dead Redemption". The best western game ever made was named the Game of the Year. "RDR" also picked up wins for Best Downloadable Content, Best Original Score and Best Song in a Game, "Far Away" by Jose Gonzalez, who performed the acoustic melody during the show. --The VGAs are as much about the games of the future as they are about celebrating the previous year's releases. This year the big announcements did not disappoint. --Bethesda Softworks, makers of " The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivian" and "Fallout 3" announced the next game in The "Elder Scrolls" series, "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim". Check out the teaser here. --The director of "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Hellboy" GUILLERMO DEL TORO officially announced his horror game "Insane". The teaser will make your skin crawl here. -Perhaps the biggest video of the night was the first cinematic trailer for the third game in the smash hit "Uncharted" series, "Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception". Nathan Drake's first foray into the desert can be viewed here. (--Here are all the winners you might care about . . .)
Game of the Year: "Red Dead Redemption"
Best Multi-player: "Halo: Reach"
Best Xbox 360 Game: "Mass Effect 2"
Best PS3 Game: "God of War III"
Best Handheld Game: "God of War: Ghost of Sparta"
Best Wii Game: "Super Mario Galaxy 2"
Best PC Game: "StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty"
Best Shooter: "Call of Duty: Black Ops"
Best Action Adventure Game: "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood"
Best RPG: "Mass Effect 2"
Best Individual Sports Game: "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11"
Best Team Sports Game: "NBA 2K11"
Best Driving Game: "Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit"
Best Music Game: "Rock Band 3"
Best Soundtrack: "DJ Hero 2"
Best Performance by a Human Male: Neil Patrick Harris . . . as Peter Parker / Spider-Man in "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions"
Best Performance by a Human Female: "Battlestar Galactica's" Tricia Helfer . . . as Sarah Kerrigan in "StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty"
Most Anticipated Game: "Portal 2"
NEW ON VIDEO TODAY
--"The Other Guys" - Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson are NYPD's finest detectives . . . while Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are "the other guys", two desk cops who stumble onto a major case while trying to prove themselves.
--"The A-Team" - The big screen remake of the '80s TV show stars Liam Neeson as Hannibal, Bradley Cooper as Face, "District 9's" Sharlto Copley as Murdock, and UFC fighter Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as B.A. Jessica Biel is also in it.
--"Cyrus" - A comedy starring John C. Reilly as a guy struggling to hold onto a new relationship with Marisa Tomei after he realizes that her grown son can't stand him. Jonah Hill plays Cyrus, her overprotective son.
--In stores this Friday . . . "The Town" - Ben Affleck plays a bank robber who falls in love with a hostage . . . and then has to choose between betraying his friends and losing the woman he loves. "Hurt Locker's" Jeremy Renner is his trigger-happy partner and "Mad Men's" Jon Hamm is an FBI agent obsessed with hunting them down.
--"Despicable Me" - Steve Carell plays a super-villain whose evil plans are interrupted by three orphaned girls decide they want him as their father. "iCarly's" Miranda Cosgrove does the voice of the oldest girl.
--"Nanny McPhee Returns" - Emma Thompson returns as Nanny McPhee, the magical nanny whose face reflects the ugly behavior of children, until they fix their bad behavior and her beauty is restored. In this one, she helps Maggie Gyllenhaal raise five kids while her husband is off at war.
--In stores this Friday . . . "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole" - An animated flick about a group of owls trying to find the mythical guardians of their world, to protect it from an impending attack. Some of the voices of the older owls are done by Hugo Weaving, Geoffrey Rush, and Helen Mirren.
TV Series On DVD:
--"Army Wives: The Complete Fourth Season" . . . a four-disc DVD set.
--"24: The Complete Eighth Season" . . . a six-disc set of the show's final season.
--"Leave It to Beaver: Season 5" . . . a six-disc DVD set. (--It ran for six seasons.)
--"Hawaii Five-0: Season 10" . . . a six-disc DVD set. (--It ran for 12 seasons.)
--"Gunsmoke: Season 4, Volume 2" . . . a three-disc set. (--It ran for 20 seasons.)
--It hit stores this past Sunday . . . "Married... With Children: The Complete Series" . . . a 32-disc DVD set. (--It ran for eleven seasons.)
NEW ON VIDEO NEXT WEEK
--In stores December 21st . . . "Salt" - Angelina Jolie plays a suspected double agent who escapes from CIA custody and tries to stop an assassination attempt. Liev Schrieber is a fellow agent trying to bring her in.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Easy A" - Emma Stone builds a slutty reputation by pretending to have sex with random losers to boost their social status. She then starts wearing a red letter A on her clothes . . . just like the chick from "The Scarlet Letter".
--In stores December 21st . . . "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" - Michael Douglas returns as Gordon Gekko, who's out of prison and trying to reconnect with a daughter who wants nothing to do with him. Shia LaBeouf plays her fiancé, who just happens to be a young Wall Street trader in need of Gordon's help.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Step Up 3D" - The third flick hooks up an Australian minx named Sharni Vinson with former Abercrombie & Fitch model Rick Malambri. The supporting cast includes former contestants from "So You Think You Can Dance".
--In stores December 21st . . . "Devil" - A horror flick about five people trapped in an elevator . . . who soon learn that one of them is actually the Devil. It's directed by the guy who did "Quarantine" but the story came from "the mind of M. Night Shyamalan."
--In stores December 21st . . . "Family Guy: It's A Trap!" . . . their third "Star Wars" parody, on a single-disc.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Futurama: Volume Five" . . . a two-disc DVD set.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Caprica: Season 1.5" . . . the other half of the interrupted first season, on a 3-disc DVD set.
--In stores December 21st . . . "Gene Simmons Family Jewels: Season 4" AND "Gene Simmons Family Jewels: Season 5" . . . each on a three-disc DVD set.
NEW MUSIC RELEASES
This Week's Main Releases:
--"Michael", Michael Jackson (--An album of music that Michael Jackson left unfinished to varying degrees. The songs were completed by producers, including Teddy Riley . . . and guest artists, including Akon, 50 Cent and Lenny Kravitz.)
--"Love Letter", R. Kelly (--His 10th album includes a cover of Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone" and the uncomfortably titled single, "When a Woman Loves".)
--"Basic Instinct", Ciara (--It includes the singles "Speechless", "Gimme Dat", and "Ride", which features Ludacris.)
--"Farmer's Daughter", (Reigning "American Idol" runner up) Crystal Bowersox (--It includes her cover of the Buffalo Springfield classic, "For What It's Worth".)
Urban Releases:
--"Last Train to Paris", Diddy & Dirty Money (--Dirty Money is a "group" featuring former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richards and songwriter Kalenna Harper.) (--Diddy has described "Last Train to Paris" as a, quote, "electro-hip-hop-soul funk" concept album. (???) The story follows Diddy's character as he travels from London to Paris, chasing after a woman.) (--In a love way; not a stalkerish way. I think.) (--The album features an epic parade of guests . . . including T.I., Drake, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Usher, Trey Songz, Rick Ross, Justin Timberlake, Grace Jones, Skylar Grey, Wiz Khalifa, Swizz Beatz and the late Notorious B.I.G.) (--Biggie is on the single "Angels". It's a verse from his song "My Downfall".)
Music Coming Out Next Week:
--In stores December 21st . . . "Best Night Of My Life", Jamie Foxx (--The first single, "Winner", features Justin Timberlake and T.I. Other guests include Ludacris, Soulja Boy and Drake.)
--In stores December 21st . . . "Apollo Kids", Ghostface Killah (--Guests include Busta Rhymes, Roots singer Black Thought, Fabolous and several of his buddies from the Wu-Tang Clan.)
--In stores December 21st . . . "Death of a Pop Star", rapper David Banner & producer 9th Wonder (--It features appearances by Ludacris, Erykah Badu and Anthony Hamilton.)
--In stores December 21st . . . "No Boys Allowed", Keri Hilson (--Guests include Chris Brown and Rick Ross.)
--In stores December 21st . . . "Calling All Hearts", Keyshia Cole (--Guests include Faith Evans, Timbaland, Tank, and Nicki Minaj on the single "I Ain't Thru".)
--In stores December 21st . . . "The Letter", R&B singer Avant (--It includes the single "Kiss Goodbye".)
George Clinton Is Accusing the Black Eyed Peas of Ripping Him Off:
Funk legend GEORGE CLINTON is suing the BLACK EYED PEAS for copyright infringement. He claims they sampled his song "(Not Just) Knee Deep" in remixes for their song "Shut Up", which was originally released in 2003. (--"(Not Just) Knee Deep" was released on Funkadelic's 1979 album "Uncle Jam Wants You". In all, it's 15 minutes long.) --Clinton says he became aware that the Peas were sampling his song . . . without permission . . . when a producer for the band asked him for permission to use the song on a new "Shut Up" remix called "Shut the Phunk Up". --He refused . . . but the Peas did it anyway, and released the remix in the deluxe editions of their album, "The E.N.D.". Eventually, Clinton found out about it . . . and the previous remix, which was released in 2003 with the original. --According to the "Hollywood Reporter", "Clinton is seeking maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per infringement and an injunction prohibiting further distribution of the infringing song." --The Black Eyed Peas have not commented. -It seems pretty obvious that the Peas heavily sampled, lifted or borrowed the Funkadelic track . . . the question is whether Clinton can do anything about it.
(--You can find the full version of Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep, here . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-20v1b5jKY
(--Here's Black Eyed Peas' first "Shut Up" remix . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YbBiMDt1Is
(--And here's the Peas' new remix, "Shut the Phunk Up" . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08GeKWJvhec
(--Remember: The Black Eyed Peas' new song, "The Time (Dirty Bit)", borrows heavily from the "Dirty Dancing" theme "(I've Had) the Time of My Life".)
The Most Annoying Christmas Songs . . . According to Bulgarians:
It's a good thing that Christmas music is a seasonal thing . . . because very few us could tolerate listening to it for more than one month a year. (--Or if you work in retail, it's more like THREE months a year. Poor souls.) --But Americans aren't the only ones with Christmas music on our last nerves. Just ask Bulgarians. And interestingly enough, someone did. --The site NoHoHoHo.org . . . (???) . . . conducted a poll asking over 28,000 Bulgarians for their take on The Most Annoying Christmas Songs. And as it turns out, Bulgarians most detest WHAM'S "Last Christmas". --It's a Top 10 list, however two of them weren't written in English. And since the Bulgarian alphabet includes letters that we don't use, we couldn't even GUESS the titles or artists. Apparently they're LOCAL ear-sores. --Here are the results of the poll, along with the percentage of the votes that each song received:
#1.) "Last Christmas", Wham! . . . 18.7%
#2.) "All I Want for Christmas Is You", Mariah Carey . . . 15.4%
#3.) [Some Bulgarian Song] . . . 13.7%
#4.) "Jingle Bells", Lucifer . . . 12.1% (--This is another one that stumped us. We could find no record of a version of "Jingle Bells" by a band called Lucifer.) (--According to Wikipedia, there's a Japanese rock group called Lucifer, but we don't even know if that's the group they're talking about. Puzzling.)
#5.) "Jingle Bell Rock", Bobby Helms . . . 10.2%
#6.) [Some Bulgarian Song] . . . 9.7%
#7.) "Feliz Navidad", Jose Feliciano . . . 6.2%
#8.) "Santa Baby", Eartha Kitt . . . 5.2%
#9.) "Let It Snow", Dean Martin . . . 4.8%
#10.) "Wonderful Christmastime", Paul McCartney . . . 4.1%
(--If you can read and speak Bulgarian, you can check out the two non-English titles at the website below. Click on the Bulgarian word on the RIGHT.)
http://www.nohohoho.org/
Some High School Kid Synchronized His Family's Christmas Lights to go Along with Taylor Swift's Song "Love Story":
TAYLOR SWIFT is more accessible than your average superstar. Why else would random dudes go to so much trouble to get her attention? The latest example is Alex Winters, an 18-year-old high school kid from Oviedo, Florida. --Alex programmed all the Christmas lights at his family's house to play to the tune of her song "Love Story". And get this, if you're driving by, you can even tune your radio to 91.7 and hear the song while you're watching the lights. --The display runs every night from 6:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. --And his parents must be totally cool because, well, there's the enormous electric bill . . . and there's also the inconvenience. Alex says you can't even go upstairs when the display is going because all the bedroom lights are flashing on and off. --There's a video of Alex's display floating around the web. As you'd expect, he opens with a plea for Taylor's approval. He says, quote, "Taylor, if you're watching this, send me a message and let me know what you think."
(--You can check out the light show and song, here . . .)
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/wannnacruise/?action=view¤t=LSTOrYCRHISTMASYOuTUBE.mp4
SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Animal rights groups are upset that NICOLE RICHIE and JOEL MADDEN had an elephant at their wedding.
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b215904_Nicole_Richie_Wedding_Elephant__Not_Cool__Say_Animal_Rights_Groups.html
Are SARAH and BRISTOL PALIN at war? The "National Enquirer" says so.
http://www.nationalenquirer.com/bristol_plain_war_with_sarah_baby_presidency/celebrity/69812
Former Food Network chef JUAN-CARLOS CRUZ has been sentenced to NINE YEARS in prison for trying to hire two homeless guys to murder his wife.
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b215907_food_networks_calorie_commando.html
BRETT FAVRE'S streak of consecutive starts ended at 297 last night. Favre didn't even suit up for Minnesota's loss to the Giants due to a shoulder injury.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/gameflash/2010/12/13/4253_recap.html
JIMMY KIMMEL has re-upped with ABC for two more years. That'll take "Jimmy Kimmel Live" through its 10th season.
http://insidetv.ew.com/2010/12/13/jimmy-kimmel-signs-for-two-more-years/
NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF
The Top 10 Twitter Topics of the Year Include Two Huge Disasters, the World Cup, Tech Products, and, Naturally, Justin Bieber:
Twitter has released its list of its top 10 trending topics for the year. There aren't too many surprises here . . . other than maybe the Chilean miners and the midterm elections being left off. --Instead, we've got two major disasters . . . two big movies . . . two big tech products . . . three things World Cup related . . . and, of course, that one gott damm teenage pop star who is fast approaching world domination. Here's the top 10:
#1.) The Gulf oil spill
#2.) The World Cup
#3.) "Inception"
#4.) The earthquake in Haiti
#5.) Vuvuzelas
#6.) The iPad
#7.) The Google Android
#8.) Justin Bieber
#9.) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"
#10.) Paul, the World Cup Predicting Octopus
(Twitter)
In the Past 30 Years, the Prices of Basic Items Have Actually Gone Down . . . But Health Care and College Prices Have Skyrocketed:
"Bloomberg BusinessWeek" just finished a major study comparing the prices we pay for things today with what we paid 30 years ago, in 1980. And their big finding is . . . on a day-to-day basis, most basic stuff costs LESS now than it did back then. --But . . . when it comes to big ticket items, like college, health care, and technology products, we're spending FAR more today than we were in 1980. Here are some of the comparisons, transforming 1980s dollars into today's dollars.
--One personal computer, down 80.8%. In 1980, a home computer cost $1,565, which is about $3,700 in today's dollars. The average computer today runs $710 . . . and is exponentially more powerful.
--Coffee, down 55.9%. In 1980, one pound cost $3.18, which is $8.38 in today's dollars. Today it costs an average of $3.70.
--Coca-Cola, down 54.9%. In 1980, a two-liter of Coke cost $1.27, which is $3.35 in today's dollars. The average two-liter today costs $1.51.
--Milk, down 28.1%. A half gallon of milk cost $1.06 in 1980, which is $2.79 in today's dollars. A half gallon today averages $2.01.
--Gasoline, down 14.8%. Even with gas prices where they are, we still pay less. In 1980, the average gallon cost $1.26, which is $3.32 in today's dollars. The latest average price was $2.83 for a gallon.
--Movie ticket, up 1.1%. In 1980, a ticket averaged $3.31, which is $8.72 in today's dollars. The average ticket is now $8.82, or ten cents more.
--A house, up 3.4%. In 1980, the average home price was $64,200, or $166,946 in today's money. Now the average home price is $172,600.
--A new car, up 16.5%. In 1980, the average new car cost $7,574, which is $19,790 in today's dollars. The average new car runs $23,051 today.
--College tuition, up 123.5%. In 1980, a year of tuition, room, and board cost $3,499, or $9,142 in today's dollars. College costs have skyrocketed up to an average of $20,435 per year today . . . more than doubling the cost 30 years ago.
--Health care, up 167.2%. In 1980, the average American had $1,100 in annual health care costs, which is $2,874 in today's dollars. Today, the average American runs $7,681.
--Cigarettes, up 293%. Cigarettes had the biggest jump of any item on the list. In 1980, a carton of 10 packs averaged $5.32, or $14.02 in today's dollars. Now, that carton costs $55.10.
--Internet and cell phone service, not applicable. Back in 1980, no one was paying for Internet, and only a tiny handful had cell service. Today, the average person spends about $1,000 on those two services.
--One more note . . . overall, household income is up 8% from 1980. The average income then was $17,710, which is $46,109 in today's dollars. According to the latest Census numbers, the average income today is $49,777. (Businessweek)
Rich People Have More Trouble Reading Your Emotions Than Poor People:
Maybe your boss ISN'T trying to be such an a-hole . . . he just can't pick up those looks of SEETHING RAGE on your face when he tells you that you don't get any days off in the next three weeks. --According to a new study at the University of California, San Francisco, rich people have a MUCH harder time reading other people's emotions than the rest of us. --Michael Kraus is a postdoctoral psychology student who led the study. He says, quote, "We found people from a lower education and income level performed better in terms of emotional intelligence and ability to read emotions others are feeling." --He believes that this happens because people with less money are more used to having to rely on others for help . . . so you become better at reading the feedback you're getting to know whether or not the person's going to help you. (MSNBC)
Which Emoticon Do People Hate the Most?
A new survey by Mashable.com has finally revealed which EMOTICON people hate the most. And no, "all of them" wasn't a choice. --The most hated emoticon is . . . a colon with a lowercase "p", which vaguely looks like someone sticking out their tongue. :p
--46% of people say that's their least favorite.
--The second-most hated, with 39% of the vote, is the angry face emoticon . . . that's a greater-than sign for angry eyebrows, a colon for eyes, and a left parenthesis for a frown. >:(
--The classic smiley face . . . just a colon and a right parenthesis . . . came in as the third-most hated emoticon, with 8%. :)
--The "confused" face, which is a colon with a forward slash, came in fourth, with 6%. :/
--And finally, the frowning face . . . a colon and a left parenthesis . . . came in fifth with 2%. :(
(Switched.com)
You Can Keep Yourself From Overeating During the Holidays By . . . Imagining Yourself Overeating:
We're smack in the middle of overeating season. And if you'd like to keep yourself from packing on your annual Christmas 15 this year . . . a team at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has a suggestion. --They found that if you IMAGINE yourself overeating right before you eat, you eat less. Instead of thinking about how delicious the first bite of a steak or an ice cream sundae will be, you need to picture yourself fighting down the last few bites. --In experiments, they found that people who visualized themselves overeating ended up eating LESS than other people. (Science Magazine)
People Don't Just Overeat During the Holidays Because the Food's Delicious . . . We Also Overeat Because Of Stress:
If you find yourself in a ham-and-pie-induced coma this Christmas, we're here to help you shift the blame. --According to the American Psychological Association, people don't just overeat during the holidays because the food's so good . . . we also overeat because this time of year can be REALLY stressful. --In a new survey, they found that 40% of Americans said they've overeaten or eaten unhealthy "comfort foods" in the past month because of stress. (PR Newswire)
The Ten Most Dangerous Foods To Eat While You Drive are All Hot, Greasy, or Messy:
I think it's fairly dangerous to eat ANYTHING when you're driving . . . even having one hand on a Pop Tart knocks your safety down a little bit. But according to car insurers, the foods on this list crank the danger up even more. --Here are the ten most dangerous foods to eat while you drive. And they all seem to have at least one of three qualities: They're either hot, greasy, or messy. Well, except for soda. Not sure how that snuck on this list. Anyway, check 'em out . . .
#1.) Coffee.
#2.) Hot soup.
#3.) Tacos.
#4.) Chili.
#5.) Hamburgers.
#6.) Barbecue.
#7.) Fried chicken.
#8.) Jelly donuts.
#9.) Soda and other soft drinks.
#10.) Chocolate.
(Top Cultured)
The New Nissan Quest Minivan Has a Strip Club Finder Built Into Its GPS:
You've got to give Nissan credit for this: Just because you drive a minivan to drop the kids off at school, that doesn't mean you can't swing by the strip club for a lap dance afterward. --In the 2011 Nissan Quest minivan, if you get the GPS navigation system, it's got a built-in category for "Adult Entertainment destinations." Meaning that if you want to find a strip club . . . or, I guess, a legal brothel . . . they've got you covered. --According to the car experts at AutoBlog, this is the first time they've seen strip clubs built into a car's factory navigation system. (AutoBlog)
Word of the Day: Embarrorist:
embarrorist (noun) /ehm bear roar rist/ - a person who has the knowledge to politically embarrass a country. --Example: It's going to be hard to prosecute the Wikileaks guy . . . but we can't let an embarrorist just get away with it. Plus he's so smug. Can't we just punch him in the face?
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Check out this family in Delaware with a massive Christmas display: It uses a million bulbs, and would cost $82,000 to light every night in the month leading up to Christmas, or $686 an hour:
http://io9.com/5712711/it-costs-82000-to-light-the-one-million-christmas-lights-at-this-house
A father in England faked a burglary so neighbors would donate Christmas gifts to his family:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/offbeat/121310-british-dad-admits-faking-christmas-burglary-for-gift-donations-ncx
Remember this list of Christmas gifts NO ONE wants, including a wrist strap to attach your iPad to your arm . . . an automatic dog petter . . . and the "banana guard," a plastic carrying case for your banana.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/473/20-unusual-gifts-nobody-wants/
In case you still haven't figured it out, here's a list of things that'll set off airport scanners: Anything wrapped in aluminum foil, snow globes, underwire bras, hair bands that have metal inside, and retractable keys, since they look like knives:
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-36945856
Check out a list of toy fads we're embarrassed we bought: Pick Up Sticks, the Magic 8 Ball, Ouija boards, Silly Bandz, and the Easy Bake Oven:
http://shine.yahoo.com/event/holidayguide/20-toy-fads-we-cant-believe-we-bought-into-2415843/
Thieves broke into a 'free store' to rob it. It's a place where needy people can go and take items for free when it's open:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/12/12/edm-free-store-robbery.html
Researchers used a microscope to reveal tiny symbols in the eyes of the Mona Lisa. One eye has the initials LV . . . which is obviously Leonardo da Vinci's initials . . . but the other eye is harder to read. It says either CE, B, 72, or L2:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/12/13/da-vinci-code-sequel-hidden-numbers-and-letters-found-in-the-mona-lisa/
NAZZYS SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) Someone Made an Alternate Ending to "Yogi Bear" . . . Where Boo Boo Takes Out Yogi with a Shotgun Blast:
Someone posted a "Yogi Bear" parody on YouTube yesterday, and it's so well done, it looks likes it could be from the new animated movie that's coming out. The difference is . . . Boo Boo shoots Yogi in the back with a shotgun to cash in a $5,000 reward. --It's a reference to the scene in the 2007 BRAD PITT movie "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". Warner Brothers isn't affiliated with the video in any way . . . but they're not trying to have it taken it down either. (--Search for "Yogi Bear alternate ending." And while the violence isn't bloody in any way, this isn't the type of thing you'd let a Yogi-loving six-year-old watch.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6w0r-ScEG4
#2.) Is This the Coolest Thing a Marching Band Can Possibly Do?
During the halftime show at a recent University of Hawaii football game, the marching band did something pretty spectacular . . . for a MARCHING BAND, that is. --The individual band members formed the shape of a stick-figure football player that was as tall as the field is wide. Then the stick-figure ran in slow-motion across the field and "kicked" a giant football. (--Search for "Hawaii marching band kicker." The figure starts 'running at :22.)
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/81224543/
#3.) Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly Remade the David Bowie-Bing Crosby "Little Drummer Boy" Video:
Last week, JACK BLACK and JASON SEGEL released a cover of DAVID BOWIE and BING CROSBY'S 1977 version of "The Little Drummer Boy". And CollegeHumor.com had an animated music video to go with it. --But now WILL FERRELL and JOHN C. REILLY have done one for FunnyOrDie.com, and theirs is a shot-for-shot remake of the original video from 1977. Ferrell plays Bowie, and Reilly plays Bing Crosby. --And the only time they change the script is at the end, when they try to see who can hold the last note the longest . . . and end up cursing each other out. (--Search for "Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly's Little Drummer Boy.")
(--WARNING: This video includes bleeped profanity.)
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6f62088f27/peace-on-earth-little-drummer-boy-with-will-ferrell-john-c-reilly
#4.) And Now . . . Dogs With Human Hands Doing Christmas Activities?
A charity called BestFriends.org wants you to adopt a dog this Christmas, but even if there's no chance you will, you should still check out their new ad on YouTube. --They dressed a bunch of dogs up in Christmas outfits, then people put their hands through the sleeves so it looks like the dogs are doing Christmas activities, like decorating the tree and making cookies. (--Search for "Jolly Holi-dog.")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG3O6UBLGbA
#5.) Here's Fitz from 'Fitz in the Morning' Getting Felt Up by the TSA:
If you haven't flown since the new airport security screening procedures took effect, and you want to know what a full-body pat down looks like . . . you're in luck. Because it looks like Fitzmas came early this year. (???) --Check out one of TSA's finest groping our good friend Fitz from 'Fitz in the Morning.' --100.7 The Wolf, KKWF Seattle and KBWF San Francisco.) He was leaving Seattle for San Francisco a few days ago, and he got his security pat-down on video. --We're not sure if it's the super-slo-mo crotch groping at the end . . . or the sweet strands of Boyz II Men on the soundtrack . . . but the whole thing is amusing. Merry Fitzmas! (--Search for "Fitz in the Morning is touched by the TSA.")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6aPdbOvTXM
#6.) Vladimir Putin Sang "Blueberry Hill" at a Charity Benefit:
It's not as embarrassing as Boris Yeltsin dancing, but here's Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin singing "Blueberry Hill" at a charity dinner on Friday night in St. Petersburg, Russia. --The live backing music sounds like a cheap karaoke track, and the audience cheering him on includes Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, Sharon Stone, and Gerard Depardieu. (--This is a man who could probably have them all killed.)
(--Search for "Putin over the top of 'Blueberry Hill' with piano solo." He starts singing at 1:25.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV4IjHz2yIo
Five New Year's Resolutions From "Men's Health":
If you're looking for a good New Year's resolution, here's a list from "Men's Health" of five habits you should break . . .
#1.) Stop Watching So Much TV. Obviously if you watch TV all night, every night, you're not living life to its fullest. But it also messes with your body. --According to one study, people consume up to 71% more food while they're in front of the TV. And watching more than 19 hours a week increases your odds of being overweight by 97%. --Plus, researchers at Case Western University found that for every hour of TV you watch each day beyond 80 minutes, your risk of developing Alzheimer's increases by 30%.
#2.) Stop Smoking the Occasional Cigarette. Smoking even a few cigarettes a week hurts the walls of your blood vessels, which can cause heart disease. --Plus, having one cigarette every now and then is how a lot of people get hooked. And if THAT happens, you'll have a much longer list of health concerns.
#3.) Stop Using Your Cell Phone While Driving. You've probably heard the statistic that texting while driving is more dangerous than DRINKING and driving. --But according to one study, even having a hands-free phone conversation slows your reaction time by 20%.
#4.) Stop Listening to Loud Music. Your body doesn't have a very good defense mechanism for loud noises, and you don't feel pain until the volume exceeds 120 decibels. And at that point, your hearing is already being damaged. --Eventually, your brain adjusts to it, so loud music sounds normal. The trade-off is, it gets harder to hear SOFT sounds. But you can re-train your brain to hear those sounds again if you force yourself to listen to music at a lower volume. --As long as you haven't caused PERMANENT damage to your ears, your hearing should go back to normal in about a week.
#5.) Stop Drinking So Much Caffeine. Too much caffeine can increase anxiety, and make you feel more on edge. --And in one study, people had the equivalent of four 8-ounce cups of coffee a day for one week . . . and had a 35% decrease in their sensitivity to insulin. So in other words, too much caffeine might increase your risk of developing diabetes. --But if you're truly ADDICTED, you'll have headaches and feel fatigued if you go cold turkey. So experts suggest taking it slow . . . --First, you're supposed to keep a "food diary" for a few days and write down everything you consume that contains caffeine. Then tally up how many milligrams of caffeine you get on average, and dial it back by 10% every few days. (Men's Health)
posted by Nazzy @ 5:53 AM
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