HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (01-10-11)

Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom Have a Baby Boy:

MIRANDA KERR gave birth to a baby boy this past Thursday. This is the first child for Miranda and her husband, "Pirates of the Caribbean" stud ORLANDO BLOOM. There's no word yet on the kid's name.


Victoria Beckham Is Pregnant:

DAVID and VICTORIA BECKHAM are multiplying again. They already have three sons. --David broke the news yesterday, saying, quote, "I've got some great news to tell you all. Victoria and I are expecting our fourth child this summer. The boys are very excited about the arrival of a new brother or sister."


Jane Krakowski Is Pregnant:

JANE KRAKOWSKI from "30 Rock" is pregnant. This will be the first kid for Jane and her fiancé, fashion designer Robert Godley. There's no word on the due date. Jane is 42.


Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens Were All Over Each Other at a Club:

ZAC EFRON and VANESSA HUDGENS were all over each other Friday night at a Hollywood club called Eden. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "They were constantly touching and kissing each other. Vanessa was bopping around with her arms up while Zac had his hands all over her." --The groping didn't stop when they gave up the dance floor for their table . . . quote, "Zac sat in between her legs and she wrapped her arms around him. --"They were making out on and off for the last hour or so until closing. They acted like there was no one else in the room." --Zac and Vanessa dated for about five years, before supposedly breaking up in early December.


Denise Richards and Nikki Sixx Have Broken Up:

DENISE RICHARDS and NIKKI SIXX have broken up, after a few weeks together. --A source says it was never anything serious to begin with . . . quote, "They decided to try it and she was not interested. That's dating. This isn't some big, dramatic split."


POLITICAL PANDEMONIUM

John Edwards Is Not Engaged:

Last week, the "National Enquirer" "reported" that JOHN EDWARDS had asked his side action (slash) baby-mama, RIELLE HUNTER, to marry him. A family spokeswoman says, quote, "I can tell you that it's not true." --Meanwhile, a so-called "source" adds that the nature of their relationship is, quote, "one of a father calling the mother and talking about [their daughter], figuring out the holiday schedule."


Chuck Norris Did Not Lend His Name to a New Strain of Pot:

There's a new strain of dope being sold at Los Angeles weed shops called Chuck Norris Black and Blue Dream. They named it that because it has, quote, "a real kick to it." --Obviously, these things aren't official . . . and Chuck had no say in it. But just to get it on the record, Chuck's rep says, quote, "This is definitely not an authorized use of his name."


Mila Kunis Used to be Blind In One Eye:

Here's something you probably didn't know about MILA KUNIS: Until recently, she was BLIND IN ONE EYE. For years, she suffered from a condition called chronic iritis . . . which is an inflammation of the iris. --She says, quote, "I was blind in one eye for many years, and nobody knew. I'm not blind anymore. I had surgery a couple of months ago. They cut it open and dropped a new lens in there."
Hailee Steinfeld from "True Grit" Once Got the Cold Shoulder from "Glee" Star Lea Michele:

HAILEE STEINFELD . . . the adorable and unbelievably talented 14-year-old actress from "True Grit" . . . once got a serious cold shoulder from "Glee" star LEA MICHELE. --It was when she was first auditioning for "True Grit". She says, quote, "I was on the Paramount lot. I was wearing clothes from the 1800s that were big and uncomfortable. 'Glee' also films on the lot, and I love the show. --"I saw Lea Michele just walking to her trailer, and I was like, 'That's the girl from 'Glee'. I've got to go ask for her autograph!' --"So I walked up to her and asked for her autograph, but she walked by and a guy came and said, 'Sorry, now's not a good time!'" --But even though the experience almost made her cry, Hailee says she's still a fan . . . quote, "I was so sad! But she's beautiful, and she has an amazing voice."


Ginnifer Goodwin Has Been on Weight Watchers Since She Was 9 . . . But She's Never Been on a Diet:

GINNIFER GOODWIN from "Big Love" recently revealed that she's been on Weight Watchers since she was nine years old. --And that freaked a lot of people out, because they assumed it means she's been ON A DIET since she was nine. But Ginnifer would like you to know that it's not the same thing. --She says, quote, "I was so shocked when it was this whole, 'Ginny's been on a diet since she was 9 years old!' I was like 'No!' I've never had body issues, I've never had an eating disorder. --"I've never had to go on a diet and that's because of Weight Watchers." --Ginnifer says she was overweight as a child . . . and really started to recognize that when she was nine. She adds, quote, "I ended up going to my mother crying. With the counseling of my family doctor, my mother ended up turning to Weight Watchers and their children's program." --Ginnifer says Weight Watchers taught her a HEALTHY way to manage her weight . . . which many Hollywood actresses haven't mastered. --She says, quote, "I pulled an actress friend aside and I said, 'I get it. I get what it is that you're trying to do, but there's being healthfully skinny and then there's starting to look like a scary alien cat.'"


Did Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson Go to Dinner Saturday Night?

TMZ says that LINDSAY LOHAN and SAMANTHA RONSON went to dinner together in West Hollywood on Saturday night. --But there was probably NO SCISSORING, because they're, quote, "just friends." --A so-called "source" says that Lindsay went to Sam and told her she had no idea that the place she was renting was right next to Sam's house. For some reason, Sam bought it. --The source says, quote, "Neither of them are mad at each other and everything has been cleared up." --Lindsay may not need Sam to keep her company anyway . . . because she's reportedly living with another chick. --They met at Betty Ford, and she's been sober longer than Lindsay. But she needs a little financial help, so Lindsay is letting her live there rent-free.


"True Grit" Is #1 at the Box Office . . . And "Season of the Witch" Tanked:

After three weeks, "True Grit" finally slipped past "Little Fockers" to hit #1. "True Grit" total is now up to $110 million, which makes it the fifth-highest grossing Western ever. The new NICOLAS CAGE movie "Season of the Witch" opened at #3 with a take of just under $11 million.
1.) "True Grit", $15 million. Up to $110 million in its 3rd week.
2.) "Little Fockers", $13.8 million. Up to $124 million in its 3rd week.
3.) (NEW) Nicolas Cage's "Season of the Witch", $10.7 million.


Elijah Wood is Returning For the "Hobbit" Movies:

ELIJAH WOOD will appear in PETER JACKSON'S two-part "Hobbit" prequel. --This might bother some "Lord of the Rings" fans, since his character, Frodo Baggins, doesn't actually appear in the book. --Although we don't know this for sure, we assume this means there will be some flash-forward storytelling. --CATE BLANCHETT is also returning to play Galadriel . . . and there are rumors that ORLANDO BLOOM will play Legolas again. (--It's also a pretty safe bet that SIR IAN MCKELLAN will play Gandalf again, and ANDY SERKIS will return as Gollum.)
Will Brad Pitt Play John Lennon?

The not-always-reliable British tabloids say that BRAD PITT is producing a movie in which he'll play JOHN LENNON. And he even made sure to get YOKO ONO'S blessing. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "Brad already has a writer working on the script. And Yoko has given the project her blessing so long as it's true to John's life." (--Since this is a British tabloid report, it's probably not true. But in the event that it is, we should note that Brad is 47 . . . while John was 40 when he was murdered in 1980.)


Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly Will Make a Rap Album as Their Characters from "Step Brothers":

Remember "Boats 'N Hoes"? That's the AWESOME rap joint that WILL FERRELL and JOHN C. REILLY put together in the movie "Step Brothers". --Well, the director of that movie, Adam McKay, says that Will and John are making an entire rap ALBUM as those characters. (--Here's the original "Boats 'N Hoes" video . . .) (--WARNING!!! There's a TON of FCC-unfriendly language in this clip. Do NOT play it over your airwaves!!! . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8T095mFdW8


"Sarah Palin's Alaska" Will Not Be Back for a Second Season:

"Sarah Palin's Alaska" will NOT be returning for a second season . . . at least according to "Entertainment Weekly". No official announcement has been made. --The two-hour first season finale aired last night on TLC. --It's unclear which side pulled the plug . . . but due to the show's good ratings, it probably wasn't TLC. "Sarah Palin's Alaska" was averaging 3.2 million viewers. (--That doesn't include the numbers for the finale, which aren't out yet.) --This is purely speculation, but there are two reasons why Sarah might pass on a second season . . . at least for now: --For one, another season could signal that she's not committed to running for President in 2012 . . . or if she is, that she's not taking it all that seriously. --Also, if she DOES run, TLC would likely have to give her opponent equal airtime, which is probably something that neither Sarah nor TLC would be interested in doing.


"Glee" Roundup: Lady Gaga is a Yes . . . Gwyneth Paltrow is a Yes Again . . . Justin Bieber is a No:

A lot of new "Glee" news came out over the weekend. Here's the rundown: --"Glee" will be taking on LADY GAGA'S new single, "Born This Way", which is the title track off her next album. (--The single isn't even out yet. It'll be released on February 13th. The album is scheduled to hit stores on May 23rd.) --The song will be featured in an episode about Karofsky, the closeted gay bully. There's no airdate yet, but it'll be sometime in March or April. --Meanwhile, "Glee" co-creator Ryan Murphy has confirmed that GWYNETH PALTROW will return to the show later this season. She'll do two more episodes, which will probably air in early March. (--She'll reprise her role as a substitute teacher named Holly Holliday. When Gwyneth did the show back in November, her character taught Spanish. This time, she'll be teaching Sex Ed.) --Murphy also denied speculation that "Glee" will do a JUSTIN BIEBER-themed episode. He said that one of Justin's songs will be performed in a future episode, but that Justin doesn't have a big enough catalog yet to support a full episode.


"Jersey Shore" Is Now Officially the Biggest Series in the History of MTV:

This just in: The "Jersey Shore" phenomenon is not over. In fact . . . as depressing as it is for some of you to hear . . . it apparently hasn't even peaked yet. --Last Thursday, the third season premiere attracted nearly 8.5 million viewers, which was the show's biggest audience to date. In fact, it's now the biggest series broadcast in the HISTORY of MTV. --By comparison, Season One premiered to 1.4 million viewers . . . and Season Two had 5.3 million viewers. The show's previous ratings high came toward the end of last season, when 6.7 million viewers tuned in. --Here's one more random fact: The episode attracted more young viewers . . . between the ages of 12 and 34 . . . than any episode of any show this year, on cable OR broadcast TV. (--That excludes sporting events.)

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

--"Inside the Actors Studio" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Bravo. (--Jim Carrey.)

--"The Bachelor" . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Brad Womack consults with "Bachelorette" Ali Fedotowsky and the bachelor she chose, Roberto Martinez.)

--"Lie to Me" [Back-to-back Episodes] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. (--Cal must determine if a mental hospital patient is being held against his will, and discover if a young stud who wants to marry a wealthy divorcée is too good to be true.)

--"The Bad Girls Club" [6th Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Oxygen.

--"You're Cut Off!" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on VH1.

--"Castle" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. (--French "Brothers & Sisters" stud Gilles Marini guest stars as an illusionist who becomes involved in an investigation when a magic store owner is killed in Houdini's famous water torture tank.)

--"Hoarders" [3rd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on A&E.

--"True Life" [10th Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on MTV.

--"Men of A Certain Age" [2nd Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TNT.

--"The X Life" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1. (--A new reality series about the lives of extreme athletes and their significant others.)

--"The Vice Guide To Everything" [1st Season Finale] . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on MTV.


Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas Are NOT Recording a Joint Album:

MILEY CYRUS' reps say there's "no truth" to speculation that she's recording some kind of joint album with NICK JONAS. --That's interesting, considering the source was fairly legit. Music producer Shakur Green, who has worked with Miley in the past, started the rumor. -He reportedly posted a series of messages on Twitter . . . saying, quote, "Returning to the studio [with] Miley Cyrus & Nick Jonas on [January 14th]. --"Can't release any additional information about the project other than it's going to be one of the top albums of 2011. We're only recording 7 [to] 10 records. She has other producers [she's] working with besides myself! --"I will share this info: It's going to be a double disc duet album!" (--For what it's worth, we weren't able to confirm he said any of this. Those Tweets are not currently on Green's feed, but they were supposedly there, and were copied onto a blog called Anything Disney.) (--Green has re-Tweeted some fan talk about the duet, but has not commented.) (--In 2009, Miley and Nick recorded a duet called "Before the Storm". It was released on the JONAS BROTHERS' album, "Lines, Vines and Trying Times". Miley put out a live version on her EP, "The Time of Our Lives".)


Beastie Boy Adam Yauch Is NOT Cancer-Free Yet:

Over the weekend, word began spreading that ADAM YAUCH . . . a.k.a. MCA of the BEASTIE BOYS . . . was completely cancer-free. But he would like you to know that those reports are premature. --MCA says, quote, "While I'm grateful for all the positive energy people are sending my way, reports of my being totally cancer free are exaggerated. I'm continuing treatment, staying optimistic and hoping to be cancer free in the near future." --In 2009, MCA had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor on his left salivary gland. (--It's unclear how and where the "cancer-free" reports began. By the way, the Beasties are active again. They're planning on releasing their next album, "Hot Sauce Committee, Part 2", this spring . . . and may tour this summer.)
SHOWBIZ EXTRAS


By now you've heard of the tragic shooting in Arizona that critically wounded U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords and killed six others. Well, Giffords is the cousin of GWYNETH PALTROW . . . although they've never met. And a 9-year-old girl who was killed was the cousin of "One Tree Hill" star SOPHIA BUSH.

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b219609_sophia_bush_gwyneth_paltrow_related.html



Here's a quick rundown of five interesting things we've learned so far in the preliminary hearing of DR. CONRAD MURRAY . . . the man accused of killing MICHAEL JACKSON.

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b219535_five_shocking_things_heard_during.html



Believe it or not, the FARRELLY BROTHERS are STILL working on that "Three Stooges" movie. PETER FARRELLY says the lead roles are still uncast . . . and also gives a pretty comprehensive rundown of the plot.

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/01/07/three-stooges-peter-ferrelly-exclusive/



Director IVAN REITMAN says a script for "Ghostbusters 3" has been completed and sent to BILL MURRAY for his approval. And he adds, quote, "Nothing you've read on the Internet is accurate."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110108/ap_en_mo/us_film_ghostbusters3


"Dancing with the Stars" dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy will star in his own season of "The Bachelor" . . . the UKRAINIAN version of "The Bachelor". He claims he had the chance to do the American version, but he turned it down.

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b219565_maksim_chmerkovskiy_this_seasons_new.html


There's a reality show in the works that will follow "Baseball Annies" . . . or, quote, "women who stop at nothing to hook up with major league players, married or single." (???) It's called "Cleat Chasers", but no network has picked it up yet.

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/01/exclusive-new-reality-tv-show-about-major-league-baseball-groupies


(--The term "Annie" is where they got the name of Susan Sarandon's character, Annie Savoy, in "Bull Durham".)


One of "The Onion's" upcoming TV shows, "Onion News Network", premieres January 21st on IFC. (--You can watch a trailer for it at the link below. Their other new show, "SportsDome", debuts tomorrow night on Comedy Central.)

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/01/07/the-onion-fox-news-video/


Some adult DUDE in California got a tattoo of JUSTIN BIEBER'S face . . . on his THIGH. (???) (--You can see it, here . . .)

http://www.tmz.com/2011/01/08/justin-bieber-tattoo-thigh-photo/
THE SHOOTING IN ARIZONA

A 22-Year-Old Tried to Assassinate a U.S. Congresswoman on Saturday in Tucson, Arizona . . . And Killed Six People:

Over the weekend, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE GABRIELLE GIFFORDS of Arizona was shot in the head at an event in Tucson, Arizona. Here's everything you need to know.

--Giffords survived the shooting. Giffords was shot at point blank range in the back of the head . . . the bullet entered and exited HER BRAIN . . . but miraculously, she's still alive. She's in intensive care at a hospital in Tucson and is expected to live.

--The gunman also survived. The gunman was a 22-year-old from Tucson named Jared Loughner. After he started shooting at Congresswoman Giffords and the crowd, two people were able to tackle him and hold him down for the police.

--Six people died. One of the victims was a federal judge named John Roll. Another was a nine-year-old girl named Christina Green . . . who was actually born on September 11th, 2001.

--The other victims were one of Giffords' aides, 30-year-old Gabe Zimmerman . . . a 76-year-old named Dorothy Morris . . . a 76-year-old named Dorwin Stoddard . . . and a 79-year-old named Phyllis Schneck. Thirteen other people, plus Giffords, were injured, but they're all out of intensive care . . . except Giffords.

--Giffords was holding an outreach event called "Congress on Your Corner." The shooting happened at her event, which was outside a Safeway supermarket in Tucson.

--Loughner was a loner whose motivations are still unknown. The police and the FBI have been trying to figure out Loughner's motivations for the shooting. On his MySpace, he posted several rants about literacy rates. --He also ranted on YouTube about incenting a new American currency. (--You can see his final video, posted on December 15th, here. It's just a black background with white text, filled with rants about literacy, mind control, and other nonsense . . .)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHoaZaLbqB4

--The police also believe Loughner may have belonged to a white supremacist, anti-immigration group. Giffords is Jewish and a Democrat. For now, Loughner isn't talking, and police have confirmed he acted alone on Saturday. --He's also been described as a, quote, "pot-smoking loner" who lived with his middle-class parents, and was suspended from community college for multiple run-ins with the campus police. --Loughner has been charged. He's been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, and one count of attempting to kill a member of Congress . . . so far. At the very least, he's looking at life in prison.

--America's political climate is taking a lot of heat. When a member of Congress gets shot . . . even if it's by a mentally unstable person . . . it's unavoidable to link the shooting to politics. And no one's wasted any time doing that.

--Just hours after the shooting, Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said, quote, "When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government . . ." --"The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous. And unfortunately, Arizona, I think, has become the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."

--Sarah Palin is getting extra criticism for putting a "crosshair" on Giffords. After health care passed last year, Sarah Palin released a graphic of a map that put CROSSHAIRS on certain Congressional districts where people voted for the law. --She also posted her famous "Don't retreat, instead, RELOAD" tweet to introduce the map . . . designed to rally people to vote out the Democrats in the 20 districts under the crosshairs. --She took some heat for it at the time, since it symbolically associated guns with politics. But she insisted it wasn't meant in a violent way. And now, one of the Congress members in the crosshairs was actually shot. --Giffords' Tea Party opponent from the midterm elections, Jesse Kelly, is also getting heat. He held a rally in June where people could, quote, "Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office. Shoot a fully automatic M16 with Jesse Kelly." --There is ZERO connection, as of now, between the gunman and either Palin or Kelly. But for a lot of people, it's already serving as a wake-up call that gun imagery and politics shouldn't be mixed together so casually. --Palin issued a statement shortly after Saturday's shooting offering condolences to Giffords, the other victims, and their families. Kelly condemned the shooting too, saying quote, "Senseless acts of violence such as this have no place in American politics."
NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF

Check Out America's Most Infested Cities . . . Rats, Bees, Roaches, Sharks, and More:

Time to judge some other cities for being FILTHY CESSPOOLS. "U.S. News & World Report" put together this list of American cities infested with bugs, rodents, and other incredibly undesirable things.

--RATS. In a study back in 2007, New York City had the most rats in the country. Possibly as many as 100 MILLION. Houston came in second, and Boston was third.

--KILLER BEES. Angry, Africanized killer bees first showed up in the U.S. in Hidalgo, Texas in 1990. And since then, it's remained the killer bee capital of the country.

--ALLERGENS. Dayton, Ohio ranked the highest for allergens in a study that looked at pollen scores and the number of allergy medicines used per capita. Wichita, Kansas is second, and Louisville, Kentucky is third.

--SHARKS. New Smyrna Beach, Florida has had the most shark attacks of any city in the U.S., with 219 confirmed attacks since 1882.

--BEDBUGS. Based on a study by Terminix, New York City has the most bedbugs in the country. Philadelphia has the second most. But on a state-by-state level, Ohio has the most bedbugs in the U.S.

--BUGS. There hasn't been a study done on a city level, but by state, Florida has the highest level of cockroaches, ants, and termites. Louisiana is second, and Texas is third. (U.S. News & World Report)


Check Out the Five Best and Worst Jobs For 2011:

Last week, a new survey found that 17 out of 20 Americans plan on actively trying to change jobs this year. So, if you're one of them . . . might as well NOT change to a job that'll have you on the street washing windshields by the fall. --Forbes.com put together this list of the best and worst jobs for 2011. They're based on five factors: Pay, outlook, work environment, stress, and physical demands. And the basic summary is . . . math is good, hard labor is bad.

--The best job for 2011 is . . . SOFTWARE ENGINEER. The average pay is around $87,000, the stress and physical demands are low, and there's a lot of room for growth.

--The rest of the top five best jobs for 2011 are: Mathematician . . . actuary . . . statistician . . . and computer systems analyst.

--The worst job for 2011 is . . . ROUSTABOUT. Fixing oil rigs is a low paying, extremely stressful, extremely dangerous profession with negative growth. --The rest of the bottom five jobs are: Ironworker . . . lumberjack . . . roofer . . . and taxi driver. (Forbes)

(--Here's the full list of the top jobs . . .)
http://www.forbes.com/2011/01/07/best-worst-jobs-2011-leadership-careers-employment-best_slide.html
(--Here's the full list of the bottom jobs . . .)
http://www.forbes.com/2011/01/07/best-worst-jobs-2011-leadership-careers-employment-worst_slide.html
"Hey" Has Replaced "Dear" As the Way We Start Written Communication:

When you're writing an email . . . whether it's to friends, co-workers or some pervert you found on Craigslist . . . your first word is probably "Hey." "Hey guys!" or "Hey everyone" or "Hey fellow pervert!" But you're not the only one. --The "Wall Street Journal" recently interviewed linguistic experts, etiquette experts, and English professors, and they all agreed that "Hey" has replaced "Dear" as the most common way we start our written communication. --Most of them said that "Dear" is becoming a more FORMAL term. --Anna Post is an etiquette guru who runs the Emily Post Institute. She says, quote, "I don't think [dear] is as important as it used to be. You can still certainly use it [though]. If you don't know someone well, or for a new client, I would use 'dear.'" --But when you've got some familiarity with someone, "hey" is becoming the acceptable modern standard. --Jeanne Phillips writes the Dear Abby column. She says she rarely uses "dear" anymore, because with email and texting, written communication has become much less formal, so something casual like "hey" or "hi" makes sense. --Quote, "We live in an age of technology, and things are going to evolve, and it's a good thing." (Wall Street Journal)


Smokers Could Be Extinct By 2050!

You see stories about different things going extinct within the next few decades and it's almost always bad news. Newspapers. Landlines. Social Security. Well . . . here's a good one. --A new analysis of the tobacco industry found that, based on current trends, SMOKERS could be extinct by 2050. --Right now, only about one in of five Americans smoke . . . that's down from one in four in just a decade. That's an INSANELY fast decline. --And within 30 to 50 years, all the people still smoking could be either DEAD . . . or they'll have quit, with no new smokers taking their place. (New York Post)


Hearing Good Music Gives You The Same Feeling As Cocaine?

THIS is exactly why I listen to JUSTIN BIEBER. A new study at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada has found that listening to good music has the same effect on your brain as DOING COCAINE. --Seriously. They monitored the brain and found that good music leads the brain to release its reward chemical, dopamine. Cocaine increases your dopamine levels around 22%. In the study, good music increased it by up to 21%. --The researchers say, quote, "Our findings provide chemical evidence that intense emotional responses to music involve ancient reward circuitry . . . and begin to explain why musical experiences are so valued." (The Guardian)


People Who Love To Get Hammered Also Love To Hit the Gym?

God help us, we're now learning lessons from the guys on "Jersey Shore". --According to a new study, the fact that the guys on the "Shore" seem to go out and get hammered every night . . . but also have six pack abs . . . actually represents a population-wide trend. --A study published in the "American Journal of Health Promotion" finds that people who regularly get HAMMERED DRUNK are also more likely to exercise longer and more intensely than people who drink less. --The study found that heavy drinkers exercise about 10 minutes more per week than moderate drinkers, and about 20 minutes more per week than people who don't drink. --And for every episode of binge drinking, that increases the number of total minutes that someone spends working out every week. That goes for both men and women. --As for WHY this happens . . . well, the scientists aren't really sure. But they have three theories. --One, people who drink a lot feel an urge to work out to burn the calories. Two, heavy drinkers and exercising are both part of the same, quote, "sensation-taking lifestyle." --And three, maybe getting drunk and working out hit the same reward center in the brain. (The Consumerist)
Police In New Hampshire Have a Six-Hour Standoff With a Guy Who's Unconscious:

Last week, the police in Ossipee, New Hampshire were called to a home. An armed robbery suspect was inside, and they wanted to take him into custody. --But when they called for him to come out, they got no answer. So the SWAT team was called in. They secured the area and planned to enter the house. Still no answer from the suspect inside. --Finally, after trying to coax him out peacefully during a SIX-HOUR STANDOFF, they busted into the house and figured out why the suspect hadn't responded to them. He was UNCONSCIOUS from a DRUG OVERDOSE. --40-year-old Jeremy Q. Curtis was taken into custody . . . and then taken to the hospital. He's going to survive the overdose . . . and now he's facing his armed robbery charges. (The Citizen of Laconia)


Word of the Day: All Due Respectacle:

all due respectacle (noun) /all doo ree spekt uh kul/ - making a spectacle by starting a sentence with "all due respect" . . . but only as an excuse to say something completely disrespectful. --Example: My son is the king of all due respectacles . . . yesterday he told me, "With all due respect, you're one of the ugliest people I've ever seen."


A Woman Pulls the Fire Alarm and Clears Out a Hotel . . . When She Finds Out Her Boyfriend Is Secretly Married:

There's no crazy like "I just found out my boyfriend is secretly leading a double life and is already married" crazy. --Recently, a 33-year-old woman from Fort Walton Beach, Florida was staying with her boyfriend at a Best Western on Okaloosa Island, Florida . . . when he confessed to her that he secretly had a WIFE. --And she FLIPPED OUT. --She pushed him out of the room . . . and pulled the FIRE ALARM. As the hotel guests started evacuating, she stood in the lobby, tossing MIDDLE FINGERS at everyone who looked at her. --She was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and a false fire alarm. --The Best Western decided to offer refunds to all of the guests who cleared out because of the fake fire alarm. (Northwest Florida Daily News)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Man With Three Warrants Gives the Police a Fake Name During a Traffic Stop . . . But When the Fake Name Also Turns Up Warrants, He's Arrested:

Last week, Jonothan Ray Gonsalez of Box Elder, Montana was pulled over during a routine traffic stop. Jonothan had three outstanding warrants for drug charges. --So when the police asked for his name, Jonothan lied, and gave the police the name of an acquaintance: Timothy Michael Koop Junior. There was only one problem. Jonothan didn't realize that Timothy ALSO had outstanding warrants. --When the police ran Timothy's name, the warrant came up . . . and Jonothan was arrested. (--There's no word on where the real Timothy is right now.) --Eventually the police busted through the genius scheme and figured out Jonothan's real identity. Now, on top of his drug charges, he's also looking at another charge of issuing a false report to law enforcement. (Great Falls Tribune)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

Check out eight reasons why it's bad for you, the environment, and your engine to warm up your car in the wintertime:

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1650/eight-facts-about-warming-up-your-car-in-winter/


A neighbor and his Great Dane stopped a rape and held the suspect at bay until the cops arrived:

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2011/01/great-dane-stops-sex-attack.html


That bastion of journalistic integrity, the "Weekly World News", reported that Facebook would be down on March 15th. And the Internet freaked out . . .

http://gawker.com/5728948/facebook-apocalypse-rumor-terrifies-internet


A woman staples her man's head in a domestic dispute:

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/crime/woman-staples-man-in-domestic-dispute


Photos of the Day . . . It's another classic hooker round-up. This time from Florida, with the usual horrific gallery of mugshots:

http://www.wtsp.com/slideshows/2011/gallery.aspx?slideshowname=Polk-County-Prostitution-Sting


A woman in Argentina tried to avoid paying her kid's train fair by hiding her on the tracks just as the train was arriving. But the kid survived:

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20110107/woman-lowers-daughter-onto-train-tracks-110107/



NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) The Tucson Gunman Posted a YouTube Video Called "My Final Thoughts":

JARED LEE LOUGHNER is the 22-year-old who tried to assassinate Democratic Congresswoman Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson on Saturday, killing six people. And he posted a couple weird videos on YouTube three weeks ago. --He doesn't actually appear in the videos . . . both of them just show white text on a black background. And most of it is nonsense about, quote, "new money" and something he calls "conscious dreaming". --According to CBS News, police aren't 100% sure the videos were posted by the same Justin Loughner, but most people think it's him. Because whoever wrote them is clearly unbalanced, and one of them is titled "My Final Thoughts".
(--Search for "Jared Lee Loughner YouTube videos.")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHoaZaLbqB4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uRjwPWaxiY


#2.) The Homeless Guy's Mac and Cheese Commercial Premiered Last Night:

TED WILLIAMS . . . the homeless guy with the amazing voice . . . announced last week that he was the new spokesman for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. --And apparently Kraft is trying to strike while the iron is hot. On Friday, they posted his first commercial on YouTube. And it premiered on TV last night during the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl game between Nevada and Boston College. --It's just a regular commercial for Kraft, but you'll definitely recognize the voice at the end. (--Search for "Ted Williams first Kraft ad." His voiceover starts at :23.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy85lAKLasw


#3.) An Astronomer on Live TV Complained About the Weather . . . While a Meteor Fell Directly Behind Him:

An astronomer in England named Matt Thompson was doing a live segment for the BBC about how to spot interesting stuff in the night sky. --But it was overcast where he was, so he spent his entire segment complaining about the weather . . . and completely missed a meteor that fell through the sky directly behind him.
(--Search for "Matt Thompson BBC meteor." It happens at :07.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWJChKYtAOI


#4.) Someone Combined a Beer Keg With a Video Game System:

Here's an invention that NO ONE needs: A team of nerds who like to drink beer created the world's first keg that also acts as a video game system. --The keg is self-cooling, holds two-and-a-half gallons of beer . . . and if you hook it up to your TV, it can play all your favorite PC games. (--Search for "Nvidia Kegputer.")
(--WARNING: This video includes the term "bad ass".)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEImcKIulbg


Four Major Things That Will Cost More in 2011:

If you're wishing you could have just slept in today . . . here's a list to remind you why you can't AFFORD to. These are four major things that will cost more this year than they did in 2010 . . .

#1.) Groceries. The Department of Agriculture predicts a two to three percent increase in the cost of all food in 2011, mainly because the prices of corn and soybeans are going up. --But food prices went up by almost 6% in 2008, so we should probably consider ourselves lucky this year.

#2.) Clothing. The price of clothing has been going down for the last decade. But cotton is 80% more expensive than it was at the beginning of 2010. And some clothing brands are increasing their prices by as much as 10% in 2011.

#3.) College. This year, the tuition prices at four-year universities is up by almost 5% for private schools, and 8% for public schools. That's why a lot more people are going to community college first, then transferring.

#4.) Gas. The former president of Shell Oil recently predicted that gas will cost FIVE DOLLARS A GALLON by the end of the year, which is about $2 higher than the current national average. Let's hope he's wrong. (WalletPop.com)