Friday, February 18, 2011

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (02-18-11)

66-Year-Old Rod Stewart Is a Dad Again:

At 66 years of age, ROD STEWART is a father again. His 39-year-old wife PENNY LANCASTER gave birth to a baby boy on Wednesday. They named him Aiden. --This is their second child . . . they also have a 5-year-old son named Alistair. And Rod has six other children from previous relationships. Rod's oldest kid is a daughter who's 47 years old . . . which is eight years older than his current wife.


George Clooney's Girlfriend Doesn't Want to Have Kids:

GEORGE CLOONEY doesn't seem like the kind of guy who'll ever want to give up his free and easy lifestyle. And this should help: His sexy Italian girlfriend isn't interested in having kids. --32-year-old ELISABETTA CANALIS says, quote, "[Getting pregnant has] never been an objective for me. My maternal desires are fully satisfied with my dogs." --Elisabetta is also not in a rush to get married, or to take the spotlight away from George. She says, quote, "I am happy to participate at events as the 'girlfriend of.'"


Justin Bieber Is Cool with Gay People:

We've already learned a lot about JUSTIN BIEBER from his new "Rolling Stone" interview. He hates our healthcare system . . . he doesn't believe in sex before LOVE . . . and he's anti-abortion, but not necessarily in cases of rape. --And thanks to another excerpt from the interview, here's something else we know about Justin: He's cool with gay people. --He says, quote, "It's everyone's own decision to do that. It doesn't affect me and shouldn't affect anyone else."


Ryan Phillippe and Amanda Seyfried Are No Longer Dating:

RYAN PHILLIPPE and AMANDA SEYFRIED are no longer dating. Apparently, it wasn't that serious to begin with. A source says, quote, "It's not a big deal for either of them." --Ryan and Amanda swapped fluids for about three months. He's 36, she's 25. (--Ryan was reportedly seen trying to hit on RIHANNA at a brunch in Hollywood last weekend . . . but she blew him off.)



Christian Slater Is Reaching Out to Lindsay Lohan:

CHARLIE SHEEN isn't the only person reaching out to LINDSAY LOHAN. He's not even the only person with the initials "C.S." reaching out to Lindsay. --CHRISTIAN SLATER has put the word out that he's there if Lindsay needs him. He tells "Details" magazine, quote, "I appreciated the people who reached out to me. It's a brutal position to be in. --"You feel alone and confused over where your life went and how you got yourself in this situation . . . Addiction is a killer. And it takes so much to recognize the problem." --Slater is 41 years old and five years sober. He adds, quote, "Addiction is not pretty, and you don't fully understand it unless you're dealing with it head-on. --"That's why when I see other kids struggling, I will sometimes reach out to them . . . a call or an e-mail." (--One more, quick note: Some guy who's trying to promote his fashion website sent Lindsay Lohan a $2,500 necklace . . . presumably to replace the $2,500 necklace she allegedly stole, and had to return to police.) (--You can check out his press release here.)


Leighton Meester's Mother Is Accused of Making Death Threats Against a Woman and Her Child:

"Gossip Girl" minx LEIGHTON MEESTER didn't grow up in the most stable household. In fact, when she was born, her mother Constance was serving a 10-year sentence for marijuana smuggling. --Constance was moved to the hospital for the birth, then got to nurse Leighton in a halfway house for three months. Then she went back to the joint, and Leighton's grandmother took over the parenting until she got out. --Anyway, Constance Meester is in trouble again . . . this time for allegedly making DEATH THREATS against a woman and her minor child. --The victim, Laurel Wigg, was granted a restraining order keeping Constance away from her and her kid for a full year. --She told the court that Constance threatened to, quote, "hunt down and kill" her and her son . . . and also said she was going to, quote, "(Eff) us up." She also described Leighton's mom as an ADDICT. --We don't know the root of the problem between Laurel Wigg and Constance Meester . . . but Laurel told the court that Constance has a child who goes to school with her kid.
Some Guy Claims He Stole Paris Hilton's $2,000 Birthday Cake:

Some guy named Paz went on Facebook, claiming that he stole PARIS HILTON'S birthday cake. He said, quote, "I woke up this morning with a $2000 birthday cake in my living room." --"Paz" claims he got into Paris' recent 30th birthday party through a friend who was invited. He saw that there were two cakes . . . one of which was mostly for show. --He asked a waiter what was going to happen to it, and was told it would probably be thrown out. --He says, quote, "It was at this inebriated moment I decided no one was going to waste $2000 worth of anything on my watch." --So he picked it up and just walked out of the party with it. (--"Paz" posted two pictures of the cake. The first one is at Paris' actual party. It shows Paris blowing out the candles on the OTHER cake . . . the one everybody was eating.) (--You can see the fancy, $2,000 cake in the bottom-left corner of the shot. The second pic shows the cake in what we assume is Paz's living room.) (--Paris officially turned 30 yesterday.)


Denise Richards Uses Books to Help Her Daughters Deal with Their Dad Charlie Sheen's Crazy Lifestyle:

I'm starting to believe that the hardest job in the world is being a mother to CHARLIE SHEEN'S kids. At least the ones who are old enough to understand how unhinged their dad is. --DENISE RICHARDS has been dealing with that now. She and Charlie have two daughters, who are 5 and 6 years old. And on "The View" today, she talks about how she does it. --She says, quote, "This has been something I have dealt with for years. This is not a new situation. There are times where his life is more colorful than others, more public than others, and as the kids get older it's a difficult thing. --"I'm learning as I go too. I have never had to deal with this and this was a subject I had hoped to talk with my children about as they got older. But it's hard." -One thing Denise does is use books that teach kids about addiction. She says, quote, "There are images and pictures that a child can understand. I don't know what they fully comprehend from these conversations. --"They don't know what some of these things are. So I do the best I can and it's not easy." --And how sad is this: Denise has pretty much ACCEPTED that this is the way things are going to be for her and her daughters . . . quote, "I mean, you know this is Charlie's lifestyle. He makes no bones about it. And it is what it is."


NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND

The Hot Blonde from "Glee" Goes Up Against Liam Neeson This Weekend . . . and Martin Lawrence is Back with Yet Another "Big Momma's House":

#1.) "Unknown" (PG-13)

When Liam Neeson comes out of a four-day coma, his wife acts like she doesn't know him and introduces him to some other dude who's pretending to be him. The cops don't believe him, and even he starts to think he's crazy . . . until someone tries to kill him. --"National Treasure" minx Diane Kruger plays a taxi driver who helps him run around Berlin trying to figure out what's happening, and "Mad Men's" January Jones plays his treacherous wife. (Trailer)

#2.) "I Am Number Four" (PG-13)

British model Alex Pettyfer (--Pet-if-er) is one of nine alien teens hiding on Earth after their planet is attacked. For some reason they can only be killed in sequence, and they're being hunted down by other aliens before they can develop their powers. "Glee's" Dianna Agron plays the human chick he falls for, and they've been hooking up off camera since they met on the set. But she's not the only hot blonde in it: Teresa Palmer from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" plays Number Four's ally Number Six. (Trailer 1) (Trailer 2)

(--Alex has another movie called "Beastly" coming out in two weeks. It's a new version of "Beauty & the Beast", where he plays the beast opposite Vanessa Hudgens. He uses an American accent in both movies, but you can listen to his real accent here.)

#3.) "Big Mommas: Like Father Like Son" (PG-13)

In Martin Lawrence's third Big Momma movie, his son witnesses a murder so the two of them put on matching fat suits and go into hiding at an all girls school. (Trailer) --His son is played by comedian Brandon T. Jackson, who was rapper Alpa Chino in "Tropic Thunder" and the horny half-goat dude in that "Percy Jackson" movie. (--He also has an amusing rap video for the film called "Imma Do It Big". Enjoy.)



#4.) "The Chaperone" (PG-13) (Limited)

WWE rassler Triple H volunteers to chaperone a field trip so he can reconnect with his daughter, who's played by 13-year-old "Modern Family" star Ariel Winter. Chaos ensues once his old bank robbing buddies catch up with them at the museum. (Trailer) (--This isn't the first time Triple H has tried acting. He was also in "Blade Trinity", but this is his first time in a starring role . . . AND his first family comedy. I can only hope this rises to the level of The Rock's "The Game Plan". No one wants to see another farce like Hulk Hogan's "Mr. Nanny" or "Suburban Commando".)


Sarah Jessica Parker Wants to Do Another "Sex and the City" Movie . . . But She Doesn't Like the Idea of a Prequel:

Is anyone actually interested in a "Sex and the City 3"? Well, SARAH JESSICA PARKER is. She wants to bring Carrie Bradshaw and her slutty friends back for another round. But maybe not right away. --She says, quote, "I think there's one more story to tell. I know there is. I'd definitely tell that [third] story . . . But maybe not now. Maybe in five years, you know?" --One thing Sarah would NOT like to see is a "Sex and the City" prequel. There's been talk of doing one with the girls in their 20s . . . and with BLAKE LIVELY as Carrie Bradshaw. --Sarah says, quote, "There are a lot of important and interesting stories that 21-year-olds can tell. I don't begrudge any 21-year-old the opportunity to tell their stories. --"But I don't think we can pretend to go back. It's creating two histories. It's like, 'Oh I didn't know that about Carrie Bradshaw.'"


Will Detroit Get a Robocop Statue Or Not?

There are SOOO many things the city of Detroit needs. And yet one of the biggest debates going on there right now is whether or not a ROBOCOP STATUE will be built. --Yes, the classic 1987 sci-fi flick "Robocop" was set in Detroit. But it was a Detroit of the near future . . . in which the government is corrupt and the city is in social and financial ruin. (--Good thing that didn't happen in real life, huh?) --Well, some fan recently asked Detroit Mayor Dave Bing if the city could erect a statue honoring Robocop. Bing responded, quote, "There are not any plans to erect a statue to Robocop. Thank you for the suggestion." --But then, supporters set up a website seeking donations for the statue. (--You can see it here.) And the government said it MIGHT consider the statue if the funding was raised. --Guess what? The money is all in. Supporters were looking for $50,000, and one guy ponied up 25-grand on his own. They're now up over $58,000. --There's no official word yet whether the Robocop statue will actually be built.


Andrea Anders Talks About Being with One Former "Friends" Star on TV . . . and Another in Real Life:

ANDREA ANDERS' life is a little like an episode of "Friends" . . . because she's involved with both "Friends" stars MATT LEBLANC and MATTHEW PERRY. --Andrea has been dating Matt in real life, ever since meeting him on the "Friends" spin-off "Joey". They even live together. --Meanwhile, Andrea is now on Matthew Perry's new sitcom, "Mr. Sunshine". She's playing Alice, who has a sexual relationship with Matthew's character. --That's pretty crazy, right? Andrea thinks so. --She tells PopEater.com, quote, "It was actually pretty funny. I would come home from work and tell Matt about things we'd done on the set and things Matthew Perry had done, and he'd say, 'Oh, yeah. I remember him doing that on our show.' --"They're both always giving each other credit for doing funny things: 'Oh, that was straight from LeBlanc.' 'Perry came up with that.' Then there's this big gray area where they can't remember which one originated something because they both did."


"Survivor" Had Its Smallest Premiere Ever:

"Survivor" premiered opposite "American Idol" for the first time EVER on Wednesday . . . and, well, it didn't work out for "Survivor". --"Idol" owned the night, averaging 22.9 million viewers. "Survivor: Redemption Island" only attracted 11.2 million viewers, which is an all-time low for a "Survivor" premiere. It's in its 22nd season, so it's had 21 higher-rated premieres. --The last season premiered to 12.2 million people this past fall . . . and the season before that, which aired last spring, began with 14.2 million viewers. (--The previous premiere low came in the fall of 2009. That season kicked off with 11.7 million viewers.)

KCBS Reporter Serene Branson Suffered a Migraine, Not a Stroke:

We're finally starting to get some medical explanations for KCBS reporter SERENE BRANSON'S descent into gibberish, while reporting "live" after the Grammys on Sunday night. (--You can revisit the video, here.) --Despite all the speculation that Serene suffered some kind of stroke, her doctors suspect that she suffered a MIGRAINE. A neurologist who examined her says, quote, "A migraine is not just a headache. It's a complicated brain event." --He added that Serene felt numbness on the right side of her face that affected her speech. She said she's had migraines since she was little, but she's never had it affect her like it did during her report. (--As far as we know, she's still doing OK.)


Ken Jennings Is Cool with Losing to a Computer on "Jeopardy":

KEN JENNINGS didn't mind losing to Watson . . . the IBM supercomputer . . . on "Jeopardy" earlier this week, mostly because he's HUMAN. (--Sort of. Ken is the SUPER HUMAN who had the incredible 74-game winning streak back in 2004. His reign stretched from June 2nd to November 30th. In all, he's won nearly $3.2 million on "Jeopardy".) --He says, quote, "There's no shame in losing to silicon. After all, I don't have 2,880 processor cores and 15 terabytes of reference works at my disposal . . . nor can I buzz in with perfect timing whenever I know an answer. --"My puny human brain . . . just a few bucks worth of water, salts, and proteins . . . hung in there just fine against a jillion-dollar supercomputer." --Ken also pointed out that this wasn't a failure for humankind . . . instead it was a showcase of SUCCESS. Or at least it is for the people at IBM. --He says, quote, "To them, I wasn't the good guy, playing for the human race. That was Watson's role, as a symbol and product of human innovation and ingenuity. So my defeat at the hands of a machine has a happy ending, after all." (--These comments were drawn from an article Ken wrote for Salon.com.)


WEEKEND TV REMINDERS

Friday TV Reminders:

--"NBA Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. ET on TNT.

--"Who Do You Think You Are?" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Rosie O'Donnell explores her Irish family lineage on her late mother's side.)

--"Primetime: What Would You Do?" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. (--The scenarios include AIDS discrimination and teens asking people to buy alcohol.)

--"Your Own Show" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:30 P.M. on OWN.

--"20/20" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Air Force Captain Colleen Shipman talks about being attacked by diaper-wearing astronaut Lisa Nowak four years ago because of that NASA love triangle between Colleen, Lisa, and astronaut William Oefelein.)

--"Gold Rush: Alaska" [1st Season Finale] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Discovery.

Saturday TV Reminders:

--"NBA All-Star Saturday Night" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on TNT. (--Events include the Slam Dunk contest, Three-Point Shootout and Skills Challenge with Blake Griffin, DeMar DeRozan, Serge Ibaka and JaVale McGee.)

--"Patrice O'Neal: Elephant in the Room" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Comedy Central. (--Comedian Patrice O'Neal performs stand-up.)

--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. (--Paul Rudd guest hosts and Paul McCartney is the musical guest.) (REPEAT)

Sunday TV Reminders:

--"Daytona 500" . . . 12:00 to 2:00 P.M. Eastern on Fox.

--"NBA All-Star Game" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on TNT.

--"The Simpsons" . . . 8:00 to 8:30 P.M. on Fox. (--Halle Berry guests as herself when Bart becomes a filmmaker for an animated short.)

--"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Comedian Dane Cook, ventriloquist Terry Fator, and "Ace of Cakes" chef Duff Goldman help Ty and his crew build a new home for a soldier and his fiancée.)

--"Amazing Race: Unfinished Business" [18th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS. (--11 former teams return for another chance at a million dollars.)

--"The Cleveland Show" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. (--Justin Timberlake guest stars as Terry's same-sex lover Paul.)

--"Desperate Housewives" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Lynette's twins Porter and Preston are moving out and Gaby returns to her hometown for a visit.)

--"Saturday Night Live Backstage" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--A behind-the-scenes look at the show with fan favorite clips, interviews and audition stories.)

--"Episodes" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on Showtime.


Lady Gaga Wore a "Condom-Inspired Outfit" on "Good Morning America":

Good Morning America! Here's LADY GAGA wrapped in a giant condom! --That's what happened yesterday, when Lady Gaga showed up on "Good Morning America" wearing what she described as, quote, "a latex condom-inspired outfit." She did it to raise awareness for AIDS . . . and herself, clearly. (--That's INSPIRED by a condom. It doesn't look exactly like she's wearing a condom. It's actually more of a hybrid between a condom and SALLY FIELD'S "Flying Nun" get-up.) --She explained, quote, "Today I really wanted to, head-to-toe, be representative of what we women and people all over the world need to be concerned about, which is the leading cause of death in women all around the world, which is HIV. --"Most importantly, I want to get people started at home, at a younger age with their children, talking about HIV, talking about AIDS, talking about safe sex." --Lady Gaga added that she hopes to raise $50 million or AIDS awareness this year. (--Check out the interview, here. You can catch a glimpse of Lady Gaga's costume early on, but the interview doesn't start until the 2:00 mark . . . after they're finished celebrating her as a pop culture Jesus.)


Nick Jonas Says the Jonas Brothers Will "Step It Up" on Their Next Album:

One thing has been lost in the midst of the JUSTIN BIEBER tsunami . . . and no, I'm not talking about tsunami tsurviving tsupermodel PETRA NEMCOVA, she's still fine . . . I mean the JONAS BROTHERS. --NICK, JOE and KEVIN JONAS were the biggest reason for your teenage girl's existence . . . until USHER plucked Justin out of YouTube and used his undeniable cuteness (and debatable talent) to brew up the Bieber Fever tidal wave. --But the Jonas Brothers aren't done. They're ready to start their next album, and they're going to give it some extra time and love to make sure they raise the bar. --Nick tells MTV News, quote, "I'd say that with all the projects we've released so far musically, we're very proud of them, and each one has been a step for us and has been a step of growth. --"Like anybody, with the next one, you have to step it up and make it great, and I think that we don't necessarily know what the sound is right now. And we're all kind of in different areas musically. I think that we don't have the same influences." --And he adds, quote, "Whether it's pop, rock, dance, whatever . . . it's going to be right, and we're taking our time on that." (--The Jonas Brothers released albums in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. There's no timeline for the next one yet.)
Bret Michaels Is Excited to Get Back to Performing:

BRET MICHAELS is whole-heartedly excited about getting back up on stage, and I mean that literally. Bret has been recovering from a surgery he had last month to replace a hole in his heart. --He says, quote, "I am pumped to get back on the road . . . and start rocking out on stage for all my awesome fans." --For now, his first performance back is scheduled for March 27th in Dallas. It's actually the first in a short, four-city tour called the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, which is benefiting breast cancer. Bret is headlining the tour.


Ozzy Osbourne Is Warning People About the Dangers of LSD:

In a column in the new issue of "Rolling Stone", OZZY OSBOURNE shares the dangers of doing LSD . . . saying that if you're not careful, quote, "it's gonna bite you on the balls." Ozzy explains, quote, "LSD is a great time, until it isn't. --"One minute you're running down Miami Beach with a foam finger on your head . . . the next you're sticking a gun in your best friend's face." (--Seriousness aside, it's kind of fun to picture Ozzy running around with a foam finger on his head.) --He adds, quote, "I still get the after-effects of LSD . . . I call them my 'wobblers.' In a flash, every little problem freaks me out and becomes the end of the world."


FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE are seconds away from breaking up, for about the 700th time. This time it's about money. They're spending more than they make, and Brad is tired of it. (Full Story)


This could be epic: "Donnie Darko" mastermind RICHARD KELLY is teaming up with ELI ROTH . . . who directed "Cabin Fever" and the "Hostel" movies . . . on a horror flick. (Full Story)


MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD will play Mary Todd . . . Abraham Lincoln's wife . . . in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter". (Full Story)


JENNIFER BEALS may have starred in "Flashdance" in the '80s, but she turned down "Dancing With the Stars" because, quote, "I am not a dancer." (Full Story)


Remember we heard that MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY from "Dancing With the Stars" was doing the Ukranian version of "The Bachelor"? Well, here's an ad for it. (Video)


Since MICHAEL VICK backed out of his interview with OPRAH, she's replacing him on next Thursday's show with DAVID ARQUETTE. (Full Story)


The new video for BRITNEY SPEARS' "Hold It Against Me" hit the web yesterday. For some reason, it features some sweet martial arts fighting. (Video)
NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF


More Than Half of Women Say They'd Give Up Sex for a Year To Be Skinny:

If you've ever wondered whether women compulsively diet so they can have more sexual relations, this should go ahead and answer that. No. They do not. --In a new survey by "Fitness" magazine, 51% of women say they'd happily give up sex for an ENTIRE YEAR if it meant they could be skinny. --The rest said they'd be willing to be 30 pounds overweight if it meant great sex.

--Here are some more findings from the survey . . .

--25% of women have untagged Facebook photos because they think they look too chubby.
--30% say they've tried some CRAZY diet, like only eating baby food or doing a 10-day cleanse where the only thing they put in their body is water with lemon and cayenne pepper.
--43% of women say they regularly skip meals to try to lose weight.
--20% exercise daily for at least two hours.
--27% of women say they've dieted so often they can't keep track anymore.
--44% said they were on a diet when they were surveyed. (New York Post)


And Now, A Scientific Explanation for Why We Groan During Sex:

A group of scientists have figured out why we GROAN during sex. --Researchers in Hanover, Germany say that people let out uncontrollable grunts, groans, and moans during sex because of what it's doing to your brain. --When you have relations, the feelings are so intense in your brain that they temporarily ALTER YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS . . . and as you slip in and out, you let out your most primitive sounds. Now you know. (Discover Magazine)


Facebook Has Added Two Gay-Friendly Options To Its Relationship Status Menu:

Facebook got a lot more FABULOUS yesterday. They've added two new gay-friendly options to their relationship status menu: "In a civil union" and "In a domestic partnership." --Those join the classics like single, in a relationship, engaged, married, and everyone's favorite, "it's complicated." (Gawker)


Bill Clinton Sent Exactly Two Emails During His Presidency . . . Here's Who He Wrote To:

The Internet really took off during BILL CLINTON'S presidency. But he was a little too . . . uhh, 'busy' . . . to learn how to use it. --This week, Clinton was speaking at a conference and told the crowd he sent exactly TWO emails during his presidency. Quote, "One to our troops in the Adriatic, and one to JOHN GLENN when he was 77 years old in outer space." --GEORGE W. BUSH also rarely sent email when he was president . . . but PRESIDENT OBAMA is all about email. Any email that the president sends can be subpoenaed and considered part of the public record. (Fast Company)


Shocking News! Over the Past 20 Years, The Rich Have Gotten Way Richer and the Rest of Us Have Gotten Poorer:

You're never going to believe this . . . but the past few decades have been really, really good to rich people and really, really crappy for the rest of us. I know. Inconceivable! --According to a new study by CNNMoney.com, if you adjust for inflation, over the past 20 years, the richest 1% of Americans . . . people making $380,000-a-year or more . . . have seen their incomes go up an average of 33%. --Meanwhile, the average American has gone from making $33,400-a-year two decades ago to making $33,000 today. That's about a 1% drop. Have a great weekend! (CNNMoney)
How Much Is Your Life Worth? Different Government Agencies Have Different Estimates:

Ever wondered how much your life is worth in dollars? Spoiler alert: No matter what your mother told you, the answer isn't "priceless." --Different government agencies have tried to estimate the value of an individual life, usually as a justification for the amount they spend on programs designed to keep you alive. --Here are the various numbers that different parts of the government have thrown around in their attempts to translate humans into dollars.

--Environmental Protection Agency. They value a life at $9.1 MILLION, which they cited when they were proposing more pollution restrictions. That's way up from their previous estimates a few years back, of $6.8 MILLION.

--Food and Drug Administration. They say a life is worth $7.9 MILLION, and cited that when they proposed warning labels on packs of cigarettes that show shocking photos of cancer victims. --That's higher than they used to estimate too . . . in 2008, they estimated a life at $5 MILLION.

--Transportation Department. They estimate a life at $6.1 MILLION, which they used to justify tighter vehicle safety regulations. --So . . . right now, the government thinks you're worth somewhere between $6.1 MILLION and $9.1 MILLION. And, unfortunately, that's for knowledge's sake only . . . you can't go ahead and cash that out like a 401(k). (New York Times)


The U.S. Drinks a Lot of Alcohol . . . But Nowhere Close To Most Europeans or Russians:

Hey, raise up your glass of water, fruit juice, or Diet Coke and let's toast . . . we're NOT the drunkest country in the world! In fact, we're not even close. --According to a map put together by "The Economist", the average American drinks between 7.5 and 10 liters of pure alcohol every year. That's a lot . . . but it's not even CLOSE to Europeans or Russians. --Russia and almost every European country has an average of AT LEAST 12.5 liters of alcohol per person every year. People in Moldova drink the most, at 18.2 liters per person per year . . . and a lot of it is moonshine. --In between are Australians, Nigerians, and Argentineans, who drink between 10 liters and 12.5 liters per year. --Northern African and Middle Eastern countries usually drink the least alcohol, at less than 2.5 liters per person. --Our 7.5 to 10 liters of pure alcohol means the average American drinks 254 to 338 ounces of alcohol every year. --That seems a little high . . . it means the average person has at least 500 drinks a year . . . but maybe the heavy drinkers are REALLY making up for the sober people. (The Economist) (--You can see the full world map of drinking and breakdown here.)


The 67-Year-Old President of Uganda Wants To Put Out a Rap Album?

There's a presidential election today in Uganda. Since 1986, their president has been a man named Yoweri Museveni. He's popular, even though he's brought Uganda corruption, unemployment, and health care problems. --So for this election, he's stepped up his game. At age 67, Museveni has announced that if he's reelected . . . he's going to release a RAP ALBUM. Seriously. --Over the last few months, Museveni has started rapping the words to two Ugandan children's folk songs at his rallies. And those rap performances have resonated with some younger Ugandans. --Museveni says, quote, "These young people taught me about this 'rap'. After the election, you may get quite a big album of the classics." His raps have even been mixed together over a beat and become a big hit in Uganda. --The two folk songs that Museveni has been rapping are called "Naatema akati", which translates to "I cut a stick" . . . and "Mp'enkoni", which translates to "Give me the stick." --There's no word what raps would be on his "big album of classics" . . . or if Uganda has any folk songs that aren't somehow stick related. (Reuters U.K.) (--Here's a video featuring Museveni rapping at a rally. And by rapping, it's more like "sort of talking in rhythm." But whatever. He's 67, and at least as competent as the Rappin' Granny. Or Master P.)


A Man In China Goes To the Doctor with a Chronic Headache . . . And a Doctor Finds a Four-Inch Knife Has Been Stuck In His Head for Four Years:

In 2006, 33-year-old Li Fu of the Yunnan Province of China was stabbed in the HEAD during a robbery. --Ever since then, he's had pretty bad headaches. Finally, last month, he decided to go to a doctor to see if they could help. --And when they X-rayed him, the doctors IMMEDIATELY figured out what was wrong. When Li was stabbed, the robber didn't take the knife with him. No . . . the entire four-inch blade was left stuck in Li's head. --It was poking into his BRAIN for more than four years . . . which caused the headaches. And, the doctors say, it absolutely should've KILLED HIM. They have no idea how he's survived. --They performed surgery on Li and removed the blade. --He's now in stable condition. (Daily Mail)


A Legendary MMA Fighter's Coach Blames a Recent Loss On . . . Secret Mind Control:

FEDOR EMELIANENKO is a legend in Mixed Martial Arts. But on Saturday, he lost his second straight MMA fight, to an opponent named ANTONIO SILVA. And Fedor's coach has a theory about what went wrong. --Vladimir Voronov is the coach. And he told a Russian website that Fedor lost the fight because . . . someone used SECRET MIND CONTROL on him. -Quote, "We believe that forbidden psychological technology was used. Not ones that could be seen by the naked eye, but psychological technologies that worked on both fighters at a distance. --"That is why during the fight Fedor was just not like himself. He stepped into the ring and did everything exactly the opposite of what we practiced before the fight. We were all shocked! Fedor had never previously done such a thing." --The fight was put on by a federation called Strikeforce. There's no word on whether or not they're going to investigate whether mind control was a factor in Fedor's loss. --The fight was stopped in the second round when the ringside doctor ruled that Fedor had too much damage to his right eye to keep fighting. (Fightline)


Pipe Workers In El Paso Bust Into a Wall . . . And Find Almost $1 Million Inside:

Two weeks ago, some pipe workers in El Paso, Texas were fixing pipes in a condo that had broken because of the cold weather. To get to the pipes, they had to bust into one of the condo walls. --And when they did . . . they found cash inside. Not just a little cash. Just under $1 MILLION worth of cash. --Apparently there's a lot of ethics in the El Paso pipe worker universe . . . because instead of splitting the money up, the workers told the police. --They're investigating where the money came from. Since it's El Paso . . . which is a major drug hub because of its location right across the border from Juarez, Mexico . . . the first instinct here is "well that's clearly drug money." --And an El Paso police spokesman says that generally when huge sums of cash turn up in El Paso, they've been linked to drugs. For now, they're trying to track down the person who was living in the condo. (El Paso Times)


MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Man Leads a "Mission: Impossible" Style Heist To Steal $7.4 Million Worth Of Laptops . . . But Gets Busted Because He Wanted McDonald's Afterward:

Nothing quite tops off a masterful, multimillion-dollar heist like a Double Quarter Pounder, fries, and maybe a Reese's McFlurry. --Last March, 55-year-old Rolando Coca of Hillsborough, Florida led 10 thieves in a crazy, "Mission: Impossible" style heist, where they stole $7.4 MILLION worth of military laptops from a government contractor's warehouse. --They cut a hole in the roof, rappelled 20 feet down, disabled the security cameras, then started loading the laptops into trucks. Rolando only made two mistakes. --One, he and his crew forgot to disable a camera, which caught a glimpse of a red Lincoln Navigator. And two . . . Rolando was driving that Navigator after the heist, and decided to swing through a MCDONALD'S DRIVE THRU down the street. --During the FBI's investigation of the theft, they gathered footage from every business near the warehouse, to see if any other camera picked up a shot of the SUV. And they hit the jackpot when they got the McDonald's drive-thru footage. --The FBI recognized Rolando instantly as someone they'd already suspected for the thefts. Unfortunately, they didn't release what he ordered at the drive-thru. --Their investigation took almost a year . . . but now, finally, they busted Rolando and the other thieves. They've recovered about half of the laptops, and say no classified information was compromised. (St. Petersburg Times)


A Man Is Busted for Reefer Possession When His Dog Throws His Stash Out the Car Window In Front of a Cop:

On February 9th, 32-year-old Joel Dobrin of San Diego, California was driving his pickup truck in Oregon when a sheriff's deputy decided to pull him over. --Joel had a sock full of REEFER and hashish sitting on the front seat. So before he pulled over, he decided he'd stash the sock. --There was only one problem. His pit bull mix was also in the car, and saw Joel pick up the sock. The dog thought it was a toy and Joel wanted to play. So he bit the other end of the sock and wouldn't let go. --They played a brief game of tug-of-war . . . the pit bull won . . . and YANKED the sock out of Joel's hand. In the process, the dog flung the sock and it went flying . . . right out the window. --Joel pulled over and the deputy recovered the sock. --Joel was arrested and cited for possession of marijuana and hashish. (NBC 8 - Portland)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

The average restaurant worker makes less than $15,000 a year, and 80% of them don't get sick days. It gets worse. Minorities make $4 an hour less than white restaurant workers. (Full Story)

Immigrants live longer than native-born Americans . . . because of smoking?
(Full Story)


An Amish village has been rocked by a Bernie Madoff-type fraud ring, where a 77-year-old Amish dude took $33 million from other Amish people. (Full Story)


A guy in Texas spent 18 years in prison . . . 14 years if it on death row . . . before his conviction was finally overturned. And he should have been awarded $1.4 million in compensation. But since the judge never used the phrase "actual innocence" . . . he gets nothing? (Full Story)


NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY


#1.) A 10-Year-Old Girl's Cover "Born This Way" Is a Hit on YouTube . . . And Lady Gaga Said It Made Her Cry:

A kid named GREYSON CHANCE covered the LADY GAGA song "Paparazzi" last year, and the YouTube video racked up nearly 40 million views. Then the kid got his own record deal. --And now the same thing could happen to a 10-year-old girl in Winnipeg named MARIA ARAGON. On Wednesday, she posted a cover version of Gaga's new song, "Born This Way". --Then Gaga Tweeted about it, saying, quote, "[I] can't stop crying watching this. This is why I make music." After just two days, the video is approaching one million views. (--Search YouTube for "Born This Way Maria Aragon")


#2.) A Group of Guys Played "Flight of the Bumblebee" Using 101 Beer Bottles:

--Behind every third video online is a group of brosephs with WAY too much time on their hands. --In this case, they lined up 101 bottles in their kitchen, filled them with different amounts of liquid, and ran around hitting them with knives so they could play "Flight of the Bumblebee". (--Search CollegeHumor.com for "Flight of the Bumblebee on 101 Bottles")


#3.) Check Out a 60-Second Version of "The Exorcist" . . . in Claymation:

Some guy on YouTube does 60-second versions of movies using claymation, and his newest one is for "The Exorcist". And yes, it has the pea soup scene. (--Search for "The Exorcist in 60 Seconds with Clay")


#4.) Want to Change the Interior Design of an Entire Room With the Flick of a Button?

--Some artsy group in the Netherlands set up a living room with all-white walls and furniture, then used two video projectors to project images on it. Basically, it changes how the entire room looks with the flick of a button. --It's called "3-D projection mapping", and it looks so real it seems fake. (--Search for "Mr. Beam Living Room Projection")
Five Foods That Improve Your Looks:

If you feel like you look five years older than you should, and it's making you self-conscious, here are five foods that can improve your looks.

#1.) Spinach. It contains carotenoids, which make the whites of your eyes whiter. Visine can damage your eyes if you use it too much, because it works by constricting their blood vessels. -So after you go on a bender this weekend, eat spinach instead.

#2.) Eggs. They're high in iron, which helps prevent hair loss . . . so your head won't LOOK like an egg. (--HI-YO!) And the sulfur in eggs naturally makes your hair softer.

#3.) Bananas. Smoking and getting too much sun are two of the worst things you can do for your skin, because both of them make your skin less elastic . . . which makes you look older than you are. --But the potassium in bananas does the opposite. And having enough of it in your diet can do more for your skin than a lot of lotions and anti-aging products.

#4.) Beets. Beetroot contains something called betaine (--BEE-tah-een), which helps your body break down fat. So eating beets can improve your looks by helping you lose weight. --But if you start eating A LOT of beets, be prepared for one significant side effect: Dwight on "The Office" lives on a beet farm and always talks about how many he eats. And if he's telling the truth . . . his urine is bright red.

#5.) Guava. They're high in antioxidants, which counteract the free radicals in your body that cause skin damage. And they also have five times more vitamin C than an orange, which helps your body create collagen. --Collagen is the same stuff women have injected into their lips to make them look fuller, but it's also in your skin. And adding more makes your skin look younger. --If you don't like the taste of guava, you don't have to eat it: Just squish it up, rub it on your skin, and wait a few minutes. Then take a shower . . . because you'll be covered in fruit, you nasty freak. (AskMen.com)


Five Tips for Meeting Someone New:

If Valentine's Day made you realize you're TIRED of being single, we've got five tips that should help you meet someone new. So listen up, you lonely S.O.B.

#1.) Host Some Informal Get-Togethers. Try to get a group of your friends together every few weeks for an informal hang out. Start out small, with just your close friends, and then slowly expand to co-workers, friends of friends, etc.

#2.) Be a Nerd. This doesn't mean sit around and play "World of Warcraft" for hours on end. Being a nerd means knowing a ton about a specific subject. --So find something you're passionate about . . . travel, cooking, whatever . . . and immerse yourself in it. You're more likely to find someone with similar interests when you start doing stuff you love, AND you've got an instant conversation starter.

#3.) Smile. Seriously. It might sound stupid, but there's no easier way to be more approachable than . . . smiling and looking approachable.

#4.) Don't Make Things Goal-Oriented. Don't approach dating and meeting someone new as a game, where you'll ONLY be satisfied if you get a phone number or nail down a first date. --You'll set yourself up for disappointment, and you might come off as pushy or insincere.

#5.) Take Care of Yourself. If you eat right, go to the gym, and care about how you look . . . you're going to LOOK better. Shocker. But more importantly, you'll FEEL better too. (Happen Magazine)

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