Friday, July 8, 2011

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (07-08-11)

Does Angelina Jolie Want Jennifer Aniston's New Boyfriend . . . For a Movie?

This story probably isn't true . . . but it's just too fun to pass up: "In Touch Weekly" says ANGELINA JOLIE is pursuing JENNIFER ANISTON'S new boyfriend, JUSTIN THEROUX . . . because she wants to do a movie with him. --Of course her timing is a bit suspicious. A source says, quote, "She has been a fan of his for a few years, but she certainly wasn't in such a hurry to work with him before Jen started dating him." --Jennifer is supposedly aware of Angelina's intentions, and she's not happy . . . quote, "The mere thought of Justin working with Angelina sends her into a tizzy; if it actually happened, it could destroy her. --"Stealing one man from Jen was bad enough, but stealing two would be the coup de grace."


Bristol Palin Says It Won't Be Difficult to Stay Celibate Until Marriage:

BRISTOL PALIN said on "The View" yesterday that staying celibate until marriage won't be difficult for her. --During a slightly gentle grilling, BARBARA WALTERS asked Bristol if she could keep her chastity belt on, even if it takes her another 10 years to find a husband. And she replied that she will NOT have sex until she's married. --When Barbara asked her if that would be hard, she replied, quote, "Not at all." (--Here's a clip from the show in which they discuss the night Bristol lost her virginity.)


Emma Stone's Girl Crush is Christina Hendricks from "Mad Men":

It's too bad EMMA STONE is heterosexual, because this would be an EPIC relationship: Emma reveals that her girl crush is CHRISTINA HENDRICKS . . . the mega-busty redheaded minx from "Mad Men". --She says, quote, "It's a no-brainer. Everything about her does it for me. That's my kind of woman."


Check Out Some Pictures of Megan Fox Proving She Doesn't Have Botox:

MEGAN FOX posted some pictures of herself on Facebook showing off facial wrinkles . . . with the caption "THINGS YOU CAN'T DO TO YOUR FACE WHEN YOU HAVE BOTOX". (--Check 'em out here.) (Facebook)


Is Arnold Schwarzenegger Getting to Know His Illegitimate Son?

RadarOnline.com says that ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER has been spending time getting to know his illegitimate 13-year-old son Joseph. --A source says, quote, "Arnold wants to spend time with Joseph and play more of an active role in his life. In a way, he's relieved that he no longer has to hide the fact that he is Joseph's father." --The source says Arnold and Joseph have even found a common bond . . . quote, "Joseph loves his dad's car collection. He loves cars, and Arnold has driven his son around his gated Brentwood neighborhood."


Katy Perry and Russell Brand Hired a Cat Whisperer . . . Because Their Cats Weren't Getting Along:

KATY PERRY has three cats: Krusty, Morrissey and Kitty Purry. (--Yeah, I know.) And recently, they went through a patch where they weren't getting along. So Katy and husband RUSSELL BRAND hired a "cat whisperer." --Katy says, quote, "He realigned their chakras and did some hypnosis. We were like, 'Wow, this is extravagant!'"


Larry King Has Already Forgotten Daniel Radcliffe's Name:

Less than a week ago, LARRY KING interviewed the "Harry Potter" cast for a CNN special that airs Sunday night. So you'd think he got pretty familiar with everyone. And you'd be WRONG. --On Wednesday night, a paparazzi scumbag asked Larry which character he identifies with . . . and Larry said, quote, "I love the kid, Dennis. He's a great guy." --Larry added that he loves the new movie, but he admitted that "Harry Potter" isn't really his thing. He said, quote, "I don't identify with any of them. I don't deal with wizards and swords [and] magic." (--Here's video.)



Check Out the "Harry Potter" Kids Then and Now:

It's been 10 years since the first "Harry Potter" movie, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", came out . . . and it's amazing how much DANIEL RADCLIFFE, RUPERT GRINT and EMMA WATSON have grown. --PopEater.com got some pictures of them from yesterday's British premiere of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2", and compared them with photos from the 2001 premiere of "Sorcerer's Stone". (--Check 'em out here.) (PopEater)


Check Out Video of Shaq Getting Staples Taken Out of His Leg:

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL got staples taken out of his leg yesterday . . . so of course, he recorded it and posted the video online. (--Check it out here. WARNING!!! It's not all that graphic . . . but if medical stuff makes you uncomfortable or squeamish, you might want to skip it.) (--Even if Shaq annoys you, you have to give him comedy points for saying "Kelly Clarkson!" when one of the staples comes out. That's a nod to the chest-waxing scene in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin".) (--Shaq recently had surgery to repair his Achilles tendon.) (--And by the way . . . the chick holding his cast in the video is his girlfriend, Nikki "Hoopz" Alexander. You might remember her as one of the skanks on the first season of the FLAVOR FLAV show, "Flavor of Love".)


"Silence of the Lambs" is Finally an Off-Broadway Musical:

Several years ago, we heard that brothers Jon and Al Kaplan were turning "Silence of the Lambs" into a comedy musical. And then . . . nothing. --We assumed the project went dead . . . but that wasn't the case. The Kaplan brothers kept plugging away at it and now . . . "Silence! The Musical" is playing off-Broadway. --And yes, it's still a comedy. Al says, quote, "It all comes from a place of respect. There's 'Naked Gun'-style humor in the show but there's love for the material everywhere." --Jon adds, quote, "The general story is the same. We push elements that are there further. It's all about exaggerating certain things . . . like accents and lisps." --For more information on the show, hit up their website here.


And Now . . . "Space Invaders" Is Being Made into a Movie:

It took Hollywood long enough to get around to it, but they're finally making a movie based on the greatest arcade game of them all: "Space Invaders". --There's no word on the plot, but obviously, it'll have virtually NOTHING to do with the game . . . since the game had zero plot whatsoever. --The game was just a ship that moves left and right, shooting at badly-rendered alien ships that slowly descent toward it. If any of the alien ships get to the bottom before they can be destroyed . . . game over (--Since it's far more interesting than watching the actual game, check out this AWESOME video of HUMAN "Space Invaders". The same people also made a human "Pac Man" video. Check that one out here.) (--Phone Starter: What old-school arcade game would you like to see on the big screen? And don't say "Donkey Kong", because that's already kind of a rip-off of "King Kong".) (--My vote goes to Q*bert. I think you could make something super-trippy and psychedelic out of that one.)


Check Out a Trailer for the Sarah Palin Movie, "The Undefeated":

That much-hyped, pro-SARAH PALIN documentary "The Undefeated" hits theaters next Friday. A trailer hit the web yesterday. (--You can check it out here.)


Here's Your First Look at Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher:

MERYL STREEP plays former British Prime Minister MARGARET THATCHER in "The Iron Lady", which hits theaters December 16th. If you'd like a sneak peek of her performance, there's a trailer on YouTube. (--You'll find it here.)
"All My Children" and "One Life to Live" Have Been Brought Back to Life . . . Online:

In a somewhat surprising turn of events . . . if anything is still surprising when it comes to soap operas . . . "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" have been brought back from the dead. --Yesterday, ABC announced that they've licensed both soaps to a production company, which is planning to allow the shows to continue . . . on the Internet. --The company has worked out a "multi-year, multi-platform" deal to produce both shows for either online streaming, or to be viewed on the emerging line of TVs that are equipped to handle video from the Internet. --There are still some unanswered questions though. --First off, it's unclear when the online episodes might begin. The final televised episode of "All My Children" will air on September 23rd, and "One Life to Live" will leave TV sometime in January. --It's also unclear how many of the actors are onboard for the transition, especially for the bigger stars like SUSAN LUCCI. It's not just a question of their willingness to move from TV to the Internet . . . it's also that they may be too expensive to retain. --But for what it's worth, a rep from the production company says they're aiming to preserve the, quote, "same quality, format and length" that the soaps had on TV.


ABC News Has Hired Elizabeth Smart as a Kidnapping Correspondent:

ABC News has hired ELIZABETH SMART as, well, a KIDNAPPING CORRESPONDENT. She'll be called upon to comment on missing persons and child abduction cases. --Elizabeth is 23 years old now, and a music major at Brigham Young University in Utah. Back in 2002, when she was 14, she was abducted from her Utah home by a mentally deranged former street preacher and his wife. --She was held captive, abused and raped for about nine months. Fortunately, someone discovered Elizabeth alive . . . obviously . . . about nine months later. --ABC says Elizabeth will make her on-air debut "within the next few weeks." It's unclear whether or not she will remain in college. --A rep for Elizabeth says she accepted the gig to create awareness about cases involving missing children . . . and ABC says this is about, quote, "looking ahead . . . not looking back and telling her story, which has been well told and retold."


And Now . . . Video of Snooki Dancing with a Decorative Plant:

SNOOKI didn't let the Fourth of July weekend go by without having at least one drunken misadventure, and now there's video to prove it. --It's 50 seconds of footage from a bar in Jersey, in which Snooki dances with a decorative potted plant. She looks hammered. Actually, she starts off dancing with it, but by the end she's clinging to it to hold herself up. (--If this is something you'd love to see, here you go.) --By the way, there isn't much more information on THE SITUATION supposedly "storming off" the set, and leaving "Jersey Shore". When the paparazzi asked him about it yesterday, he just shrugged coyly. (--Here's video.)


WEEKEND TV REMINDERS
(--Check your local listing for times in your area.)

Friday TV Reminders:

--"Platinum Hit" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Bravo. (--Singer Bonnie McKee guest judges as the contestants display their talents on the streets of Los Angeles.)

--"Primetime: What Would You Do?" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC.

--"Say Yes To the Dress: Atlanta" [2nd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on TLC.

--"Say Yes To the Dress: Bridesmaids" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on TLC.

--"Torchwood" [4th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Starz.

Saturday TV Reminders:

--"A Fairly Odd Movie" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Nickelodeon. (--A live-action version of "The Fairly Odd Parents", with Drake Bell playing Timmy Turner. Jason Alexander and Cheryl Hines play Timmy's fairy godparents.)

--"Austin City Limits" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on PBS. (--Rosanne Cash and Brandi Carlile perform.) (REPEAT)

--"Celebrity Ghost Stories" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Bio. (--Jerry Stiller, Mindy McCready, Nick Hogan and Lourdes Benedicto hare their ghostly encounters.)

--"Celebrity Close Calls" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Bio. (--Niki Taylor, Gary Busey and Tiffany share their near death experiences.)

--"Celebrity Ghost Hunt" . . . 11:00 P.M.to Midnight on Bio. (--Eric Roberts and Christopher Atkins search for ghosts with a psychic medium named Chip Coffey.)

--"Saturday Night Live" . . . 11:30 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. on NBC. (--Tina Fey guest hosts and Ellie Goulding is the musical guest.) (REPEAT)

Sunday TV Reminders:

--"Big Brother 13" [Eviction Nominations] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on CBS.

--"Mob Wives: Reunion Special" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on VH1.

--"Sunday Best" [4th Season Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on BET. (--Kirk Franklin hosts this gospel competition show.)

--"So Random!" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on Disney Channel. (--Pro-skateboarder Tony Hawk guest stars.)

--"Special Edition of Primetime with Diane Sawyer" . . . 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. on ABC. (--Diane Sawyer interviews Jaycee Dugard, who was abducted and held for 18 years by Philip and Nancy Garrido.)

--"The Glee Project" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Oxygen. (--The contestants are tested on their ability to dance with guest mentor Harry Shum Jr., who plays Asiatic dancer Mike Chang on the show.)

--"Secrets of SEAL Team 6" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Discovery. (--A profile of the ultra elite covert-ops team that rid the world of Osama Bin Laden.)

--"Hoarding: Buried Alive" [3rd Season Premiere] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on TLC.

--"The Marriage Ref" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on NBC. (--Kathy Griffin, Ellen Pompeo and Brian Regan listen to this week's marital disputes.)

--"Curb Your Enthusiasm" [8th Season Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 10:30 P.M. on HBO.

--"Sex, Lies, and Power" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on TLC. (--Political sex scandals are examined. They'll of course include former congressman Anthony Weiner and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.)

--"Famous Food" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on VH1. (--B-list celebrities Heidi Montag, Vincent Pastore, Jake Pavelka and Ashley Dupré compete for the chance at winning part-ownership of a restaurant.)


Is Lady Gaga's Diet and Drug Use Making Her a "Walking Time Bomb"?

LADY GAGA has been fairly candid about her unhealthy diet, drug use and lupus . . . but a rogue "investigative journalist" claims all these things are much more serious than she makes them sound. --His name is Ian Halperin, and he regularly makes outrageous claims about celebrities in his unauthorized biographies. But in December of 2008, he correctly predicted that MICHAEL JACKSON was sick and had six months to live. (--Halperin also wrote the infamous book, "Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson".) --Here's a quick rundown of the accusations Halperin made about Lady Gaga in an interview with "Star" magazine: --Quote, "Those who have worked with her on tour [told] me that Gaga barely ate for weeks at a time to fit into her costume." --"She is sick and obsessed with her weight. One friend told me, 'Gaga will stare at herself in the mirror for hours on end, analyzing and critiquing her body. It's an unhealthy obsession." --"Her lupus is far worse than she lets on . . . part of the reason she wears wigs and makeup is because her hair is falling out and she's covered in red blotches, both side effects of the disease." --"Her drug use started young. From heroin to cocaine and ecstasy, her friends say that she has done every drug conceivable. You name it she has done it." --"She's morphed into this caricature called Lady Gaga, who isn't even a real person. The girl known as Stefi to her friends and family has all but disappeared."

Tim Pawlenty Is One of Lady Gaga's Little Monsters . . . Sort of:

Dull Republican presidential candidate TIM PAWLENTY became a little less dull recently, when he admitted . . . publicly . . . to being a LADY GAGA fan. --He said, quote, "In terms of the beat, I like 'Bad Romance' . . . I gotta say, even though she's a little unusual, 'Born this Way' has got some appeal. --"Now, she's actually very talented. If you go to the end of the Lady Gaga HBO special, and you watch her sing a cappella, 'Born This Way', she can sing. She can definitely sing . . . she's talented . . . and she does it a cappella." (--Here's that clip from the HBO special.) --It's ironic . . . since the song is in part an anthem of equality for all people, and Pawlenty favors amending the U.S. Constitution to outlaw gay marriage. But while Lady Gaga would have a problem with this, Pawlenty doesn't. --He adds, quote, "If you had to limit your artistic choices to just conservatives, we wouldn't have a lot of choices. You've gotta be willing to tolerate different politics." --But you can't be willing to tolerate different people? Interesting. (--Here's the video of Pawlenty talking about his tastes in music. He brings up Lady Gaga at the 1:45 mark. By the way, he says his favorite artist of all time is BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN.)


The Top 25 Music Video Celebrity Cameos:

We all know the glory of seeing an awesome surprise cameo by a celebrity in a music video. Well, AOL Music has compiled a list of 25 of their favorites. Here's the top 10:

1.) Seth Rogen, Will Ferrell and on and on . . . in "Fight for Your Right (Revisited)" by the Beastie Boys

2.) Ron Howard, Forest Whitaker, among others . . . in "Blame It (On the Alcohol)" by Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain

3.) Rebecca Black, Debbie Gibson, among others. . . in "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" by Katy Perry

4.) Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, among others . . . in "Freedom! '90" by George Michael

5.) Pamela Anderson, Nia Long and Tracee Ellis Ross . . . in "Touch the Sky"
by Kanye West featuring Lupe Fiasco

6.) Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, among others. . . in "Barbra Streisand" by Duck Sauce

7.) Christopher Walken . . . in "Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim

8.) Zach Galifianakis . . . in "Not About Love" by Fiona Apple

9.) Joe Jonas, Jake Gyllenhaal, among others . . . in "Giving Up the Gun" by Vampire Weekend

10.) Donald Glover, Jon Oliver, among others . . . in "Moves" by the New Pornographers

(--You can find the entire list, along with the videos for each one, here.)


Lenny Kravitz Has a New Song Out . . . Which May Rip Off Molly Hatchet:

A new LENNY KRAVITZ track has hit the Internet. --It's called "Rock Star City Life", and it's off his next album "Black and White America", which comes out August 30th. He's offering it as a FREE download from his site, but only through the end of the day. (--Here's the link.) (--Or if you prefer, RollingStone.com is streaming the track, here.) --Not to start a "controversy" or anything, but to us the riff sounds a lot like the one from a MOLLY HATCHET song called "Satisfied Man". It was on their 1984 album "The Deed Is Done".

FRIDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS


Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


There was some question as to whether RYAN PHILLIPPE was indeed the father of his ex-girlfriend Alexis Knapp's unborn child. Those questions were apparently answered last Friday when Alexis gave birth . . . and Ryan was in the delivery room. (Full Story)


Here's a list of 10 famous actors and their weirdest film choices. (Full Story)


Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman DARNELL DOCKETT straddled a massive, LIVE alligator at a place called Holiday Park in the Florida Everglades. (Full Story)


On what would have been the fourth anniversary of his wedding to EVA LONGORIA, TONY PARKER spent $5,000 on a jet-pack ride in the Mediterranean. (Photo)


ARTIE LANGE is out of rehab and on the mend . . . and he'd love to return to the "Howard Stern Show" . . . but he realizes he put them in, quote, "a very awkward situation." (Audio)


MARIO LOPEZ has a children's book coming out in September called "Mario and Baby Gia". Gia is his newborn daughter's name, by the way. (Full Story)


An unknown singer is accusing JOHN LEGEND of STEALING his song. He claims John's song "Maxine's Interlude" rips off a demo that he gave John in 2004 . . . two years before "Maxine's Interlude" came out. (Full Story, with audio)


An arty 30-second trailer for the second season of AMC's "The Walking Dead" has been released. It looks cool, but doesn't reveal much. (Video)


Another clip from JAKE GYLLENHAAL'S upcoming appearance on "Man Vs. Wild" has hit the Internet. In this one, Jake EATS A WORM. The episode airs next Monday night on the Discovery Channel. (Full Story, with video)


The band MUSE is trying to convince Virgin boss Richard Branson to help them become the first artists to record a song in SPACE. (Full Story)


STYX hasn't performed with former singer DENNIS DEYOUNG since 1999 . . . and guitarist TOMMY SHAW says he doesn't see them ever reuniting, because, quote, "we weren't even happy working with each other in our heyday." (Full Story)


BEYONCÉ released her "Best Thing I Ever Had" video last night. Beyoncé does parade around in lingerie in a few scenes . . . but aside from that, this is a serious candidate for the most boring music video of all time. (Video)
THE CASEY ANTHONY SENTENCING

Casey Anthony Has Been Sentenced . . . And Will Be Out of Jail By the End of Next Week:

CASEY ANTHONY was sentenced yesterday . . . not for the murder of her two-year-old daughter, since we all know she didn't do THAT. She was sentenced on four counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer. --The maximum sentence was four years, and that's what she was given. --But . . . she's spent 997 days in jail waiting for the trial, and during the trial. So between time served and some other time getting knocked off for good behavior, she'll be released for good on SUNDAY, July 17th.

--That's it. About one more week in jail and she's free.

--Of course, once she's out, it becomes time for her to CASH IN.

--Fortunately, it may be hard for her to get a multimillion dollar book deal.

--Remember when O.J. SIMPSON was going to release his book "If I Did It"? And the country went INSANE with outrage so it ended up getting canceled? Publishers remember that . . . so they could be reluctant to give Anthony a deal.

--As for paid interviews, TV rights, movie rights, selling stories to gossip blogs and magazines . . . yeah, she could still be able to cash in big on those. Which is pretty nauseating. (Washington Post / Popeater)


RANDOM STUFF

You Can Get Grocery Store Discounts Without Giving Them Your Phone Number . . . Just Use 867-5309:

We've all been there: You're at a grocery store or a drug store, you want to get the discounts from the shopper's loyalty club, but you don't have a membership, you don't want to fill out an application, and you don't want to give them your number. --Here's a GREAT way to beat the system. --Just tell the cashier you forgot your card. They'll ask for your phone number. And just match up any area code along with, arguably, the most famous phone number in history . . . 867-5309. --Which you probably recognized as JENNY'S phone number from the 1982 TOMMY TUTONE one-hit wonder "867-5309/Jenny". --The reason it works is that SOMEONE at some point before you has filled out the application for a membership card, but didn't want to give their real phone number. So they filled in 867-5309. (The Consumerist)


Rich People Shoplift 30% More Than Poor People?

Need another reason to irrationally loathe all those people who make more money than you? Here's a great one. --According to a really interesting new study, rich people are actually much more likely to SHOPLIFT than poorer people. --The study found that Americans who make over $70,000-a-year are 30% more likely to shoplift than people earning $20,000-a-year or less. --Rachel Shteir is the author of a book called "The Steal", which is all about rich people who shoplift. And she says there are two main reasons. --One, entitlement. Richer people develop a sense that it's fine if they occasionally steal lipstick or batteries or whatever because they've spent so much at the store in the past. --And two, RAGE. Shteir says that rich people have trouble handling their little problems . . . they feel like being rich should make those problems go away, and it doesn't . . . so they take their anger out on something impersonal like a store. (Time)


A Woman Sees Her Teenagers in a Robbery Video on the News . . . So She Turns Them In:

Now THIS is how you parent. Teach your beloved angels that you love them no matter what . . . but that there are REAL WORLD CONSEQUENCES when they go too far. --A woman, who only wanted to be identified by her first name "Kizzy," was watching the local news in Milwaukee and saw a surveillance video of a big group of teenagers robbing and ransacking a convenience store on July 4th. --She says before they showed the video, she thought, quote, "What were these kids thinking?" Then when she saw the video she was shocked, disappointed, and sick to see that two of the teenagers on the video were HER kids. --So she called the police and turned in her 13-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son. --Kizzy says, quote, "It's very disappointing. It's like, I'm sick to my stomach. Like really, this is what you do when I'm not around?" --But she says she knew what she had to do . . . and thinks other parents should do the same thing. Quote, "If your kid was in that video, you need to bring them forward because you're letting them think it's okay." --There's no word on what the kids will be charged with. (ABC 12 - Milwaukee) (--You can see the video here.)
Tonight is the Best Night of the Week for Sleep . . . Sunday is the Worst:

You're going to sleep well tonight. Whether it's the fact that you know your alarm isn't going to wake you up tomorrow at an ungodly hour . . . or that you plan to drink 12 glasses of wine tonight . . . you're gonna sleep well. --According to a new survey by Travelodge, 37% of people say that Friday nights are the best nights for sleep. That's WAY ahead of any other night of the week. --Sunday nights get the most votes for the WORST night of sleep. Most people say it's at least partially because they have work on their minds. --They didn't release the results for how the other days broke down. --26% of men and 16% of women say they've fallen asleep during a meeting . . . more than 60% of both have fallen asleep on a bus or train to work . . . and 40% have fallen asleep at the movies. --The survey also found that only 71% of people have their own side of the bed . . . we thought that would be higher. And those people also say that they stick to their side even when they're in a hotel. (Stuff.co.nz) (--True story: We Googled this survey to find out how Travelodge broke down the voting results for each night of the week. And the second result was "Worst night of sleep I have ever had" . . . and it was a review of a Travelodge.)


Mississippi is Still the Fattest State:

Every year, the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation put out a report on obesity and U.S. states called "F as in Fat". And once again the champ is . . . Mississippi, with an adult obesity rate of 34.4%. --The top five most obese U.S. states are rounded out by Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Louisiana. --The five LEAST obese states are Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Utah. So Colorado is the LEAST obese, with a rate of 19.8 percent. Which still means about one in five adults there is obese. --In fact, Colorado is the ONLY state with an obesity rate below 20%. That means that in 49 out of 50 U.S. states, one out of every five adults is obese. Check out some other findings in the report . . .

--The number of obese adults rose in 16 states last year.

--The obesity rate in 12 states is now above 30% . . . Four years ago, only ONE U.S. state had an adult obesity rate above 30%.

--The state with the lowest adult obesity rate today would have the highest rate in 1995.

--Two-thirds of adults and almost one-third of kids are obese or overweight.

(--You're overweight if your body mass index . . . meaning your weight-to-height ratio . . . is between 25 and 29.9. If your BMI is 30 or over you're obese. You can calculate yours by Googling "Calculate your BMI.")

--The causes won't come as a shock: Over the last twenty years, people in the United States have been eating less nutritious food and more of it . . . while their activity levels have fallen. (Reuters) (--See where your state ranks here.)


Kraft is Getting Kids to Eat Vegetables by Hiding Cauliflower in Their Mac and Cheese:

Parents have been trying to get their kids to eat vegetables forever, and clearly it hasn't worked. So it's officially time to move to Plan B: TRICKING your kids into eating vegetables. --And Kraft Foods is taking the lead. --They've started selling a new version of their famous blue-box macaroni and cheese around the U.S. that actually has cauliflower HIDDEN inside. --What they've done is crushed up cauliflower into a powder, then used it to replace some of the flour in the noodles. Every cup of cooked macaroni contains half a serving of vegetables. --And since it's drowned in cheese, your kids will never notice. As long as you don't tell them. Because then, even if they don't notice they'll pretend they do. --Half a serving isn't a ton of vegetables . . . but it's better than just feeding your kids more processed flour. --If you want to buy it, it's called Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Veggie Pasta, and it's available at Walmart and Target. (Huffington Post)


Word of the Day: Valetudinarian:

valetudinarian (noun) /vall ee too duh nayr ee uhn/ - a weak or sickly person who's constantly worried about his or her health. --Example: I have to work late because Jenny's out sick again. She's such a valetudinarian. How many times can one person call in sick because of Chlamydia in a year?
A Family in Illinois is Shocked When Their Mother Turns Up in Florida 41 Years After She Disappeared . . . and 15 Years After They Buried Her:

Back in 1970, Lula Cora Hood of Galesburg, Illinois disappeared after a major family fight. She left behind 14 kids. Lula had mental health issues and had vanished before, but she always came back. This time, she didn't. -In 1996, the police in Galesburg found some human remains in a brickyard and believed they were Lula's. The 14 children held a funeral and buried the remains. --Back in 2009, through the advances in DNA technology, the police were able to actually test the remains they found in 1996. When it turned out they weren't Lula's, they re-opened the case. --And last week, the family was SHOCKED to learn that 41 years after their mother disappeared and 15 years after they buried her . . . she turned up alive and well in Jacksonville, Florida. --Lula is now 84 years old. --One of her daughters, Grace Kivisto, says that she's going to head to Florida to reunite with her mother. There's no word on whether the police have let Lula know that they've connected her to her long lost family. --As for the human remains, the police aren't sure whose they were. (ABC 8 - Quad Cities)


National Parks in Crisis! If the Scalpers Don't Get You, the Grizzlies Will:

What could be a better summer vacation than camping in one of our national parks? For starters, maybe someplace where you won't get GOUGED by scalpers and MAULED by bears. --The National Park Service announced that they're cracking down on campsite scalpers at Yosemite National Park. (--That's the one in the California mountains, with the giant sequoias.) --Two million people visit the park each summer, but they only have 500 campsites. The nearest campground outside the park is more than an hour away, so there's heavy demand for reservations. And some people are taking advantage of it. --Scalpers bought up reservations online when they first became available in February, and now they're offering them for up to SIX TIMES their face value. That means you'll end up paying up to $120 for a spot that should sell for $20. --Rangers have begun checking campers' ID's when they try to claim their spot. If it doesn't match the name on the reservation, you get the boot. (--So you paid $120 for nothing. Consider yourself warned.) --If you decide to go to Yellowstone instead, you won't have to deal with scalpers . . . but you might get EATEN by BEARS. (--That's the one in Wyoming, with Old Faithful.) --Grizzlies have coexisted peacefully with humans in Yellowstone for years. But one of them broke the truce Wednesday and fatally mauled a 57-year old hiker. Rangers believe the hiker surprised the bear, and she was defending her cubs. (NPR / Huffington Post)


A Former Governor Crashed His Harley . . . and Was Saved Because Rescuers Thought He Had a Head Injury When He Said Who He Was:

After Bob Riley finished his two terms as Alabama's governor in January, he decided to go on a solo cross-country motorcycle trip. --That's what he was doing when he crashed his Harley on a highway in Alaska. (--He was about two hours north of Fairbanks, on the road where they film the show "Ice Road Truckers") --He broke several ribs and his collarbone, and also punctured a lung. Luckily, a guy named Steve DeMolen was driving down the same road and found the wreck. --They were 110 miles from the nearest hospital, and there was no cell service. So Steve put Bob in the back of his truck and began driving. --Then he made conversation to keep Bob from passing out, and asked him what he did for a living . . . and Bob told him he was the former governor of Alabama. --Naturally, Steve panicked. He assumed Governor Riley had a head injury, and was talking nonsense. So he floored it, sped to the hospital, and told the E.R., quote, "His name is Bob Riley and he thinks he's governor of Alabama." --Bob was in critical condition, and he suffered a seizure as soon as they arrived at the hospital . . . so Steve's disbelief and fast driving may have saved Bob's life. --It took a day for Alaska state police to verify Bob's identity, and call Steve with the surprising news that Bob Riley actually WAS the governor of Alabama.
(Associated Press)


Three PTA Moms Made 14 Million Dollars in an Illegal Ponzi Scheme:

If you're like me, you try to be supportive of your kids' education. But the PTA can get annoying with their constant fund raisers. It seems like every week there's another candy sale, or bake sale . . . or illegal Ponzi scheme? --Three PTA moms have been arrested for running a Ponzi scheme that earned more than 14 million dollars at Neil Armstrong Elementary School in suburban Los Angeles. --The women got their start in 2008, when they began asking other PTA members to invest in their new business . . . which they claimed was selling dairy products to Disneyland. --More than 40 people invested . . . some from as far away as Salt Lake City . . . giving the ladies anywhere from $5,000 to $208,000 in cash. --And authorities said that the key to the whole scheme was that the women seemed trustworthy because they were PTA members. --The school eventually caught wind of the scam and kicked the women out of the PTA. But not before they'd spent about $2.5 million on vacations, new cars, and casino gambling trips. --About $10 million has been recovered since the women were arrested and charged with 22 felonies. The school says that no actual PTA funds were used in their scam. (Philly.com)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS

A Woman Was Arrested For Hiring a Hitman to Kill Her Ex-Husband While He Was at a Cracker Barrel:

As someone who refuses to drive more than 150 miles on a road trip without stopping to eat at a Cracker Barrel, I find it DOWNRIGHT OFFENSIVE that this woman tried to SLANDER their good name like this. --47-year-old Enid Albertha Collins of Lawrenceville, Georgia was arrested for hiring a HITMAN to kill her ex-husband . . . while he was at a Cracker Barrel. --The plan was to lure him to a Cracker Barrel in North Carolina . . . which, of course, isn't hard because the food is so delicious. Once he got there and handed over their twin daughters, the hitman would take care of him. --Apparently she wanted him killed because they were fighting over custody and child support. SHE actually owed HIM back child support and didn't have the money to pay it. --She did make it clear to any potential hitmen that she'd dig up $1,500 to pay THEM, though. --The FBI ended up getting tipped off about her plan. --She was arrested and charged with using interstate commerce facilities in attempted murder . . . and the Cracker Barrel remained murder-free. (NBC 22 - Charlotte)


A Guy At a Strip Club Stole Two Cars, Broke Into a House, and Out-Ran Police Twice . . . But They Caught Him When He Went Home:

Meet 23-year-old Nicholas Fox. Going to a strip club wasn't enough excitement for him on Wednesday night . . . so he decided to go on an epic crime spree. --Around 6:30 P.M., Nicholas left the OZ Gentleman's Club in Clearwater, Florida (--Just outside of Tampa). --Before he left, he stole a fellow customer's car keys from the bar, and drove off in their 2007 Buick. As luck would have it, the owner kept a handgun in the vehicle . . . and Nicholas was randomly shooting it from the car when police caught up to him. --Somehow Nicholas got away, crashed the car, and broke into a nearby house to hide. While police searched for him with dogs and a helicopter, he tried to convince the homeowner . . . 33-year-old Joe Stillwell . . . that he was the VICTIM of a crime, and to give him a ride. --Joe played along . . . just to get rid of Nicholas . . . but when they left the house and got in the car, they were stopped by the cops. When Joe got out . . . Nicholas took the opportunity to drive off. --Once again, he managed to get away from the police chase . . . but that's where his criminal mastermind skills failed him. He abandoned the car and WALKED HOME. Police found and arrested him. --He faces charges for carjacking, burglary of an occupied dwelling, resisting arrest without violence, and violation of probation for robbery by sudden snatching. (St. Petersburg Times)


Slurpee Birthday Bash

7-Eleven invites customers to celebrate its birthday on Monday – July 11th, or 7-Eleven Day – with a free 7.11-ounce frozen Slurpee drink. Participating 7-Eleven stores across the U.S. and Canada will serve up 5 million free 7.11-ounce Slurpees on Monday. “Slurpee-brations” and 7-Eleven birthday parties will be held at select stores with music, entertainment, prizes and food, and Slurpee-mobiles will provide free samples at select 7-Eleven stores across the country. Find out more at www.7-Eleven.com.


Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


And now PRESIDENT OBAMA has called the internet . . . "the internets."
(Full Story)


80% of people plan to drive their current car at least another 50,000 miles. 68% plan to put 50,000 more miles on their current car than their last one, which is up from 60%. 60% of people say they have at least 100,000 miles on their car, up 25% from last year. And 68% say they plan to put 150,000 miles on their car. (Full Story)


Is the 40-hour work week going extinct? Highly paid workers regularly work 50 hour weeks, while lower paid workers have had their hours cut, and work irregular schedules. (Full Story)


Check out the most expensive places in the U.S. to park. Manhattan is first, at $541 a month, followed by Boston, San Francisco, Philly, and Seattle. The national average is $155 a month. (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) A Cell Phone Went Off During Match Point of a Women's Tennis Match . . . And One of the Players Realized It Was Hers:

The number one women's tennis player in the world, CAROLINE WOZNIACKI, played a Swedish Open match on Tuesday against a French player named Alizé Cornet (--pronounced Al-ee-zay Kor-nay). --And right before Wozniacki was about to serve for match point, someone's cell phone went off. So she stood there waiting for the person to mute it . . . until Cornet realized it was HER phone. --And when she ran over to her bag to turn it off, she got a big laugh from the crowd and a big smile from Wozniacki. Wozniacki ended up losing the set but won the match. (--Search YouTube for "Cell Phone Rings on Match Point for Wozniacki." She realizes whose phone it is at :18.)


#2.) A Little Girl Tried to Use a Slip 'N Slide That Wasn't Wet Enough . . . And Her Mom Thought It Was Hilarious When She Slammed Face-First Into the Ground:

Have you ever tried using a Slip 'N Slide when there wasn't enough water on it? It's painful. And there's a video online of a little girl who found out the hard way. --Right after her mom said it might not be slippery yet, she ran across the yard and tried to slide on her knees. But as soon as her skin hit the plastic she STUCK, and got thrown face-first into the ground. All her mom could do was laugh. (--Search YouTube for "Little Girl Doesn't Slip on Slide." It happens at :24.)


#3.) Check Out Time-Lapse Video of the Space Shuttle Being Prepped for Its Final Launch:

The final Space Shuttle launch is set for either today or Sunday, depending on the weather in Cape Canaveral. You've probably seen video of launches before, but MSNBC has a time-lapse video of the four days LEADING UP to the launch. --It shows the Space Shuttle Atlantis being checked out in its processing hanger, and towed to another building where they tilt it up on its end, then attach the fuel tank and the rocket boosters. --Then they transport the whole thing to the launch pad while it's standing up. (--Search MSNBC.com for "See Shuttle Atlantis' Last Trek to Liftoff." It gets tilted up on its end at 1:01, and taken to the launch pad at 1:49.)


Three Questions You Should Ask on Every First Date:

People tend to ask the same boring questions when they're on a first date. So if you're out this weekend and there's an awkward silence, here are three DIFFERENT questions you should ask on any first date. --They're interesting conversation starters, but they can also help you learn important things about the person.

#1.) What Would You Do Right Now If You Had a Million Dollars? It's a good question because it's fun. But it'll also give you some insight into what the person's passionate about. And it's more interesting than just asking what their hobbies are.

#2.) What's the Scariest Thing You've Ever Done? It'll help you gauge how adventurous the person is. And it'll also give each of you a chance to tell a crazy story about yourself.

#3.) What's the One Place You'd Move to in an Instant? The answer can reveal a lot about what the person wants their future to look like. --If they like big cities or small towns and you do too, that's great. But if they say Budapest, and you have absolutely NO interest in going to Budapest, that's good to know too. --They could also say they wouldn't move ANYWHERE, which is kind of a boring answer. But if you love where you live, it might be a GREAT answer. (AskMen.com)

Four Signs the Person You're With is Going to Break Your Heart:

Let's face it: The majority of relationships end in failure. So before you invest too much time and energy in someone new, we've got four signs from "Ask Men" that your new boyfriend or girlfriend is going to break your heart.

#1.) They Have No Old Friends. If you're dating someone who has no friends they've known longer than a few months, either their friends bail because they're annoying, or they need constant change. And neither of those is good for you.

#2.) They Need a Lot of Space. Independence is good as a personality trait, but someone who CRAVES their own time and space almost ALL the time usually gets tired of anyone who takes it up. Even if they like you.

#3.) They're Not Grounded. Some people are just never satisfied with what they have, and that makes them ambitious. Fine. But having high standards and ambition is one thing . . . --Expecting wealth, constant attention, fame, or the perfect relationship is another thing, and it just isn't realistic. And they'll just leave you when something better comes along.

#4.) They Already Had Someone When They Met You. If you hooked up with someone while they were dating someone else, guess what: There's a good chance they'll do the exact same thing to YOU down the line. (Ask Men)

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