HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (08-25-11)
Are Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds Engaged?
Ever since SANDRA BULLOCK and RYAN REYNOLDS both found themselves single earlier this year, the tabloids have been trying desperately to hook them up. --And now, the "Star" is going all the way . . . by claiming they're ENGAGED. They reportedly decided to get serious while hiking together in Wyoming earlier this month. --A source says, quote, "As the day went on, they started thinking about it, and soon the thought of spending their lives together didn't sound all that ridiculous. It sounded wonderful." --The source adds, quote, "Ryan is such a sweet-heart, everyone is giving them the stamp of approval. They have a great foundation for a long-term relationship." (--Sandra and Ryan have been friends since starring together in the 2009 romantic comedy "The Proposal".)
Check Out Jim Carrey's Bizarre Video Declaration of Love to Emma Stone:
JIM CARREY posted a bizarre video declaration of love for EMMA STONE on his website yesterday. --Obviously, we're assuming it's a joke. But he carries it off with such sincerity . . . and barely a hint of humor . . . that it's hard to be sure. --As far as we know, Jim and Emma aren't scheduled to work together, which would rule this out as an attempt at viral movie promotion. --In the video, Jim looks into the camera and says, quote, "I just wanted to let you know that I think you're all the way beautiful. Not just pretty, but, you know, smart and kindhearted. --"And if I were a lot younger, I would marry you, and we would have chubby little freckled faced kids. We'd laugh all day long and go camping and play Yahtzee and tell ghost stories by the fire. And the sex?" --At that point he pauses quite deliberately, as if to say the sex would be AWESOME . . . before telling her, sadly, that he's too old for her. (--He's 49, she's 22.) He ends it by mouthing the words "I love you" before turning the camera off with a slightly quivering lip. (--Check out the video here. I say he's messing with us. What's your take?)
Will and Jada Hung Out Yesterday to Prove They're Still Together:
WILL SMITH and JADA PINKETT hung out together yesterday to prove that they're still a couple. They did brunch and shopping in Malibu, and witnesses seemed to agree that it didn't look like there were any problems. --At one point, a paparazzi scumbag asked Will to comment on the, quote, "ridiculous rumors". Will responded, quote, "You just did." (--Here's the video.)
Carrie Fisher Has Lost 50 Pounds . . . Did She Do Something to Her Face, Too?
Jenny Craig spokeswoman CARRIE FISHER unveiled her new figure on the "Today" show yesterday. She's lost 50 pounds, but there's something else about her that seems different besides her weight. --It looks like she might have had some work done on her face. (--Check out video of her "Today" appearance here.) --During the interview, host ANN CURRY brought up the Princess Leia metal bikini from "Return of the Jedi", and Carrie said, quote, "I want to get into the metal bikini and just walk around the house like an idiot. --"Answer the doorbell: 'What is it? This old thing?' . . . I'll come out with a line of metal bikinis for women over 40. If you want dignity, you wear metal bikinis over 40."
"People" Magazine Put Kim Kardashian On Its Cover . . . But Not Kris Humphries:
"People" magazine drops its big KIM KARDASHIAN wedding issue this week. They paid a reported $1.5 million for exclusive rights to the photos. --And the one they put on their cover features Kim and . . . NO KRIS HUMPHRIES. --A "People" editor explains, quote, "It's all about the bride. We wanted her. It's her day, we wanted her on the cover. She added that Kris is so much taller than Kim that it's, quote, "kind of tough to get them in the [same] shot." (--Check out the cover pic here.) (People) --Whatever their justification, this might not do Kris any favors in the New Jersey Nets locker room. --According to the "New York Post", his teammates are already calling him "Kate Middleton" because he, quote, "married into royalty." Being an afterthought to his own wedding isn't going to help. --This might help Kris' ego . . . Kim is reportedly in the process of changing her name to Kim Kardashian-Humphries. For legal purposes, anyway. Professionally, she'll still be known as Kim Kardashian.
Kim Kardashian's Wedding "Only" Cost About $6 Million:
Remember all that talk of KIM KARDASHIAN'S wedding costing between $20 million and $30 million? Turns out those numbers were seriously inflated. --An assistant editor of "People" magazine says the wedding cost about $6 million. Which is still HUGE, of course, but nowhere near what the media was speculating in the run-up to the ceremony. --Now, we should note that $6 million is the price NORMAL PEOPLE like you or I would pay for a wedding like Kim's. Kim and KRIS HUMPHRIES paid nowhere near that, because so much stuff was comped to them. --And of course, Kim and Kris are going to MAKE a ton of money off the wedding. From the "People" deal to the E! two-part TV special and beyond . . . some are estimating they'll bank somewhere in the $15 million to $20 million range. Just for getting married.
Kris Jenner Couldn't Get Christina Aguilera or Jennifer Lopez to Perform at Kim Kardashian's Wedding . . . Because They Cost Too Much:
KRIS JENNER reportedly wanted to get someone like CHRISTINA AGUILERA or JENNIFER LOPEZ to perform at KIM KARDASHIAN'S wedding. But they would have charged about a MILLION BUCKS . . . and Kim wasn't down with that. (--She ended up settling for Earth, Wind & Fire . . . and Robin Thicke.)
Did E! Producers Script a Tender Moment Between Kourtney and Scott?
By now, we all know that reality is one of the least common elements of reality TV. KIM KARDASHIAN'S wedding will be no exception. --When it airs as a two-part special on E! in October, there will be a tender moment between KOURTNEY and her boyfriend, SCOTT DISICK. --They'll have one of those cliched "couples at a wedding" moments where they get swept up in all the romance and decide to get hitched themselves. --And how do we know this? Because TMZ has audio of the producers talking to each other on walkie talkies, PLANNING IT right there on the spot. --One woman says, quote, "Hey, we need to do a thing of Kourtney and Scott, I feel like. Like 'love is in the air' and they talk about, 'ok fine, you know, we'll get married' or something." --Then several people are heard trying to orchestrate it. We don't actually hear audio of Kourtney and Scott's little moment . . . but there is audio from the very end of the night, where a woman is thanking everyone for their work that day. --And she says, quote, "We'll see you at Kourtney's wedding." (--Check it out here.)
The Best-Paid Actresses Make Crappy Movies:
It stands to reason that the highest-paid actresses should make the best movies, right? Not so. --It turns out that the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood . . . as rated by Forbes.com . . . actually don't have the best track records. --A showbiz columnist from the Fox News website took the five highest-paid actresses from the Forbes list and compared the critical reception of all their movies over the past 10 years. --He used the website RottenTomatoes.com, which tabulates ALL the reviews of a particular film that it can possibly find, then gives it a score based on the percentage of good reviews vs. bad.
--Here's how that shook down . . .
--ANGELINA JOLIE was named this year's highest-paid actress . . . with $30 million. But since 2001, reviews for her films have only been, on average, 47% positive.
--SARAH JESSICA PARKER . . . who also made about $30 million over the past year . . . did even worse. Her score was 36%.
--Hollywood's third-highest-paid actress over the past year was JENNIFER ANISTON, with $28 million. Her average fell in between Angelina's and Sarah's, at 42%.
--Then comes REESE WITHERSPOON, who also made around $28 million. Reviews for her movies over the past 10 years have been 53% positive.
--In fifth place on the highest-paid list is JULIA ROBERTS, with $20 million. But it turns out she's the MOST-LIKED. Her average is 55%.
(--So Reese and Julia have been the most-praised. Not surprisingly, both of them also have an Oscar. Julia won for "Erin Brockovich" and Reese got hers for "Walk the Line".) (--For more information . . . including a more detailed rundown of the movies that helped AND HURT these ladies' averages, click here.)
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
This Week's New Movies Include: Zoe Saldana Kicking Ass . . . Paul Rudd Smoking Pot . . . and Katie Holmes Fighting Monsters:
#1.) "Colombiana" (PG-13)
Zoe Saldana plays an assassin who's looking for revenge on the mobster who ordered a hit on her parents when she was a little girl. And "Alias" stud Michael Vartan is the lucky guy who gets to sample her other talents. (Trailer) (Animated Teaser)
#2.) "Our Idiot Brother" (R)
Paul Rudd plays the pot-smoking brother of Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, and Zooey Deschanel. When his girlfriend kicks him out, they take turns letting him live with them. It also stars Rashida Jones as Zooey's lesbian life-partner. (--CAREFUL: There's a B-word at the 1:47 mark in the trailer.)
#3.) "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (R)
Guillermo Del Toro directs this remake of a 1973 horror movie about a woman who inherits an old mansion, and accidentally releases creatures that are whispering her name from the basement. In this one they're terrorizing a little girl. Her dad is played by "Memento's" Guy Pearce. And Katie Holmes plays his girlfriend. (Trailer) (Original)
Was "Toy Story" Almost Called "Bring Me the Arm of Buzz Lightyear"?
Did you know that "Toy Story" wasn't originally going to be called "Toy Story"? That was just the working title for the film. And before it was finished, Pixar put out a call to their employees, asking for suggestions for a final title. --That's according to Lee Unkrich, who edited the first film, then went on to co-direct the second and direct the third. --To show us why Pixar stuck with "Toy Story", Unkrich Tweeted several of those suggestions. Some of them are pretty crazy. Here they are . . .
--"The New Toy"
--"Made in Taiwan"
--"Moving Buddies"
--"To Infinity and Beyond"
--"Windup Heroes"
--"The Cowboy & the Spaceman"
--"Spurs & Rockets"
--"Bring Me the Arm of Buzz Lightyear"
--"Wind the Frog" . . . (--Actually, whoever came up with this one is BRILLIANT. "Wind the Frog" is my favorite line from the movie, and would make an AWESOME name for an indie band. You're welcome, hipsters.) (???)
--"Rex's First Movie"
--"For the Love of Bo Peep"
--"Toyz in the Hood"
--"Each Sold Separately"
--"Wings & Pullstrings"
--"Some Assembly Required"
--"The Favorite"
"Survivor" Is Bringing Back Ozzy Lusth and Coach Ben Wade:
Last season, "Survivor" brought back veterans RUSSELL HANTZ and "BOSTON ROB" MARIANO. This time, they're bringing back OZZY LUSTH and "COACH" BEN WADE. This is the third season for both of them. --Ozzy was on Season 13, "Survivor: Cook Islands", and Season 16, "Survivor: Micronesia: Fans Vs. Favorites". Coach was on Season 18, "Survivor: Tocantins", and Season 20, "Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains". (--Here's a preview video on the returning castaways. "Survivor: South Pacific" premieres on September 14th.)
"Bachelorette" Reject Ben Flajnik Is Your New "Bachelor" . . . Probably:
"Entertainment Weekly" says the next "Bachelor" is BEN FLAJNIK, who was rejected by ASHLEY HEBERT on "The Bachelorette" this summer. Ben made it to the finale, but Ashley went with J.P. ROSENBAUM instead. --ABC wouldn't confirm this. The official announcement will be made during the "Bachelor Pad" finale on September 12th. --Earlier this month, there was talk that Ben was hooking up with JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT, but J-Love denied it. She said they did meet up "by coincidence", but there was nothing between them.
Simon Cowell Expects "X Factor" to Attract at Least 20 Million Viewers:
What will it take for SIMON COWELL to consider "The X Factor" a success? Well, for starters, he's expecting it to average at least 20 million viewers. --He tells the "Hollywood Reporter" that any less than that would be, quote, "a disappointment." He adds, quote, "[I want] buzz. In England, you genuinely get the feeling the whole country is talking about the show. I hope for that." (--For what it's worth, "American Idol" averaged 25.9 million viewers for the performance episodes and 23.8 million viewers for the results shows.) (--The performance episode numbers were up over 2 million viewers from the year before . . . Simon's last season on "Idol" . . . and the results shows were UP just under 2 million viewers. That's significant.) (--Simon's incredible ego has been well documented. So forget 20 million, Simon won't be happy unless he beats "Idol". Actually, Scratch that. He won't be happy unless he SMOKES "Idol".)
"VMAs" Updates: There Will Be No Host, and Beyoncé Is Performing:
MTV has announced that NO ONE will this year's "MTV Video Music Awards". CHELSEA HANDLER hosted the show last year. --Also, BEYONCÉ has joined the list of performers, which already includes Adele, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Lady Gaga, Young the Giant, Bruno Mars, Pitbull and Ne-Yo. The show airs live this Sunday night.
Thursday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"Pre-Season Football" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. (--The Baltimore Ravens host the Washington Redskins at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.)
--"Big Brother 13" [Eviction Night] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS.
--"Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Discovery Channel. (--A documentary series that chronicles the construction of the new 16-acre complex at the site of the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York.)
--"Expedition Impossible" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC.
--"The Green Room with Paul Provenza" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on Showtime. (--Bill Burr, Russell Peters, Colin Quinn, Caroline Rhea and Lizz Winstead guest.)
Alice Cooper Put Kesha and Vince Gill On His New Album Because No One Expected It:
On September 13th, ALICE COOPER will put out his new album "Welcome 2 My Nightmare". (--It's a sequel to his classic 1975 album "Welcome to My Nightmare", which is why he used the number "2" instead of the word "to".) --It features some interesting guests: KESHA and country star VINCE GILL. --Alice explains, quote, "I met [Kesha] at the Grammys, and I immediately looked at her and went, 'This girl is not a pop diva. She's a rock singer.' She would much rather be the female Robert Plant than the next Britney Spears." (--He didn't clarify whether he meant the '70s version of Robert Plant or the current one . . . but let's assume he meant the old one. It's better that way . . . and so was Robert.) --Alice says he knows no one expected him to collaborate with Kesha and Vince, and that's part of the reason he wanted to do it. --He says, quote, "There's a little bit of defiance in me. Even when my fans think they know what I'm gonna do, I'm like, 'Whaddya mean I can't put Vince Gill on the album?' Nobody's going to expect Kesha on my album, so, great, let's do it. --"I like the idea you still can't put me in a corner and say, 'This is what you're gonna sound like.'" (--Vince has a guitar solo on a track called "A Runaway Train", and Kesha sings on "What Baby Wants". You can listen to a clip of it, here.)
THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Here's a fun photo gallery of celebrities when they were kids. (Gallery)
JASON BATEMAN and his wife Amanda are expecting their second child. It'll be a girl, according to Amanda's dad, SUPERSTAR SINGING SENSATION PAUL ANKA. Jason and Amanda already have a 4-year-old daughter named Francesca. (Full Story)
SARA GILBERT from "The Talk" has broken up with her partner of 10 years, Allison Adler. Sara and Allison have a 6-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter. Allison carried the boy, and Sara gave birth to the girl. (Full Story)
CHRISTOPHER KNIGHT has officially filed for divorce from ADRIANNE CURRY. Their rep says, quote, "The couple is still friends and the process thus far is very amiable." (Full Story)
TONY HAWK messed up one of his front teeth in a skateboarding accident . . . and decided to just have it pulled. (pic before dentist) (pic after dentist)
LINDSAY LOHAN is comparing herself to MARILYN MONROE again. (Full Story)
And the name of KIMBERLY STEWART and BENICIO DEL TORO'S baby girl is . . . DELILAH. (Full Story)
The first clear pictures of HENRY CAVILL as Superman in the upcoming "Man of Steel" hit the web yesterday . . . and the costume does NOT have red underpants. Is that superhero HERESY? (Full Story)
Check out a preview of ROSIE O'DONNELL'S upcoming show on OWN. (Video)
According to the 911 call, the hotel employees who discovered JANI LANE'S body were afraid to go near him . . . even to check to see if he was still alive. At one point, the dispatcher says, quote, "It would be nice to know if we can help him." (Audio)
NOEL GALLAGHER has apologized to his brother LIAM for saying OASIS had to cancel a gig in 2009 because he was hungover. Noel says that Liam had laryngitis. (Full Story) (--Liam sued Noel for libel because of Noel's initial comment.)
RANDOM STUFF
NOT-SO-STUPID NEWS
Steve Jobs Has Resigned as CEO of Apple:
Yesterday, STEVE JOBS resigned as the CEO of Apple . . . ending his tenure as pretty much one of the greatest businessmen in history. In the past 14 years, he took Apple from near-dead to one of the top two most valuable companies in the world. --He's 56 years old, and has been battling serious medical issues for years, which almost certainly caused his resignation. He survived pancreatic cancer and has been on medical leave from Apple since January for an undisclosed condition. --The company basically knew the day was coming when Jobs would have to step down. He's been replaced at the top by TIM COOK, Apple's chief operating officer. --But Jobs resigning shouldn't derail Apple's upcoming projects: They'll probably announce a new iPhone in next month, and a new iPad should be out early next year. --In a letter, Jobs wrote, quote, "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately that day has come." --Jobs co-founded Apple with STEVE WOZNIAK back in the late 1970s . . . starting in his parents' garage. In 1985 he left . . . then in 1997, with Apple on its death bed, he came back to try to save it. --Since then, he's transformed the company into the most valuable consumer brand in the world, and has traded back and forth this year with ExxonMobil as the most valuable company in the world. --Even though Jobs is out of the day-to-day operations, he'll still be the chairman of Apple's board of directors. (Reuters)
Hillary Clinton Comes in Second on the "Forbes" Most Powerful Women List . . . Lady Gaga is 11th:
"Forbes" just released their list of the 100 most powerful women in the world. And our country's Secretary of State managed to come in nine notches ahead of a psychotic 25-year-old who wears raw meat and popped out of an egg on MTV. --Secretary of State HILLARY CLINTON came in second on the list, only behind ANGELA MERKEL, the chancellor of Germany. LADY GAGA finished 11th, the highest of any entertainer on the list. --The women on the list are ranked by wealth, political and business power, and reach and influence . . . both in mainstream media and on social media like Twitter. --After Merkel and Clinton, third place was Brazil's president, Dilma Rousseff . . . fourth is Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo . . . and fifth is Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook. --Some other notable names on the list: Michelle Obama is eighth . . . Oprah Winfrey is 14th, three spots behind Gaga . . . Beyoncé is 18th . . . Michele Bachmann is 22nd . . . Angelina Jolie is 29th . . . --Arianna Huffington is 31st . . . Sarah Palin is 34th . . . Queen Elizabeth the Second is 49th . . . Ellen DeGeneres is 55th . . . Gisele Bundchen is 60th . . . and J.K. Rowling is 61st. (Forbes) (--You can see the full top 100 here.)
A New Study Says That if Obama Loses in 2012, He'll Probably Be Ranked as the 22nd Best President Ever:
I always find presidential ranking lists interesting. It's like a combination of sports and politics. Plus it gives everyone a chance to rip on ANDREW JOHNSON and CHESTER A. ARTHUR. --A political science expert named Curt Nichols at Baylor University in Texas just finished up a study to determine where PRESIDENT OBAMA will rank against the other presidents in U.S. history. And here's what he found . . . --If Obama loses in 2012 and is a one-term president, he'll probably be ranked 22nd. That's an extremely "average" ranking, and would put him in the same vicinity as William Howard Taft, Martin Van Buren, and the first George Bush. --But if Obama wins in 2012 and has two terms, Nichols says he believes he'll be considered a "near great" and could end up as high as FOURTH . . . after only Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, and George Washington. --Nichols says that rankings are usually based on factors like how many years a president serves, how they handle war, how they transform the country, and how they either push the country into crisis or bring the country out of one. (Eurekalert) (--You can see presidential rankings from several different polls here.)
The Restaurant Where Facebook Users Check-In the Most Is . . . Starbucks:
Last August, Facebook introduced their Places feature, which allows users to check-in at their favorite locations. --A year later, they released some of the data about where their users check-in the most. So far, they've only released the information for restaurants. --Based on number of check-ins, the favorite restaurant for Facebook users is . . . Starbucks. --It helps that Starbucks has about 17,000 locations, and wireless Internet. --Second on the list is Buffalo Wild Wings, a sports bar chain that only has about 700 locations. They finished three spots above McDonald's, which has 32,000 locations, most of which offer wireless. --Chili's and Applebee's also finished ahead of McDonald's. --In sixth and seventh place are IHOP and Denny's. --Olive Garden, T.G.I. Friday's, and The Cheesecake Factory round out the top ten. (Mashable)
Facebook Will Finally Let You Keep People From Tagging You in Photos:
There's nothing worse than finding out someone tagged you in a Facebook photo where you're doing something embarrassing, or you look GOD AWFUL. Or both. And you weren't able to untag yourself in time. --Well, finally . . . after FOUR DAMN YEARS of torturing people . . . Facebook has changed their rules. --Soon you'll be able to change the settings in your profile so that people can't tag you without your approval . . . after they tag you, you get a chance to review the tags and approve or deny them before they go live. --They haven't said exactly when this is going to roll out, just that it's coming very soon. (Facebook)
After a Disaster, One in Four Americans Say They'd Update Facebook to Let People Know They're Safe:
This is a pretty amazing look at just how much communication has changed in the past five years or so. According to a new survey by the Red Cross, after a disaster, ONE-FOURTH of this country would tell people they're okay by . . . Facebook.
--24% of people say they'd go on Facebook because it's the quickest, easiest, and most reliable way to let all their loved ones know they're safe. (PR Newswire) (--You can reach the Red Cross for more information at 202-303-5551.)
Stupid "Star Wars" Gimmick of the Day Part One: Ask Vader:
The three original "Star Wars" movies are coming out in a Blu-ray box set next month . . . along with the three beloved and cherished prequels. And in honor of the release, the official "Star Wars" website has put up a random new feature. --It's called "Ask Vader." You type in a question and Vader gives you a random response . . . sort of like Magic 8-Ball Vader. Some are lines from the movies, and some aren't. But it doesn't sound like it's James Earl Jones. --Anyway, if you've ever dreamed of being verbally dominated by Darth Vader, this is your chance. --Check it out at vader.starwars.com.
Stupid "Star Wars" Gimmick of the Day Part Two: Han Solo Ice Cube Trays:
Want to make ice cubes for your next party which will make sure you and your fellow nerds never get any action? Then this is exactly what you're looking for. --For $10, you can get an ice cube tray to make ice cubes that look like Han Solo when he's frozen in carbonite, from "The Empire Strikes Back". Great for "Star Wars" fans AND preventing premarital sex. (--Check out some photos of the tray and the ice. You can buy it here.)
After a Workout, One of the Best Recovery Drinks is . . . Beer?
We've got good news and bad news here. The good news: A new study has proven that after a workout, one of the best things you can drink to recover is BEER. The bad news? It's non-alcoholic beer. (--Cue the sad trombones.) --Researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany wanted to see if beer could be equal to, or even better than water and Gatorade. So they had some marathon runners recover after a race with those, and some recover with beer. --And they found that the runners who drank non-alcoholic beer recovered faster after the race. They also had fewer health issues, like upper respiratory infections and inflammation, compared to the other runners. --It only worked with non-alcoholic beer, though . . . alcoholic beer did NOT have the same effects. --Dr. Johannes Scherr led the study and his explanation for the power of non-alcoholic beer is . . . well, he has no clue. --He says it probably has to do with the chemical compounds found in non-alcoholic beer, but he's not positive. Alcoholic beer has the same compounds . . . but the negative impact of the alcohol offsets them. (New York Times)
The Post Office Has Found a Way to Cut $1.5 Billion From Their Budget . . . By Delivering Mail More Slowly:
Something tells me the Post Office doesn't understand why they've been losing money. --The U.S. Postal Service has lost billions of dollars over the last several years, as more and more people switch to email and paying bills online. --A recent Postal study thinks they've found the problem: They've been delivering the mail . . . TOO FAST. The Post Office can cut one-and-a-half BILLION dollars from their budget if they just make their delivery times a little LONGER. --Currently, they tell customers that first-class and Priority Mail should arrive in two or three days, although they don't guarantee it. --Keeping that schedule requires postal workers to put in overnight and weekend shifts. But if they took an extra day they could cut $336 million in overtime costs. --They could cut another $1.1 billion by sending more Priority packages by ground instead of air. --Obviously, customers who already prefer email are going to be even less likely to buy stamps if it takes longer, and the Post Office knows it: They expect the amount of First Class mail to drop from 78 billion letters a year to 50 billion. --But businesses who use the Post Office like the idea. The study said that they, quote, "value consistency over speed and would tolerate slightly slower service to save costs." --Post Office officials haven't decided to do it yet . . . but supposedly they're seriously considering the idea, and might announce a new schedule after Labor Day. (Washington Post)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
Two Subway Employees Let a Robber Take $125 From the Register . . . but Protested When He Went for the Tip Jar:
On Monday, 47-year-old Robert Allen Walker used a knife to hold up a Subway in St. Petersburg, Florida. --He told the two employees that he had lung cancer and was trying to raise a child. Although police haven't verified any of that. --The employees let him clean out the register, which got Robert about $125 in cash. --But then Robert went for the tip jar . . . and when it came to THEIR money, suddenly the employees grew a spine. --They protested enough to convince Robert to put their tip money back . . . and just take the cash from the register. --A police spokesman said that they complained so much, Robert ended up apologizing to them. --The police caught Robert a few hours later, and he's in jail with $50,000 bail. (St. Petersburg Times)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
The city of Camden, New Jersey is paying kids $100 each not to skip school. (Full Story)
According to a writer for the "Marine Corps Times", Marines aren't allowed to pass gas loudly in Afghanistan anymore, because noisy farts offend Afghans. (Full Story)
This is awesome: A non-profit educational foundation . . . one that's basically just a front organization for a magician . . . is offering a $1 million prize for any celebrity psychic who can PROVE their powers on randomly selected strangers in a controlled environment. (Full Story)
Teenagers who use Facebook are more likely to smoke and drink. (Full Story)
Some people are complaining that the new Martin Luther King memorial in D.C. was made by a Chinese sculptor, from Chinese granite. And that MLK even looks a little Asian in the sculpture. And another blog pointed out that the monument kind of looks like Han Solo, frozen in carbonite.
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) LeBron James Agreed to Jump Off a High Dive at a Pool in Barcelona . . . Then Froze When He Saw How High Up He Was:
LEBRON JAMES was at a pool in Barcelona the other day for some kind of Nike event. And he agreed to jump off the ten-meter high dive, which is about 33 feet. --But when LeBron got up there, he FROZE. He did eventually make the jump, but it took him about three minutes. And he made some other guy go first so he could see how to do it. --And to add to the pressure, the announcer got the crowd to start chanting the word "jump." And at one point yelled, quote, "C'mon, LeBron! Everybody wants to see [it]!" (--Search for "LeBron James High Dive Barcelona Video." The first guy goes at 2:23, and LeBron jumps at 2:47.)
#2.) 90-Year-Old Nancy Reagan Fell at an Event in California . . . but Freshman GOP Senator Marco Rubio and a Service Agent Saved Her:
NANCY REAGAN fell on Tuesday at an event in California. Freshman GOP Senator Marco Rubio and the 90-year-old former First Lady were walking through a roomful of people at the Reagan Library, and she lost her balance. --Luckily, Rubio caught her by the arm, and a Secret Service agent stopped her from falling, so she's okay. (--Search YouTube for "Nancy Reagan Marco Rubio Fall.")
#3.) Check Out What an Exploding Car Looks Like in Real Life:
If you think cars only explode in the movies, check this out: Last Friday, someone in Los Angeles got cell phone footage of firefighters dealing with a burning car that was parked on the street. --And while one of them was standing right next to it dousing it with water, something under the hood EXPLODED. --It was actually pretty intense . . . but the explosion was small enough that the badass firefighter just stepped away for a second, then turned his hose on again and kept working. (--Search for "Car Explosion in Los Angeles August 19th." It explodes at :15.)
Four Signs You're in at Least Decent Health:
The other day we gave you a list from Dr. Oz of "Three Weird Ways Your Body Can Tell You Something's Wrong." Now, here's something to put your mind at ease: It's a list of four signs you're in relatively GOOD health.
#1.) (--CAREFUL) When You Empty Your Bladder, It's Fairly Clear. It should be a pale yellow color, and you should be using the bathroom a few times a day. It's a sign that you're properly hydrated, and your kidneys are healthy. --If it's cloudy, dark, or BRIGHT yellow, it's a sign you're dehydrated. And if it's clear, it means you're TOO hydrated, which isn't a big deal. But when you are, your body doesn't absorb enough salts and electrolytes.
#2.) Your Cuts Heal Fairly Quickly. It means your blood is clotting normally, your white blood cells are carrying away bacteria like they should, and your blood vessels are healthy. --If you bruise easily or it takes weeks for a cut to heal, it could be a sign of liver disease, a bone marrow disorder, or hemophilia . . . which is when your blood doesn't clot right. --But don't freak out. Bruising easily can also be caused by medication, or just the fact that you're getting older. --Because as you age, the smallest type of blood vessels in your body . . . your capillaries . . . become more prone to rupture. And your skin also gets thinner, which doesn't help.
#3.) Healthy Hair and Nails. When you have a vitamin deficiency, your hair and fingernails are usually where it shows up first.
--For example, if your nails curve UP, it means you might not be getting enough iron or zinc. And if they curve DOWN, you might not be getting enough B-12. --If it's a SERIOUS vitamin deficiency, it can also make your hair start falling out in clumps. But if your hair is just frizzy, or you have split ends, don't worry.
#4.) You Sleep Through the Night. A lot of people don't get the recommended seven hours every night. But as long as you sleep SOUNDLY and don't wake up sweating or needing to use the bathroom twice a night, you're probably fine. --If you regularly sleep through the night, it means you're most likely hitting all the stages of sleep you need to in order to stay healthy. And OCCASIONAL insomnia is considered normal. --The one thing you DO still have to worry about is snoring, because it could be a sign of sleep apnea, which prevents your blood from getting enough oxygen. --If you get enough sleep, you SHOULD wake up feeling somewhat refreshed. But people with sleep apnea wake up feeling exhausted every morning. (DivineCaroline.com)
Ever since SANDRA BULLOCK and RYAN REYNOLDS both found themselves single earlier this year, the tabloids have been trying desperately to hook them up. --And now, the "Star" is going all the way . . . by claiming they're ENGAGED. They reportedly decided to get serious while hiking together in Wyoming earlier this month. --A source says, quote, "As the day went on, they started thinking about it, and soon the thought of spending their lives together didn't sound all that ridiculous. It sounded wonderful." --The source adds, quote, "Ryan is such a sweet-heart, everyone is giving them the stamp of approval. They have a great foundation for a long-term relationship." (--Sandra and Ryan have been friends since starring together in the 2009 romantic comedy "The Proposal".)
Check Out Jim Carrey's Bizarre Video Declaration of Love to Emma Stone:
JIM CARREY posted a bizarre video declaration of love for EMMA STONE on his website yesterday. --Obviously, we're assuming it's a joke. But he carries it off with such sincerity . . . and barely a hint of humor . . . that it's hard to be sure. --As far as we know, Jim and Emma aren't scheduled to work together, which would rule this out as an attempt at viral movie promotion. --In the video, Jim looks into the camera and says, quote, "I just wanted to let you know that I think you're all the way beautiful. Not just pretty, but, you know, smart and kindhearted. --"And if I were a lot younger, I would marry you, and we would have chubby little freckled faced kids. We'd laugh all day long and go camping and play Yahtzee and tell ghost stories by the fire. And the sex?" --At that point he pauses quite deliberately, as if to say the sex would be AWESOME . . . before telling her, sadly, that he's too old for her. (--He's 49, she's 22.) He ends it by mouthing the words "I love you" before turning the camera off with a slightly quivering lip. (--Check out the video here. I say he's messing with us. What's your take?)
Will and Jada Hung Out Yesterday to Prove They're Still Together:
WILL SMITH and JADA PINKETT hung out together yesterday to prove that they're still a couple. They did brunch and shopping in Malibu, and witnesses seemed to agree that it didn't look like there were any problems. --At one point, a paparazzi scumbag asked Will to comment on the, quote, "ridiculous rumors". Will responded, quote, "You just did." (--Here's the video.)
Carrie Fisher Has Lost 50 Pounds . . . Did She Do Something to Her Face, Too?
Jenny Craig spokeswoman CARRIE FISHER unveiled her new figure on the "Today" show yesterday. She's lost 50 pounds, but there's something else about her that seems different besides her weight. --It looks like she might have had some work done on her face. (--Check out video of her "Today" appearance here.) --During the interview, host ANN CURRY brought up the Princess Leia metal bikini from "Return of the Jedi", and Carrie said, quote, "I want to get into the metal bikini and just walk around the house like an idiot. --"Answer the doorbell: 'What is it? This old thing?' . . . I'll come out with a line of metal bikinis for women over 40. If you want dignity, you wear metal bikinis over 40."
"People" Magazine Put Kim Kardashian On Its Cover . . . But Not Kris Humphries:
"People" magazine drops its big KIM KARDASHIAN wedding issue this week. They paid a reported $1.5 million for exclusive rights to the photos. --And the one they put on their cover features Kim and . . . NO KRIS HUMPHRIES. --A "People" editor explains, quote, "It's all about the bride. We wanted her. It's her day, we wanted her on the cover. She added that Kris is so much taller than Kim that it's, quote, "kind of tough to get them in the [same] shot." (--Check out the cover pic here.) (People) --Whatever their justification, this might not do Kris any favors in the New Jersey Nets locker room. --According to the "New York Post", his teammates are already calling him "Kate Middleton" because he, quote, "married into royalty." Being an afterthought to his own wedding isn't going to help. --This might help Kris' ego . . . Kim is reportedly in the process of changing her name to Kim Kardashian-Humphries. For legal purposes, anyway. Professionally, she'll still be known as Kim Kardashian.
Kim Kardashian's Wedding "Only" Cost About $6 Million:
Remember all that talk of KIM KARDASHIAN'S wedding costing between $20 million and $30 million? Turns out those numbers were seriously inflated. --An assistant editor of "People" magazine says the wedding cost about $6 million. Which is still HUGE, of course, but nowhere near what the media was speculating in the run-up to the ceremony. --Now, we should note that $6 million is the price NORMAL PEOPLE like you or I would pay for a wedding like Kim's. Kim and KRIS HUMPHRIES paid nowhere near that, because so much stuff was comped to them. --And of course, Kim and Kris are going to MAKE a ton of money off the wedding. From the "People" deal to the E! two-part TV special and beyond . . . some are estimating they'll bank somewhere in the $15 million to $20 million range. Just for getting married.
Kris Jenner Couldn't Get Christina Aguilera or Jennifer Lopez to Perform at Kim Kardashian's Wedding . . . Because They Cost Too Much:
KRIS JENNER reportedly wanted to get someone like CHRISTINA AGUILERA or JENNIFER LOPEZ to perform at KIM KARDASHIAN'S wedding. But they would have charged about a MILLION BUCKS . . . and Kim wasn't down with that. (--She ended up settling for Earth, Wind & Fire . . . and Robin Thicke.)
Did E! Producers Script a Tender Moment Between Kourtney and Scott?
By now, we all know that reality is one of the least common elements of reality TV. KIM KARDASHIAN'S wedding will be no exception. --When it airs as a two-part special on E! in October, there will be a tender moment between KOURTNEY and her boyfriend, SCOTT DISICK. --They'll have one of those cliched "couples at a wedding" moments where they get swept up in all the romance and decide to get hitched themselves. --And how do we know this? Because TMZ has audio of the producers talking to each other on walkie talkies, PLANNING IT right there on the spot. --One woman says, quote, "Hey, we need to do a thing of Kourtney and Scott, I feel like. Like 'love is in the air' and they talk about, 'ok fine, you know, we'll get married' or something." --Then several people are heard trying to orchestrate it. We don't actually hear audio of Kourtney and Scott's little moment . . . but there is audio from the very end of the night, where a woman is thanking everyone for their work that day. --And she says, quote, "We'll see you at Kourtney's wedding." (--Check it out here.)
The Best-Paid Actresses Make Crappy Movies:
It stands to reason that the highest-paid actresses should make the best movies, right? Not so. --It turns out that the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood . . . as rated by Forbes.com . . . actually don't have the best track records. --A showbiz columnist from the Fox News website took the five highest-paid actresses from the Forbes list and compared the critical reception of all their movies over the past 10 years. --He used the website RottenTomatoes.com, which tabulates ALL the reviews of a particular film that it can possibly find, then gives it a score based on the percentage of good reviews vs. bad.
--Here's how that shook down . . .
--ANGELINA JOLIE was named this year's highest-paid actress . . . with $30 million. But since 2001, reviews for her films have only been, on average, 47% positive.
--SARAH JESSICA PARKER . . . who also made about $30 million over the past year . . . did even worse. Her score was 36%.
--Hollywood's third-highest-paid actress over the past year was JENNIFER ANISTON, with $28 million. Her average fell in between Angelina's and Sarah's, at 42%.
--Then comes REESE WITHERSPOON, who also made around $28 million. Reviews for her movies over the past 10 years have been 53% positive.
--In fifth place on the highest-paid list is JULIA ROBERTS, with $20 million. But it turns out she's the MOST-LIKED. Her average is 55%.
(--So Reese and Julia have been the most-praised. Not surprisingly, both of them also have an Oscar. Julia won for "Erin Brockovich" and Reese got hers for "Walk the Line".) (--For more information . . . including a more detailed rundown of the movies that helped AND HURT these ladies' averages, click here.)
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND
This Week's New Movies Include: Zoe Saldana Kicking Ass . . . Paul Rudd Smoking Pot . . . and Katie Holmes Fighting Monsters:
#1.) "Colombiana" (PG-13)
Zoe Saldana plays an assassin who's looking for revenge on the mobster who ordered a hit on her parents when she was a little girl. And "Alias" stud Michael Vartan is the lucky guy who gets to sample her other talents. (Trailer) (Animated Teaser)
#2.) "Our Idiot Brother" (R)
Paul Rudd plays the pot-smoking brother of Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, and Zooey Deschanel. When his girlfriend kicks him out, they take turns letting him live with them. It also stars Rashida Jones as Zooey's lesbian life-partner. (--CAREFUL: There's a B-word at the 1:47 mark in the trailer.)
#3.) "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" (R)
Guillermo Del Toro directs this remake of a 1973 horror movie about a woman who inherits an old mansion, and accidentally releases creatures that are whispering her name from the basement. In this one they're terrorizing a little girl. Her dad is played by "Memento's" Guy Pearce. And Katie Holmes plays his girlfriend. (Trailer) (Original)
Was "Toy Story" Almost Called "Bring Me the Arm of Buzz Lightyear"?
Did you know that "Toy Story" wasn't originally going to be called "Toy Story"? That was just the working title for the film. And before it was finished, Pixar put out a call to their employees, asking for suggestions for a final title. --That's according to Lee Unkrich, who edited the first film, then went on to co-direct the second and direct the third. --To show us why Pixar stuck with "Toy Story", Unkrich Tweeted several of those suggestions. Some of them are pretty crazy. Here they are . . .
--"The New Toy"
--"Made in Taiwan"
--"Moving Buddies"
--"To Infinity and Beyond"
--"Windup Heroes"
--"The Cowboy & the Spaceman"
--"Spurs & Rockets"
--"Bring Me the Arm of Buzz Lightyear"
--"Wind the Frog" . . . (--Actually, whoever came up with this one is BRILLIANT. "Wind the Frog" is my favorite line from the movie, and would make an AWESOME name for an indie band. You're welcome, hipsters.) (???)
--"Rex's First Movie"
--"For the Love of Bo Peep"
--"Toyz in the Hood"
--"Each Sold Separately"
--"Wings & Pullstrings"
--"Some Assembly Required"
--"The Favorite"
"Survivor" Is Bringing Back Ozzy Lusth and Coach Ben Wade:
Last season, "Survivor" brought back veterans RUSSELL HANTZ and "BOSTON ROB" MARIANO. This time, they're bringing back OZZY LUSTH and "COACH" BEN WADE. This is the third season for both of them. --Ozzy was on Season 13, "Survivor: Cook Islands", and Season 16, "Survivor: Micronesia: Fans Vs. Favorites". Coach was on Season 18, "Survivor: Tocantins", and Season 20, "Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains". (--Here's a preview video on the returning castaways. "Survivor: South Pacific" premieres on September 14th.)
"Bachelorette" Reject Ben Flajnik Is Your New "Bachelor" . . . Probably:
"Entertainment Weekly" says the next "Bachelor" is BEN FLAJNIK, who was rejected by ASHLEY HEBERT on "The Bachelorette" this summer. Ben made it to the finale, but Ashley went with J.P. ROSENBAUM instead. --ABC wouldn't confirm this. The official announcement will be made during the "Bachelor Pad" finale on September 12th. --Earlier this month, there was talk that Ben was hooking up with JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT, but J-Love denied it. She said they did meet up "by coincidence", but there was nothing between them.
Simon Cowell Expects "X Factor" to Attract at Least 20 Million Viewers:
What will it take for SIMON COWELL to consider "The X Factor" a success? Well, for starters, he's expecting it to average at least 20 million viewers. --He tells the "Hollywood Reporter" that any less than that would be, quote, "a disappointment." He adds, quote, "[I want] buzz. In England, you genuinely get the feeling the whole country is talking about the show. I hope for that." (--For what it's worth, "American Idol" averaged 25.9 million viewers for the performance episodes and 23.8 million viewers for the results shows.) (--The performance episode numbers were up over 2 million viewers from the year before . . . Simon's last season on "Idol" . . . and the results shows were UP just under 2 million viewers. That's significant.) (--Simon's incredible ego has been well documented. So forget 20 million, Simon won't be happy unless he beats "Idol". Actually, Scratch that. He won't be happy unless he SMOKES "Idol".)
"VMAs" Updates: There Will Be No Host, and Beyoncé Is Performing:
MTV has announced that NO ONE will this year's "MTV Video Music Awards". CHELSEA HANDLER hosted the show last year. --Also, BEYONCÉ has joined the list of performers, which already includes Adele, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Lady Gaga, Young the Giant, Bruno Mars, Pitbull and Ne-Yo. The show airs live this Sunday night.
Thursday TV Reminders: (--Check your local listings.)
--"Pre-Season Football" . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. Eastern on ESPN. (--The Baltimore Ravens host the Washington Redskins at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.)
--"Big Brother 13" [Eviction Night] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on CBS.
--"Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero" [SERIES Premiere] . . . 8:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Discovery Channel. (--A documentary series that chronicles the construction of the new 16-acre complex at the site of the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York.)
--"Expedition Impossible" [1st Season Finale] . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on ABC.
--"The Green Room with Paul Provenza" . . . 11:00 to 11:30 P.M. on Showtime. (--Bill Burr, Russell Peters, Colin Quinn, Caroline Rhea and Lizz Winstead guest.)
Alice Cooper Put Kesha and Vince Gill On His New Album Because No One Expected It:
On September 13th, ALICE COOPER will put out his new album "Welcome 2 My Nightmare". (--It's a sequel to his classic 1975 album "Welcome to My Nightmare", which is why he used the number "2" instead of the word "to".) --It features some interesting guests: KESHA and country star VINCE GILL. --Alice explains, quote, "I met [Kesha] at the Grammys, and I immediately looked at her and went, 'This girl is not a pop diva. She's a rock singer.' She would much rather be the female Robert Plant than the next Britney Spears." (--He didn't clarify whether he meant the '70s version of Robert Plant or the current one . . . but let's assume he meant the old one. It's better that way . . . and so was Robert.) --Alice says he knows no one expected him to collaborate with Kesha and Vince, and that's part of the reason he wanted to do it. --He says, quote, "There's a little bit of defiance in me. Even when my fans think they know what I'm gonna do, I'm like, 'Whaddya mean I can't put Vince Gill on the album?' Nobody's going to expect Kesha on my album, so, great, let's do it. --"I like the idea you still can't put me in a corner and say, 'This is what you're gonna sound like.'" (--Vince has a guitar solo on a track called "A Runaway Train", and Kesha sings on "What Baby Wants". You can listen to a clip of it, here.)
THURSDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS
Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
Here's a fun photo gallery of celebrities when they were kids. (Gallery)
JASON BATEMAN and his wife Amanda are expecting their second child. It'll be a girl, according to Amanda's dad, SUPERSTAR SINGING SENSATION PAUL ANKA. Jason and Amanda already have a 4-year-old daughter named Francesca. (Full Story)
SARA GILBERT from "The Talk" has broken up with her partner of 10 years, Allison Adler. Sara and Allison have a 6-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter. Allison carried the boy, and Sara gave birth to the girl. (Full Story)
CHRISTOPHER KNIGHT has officially filed for divorce from ADRIANNE CURRY. Their rep says, quote, "The couple is still friends and the process thus far is very amiable." (Full Story)
TONY HAWK messed up one of his front teeth in a skateboarding accident . . . and decided to just have it pulled. (pic before dentist) (pic after dentist)
LINDSAY LOHAN is comparing herself to MARILYN MONROE again. (Full Story)
And the name of KIMBERLY STEWART and BENICIO DEL TORO'S baby girl is . . . DELILAH. (Full Story)
The first clear pictures of HENRY CAVILL as Superman in the upcoming "Man of Steel" hit the web yesterday . . . and the costume does NOT have red underpants. Is that superhero HERESY? (Full Story)
Check out a preview of ROSIE O'DONNELL'S upcoming show on OWN. (Video)
According to the 911 call, the hotel employees who discovered JANI LANE'S body were afraid to go near him . . . even to check to see if he was still alive. At one point, the dispatcher says, quote, "It would be nice to know if we can help him." (Audio)
NOEL GALLAGHER has apologized to his brother LIAM for saying OASIS had to cancel a gig in 2009 because he was hungover. Noel says that Liam had laryngitis. (Full Story) (--Liam sued Noel for libel because of Noel's initial comment.)
RANDOM STUFF
NOT-SO-STUPID NEWS
Steve Jobs Has Resigned as CEO of Apple:
Yesterday, STEVE JOBS resigned as the CEO of Apple . . . ending his tenure as pretty much one of the greatest businessmen in history. In the past 14 years, he took Apple from near-dead to one of the top two most valuable companies in the world. --He's 56 years old, and has been battling serious medical issues for years, which almost certainly caused his resignation. He survived pancreatic cancer and has been on medical leave from Apple since January for an undisclosed condition. --The company basically knew the day was coming when Jobs would have to step down. He's been replaced at the top by TIM COOK, Apple's chief operating officer. --But Jobs resigning shouldn't derail Apple's upcoming projects: They'll probably announce a new iPhone in next month, and a new iPad should be out early next year. --In a letter, Jobs wrote, quote, "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately that day has come." --Jobs co-founded Apple with STEVE WOZNIAK back in the late 1970s . . . starting in his parents' garage. In 1985 he left . . . then in 1997, with Apple on its death bed, he came back to try to save it. --Since then, he's transformed the company into the most valuable consumer brand in the world, and has traded back and forth this year with ExxonMobil as the most valuable company in the world. --Even though Jobs is out of the day-to-day operations, he'll still be the chairman of Apple's board of directors. (Reuters)
Hillary Clinton Comes in Second on the "Forbes" Most Powerful Women List . . . Lady Gaga is 11th:
"Forbes" just released their list of the 100 most powerful women in the world. And our country's Secretary of State managed to come in nine notches ahead of a psychotic 25-year-old who wears raw meat and popped out of an egg on MTV. --Secretary of State HILLARY CLINTON came in second on the list, only behind ANGELA MERKEL, the chancellor of Germany. LADY GAGA finished 11th, the highest of any entertainer on the list. --The women on the list are ranked by wealth, political and business power, and reach and influence . . . both in mainstream media and on social media like Twitter. --After Merkel and Clinton, third place was Brazil's president, Dilma Rousseff . . . fourth is Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo . . . and fifth is Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook. --Some other notable names on the list: Michelle Obama is eighth . . . Oprah Winfrey is 14th, three spots behind Gaga . . . Beyoncé is 18th . . . Michele Bachmann is 22nd . . . Angelina Jolie is 29th . . . --Arianna Huffington is 31st . . . Sarah Palin is 34th . . . Queen Elizabeth the Second is 49th . . . Ellen DeGeneres is 55th . . . Gisele Bundchen is 60th . . . and J.K. Rowling is 61st. (Forbes) (--You can see the full top 100 here.)
A New Study Says That if Obama Loses in 2012, He'll Probably Be Ranked as the 22nd Best President Ever:
I always find presidential ranking lists interesting. It's like a combination of sports and politics. Plus it gives everyone a chance to rip on ANDREW JOHNSON and CHESTER A. ARTHUR. --A political science expert named Curt Nichols at Baylor University in Texas just finished up a study to determine where PRESIDENT OBAMA will rank against the other presidents in U.S. history. And here's what he found . . . --If Obama loses in 2012 and is a one-term president, he'll probably be ranked 22nd. That's an extremely "average" ranking, and would put him in the same vicinity as William Howard Taft, Martin Van Buren, and the first George Bush. --But if Obama wins in 2012 and has two terms, Nichols says he believes he'll be considered a "near great" and could end up as high as FOURTH . . . after only Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, and George Washington. --Nichols says that rankings are usually based on factors like how many years a president serves, how they handle war, how they transform the country, and how they either push the country into crisis or bring the country out of one. (Eurekalert) (--You can see presidential rankings from several different polls here.)
The Restaurant Where Facebook Users Check-In the Most Is . . . Starbucks:
Last August, Facebook introduced their Places feature, which allows users to check-in at their favorite locations. --A year later, they released some of the data about where their users check-in the most. So far, they've only released the information for restaurants. --Based on number of check-ins, the favorite restaurant for Facebook users is . . . Starbucks. --It helps that Starbucks has about 17,000 locations, and wireless Internet. --Second on the list is Buffalo Wild Wings, a sports bar chain that only has about 700 locations. They finished three spots above McDonald's, which has 32,000 locations, most of which offer wireless. --Chili's and Applebee's also finished ahead of McDonald's. --In sixth and seventh place are IHOP and Denny's. --Olive Garden, T.G.I. Friday's, and The Cheesecake Factory round out the top ten. (Mashable)
Facebook Will Finally Let You Keep People From Tagging You in Photos:
There's nothing worse than finding out someone tagged you in a Facebook photo where you're doing something embarrassing, or you look GOD AWFUL. Or both. And you weren't able to untag yourself in time. --Well, finally . . . after FOUR DAMN YEARS of torturing people . . . Facebook has changed their rules. --Soon you'll be able to change the settings in your profile so that people can't tag you without your approval . . . after they tag you, you get a chance to review the tags and approve or deny them before they go live. --They haven't said exactly when this is going to roll out, just that it's coming very soon. (Facebook)
After a Disaster, One in Four Americans Say They'd Update Facebook to Let People Know They're Safe:
This is a pretty amazing look at just how much communication has changed in the past five years or so. According to a new survey by the Red Cross, after a disaster, ONE-FOURTH of this country would tell people they're okay by . . . Facebook.
--24% of people say they'd go on Facebook because it's the quickest, easiest, and most reliable way to let all their loved ones know they're safe. (PR Newswire) (--You can reach the Red Cross for more information at 202-303-5551.)
Stupid "Star Wars" Gimmick of the Day Part One: Ask Vader:
The three original "Star Wars" movies are coming out in a Blu-ray box set next month . . . along with the three beloved and cherished prequels. And in honor of the release, the official "Star Wars" website has put up a random new feature. --It's called "Ask Vader." You type in a question and Vader gives you a random response . . . sort of like Magic 8-Ball Vader. Some are lines from the movies, and some aren't. But it doesn't sound like it's James Earl Jones. --Anyway, if you've ever dreamed of being verbally dominated by Darth Vader, this is your chance. --Check it out at vader.starwars.com.
Stupid "Star Wars" Gimmick of the Day Part Two: Han Solo Ice Cube Trays:
Want to make ice cubes for your next party which will make sure you and your fellow nerds never get any action? Then this is exactly what you're looking for. --For $10, you can get an ice cube tray to make ice cubes that look like Han Solo when he's frozen in carbonite, from "The Empire Strikes Back". Great for "Star Wars" fans AND preventing premarital sex. (--Check out some photos of the tray and the ice. You can buy it here.)
After a Workout, One of the Best Recovery Drinks is . . . Beer?
We've got good news and bad news here. The good news: A new study has proven that after a workout, one of the best things you can drink to recover is BEER. The bad news? It's non-alcoholic beer. (--Cue the sad trombones.) --Researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany wanted to see if beer could be equal to, or even better than water and Gatorade. So they had some marathon runners recover after a race with those, and some recover with beer. --And they found that the runners who drank non-alcoholic beer recovered faster after the race. They also had fewer health issues, like upper respiratory infections and inflammation, compared to the other runners. --It only worked with non-alcoholic beer, though . . . alcoholic beer did NOT have the same effects. --Dr. Johannes Scherr led the study and his explanation for the power of non-alcoholic beer is . . . well, he has no clue. --He says it probably has to do with the chemical compounds found in non-alcoholic beer, but he's not positive. Alcoholic beer has the same compounds . . . but the negative impact of the alcohol offsets them. (New York Times)
The Post Office Has Found a Way to Cut $1.5 Billion From Their Budget . . . By Delivering Mail More Slowly:
Something tells me the Post Office doesn't understand why they've been losing money. --The U.S. Postal Service has lost billions of dollars over the last several years, as more and more people switch to email and paying bills online. --A recent Postal study thinks they've found the problem: They've been delivering the mail . . . TOO FAST. The Post Office can cut one-and-a-half BILLION dollars from their budget if they just make their delivery times a little LONGER. --Currently, they tell customers that first-class and Priority Mail should arrive in two or three days, although they don't guarantee it. --Keeping that schedule requires postal workers to put in overnight and weekend shifts. But if they took an extra day they could cut $336 million in overtime costs. --They could cut another $1.1 billion by sending more Priority packages by ground instead of air. --Obviously, customers who already prefer email are going to be even less likely to buy stamps if it takes longer, and the Post Office knows it: They expect the amount of First Class mail to drop from 78 billion letters a year to 50 billion. --But businesses who use the Post Office like the idea. The study said that they, quote, "value consistency over speed and would tolerate slightly slower service to save costs." --Post Office officials haven't decided to do it yet . . . but supposedly they're seriously considering the idea, and might announce a new schedule after Labor Day. (Washington Post)
MEATBALL CRIMINALS
Two Subway Employees Let a Robber Take $125 From the Register . . . but Protested When He Went for the Tip Jar:
On Monday, 47-year-old Robert Allen Walker used a knife to hold up a Subway in St. Petersburg, Florida. --He told the two employees that he had lung cancer and was trying to raise a child. Although police haven't verified any of that. --The employees let him clean out the register, which got Robert about $125 in cash. --But then Robert went for the tip jar . . . and when it came to THEIR money, suddenly the employees grew a spine. --They protested enough to convince Robert to put their tip money back . . . and just take the cash from the register. --A police spokesman said that they complained so much, Robert ended up apologizing to them. --The police caught Robert a few hours later, and he's in jail with $50,000 bail. (St. Petersburg Times)
RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS
Random News Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:
The city of Camden, New Jersey is paying kids $100 each not to skip school. (Full Story)
According to a writer for the "Marine Corps Times", Marines aren't allowed to pass gas loudly in Afghanistan anymore, because noisy farts offend Afghans. (Full Story)
This is awesome: A non-profit educational foundation . . . one that's basically just a front organization for a magician . . . is offering a $1 million prize for any celebrity psychic who can PROVE their powers on randomly selected strangers in a controlled environment. (Full Story)
Teenagers who use Facebook are more likely to smoke and drink. (Full Story)
Some people are complaining that the new Martin Luther King memorial in D.C. was made by a Chinese sculptor, from Chinese granite. And that MLK even looks a little Asian in the sculpture. And another blog pointed out that the monument kind of looks like Han Solo, frozen in carbonite.
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) LeBron James Agreed to Jump Off a High Dive at a Pool in Barcelona . . . Then Froze When He Saw How High Up He Was:
LEBRON JAMES was at a pool in Barcelona the other day for some kind of Nike event. And he agreed to jump off the ten-meter high dive, which is about 33 feet. --But when LeBron got up there, he FROZE. He did eventually make the jump, but it took him about three minutes. And he made some other guy go first so he could see how to do it. --And to add to the pressure, the announcer got the crowd to start chanting the word "jump." And at one point yelled, quote, "C'mon, LeBron! Everybody wants to see [it]!" (--Search for "LeBron James High Dive Barcelona Video." The first guy goes at 2:23, and LeBron jumps at 2:47.)
#2.) 90-Year-Old Nancy Reagan Fell at an Event in California . . . but Freshman GOP Senator Marco Rubio and a Service Agent Saved Her:
NANCY REAGAN fell on Tuesday at an event in California. Freshman GOP Senator Marco Rubio and the 90-year-old former First Lady were walking through a roomful of people at the Reagan Library, and she lost her balance. --Luckily, Rubio caught her by the arm, and a Secret Service agent stopped her from falling, so she's okay. (--Search YouTube for "Nancy Reagan Marco Rubio Fall.")
#3.) Check Out What an Exploding Car Looks Like in Real Life:
If you think cars only explode in the movies, check this out: Last Friday, someone in Los Angeles got cell phone footage of firefighters dealing with a burning car that was parked on the street. --And while one of them was standing right next to it dousing it with water, something under the hood EXPLODED. --It was actually pretty intense . . . but the explosion was small enough that the badass firefighter just stepped away for a second, then turned his hose on again and kept working. (--Search for "Car Explosion in Los Angeles August 19th." It explodes at :15.)
Four Signs You're in at Least Decent Health:
The other day we gave you a list from Dr. Oz of "Three Weird Ways Your Body Can Tell You Something's Wrong." Now, here's something to put your mind at ease: It's a list of four signs you're in relatively GOOD health.
#1.) (--CAREFUL) When You Empty Your Bladder, It's Fairly Clear. It should be a pale yellow color, and you should be using the bathroom a few times a day. It's a sign that you're properly hydrated, and your kidneys are healthy. --If it's cloudy, dark, or BRIGHT yellow, it's a sign you're dehydrated. And if it's clear, it means you're TOO hydrated, which isn't a big deal. But when you are, your body doesn't absorb enough salts and electrolytes.
#2.) Your Cuts Heal Fairly Quickly. It means your blood is clotting normally, your white blood cells are carrying away bacteria like they should, and your blood vessels are healthy. --If you bruise easily or it takes weeks for a cut to heal, it could be a sign of liver disease, a bone marrow disorder, or hemophilia . . . which is when your blood doesn't clot right. --But don't freak out. Bruising easily can also be caused by medication, or just the fact that you're getting older. --Because as you age, the smallest type of blood vessels in your body . . . your capillaries . . . become more prone to rupture. And your skin also gets thinner, which doesn't help.
#3.) Healthy Hair and Nails. When you have a vitamin deficiency, your hair and fingernails are usually where it shows up first.
--For example, if your nails curve UP, it means you might not be getting enough iron or zinc. And if they curve DOWN, you might not be getting enough B-12. --If it's a SERIOUS vitamin deficiency, it can also make your hair start falling out in clumps. But if your hair is just frizzy, or you have split ends, don't worry.
#4.) You Sleep Through the Night. A lot of people don't get the recommended seven hours every night. But as long as you sleep SOUNDLY and don't wake up sweating or needing to use the bathroom twice a night, you're probably fine. --If you regularly sleep through the night, it means you're most likely hitting all the stages of sleep you need to in order to stay healthy. And OCCASIONAL insomnia is considered normal. --The one thing you DO still have to worry about is snoring, because it could be a sign of sleep apnea, which prevents your blood from getting enough oxygen. --If you get enough sleep, you SHOULD wake up feeling somewhat refreshed. But people with sleep apnea wake up feeling exhausted every morning. (DivineCaroline.com)
posted by Nazzy @ 5:54 AM
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