HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW (11-17-11)

Sharon Stone Now Has a Facebook Page To Welcome Soldiers Back from Iraq and Afghanistan:

SHARON STONE has started a Facebook page that welcomes home military personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan. But that's not all it does. --People can do more than offer thanks and well-wishes. They can also offer soldiers jobs, discounts and other perks. --Sharon says, quote, "It's very important that people know that their country is behind them. With all of this negative chatter in the governmental races, we need to have our actual country say what they feel in loving, really vocal terms." --She adds, quote, "I'd like to see big stores like Kmart and Target offer 30 percent off for veterans." --Sharon also plans to hold contests where veterans can win a chance to attend movie premieres and other Hollywood events . . . and she hopes other celebrities will do the same. (--Check out the website here.) (--Speaking of Sharon, she just signed on to "Inferno" . . . that movie about "Deep Throat" star LINDA LOVELACE. Sharon will play Linda's mother. Linda is being played by MALIN AKERMAN.)


Are Cameron Diaz and Diddy Friends with Benefits?

Are CAMERON DIAZ and DIDDY friends with benefits? "Us Weekly" claims they've been hooking up on-and-off since 2008. --A source says quote, "When she's single, she'll booty call him." --Diddy and Cameron were spotted having lunch together in Beverly Hills the other day, but Cameron's rep says, quote, "They are longtime friends and fans of one another's work. They have been seen together recently because they are developing a film project."


Jennifer Lopez Deflects Questions About Her Alleged Relationship:

If JENNIFER LOPEZ really is dating that backup dancer, she's not ready to talk about it. --RYAN SEACREST asked her about it on his radio show, and she said, quote, "Until I'm in a really serious relationship . . . because of the babies . . . I'm not really gonna be commenting on my personal life." --Then she added, quote, "I'm a busy girl. I don't have time for all that."


Bradley Cooper is "People" Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive:

BRADLEY COOPER has been named "People" magazine's Sexiest Man Alive for 2011. --As for how he felt when he was told, Cooper says, quote, "I thought I was being Punk'd . . . My mother is going to be so happy." --He added, quote, "I think it's really cool that a guy who doesn't look like a model can have this [title]. I think I'm a decent-looking guy. Sometimes I can look great, and other times I look horrifying." --Despite a romance with RENEE ZELLWEGER . . . and a RUMORED fling with JENNIFER LOPEZ . . . Bradley says he's NOT a player. --Quote, "I'm a single 36-year-old male. If you're a single man and you happen to be in this business, you're deemed a player. But I don't see myself as a ladies' man. But I love women. Do you know what I'm saying?"

--Other guys who made the Sexiest Man Alive issue include . . .

--Tim McGraw

--Idris Elba . . . the "controversial" black God in "Thor"

--Miley Cyrus' boyfriend Liam Hemsworth

--Jennifer Aniston's boyfriend Justin Theroux

--Chris "Captain America" Evans

--Joel McHale from "Community"

--Josh Charles from "The Good Wife"

--Alec Baldwin

--Jason "Conan" Momoa

--Dylan McDermott

--Ryan Gosling

--Zac Efron

--Robert Pattinson

--Trey Songz

--George Clooney

--And, perhaps most awesomely . . . "Modern Family" genius TY BURRELL . . . who says that his wife LAUGHED HYSTERICALLY when she learned he was going to be in "People's" Sexiest Man Alive issue. (--Here's video.) (--Check out the online Sexiest Man Alive coverage at People.com. Enjoy pictures of these men here. And you can check out the complete list of "People's" Sexiest Men Alive, from 1985 to the present, here.)


Sofia Vergara Is Talking About Her Boobs Again:

-Sofia tells the new issue of "Health" magazine that when she first moved to America, her publicist told her, quote, "I think you should just reduce your boobs because nobody's going to take you seriously here." --And she probably would have done it, too, if it weren't for her mother, who, quote, "almost had a heart attack." --Sofia adds, quote, "She was like, 'God is going to punish you! You can't cut your boobs! I don't regret not doing it, because now it's become a big part of [my character on 'Modern Family']." --And while she admits that women are never completely happy with their bodies, Sofia says, quote, "I'm a Latin woman: I'm voluptuous, I'm loud, I'm exactly what a Latin woman is. --"I prefer to be called that than, 'You're boring; you have a flat ass!'"


Dylan McDermott from "American Horror Story" Doesn't Mind Getting Hit on By Gay Men:

DYLAN MCDERMOTT has done some NUDITY on his new FX series "American Horror Story". And since then, he's been hit on by more gay men than ever. He doesn't mind. --He says, quote, "Honestly, I'm cool with everyone, and people pick up on that. I'd say, 'I'm not gay, but it's all good.' --"It's kind of like going to Paris when you don't know the language: some Americans get into trouble over there, but I'm just like, 'Sorry, I don't speak French.'" (--Before "American Horror Story", Dylan played Bobby Donnell on "The Practice".)


Connie Britton from "American Horror Story" Has Adopted a Baby from Ethiopia:

CONNIE BRITTON . . . who plays DYLAN MCDERMOTT'S wife on "American Horror Story" . . . has adopted a 9-month-old baby boy from Ethiopia. His name is Eyob. --Connie . . . who's 44 . . . isn't married. (--Before "American Horror Story", she played Tami Taylor on "Friday Night Lights".)


Did Gary Busey Shoulder-Block a Woman to the Ground at an Airport?

A woman is suing GARY BUSEY for allegedly knocking her to the ground last spring at an airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma. --57-year-old Carla Loeffler says she and Busey were waiting for the same flight . . . but he spent the time downing drinks in the bar. By the time the flight was called, he was pretty much in the bag. --Carla says Busey wasn't interested in waiting in line, so he barreled past everyone, shoulder-blocking her to the ground in the process. She's suing for unspecified damages.





Joseph Gordon-Levitt Hasn't Seen the Video of that Girl with Cancer Asking Him Out Yet:

Will JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT go out with LINDSEY MILLER . . . the 26-year-old girl with pancreatic cancer who asked him out on YouTube? We don't know . . . because Joseph hasn't even seen the video yet. -Asked about it by E! Online, he said, quote, "Two other people were telling me about this, but no I have not heard about it until then. I haven't seen the video. I'll have to watch it."


Showbiz Photo of the Day: Chaz Bono and Richard Simmons:

The LGBT community has its Batman and Robin! Its Wonder Twins! Its Ernie and Bert! --Check out CHAZ BONO and RICHARD SIMMONS in our Showbiz Photo of the Day! (TMZ)


Did William Shatner Almost Die Deep-Frying a Thanksgiving Turkey?

WILLIAM SHATNER has teamed up with State Farm Insurance to warn Americans to be careful when deep-frying turkeys this Thanksgiving. And as it turns out, he speaks from personal experience. --He says, quote, "Several years ago I was burned on my arms after accidentally dropping the turkey in the hot oil. People need to remember that hot oil and turkey can be a dangerous combination. --"Ignorance is the friend of accidents. Be enemies with ignorance." (--Yes, there's a video. And yes, Shatner is as hammy as ever in it. Check it out here.)


Mila Kunis Doesn't Consider What She Does "Art":

You'll never catch MILA KUNIS calling what she does for a living "art". --In the new "GQ" magazine . . . in which she was named Knockout of the Year . . . she says, quote, "I love what I do, but my theory is that it's people who doubt what they do and want to prove it to you, they're like 'It's art. I create art. It's art, art, art.' --"I'm like, Holy [crap], are you [effing] kidding me? I run around and pretend I'm someone else for twelve hours; I record 'Family Guy'. Then I get to go home and watch 'Jersey Shore'." (--Mila does the voice of Meg on "Family Guy".)


Did Scott Disick Cheat on Kourtney Kardashian with Kristin Cavallari?

ROB KARDASHIAN has been one of the breakout contestants on "Dancing With the Stars" . . . and his family has been in the audience cheering him on right from the beginning. Well, not all of them. --SCOTT DISICK . . . KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN'S boyfriend and baby-daddy . . . didn't show up until the October 31st episode. And "Life & Style" magazine says there's a reason for that. --Supposedly, back in early 2009, while he and Kourtney were "on a break", Scott hooked up with KRISTIN CAVALLARI. Kristin was also a contestant this season on "Dancing With the Stars". --This caused MASSIVE friction between Kourtney and Scott . . . and she wouldn't let Scott come to the tapings until Kristin was gone. --Kristin was a surprise elimination in early October . . . and on Halloween, Scott made his first appearance. --Kristin dated Kourtney's stepbrother BRODY JENNER during her "Laguna Beach" days. And Kourtney, Scott and Kristin remained friends even after that relationship ended. --But that friendship came to an end when Kourtney found out Kristin was nailing Scott. --However . . . a source close to Kristin says she did NOT hook up with Scott . . . and finds the idea "GROSS".


(NC-17) The Paternity Lawsuit Against Justin Bieber Has Been Dropped, But Justin Isn't Out of the Woods Yet:

It continues to look more and more like JUSTIN BIEBER did NOT have that unprotected fling with Mariah Yeater last fall . . . and is not the father of her four-month old baby. --Last week, Mariah's lawyers dropped her paternity lawsuit against Justin, and excused themselves from the case. But Justin isn't totally out of the woods yet. --Mariah has a NEW lawyer, Jeffrey Leving, who says the lawsuit was dropped as part of a legal "strategy." (--He didn't say if it was also a strategy for her old lawyers to suddenly get up and run away from the case.) --Leving tells the "New York Daily News" that Mariah's legal team initially filed the lawsuit because they wanted a judge to order the paternity test . . . and make sure the test's "chain of custody" was safeguarded. --But going through the courts was too public . . . he says, quote, "In light of death threats directed toward my client, strategies have been reviewed. The [lawsuit] has been withdrawn, and we're trying to settle out of court with Bieber's counsel." --Leving says they still want Justin to take a paternity test . . . PRIVATELY.
-In another interview with MTV News, Leving says they want a nondisclosure agreement. He explains, quote, "The case is stronger now because we can negotiate outside of court. I believe [Mariah]. I believe she had sexual intercourse with [Justin] and I do believe he is the father of the child. --"If [the test comes back] negative, we'll deal with it. If it's positive, we'll deal with it when that happens. But hopefully whether it's positive or negative, nobody will know." -A few other notes: First of all, the lawsuit was dismissed "without prejudice" . . . meaning that it can be re-filed at any point, if Mariah's lawyers decide to try that route again. --Also, Justin's publicist didn't respond directly to these new developments . . . aside from reiterating that it's a "malicious, defamatory, and demonstrably false claim." And that they will, quote, "consider all of our options to protect Justin." (--Here's audio of Leving talking to TMZ, and here's audio of him talking to WGN.)


Selena Gomez Says She's "Good" Despite Justin Bieber's Paternity Scandal:

SELENA GOMEZ is on "Ellen" today. It was pre-taped, and word has it she addresses JUSTIN BIEBER'S baby mama scandal . . . but only ever so slightly.--Ellen begins by saying, quote, "I have to ask before we talk about anything else . . . what a crazy last two weeks it's been in the news. You've been all right?" --And Selena responds, quote, "I have been, yeah." --Then Ellen says, quote, "Everything's all good now. You knew that all along but it's nice to have everything out in the open now." --And Selena replies, quote, "Yeah, it's good to just kind of . . . be good." --There you have it. (???)


NEW MOVIES THIS WEEKEND

The "Twilight" and "Happy Feet" Sequels Are Out Tomorrow:

#1.) "Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1" (PG-13) (Trailer)

After Edward and Bella's wedding, Bella finally gets her wish to become a glittery vampire, because her body's too weak to survive her unexpected pregnancy. But the birth of their little half-breed is seen as a threat by both the Volturi and the werewolves. Robert Pattinson spent six months building up his six pack abs for his sex scene . . . and Kristen Stewart must have really enjoyed it. That scene had to be reshot to eliminate her INTENSE THRUSTING, which was a little much for the PG-13 guidelines (--Edward's butt crack also failed to make the final cut. Read more on that here.) In the book, Edward and Bella's first time includes a broken headboard, some bruising, and feathers flying everywhere after they bite and rip pillows open. (--The birthing scene was also intense and bloody in the book. "Breaking Dawn" director Bill Condon describes how he handled it for the movie here, and Kristen Stewart says she wishes she could have puked blood for that scene here.) Maggie Grace . . . who played Shannon on "Lost" . . . plays Irina, the vampire who mistakenly "outs" Edward and Bella's newborn baby as an immortal child to the Volturi. The two parts of "Breaking Dawn" were filmed back-to-back. "Part 2" is the final movie in the "Twilight" saga and it's set to hit theaters next year, in November of 2012.


#2.) "Happy Feet Two" (PG) (Trailer)

Elijah Wood returns as the tap dancing penguin Mumbles. But the sequel is about his son, who runs away because he doesn't know how to dance. The rest of the voices include Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Pink, Brad Pitt, Sofia Vergara, and Common.


Robert Pattinson's Butt Crack Was Cut Out of the "Breaking Dawn" Sex Scene:

One of the most anticipated moments in "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" . . . and in the entire "Twilight" franchise for that matter . . . is the LOVE SCENE between Edward and Bella. --But keep in mind this is a PG-13 movie, so they couldn't show too much. Unfortunately, one thing that didn't make the final cut was ROBERT PATTINSON'S BUTT CRACK. --In an interview airing on tomorrow's "Ellen", Pattinson says, quote, "There was a bit too much butt crack, I think. That was one thing I know they cut out. They didn't cut the shot or whatever, they just cut the crack out." --When Ellen asked how they "cut the crack out", Robert said, quote, "They just painted over it." (--We assume he means digitally.) --Ellen said, quote, "They cover it so there is no crack on your butt? You just look like one solid cheek?" --And Robert replied, quote, "You're allowed to show cheek. You can't show crack."
The 25 Most Disturbing "Twilight" Products of 2011:

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" hits theaters TOMORROW. And to celebrate, some website you've never heard of put together a list of the 25 Most Disturbing "Twilight" Products of 2011.


--They include:


--A "Baking Dawn" baking dish.


--A necklace with an image of Bella STRADDLING Edward during their love scene.


--Bella deodorant


--Condoms


--Edward body pillows


--GLITTER LUBE


(--Check out pictures of all these insane items here.)


Trailer-Rama: "Titanic 3D" and Pixar's "Brave":

#1.) The 3D version of "Titanic" hits theaters on April 6th. The trailer hit the Internet yesterday. (--I'm not really sure how it differs from any other "Titanic" trailer, but here it is.)

#2.) Pixar's "Brave" doesn't come out until June, but the trailer is online now. (--Check it out here.)


Michael Jackson's Estate Is Working on a Biopic:

MICHAEL JACKSON'S estate is working on a biopic about Michael. Although reports say it would only cover, quote, "certain periods" of his life. --Hollywood genius IVAN REITMAN has been approached to produce. (--Ivan has directed such Hollywood classics as "Meatballs", "Stripes", "Twins", "Kindergarten Cop" and the "Ghostbusters" movies.)


It's Official: NBC Is Bringing Back "The Munsters":

Last fall, NBC was toying with the idea of doing a "modern-day reboot" of "The Munsters" . . . but they ultimately decided to pass. --However, they must have had a change of heart, because the "reboot" is back in development. They've ordered a pilot, so it could be in the running for a spot on NBC's schedule next season. --The new "Munsters" is going to be a, quote, "visually spectacular one-hour drama." It's also being described as "edgy" and "slightly darker" than the original show, which was a comedy / satire. That's all we know for now. (--The original series aired from 1964 through 1966. There was also a previous "reboot" called "The Munsters Today", which ran from 1988 to 1991.)


It's Official: Ricky Gervais Is Hosting the Golden Globes Again:

As expected, RICKY GERVAIS will return to host the Golden Globes in January. Apparently, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organization behind the Golden Globes, didn't mind that Ricky "crossed the line" with a few jokes last time. --The Golden Globes go down on January 15th.


Thursday TV Reminders:


--"Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie" . . . 7:55 to 9:22 P.M. on Showtime. A documentary about Wavy Gravy's efforts to help children suffering with brain injuries and to provide eye care to the poor in Third World countries.


--"20/20: Regis Philbin: The Morning Maestro with Katie Couric" . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on ABC. Katie Couric interviews Regis Philbin on the eve of his final 28-year-long run on "Live".


--"The X Factor" [Results Show] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Fox.


--"Beneath the Blue" . . . 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. on the CW. "Vampire Diaries" star Paul Wesley fights to protect dolphins from harmful Navy sonar experiments.


--"Off Limits" [1st Season Finale] . . . 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. on the Travel Channel.


--"The Office" . . . 9:00 to 9:30 P.M. on NBC. Andy attempts to inspire and motivate the group with a field trip to Gettysburg.


--"Bones" . . . 9:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Fox. Morgan Fairchild guest stars as the CEO of a toy company.


--"Whitney" . . . 9:30 to 10:00 P.M. on NBC. Comedienne Lisa Lampanelli guests as a dog pound employee Whitney and Alex meet when they decide to adopt a dog.


--"The Mentalist" . . . 10:00 to 11:00 P.M. on CBS. "Dirty Sexy Money's" Samaire Armstrong guest stars as a prostitute.



--"The League" . . . 10:30 to 11:00 P.M. on FX. Jeff Goldblum guest stars as Ruxin's father and Sarah Silverman guest stars as Andre's insatiable sister.


The 10 Worst Songs of the '60s . . . According to "Rolling Stone" Readers:

"Rolling Stone" recently polled their readers to come up with a list of The Worst Songs of the '60s. They released the results yesterday. Interestingly enough, half of the list . . . and four of the Top Five . . . came out in 1968. Here's the list:

1.) "Yummy Yummy Yummy", Ohio Express (1968)

2.) "Honey", Bobby Goldsboro (1968)

3.) "MacArthur Park", Richard Harris (1968)

4.) "Cherish", The Association (1966)

5.) "Revolution 9", The Beatles (1968)

6.) "I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am", Herman's Hermits (1965)

7.) "Sugar Sugar", The Archies (1969)

8.) "I Got You Babe", Sonny and Cher (1965)

9.) "Surfin' Bird", The Trashmen (1963)

10.) "Tiptoe Through the Tulips", Tiny Tim (1968)

(--You can find audio and mini write-ups for each one at RollingStone.com.)


Pictures of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry Frolicking on the Beach:

AEROSMITH'S STEVEN TYLER and guitarist JOE PERRY are getting along MUCH better these days. They're currently on vacation together . . . and on Tuesday, they spent some time frolicking on the beach in Maui. --There are some pictures online . . . and they definitely don't look bad for their age. Steven is 63 years old, and Joe is 61. (--You can find a couple pictures here. In the second picture, they're wearing some sort of diving gear, which . . . with their wet, long hair . . . reminded us of the classic '50s monster movie "The Creature from the Black Lagoon".) (TMZ, UsMagazine, Random Blog)


Snoop Dogg Has Recorded the Theme for the Show "Weed Wars":

Sometimes the universe makes perfect sense. SNOOP DOGG has recorded the theme song for "Weed Wars" . . . the Discovery Channel's new reality show about a medicinal marijuana dispensary in California. --On the track, Snoop raps: "I got to have it in my life because it's the only thing I need, I need it in my life . . . it's the medicine from the medicine man . . . these are the brothers who be fighting the weed wars." --"Weed Wars" premieres Thursday, December 1st at 10:00 P.M (--You can listen to the minute-long track at CinemaBlend.com. And you can check out a "sneak peak" of the show at Discovery's website.)


WEDNESDAY'S SHOWBIZ EXTRAS

Showbiz Extras . . . Random Links to Additional Stories:


According to TMZ, MICHAEL VICK made $11.7 million from July through September of this year. (Full Story)



SIMON COWELL is finally on Twitter. (Full Story)



2003 "American Idol" winner RUBEN STUDDARD has filed for divorce. He and his soon-to-be ex made The Big Mistake in 2008. (Full Story)



Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback TROY AIKMAN quietly got divorced back in April. (Full Story)



Billboard.com is streaming a new remix of MICHAEL JACKSON'S "Dancing Machine / Blame It on the Boogie". It's from his upcoming album, "Immortal", which comes out November 21st. (Audio)



Comedy Central has renewed "South Park" for three more years, meaning it'll run through 2016. (Full Story)


"Jersey Shore" tragedy: SNOOKI and JIONNI may have broken up. (Full Story)



REBECCA BLACK has released a video for her latest single "Person of Interest". (Video)



ICE CUBE is reportedly in talks to write, produce and star in a fourth "Friday" movie. CHRIS TUCKER and TINY LISTER may also return. (Full Story)



DRAKE'S new album "Take Care" will most likely be next week's #1 album. It's projected to sell an estimated 725,000 copies in its first week. (Full Story)


RANDOM STUFF

Women are Much More Likely to Have a Broken Heart After Getting Dumped . . . Like, Literally, Have a Heart Attack:

We talk about people being "heartbroken" all the time. They get dumped, they're sad, they have a broken heart. --But according to the first big study to look into it, getting dumped could LITERALLY break your heart. --Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that, yes, in some occasions people who suffer from a severe emotional trauma can have HEART FAILURE or HEART ATTACKS. --And it's 700% to 900% more likely to happen to women than men. --The researchers called it "broken heart syndrome" . . . where an emotional breakup or the death of a spouse or close family member actually puts someone in the hospital with heart failure. --It happens because severe and prolonged stress from a traumatic event can lead to unbalanced rushes of adrenaline and other stress hormones, and that can overwhelm your heart. --This is the ONLY cardiac condition that's more likely to happen to women than men. The researchers aren't sure why, but they think it may have to do with the adrenaline receptors in men's hearts being stronger than women's. (Newser)


If You're Rude to Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend's Family Over the Holidays, There's a 60% Chance You'll Get Dumped:

In case you're meeting your new boyfriend or girlfriend's family over the holidays and you're not nervous enough already . . . it's time to PILE ON. Say the wrong thing and there's at least a 60% chance you'll get DUMPED. --According to a new survey by the social dating website Zoosk, 69% of women and 60% of men say they'd break up with someone if they brought them home for the holidays, and they were rude to their parents, siblings, or even the family PET.

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

--82% of single men and 76% of single women try to strategically walk under mistletoe so they can kiss someone.


--58% of single people plan to bring a date to a holiday party this year, whether it's an office party, a friend's party, or New Year's Eve.


--The biggest fear men have when they bring a date to their office party is that their coworkers will hit on her. The biggest fear women have when they bring a date to an office party is that he might get drunk and do something embarrassing.

(PR Newswire)


Black Friday Wars . . . Toys "R" Us Will Now Open at 9:00 P.M. on Thanksgiving:

Last week, Walmart threw down the gauntlet on Black Friday: They announced they were starting their sale at 10:00 P.M. on THANKSGIVING. In other words, their Black Friday starts two hours earlier than ACTUAL Friday. --But it looks like they tipped their hand too early . . . because Toys "R" Us just one-upped them. --Toys "R" Us has announced that they'll be opening their stores for Black Friday at NINE P.M. on Thanksgiving. (Daily News Corner) (--These stores had the same battle last year . . . Walmart announced they were opening at midnight, so Toys "R" Us went with 10:00 P.M.)


It's the First "Toys You Shouldn't Buy Your Kids" List of the Season:

It's the holiday-shopping season, which means that we're about to be buried in lists of toys you should NOT buy your children. --The first one comes from a group called TRUCE, which stands for Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment. --Their list focuses on toys that discourage reading and promote early sexuality, instead of toys that could take out an eye. They want you to know you're a terrible parent if you buy these toys for your kid: --Monster High dolls from Mattel: They have dangerously thin bodies which promote eating disorders, and skimpy clothes that expose them to early sexual themes. (--You can order them here.) --Disney Fairies Tinker Bell, and the Great Fairy Rescue Play-a-Sound Book from Publications International: In addition to a ridiculously long title, it supposedly promotes gender stereotypes. (--Order it here.) --The 'I Am T-Pain' Microphone by ProTunes: It Auto-Tunes your voice to make it sound like T-PAIN. TRUCE says it, quote, "inhibits imaginative play", and you can meet predators online when you download new songs. (--Order yours here.) (PR Newswire)



The Salvation Bell Ringer Can Now Swipe Your Credit Card on Their Smartphone:

Bad news, my cheap, selfish friends. This year when you walk past the Salvation Army bell ringer, and tell him you're SO sorry but you don't have any cash or change . . . even though you totally do . . . it won't work. --Because this year, Salvation Army bell ringers will be swiping credit cards on their PHONES. --They'll use a device called Square to take credit card donations right on the spot. It's a little credit card reader that plugs into a smartphone.--They tried actual credit card machines over the past few years, but they weren't super successful. Let's face it . . . the longer it takes to make a donation, the more time you have to make up an excuse and make a run for it. --The new program start in Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York this year . . . but it could expand to other cities quickly if it works. (New York Times)


Who's More Popular Than Congress? Try the IRS, Airlines, Lawyers, BP, Paris Hilton, Communists, and Nixon:

This is a ridiculously good illustration of just how unpopular Congress is right now. --Senator Michael Bennet is a Democrat from Colorado, and he put together a chart comparing the poll numbers of different things during the height of their unpopularity. And Congress is hated more than almost all of them. --Based on a "New York Times" / CBS poll last month, Congress's approval rating is only 9%. Check out all the things that actually did BETTER . . .
--The IRS. Its lowest approval rating was 40% in a 2009 Gallup poll.

--The airline industry. It's lowest was 29% in a 2011 Gallup poll.

--Lawyers. Their lowest was also 29% in a 2011 Gallup poll.

--Nixon during Watergate. He still kept a 24% approval rating in a 1974 Gallup poll.

--The banks. They bottomed out at 23% in a Gallup poll this year.

--BP during the oil spill. They still had a 16% approval rating in a 2010 Gallup poll.

--Paris Hilton. She pulled a 15% approval rating in a 2005 Gallup poll.

--The United States going Communist. This got an 11% approval rating in a 2011 Rasmussen poll.

--And finally, Congress tied with HUGO CHAVEZ, who pulled 9% in a 2007 Gallup poll . . . but managed to beat FIDEL CASTRO, who got 5% in a 2008 Gallup poll. (Gawker)


This Can't Be Real, Right? Doctors Say People Now Suffer From "Sleep Texting":

Remember the first time you heard about "sexsomnia" . . . where people have SEX while they're sleeping and don't remember it? And you called B.S. on it? Because it clearly sounds made up? --This sounds even MORE made up. --According to MSNBC, some doctors say they're seeing more and more cases of SLEEP TEXTING. --And it's exactly what you think it is: People sending texts in the middle of the night, while they're still asleep, and not realizing it. --Dr. Markus Schmidt from Dublin, Ohio says that sleep deprivation is the most common trigger. When you're sleep deprived, it can trigger common behaviors when you're asleep. --One of our common behaviors is to grab our phones when they go off. Since so many people now sleep next to their phones, when the phone goes off on the nightstand, a sleep deprived person might grab it and start texting. (MSNBC)


People with Birthmarks, Scars, or Bad Skin Don't Do as Well in Job Interviews:

I don't think this will make you feel any better, but if you haven't been able to land a job, it might NOT be because you're unqualified . . . you might just have bad skin. --A study by Rice University and the University of Houston found that people with facial blemishes don't make as good of an impression at job interviews. --Interviewers tend to focus on the scars, birthmarks, and blemishes, which means they don't pay close attention to what the candidate is saying. As a result, they give candidates with skin problems lower ratings. --The researchers used head-mounted cameras and found that interviewers usually focused on the triangle formed by the candidate's eyes and mouth. --But, if the candidate had some type of, quote, "facial stigma," then the interviewers kept looking at THAT instead. --And the researchers found that the more an interviewer focused on the blemishes, the less they remembered what the candidate said. --They tried the experiment with volunteer college students as the interviewers, then repeated it with actual hiring managers from companies. In both cases, scars and blemishes lowered a job applicant's rating. (Time.com)


Starbucks is Going to Start Shutting Down Their Bathrooms to Keep People From Using Them as Public Toilets:

Over the past few months, Starbucks locations around the country have started removing power outlets and taking other steps to keep people from ordering one thing, sitting down with their laptop, and hogging a table all day. --And now it looks like they've entered phase two of their plan to eliminate squatters. --They're trying to get rid of as many of its BATHROOMS as possible. It started in New York and it'll probably spread. --The main reason is . . . they KNOW they kinda serve as a PUBLIC TOILET . . . people see a Starbucks and know they can go to the bathroom there. And generally you can sneak in and use it without buying anything. --So they're trying to shut down bathrooms where it's legal to do it . . . and reducing the number of bathrooms in other stores. --Different cities and states have different regulations about when restaurants have to provide customers a bathroom. In New York, for example, any place with more than 20 seats needs to provide one. --In the past quarter, Starbucks had a 29% rise in profits. (New York Post)
How Long Will You Keep Your Car? The Average is Going Up:

You're gonna drive your car until it's more rust than steel, just like your daddy did, and just like you swore you never would. --According to a new study out of Washington, D.C., the length of time we're holding on to our cars is going UP. --In 2011, the average person holds onto a car for 9.25 years. That's up from 8.23 just six years ago. --And people who have trucks hold onto them even longer . . . an average of 10.56 years, up from 8.61 years back in 2005. (Washington Examiner)


Santa? A Burglar Gets Stuck in a Chimney for More Than 10 Hours:

This is the worst Santa impression we've ever heard. And not just because it's mid-November. --On Tuesday, around 3:00 A.M., 17-year-old Renaldo Jack of Norcross, Georgia tried to break into a house by sliding down the chimney. --Except that he's not Santa, this isn't a movie, it didn't work . . . and he got STUCK. --No one was home . . . the person who lives there works nights . . . so no one realized there was someone stuck in the chimney for almost TEN HOURS, until a neighbor heard screams. --Renaldo was finally pulled out by firefighters around 1:30 P.M., after more than ten hours in the chimney. He's looking at burglary charges. (Gwinnett Daily Post)


A Man Successfully Smuggles a Gun Into Jail Hidden Within His "Big Gut":

In Florida, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office just released a report about an incident in September where CHUBBINESS almost led to DEADLINESS. --On September 18th, an 18-year-old named Stoney Mathis from Destin, Florida was arrested after he tried to flee from the cops after a traffic stop . . . and he was taken to jail. --Stoney checks in at 230 pounds . . . he's only 5-foot-4 . . . and was described in the report as having a, quote, "BIG GUT." --And when deputies were searching him as he was being admitted to jail, they did not make him, quote, "physically lift up his stomach" as it hung over his pants. --And they should've. Because he had a loaded .38-caliber revolver pinned under that belly. --The next day, guards found the gun during a search and put everything together. --Stoney's facing additional charges for smuggling the gun into prison . . . and the deputies who searched him were reprimanded and suspended for three days without pay. (Destin Log)


RANDOM NEWS EXTRAS

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


A 21-year-old Hispanic guy from Idaho took a couple shots at the White House last Friday night, and authorities found the bullets on Tuesday . . . one hit some bullet-proof glass, and another was lodged in a wall. Police caught up with him in western Pennsylvania yesterday, and they're trying to figure out what his motive was. (Full Story)

You can stop global warming by . . . cutting down more trees? Apparently, deforestation in northern climates allows more snow cover, which reflects sunlight back into space. (Full Story)


A 62-year-old went on a deer-reduction hunt in Indiana on Monday morning, and a deer killed HIM. He shot a buck from a tree, went over to check on it, and it KICKED him, lacerating his liver. He killed it with a knife, but died that afternoon from his injuries. (Full Story)


One in four people who travel for the holidays say Christmas is the most expensive travel holiday. The next most expensive is the Fourth of July, then Thanksgiving. Among the ways to save money: 38% don't fly . . . 21% fly at weird hours to get better fares . . . and 20% see their family before or after the holiday just to avoid peak travel. (Full Story)


According to a new study, one in five adults in the U.S. takes medication for a, quote, "mental disorder." (Full Story)
NAZZY’S VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) Check Out the World's Most Politically Incorrect Door-to-Door Salesman:

There's a video on Break.com called "World's Funniest Salesman" where a young African-American guy is selling all-purpose cleaner door-to-door. The people he's selling to filmed him at their front door, because he's FILLED with one-liners. -And a lot of them aren't politically correct. --He offers them the HBO Special . . . 'Help a Brother Out' . . . and says it's safe on colors while he sprays it on himself. Then he tells them it's, quote, "safe around dogs, unlike Michael Vick . . . and safe around kids, unlike Pee Wee Herman." (--CAREFUL!) At one point, he says the neighbors have been making him demonstrate on their bathrooms . . . and that they've been, quote, "paying me like I'm Mexican." (--He also says they've been quote, "working me like I'm black.) --His sales pitch ends up being seven minutes long, but it's worth it. About halfway through, he tells them he's trying to be a stand-up comic. (--WARNING: This video includes the S-word, the word f**got, and other profanity.)


#2.) An 84-Year-Old Woman Got Pepper Sprayed by Police at the Occupy Seattle Protests:

An 84-year-old woman got pepper sprayed at the Occupy Wall Street protests in Seattle on Tuesday night. -Her name is Dorli Rainey, and she later admitted she was there checking it out . . . which she obviously shouldn't have been. -There's a video on YouTube of police using huge canisters to pepper spray the crowd, but you don't actually see Dorli get sprayed. But there's a picture of her right afterwards and she looks pretty rough. (--Search for "84-Year-Old Pepper Spray Video." WARNING: The video includes A LOT of F-bombs and other profanity.)


#3.) A Guy Set a New One-Day Record on "Jeopardy" . . . with the Help of an App He Created to Help Him Train:

In case you didn't see Monday's episode of "Jeopardy", a guy named Roger Craig set a new one-day record and won $77,000. He did it after he got both Daily Doubles in a row . . . and bet everything both times. --But he also had the edge because of a cell phone app he created specifically to help him train. There's a 14-minute video online where he explains how it works. Or just watch him get the two Daily Doubles in a row. (--Search for "Roger Craig's True Daily Doubles" and "Roger Craig Knowledge Tracking.")


Four Ways to Prepare Your Car for Winter:

Winter doesn't officially start until December 22nd, but a lot of the country has ALREADY been hit. So if you haven't done the stuff on this list yet, get busy. Here are four things you need to do to prepare your car for winter.

#1.) Check Your Battery. The average battery lasts three to five years. So have your mechanic check it out. If it's borderline, you should probably get a new one. It's better than getting stranded somewhere in the cold.

#2.) Check Your Tire Pressure. It drops when the temperature drops. And if your tires are low, they won't get as much traction. Also, make sure they don't need to be REPLACED.

#3.) Check Your Wiper Blades. Think about replacing them if they're more than a year old. You can get new ones for fifteen or twenty bucks.

#4.) Put Together an Emergency Car Kit. It's important to have one ALL the time, but obviously it's more important in the winter. --A winter kit should include a blanket, a flashlight, batteries, snacks that won't go bad, bottled water, matches, a first-aid kit, and any winter clothing you might need. (ModernMan.com)