TODAY IS FEBRUARY 29th…that’s right Leap Day. Believe it or not, Leap Year dates back to Julius Caesar and the Romans. When Jack and Nick asked me why we have Leap Year all I could tell them is that it has something to do with time…and if we didn’t then it would eventually mess up the calendar someday.
It also has something to do with the way the earth moves. The planet moves around the sun once every 365…and almost a quarter day. But it falls just a little short…so to fix that, we have to periodically add an extra day to the calendar.
The idea is to keep the summer and winter solstices, and the Spring and Fall Equinoxes close to the same day on the calendar each year. Without an extra day every four years, the seasons would gradually shift and after enough time, throw our calendar completely out of whack.
IT PERPLEXES many of us…but obviously none more than this crazy chick. WARNING: FOUL LANGUAGE AHEAD!
WOW! She’s gotta lay off the Red Bull for a few days.
OR MAYBE SHE ISN’T HAPPY…it does sound like she has some birthday issues. She should consider developing the SEVEN HABITS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPIER. If you’re thinking to yourself…Hey, I wish I was happier…then do these seven things and see what happens.
1. Make A List. Writing out your goals…even your daily ones…can affect your happiness. Research has shown that staying busy, making a list, and crossing things off it make a big difference. Just make sure they’re realistic. And keep them to a managebal number.
2. Plan Your Vacation in Advance. It’s no surprise that once you get back from vacation, your happiness level plummets. So experts say to start planning your NEXT one, and your happiness level will rise. They also say you should also plan out your social activities four days in advance.
3. Take A Nap. It’s not always an option, but more and more research shows that a 10-minute nap every day can make you happier. If you can’t take a nap, then take a walk, listen to music, meditate, or just sit back with your eyes closed.
4. Exercise Every Day. It helps creates a routine, which is good. And once it stops making you sore, it makes you feel healthier, which generally makes you happier.
5. Try A New Hobby. It gives you a chance to set new goals and meet new people. Ideally, you should try a new hobby every three months.
6. Get Enough Sun. Experts suggest getting at least half an hour of sun every day so you don’t develop seasonal affective disorder.
7. Have Sex Regularly. Now we’re talking! A recent survey found that when people went from having sex once a month to having sex once a week, their happiness level went up significantly. Well hello? Did we need really a survey to figure that out?
WE’RE DOWN TO THE TOP 24 on AMERICAN IDOL. Last night the guys did their thing.
THE LADIES PERFORM TONIGHT. And then the first cut is coming up Thursday night. Get all the latest American Idol info HERE.
AND FINALLY…the RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY is in honor of Leap Day. While jumping isn’t exactly leaping…it’s pretty darned close. And who can argue with a classic video from VAN HALEN?
HAVE A GREAT DAY. I’d love to hear from you on Facebook HERE. Or follow me on Twitter HERE. Check both of those locations for updates and additional fun stuff throughout the day.
HERE’S A REALLY GOOD REASON NOT TO GO TO WORK TOMORROW…you might die! It’s true…your job could be killing you and you don’t even realize it.
We all know that heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. While most of us don’t think of it as a work hazard…certain aspects of your job may be upping your chances of a heart attack or other problems.
Here are 10 ways you may be at risk:
1. Prolonged sitting. People who sit for long periods of time at work have a higher risk of heart problems than those in more active jobs. It’s not clear why, but prolonged sitting may cause a drop in insulin sensitivity and enzymes that break down fat. So…stand up or walk around once in a while. You may also try working at a standing desk.
2. High Stress. We usually think of first responders as physically fit. But experts say about 22% of on-the-job deaths in police officers…and 45% in firefighters…are due to cardiovascular disease. That’s compared to 15% in other jobs. Long hours, shift work, unhealthy eating at work, exposure to pollutants, and high rates of other risk factors, like hypertension may play a part.
3. Shift Workers. Rotating shifts is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Shift work may also disrupt the body clock that plays a role in blood sugar, blood pressure, and insulin regulation. It also doesn’t help that night-shift workers are more likely to smoke. Of course not getting enough sleep can up the ante for greater heart risk as well. Everyone should be striving for 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
See the rest of the 10 ways your job could be killing you HERE.
ALSO KEEP IN MIND…losing your job can damage more than your self-esteem. Workers who are laid off or lose their job through no fault of their own have more than double the stroke risk as people who keep their jobs. A recent study found that people who lost their job were more likely to develop high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease with a couple of years versus those who didn’t. GREAT…so there’s something else for me to worry about until I land a new job.
STILL REELING FROM ALL THE OSCAR COVERAGE? Still thinking about Angelina Jolie’s chicken leg…or why she should have eaten three or four whole chickens before wearing that dress Sunday night?
Maybe you’re like me and wondering why you haven’t even heard about half of the movies nominated. Well then…watch as kids reenact this year’s Oscar nominees.
OK…now I want to actually see a couple of those movies!
I DON’T HAVE AN iPHONE…but if I did I’d load that thing with all kinds of cool apps. It seems like there’s an app for everything from losing weight to Angry Birds.
Apple announced a few months ago that more than 100 million apps had been downloaded from the App Store in the preceding year, with more than 500,000 individual apps offered. Of course that doesn’t mean they let just anyone upload whatever they want. Each year, there are tons that don’t make the grade or that violate the App Store Review Guidelines. Apple has the right to reject apps deemed explicit, insensitive, or otherwise unacceptable. Some are even dismissed without explanation.
A COUPLE OF MOVIES come out on DVD and BluRay today…including the big Oscar winner from Sunday…
HUGO. An orphan living in a Paris train station uncovers a mystery that jeopardizes his secretive way of life. It’s an adaptation of Brian Selznick’s children’s book. It stars Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, and Christopher Lee. It’s directed by Martin Scorsese and is rated PG.
I MELT WITH YOU. A group of old college friends gather annually for a week in Big Surto celebrate their friendship and catch-up on each other’s lives. They seem like typical men in their forties…but there’s a lot more beneath the surface. As the week spins out of control the truth emerges, and the reunion takes a much darker turn when a promise from their past is brought to light.
THE 84th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS were held last night in Hollywood. BILLY CRYSTAL hosted…
AGAIN. This marks his ninth time…yeah I know… it feels like a LOT more!
Was hethe right person to host the Oscars? Reaction were mixed last night on Facebook and Twitter. I guess if you like your Oscar ceremonies to feel totally old-fashioned and passé, then your answer is probably YES.
Billy was his usual self, which can’t possibly be un-entertaining. But there was just nothing unexpected. If you’ve seen Billy host the Oscars before, then you’ve got the gist of what happened last night. He started with a video montage of himself in several of the night’s nominated films. He even got kissed on the lips by GEORGE CLOONEY.
Then he sang a songabout all the Best Picture nominees….and occasionally popped in and out to tell mostly lame jokes the rest of the night.
One of the things I liked the most…although it was the completely meaningless
…was the Cirque du Soleil performance. It really had NOTHING to do with any of the nominees…but was still very cool.
If you believe all of the Internet, Facebook and Twitter buzz…and I do…the award for the Best Presenter of the night has to go to CHRIS ROCK. He was absolutely the funniest.
But two other presenters get Honorable Mention for two totally different reasons. First of all, as you know I LOVE JENNIFER LOPEZ…and she certainly got more of my attention last night with her near wardrobe malfunction.
For the record, her stylist is denying there was any problem with the dress. And technically there wasn’t. There was certainly no Janet Jackson Super Bowl moment…but there was just enough showing that within minutes Twitter had an account titled @jlosnipple with over 1,500 followers.
Nip or no nip…Jennifer looked amazing and only solidified herself at the top of my Get Out Of Jail Free list.
Then there was ANGELINA JOLIE who was on the other end of my list. But her leg showing through an extremely high slit in her dress got it’s own Twitter account @AngiesRightLeg and seemed to be the talk of the night from the Red Carpet.
However, once on stage, I thought her skeleton like arms might snap under the pressure of opening the envelope revealing the Oscar winner.
There were other bright moments…including SACHA BARON COHEN, in character as THE DICTATOR, ruining RYAN SEACREST‘s suit on the Red Carpet! You can watch that…and a few others HERE.
And the winners are:
Best Cinematography: Robert Richardson, “Hugo” Best Art Direction: Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schavo, “Hugo” Best Costume Design: Mark Bridges, “The Artist” Best Makeup: Mark Coulier & J. Roy Helland, “The Iron Lady” Best Foreign Language Film: “A Separation” Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, “The Help” Best Editing: Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” Best Sound Editing: Phillip Stockton & Eugene Gearty, “Hugo” Best Sound Mixing: Tom Fleischman & John Midgley, “Hugo” Best Documentary: “Undefeated” Best Animated Feature: “Rango” Best Visual Effects: “Hugo” Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners” Best Original Score: Ludovic Bource, “The Artist” Best Original Song: Bret McKenzie, “Man or Muppet” Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, “The Descendants” Best Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris” Best Live Action Short: “The Shore” Best Documentary Short: “Saving Face” Best Animated Short: “The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore” Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist” Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist” Best Actress: Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady” Best Picture: “The Artist”
AFTER THE ACTUAL MOVIES…the Academy Awards are all about fashion. But here’s a list from Glamourmagazine of the seven most DANGEROUS things you can wear…because they can end up damaging your health.
1. Ties. If they’re too tight, they can reduce circulation to your brain, and make your shoulders and back more tense. According to a study at Cornell, 67% of men either wear their ties too tight, or wear dress shirts that aren’t big enough around the neck. Plus, ties aren’t cleaned very often, so they transmit infections more easily than other types of clothing.
2. Skinny Jeans. Whether you’re a man or a woman, they can cause digestive problems and lower back pain. And they might even cause a condition called semicircular lipoatrophy…also known as ribbed thighs…where horizontal lesions grow on your upper legs. The same thing goes for Spanx, which can also cause nerve compression.
3. High Heels. Obviously, you can turn an ankle pretty easily. But heels over two inches have also been linked to bunions, hammer toes, and stress fractures.
4. Flip-Flops. They’re even worse than high heels. According to research from Auburn University, your toes have to be slightly clenched to keep them on, which changes the way you walk. That can lead to long-term issues with your ankles and hips.
5. A Heavy Handbag or Shoulder Bag. If you always carry it on the same side…which most women do…it can throw your back out of alignment.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, a woman’s handbag should weigh no more than 10% of her bodyweight. So if you weigh 120 pounds, your handbag should be 12 pounds or less.
AND NOW JUST FOR FUN…my RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY. I’ve decided to add this segment because every now and then I wake up and I have some random song running through my brain. Other times it just pops up while making breakfast, or brushing my teeth…sometimes it can just happen mid-conversation…or when I’m doing nothing at all.
So here’s the video for the song that reared it’s head this morning. It just happens to be one of my ALL-TIME favorites from 1982…LOVE PLUS ONE by HAIRCUT 100.
HAVE A GREAT DAY. Become a fan on Facebook HERE. Gollow me on Twitter HERE. And be sure to leave me a message.
EVERYONE NEEDS MORE TIME IN THE DAY. But what would you do with an extra 15 free minutes a day? In a new survey, the most popular answers were classic gender stereotypes.
Women were most likely to say they’d spend the time SLEEPING or CLEANING. Men were most likely to say they’d spend the extra 15 minutes HAVING SEX!
The top five choices for guys were: Have sex, sleep, listen to music, exercise, and sit there and do nothing with no disturbances. The top five choices for women were: Sleep, clean, read, watch TV, and exercise. Sex came in eighth for women…after “sit there and do nothing,” and cooking!
The survey also asked men and women to name the most annoying time waster in their life. Being put on hold was number one, waiting in line was number two, and traffic was number three.
LOOKING FOR A JOB IN THIS ECONOMYis a full-time job. Trust me…I know first hand! But it always surprises me when I see things like this on CareerBuilder.com.
They surveyed employers about the most common mistakespeople make at job interviews. Here are some of the STUPID things people do on a pretty regular basis:
1. Answering your cell phone, or texting during the interview
2. Appearing uninterested in the job or the company
3. Dressing inappropriately
4. Coming off as arrogant
5. Saying negative things about your current boss or previous job
Aren’t ALL of those common sense? Who does ANY of those things? Especially number two! Do you want the job or not? If not…then why are you there? I don’t get it.
Meanwhile, thanks for all of the messages and e-mails asking about my job situation. I’m happy to say I’ve done a couple of interviews this week…was even offered one job that I had to turn down. Good things are happening right now…and I’m hopeful that I’ll be waking up at 3 a.m. to do something other than go to the bathroom very soon!
THEY HAND OUT THE OSCARS on Sunday. That got me thinking about all the terrible dating advice we get from movies. Here’s a list of six SUPPOSEDLY romantic movies…and why they actually give TERRIBLE dating advice.
1. Grease: A good girl falls in love with bad boy. To win each other over, the girl sheds her squeaky clean image, and the guy cleans up his bad boy act.
Why it’s Romantic: Opposites attract. And the characters are willing to change their entire image to be with the other person.
Why it’s Terrible: It goes against the #1 rule of dating: “just be yourself.” Instead, they change EVERYTHING about their looks and personality to make themselves more desirable to the other person.
2. Say Anything: In the movie’s most famous scene, JOHN CUSACK tries to win a girl back by standing outside her house at night, holding up a boombox, and playing In Your Eyesby Peter Gabriel.
Why it’s Romantic: He’s making a fool of himself in the name of love, and not caring who sees or hears.
Why it’s Terrible: While that sort of thing can be romantic on screen, it’s creepy, loud, and obnoxious in real life.
3. Clueless: A ditzy Valley Girl tries to play matchmaker for her friends, not realizing that she and her stepbrother have the kind of chemistry she’s been searching for.
Why it’s Romantic: A meaningful love connection could be right under your nose.
Why it’s Terrible: The idea that you can find a date in your family tree is just wrong…unless you’re from West Virginia!
4. Sleepless in Seattle: A woman flies across the country to meet a guy she’s fallen in love with after hearing him call in to a radio show.
Why it’s Romantic: When it comes to love, it’s okay to take chances and follow your heart, no matter how illogical it seems.
Why it’s Terrible: Flying across country, alone, to meet a total stranger who doesn’t even know you EXIST? It’s dangerous, and it basically makes you a stalker…just sayin’.
5. Titanic: What it’s About: An engaged high-society woman who’s unhappy in her relationship meets a poor-but-caring drifter on an ill-fated cruise across the Atlantic.
Why it’s Romantic: Again, the opposites attract thing. Even though the guy is a third-class citizen, the woman falls for him and betrays her image-conscious mother to be with him.
Why it’s Terrible: Look, we all know her fiancé was a jerk. But technically, she cheated…and that’s not cool either. Plus, look where it got her: Knocked up without anyone to help her raise the kid.
6. The Twilight series: A human falls in love with a vampire who can’t resist the smell of her blood.
Why It’s Romantic: Since I haven’t seen any of the se movies, I can’t say for sure. But what I HEAR is that women find the movies romantic because the vampire, Edward, is passionate, protective, and embodies what a “perfect” man should be like.
Why it’s Terrible: The main character, Bella, becomes completely dependent on Edward, the “love of her life”, because she’s insecure and thrives on his attention. She gives up any ambition to go to college or pursue a normal life in favor of becoming a vampire so she can spend the rest of her life with a boy she just met. And by the time she’s 18, she’s pregnant with a weird human-vampire hybrid baby.
ON THE SUBJECT OF MOVIES…there are three new ones opening today that look good…
ACT OF VALOR: When a mission to recover a kidnapped CIA operative unexpectedly results in the discovery of an imminent, terrifying global threat, an elite team of highly trained Navy SEALs must immediately embark on a heart-stopping secret operation, the outcome of which will determine the fate of us all.
It’s rated R for for strong violence including some torture, and for language.
WANDERLUST: An overextended, stressed out Manhattan couple get find themselves forced to move to Atlanta and live with his awful brother. On the way there, they stumble upon an idyllic community populated by colorful characters who embrace a different way of looking at things.
It stars Paul Ruddand Jennifer Aniston and rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, language and drug use.
TYLER PERRY’S GOOD DEEDS: A successful business man has always doen what’s expected of him. But his predictable routine is thrown upside down when he meets a down-on-her-luck single mom who works on the cleaning crew in his office building. When he offers to help her get back on her feet, the chance encounter with someone so far outside his usual circle ignites something inside him. This one good deed may finally spark his courage to exchange the life that’s expected of him for the life he’s always really wanted.
I USED TO DRINK A LOT…and when I say a lot I mean bordering on professionally! I’m not bragging…I’m just saying the mid 90′s was one BIG GLORIOUS party.
Of course that all ended MANY years ago when Jack and Nick were born and I started taking life a lot more seriously. However, I know a lot of guys that still like to get their drink on. So as you start making plans today for your Thursday night ”early weekend kickoff”…please allow me to pass along years of experience…especially targeted towards the less experienced among you.
If you want to order a manly drink…the safest bet is always a beer. Not a LIGHT beer, a REAL beer. Either that or something on the rocks. Here’s a really good list of the top drinks men should NEVER order.
1. Anything You Can’t Pronounce. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try something new. Just figure out how to pronounce it before you order.
2. A Malibu and Diet Coke. As a general rule, they say guys shouldn’t drink Malibu rum to begin with. But if they do, they should at least mix it with REGULAR soda. On a personal note…I like Malibu with pineapple or orange juice. I just don’t order it when I’m out. So drink this in the privacy of your own home.
3. A Fuzzy Navel. Peach schnapps is lame no matter what it’s mixed with. But a fuzzy navel…which is just peach schnapps and orange juice…is the LAMEST way to drink it. And really do you want to drink something called a Fuzzy Navel? I wouldn’t drink this simply for the fact that it makes me think of belly button lint. UGH!
4. Sex on the Beach. It just LOOKS like a girl drink. And unless you’re a sorority girl…dating or hitting on one doesn’t count…it should be avoided at all costs.
5. Any Fruit-Flavored Malt Beverage. That means things like Smirnoff Ice, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, and Bacardi Silver. Drinking them at home is one thing, but don’t order them at a bar. Ever.
6. An Appletini. In fact, they say “real men” don’t order anything that ends in “tini”… unless it’s a NORMAL martini. And don’t use the lame James Bond “shaken not stired” line to try and impress someone. Trust me here…you’ll come off looking like a tool. By the way…another tip…you should shy away from martini glasses in general.
7. A Cosmopolitan. It’s what they always drank on Sex and the City” Nuff said.
So go out this weekend…enjoy yourself…have a drink. But under NO circumstances order anything off of this list. It may be wise to just stick to beer. If that’s the case I recommend bottles, but if you’re looking for the best CANNED beers…here’s a link to a very good list.
Oh yeah…drink responsibly. Do NOT drink and drive or ride with someone that’s been drinking. That’s just STUPID…and could be deadly.
IF I LOSE MY PHONE OR IT GETS STOLEN…I worry about the hassle. I worry about how much AT&T is going to rip me off for a replacement, and maybe I worry about who’s going to have access to my emails and contacts.
However, it looks like about a QUARTER of other people have a WAY bigger problem than that. According to a new surveyof almost 2,000 smartphone owners over the age of 18…26% say they have a photo or video of themselves naked on their phone RIGHT NOW.
A third of them have shared their homemade porno with someone. And 12% of people also say they still have naked photos or videos of an ex, even though they’re in a new relationship!
Wow! Who are these people? And why haven’t they ever sent ME a picture?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT EARLIER THIS WEEK…a couple of really good movies came out on DVD and Blu-Ray on Tuesday. If like me…your kids are home from school this week and you’re looking for ways to entertain them…here’s a movie that most younger kids will really like:
PUSS IN BOOTS. The swashbuckling cat from the SHREK movies gets his very own story of daring deeds and big laughs. It stars the voice talents of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris.
It’s rated PG for some adventure action and mild rude humor.
AFTER YOU’VE WATCHED THAT three or four times with your kids…it may be time to put them to bed and watch a movie I can’t wait to see…
J. EDGAR. It’s based on the life of the infamous J. Edgar Hoover…the man credited with making the FBI what it is today. Sounds boring at first…until you realize this guy had issues…real issues!
It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, and Judi Dench. And it’s directed by Clint Eastwood. It’s rated R for brief strong language.
AN AMUSING MOVIE…that I actually went to the theater to see is TOWER HEIST. A Wall Street titan is under house arrest after being caught stealing two billion dollars from his investors. The hardest hit among those he defrauded? The tower staffers whose pensions he was entrusted to manage. With only days before he gets away with the perfect crime, the hotel staff turns to a petty crook to plan the nearly impossible… to steal what they are sure is hidden in his guarded condo.
The movie has a great cast: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy (who’s actually funny), Casey Affleck, Alan Alda, Matthew Broderick, Tia Leoni, and Judd Hirsch.
It’s rated PG-13 for language and sexual content.
HAVE A GREAT DAY…remember…it’s almost Friday! Hit me up on Facebook HERE. Follow me on Twitter HERE.
After stepping on stage at THE BRIT AWARDSto accept the award for Album of the Year, 21…she was quickly cut off during her speech by the show’s host so that he could introduce the band BLUR.
Adele later apologized saying, “I flung the middle finger. That was for the suits at the Brit Awards, not my fans. I’m sorry if I offended anyone but the suits offended me.”
MY NAME IS BILL AND I’M AN ADDICT. All together now…HI BILL! A new poll finds out that I’m not the only one addicted to the Internet. As a matter of fact…61% of those asked said ”yes.” However, like all addicts in denial…39% said they could quit if they wanted.
When the numbers are broken down by sex, 64% of women admitted to an Internet addiction, compared to 55% of men. As you can imagine, younger voters were more likely to be hooked. 73% of 13 to 17 year olds and 71% of 18-24 olds are hooked.
The numbers decreased significantly for those over 55 with only 39% admitting to the addiction. Get all of the results HERE.
GREAT NEWS FOR BEATLES FANS. Starting today you can purchase ringtones from the Fab Four’s library. Available exclusively on iTunes…the 27 songs are:
Love Me Do Yellow Submarine From Me To You Eleanor Rigby She Loves You Penny Lane I Want To Hold Your Hand All You Need Is Love Can’t Buy Me Love Hello, Goodbye A Hard Day’s Night Lady Madonna I Feel Fine Hey Jude Get Back Ticket to Ride The Ballad of John and Yoko Help! Something Yesterday Come Together Day Tripper Let It Be We Can Work It Out The Long and Winding Road Paperback Writer
KISS ME YOU FOOL. How often do you kiss your spouse or significant other?
According to a new survey, if you’re recently married, the answer is probably “A LOT.” But if you’ve been married for a while, the answer is probably “um….who are you?”
The average couple kisses 21 times per week. In the first six months, couples kiss 25 times a week, or close to four times a day. In the second year of marriage it jumps to 31 times a week, or four or five times a day. However, after five years, it drops to 19 times a week, or a little more than twice a day. And it just keeps falling after that.
Another survey found that around age 45, couples RARELY kiss! The good news is that only about one in 20 couples say they NEVER kiss.
TIME TO PUCKER UP and say goodbye until tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to leave your comments below. You can find me on Facebook by clicking HERE. Follow me on Twitter HERE.
WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT, GET SMARTER AND LIVE LONGER? Ummmm…yes, yes, and yes!
Well the good news is that scientists have figured out a way for us to do ALL of those things. The bad news is…it’s going to make three days out of our week BRUTAL!
Researchers at the National Institute for Aging found that if you FAST every other day, it’s great for your heart, your brain, and your body. On the days where you fast, you actually CAN eat a little…but only between zero and 500 calories.
If you ask me…that sounds AWFUL. But there’s another twist…in tests, the people who were fasting every other day could eat pretty much ANYTHING THEY WANTED on their eating days…and they still lost weight!
The scientists say this all comes down to insulin production. After high-carb, high-sugar food, your body produces extra insulin. That’s bad for your heart, it causes weight gain, and actually reduces your brain function. Even though people were releasing more insulin on their eating days, the lack of insulin on their fast days more than made up for it.
I don’t think I could fast for any amount of time. Lent is coming up and I know lots of people will fast…but I’m not one of them. The only thing I’m willing to give up is a couple of hours of watching TV…maybe! And I’m still thinking about that! But if you decide to try this…good luck…and let me know how it works for you.
DOES YOUR JOB MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE? That’s the question posed to more than 30,000 workers in the United States. Only about 1% of the people surveyed said they make the world a worse place. So who made up that 1%?
Fast food workers were, BY FAR, the most likely to say they make the world a worse place. As a matter of fact…42.3% of people who say they’re making the world worse work in the fast food industry.
The next closest was bartenders at 5.8%…which I’d argue makes the world a MUCH better place! Senior attorneys were third, fashion designers were fourth, and investment banking associates were fifth.
The survey was also sorted by industry, not just by specific job. When they did it that way, the tobacco industry came in first, gambling was second, and gas stations came in third. Fast food was fourth, and liquor distributors were fifth.
ONE PERSON OF NOTABLE CELEBRITY was missing from WHITNEY HOUSTON‘s going home celebration on Saturday…the Queen of Soul, ARETHA FRANKLIN.
Aretha was originally supposed to sing at the funeral. When she didn’t arrive on Saturday her absence was explained as a medical issue. But…she played a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall that evening. So what’s the real story?
Well there’s a rumor that suggests Aretha made some negative comments on the Today show about Whitney’s drug problems…and that cost her an invitation to the funeral!
Regardless of why she wasn’t there…Aretha paid a fitting tribute to Whitney later that night at her concert.
ONE FINAL WHITNEY NOTE…according to Radar Online…Whitney’s daughter Bobbi Kristina almost missed her mother’s burial on Sunday. And when she did show up…looked wasted.
THE GOOD NEWS IS there’s money to pay for it. The Houston family has actually sold the videoof Whitney’s funeral with the proceeds earmarked for Bobbi Kristina’s future. Of course this only fuels speculation that Whitney died broke…despite being the most-awarded female act of all time.
She received two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards and 22 American Music Awards. Throughout her lifetime, Whitney collected a total of 415 career awards and sold more than 170 million albums and singles worldwide. Still the rumors persist that she squandered her money and was living on advances.
The Daily Mail claimed that Whitney blew a $100 million fortune and was asking music executive and mentor Clive Davis for help.
THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST TRIBUTE SO FAR…a 90 year old woman dances to Whitney Houston.
HAVE A GREAT DAY. Thanks for all of the e-mails, Facebook “likes” and the Twitter follows. If you want to get at me on Facebook click HERE. Follow me on Twitter HERE.
I ADMIT IT…I watched WHITNEY HOUSTON’S funeral on Saturday.
I’m still not sure why…except it just seemed like the thing to do. I haven’t seen any reports on how many people actually watched on TV and online
…but I have to think I wasn’t the only one watching…as my kids tried to convince me!
KEVIN COSTNER, Whitney’s co-star in THE BODYGUARD, gave a very heartfelt eulogy.
ALICIA KEYS sang beautifully.
OF COURSE THINGS DIDN’T GO OFF WITHOUT A HITCH. Leave it to BOBBY BROWN to put a damper on things. Just as in Whitney’s life he inserted himself into the situation, bringing drama along for the ride. Bobby arrived at the New Hope Baptist Church with an entourage of nine people…he was supposed to have brought only two guests. He and his group were seated in the family section, but lated asked to move to accomodate Whitney’s mother and other family members. Bobby was told that he was welcome to stay seated there, but that the others would have be seated elsewhere.
Of course instead of gracefully complying, he refused. Police had to remove Bobby and the group from the family seating section, and he left before the funeral even started…claiming that security was harassing him.
He later issued a statement saying, ”My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston. We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions. I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continued to ask us and no one else to move.”
As if that weren’t enough, Bobby says he was also prevented from seeing his and Whitney’s 18-year-old daughter BOBBI KRISTINA.
He added, ”In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene. My children are completely distraught over the events. This was a day to honor Whitney. I doubt Whitney would have wanted this to occur. I will continue to pay my respects to my ex-wife the best way I know how.”
Not everyone was mad at Bobby though. REVEREND AL SHARPTON had Bobby’s back after the funeral. He said, ”Bobby showed nothing but love and respect for Whitney. I wish people would leave Bobby alone.”
Really? How can you defend a guy like Bobby Brown? It’s well documented that Whitney’s drug problems didn’t begin until she hooked up with this guy. He’s not a good person.
He did pay tribute to Whitney during his intro at the NEW EDITION gigs Friday in Maryland and Saturday night in Connecticut. You have to watch the video just to hear what he says to wrap up his “tribute” to the woman he “loves like he loves God!”
THE OLD SAYING…”The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree” was never more true than on Saturday. Whitney and Bobby’s daughter, BOBBI KRISTINA, snuck off and disappeared for several hours after her mother’s funeral.
Frantic family members were blowing up Bobbi’s cell phone trying to reach her. Finally, hours later, she was found in a hotel room getting high.
A family spokesperson issued this statement…”There was some confusion about Bobbi Kristina’s whereabouts last night for a short time, but she’s OK. She needed some time alone. She is going through a very hard time as you can expect.”
The latest word is the family will try to get Bobbi Kristina into drug rehab…for the third time in her short 18 year old life! Good luck. I’m afraid that she’s destined to follow the example that both of her parents set for her. If so…that’s truly a shame.
HERE’S AN INTERESTING IDEA…SIMON COWELL is proposing a face-off between all of the winners of the various singing competition shows. He Tweeted, ”Maybe the winner of X Factorthis year should compete with winner of The Voice and American Idol in a super final. Just a thought. I’d be up for it.”
There’s no response from the people behind The Voice…but AmericanIdol producer NIGEL LYTHGOE responded on Twitter with, “The problem is the Idol winner will be a star by then.”
It’s kind of a snarky response, but does Nigel have a point? Just take a look back to last year. Which of the shows’ winners do you think most Americans could name? I can only remember Idol winner SCOTT McCREERY.
Right now, American Idol still has the largest platform of all three shows…but the gap seems to be closing. The Voice got a HUGE boost from its post-Super Bowl season premiere. I’m sure that Simon is hoping for a similar bump from shaking up his judging panel. And there’s already been a drop off in American Idol ratings this season.
It’s worth pointing out that X Factor is the lowest-rated of the three shows…so Simon would have the MOST to gain by linking up with the others.
Personally, I LOVE the idea of a super final to crown the best of the best. What do you think? Keep in mind, Scotty took the Best New Artist award at the American Country Awards, and and X Factor winner MELANIE AMARO was in that Pepsi video with ELTON JOHN.
AND FINALLY…right when it looked like the economly may be turning the corner…we may not be able to afford to drive around the corner! AAA says the national average cost for regular unleaded gasoline is already 8% higher this year alone, now at $3.52 a gallon. That’s the highest price ever at this point in the year.
Here are 5 ways to find cheap gas prices:
1. Track Prices Via Websites and Mobile Apps: Thanks to the Internet, we drivers can now find the average price of gasoline by zip code. Gasbuddy.com, and Gaspricewatch.com are a couple of sites that I have used.
2. Inconvenience Yourself: This shouldn’t be a shock to anyone…but gas stations just off the highway cost more than others just down the way. If you’re willing to spend a few extra minutes then you can usually find stations that make it time well spent.
3. Fill Up at the Right Time: Experts say the best time to fill-up your tank is on Wednesday. Gas prices are highest on weekends when the most people are traveling.
4. Look at the Fine Print on Your Credit Card & Reward Programs: A lot of companies offer membership at their stations…but the experts say to look for partnerships between your local gas station and other merchants. Often times pairing the right card with the right grocery store is where you’ll find the benefits.
5. Get Out of the Car: Believe it or not…there are still gas stations that will have someone fill ‘er up. Resist the temptation at all cost…or it will end up costing you LOTS! You’ll end up paying $5 more to fill a 20 gallon tank. That equals $260 a year if you only fill up once a week.
I WOULD LOVE to hear your feedback and comments. Friend me on FACEBOOK by clicking HERE. And follow me on TWITTER by clicking HERE.
THREE THINGS ARE CERTAIN IN LIFE…Death. Taxes. And FACEBOOK changes! Now before you start complaining…because we ALL start complaining as soon as we hear “Facebook” and “changes” in the same sentence…this actually looks like a GOOD change. It’s censorship…but hopefully to make Facebook a more pleasant experience.
Facebook’s internal content guideline was leaked yesterday…that’s what they use to figure out which posts aren’t appropriate and should be deleted. Here are 10 highlights of what they will and won’t censor.
1. Foreplay like kissing and groping will NOT be censored. But actual sexual
activity WILL be censored, obviously.
2. Photos that show a side-by-side comparison between a person and an animal
WILL be censored. Sorry George Bush haters…no more shots of him making
strange faces along side a remarkable look-alike chimp.
3. Photoshopped images MIGHT be censored. If the Photoshopping portrays the
person in a negative light, the photo will be removed. But if the Photoshopping
portrays the person in a positive or neutral way, the photo can stay. In other
words those shots of my head on some hot dudes body STAY…and there’s not a
thing you can do about about it! Deal!
4. Images of drunk or unconscious people with stuff drawn on their face WILL be
censored. Which is a surprise, because I see these all the time. Sorry frat boys!
5. Graphic photos of dead animals WILL be censored. Unless the photos are in
the context of food prep or, ”hunting as it occurs in nature,” like a lion eating a
zebra or something.
6. Works of art showing nudity WILL NOT be censored. But cartoon nudity will
be removed.
7. Adult love toys MIGHT be censored. If they’re in the context of sexual activity,
they’re gone. If you’re just, like, holding a vibrating toy, you’re clear. Whew…
thank God for that!
8. Bodily fluids WILL NOT be censored. Vomit, snot, earwax, and anything in the
toilet are all probably clear. But not if you post a photo of someone in the act of
actually releasing bodily fluids. That’s just gross anyway!
9. Photos of poaching endangered animals WILL be censored, and will be
reported.
10. Photos of “blatant depiction of camel toes and moose knuckles” WILL be
censored. If for some reason you’re not familiar with those two terms…please
don’t make me have to explain either of these terms here. My mom reads this
page. So if you’re curious…just Google them!
ON THE SUBJECT OF CENSORSHIP…what do you think of this? A couple of Los Angeles talk show hosts…JOHN KOBYLT and KEN CHIAMPOU…who host The John and Ken Show on KFI-AM…were suspended for dissing WHITNEY HOUSTON during their show earlier this week.
One of the guys called Whitney a “crack ho”, and said she’d been, ”cracked out for 20 years.” He kept ranting about what a mess Whitney’s been for the past 20 years, and said, ”And then you find out she’s dead. It’s like, ‘really…it took this long?’”
My question is this…haven’t most of us said this…or at least thought it every time we’ve seen a picture of Whitney on a tabloid while standing in line at the grocery store checkout? Isn’t it the same sort of thing everyone thought and said about Michael Jackson? But I’d go as far to say that we were harsher on Michael.
Either way, I’m not saying what’s right or wrong. It’s certainly something that I wouldn’t have said on the air…but it is something that a lot of people have been thinking. These guys just dared to say it outloud and over the air. I’d love to know what you think. So let me know.
WHITNEY’S FUNERAL IS TOMORROW. Of course earlier this week fans were informed there will be no public memorial. Out of respect for the privacy of her family and close friends, the services at the New Hope Baptist Church in her hometown of Newark will be closed to the public.
However, if you se desire, you can listen to the services on the radio, courtesy of New York radio station 98.7 KISS-FM. The Associated Press is also making a live video feed available online. Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder will sing during the service. And word from PEOPLE magazine, Kevin Costner, who was Whitney’s co-star in THE BODYGUARD will speak at the funeral.
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS…STAYS IN VEGAS. They cut it down to 42 contestants last night on AMERICAN IDOLas the show originated from Sin City. Overall I really like a lot of the singers going through to the next round. If you missed last night’s show, here’s a video recap.
It’s back to Hollywood next week for another round of performances and cuts.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A MOVIE this weekend…there are two that look like they might be worth your time.
THIS MEANS WAR: Two of the world’s deadliest CIA operatives are inseparable partners and best friends…until they discover that they’ve fallen in love with the same woman. Deciding to keep their friendship a secret from her, they pull out their full arsenal of fighting skills and high-tech gadgetry to defeat their greatest enemy…each other. It stars a VERY HOT looking REECE WITHERSPOON, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, and Chelsea Handler.
It’s rated PG-13 for sexual content including references, some violence and action, and for language. But did I mention Reece Witherspoon looks VERY HOT?
GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGENCE: Former stuntman and bounty hunter of rogue demons Johnny Blaze has been living in self-imposed exile, believing that his powers are a curse. But when he is approached by a member of a monastic order who is looking for someone to protect a mother and her son, who are being pursued by the devil in the figure of a man named Roarke, the Ghost Rider takes the case.
It stars NICOLAS CAGE and a bunch of other people that I’ve never heard of.
It’s rated PG-13 for for intense sequences of action and violence, some disturbing images, and language.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND. I’d LOVE to hear from you. Sign up here on the website and leave a comment…or friend me on Facebook HERE. And you can follow me on Twitter HERE.
IT’S NO SECRET…I LOVE ME SOME STARBUCKS. Oh I know…I’ve heard all of the arguments about how expensive it is, and how they’re a big corporate giant putting smaller local coffee shops out of business. Sorry…I still love Starbucks. That being said…I’m not sure I love them as much as this guy!
Logan Warren of Nacogdoches, Texas decided to figure out a combination for the most expensive drink POSSIBLE at Starbucks…a Java Chip Frappuccino for $4.75 in a 31-ounce Trenta cup. It also had:
- 16 shots of espresso for $12 and a shot of soy milk for 60 cents.
- A scoop of banana puree for $1, strawberry puree for 60 cents, protein powder for 50 cents, and Matcha powder for 75 cents.
- Plus caramel flavoring for 50 cents, vanilla beans for 50 cents, and a caramel and mocha drizzle for 60 cents.
Total cost? $23.60, not including the tip he gave the baristas for taking 20 MINUTES to make the drink. But get this…he didn’t even pay for it because he had a coupon for a free birthday drink.
So how did it taste? Logan said, “Tolerable but not good. Imagine a coffee-based health food smoothie.”
By the way…it also has 1,400 milligrams of caffeine ! That’s so much that if you drank the whole thing, you’d probably end up in the hospital.
WHITNEY HOUSTON’S FUNERAL is Saturday. As expected, it seems like everytime you turn on the TV or go online there’s some new story about her death. The good news is that most of them aren’t of the tabloid variety…at least from what I’ve seen. Most of them seem to be about what a tragedy her death is. For example, Entertainment Tonightran this clip from Whitney’s interview with Oprah.
OF COURSE WE CAN COUNT ON TMZ for some tabloid trash. But in this case I’m sorry to say…it just may be true! TMZ is reportingthat Whitney’s family is trying to keep Bobby Brown away from his daughter, Bobbi Kristina, because they think he’s after Whitney’s money!
Of course like most of us, her family blames Bobby Brown, because they believe he was the guy that got her hooked on drugs to begin with. They also believe he’s responsible for Bobbi Kristina’s drug and alcohol problems.
As for Bobby Brown…he knows the family hates him, but he wants to bury the hatchet for the sake of his daughter.
Yeah…I’m sure the thought of money never entered his head!
BY THE WAY…the family has finally decided on a final resting space for Whitney. She will be buried right beside her father at the Fairview Cemetery in New Jersey.
If you read yesterday’s post, I mentioned there had been some discussion of burying Whitney in Atlanta, but according to reports, her wishes were to be laid to rest next to her dad.
EVER WONDER IF SOMEONE IS LYING on their Facebook page? Here are four tricks you can use to figure out whether someone’s not being honest in their online dating or Facebook profile.
1. They don’t write “I” or “me.” The more lies they tell, the more they want to distance themselves from the lies…so they don’t say “I” or “me” very much.
2. They use negation. Instead of “happy,” they write “not sad.” Instead of “exciting,” they write “not boring.”
3. They write shorter self-descriptions. They don’t write too much about themselves, because it could create too many lies to remember and cover for later.
4. If they have a photo up, they don’t also describe their appearance. This is especially true for online dating: If someone uses a fake photo or an old photo, they won’t write anything about their appearance.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin and Cornell University put the studytogether…and say you can correctly identify liars about TWO-THIRDS of the time, just by using these four things.
AND FINALLY…I haven’t talked a lot about the new season of AMERICAN IDOL. But I have to say…I’m loving it so far. They wrapped up Hollywood week last night. If you missed it there was lots of puking and fainting…and some pretty decent singing mixed in for good measure!
Idol heads to Las Vegas next week. Why Vegas? Why not! Maybe producers are looking for a new twist or an angle that will keep declining viewership coming back. No matter…I’ll be watching. So look for everything American Idol here as the season continues.
FRIEND ME on Facebook HERE. Follow me on Twitter HERE. Leave your comments and thoughts. And as always…thanks for reading. If you like the post…please link it up to YOUR Facebook page and spread the love!
TODAY IS FEBRUARY 29th…that’s right Leap Day. Believe it or not, Leap Year dates back to Julius Caesar and the Romans. When Jack and Nick asked me why we have Leap Year all I could tell them is that it has something to do with time…and if we didn’t then it would eventually mess up the calendar someday.
3. Take A Nap. It’s not always an option, but more and more research shows that a 10-minute nap every day can make you happier. If you can’t take a nap, then take a walk, listen to music, meditate, or just sit back with your eyes closed.
