SOME GUY TOOK A SWING AT MITT ROMNEY WHILE FLYING BACK FROM THE OLYMPICS:
Former Republican Presidential candidate MITT ROMNEY spent the weekend at the Vancouver Olympics with his wife Ann. Then, on the way home, he nearly THREW DOWN with a passenger on the plane --But it wasn't his fault. As his Air Canada flight to Los Angeles was getting ready to take off, the jerk sitting in front of his wife reclined his seat too far back. --So Romney asked the guy to put his seat up . . . and it was ON. According to a Romney spokeman, the guy became ''physically violent'' and took a swing. --Even though the other guy threw the first punch and deserved a beating, Romney didn't retaliate. The plane returned to the gate, and the crew dragged the guy off. He hasn't been identified, and Romney doesn't plan to press charges. (--Romney was the CEO of the 2002 Winter Olympics and was in Vancouver as a guest of honor. Surprisingly, the Romneys were in row 15 of coach. That's how you treat a guest of honor? People get punched out in coach.) (Toronto Globe and Mail)
A CANADIAN CURLER IS FIVE AND A HALF MONTHS PREGNANT:
KRISTIE MOORE is an Olympic Athlete. Sort of. She's an alternate for the Canadian women's curling team. That's the sport that looks like shuffleboard on ice. --And if you're wondering how challenging the sport of curling really is, consider this: Kristie is FIVE AND A HALF MONTHS PREGNANT. --But the team's captain said they chose her anyway because, quote, "She is young and fit." --Kristie is definitely showing, but she doesn't think her condition will affect her performance. She says, quote, "In the eighth month or so, that might be an issue." (--Believe it or not, Kristie is the THIRD pregnant Olympian in history. Swedish figure skater MAGDA JULIN won a gold medal in 1920 in her first trimester, and knocked-up German skeleton racer DIANA SARTOR finished fourth in 2006.) (Yahoo)
THE U.S. GOALIES HAD THEIR HELMETS CENSORED:
The International Olympic Committee has been busy CENSORING GOALIE HELMETS to make sure that no one reads anything inappropriate. --It's become a tradition for goalies to unveil tacky, airbrushed, over-the-top goalie helmets for the Olympics. --The U.S. helmets feature red-eyed eagles swooping, Uncle Sam flexing his enormous biceps, and a Native American shooting an arrow. The I.O.C. is fine with all of that. --But starting goalie RYAN MILLER needed to put a decal over the phrase "Miller Time" on the back of his helmet, because it's a beer slogan. (--Even though it's also his LAST NAME.) --Backup goalie JONATHAN QUICK needed to cover up "Support Our Troops" on his helmet, because it was a political message. --And third-stringer TIM THOMAS had to hide "k.i.t k.o.t k.a.t." . . . which are the initials of his three children. No reason was given. (--Although maybe it was simply too similar to the Kit Kat candy bar.)(Reuters)
THE GERMANS HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD IN THE OVERALL MEDAL COUNT:
After four days of competition, the U.S. fell behind Germany in the medal count. The Germans picked up four new medals, but we didn't pick up a single one. Here is yesterday's overall medals breakdown . . .
#1.) Germany with 9 Medals . . . 3 Gold, 4 Silver, and 2 Bronze.
#2.) The United States, with 8 Medals . . . 2 Gold, 2 Silver, and 4 Bronze.
#3.) France with 7 Medals . . . 2 Gold, 1 Silver, and 4 Bronze.
#4.) Canada with 5 Medals . . . 2 Gold, 2 Silver, and 1 Bronze.
#5.) South Korea with 4 Medals . . . 3 Gold and 1 Silver.
WE MAY HAVE NOT WON ANY MEDALS, BUT AT LEAST OUR HOCKEY TEAMS BOTH WON THEIR GAMES:
Even though U.S. Olympians were SHUT OUT in medals for all five of Tuesday's main events, the men's and women's hockey teams both won their games. The men's team beat Switzerland, 3-1, and the women's team embarrassed Russia with a score of 13-0. --Our best finishers in the other events were:
--Women's Snowboard Cross: Fifth Place, Lindsey Jacobellis
--Speed Skating, Women's 500 meter: Sixth Place, Heather Richardson (--Lindsey was favored to win the snowboarding gold, but she lost her balance on a jump in the semifinals, fell off the course, and was disqualified.) (--She SHOULD have won the gold four years ago, but she fell while showboating at the finish line and came in second. So much for redeeming herself this year.)
THE THIEVES WHO STOLE CHARLIE SHEEN'S CAR ALSO TOOK HIS CHEVRON CARD:
The thieves who stole CHARLIE SHEEN'S Mercedes earlier this month took his Chevron card out of it before they rolled it down an embankment near his gated community. --According to TMZ, they used it for seven fill-ups. Police are now hoping to turn up some leads by interviewing employees at all the gas stations where it was used. (--By the way . . . RadarOnline.com says that Charlie's wife, Brooke Mueller, is in rehab for CRACK ADDICTION. The website claims Brooke was also treated for a crack addiction back in 2001.)
MEGAN FOX "DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR" ALL THE ATTENTION SHE'S GETTING:
It's time for another celebrity to complain about all the "unwanted" attention they're getting. -This time, it's MEGAN FOX. In a new interview with "W" magazine, she says, quote, "It's an immense amount of pressure, celebrity itself. I didn't create that. I didn't sign up for that; I didn't know that was going to happen. It created itself." --To Megan's credit, she does admit to SOME culpability here. She says, quote, "[It's happened] with my assistance, obviously. Whatever. --"But it's so big and it's so much. Such a good portion of it is so negative. I think that if you are receptive to anything, if you feel anything ever, it's impossible not to let it affect your life." --Megan also reveals that she's not really sure of herself as an actress. She says, quote, "There's a million people I could name who are more deserving of the parts that I get and the life that I'm living. --Asked if she's jealous of anyone in Hollywood, she says, quote, "Everybody, maybe? Anyone who's got any sort of legitimate accolades."
IS KEVIN SMITH READY TO DROP HIS BEEF WITH SOUTHWEST AIRLINES???
Believe it or not, the "Too Fat to Fly" controversy between KEVIN SMITH and Southwest Airlines is still chugging along. But maybe not for much longer. --It sounds like Kevin is ready to put it to bed. In his latest blog, he writes, quote, "Lots of folks still telling me to stop crying and lose weight . . . as if that's what this was all about. --"Once again: I know I'm fat. The point of all this? I'm not too fat for Southwest Air, yet someone deemed me so. *sigh*" --But, after continuing on for a while, he closes out the post with the following . . . quote, "But, folks? Tomorrow? Let's Tweet about other stuff, shall we? This is starting to taste mediciney and fruitless."(--If you're still fascinated by all of this, you can read the whole thing here . . .)http://silentbobspeaks.com/?p=393
#1.) EVANDER HOLYFIELD'S wife Candi has dropped the restraining order she took out against her husband earlier this month, after he allegedly assaulted her. There's no word what made her change her mind. --At the time, Candi claimed that Holyfield hit her several times during an argument that started when she complained about being cold because the heat in their Georgia home had been turned off.
#2.) BEYONCÉ'S dad, MATTHEW KNOWLES, has been ordered to pay $8,200 a month to a woman who claims he fathered the child she gave birth to on February 4th. --Knowles . . . who has not admitted or denied being the father . . . is taking a paternity test on March 1st. Beyoncé's mom, Tina, filed for divorce from Matthew in November . . . presumably after she found out about his alleged love child.
#3.) KELLY OSBOURNE has been looking really good these days. And according to her, a simple diet tip helped her get her weight under control. --She says, quote, "A trick I've learned is to eat just a little bit of something that has no carbs and no sugar in it before you go to sleep because it keeps your metabolism going. --"They say you should never eat before you go to bed, but I've found just having a tiny little snack . . . like half an apple or something like that . . . before you go to sleep really helps."
#4.) JILLIAN MICHAELS . . . one of the trainers on "The Biggest Loser" . . . is being sued over her Maximum Strength Fat Burner pills. A woman has filed a class-action suit, claiming that the pills contain a potentially lethal blend of ingredients. -This is the THIRD time Jillian has been sued over the Fat Burner pills. The first two suits were brought by people who just claim the pills don't work. (--You have to admit, it seems kind of hypocritical for such a harsh advocate of nutrition and exercise to put her name on diet pills. It doesn't sound like anything more than a cash grab, does it???)
DEAN KOONTZ'S TAKE ON FRANKENSTEIN IS BEING TURNED INTO A MOVIE:
Author DEAN KOONTZ'S series of modern-day "Frankenstein" novels are being turned into a movie. For those of you who aren't familiar with the plot . . . and that's probably most of you . . . here's the deal . . . --Dr. Frankenstein is IMMORTAL, and living in present-day New Orleans as Dr. Helios . . . the CEO of a company called Helios Biovision. --He's building an army of artificial humans to destroy the human race. But he's losing control of his new creations . . . and one has even become a serial killer. --The original Frankenstein monster is the hero of the story. His name is Deucalion, and he has the power of teleportation. He was summoned by Tibetan monks to help stop Helios. And they gave him some sweet tattoos. --Aiding Deucalion are two New Orleans homicide detectives. --Koontz has done three books in the series, and the fourth is coming June 22nd. There's no word on a release date for the movie.
KEVIN EUBANKS IS LEAVING "THE TONIGHT SHOW":
KEVIN EUBANKS . . . JAY LENO'S bandleader (slash) sidekick . . . is considering retirement. Yesterday, NBC confirmed the news in a statement. --It reads, quote, "Kevin has expressed interest in pursuing personal touring and recording opportunities . . . however, he will be with the show when it returns." --So he'll be there when Jay's "Tonight Show" returns on March 1st, but beyond that nothing is certain. The "New York Times" reports that he's in the process discussing an exit strategy with the producers and Jay himself. -Kevin joined the band back in 1992 . . . and became the bandleader when BRANFORD MARSALIS left in 1995. --No one from Kevin's camp . . . assuming he has one . . . has commented on this yet, but a so-called "colleague" of his says, quote, "It's been more than 17 years and he just said he wanted a break." (--Yeah, that or he was secretly on Team Conan.) --And just to cover all the bases, no one is saying that Kevin's departure would be permanent . . . but then again, no one is suggesting it may only be temporary either. --HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH stud DARIUS RUCKER has already been rumored to be a possible replacement . . . but Darius' rep has said it isn't true, and NBC said yesterday that they haven't offered the gig to anyone yet.
THE PALIN FAMILY DID *NOT* APPRECIATE BEING REFERENCED ON THIS PAST SUNDAY'S "FAMILY GUY":
This past Sunday's episode of "Family Guy" featured a female character with Down syndrome, who mentioned that her mother was a former governor of Alaska . . . you know, like SARAH PALIN. --And Sarah . . . whose youngest son TRIG has the disorder . . . was not pleased. --On her Facebook page yesterday, Sarah didn't post her reaction, but her DAUGHTER'S. --BRISTOL PALIN had said, quote, "As a culture, shouldn't we be more compassionate to innocent people . . . especially those who are less fortunate? --"Shouldn't we be willing to say that some things just are not funny? Are there any limits to what some people will do or say in regards to my little brother or others in the special needs community? --"If the writers of a particularly pathetic cartoon show thought they were being clever in mocking my brother and my family [on Sunday], they failed. All they proved is that they're heartless jerks." --Sarah described Bristol's comment as, quote, "a much more restrained and gracious statement than I want to make." --But Sarah did give her own views on the subject last night on "The O'Reilly Factor". --She said, quote, "This world is full of cruel, cold-hearted people who would do such a thing."(--There's more. You can see the whole interview here . . .)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tarcoBFVAOA
THE CW HAS RENEWED FIVE OF THEIR SHOWS FOR NEXT SEASON:
The CW handed out early renewals for five of their shows. --"The Vampire Diaries", "Gossip Girl", "Supernatural", "America's Next Top Model", and "90210" will all be back next season. --The jury's still out on some of their other slows, like "One Tree Hill" . . . which has been on the fence for YEARS now . . . "Smallville" and "Melrose Place". --For those that are deeply concerned about the fate of those shows . . . here's the latest line on them, according to E! Online. --Supposedly, the future of "One Tree Hill" depends on the new CW show "Life Unexpected". Only one of these shows is expected to be back next season. --It's quote, "likely" that "Smallville" will be back, but another season could be its last. The show has attracted a respectable 2.5 million viewers on Friday nights. (--Yes, 2.5 million viewers is respectable for The CW. Not so for any of the other major networks. Heck, that's less than half what JAY LENO was getting in primetime.) --As for "Melrose Place", sources tell E! that it doesn't look good, but the network is waiting to see how it does in the ratings after it returns on March 9th.
TV RANDOMS:
#1.) Rumor has it that 63-year-old Food Network super-star PAULA DEEN is in talks to appear on "American Idol". A "source" tells E! Online that negotiations have been ongoing for about two weeks. --It's unclear what Paula would do on "Idol", but the running theory is that she could serve as a guest judge. It's also unclear what musical qualifications she has, but that hasn't really been a deal breaker for "Idol" guest judges in the past.
#2.) TARYN MANNING . . . who played Nola the prostitute in "Hustle & Flow" . . . has been cast as a regular in CBS' updated version of "Hawaii Five-O". --She'll play the younger sister of Detective McGarrett, who will be played by ALEX O'LOUGHLIN. The cast also includes "Lost" star DANIEL DAE KIM. The show will premiere this fall.
#3.) The "authenticity" of "Jersey Shore" has just sustained another accidental fist-pump to the face. That's because JWOWW admitted to FoxNews.com that neither she, nor SNOOKI, are actually Italian. (--ATTICA!!!) --She said she's actually Spanish and Irish . . . while Snooki is Chilean. Nonetheless, they still refer to themselves as, quote, "guidette princesses".
DID SEBASTIAN BACH SAVE AXL ROSE FROM BEING STABBED???
There's a chance that AXL ROSE could have been STABBED on Sunday . . . during the second of GUNS N' ROSES' two secret New York City shows. --Fortunately, SEBASTIAN BACH . . . of SKID ROW "fame" . . . was there, and acted selflessly to SAVE AXL'S LIFE. Maybe. --The "New York Post" reports that, while Guns was onstage, some dude walked into the venue . . . brandishing a switchblade. --A so-called "witness" says, quote, "[He] pulled out a knife and flicked the blade out. Sebastian, who was standing on a banquette, said: 'Nobody is getting anywhere near my man Axl Rose with a knife,' and went after him. --"Security then immediately threw him out. The man appeared to be drunk. It was dealt with so quickly that none of the other guests or the band were aware of it." --Our hero, Sebastian, has yet to comment on the alleged incident. (--Now, the "New York Post" is definitely NOT one to EVER embellish a story, but isn't it convenient that Sebastian stepped in between Axl and an ARMED man . . . and it was "dealt with so quickly" that no one even knew it happened???)
MUSIC RANDOMS:
#1.) The DailySwarm.com claims "multiple industry sources" tell them that Lady Gaga, Green Day, The Strokes and a reunited Soundgarden will headline this year's Lollapalooza, which is going down August 6th through the 9th in Chicago. --The festival's promoter wouldn't comment . . . so we probably won't hear anything definite until the lineup is officially announced. That usually happens in April.
#2.) AEROSMITH has booked another European festival gig WITH STEVEN TYLER. This time it's the Sweden Rock Festival, which is scheduled for June 9th through the 12th. They'll also play at Britain's Download music festival in June. --Guitarist JOE PERRY said, quote, "This is the first show of our European tour. We can't wait to uncork our tour here in Sweden and I am sure the cork will hit the ceiling." (--So what's going on? Is Steven back in the band or what???)
#3.) ADAM LAMBERT stopped a performance in New York on Monday night . . . mid-song . . . to tell some girl to get off her phone. He stopped singing, and told the fan, quote, "Can you get off your phone?! --"You're yelling into it. Wait, sorry, we're going to start over. Really?! Dominoes . . . we deliver!" He added, quote, "You're not watching TV honey . . . it's a live show." (--Here's video . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=f768b13a-3730-468e-a4bb-e10005d4dc37
JAY-Z SAYS THE FACT THAT HE TOUCHED THE WORLD SERIES TROPHY BEFORE A-ROD PROVES THAT HIP-HOP HAS ARRIVED:
JAY-Z says hip-hop has truly arrived, and he's the proof. --He says, quote, "The world is inspiring me. I get out and see the world and more of the world is accepting of our music and what we do. I'm just inspired by the whole thing and how big hip-hop can be and how much of a phenomenon it is. --"You couldn't imagine hip-hop being at the World Series. I touched the championship trophy before A-ROD and the Vince Lombardi trophy before the Saints. --"You couldn't imagine that happening 10 years ago. How about five years ago? I'm saying that to say that the journey hip-hop has taken and we are right now, there's no imitation to it . . . still. Still!"
JAY-Z DOESN'T THINK "WE ARE THE WORLD" SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMADE:
JAY-Z would like you to know there's a reason why he and his wife BEYONCÉ weren't part of the new "We Are the World". --He says, quote, "I have an interesting take on that. Namely, that they should never have remade it in the first place. --"I know everybody is gonna take this wrong: 'We Are the World', I love it, and I understand the point and think it's great. But I think 'We Are the World' is like 'Thriller' to me. I don't ever wanna see it touched. --"I'm a fan of music. I know the plight and everything that's going on in Haiti . . . So I appreciate the efforts and everything, but 'We Are the World' is untouchable like 'Thriller' is untouchable. --"Some things are just untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me, it's gonna be untouchable." --Jay thinks they should have written a NEW song instead . . . but he adds, quote, "As everyone knows, I have tremendous respect for QUINCY JONES. Of course, I think he's genius, as everyone else does. --"But I think it's time for us to make a new song."
NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF
WOMEN LOVE SHOPPING BECAUSE OF EVOLUTION:
Women love shopping. Now, thanks to a new study from the University of Michigan, researchers think they know why: It's because of EVOLUTION. Here's the logic . . . --Thousands of years ago, men were HUNTERS and women were FORAGERS. --When men went hunting, their technique for killing prey was to get in and out as quickly as possible . . . just like most modern men with shopping. --But for women, foraging required a lot of sorting and careful examination to get the best stuff . . . just like a lot of modern women with shopping. --A guy named Daniel Kruger led the study. He says, quote, "Women would want to have more things to search through, and to be able to experience them, touch them, feel textures and see colors. --"With a guy, he knows the properties he wants. It may be more efficient to have a counter that the guy walks up to, says what he wants, and they go get that item from a storage room." --In other words, the reason your girl is always shopping and spending all your money is because she's compelled by evolution. Not that it matters all that much when she blows $200 on a new pair of shoes . . . I'm just saying. (MSNBC)
AMERICANS ARE THE BEST-LOOKING PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!!!
It's moments like this when I stop and think to myself: "Yes, I AM awesome." (???) --Recently, a British website called OnePoll.com asked users which country has the BEST-LOOKING people. Check out the top five:
#5.) Italy#4.) Australia#3.) Spain#2.) Brazil#1.) THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (!!!) (UPI)
THE HAPPIEST STATE IN AMERICA IS . . . HAWAII:
Yesterday, a new Gallup poll came out ranking the 50 states in terms of HAPPINESS. --It was based on several different criteria, including emotional health, work environment, healthy behavior, basic access to healthcare and recreation, and something called life evaluation, which is basically how satisfied people are with life. --According to the study, the five happiest states are:
#5.) Iowa#4.) Minnesota#3.) Montana#2.) Utah#1.) Hawaii
--And the five least happy states are:
#5.) Nevada#4.) Ohio#3.) Arkansas#2.) Kentucky#1.) West Virginia (Yahoo News)
(--You can link to the full list here . . .)http://www.livescience.com/culture/happy-states-2009-100216.html
CATHOLIC LEADERS WANT YOU TO GIVE UP TECHNOLOGY FOR LENT . . . AND THEY HAVE A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW TO DO IT:
Today is the first day of Lent, the period leading up to Easter when . . . traditionally . . . Christians give up a small luxury to represent the hardships Jesus endured during his temptation by Satan. --And this year, Catholic leaders in the UK are urging Christians to go on a "carbon fast" to reduce their carbon footprint and help the environment. --According to one Catholic leader, quote, "Lent is a period when we should look at how we live our lives. Giving up chocolate is a symbol of that, but giving up technology is a more serious way of looking at the issues that face us as a global community. --"It is a statement [of solidarity] with a world that does not have that ability to communicate the way we can, and a reminder to us that perhaps we may have got beyond ourselves in terms of our own consumption of technology." --Here's a list of possible "carbon fasts" that Catholic leaders have suggested: --Give up all technology for one day a month . . . that means no computer, no TV and no cell phone . . . and donate the money you save to charity. --Become a part-time vegetarian by eating at least two vegetarian meals a week. --Mend your old clothes instead of buying new stuff.
--Start composting food waste, and growing your own fruits and vegetables.--Cut your meat and vegetables thinner, so they'll cook faster and use less energy.--Turn off the lights and eat by candlelight.--Take the train instead of flying.--Arrange "swapping parties" with your friends where you exchange clothes, jewelry and other items so everyone gets something new without going to the store.--Avoid "excess" idling and acceleration to cut back on emissions when driving. --Save water by only flushing the toilet every other time you use it. (Daily Telegraph)
TWO COMPLETE STRANGERS TIED THE KNOT TO PROVE A POINT ABOUT THE "SANCTITY" OF MARRIAGE . . . OR LACK THEREOF:
If you've been following the gay marriage debate, you know that one of the major knocks against it is that it violates the "sanctity" of marriage. --Well, a guy from Orlando named Brian Feldman doesn't buy it. So last week, he put up a post on Facebook saying he'd marry ANYBODY who showed up at the courthouse on Friday morning. --The idea was to show that marriage between a man and a woman isn't necessarily "sanctified," it's just between members of the opposite sex. --Or as Brian put it in his post, quote, "Is this entire project a mockery of marriage? Not at all! It’s completely within the legal rights of Brian and any other heterosexual couple with $123.50 (plus $6 for a standard marriage certificate). --"Sound absurd? Not nearly absurd as denying the equal right to marry for same-sex couples who truly care about each other; who’ve been in committed, productive and, most importantly, loving relationships for upwards of 20+ years. --"That, to Brian, and millions of Americans who believe in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, is truly absurd - to say nothing of a civil injustice." --Anyway, three women showed up at the courthouse. And after playing spin-the-bottle to determine which one Brian would marry, he tied the knot with a COMPLETE STRANGER named Hannah Miller. (!!!) (Orlando Sentinel)
ARE SCHOOLS GOING TO PLAY BURT BACHARACH TO PREVENT KIDS FROM GRINDING ON THE DANCE FLOOR?
We've been hearing about this for a while, and it doesn't seem to be going away: High schools across the country keep looking for new ways to stop their kids from grinding on the dance floor. --On the one hand, it's hard to take this stuff seriously, because we should be more worried about their grades, and at least they're not shooting each other. --On the other hand, if you have kids, or you've ever SEEN the stuff they do when they're dancing, you know why this bothers people. It's like "Dirty Dancing" on crack. --Some schools have banned dances, posted rules, or made their students sign contracts before dances . . . all in the name of the anti-grinding movement. But the best plan so far is the one from the Pacific Hills School in L.A. --Last year, they threatened to turn on the lights if students started to grind . . . and to interrupt whatever song was playing with BURT BACHARACH . . . or WILLIAM SHATNER'S rendition of "Mr. Tambourine Man". (LA Times)
SHOULD DOGS BE ALLOWED TO GO EVERYWHERE WITH THEIR OWNERS?
I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but some time around the rise of PARIS HILTON and her merry band of celebu-skanks, it became socially acceptable for dog owners to take their pets EVERYWHERE with them. --And I'm not just talking about parks and other outdoor spaces . . . I'm talking about restaurants, stores, and even airplanes. --The question is: Should dogs be allowed to go everywhere with their owners? --Well, two editorialists addressed that exact topic in a recent "Complaint Box" piece in the "New York Times".--A woman named Barbara Rosenblatt took the dissenting opinion. She says, quote, "Animals are joining the ranks of small, bored children who must accompany their grown-ups just about everyplace. --"Perhaps what it will take to keep animals out of stores is a few too many paw prints on the merchandise, or a deposit by a dog that mistook a rug for a sidewalk." --And a woman named Erica Manfred defended her right to take her dog anywhere by saying he, quote, "makes my life bearable, and I don't care what anyone thinks." (Paw Nation)
FORMER WASHINGTON REDSKIN DARRELL GREEN RAN THE 40-METER DASH IN 4.43 SECONDS ON HIS 50TH BIRTHDAY:
DARRELL GREEN is a former cornerback for the Washington Redskins. He retired from the NFL in 2002, and on Monday he celebrated his 50th birthday . . . by running the 40-meter dash in 4.43 SECONDS. --If that doesn't mean anything to you, think of it this way . . . Darrell's 40-meter time on Monday was still faster than MOST players in the NFL right now. (Fan House)
GIRLS WHO PLAY SPORTS IN HIGH SCHOOL ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE CHUBBY WHEN THEY GROW UP:
A new study from the University of Illinois at Chicago has found that when girls play sports in high school, they're 7% less likely to be overweight 20 to 25 years later in life. (New York Times) (--You can link to the full story here . . .)http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/health/16well.html
HERE ARE FIVE SIGNS YOU'RE SLEEP-DEPRIVED:
You know you need to get about eight hours of sleep to be at the top of your game. But sometimes it's just not possible. --With that in mind, here are five signs your body will send to let you know you're SLEEP-DEPRIVED:
#1.) You can't make even the simplest decision: A study from the University of California at San Diego found that when people are tired, they have a harder time distinguishing between minor stuff and what's important . . . so they're easily confused.
#2.) You're always hungry: Studies have shown that when you don't get enough sleep, the body produces less of a hormone called leptin that curbs appetite, and more of a hormone called ghrelin that stimulates the appetite.
#3.) You keep getting sick: Studies have found that sleep boosts the immune system. And when people get less sleep than they need, they're up to three times more likely to get sick than those who get enough sleep.
#4.) You're an emotional wreck: The part of the brain that processes fear and anxiety is called the amygdala. Brain scans have shown that when people lose sleep, their amygdala is 60% more active than that of someone who's fully rested. --And other studies have found that when people are tired, their amygdala has a harder time communicating with the part of the brain that controls appropriate emotional responses . . . thus the near-constant waterworks.
#5.) You keep knocking stuff over: A study from Stanford University found that lack of sleep impairs focus, balance, reflexes, and depth perception. (MSN Health)
NAZZY'S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY
#1.) This is what happens when you combine "Star Wars" nerds with the dorks who do those spontaneous 'flash-mob' events: a bunch of people suddenly start a lightsaber fight at a shopping mall in Bristol, England. (--It starts at 1:10.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUZgrL85OKs(Search Terms: Bristol lightsaber flashmob YouTube.com)
#2.) A politician in New Hampshire voiced her support for banning gay marriage by graphically describing how men have sex using the back-door.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgDWAvLh0yo(Search Terms: Nancy Elliott New Hampshire HB1590 video)
#3.) An Australian weatherman is attacked by a pelican in the middle of his report.http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1929349(Search Terms: pelican attacks weatherman Australia)
FIVE INVENTIONS WE OWE TO THE SPACE PROGRAM:
NASA was planning to put another man on the moon by the year 2020, but it would have cost $100 billion. So President Obama cut the plan when he sent his new budget to Congress. But some people say he made the wrong decision. Here's why. --These are five inventions people rely on every day that were inspired by NASA's research . . .
#1.) GPS. NASA researchers originally developed it as a space-based navigation system for the military. And it was used to increase the accuracy of satellite-guided missiles. But now you've probably got it on your cell phone.
#2.) MEMORY FOAM. NASA needed a new material that would make liftoffs and landings easier on the astronauts' bodies. So they made one. Now people use it to get a better night's sleep and to help with aches and pains caused by normal mattresses.
#3.) INVISIBLE BRACES. They're made from a special material that's stronger than steel and doesn't stain. And most important, it's clear. NASA developed it, and the military used it on heat-seeking missiles.
#4.) CORDLESS POWER TOOLS. The astronauts needed lightweight equipment that had a decent battery life. Black and Decker was already working on it when NASA got involved. But that's when the technology started getting a lot better.
#5.) CAT SCANS. This is one of the most-important things NASA's ever come up with. During the Apollo missions in the 1960's, scientists needed a way to digitally enhance pictures of the moon. --And the technology they came up with eventually evolved into CAT scans and MRIs, which are used to help diagnose cancer and all sorts of other diseases. (AskMen.com)FACT OR
Original Post By: Nazzy
Source: http://1055jyy.blogspot.com/2010/02/february-17-2010.html
