KFLAG COUNTRY MUSIC UPDATE
 Brantley Gilbert
tends to keep his nose to the grindstone when it comes to his career.
Between writing songs and performing concerts, Brantley barely has time
to catch his breath these days. Work remains the singer's priority, but
every now and then he cuts loose and rewards himself for all his
hard-earned success.
Brantley tells us he recently added to his growing collection of motorcycles. "I
did buy a 2013 Harley Davidson Street Glide. I've got six of 'em now,
and I went all out. I sent it directly from the dealership -- (I)
didn't even ride it -- I sent it to Iowa to Fat Baggers Incorporated
and they tricked it out. The only thing they kept was the frame so it'd
still be a Harley and keep the same VIN number . . . The frame and the
drive train and that was it. Everything else on it's custom. My
dashboard's an ipad. It's pretty cool!"
Brantley is competing against his fiancee, Jana Kramer, and Florida Georgia Line for ACM New Artist of the Year. The fan-voted award winner will be announced live during the ACM Awards on April 7th in Las Vegas.
FAST FACTS
- Brantley will join Tim McGraw on the Two Lanes of Freedom tour beginning in May.
- He
will also be part of the lineup at the ACM Party For A Cause charitable
concert on April 5th at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Other acts on
the bill that night include Florida Georgia Line, The Band Perry, Greg
Bates, Justin Moore and Cassadee Pope.
 Brad Paisley
announced the first leg of his 2013 tour. Beat This Summer Tour will be
presented by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and kick off in St. Louis
on May 9. The tour will hit over 29 cities in the United States and
Canada. Special guests will be Chris Young and Lee Brice.
- More details will be announced soon.
Beat This Summer Tour presented by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store dates: (subject to change)
- May 9 St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
- May 10 Indianapolis, IN Klipsch Music Center
- May 11 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
- May 16 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
- May 17 Boston, MA Comcast Center
- May 18 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre
- May 31 Toronto, ONT Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
- June 1 Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion
- June 2 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
- June 6 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
- June 7 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
- June 8 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
- June 21 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre *
- June 22 Tampa, FL Live Nation Amphitheatre *
- June 23 Atlanta, GA Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood *
- June 28 Virginia Beach, VA Farm Bureau Live
- June 29 Washington, DC Jiffy Lube Live
- July 12 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
- July 13 Ft. Loramie, OH Country Concert at Hickory Hills Lake
- July 20 Twin Lakes, WI Country Thunder Festival Grounds
- July 27 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
- July 28 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
- August 1 Denver, CO Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre
- August 2 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
- August 16 Mission, BC Rockin' River Festival-Mission Raceway Park*
- August 17 Brownsville, OR Williamette Country Music Festival *
- August 22 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
- August 23 Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
- August 24 San Bernardino, CA San Manuel Amphitheatre
*Lee Brice is not on this date
 George Strait
won honored with the Country Radio Broadcasters Career Achievement
Award during the Country Radio Hall of Fame ceremony in Nashville on
Tuesday (February 26th) night. He was awarded for his contributions to
country radio throughout his 30-year career, including hitting the top
of the country charts 59 times, selling more than 68 million albums and
playing to millions of country fans.
George is on the first part of his final The Cowboy Rides Away
tour, which concludes in 2014. He may be retiring from the road, but
"King George" says he'll continue making music. He tells us: "I
still really enjoy singing, and that's really who I am. I mean, I love
to fish, and I love to do all these other things. But my love has been
and still is country music and singing. So, for as long as I can keep
doing it, that's what I'm gonna do."
George's
latest single, "Give It All We Got Tonight," is the first release from
his upcoming album, which is due out later this year.
The Cowboy Rides Away tour stops in Knoxville on Friday (March 1st) and Saturday in Lexington (March 2nd).
FAST FACTS
- Martina McBride is George's special guest on The Cowboy Rides Away tour.
- George's new yet untitled CD will be the 28th studio album of his career.
 Justin Moore
has been hard at work on his third studio album. The yet untitled
project will be released later this year, but Justin is giving fans a
taste of what's to come with the first single, called "Point At You,"
which is being released to radio this week.
Justin tells us: "We're
really excited about the new album. We're really excited about what
we've got ready to go so far. We're excited about the new single, 'Point
At You.' We think it's gonna be a big record for us. Can't wait for
everybody to hear it. It's gonna be a lot of the same stuff we've been
doing but a lot of different stuff as well. I hope everybody's excited
to hear it as we are to get it out there. Looking forward to getting out
and playing for the fans again this year with another hit record and
hopefully another big album coming out. I look forward to seeing
everybody out on the road."
Justin will kick off his headlinig Outlaws Like Me tour on March 14th in Pikeville, Kentucky.
FAST FACTS
- Justin is scheduled to perform at the ACM Party For A Cause in Las Vegas on April 5th at the Orleans Arena.
- Other acts performing at the charitable event include The Band Perry, Brantley Gilbert, Greg Bates and Florida Georgia Line.
 Kellie Pickler's Grandpa Ken could be more excited than anyone for her upcoming stint on Dancing With The Stars. She tells Country Weekly,
"He was eavesdropping on my phone conversation about doing the show and
he told me that if I didn't do it, then I wasn't his favorite
granddaughter anymore... Funny thing is, I'm his only granddaughter. I'm
his only grandchild! It's his favorite show, though. I think he's more
excited than anybody about it."
- Kellie said she will be
juggling the show with recording, adding, "I'll be bouncing from the
recording studio to the dance studio. It's going to be exhausting, but I
can do it."
- The new season of Dancing With The Stars begins on March 18th at 8:00 P.M. on ABC.
CHECK IT OUT
- 25 Reasons Grandparents Are The Best - http://bit.ly/YArKXx
FLASHBACK
- Kellie has come a long way! Watch her American Idol audition here:
Four new country artists will join Taylor Swift's Red tour which kicks off in just two weeks, on March 13th in Omaha, Nebraska. British pop star Ed Sheeran and Austin Mahone are already along for most of the 66-show North American tour and now Taylor has added Florida Georgia Line, Casey James, Brett Eldredge and Joel Crouse to different sections of the tour.
In
other news, Taylor was recently in a panic over videos she sent to her
tour mate Ed Sheeran after the British singer revealed that he lost his
phone. Ed eventually got the phone back, but Taylor told a British radio
station she was concerned, adding, 'Someone's gonna get videos of me
having a conversation with my cat that I sent Ed... and like YouTube
videos and stuff like that. He's one of my best friends...
Legitimately."
SIDE NOTES
- Florida Georgia Line is also set to open for Luke Bryan on his Dirt Road Diaries Tour and embark on their very own headlining tour as well.
- Brett Eldredge said he's excited to join the Red Tour. He tells Taste of Country,
"What Taylor does, her show is a spectacle unlike any other artist in
music. Just to be able to have a little part of that, a little tiny
piece of that, to be able to get in front of her fans that are so
passionate... I'm so, so lucky to be able to do that. It's gonna be
awesome."
CHECK IT OUT
ELI YOUNG BAND - 'LIFE AT BEST'
JERROD NIEMANN - 'ONLY GOD COULD LOVE YOU MORE'
CARRIE UNDERWOOD - 'BLOWN AWAY' GOAT EDITION
KELLY CLARKSON - 'SINCE YOU BEEN GONE' GOAT EDITION THE PEACH PICKERS DO THE 'HARLEM SHAKE'
SCOTTY MCCREERY DOES 'THE HARLEM SHAKE'
 AXS PRESENTING CARRIE: AXS TV will present Carrie Underwood's
"Blown Away Tour" as a live television event on Sunday, March 3rd. The
live full concert performance will air from Citizens Business Bank Arena
in Ontario California. Underwood said, "I've had the opportunity to
play in so many wonderful cities and venues on this tour and still have
many more to go, but I am so excited that AXS TV has given us the
opportunity to be able to share the concert experience live with fans at
home. It's going to be a great night!"
GRAND OLE OPRY MARKS 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF CRASH: The Grand Ole Opry will mark the 50th Anniversary of the plane crash that took the lives of Opry Members, Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins
on Tuesday Night (March 5.) The three Opry members will be remembered
with performances of their hit records by Opry and Country Music Hall of
Fame members, Jean Shepard, Mandy Barnett, Terri Clark, John Conlee and Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys. Other performers include: Academy of Country Music Award nominees Florida Georgia Line and Opry group Riders In The Sky.
ACM WEEKEND AT FREMONT SCHEDULE:
ACM Weekend at Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas will return on
April 5 and 6. The free open-to-the-public concert for the fans will be
held following the ACM Experience during the week. They will be
headlined by Gary Allan and Jake Owen. It will feature performances by Randy Houser, Chris Janson, Jana Kramer, Kip Moore, Joe Nicols and Sunny Sweeney.
Schedule for ACM Weekend at Fremont Street Experience:
- Friday, April 5, 2013
- 9:00pm Sunny Sweeney (New Female Vocalist of the Year Nominee) 1st Street Stage
- 9:50pm Joe Nichols 3rd Street Stage
- 11:00pm Kip Moore 1st Street Stage
- 12:00am Gary Allan 3rd Street Stage
- Saturday, April 6, 2013
- 9:00pm Chris Janson 1st Street Stage
- 9:50pm Randy Houser 3rd Street Stage
- 11:00pm Jana Kramer (New Female Vocalist of the Year & New Artist of the Year Nominee) 1st Street Stage
- 12:00am Jake Owen 3rd Street Stage
CASSADEE POPE JOINS RASCAL FLATTS ON TOUR: 'The Voice' Season 3 winner Cassadee Pope won country music fans over with a stellar performance of 'Changed' with Rascal Flatts
on the wildly popular reality competition series. Now the newcomer will
join the Grammy award-winning trio on their upcoming headlining tour of
the same name later this year.
- Pope took to her official Twitter account on Tuesday (Feb. 26) to make the announcement, tweeting,
COUNTRY TRIVIA
Q. What was the name of Martina McBride's very first radio single released in 1992?
A. "The Time Has Come"
ON THE TUBE
DAY JOBS/GAC 2:00PM (ET)
Mark Wills, Love and Theft, Craig Campbell
BLUE COLLAR COMEDY TOUR/CMT 9:00PM (ET)
Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall
THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO/NBC 11:35PM (ET)
Shooter Jennings
CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS
- Jason Aldean (36)
- Mario Andretti (Italian auto racer) (73)
- Frank Bonner (WKRP In Cincinnati's salesman Herb Tarlek) (71)
- Gavin MacLeod (actor, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat) (82, some sources say 83)
- Bernadette Peters (actress, The Jerk, Annie, All's Fair, Ugly Betty) (65)
- John Turturro (actor, Do The Right Thing and Quiz Show) (56)
- Robert Sean Leonard (actor, Dead Poets Society, The Last Days Of Disco, House, M.D.) (44)
- Gilbert Gottfried (comedian) (58)
- Rae Dawn Chong (actress, Commando, The Color Purple; daughter of Tommy Chong) (52)
- Mercedes Ruehl (actress, The Warriors, The Secret Of My Succe$s, Big, Married To The Mob, Lost In Yonkers) (65)
- Cindy Wilson (singer, the B-52's) (56)
- Ali Larter (actress, Varsity Blues, Final Destination, Heroes) (37)
- Natalia Vodianova (Russian supermodel) (31)
- Karolina Kurkova (Czech supermodel) (29)
INDUSTRY NEWS
 RELEASE DATE SET FOR QUVENZHANE WALLIS' 'ANNIE': Sony pictures has announced that the Annie remake starring Quvenzhane Wallis will hit theaters on Christmas day of 2014. The reimagining of the stage musical will be directed by Will Gluck.
WILL FERRELL TO BE HONORED AT MTV MOVIE AWARDS: Will Ferrell
will be the first-ever recipient of the Comedic Genius Award at the MTV
Movie Awards airing in April. The show will be hosted by Pitch Perfect star Rebel Wilson.
NETFLIX CEO CONFIRMS THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE NEW SEASON OF 'ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT': Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has announced that the highly anticipated return of Arrested Development
will only be for one season. He said, "We don't anticipate being able
to do season five, six, and seven and we have less of a stake in it. So
it's a really fantastic one-off which is coming together incredibly."
'AMERICAN HORROR STORY' ADDS KATHY BATES: Harry's Law star Kathy Bates has signed on to join the third season of FX's American Horror Story. She will play a friend turned enemy of Jessica Lange's character.
'GREY'S ANATOMY' ALUM JOINS NBC COMEDY PILOT: Chyler Leigh, best known for playing Lexi Grey on Grey's Anatomy, has joined the NBC comedy Holding Patterns.
The show is described as an ensemble multi-camera comedy about a group
of friends whose lives change after surviving a plane crash.
CELEBRITY GOSSIP
 MATT DAMON PLANNING SECOND WEDDING TO HIS WIFE: Matt Damon and his wife Luciana
are rumored to be planning a top-secret destination wedding celebration
to renew their vows. The couple was originally married in a low key
ceremony at Manhattan's City Hall in 2005.
PEREZ HILTON IS A DAD: Gossip blogger Perez Hilton
announced on his website on Wednesday (February 27th) that he became a
dad earlier this month. He wrote, "Dear Friends, I want you to hear this
directly from me, right here. I am ready to announce that earlier this
month I was blessed with the birth of my first child, a beautiful and
healthy baby boy - with lots of hair on his tiny head!"
JENNIFER ANISTON RUMORED TO BE TAKING JUSTIN THEROUX'S LAST NAME: It is believed that Jen Aniston's wedding to Justin Theroux will be happening very soon and a source tells People that the former Friends
star has secret plans to take her hubby's last name. The source said,
"She plans on privately changing her name to Theroux. She likes the way
it sounds and jokes that Jennifer Theroux sounds very posh. They really
seem to have perfect chemistry, like they complete each other. There's a
perfect balance. He was doting when she turned to him at the Oscars,
but the overall vibe was simply fun and effortless."
RACHEL MCADAMS SPLITS FROM MICHAEL SHEEN: Midnight in Paris costars Rachel McAdams and Michael Sheen have broken up. They took their relationship public in October of 2010 after meeting on the set of the Woody Allen film.
RICKY SCHRODER IN AIRPORT ALTERCATION: Ricky Schroder, star of the 1980's sitcom Silver Spoons,
reportedly assaulted an LAX airport worker last week after she wouldn't
let him board the plane with three bags. The worker claims that Ricky
slapped her hand when she reached for his boarding pass but the actor's
lawyer claims the woman was rude and confrontational when she told him
he had too many bags and that she actually hit Schroder's hand causing
his phone to go flying.
DEMI MOORE SNUBBED BY MADONNA
 Demi Moore and Madonna may have a friendly history but it appears Madge has ditched the Ghost star for team Ashton. Madonna reportedly invited Ashton Kutcher to her annual Oscar party but Demi did not make the guest list.
According to Radar Online,
everyone at the party was gossiping about how Moore was not one of the
famous faces in attendance even though she co-hosted the party with the
pop star back in 2009. A source told the website, "Madonna is firmly on
side Ashton. She adores him and thinks that out of him and Demi he's the
one with the glittering career. Also, Madonna loves having Ashton
around as he's great eye candy, he's funny and he flirts outrageously
with her -- In Madonna's eyes, there's no competition - when it comes to
picking sides Ashton is the obvious winner!"
- The singer's party is held each year on Academy Awards Sunday at a mansion belonging to her manager Guy Oseary.
CHECK IT OUT:
TWILIGHT HEADING BACK TO THE BIG SCREEN
 Twi-hards
who are still mourning the end of their favorite film franchise may get
the chance to see Bella and Edward on the big screen once again.
RiffTrax, the trio behind Mystery Science 3000, is attempting to raise money to buy the rights to Twilight so they could add their funny commentary live during a one-night only screening nationwide.
Twilight
was chosen as the Worst Movie of All Time in a poll created to see
which film they should lampoon next. The group has already received
almost $158,000 in donations on their Kickstarter.com page after setting a goal to raise $55,000 by March 27, 2013.
- It was announced on the RiffTrax Twitter feed that the extra donations will go toward hiring celebrity guests and general production costs.
- They are hoping to have the event broadcast live on hundreds of movie screens in August 2013.
- RiffTrax is made up of comedians Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett.
CHECK IT OUT:
ZOE SALDANA RESPONDS TO NINA SIMONE BACKLASH
 Zoe Saldana has responded to all the backlash she's received for playing Nina Simone. People were upset because they felt that Zoe looks nothing like the late singer and that she cannot sing.
- In an interview with HipHollywood,
the actress said, "I guess what kept me from being hurt by the negative
comments was that I'm doing it for my sisters and my brothers, and I
don't care who tells me I'm not this or I'm not that. I know who I am,
and I know what Nina Simone means to me."
CHECK IT OUT
AUDREY HEPBURN'S NEW CHOCOLATE COMMERCIAL
20 years after her death, Audrey Hepburn is still getting acting gigs. The Breakfast at Tiffany's star is featured in a new ad for Galaxy chocolate.
The
ad features Hepburn stuck in traffic on a bus in Italy when a chocolate
bar in her purse and a handsome motorist completely turn her day
around. According to Gossip Cop, the commercial was made with permission from the family of the late actress.
- Audrey was also posthumously featured in a commercial for The Gap back in 2006.
CHECK IT OUT:
SCARLETT JOHANSSON FORMING A GIRL BAND
 Best Original Song Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson isn't letting a loss to Adele keep her from continuing her music career. The Avengers actress has revealed plans to form a girl group as her next musical project.
Scarlett made the announcement on Monday's (February 25th) episode of Live With Kelly and Michael. She told the hosts, "We're called the One and Only Singles. We're kind of doing our Go-Gos thing!"
- ScarJo was nominated for an Academy Award for her song "Before My Time" which she recorded for the documentary Chasing Ice.
- She previously released an album of Tom Waits covers in a collaborative project with Pete Yorn.
CHECK IT OUT:
HAS 'LOST' STAR MATTHEW FOX LOST HIS LOOKS?
 Life off the island hasn't been so kind to Lost star Matthew Fox.
In addition to a number of legal issues over the last few years, the
46-year-old looked a bit weathered during an interview with Extra! on Monday (February 25th) to promote his new film Emperor.
Fox displayed a lot of laughter lines, wrinkles, and noticeably discolored and crooked teeth as he chatted with host Renee Bargh. Despite his aged look -- the actor appears to have maintained the weight loss he achieved before bulking up for his role in Alex Cross.
- Matthew also appears with Brad Pitt in the upcoming zombie movie World War Z.
CHECK IT OUT:
'AMERICAN IDOL': FEMALE SEMIFINALISTS PERFORM
 Last night (February 27th) on American Idol, ten female singers performed in the sudden death round with only five advancing in the competition.
The show began with 19-year-old Melinda Ademi from Yonkers New York who sang Jessie J's "Nobodys
Perfect". "I don't know if you had enough moments to really make you
sail through for me. So I don't know, you could be in a little bit of
trouble tonight I think" said Judge Randy Jackson. Legal assistant Jett Hermano performed Rihanna's "Only Girl in the World" while playing the piano. Judge Keith Urban
said "What you did for me by slowing that song down and doing it the
way you did, you brought out the sexiness in the song in a way that
Rihanna does but it was another way, another level again."
29-year-old Cristabel Clack sang Alicia Keys "No One". Judge Mariah Carey said "I
just would love to hear a little more of when we could just hear you
really do, what you do best." The final performance was by
rehabilitation specialist Zoanette Johnson who
performed "Circle of Life" from the Lion King. "I don't care what people
say about you. You're the person that we are going to remember, after
tonight. Your unforgettable, you're a superstar." said judge Nicki Minaj.
In the end, Johnson, Breanna Steer, Aubrey Cleland, Candice Glover, and Janelle Arthur advanced to the next round. Ademi, Hermano, Clack, Juliana Chahayed, and Rachel Hale were sent home.
HEADLINE NEWS
WITH SEQUESTER SET TO KICK IN, ANOTHER SHOWDOWN SET FOR NEXT MONTH:
We're now just one day away from the sequester, and although there's
set to be a White House meeting tomorrow (March 1st) between President Obama
and top congressional leaders, it looks like the automatic budget cuts
will go into effect, at least for some amount of time. But no matter
what happens with the sequester, yet another fiscal showdown is on the
horizon, as Washington continues to lurch from one self-imposed
financial crisis to the next. Republicans are planning for a vote next
week on a bill to fund the day-to-day operations of the government
through the September 30th end of the 2013 fiscal year, keeping in place
the $85 billion in sequester cuts. The House GOP plan would give the
Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs the ability to make
more-targeted cuts, rather than indiscriminate ones, but doesn't give
the same ability to domestic agencies. That's led to opposition from
Senate Democrats, and if the House and Senate can't get together on
funding legislation before March 27th, there will be a partial
government shutdown.
SUPREME COURT'S CONSERVATIVES EXPRESS SKEPTICISM OF VOTING RIGHTS ACT:
The landmark Voting Right Act, which helped millions of Americans be
able to exercise their right to vote, looks to be on shaky ground, after
the Supreme Court's conservative justices on Wednesday (February 27th)
expressed skepticism that the legislation is still needed. Most
controversially, Justice Antonin Scalia called the section of the
law that requires states with a history of discrimination, mainly in
the Deep South, to get approval before making changes in the way
elections are held to be a, quote, "perpetuation of racial entitlement."
The court's four liberal justices appeared willing to defer to the
decision made by Congress in 2006 that more progress needs to be made
before the law can be lifted.
POPE HOLDS FINAL AUDIENCE BEFORE CROWD OF 150,000: A crowd of some 150,000 people packed St. Peter's Square Wednesday (February 27th) for Pope Benedict the 16th's
emotional final audience before his resignation goes into effect today.
Many in the crowd applauded, cheered and waved banners saying,
"Grazie!", and Benedict thanked them back, saying, "I am very moved."
Benedict reflected on his eight years as pontiff, recalling what he
called "moments of joy and light," but also harder times, quote, "when
the seas were rough and the wind blew against us and it seemed that the
Lord was sleeping." But he said he never felt alone because God had
always guided him, and that he had great trust in the Church's future.
On the final day of his papacy today, Benedict will have a morning
meeting with his cardinals for a final time, then fly by helicopter to
the papal residence at Castel Gondolfo. At 8 p.m., the doors of the
palazzo there will close and the Swiss Guards attending Benedict will go
off duty in a sign that the papacy is vacant. The cardinals gathered in
Rome will begin meeting on Monday to decide when to set the date for
the conclave, during which the new pope will be elected.
FATHER OF NEWTOWN VICTIMS APPEALS BEFORE CONGRESS FOR ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN:
A 50-year-old Connecticut man whose son was one of the 20 children
killed in the Newton massacre spoke before the Senate Judiciary
Committee on Wednesday (February 27th), giving emotional testimony in
which he asked for an assault weapons ban. Neil Heslin told the
senators, "I'm not here for the sympathy or the pat on the back. I'm
here to speak up for my son." Heslin cried openly during much of his
testimony, as he spoke with photos at his side of his son Jesse. The
hearing was focused on legislation from Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein
of California to ban assault weapons and ammunition magazines carrying
more than 10 rounds, like the one used by Newton killer Adam Lanza.
Republicans oppose such a ban.
TODAY'S FYI:
LEW APPROVED AS TREASURY SECRETARY, HAGEL SWORN IN: Jack Lew
was confirmed by the Senate in a 71-26 vote yesterday (February 27th)
to be the new Treasury secretary, succeeding Tim Geithner. All of the
Senate Democrats voted to approve him. Lew, who served as President Obama's
chief of staff before being nominated by the president, also served as
White House budget director under both Obama and former President Bill
Clinton. Meanwhile, former Senator Chuck Hagel was sworn in as defense
secretary, one day after being confirmed by the Senate in a 58-41 vote
after a very tough and contentious confirmation battle. The decorated
Vietnam War veteran spoke to Pentagon employees after the small,
closed-door ceremony, saying of American leadership in the world : "We
can't dictate to the world. But we must engage the world. We must lead
with our allies. No nation, as great as America is, can do any of this
alone."
OBAMA, TOP LAWMAKERS ON HAND TO UNVEIL ROSA PARKS STATUE: President Obama and top congressional lawmakers of both parties were on hand yesterday (February 27th) for the unveiling of a statue of Rosa Parks,
the first of a black woman inside the U.S. Capitol. The statue shows
Parks sitting, in tribute to her famous protest in which she sat in the
white section of a Montgomery, Alabama, bus and refused to move. Obama
said yesterday, "She lived a life of activism, but also a life of
dignity and grace. And in a single moment, with the simplest of
gestures, she helped change America -- and change the world."
HIGHER HUMIDITY MAKES IT HARDER TO CATCH THE FLU:
A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed
how high humidity makes it harder to catch the flu. Researchers found
that at humidity levels of 23 percent, 70 to 77 percent of flu virus
particles were still able to cause an infection an hour after being
released as in a cough. But when humidity levels were raised to 43
percent, just 14 percent of the virus particles were able to cause an
infection. Most of the flu particles became in active 15 minutes are
being released into the humid air. These results show one reason why flu
transmission is thought to be lower during the summer months, because
of the higher humidity.
CLASSICAL PIANIST VAN CLIBURN DEAD AT 78: American classical pianist Van Cliburn,
who became an overnight sensation after becoming the surprise winner of
the first International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958 at
the height of the Cold War, died on Wednesday (February 27th) at his
Texas home of bone cancer. He was 78. Cliburn's triumph as a 23-year-old
in Russia helped spur a brief thaw in U.S.-Soviet relations, and made
him a household name in the U.S., where he was given a ticker-tape
parade down Broadway in New York. His recording of Tchaikovsky's Piano
Concerto Number 1, which he'd played in Moscow, became the first
classical album to go platinum. Twenty years later, in 1978, Cliburn
largely retired, playing publicly just occasionally in the late 1980s
and early '90s. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003
and the National Medal of Arts in 2011.
INVENTOR'S MACHINE SEPARATES OREO COOKIE FROM THE CREAM FILLING:
SPORTS:
WARRIORS' CURRY SCORES 54 POINTS IN LOSING EFFORT AGAINST KNICKS:
Stephen Curry scored an NBA season-high 54 points last night (February
27th), but it came in a losing effort, as his Golden State Warriors fell
to the New York Knicks 109-105 in New York. Curry was 18 of 28 from the
field, finishing one short the NBA record with 11 three-pointers in 13
attempts. Curry topped his previous career best of 42 points, and Kevin Durant's 52-point performance that had been the best in the NBA this season.
(Headline News, FYI and Sports stories were compiled in part from reports by the Associated Press and Reuters.)
ON THE TUBE
CBS
- THE BIG BANG THEORY (repeat)
- TWO AND A HALF MEN (repeat)
- PERSON OF INTEREST (repeat)
- ELEMENTARY (repeat)
NBC
- COMMUNITY - The study group starts its European history class with professor Noel Cornwallis (Malcolm McDowell).
- PARKS AND RECREATION (repeat)
- THE OFFICE (repeat)
- 1600 PENN - President Gilchrist decides to clear his head by taking a family trip to their ranch; Skip mourns his failed relationship.
- LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT (repeat)
FOX
- AMERICAN IDOL - Ten more female singers perform.
ABC
- ZERO HOUR - Hank returns from India with renewed determination; Hank's parents seem to be keeping a secret.
- SCANDAL (repeat)
- JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE (repeat)
CW
- THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (repeat)
- BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (repeat)
FX
- ANGER MANAGEMENT - Charlie takes on Cee Lo Green as a therapy patient.
- ARCHER - Archer, Lana and Cyril go undercover in celebrity chef Lance Casteau's hellish kitchen.
- LEGIT - After
missing out on a role because of his weight, Jim turns to his friend
Andy Dick for career advice, acting lessons and physical training.
HBO
- PARADE'S END - Christopher takes over for a commanding officer with a drinking problem.
DAY TIME TALK SHOW
THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW - Zach Braff THE VIEW - Derrica & Natalie Wilson, guest co-host Sunny Hostin
LATE NIGHT TALK SHOWS
THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN (CBS) - (repeat) THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO (NBC) - Steve Carell, Joey King, Shooter Jennings JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE (ABC) - Jim Parsons, Gavin Newsom, Ziggy Marley THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON (CBS) - David Duchovny, Ashley Madewke LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON (NBC) - Tina Fey, Bill Nighy, Bob Mould LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY (NBC) - Mark Burnett, Open Heart, Ceremony THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART (COMEDY CENTRAL) - Rachel Maddow THE COLBERT REPORT (COMEDY CENTRAL) - Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau CONAN - Julian Newman, Eugene Mirman
OFF BEAT BRIEFS
AN SAYS DOG SHOT HIM, ACCIDENTALLY:
A man in Frostproof, Florida who was driving on State Road 17 North
called police after his dog accidentally shot him in the leg. Police
said 35-year-old Gregory Dale Lanier told them that the dog "kicked his
unloaded .380 pistol causing it to fire." The report continues, "Lanier
said he heard boom, saw smoke and felt a burning in his leg." Police
Commander Steve Carr said the dog was not arrested or detained.
(Huffington Post)
KID TOLD TO REMOVE MARINES SHIRT: A
14-year-old who wore a U.S. Marines T-shirt to school in Genoa, Illinois
was asked to remove the shirt or turn it inside out because it featured
two interlocking guns. The teen's father, 44-year-old Daniel McIntyre
said his son's teacher at the Genoa-Kingston Middle School asked him to
remove the shirt because it violates the school's dress code. McIntyre
said, "My son is very proud of the Marines and, in fact, of all the
services. So he wears it with pride. There are two rifles crossed
underneath the word 'Marines' on the shirt, but to me that should be
overlooked. It's more about the Marines instead of the rifles." McIntyre
reportedly didn't inform the school of the incident but they released a
statement, saying, "The administration and school handbook agree that
this shirt is not a violation of the dress code. We also take school
safety very earnestly and it needs to be recognized that is a topic that
we also take very seriously and support our students and staff in
providing a safe environment to learn, teach and work in on a daily
basis." McIntyre wants the school to change the policy so that it is
clear and easy to interpret. (FOX NEWS)
MAN RELEASED ON BOND ARRESTED FOR PEEING ON JAIL ENTRANCE:
A man in Fairfield, Illinois who was on his way out of jail had to head
back immediately after an officer caught him peeing on the county
jail's entrance. State Troopers said 45-year-old Keith Kline was booked
on a drunk driving charge then released a half hour later after he
posted bond. The arresting trooper saw Kline, on the video surveillance
system, urinating on the steps of the entrance to the jail. Kline was
arrested again and booked on a charge of disorderly conduct. He posted
bond once again and was released. (CourierPress.com)
CALIFORNIA STUDENT CATCHES TEACHER STEALING FROM STUDENTS:
A sophomore at Linden High School in Linden, California took matters
into her own hands after students reported items stolen during gym
class. Justin Betti suspected, like most of her fellow students, that
there was a thief among them so she decided to hide in a locker and wait
for the culprit. After all the students left the locker room, Betti
said she saw her gym teacher stay behind and go through backpacks and
take her classmates' money. Rather than go to school officials without
proof, she decided to go back into the locker with her cellphone camera
and record the crime. She also set up another camera in a different
locker to make sure she covered all the angles. Betti caught the
teacher, this time on video, rummaging through the bags and removing
items. She said, "I didn't want to believe that she would do something
like that because she was so nice, but then she did it. It was really
scary. I was like, 'Oh my gosh. I can't believe I just got this on
video.'" The teen took the video to her principal, who said he'd
investigate but also asked her to delete it. At this point Betti had
already sent the video to her dad. The teacher in question has been in
the profession for 30 years and has been placed on administrative leave.
(ABC News)
Z00 IN SCOTLAND SWITCHES MUSIC TO GET PANDA TO MATE:
A zoo in Edinburgh, Scotland said they've changed the music they play
for their Panda in the hopes that it will encourage him to mate. Zoo
officials said they switched from "Classic FM" to "Smooth Radio" so that
songs like Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" might influence the Panda. A
spokeswoman for the zoo said, "He has always been more sensitive than
[the female panda] Tian Tian to background noise, so it's settling and
soothing for him to have it playing softly in the background." (The
Mirror)
WEBSITE RIDICULES PEOPLE WHO HAD ONE JOB TO DO AND FAILED: http://hadonejob.com/
COUPLE SNEAKS INTO 'WARM BODIES'; GETS ARRESTED FOR FELONY:
A couple in Indiana that snuck into a movie theater to see Warm Bodies
was caught and charged with a felony for the act. An police officer who
was working security for the theater confronted Lendsey and Delilha
Harbin and asked for their tickets, but they said they couldn't find
them. According to the report, Delilha then admitted, "I know we done
wrong." The report also said the couple admitted to "not thinking
correctly" after having spent the entire day at a funeral. Both Lendsey
and Delilha face felony theft of services charges for not buying a
ticket to legally watch the movie. They were also given trespassing
warnings. Authorities said the charges are normal for people who sneak
into a movie, and that it is unlikely that either party will serve time
-- even though the charge is punishable by one or more years in jail.
(TheSmokingGun)
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
WHY PAIN CAN SOMETIMES FEEL GOOD:
New research finds that people experience pleasure during a painful
stimulus if the stimulus turns out to be more tolerable than they
expected. Researchers tested how 16-participants perceived pain by
hooking them up to a device that could deliver varying levels of painful
heat to their arms. At the same time researchers measured their brain
activity using MRI scans. Participants could see what type of pain was
going to be administered to them next on a screen. In the first round
they received a slight pain stimulus or no pain, and in the second round
they received either moderate or intense pain stimulus. In the first
round participants rated moderate pain as unpleasant, but participants
rated moderate pain as pleasurable during the second round. Study
co-author Siri Leknes, a psychologist at the University of Oslo in
Norway, says this likely happens because participants are prepared for
the worst, and when the pain is not as bad as they expected they have a
sense of relief and that can be powerful enough to turn pain into
pleasure. (Fox News)
AUDREY HEPBURN DIGITALLY RESURRECTED FOR CHOCOLATE BAR AD: http://tinyurl.com/c97d2e2
HAVING SONS IS BAD FOR THEIR MOTHER'S HEALTH?
A Finnish study finds that women who had several sons don't live as
long after the last birth as women with daughters do. For the study,
researchers reviewed three-hundred years of data, and say in 11-thousand
records, they found women having more sons was linked to a shorter life
span after final birth. An expert not associated with the study says
that boys' tendancy to be heavier babies could mean they require more
nutrients in the womb and while breast-feeding, which could deprive the
mother. However, one study author says since the data is so old, things
may be different today in a society with more available food and birth
control. (Newser)
SMILING IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH:
New research finds that smiling has many health benefits for the body
and mind. Researchers say smiling can slow down the heart and reduce
stress, and even just the act of smiling can make a person feel happier.
A recent study found that people who smiled after engaging in
stress-inducing tasks showed a greater reduction in heart rate than
those who maintained a neutral facial expression. Study co-author Sarah
Pressman with the University of California, Irvine, says that the muscle
activity invovled in a smile sends a message to the brain that the body
feels safe, which could translate into a lower heart rate and stress
levels. (Fox News)
LUXURY APARTMENTS NOW CATERING TO PETS:
People love their pets, and Stephen Adams with LaSalle Investment
Management says even during an economic downturn people are willing to
pay for their dogs. Now apartment building owners are looking to cash-in
on people's love for their pooches. One apartment manager in downtown
Washington offers his tenants a rooftop dog park complete with
dog-friendly playground equipment and water fountains for both dog and
owner. Tenants pay a fee up front for access to the dog park, and then a
monthly fee. (Yahoo)
ASK YOUR LISTENERS:
- Would you let a dog park location influence where you choose to live?
- Would you pay monthly for use of a dog park?
- How much money do you spend yearly on costs for your pet?
OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY CHANGES DEFINITION OF "BIKER":
If you ride a motorcycle, Oxford English Dictionary is softening your
image. According to the dictionary the word biker first referred to
people who rode bicycles in the 1850s, but by the 1950s it often
referred to members of a motorcycle gang. The Oxford Online Dictionar
has recently teaked the definition, though, and a "biker" is now defined
as "a motorcyclist, especially one who is a member of a gang or group."
In a statement, Oxford University Press said, "Our research suggests
that 'biker' is now marginally more closely aligned with 'motorcyclist'
('a person who rides a motorcycle') than words such as 'hell's angel'
('a member of any of a number of gangs of male motorcycle enthusiasts,
first formed in California in the 1950s and originally notorious for
lawless behaviour')." (Fox News)
GIVING SOMEONE THE SILET TREATMENT MAY MAKE YOU SMARTER: A new study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
finds tht giving a jerk the silent treatment may actually benefit you.
For the study, researchers from Baruch College at the City University of
New York asked participants to either ignore or interact first with a
pleasant person, and then with someone behaving obnoxiously. Afterwards
participants were given a test to assess how well they could control
their thoughts. They found that people who ignored the obnoxious-person
controlled their thoughts better than those who interacted with them.
Lead researcher Dr. Kristin Sommer says that interacting with an
obnoxious person is mentally draining, so ignoring them frees up extra
cognitive resources from your brain that you can use for more productive
activites. (Men's Health)
THE SIMPSONS OPENING WITH LIVE PEOPLE: http://tinyurl.com/cu49rpg
POLL FINDS MANY PEOPLE THINK OLIVE GARDEN SERVES "AUTHENTIC ETHNIC FOOD":
A recent poll conducted by Public Policy Polling finds that of 500
registered voters, 39-percent said they found the Olive Garden to be a
"quality source of authentic ethnic food." Forty-four-percent said it
was not, while 17-percent were unsure. Public Policy Poll reports that
43-percent of Republicans claimed the chain-restaurant was authentic,
compared to 41-percent of Democrats and that 41-percent of women and
37-percent of men thought it to be authentic. The poll also found that
the favorite pizza topping of Americans is pepperoni- which got
27-percent of the votes, followed by mushrooms at 14-percent.
Respondents were also asked which restaurant had the best chicken and
found that 48-percent of Republicans like Chik-fil-A while 29-percent
prefer KFC instead. Democrats leaned the other way-- 39-percent
preferred KFC chicken and 18-percent preferred Chik-fil-A. (Fox News)??? TRIVIA ???
What is something blue whales are able to do in order to conserve oxygen during deep dives?
A: They slow their heart rates to four or five beats per minute.
Source: Mental Floss
Where did the term "jumbo" come from?
A: It was the name of one of P.T. Barnum's circus elephants.
Source: Mental Floss
WATER COOLER TALK
Tina Fey: 'No Way' To Hosting Oscars
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler got raves for the job they did hosting the Golden Globes in January, something that wasn't the case for Seth MacFarlane,
who drew a lot of criticism -- although it wasn't universal -- for his
Oscars hosting gig, with many particularly unhappy at what they said was
material that was demeaning to women. A bit during the Oscar telecast
forecast that MacFarlane would get panned, with William Shatner appearing
as his Captain Kirk character, supposedly from the future, explaining
how bad his reviews would be, and asking, "Why couldn't they get Tina
and Amy to host?" The Huffington Post decided to pose the question to Fey, who's currently promoting her new film, Admission,
asking her if she had any interest in hosting the Oscars next year. The
answer was a definite no, with the funnywoman saying, "I just feel like
that gig is so hard. Especially for, like, a woman -- the amount of
months that would be spent trying on dresses alone . . . no way." When
pressed, asked, "I was hoping for at least a 'one in a million chance'
[answer]," Fey said only, "I wish I could tell you there was."
Plan Announced to Send Married Couple on Voyage Around Mars and Back in 2018
Plans
were announced yesterday (February 27th) for a privately-funded,
16-month space voyage in which a married couple will travel to Mars, fly
around the planet, and return to Earth -- all of it in just five short
years from now. The private, nonprofit project, called Inspiration Mars,
has a team of space veterans working on it, and is getting its initial
money from investment consultant Dennis Tito, who was the first
space tourist, with hopes of getting the rest of the funding from
donations, advertising and media partnerships. All the technical details
of the privately-built rocket and capsule to be used are still being
figured out, but it's known that the capsule will be only about half the
size of an RV. Asked about why a man and woman will be chosen, chief
technical officer Taber MacCallum said, "This is very symbolic and we
really need it to represent humanity." He explained further that since
the two would be sharing such close quarters on the long voyage, it
makes sense for them to be married so they can give each other emotional
support. Chief medical officer Jonathan Clark said the couple should
also be past their child-bearing years because of exposure to radiation
during the trip. Having a married couple on the long voyage brings up
the question that NASA very much likes to avoid, of sex in space. But
the Inspiration Mars people didn't shy away from it, with MacCallum
saying, "It's a man and wife. Private time. Let your imagination run
wild."
CHECK IT OUT:
Parents Fighting to Let Their Transgender Six-Year-Old Use Girls' Bathroom at School
Jeremy
and Kathryn Mathis of Fountain, Colorado, are fighting to let their
transgender six-year-old Coy be allowed to use the girls' bathroom at
school, even though she was born a boy. The Mathises say Coy showed a
preference for all things girly even as a toddler, and as he grew older,
he wanted to wear girls' clothes and showed little interest in boys'
toys. After he spoke about going to a doctor to be, quote, "fixed," the
Mathises took Coy to a psychologist, who diagnosed her as transgender.
They say that after Coy began living as a girl, she flourished, after
having previously been withdrawn and lagging behind in school. In
kindergarten, the children used unisex bathrooms, and when Coy began
first grade last fall, she was allowed to use the girls' bathroom. But
then her parents were notified that she would have to start using either
the staff bathroom or the one in the nurse's office. A letter
explaining the decision said, "I'm certain you can appreciate that as
Coy grows older and his male genitals develop along with the rest of his
body, at least some parents and students are likely to become
uncomfortable with his continued use of the girls' restroom." But Coy's
parents say that not allowing her to use the girls' bathroom could
stigmatize her and open her up to bullying. They've complained to the
Colorado Office of Civil Rights, alleging a violation of the state's
anti-discrimination law.
KFLAG COUNTRY MUSIC UPDATE
 Kenny Chesney is the biggest country music moneymaker of 2012. Billboard
magazine ranks the singer at Number Five, earning more than $19
million, thanks to sales of albums, ringtones, and downloads, to name a
few.
Tim McGraw comes in at Number Seven with more than $18 million, followed by Jason Aldean at Number Eight with $17 million; Lady Antebellum at Number 12 with just under $13 million; Brad Paisley at Number 11 with more than $12 million; Taylor Swift at Number 15 with around $12.5 million; Carrie Underwood at Number 16 with just under $12 million; and Eric Church at Number 18 with $11 million.
Other country stars on the list include Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert -- who made a few million more than Blake Shelton -- and the Zac Brown Band.
Madonna tops the list, making more than $34 million.
CHECK IT OUT
 As a songwriter, Taylor Swift
draws her inspiration from a variety of sources, not just old
boyfriends and past romances, as some may think. Taylor says that some
of the things that inspire her creativity include books and
inspirational YouTube videos.
She explains: "For me, I get
inspired by so many different things and so many different people. And
sometimes I'll watch . . . they have these things called 'TEDTalks' and
it's at this conference that they have and I watch them on YouTube and
they're some of the most inspiring people who give talks on inspiration
and shame and vulnerability and all these grand concepts. Sometimes I
just go and I watch those speeches because it inspires me that there are
people that are that emotionally intelligent."
Taylor is getting ready to kick off the U.S. leg of her Red tour on March 13th in Omaha, Nebraska.
Taylor will reportedly join Bruno Mars to perform at the Lets Dance for Comic Relief final on March 9th. The BBC show is a charity event in which celebrities perform famous dance routines.
 Garth Brooks, Kid Rock, Shelby Lynne, The Oak Ridge Boys and Sam Moore have all signed on to join George Jones
when he performs the last concert of his career on November 22nd at
Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. Previously announced guests include Dierks
Bentley, Charlie Daniels, Jamey Johnson, Montgomery Gentry, Lorrie
Morgan, Kenny Rogers, Randy Travis, Tanya Tucker, Josh Turner and Gene Watson.
More stars are expected to be announced as performers gear up to pay
tribute to one of the world's most accomplished recording artists. George
said, "Being joined by so many incredible singers while doing what I
love will be truly heartwarming. It's shaping up to be more than I
expected or could have ever imagined." Tickets for the Nashville finale are available at all Ticketmaster locations.
FAST FACTS
- George will head out on his 2013 farewell tour, titled The Grand Tour, on March 15th in Joliet, Illinois.
- The tour is expected to make approximately 44 stops this year.
 The members of Little Big Town are only a few dates into their Tornado tour and are loving the response they are getting from the fans as they introduce new music from their Tornado CD.
Phillip Sweet and Kimberly Schlapman tell us: "We're
just getting rolling on the tour, and it's so exciting so far. It just
feels so good to play a lot of songs from the Tornado album and to get
to do some really cool production. It's just amazing to do this and to
sell our own ticket. It's a good feeling. (Kimberly) It's
exciting too to watch people in the crowd singing the songs that are on
the record, but not on the radio yet, but they know all the words to the
songs that are on the record. That's just so much fun to watch and
hear."
Last weekend, Little Big Town played sold-out shows in Huntsville and Knoxville.
The shows feature opening act Kacey Musgraves.
David Nail is set to join the tour on March 8th in Buffalo, Michigan.
FAST FACTS
- Little
Big Town's latest single, "Tornado," the title track of their latest
album, is closing in on the top of the country charts.
- It's the follow-up to their Number One hit, "Pontoon."
 Kip Moore will make his acting debut on tonight's (Wednesday, February 27th) episode of the hit ABC-TV show, Nashville.
The role shouldn't be too tough for Kip, as he plays himself at a
surprise birthday party for Deacon, one of the musician characters on
the show.
While he loves what the show is doing for the city of
Nashville and the country music industry, Kip admits the prime time
drama isn't exactly accurate. He tells us: "Is it exactly the way
Nashville is? Not 100% by any means, but it's TV. They've got to put the
drama in, and you've got to do something entertaining for people. I
think there's bits and pieces that are somewhat correct. I don't think
it's portraying us in a bad light. It's entertainment. I don't think
that everybody believes that's exactly how Nashville is, you know?
Other country stars making cameos in tonight's episode include Vince Gill and Pam Tillis.
Nashville airs at 10 p.m. ET.
FAST FACTS
- Kip is climbing the charts with "Hey Pretty Girl."
- It's the fourth single from his debut album, Up All Night.
 About 400 family members, friends and fans attended the funeral for Mindy McCready yesterday (Tuesday, February 26th) in Fort Myers, Florida. Mindy's estranged mother, Gayle Inge,
officiated and spoke at the service. According to reports, four of
Mindy's songs were played in rotation -- "Wrong Again," "Ten Thousand
Angels," "I'm Still Here" and "I'll See You Yesterday."
The service included a slideshow of photos of Mindy over the years, including one of her and her former fiance, actor Dean Cain.
Pallbearers at the funeral included Mindy's three brothers, Timothy, Joshua and Skyler.
The singer's two young sons, Zander and Zayne, were not in attendance.
In
lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the
Mindy McCready Children's Trust, c/o John Ammons, Edison National Bank,
13000 S. Cleveland Ave., Ft. Myers, FL 33907.
Mindy will be remembered with a memorial service in Nashville early next month.
 Reba will
emcee this year's Celebrity Fight Night XIX, which raises money for the
Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center and other charities. The event takes
place on March 23rd in Phoenix, Arizona. Celebrity Fight Night XIX
includes performances by Jennifer Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus and more under the musical direction of David Foster. Among the auction items will be dinner for four at Reba's Beverly Hills home with herself and her husband/manager Narvel Blackstock.
COUNTRY TRIVIA
Q. What are the names of Brad Paisley's two sons?
A. Huck and Jasper
ON THE TUBE
ORIGINS: ERIC CHURCH/GAC 11:00PM (ET)
LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON/NBC 12:35AM (ET)
Jason Aldean
CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS
- Chelsea Clinton (former first daughter) (33)
- Howard Hesseman (actor, Dr. Johnny Fever of WKRP In Cincinnati) (73)
- Ralph Nader (consumer advocate, ran for president in 2000 and in 2004) (79)
- Ariel Sharon (former Israeli Prime Minister, who is now in a coma after a stroke) (85)
- Joanne Woodward (actress, The Long, Hot Summer, The End, Mr. & Mrs. Bridge, Philadelphia; widow of Paul Newman) (83)
- Josh Groban (pop singer) (32)
- Neal Schon (guitarist, Journey; former guitarist, Santana) (59)
- Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas (R&B singer, of TLC) (42)
- Johnny Van Zant (singer, Lynyrd Skynyrd) (54, disputed)
- Bobby Valentino (now known as Bobby V, R&B singer) (33)
- Kate Mara (actress, Brokeback Mountain, We Are Marshall, Shooter, Transsiberian) (30)
INDUSTRY NEWS
 BARBARA WALTERS RETURNING TO 'THE VIEW': Barbara Walters has announced that she will be returning to The View
on Monday (March 4th.) She has been absent from the talk show since
January 22nd when she suffered a concussion followed by a nasty case of
chicken pox.
'RISE OF THE GUARDIANS' FAILURE CAUSED LAYOFFS AT DREAMWORKS ANIMATION: Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeff Katzenberg has revealed that the box office failure of Rise of the Guardians
was so devastating that it led to substantial layoffs at the company.
He said, "It was the first movie of ours in 17 in a row that didn't
work. And when that happens it makes you rethink everything.....We've
done a reset and we've done it across the board. Many valuable members
of the DreamWorks family will be leaving."
LEE PACE TO HEADLINE AMC DRAMA PILOT: Former Pushing Daisies star Lee Pace has signed on to star in the AMC drama pilot Halt & Catch Fire. The show is set in the early 1980's and dramatizes the personal computer boom.
CAM GIGANDET RETEAMING WITH 'TWILIGHT' DIRECTOR: Twilight actor Cam Gigandet is reuniting with his director Catherine Hardwicke to star in a new CBS pilot called Reckless. Cam also recently starred in Catherine's film Plush.
CBS POISED TO WIN FEBRUARY SWEEPS RATINGS WAR:
Thanks to big boosts from the Super Bowl and the Grammys, CBS looks to
be taking the crown in the February sweeps ratings war. This will be the
first time CBS has grabbed the top spot since 1998.
CELEBRITY GOSSIP
LINDSAY LOHAN'S LAWYERS SAY THEY CAN FIX HER: Lindsay Lohan's attorney Mark Heller
has written a letter to the prosecutors in her criminal case saying
that he believes that they could "fix" Lindsay if they work together.
Heller suggests that Lindsay's main problem is her dysfunctional family
and that he hopes intensive psychotherapy, regular screenings, and
public service will get her on the right track.
KENDRA WILKINSON SAYS SHE WANTED TO KILL CRYSTAL HARRIS: Former Girls Next Door star Kendra Wilkinson told Montana's Big J Radio Show that she and the rest of the Playboy playmates are a bit wary about Crystal Harris' relationship with Hugh Hefner
after she ditched out on their wedding a year before they finally
walked down the aisle. Kendra said, "I got pissed off when she hurt him
and he can't go around thinking that people will automatically love her,
especially after that. That pissed everybody off, that she would just
leave him and dump him, use him and abuse him. Of course, someone like
me, I wanted to kill her. So now he's trying to get people to love her
again."
CARRIE FISHER HOSPITALIZED AFTER BIPOLAR EPISODE: Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher
was briefly hospitalized after having a bipolar episode while
performing on a Caribbean cruise ship. Fisher seemed drunk while
slurring through several songs but her rep told TMZ, "There was a
medical incident related to Carrie Fisher's bipolar disorder. She went
to the hospital briefly to adjust her medication and is feeling much
better now."
ANNE HATHAWAY APOLOGIZES FOR CHANGING OSCAR DRESSES: Anne Hathaway released a statement apologizing for pulling a last minute switch on her Oscar wardrobe. She told People,
"It came to my attention late Saturday night that there would be a
dress worn to the Oscars that is remarkably similar to the Valentino I
had intended to wear, and so I decided it was best for all involved to
change my plans. Though I love the dress I did wear, it was a difficult
last minute decision as I had so looked forward to wearing Valentino in
honor of the deep and meaningful relationship I have enjoyed with the
house and with Valentino himself. I deeply regret any disappointment
caused."
SETH MACFARLANE SAYS HE WON'T HOST THE OSCARS AGAIN
 People who felt that Seth MacFarlane didn't quite hack it as Oscar host could rest easy because the Family Guy
creator says he doesn't plan on doing it again. MacFarlane received
mixed reviews for his stint as Academy Awards emcee with some saying he
was too offensive and others arguing that he wasn't offensive enough.
A fan on Twitter
on Monday night (February 25th) asked the 39-year-old if he'd ever host
the show again. He replied, "No way. Lotta fun to have done it,
though."
- According to the L.A. Times, the ratings for this year's telecast were the highest they have been since Billy Crystal's hosting gig in 2010.
CHECK IT OUT:
- Seth Macfarlane's Edgiest Oscar Jokes
BEN AFFLECK CLARIFIES OSCAR SPEECH COMMENTS ABOUT MARRIAGE
 Ben Affleck's comments about marriage being work during his Oscar acceptance speech fueled a lot of rumors that he and Jennifer Garner
are having some relationship issues. Though Jennifer seemed to be
ecstatic for her husband on his win, his comments invited a lot of
questions from the media.
Ben told Access Hollywood, "All
marriages, all relationships to a certain extent, require your work.
They require work and investment. We work on it together, we try our
best. Nobody's perfect. I would be lying to you if I said that either
she or I were. She's more perfect than I am, I can tell you that. We do
our best. She's committed. She's as committed as I am. We work together,
and we have three great kids."
- Ben and Jennifer have
been married since 2005. They are parents to 7-year-old Violet,
4-year-old Seraphina, and 12-month-old Sam.
CHECK IT OUT:
DENISE RICHARDS AND CHARLIE SHEEN'S TWITTER BANTER
Ex-couple Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen
exchanged some playful tweets on Sunday (February 24th) that seemed to
poke fun at Sheen's penchant for late-night partying. The banter started
with a tweet Denise sent to Robin Roberts telling her that she looked "ravishing" at the Oscars to which Charlie responded, "Hash tag suck up."
The
conversation then shifted gears when Richards invited her ex-husband
over to help clean her garage to create a playroom for their kids. The Anger Management
star declined the request saying he was busy and tweeted a picture of
himself hanging out with a friend. Denise replied saying, "Yes I see.
Time to pack it in and GO TO BED you have a 5:30am call . . . 3 1/2 hrs
so get your ass up to your room." Sheen countered by tweeting another
photo of himself with a bottle in hand which prompted the Wild Things actress to write, "Charles . . . not to be a buzzkill . . . But this is the point where the night can go sideways."
- A
fan eventually chimed in to say, "How cute... most people would have
this convo via text in private but celebs decide to have it on Twitter."
Denise retorted, "Well if these are our public messages imagine our
private ones . . ."
- Denise filed for divorce from Charlie in 2006 after three years of marriage. They have two daughters together.
CHECK IT OUT:
REPORT: JENNIFER ANISTON IS A DIVA ON SET OF NEW MOVIE
 Has Jennifer Aniston become a diva since her days on Friends? A new report from Radar Online claims that the actress has not been a team player while filming a new Elmore Leonard movie in Connecticut.
An
insider told the website that Jen has her own luxury SUV which she uses
to escape from the rest of the cast and crew every day to a trailer
located miles away from the set. The source added, "Every day at lunch
the entire cast and crew head to a cafeteria facility where they all sit
down and eat lunch together for well over an hour. But the only person
who doesn't eat with everyone else is Jen."
- A rep for Aniston denied the report to Gossip Cop
and said, "Jennifer is having the most amazing experience working on
this film. Sometimes she eats quickly and then heads to her trailer
because she is learning lines or rehearsing with the other actors."
- The untitled film co-stars Isla Fisher, Tim Robbins, and Will Forte.
CHECK IT OUT:
HEADLINE NEWS
WITH CLOCK TICKING, OBAMA SAYS NO SMART WAY TO DO SEQUESTER: As the clock continues to tick down towards the sequester on Friday (March 1st) with no progress being made on avoiding it, President Obama
yesterday (February 26th) rejected a proposal floated by Senate
Republicans to give him more flexibility to choose which programs would
be cut to reach the $85 billion, saying, "There's no smart way to do
that." Speaking at a shipbuilding site in Virginia, Obama said, "These
cuts are wrong. They're not smart, they're not fair. They're a
self-inflicted wound that doesn't have to happen." As Obama continued to
warn of the consequences if the sweeping cuts are allowed to happen,
Republicans criticized the president for making appearances outside
Washington to do so, with House Speaker John Boehner saying, "The
president has been traveling all over the country, and today going down
to Newport News, in order to use our military men and women as a prop
in yet another campaign rally to support his tax hikes." Obama wants to
replace the sequester with a package of targeted cuts and tax increases,
but Republican leaders have insisted that there should only be spending
cuts.
SENATE CONFIRMS HAGEL AS DEFENSE SECRETARY: A divided Senate on Tuesday (February 26th) finally confirmed former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel to be defense secretary, with only four Republicans joining the Democrats in a 58-41 vote. Those four Republicans were: Senators Thad Cochran of Mississippi; Dick Shelby of Alabama; Mike Johanns of Nebraska; and, in a surprise, Rand Paul
of Kentucky, who had voted twice to keep the nomination from coming to
the floor for a Senate-wide ballot. Paul spokesperson Moira Bagley said
that while the senator disagrees with Hagel on several issues, he
believes a president should have some leeway in his political
appointments. The vote came after Republicans dropped their
unprecedented filibuster earlier in the day on a 71-27 vote. Hagel, a
decorated Vietnam combat veteran, is expected to be sworn in today to
succeed outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
IRAN OFFERED EASING OF SANCTIONS IF NUKE ACTIVITY SCALED BACK:
After two days of talks with Iran in Kazakhstan, world powers are
waiting to see how the Islamic nation will respond to their offer to
lift some of the tough sanctions against it if Iran scales back nuclear
activity that is feared could be used to build nuclear bombs. The U.S.,
France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia presented the offer at their
first meeting with Iran in eight months and Tehran was said to be
considering it. Iran maintains that it's only producing nuclear energy
and isn't trying to build bombs -- a claim the West doesn't believe.
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official said Iran was pressing ahead with
its nuclear program while, quote, "everyone is talking."
TODAY'S FYI:
DETAILS ON BENEDICT'S POST-PAPACY: The Vatican announced new details Tuesday (February 26th) about the post-papacy of Pope Benedict the 16th,
who is becoming the first pontiff in several centuries to step down,
effective tomorrow (February 28th) at 8 p.m. Rome time. In his
retirement, Benedict will be known as either "emeritus pope" or
"emeritus Roman pontiff," and will be called "Your Holiness Benedict the
16th," a decision Benedict himself had made in consultation with
others. He will continue to wear a traditional white cassock, but is
giving up his trademark red shoes in favor of brown loafers made for him
by Mexican artisans that were given to him during a 2012 visit.
Benedict has said he will retire to a life of prayer and meditation,
however, he will continue to live in the Vatican.
- Meanwhile, Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has Cardinal Peter Turkson
of Ghana, the head of the Vatican's justice and peace department, as
the favorite to succeed Benedict as pope, which would make him the first
non-European pontiff in more than a millennium. Italian Cardinal Angelo Scola is in second place.
TEEN DRIVER DEATHS UP, TEXTING AND CELL PHONE USE BEING BLAMED:
The death of teen drivers increased in the first half of 2012, up some
19 percent among those ages 16 and 17 compared to the same span in 2011,
according to a study out Tuesday (February 26th) from the Governors
Highway Safety Association. Officials who helped create the report said
that while the improving economy has more teens behind the wheel,
texting and cell phone use wile driving is a likely cause of the rise in
accidents and fatalities. The increases came after 16-year-old driver
deaths dropped by nearly two-thirds between 2000 and 2010, and by more
than half among 17-year-old in the same period, before the declines
ended in 2011.
LAWSUITS ACCUSE ANHEUSER-BUSCH OF WATERING DOWN THEIR BEER:
Class-action lawsuits have been filed in several states accusing
Anheuser-Busch of watering down its beer, in brands including Budweiser
and Michelob. The lawsuits, which are based on information from former
employees at Anheuser-Bush's 13 U.S. breweries, say that the beer
brands' alcohol content is lower than what's listed on the label because
excess water is added just before bottling, which cuts the stated
alcohol content by three percent to eight percent, as a cost-cutting
move.Anheuser-Busch called the claims "groundless" and said its beers
fully comply with labeling laws. Anheuser-Busch merged with InBev in
2008 to form the world's largest alcohol producer, and according to the
lawsuit, the company increasingly chose to dilute its beer after that.
The 10 beers involved in the lawsuits are: Budweiser; Bud Ice; Bud Light
Platinum; Michelob; Michelob Ultra; Hurricane High Gravity Lager; King
Cobra Busch Ice; Natural Ice; and Bud Light Lime.
STUDY: MEDITERRANEAN DIET CAN SIGNIFICANTLY CUT HEART ATTACKS, STROKES:
The dramatic results of a groundbreaking new study show that people at
high risk for heart attacks, strokes, and death from heart disease can
significantly reduce their risk if they eat a Mediterranean diet that's
high in fish, nuts, fruits, vegetables and olive oil. The results are so
good, in fact, that the study was stopped after nearly five years
because the benefits of such a diet were so obvious that it would be
unethical to continue with study subjects not eating that way. The
researchers found that eating a Mediterranean diet reduced overall risk
for heart attack, stroke or death from cardiovascular causes by 28 to 30
percent, compared to just a low-fat diet. If the diet included extra
servings of nuts, stroke risk was reduced by 46 percent, and if it
included extra virgin olive oil, the stroke risk went down 33 percent.
If you'd like to try the Mediterranean diet, the guidelines given for
the study subjects were:
- Eat white meat instead of red.
- Eat fish and legumes, such as beans, lentils and peas, at least three times a week.
- Avoid sweets such as sugary beverages and baked goods and limit consumption of dairy products and processed meats.
- If you drink alcohol, have at least seven glasses of red wine with your meals each week.
- Eat at least three servings of fruit and two servings of vegetables daily.
- The group whose diet was supplemented with extra virgin olive oil was told to use at least four tablespoons each day.
- The group whose diet was supplemented with extra nuts ate one ounce of mixed nuts -- walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts -- daily.
'TAN MOM' OFF THE LEGAL HOOK:
The deeply-bronzed New Jersey woman who became known as the "Tan Mom"
is off the legal hook after a grand jury declined to indict her on child
endangerment charges for supposedly bringing her five-year-old daughter
into a tanning booth, a prosecutor said Tuesday (February 26th).
Patricia Krentcil was arrested in April 2012 after her daughter showed
up at school with a sunburn and the girl said she'd gone tanning with
mommy. However, Krentcil denied that, saying the girl had gotten
sunburned from playing outside and that while the girl had been to the
tanning salon with her, she never took her into the tanning booth,
something that it illegal under New Jersey state law. Krentcil's
attorney, Natalia Diaz, hailed the grand jury's decision, saying, "The
case was just basically ridiculous. It's almost like a witch hunt." Diaz
also said that her new client no longer has a bronze hue, saying, "She
no longer tans like that."
SPORTS:
HEAT TOP KINGS 141-129 IN DOUBLE OT, SEASON-HIGHS FOR JAMES, WADE:
The Miami Heat defeated the Sacramento Kings 141-129 last night
(February 26th) in double overtime in a game that saw season-high
scoring for Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and
pushed Miami to a 12-game winning streak. James scored 40 points and had
a career-high 16 assists, the first time there's been a combination of
at least those numbers in the NBA since 1994. Wade had 39 points and
tied a career best with 19 field goals.
(Headline News, FYI and Sports stories were compiled in part from reports by the Associated Press and Reuters.)
ON THE TUBE
CBS
- SURVIVOR: CAMARON -- FANS VS. FAVORITES - Malcolm and Corinne's special bond leads to a discovery that livens up the game.
- CRIMINAL MINDS - Victims of the Replicator, the BAU's stalker, turn up in Philadelphia.
- CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION - The team investigates the deaths of several prominent poker players.
NBC
- WHITNEY - Whitney is not enthused when Alex tries to bring his former motorcycle days back to life.
- GUYS WITH KIDS - When
Chris and Sheila think about having another baby, Nick and Emily plan a
divorce party to remind Chris about his past with Sheila.
- LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT - A promising singer is beaten by her boyfriend, a famous hip hop star, but she refuses to ADA Barba build his case.
- CHICAGO FIRE - When Severide's father (Treat Williams) visits, he clashes with Chief Boden over a former colleague's death.
FOX
- AMERICAN IDOL - Ten more make singers perform.
ABC
- THE MIDDLE - When Axl, Sue and Brick accidentally break the family room window, they decide to blame the Glossner children.
- THE NEIGHBORS - When the Weavers and Bird-Kersees go camping, Marty tries to prove that he is man like his dad.
- MODERN FAMILY - Mitch
and Cam's friend Sal announces she's getting married the next day and
they are in the wedding; Phil helps Luke with a girl.
- SUBURGATORY - George is deeply affected when Marty passes away; Tessa considers the future of her and Ryan's relationship.
- NASHVILLE - Juliette plans a surprise birthday party for Deacon; Scarlett is charmed by Gunnar's brother.
CW
- ARROW - Oliver and Diggie learn that Deadshot is alive and targeting Malcolm.
- SUPERNATURAL - Sam and Dean investigate a possible zombie case where an amnesiac man dies and revives himself once a day.
FX
- THE AMERICANS - A crucial agent crumbles under emotional distress and threatens to topple a valuable network of KGB informants.
TNT
- BOSTON'S FINEST - (series premiere) After a short time in Afganistant, Officer Jenn Penton patrols Boston with intensity and a sens of purpose.
- SOUTHLAND - LAPD's dispatch system breaks down; Ben and Sammy's partnership is strained.
DAY TIME TALK SHOW
THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW - Colin Farrell, Steve Spangler THE VIEW - Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Dr. Sam Parnia, Joe Tiralosi
LATE NIGHT TALK SHOWS
THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN (CBS) - Tina Fey, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Solange THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO (NBC) - David Duchovny, J.B. Smoove, Father John Misty JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE (ABC) - Stanley Tucci, Gold Fields THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON (CBS) - Tom Lennon, Mike Tyson LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON (NBC) - Christian Slater, Mia Wasikowska, Jason Aldean LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY (NBC) - Jim Jefferies, Nathan Fielder, Tomahawk THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART (COMEDY CENTRAL) - R.J. Cutler THE COLBERT REPORT (COMEDY CENTRAL) - Paola Antonelli CONAN - Johnny Galecki, The Miz
OFF BEAT BRIEFS
MAN CALLED 9-1-1 NINE TIMES FOR CHEESEBURGER:
A 52-year-old man in Indiana who had a hankering for a cheeseburger
called 911 nine times within a 90 minute span in the hopes that they
would bring him one. According to police, Gregory Jackson Sr. has a long
criminal history in New Castle and has even done time for theft,
dealing drugs and criminal recklessness. Jackson also had a warrant out
for his arrest because he recently failed to appear at a hearing. He is
being held at the Henry County Jail and has another hearing scheduled
today (Wednesday, February 27th). (WISHTV.COM)
PROFESSOR LEAVES PROJECTOR ON WHILE WATCHING PORN:
A college professor in The Netherlands who had just been giving a
lecture on Advanced Food Chemistry visited an X-rated porn site while
the classroom's overhead projector was still on and hooked up to his
computer. The lecture had actually been an online one but the screen had
been visible at the time, which is how one student was able to take a
screengrab and show it to school officials. The professor was asked to
leave but students told a local paper that he was "an excellent
teacher." (Gawker)
INTRODUCING THE VAPORTINI -- NOW YOU CAN JUST INHALE VAPORS TO GET DRUNK: http://www.vaportini.com/home.html
WANTED MAN TRIES TO TURN HIMSELF IN; IS TOLD POLICE STATION IS CLOSED:
A man who has been wanted in Sweden for murder was told the police
station was closed when he tried to turn himself in. Police said the
45-year-old man, Saleh Hadri, had been on the run for about 15 months
after police accused him of murdering a local gang chief. Hadri had been
hiding out in Egypt but returned to Malmo to turn himself in and try to
clear his name. According to reports he rang the doorbell of the police
station at around 6 p.m. and a voice on an intercom told him the
station was closed. He responded, "Closed? I'm suspected of murder and a
wanted man -- you guys really want to get a hold of me." Officials told
him he had to go to another station so Hadri spent 20 minutes getting
to the other police station where he was apprehended and taken into
custody. Hadri claims he is innocent but wants to testify and clear his
name. (New York Daily News) NBC)
IS IT WRONG TO SEND A 'FAT LETTER' TO PARENTS ABOUT THEIR KIDS? http://bit.ly/Wppxi1
MAN THREATENS TO SUE SHELTER WORKER WHO HELPED RAISE MONEY TO GET HIS DOG OUT OF THE POUND:
Remember the man who didn't have the money to get his dog out of the
pound, and the amazing shelter worker who posted about it on Facebook
and raised enough money to help him? Well, the guy -- Dave Thomas -- is
now threatening to sue the shelter worker, Maria Sanchez. According to
Maria, she was just trying to make sure the leftover money that was
raised was spent responsibly. She said, "I had a discussion regarding
the remainder of the donations and how he would like to spend them. I
said it would be a good idea to pay off any outstanding tickets so that
he will not be taken to jail in the future for having a warrant for
unpaid traffic tickets. I asked if he had any bills that were due at the
time. I told him that every dime that was donated would go to him and
Buzz, but that I would not be giving him the cash." Dave then threatened
to sue Maria, telling her in a voicemail, "You are dead wrong and I
will be getting in touch with the lawyer and if you do anything with my
money that is slander one, embezzlement two... what's the other one? Oh
grand larceny because it's over $1,000." Sanchez says she is done with
this entire experience and will be refunding the surplus donations to
those who contributed, adding, "The donations will NOT go to Dave after
the stunt he has pulled. If you still want Dave to have your donation, I
will have to ask you to send it to him personally... No good deed goes
unpunished, right?" (Dogster.com)
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
THE LENGTH OF A RING FINGER CAN PREDICT SUCCESS: Research
from two Italian economists finds that the length of a woman's ring
finger can predict how successful she will be in her career, or even
sports. For their research, economists Aldo Rustichini and Luigi Guiso
interviewed over two-thousand male and female small business owners and
photographed their hands halfway through the interview. Researchers
found that longer ring fingers equated with skills like spatial ability,
risk-taking assesment, assertiveness, and success in competitve sports.
They also found that the most successful entrepreneurs had ring fingers
ten-to-20-percent longer than their index finger. (Daily Mail)
STUDY FINDS THAT THIN MODELS AND CELEBRITIES DON'T SELL PRODUCTS:
A new study from the Warwick Business School in the UK finds that women
are turned off by the sight of products placed next to images of female
models and celebrities. Researcher Dr. Tamara Ansons says this is
because seeing a pretty model triggers scorn in regular women, which
they use as a coping mechanism to feel better about their own
appearance. Ansons said that models used in a more subtle manner usually
made female shoppers respond more favorably. For the study researchers
showed participants advertisements for vodka. One group saw the vodka ad
without a model and the other group saw the vodka ad opposite a
bikini-clad model on the opposite page, and the third group was shown
the vodka ad with a model next to the product. Researchers say they
found that a woman's self-perception and consequent effects on product
evaluation depend on the degree of attention paide to the idealized
image of a woman in advertisements. (Daily Mail)
SHREK THEMED WEDDING: http://tinyurl.com/b5u8sds
STUDY FINDS WHY SONGS GET STUCK IN OUR HEADS:
A recent study finds that songs we like are the most likely to get
stuck in our heads. Head researcher Ira Hyman Jr. of Western Washington
University and his colleagues exposed subjects to popular songs while
asking them to complete various tasks. Researchers found that songs
usually get stuck in a person's head when they are doing a task that is
either too difficult, or too easy. Difficult tasks cause the mind to
wander, while easy thoughts create a mental opening for reptitive
thoughts, Hyman says. The research suggests we're most likely to get a
song we like stuck in our heads, and Hyman says to get a song un-stuck
you should do something that engages the auditory and verbal components
of your memory, such as reading a good book or watching a favorite show.
(NY Times)
SMARTPHONE USERS SAY THEY WOULD RATHER GIVE UP WATER THAN MOBILE APPS:
In a new survey from the company Apigee, researchers find that of about
760-smartphone users surveyed, 85-percent said they would rather go
without water than their mobile apps. Eighty-two-percent of respondents
said there are certain apps they couldn't live without for even
24-hours-- 57-percent identified e-mail as their vital app, while
41-percent named Facebook and 31-percent said alarm clock apps. The
survey covered smartphone owners in the U.S., UK, Germany, France, and
Spain. (Mashable)
HOW TECHNOLOGY INFLUENCES HOW WE SIT: http://tinyurl.com/alowvs9
CHIMPS DO PUZZLES FOR FUN, NOT JUST REWARDS:
British researchers say that chimpanzees get a feeling of satisfaction
from figuring out tricky puzzles, even without the promise of food.
Researchers form the Zoological Society of London tested six chimps by
having them perform a test by using sticks to move red dice through a
maze of pipes until they fall into an exit chamber. In one version of
the test the researchers used Brazil nuts instead of dice that would
fall out of the puzzle and be given to the chimp. Researcher Fay Clark
said they noticed that chimps wanted to complete the puzzle regardless
of whether or not they received food at the end, which strongly suggests
they get similar feelings of satisfaction to humans who often complete
brain games for a feel-good reward. (UPI)
TRICH IS THE MOST UNKNOWN STD:
Results of a new survey indicate that just one-in-five women are
familiar with the most common, curable sexually transmitted disease--
Trichomoniasis. The American Sexual Health Association commissioned the
survey and found that women perceived trich as the least common STD,
when in reality there are more new cases of it annually than syphilis,
chlamydia and gonorrhea combined. Scientists explain that Trich is a
parasite that is passed on during sex that only causes symptoms in about
30-percent of people, however women with trich are more likely to have
preterm or low birth weight babies, and it increases the risk of
acquiring and transmitting human immunodeficiency virus, which causes
AIDS. (UPI)
PET FOOD STAMPS EXIST: People who fall
on hard times may turn to food stamps for help, but now there are pet
food stamps as well. Pet Food Stamps is a donation-based program that
aims to help pets of low-income families and those who already receive
food stamps but cannot afforad to feed pets. Program founder Marc Okan
says to utilize the service, pet owner's first have their income
verified. They then will be given pet food each month by pet food
retailer Pet Food Direct for six-months. The program is still waiting to
be approved as an official nonprofit. (Opposing Views)
??? TRIVIA ???
What does armadillo mean in Spanish?
A: "Little armored one."
Source: National Geographic
How many hours per day do most species of armadillo sleep?
A: Up to 16 hours.
Source: National Geographic
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