Tuesday, January 11, 2011        Edition: #4422
Never Accept a Generic – Ask For Pure “BS”!

BS SHOW BIZ BUZZ:
36-year-old famous person/sorta designer Victoria Beckham has announced she’s pregnant again via her aging soccer superstar-hubby David Beckham (proving that, even though they’ve used up Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz, they still haven’t run out of dumb names) . . . This week “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” has launched Down Under, specifically on Sydney’s Mix 106.5 & Melbourne’s Mix 101.1 (because there’s nowhere left in North America to further flog the guy) . . . According to Nielsen SoundScan, all-genre album sales decreased 12.7% over the past year, but country album sales experienced only a 5% decline (thanks to a few superstars) . . . The UK’s Office of Fair Trading is launching an investigation into allegations stars are being paid to plug brands on Twitter, including actress Elizabeth Hurley (Estée Lauder) and singer Lily Allen (Grey Goose, PlayStation) . . . “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy has confirmed Gwyneth Paltrow will return for 2 more episodes, specifically as a romance interest for Matthew Morrison’s character ‘Will Schuester’ (apparently cheesy attracts cheesy) . . . Ratings for Paula Abdul’s new TV competition “Live to Dance” (CBS) plummeted 25% from its first to second airing (to save the day she needs to cry more and make unintelligible statements) . . . In a new Sky Movies poll, the original 1969 version of “The Italian Job” has been voted greatest British film ever made, followed by Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” (1979) and the 1997 comedy “The Full Monty” (no mention of “Carry On Up the Khyber”?) . . . And in a new interview, 47-year-old Johnny Depp says sometimes he wants to ‘run away’ because, thanks to technology-obsession, invasive media, and reality TV madness, we’ve lost touch with the simple things in life (hear hear!).

TODAY’S SHOW BIZ SKED:
• “Conan” (TBS/CTV) – Steel Train (“Steel Train”).
• “George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight” (CBC) – Josh Groban (“Illuminations”).
• “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC/CityTV) – A Day to Remember (“What Separates Me From You”).
• “Last Call With Carson Daly” (NBC) – A Perfect Circle (“Deep Cuts”).
• “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” (NBC/A Channel) – Tom Tom Club (“Genius Of Live”).
• “Late Show With David Letterman” (CBS/Omni) – Cage the Elephant (“Thank You, Happy Birthday”, out today).
• “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC/A Channel) – The Duke Spirit (“Neptune”).

BS MUSIC NOTES:
• Black Sabbath – Today they release the limited-edition vinyl album, “Black Sabbath: Live at Hammersmith Odeon”, recorded with singer Ronnie James Dio in January 1982. Only 3,000 copies of the 3-LP set will be printed.
• Cake – “Showroom Of Compassion”, their first studio album since 2004 is out today. They produced & engineered it themselves at their solar-powered studio in Sacramento CA.
• The Decemberists – Today they release the new album “The King Is Dead”.
• INXS – For today’s album release “Original Sin”, they re-imagined several of their signature hits with different singers, including Ben Harper, Rob Thomas, and Train’s Pat Monahan.
• Jason Derulo – The 21-year-old “Whatcha Say” singer admits he’s hopeless in the kitchen and that’s one reason his favorite food is breakfast cereal, including Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Golden Grahams, and Lucky Charms. (Dude, you’re inviting diabetes!)
• Motley Crue – 52-year-old bassist Nikki Sixx has split with his neighbor, 39-year-old sometime actress Denise Richards, a friend claiming they were never ‘exclusive or serious to begin with’. (Just handy.)
• Rihanna – Her father, Ronald Fenty, says he & his daughter are reconciled after her visit home to Barbados for the holiday season. They’d previously had a falling out over his heavy boozing on her tour. Quote: “She blasted me for that; she was always lippy from her small days.” (Oops!)
• Thirty Seconds to Mars – Tonight they kick off a new round of North American tour dates in support of their latest album, “This Is War”, with the first of 2 shows in San Diego CA.

TODAY’S VIDEO RELEASES:
• “Alpha & Omega” ( PG 3-D Animated Adventure ): After being relocated to Idaho by park rangers, a female and a male wolf face a dangerous trip across unfamiliar territory in their attempt to find their way home to Canada. Voice cast includes Christina Ricci, Hayden Panettiere, Justin Long, and – in one his final roles – the late Dennis Hopper.
• “Piranha 3-D” ( R-Rated Horror Thriller ): After a sudden underwater tremor sets free scores of the prehistoric man-eating fish, an unlikely group of strangers must band together to stop themselves from becoming fish food. Shot in Lake Havasu, Arizona. Stars Elizabeth Shue, Jerry O’Connell, Richard Dreyfuss, Ving Rhames. A 3-D remake of the 1979 fright flick.
• “Shake Hands With the Devil” ( R-Rated War Drama ): A bigscreen adaptation of the acclaimed best-seller by former Canadian general Roméo Dallaire, the story of a UN peacekeeping commander torn between his duty and his conscience when he finds himself eyewitness to hell in 1993 Rwanda. Stars Roy Dupuis.
• “The Social Network” ( PG-13 Drama ) – Aaron Sorkin (“The West Wing”, “A Few Good Men”) wrote the screenplay of this film about the founding of Facebook, starring Jesse Eisenberg (playing Mark Zuckerberg), Andrew Garfield (who is also the new ‘Spider-Man’), Justin Timberlake, and Rooney Mara (soon to be “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”).
• Also released today: “Chris Angel Mindfreak: Season 6” (Reality TV); “ER: The Complete 14th Season” (TV); “Funny or Die Presents: The Complete 1st Season” (Comedy); “The Green Hornet: Movie Edition” (1940); “The Green Hornet: 75th Anniversary Original Serials Collector’s Set” (Compilation); “Hot in Cleveland: Season 1” (TV); “Kathleen Madigan: Gone Madigan” (Standup Comedy);  and “Rules of Engagement: The Complete 4th Season” (TV).

YOU ARE WHAT YOU BEFRIEND:
Psychologist Elayne Kahn contends the type of friends you have reveals a lot about your personality. For instance …
• ‘Just One Close Friend’ – You don’t trust people very easily, but once you do you’re very loyal.
• ‘Friends of Your Own Sex Only’ – You’re more comfortable when people are in more traditional roles. You enjoy friends who have something in common with you.
• ‘Friends of Opposite Sex Only’ – You enjoy being the center of attention, but don’t like competing for it. Intimacy is very important to you, and you’re capable of deep relationships.
• ‘Friends You Just Party With’ – You love to socialize, but don’t like people getting too close. You’re very independent and want to stay that way.
• ‘Friends From Work’ – You love achieving, working hard, making money, and always moving ahead. All things in your life, including friendships, are geared toward making your career as successful as possible.
• ‘Different Friends for Different Occasions’ – You’re a busy, active person who’s well-organized, but don’t like to become too involved with people.
(‘You don’t have any friends’ – You’re a Program Director.)
– Bitcomet.com

AFLOCKALYPSE NOW:
First the Redwing Blackbirds fell out of the sky in Arkansas, then 2 million fish mysteriously died in Chesapeake Bay, followed by 150 tons of Red Tilapia in Vietnam, and 40,000 crabs in Britain. Is it a sign of something sinister? Biologists say the reality is these mass die-offs happen every other day somewhere in North America and are usually unrelated. In fact, there have been much larger die-offs in the past. For instance, over 100,000 ducks died of botulism in Canada in the Summer of 1996 … twice. In the past we haven’t even noticed these events or tried to link them together. (We can thank the web and YouTube in particular for that.)
– Associated Press

WAYS TO AVOID CATCHING A COLD:
• Eat Breakfast – A Welsh study has found that those who start their day with breakfast get fewer and less severe colds than those who skip their morning meal.
• Think Positive – Research also shows that those who approach life in a negative manner are more likely to get a cold or other illness.
• Use Your Support Network – The more you’re around those who care about you, the better you’re able to handle stress. That boosts your immune system, enabling it to fight cold viruses.
• Wash Your Hands – Do it often, especially before every meal. Doing it 5 times per day has been shown to cut the rate of colds and other respiratory illnesses almost in half.
– Condensed from “Best Health”

HEY, CALL YOUR MOM:
China is considering making it a legal duty for people to visit their elderly parents. Under a new proposal, seniors could go to court to claim their right to be physically and mentally looked after by their offspring. Taking care of parents is a Chinese tradition, but migration and work pressures have been fracturing family ties, and decades of China’s one-child policy have left fewer workers supporting more and more elderly relatives. Over 12% of the population of China is now over age 60, and more than half of them live alone. (Should parents be an obligation?)
– BBC News

WHAT WILL BE THE ‘NEW THING’?
One prediction of people & things that are going to be hot in 2011 …
• Kumquat – This small, South Asian citrus fruit adds perfect texture & tartness to fish dishes. Like pomegranates, they’re full of antioxidants … without the mess of cleaning out the seeds.
• “The Muppets” – A refreshing twist on a classic story. “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” comedian Jason Segel is writing & starring in the highly anticipated remake, opening November 23rd.
• Trampoline Fitness – It’s bouncing up all over because it makes for a low-contact, high-intensity workout. It’s like ‘parkour’ … without the threat of bashing your face on concrete.
• Videophone – Sony has hinted at the possibility of a PlayStation phone onto which users will be able to download games directly … thereby putting your iPhone games to cyber shame.
• Zoe Saldana: The “Avatar” actress plays a super hot assassin in “Colombiana” (opening September 2nd), earning her the title of the next Angelina Jolie … without the baggage.
– Excerpted from “Men’s Health”

DID YOU KNOW?
• The amount offered by the US government as compensation for lives lost on 9/11 ranged from $6.4 million for families of the wealthiest victims to $250,000 for families of the poorest who died that day.
– “Globe & Mail”
• Installing seatbelts on US school buses would cost the equivalent of $40 million for each child’s life likely to be saved … which probably explains why it hasn’t been done.
– “The Price of Everything” by Eduardo Porter
• According to the first nationwide count of parking spots, conducted by civil engineers from the University of California at Berkeley, there are 3 parking spaces for every vehicle in the USA, or some 800 million parking spots to choose from. (None of them anywhere near where you want to be.)
– ScientificAmerican.com

BS CHRONOMETER 01.11.11

TODAY’S CELEBIRTHDAYS . . .
1934 [77] Jean Chrétien, Shawinigan QC, Canada’s beloved 20th Prime Minister (1993-2003)

1942 [69] Clarence Clemons, Norfolk VA, classic rock musician (Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band)

1946 [65] Naomi Judd, Ashland KY, country singer (The Judds-“Have Mercy”)/Wynonna’s mommy

1968 [43] Tom Dumont, LA CA, rock guitarist (No Doubt-“It’s My Life”, “Don’t Speak”)

1971 [40] Mary J Blige, Bronx NY, R&B/pop singer (“I Am”, “Be Without You”)

1972 [39] Amanda Peet, NYC, movie actress (“2012”, “The Whole Nine Yards”)/TV actress (“Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip” 2006-07)

TODAY’S BS REASONS TO PARTY . . .
• “International Thank-You Days”, a week-long opportunity to thank someone from your past who did something nice for you.

• “Sir John A Macdonald’s Birthday”, celebrating the anniversary of the birth of Canada’s first Prime Minister in 1815. The US gets “Martin Luther King Day” off in January, so why can’t we have this as a holiday?

• “Tattoo Pride Day”. Hey, I’ll show you mine if you show me yours!

• “Use More of Your Mind Day”, encouraging us to train our minds to increase our brain power.

THIS DAY IN SHOW BIZ . . .
1999 [12] “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” debuts on Comedy Central as Stewart takes over from previous host Craig Kilborn (goes on to win numerous Emmy Awards)

TODAY’S MUSIC EVENTS . . .
1964 [47] First country album to top the pop album chart … Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”

1992 [19] “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana peaks at #6 on the pop singles chart

2000 [11] “Baby One More Time” album by Britney Spears is certified for sales of 11 million copies (today she releases yet another tune with a double entendre title: “Hold It Against Me”)

TODAY’S FIRSTS . . .
1569 [442] The 1st-ever ‘Lottery’ is staged, in England (winner gets 3 chickens & a pail of slop)

1973 [38] American League baseball team owners vote to adopt the designated-hitter rule on a ‘trial basis’

TODAY’S RECORDS . . .
1911 [100] Temp plunges to -61.1 C in Fort Vermilion, the coldest ever recorded in Alberta

1984 [27] ‘Highest-Scoring NBA Game’ as Denver Nuggets beat San Antonio Spurs 163-155 (a total of 318 total points with no overtime!)

AND REMEMBER . . .
[Wed] “American Idol” season debut (FOX)
[Wed] Pharmacists Day
[Wed] Work Harder Day
[Thurs] Make Your Dreams Come True Day
[Fri] “The Dilemma”; “The Green Hornet” open in movie theaters
[Fri] Dress Up Your Pet Day
[Fri] Organize Your Home Day
This Week Is … Home Office Safety & Security Week
This Month Is … Bath Safety Month

BULL’S BITS

BS HORRIBLESCOPES:
Use ‘em all at once or one-at-a-time as the zodiac reading of the day …
• Aries – You will be a winner today. Pick a fight with a 3-year-old.
• Taurus – Today you will discover that your favorite attribute in a person is their ability to tell you how fantastic you are.
• Gemini – You will be out standing in your field. But only if you become a farmer.
• Cancer – Love may be in the air for one lucky person tonight! We’re talking worldwide here, not about you, loser.
• Leo – Do you really want to be drinking 8 glasses of water a day with your track record?
• Virgo – Be playful at heart and you’ll reap the reward of having more friends … under the age of 10.
• Libra – At the same moment you hear this, someone will be thinking about you and smiling. In another moment, they’ll be laughing outright.
• Scorpio – The older you get, the more you’re starting to realize that everyone else is an idiot.
• Sagittarius – Good day to begin writing that book you’ve been planning … “Growing Radishes Indoors”. It’s an idea whose time has come.
• Capricorn – “Superhero Day” is your own invention and, as such, not a free pass to wear your underwear on the outside.
• Aquarius – Feeling locked up when you’re in a municipal park may be a sure sign that you’re slightly claustrophobic.
• Pisces – Today is not your lucky day. It’s tomorrow instead! So that’s something to look forward to whilst picking up your teeth with your broken arm.

BS RANDOM JOKE:
You’re very deceptive … you’re even slower than you look.

BS PHONE STARTER:
What’s the best tune to … er .. do it to? “Cosmopolitan” magazine recommends …
• “Criminal” … Fiona Apple
• “Love In This Club” … Usher
• “Sexual Healing” … Marvin Gaye
• “Sex On Fire” … Kings of Leon
• “When You’re Gone” … Sade

BS WATER COOLER QUESTION:
Today’s Question: University girls who have THIS are less likely to gain the ‘freshman 15’.
Answer to Give Out Next Show: A heavier roommate.

BS DEEP THOUGHT:
Whoever rows the boat doesn’t have time to rock it.